2-9. What Family Actually Means.

Nomi becomes the focus of unwanted 

attention at her sister's wedding.

Running Time: Approx. 57 minutes. Written by: Lana Wachowski, J. Michael Straczynski. Directed by: Lana Wachowski.


THE PLOT:

As the wedding of Nomi's sister approaches, Nomi prepares to act as the Maid of Honor - even as she contends with hostility from her family, particularly her mother (Sandra Fish). With support from both her sister and Amanita, she deals as well with that as is possible... But the dogged Agent Bendix (Anthony Cistaro) remains determined to arrest Nomi, and to do so in the most public way he can.

In Mexico, Dani finds the perfect comeback script for Lito, who continues to despair over the unraveling of his career. Through stubbornness, charm, and a few well-placed lies, she manages to secure him an audition. In Hollywood.

Meanwhile, Capheus discovers that his political opponents have placed a price on his head. Wolfgang continues to evade both Fuchs and the police. And Will receives distressing news about his father (Joe Pantoliano).


CHARACTERS:

Season Two has been a veritable showcase for Jamie Clayton's Nomi, and much of this episode's best material goes to her. Early on, she considers leaving the reception, claiming a headache to avoid speaking in front of her family and their friends.  Then her mother approaches her, acidly suggesting that she do exactly that - Which prompts Amanita to observe that she now has to give the speech.  She does so - with just the right amount of nervousness and defiance. Nomi's hint of self-absoprtion does come through, as the speech is very much centered on herself, but her caring for her sister also shines through as she turns the focus more and more to her sister's kindness.

Freema Agyeman continues to impress as Amanita. When Agent Bendix shows up at the wedding, it doesn't take long for her to realize that in his arrogance he hasn't checked with his superiors about Nomi's current status. She has no way of verifying her suspicion - But she knows Bendix's brand of arrogance very well, and intercedes. She quickly gets the crowd on her side, notably Nomi's father; and while I wouldn't give the scene high marks for realism, it is a definite crowd-pleasing bit, perfectly carried off by Agyeman.

What Family Actually Means also gives Eréndira Ibarra her best scene to date. When a depressed Lito insists that a Hollywood producer would never look at him for the role in Iberian Dreams, Dani responds with swaggering self-confidence. She picks up the phone, asks Lito and Hernando to time her, then proceeds to make a series of calls. She switches from earnest to flirty to disinterested and back again as she talks first to someone connected with the film, then to an entertainment journalist, then back to the first person, weaving a picture of Lito as an in-demand presence who may not even be available to make the film. Before a single hour elapses, she is speaking with the director, who is locking in the audition. Would this really work, let alone in such a short time? I highly doubt it. Does it make for a great scene, not to mention a fantastic acting showcase for Ibarra? You bet.


THOUGHTS:

The BPO plotline moves very much into the background for What Family Actually Means. There are a few developments, as Riley and Diego find the house of the woman who contacted Riley, uncovering the hidden lab where Whispers conducted experiments. But the bulk of the focus is on individual character threads, particularly the Nomi and Lito strands. This is very much a good thing. As I've said before, the BPO plot is effective in giving the show structure and momentum, but it's never been the focus of my interest. The moments that linger in my mind have nothing to do with Evil Corporate Conspiracies, and everything to do with strong character writing.

There is a heightened sense to this episode's "big moments." As I indicated above, the showcase scenes for Amanita and Dani aren't necessarily realistic. Bendix would likely have an officer arrest Amanita for interfering before she got three words out, with the mess untangled by lawyers some time later. Dani would be unlikely to bluff Lito into an audition with just a few phone calls; even if she was able to successfully bring the pieces together, it would be the work of days, not a single hour. But in an episode centered around a wedding, there's something appropriate in the inclusion of semi-operatic set pieces. Both scenes are enormously fun to watch, and it's a treat to see characters who were initially defined in relation to main characters being allowed to fully claim the spotlight.

With so many moments of triumph, it's a given that somebody will receive an emotional smackdown. This time, it's Will, who learns that his father is dying. He isn't able to physically go to him, and has to settle for saying goodbye through Riley. The scene is entirely too relatable to anyone who has ever lost a close family member (which is to say, pretty much anyone over the age of 30), and the performances of Brian J. Smith and Joe Pantoliano sell the emotion beautifully, visually intercutting between the deathbed conversation and the shared memory of a childhood game of catch.

If the episode is a last drawing in of breath before the run up to the finale, then that scene is a perfect moment of stillness before letting it go. A beautifully moving final moment in a thoroughly engaging installment.


Overall Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: All I Want Right Now Is One More Bullet
Next Episode: If All the World's a Stage, Identity Is Nothing but a Costume



Review Index

2-8. All I Want Right Now Is One More Bullet.

Wolfgang gets caught in an assassin's trap.

Running Time: Approx. 57 minutes. Written by: Lana Wachowski, J. Michael Straczynski. Directed by: Dan Glass.


THE PLOT:

Jonas is alive.

Though the group was certain they had witnessed his death, he reveals that he was saved through the intervention of BPO's Chairman. He is still BPO's prisoner, forced to work with them, but he is alive - and Whispers' position may not be quite so secure as he had believed.

Meanwhile, having been dropped by his agent, Lito decides that his career is over and wallows in self-pity and comfort food. But his skills may soon be needed. Sun's brother is soon to attend a function, and Nomi and Amanita have found a way to smuggle Sun in with the help. The catch? She will have to pose as a bartender, which will only be possible if she borrows the skills Lito learned on the set of a previous movie.

Capheus is drawing attention in his bid for public office, but is also drawing a backlash from his opponent, seeking to paint the upstart bus driver as a "thug" who extorts protection money from his neighbors. As Capheus absorbs this, he receives a visit at gunpoint by the leader of the Superpower Gang, who lets him know in no uncertain terms that his life is in danger - but that he also has support in some unexpected places.

Finally, in Berlin, Wolfgang realizes that Lila, the sensate assassin, is planning to play him off against gang leader Sebastian Fuchs (Lars Eidinger) - all to further her dream of transforming Berlin into a haven for sensates. She hopes to enlist Wolfgang to her cause - But will settle for eliminating him to remove the threat he poses!


CHARACTERS:

Nomi is rather adorable in this episode, from accidentally waking Sun and begging her not to hit her to admitting that time zones confuse her to her clutziness in high heels. When Amanita tries to relax her nerves, correctly diagnosing that she's worried about seeing her parents again, Nomi observes that Amanita knows her in ways her Cluster never will.  Speaking of Amanita, at this point she could be considered an honorary member of the Cluster.  When Nomi knocks herself out of action near the end, Amanita effectively fills her role via FaceTime (with an assist from Bug), which ends up working seamlessly.

Lito's self-pity is amusing, and Miguel Angel Silvestre continues to show a genuine knack for comedy. The scene in which he curls up on Sun's bed, clutching a stuffed animal and crying, is genuinely funny, with Sun alternating between exasperation and compassion in her response to him. At the end of the scene, after Sun has spelled out exactly how much worse her situation is than Lito's, he passes her the stuffed animal and grabs another one for himself.

My favorite part of the episode is, of course, the standoff between Wolfgang and Lila at the end. But there's a great character moment before the shooting starts, when Lila tries to persuade him to become a "king" for Berlin. He dismisses that as fantasy, telling her Berliners always ultimately reject would-be kings. When she tells him that he's not like other people, he dismisses her by replying, "You are." The great thing about a character who says little - When he talks, his words are never wasted.


THOUGHTS:

When Jonas returned at the very end of the previous episode, my first thought was that he was another kind of "meat puppet" for Whispers to use to try to ensnare the Cluster. When he coldly referred to Will as "Officer Gorski" at the start of this episode, I was certain my suspicions were about to be confirmed.

Instead, we discover that he is another kind of puppet - kept alive for the benefit of "The Chairman" (whom I do hope we meet before the series ends), as a potential check on Whispers. Later in the episode, Will gets a glimpse of Whispers, hiding with his family in a hotel room. His wife and daughter are losing patience with the disruptions to their lives, and he is losing patience with them, shouting that all he is doing is to "protect this family!" Will realizes that Whispers is just as much a prisoner of circumstance as he is, or as Jonas is.

These revelations are intriguing, likely setting up major plot developments for the finale. The episode also sets up other strands. Kala's husband comes home bleeding, then later takes an angry midnight phone call, both of which he lies about (and not very well, so at least Kala can take comfort in knowing that Rajan is a lousy liar). In the midst of Lito's epic self-pity, Dani and Hernando observe that his Sao Paolo speech has generated a lot of buzz, and that his situation is actually much better than he thinks; it's just that Lito is unable to see this in the midst of his wallowing. And of course, we set up the inevitable conversation between Sun and her brother.  With only a handful of episodes left, I actively hope they don't set up anything else - These strands and the BPO arc are already quite a lot to resolve in the four remaining installments.

In short, this is a transitional episode, carefully moving pieces into place. The kinetic action climax aside, this installment exists to get the characters ready for the season's final Act.  The script offers some amusing bits of comedy alongside several good character exchanges. But transitional episodes never are the ones that leave you breathless, and despite the fantastic final scene, this episode is no exception. It does its job well - But when I think back on this series after completing it, I doubt there is much my mind will cling to from this particular piece.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode; I Have No Room in My Heart for Hate
Next Episode: What Family Actually Means



Review Index

2-4. Polyphony.

Jonas has grave news for the cluster.

Running Time: Approx. 58 minutes. Written by: Lana Wachowski, J. Michael Straczynski. Directed by: James McTeigue.


THE PLOT:

Will's meeting with the BPO executive all too predictably turns out to be a trap. Fortunately, the cluster was prepared, and Will is able to escape. They are also now in possession of two resources they did not previously have: the knowledge that some of BPO's executives do not agree with the hunting of sensates, and the "blockers" used by Whispers to cut off the connection to other sensates. Riley has a contact who knows a chemical engineer, and he is able to study the pills - with Kala looking invisibly over his shoulder the entire time.

Kala and Capheus experience different types of unrest in their home countries. Kala is made the target of religious protesters' anger at her temple, which has now been transformed by new laws banning "idolatry." Capheus finds himself in the center of a protest about water prices, which have risen to a level that many people cannot afford. "Water is life," Capheus argues - and, when he is caught on camera defusing a potentially violent situation, he finds himself the subject of a local television interview.

In Mexico, Lito interviews the father of one of the members of Angelica's first cluster - a journalist who had interviewed Lito at the start of his career, and who disappeared in Chicago in pursuit of "the story of the century." Meanwhile, Sun's refuge comes to an abrupt end when the police knock on the door of the woman hiding her...


CHARACTERS:

One aspect of this series that I truly appreciate is that I actually believe in all of the relationships. That's quite rare - It is very common in films and television to have to nod your head and squint past screen couples who don't really fit together. All of the couples in this show work: Wolfgang and Kala, Will and Riley, Lito and Hernando, and Nomi and Amanita. Nomi and Amanita have been particularly strong this season, and this episode sees a highly effective moment with them at the center. As Amanita dodges over-persistent FBI agent Bendix on her motorcycle, Nomi is left to worry helplessly. Amanita's not a sensate, so Nomi can't simply look in on her - She's just left to wait and wonder, her anxiety further stoked as she experiences the potential for violence in the protests affecting Capheus and Kala. It's a startlingly suspenseful scene, and I found myself sharing in Nomi's relief when Amanita arrives safely.

Sun's friendship with Min-Jung is also well portrayed, and the two share a nice moment as the older woman reflects on Sun's character. She observes that for all of Sun's strength, she has a kind heart. "It was what made me like you the moment we met," she tells Sun. "Part of me wants you to find your brother and make him pay for what he has done... Whatever you do, child, do not let it be at the cost of your beautiful heart."


THOUGHTS:

After I finished this episode, a horrible thought occurred to me: I am now two-thirds of the way through this series. There are only eight installments remaining (admittedly, the last of those a very long installment, but still...). That is starting to make me quite sad. Not only do I love this series, but it is so clear that there is much more to explore with these characters and this concept, far more than can adequately be explored in seven episodes and a feature-length wrap-up.

The least of those is the BPO plot.  The conspiracy thriller story provides a narrative skeleton for this series, something to create incident and bring the characters together in focused moments - But as much as it makes for effective cliffhangers and set pieces, the real hook of the series for me lies with the characters and their individual stories. I like some better than others, of course - I will never care about Kala's husband and father-in-law no matter how much the show might want me to, and her scenes with the cluster are easily more enjoyable than the ones focused on her marriage - but all of the characters come across as credible. Even Sun, who is perhaps a little too capable at times, has an emotional vulnerability that offsets her "action hero" persona.

Speaking of action heroes... I rather like that Riley's friends joke about Lito's "cheesy" movies, much to his chagrin. First: Based on what we've seen of them, Lito's movies are cheesy, and there is merit in him recognizing that. It's also amusing when he self-deprecatingly echoes that criticism a few scenes later, to the father of the missing journalist. Which provides an opening for the older man to reject that dismissal, telling Lito: "You underestimate yourself."

The roles are being mixed more and more as the series goes on. Lito, who was the most disconnected from the cluster for most of the first season, has now become the go-to person whenever some convincing falsehoods are needed. But the last part of this episode sees him acting as an investigator, and - even accounting for prompts from the cluster - doing a genuinely competent job.

As per usual, the episode ends on a strong, in this case rather gruesome, note. But at this point, I'm dreading this series' ever-advancing end more than any of BPO's shenanigans.

Oh, a final note: I have so fully accepted Toby Onwumere's Capheus that I didn't even remember until after the episode's end that he wasn't the original actor.


Overall Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: Obligate Mutualisms
Next Episode: Fear Never Fixed Anything



Review Index

1-8. We Will All Be Judged by the Courage of Our Hearts.

Hernando is troubled by Lito's recent decisions.

Running Time: Approx. 50 minutes. Written by: The Wachowskis, J. Michael Straczynski. Directed by: Dan Glass.


THE PLOT:

Nomi is forced to go on the run when Whispers arrives, flanked by police with a warrant to search the home of Amanita's mother and to take into custody anyone who interferes. Nomi is cornered, but is able to channel Will's police knowledge, Sun's martial arts skills, and Capheus' driving abilities to escape.

Meanwhile, Sun protects Soon-Ji from her bully, who then makes the mistake of attempting to pick a fight with Sun in the Yard. It does not go well for the other prisoner, but Sun is both wounded and taken to solitary confinement. Wolfgang watches over Felix in the hospital, blaming himself for the attack. And Lito learns that Dani has bought Joaquim's silence... but only by agreeing to marry him, which does not sit well with Hernando.

In Kenya, Capheus decides he must break ties with Silas. But he soon discovers that this is not so easily accomplished...


CHARACTERS:

A strong episode for the regulars' significant others. When Whispers comes to her mother's house, Amanita insists on staying behind to buy more time for Nomi's escape. Meanwhile, when Lito is too willing to go along with Dani's decision to return to Joaquim, even after seeing Dani's black eye, Hernando decides he has had enough. "I can't be with someone who will allow someone else to be hurt in order to protect their career," he tells Lito, and walks away without a single glance back - something which has to be at least as difficult for him as for Lito.

An extended flashback sequence details Wolfgang's childhood bond with Felix, and helps make Felix into a much stronger character in the process (the child actors in these scenes are excellent). Meanwhile, the help Sun gives to Soon-Ji earns her the appreciation of her cellmates. When she needs allies, she will have them - Something that will almost certainly be important quite soon. Will's Fox Mulder-like investigation has eaten up all the goodwill he earned from arresting Jonas, and now appears likely to derail his career.

Finally, Capheus' desire to return to his previous, simpler life ends with a harsh wake-up call; he appears to have no way to protect both his mother and Jela, whose life is on the brink of falling apart without the bus job, despite the money Capheus has given him. Given a choice between his mother and his friendship, it's obvious what choice Capheus will end up making - his mother is basically his berserk button, after all. But at this stage, it's hard to see a convincingly happy ending to this story.


THOUGHTS:

We Will All Be Judged by the Courage of Our Hearts is the first episode of the series which felt more devoted to plot than character. There are still strong character moments, particularly for Amanita and Hernando, but for the first time the emphasis has shifted to moving the story forward.

That results in an episode that's less instrinsically memorable than What's Going On? or Demons, but the hour moves along rapidly. Every thread advances, some significantly, and the sense of threads coming together is ever stronger. The episode has a strong set piece in Nomi's escape, which utilizes half of the regulars and shows off how formidable these skills can make an otherwise ordinary person, and it ends with me actively anticipating what will happen next.

For all the fun of that action scene, however, the part of the episode most likely to stick in my memory is the extended flashback to Wolfgang's childhood friendship with Felix. Chiron Elias Krase and Lenius Jung are terrific as the young versions of these characters, and both are similar enough in appearance that we never doubt that we're watching the same people as in the present day. In previous episodes, I'll admit to sometimes wondering why Wolfgang hangs around with Felix, whose lack of impulse control seems like a liability. After watching the flashbacks, I like Felix a lot more as a character, and now fully buy into the friendship they share.

Overall, another good episode, with some strong scenes and fine moments. The focus here may be to move the plot forward, but that doesn't come at the expense of the characters - And the 50 minute running time passes quickly.


Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode: W. W. N. Double-D?
Next Episode: Death Doesn't Let You Say Goodbye



Review Index

1-6. Demons.

"And it was at this moment my child walked in

and asked what the people on screen were up to..."

Running Time: Approx. 52 minutes. Written by: The Wachowskis, J. Michael Straczynski. Directed by: The Wachowskis.


THE PLOT:

Nomi and Amanita visit their apartment and find all of their belongings either gone or ruined. A furious Nomi realizes that the people hunting her will not stop "unless we make them stop." Needing a safe place to stay, Amanita takes Nomi to hide out at the home of her mother (Maximilienne Ewalt) while they figure out their next move.

In London, Riley finds Nyx - the drug dealer her ex-boyfriend attempted to murder - waiting for her. She is able to channel Will's police training to escape, but is left on the run with no safe place to hide. In India, Kala is visited by Wolfgang, who tempts her even as Rajan urges her to complete their interrupted wedding. In Mexico, Lito, Hernando, and Dani are growing increasingly comfortable in their new relationship.

Meanwhile, Capheus' agreement with Silas takes a more serious turn, as the crime lord entrusts him with the protection of his daughter. And Sun confesses to her brother's crimes, only to immediately worry that she has made the worst mistake of her life...


CHARACTERS:

In my last review, I complained that Riley had been pushed so far into the background, she was at risk of becoming entirely redundant. This episode revives her thread in a memorable way. Nyx's interrogation with the plastic bag is allowed to run well past the point of being genuinely uncomfortable to watch, and the performances of Tuppence Middleton and Joseph Mawle are almost too good - As he placed the bag over her head for longer and longer periods, I almost felt like I needed to catch my breath.

Before that scene, Riley and Will share a bit of cross-continental flirtation. These two seem to be developing the same type of bond as Wolfgang and Kala, only they're more cute than carnal. Will tests that they aren't going crazy by plugging his number into her phone and having her call him, then passing the call to his partner, Diego (Ness Bautista) - simple but smart. I also suspect it will be important that Riley now has the means to directly contact Will. Oh, and her flipping from being indignant at Diego describin her as having "a weird accent" to declaring that she likes him when he says, "She sounds hot" is just one of many little bits that make this entire scene adorable.

Riley also seems to be the one of the eight most able/willing to visit the others. Her visit with Will in the first episode was the first direct contact we saw; and while Wolfgang and Kala have been mostly limited to visiting each other, Riley has by the end of this episode had notable interactions with Will, Capheus, and Sun, as well as sharing a smile with Nomi during Episode Four's singalong. She and Capheus are also the only ones we've seen who have neither resisted the visits or questioned their own sanity because of them.

Speaking of Capheus - I love the scene in which he meets Silas' daughter. Critically, we are shown the genuine bond between the crime boss and his cute little girl before Silas explains his love for his daughter, which makes it real in a way that the explanation alone would not accomplish. In a series that's loaded with parallels, the scene establishes yet another one: Even as Capheus makes his choices for his mother, so does Silas for his daughter. In a single scene, a stock gangster character becomes a human being, and also becomes a possible future for Capheus - If he continues on a criminal path, one can easily see the simple but brave bus driver eventually becoming the feared crime boss.

THOUGHTS:

Well, after the previous episode's pause for breath, I think we're officially getting on with it. Demons is again terrific, well-paced and turning successfully from charming character comedy to white-knuckled tension to eroticism without skipping a beat.

The decision in Episodes Two and Three to slow down and focus on some of the individual threads is now paying dividends. The last few episodes have been able to skip across all eight members of this "cluster" with absolute comfort, and with each episode we're left feeling like we know these eight (and the people in their orbits) just a little bit more. Amanita's mother is a good addition to the San Francisco strand, and it is refreshing to see a television show where a parent is absolutely accepting of their LGBT child and her partner - which at the same time makes a good counterpoint to Nomi's mother, who is anything but accepting of her.

Of course, just as it would be ridiculous to talk about Episode Four without mentioning the singalong, it would be equally ridiculous to discuss this episode without mentioning the sex scene. This is basically the singalong's erotic counterpoint. Lito and Hernando begin having sex at the same time as Nomi and Amanita, while Will lifts weights and Wolfgang basically relaxes in his comfortable nudity in a swimming pool. Soon we are moving among all of these characters, mixing them in with the partners from the other segments. Some react (Will is definitely startled; Wolfgang seems to be musing something along the lines of, "It must be Thursday"), others don't even seem to notice, but it all builds to a striking artistic tableaux.

The episode ends with several characters contemplating what they're going to do next; and since we seem to be at the point where events are starting to move more quickly, my guess is it won't be long before we find out.


Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: Art Is Like Religion
Next Episode: W. W. N. Double-D?



Review Index

1-2. I Am Also a We.

Nomi and Amanita share a happy moment

 before everything goes wrong.

Running Time: Approx. 54 minutes. Written by: The Wachowskis, J. Michael Straczynski. Directed by: The Wachowskis.


THE PLOT:

In San Francisco, Nomi updates her blog, talking about her past life, raised by strictly religious parents:

"For a long time, I was afraid to be who I am. Because I was taught by my parents that there's something wrong with someone like me, something offensive... I was afraid of this parade, because I wanted so badly to be a part of it. So today, I'm marching for that part of me that was once too afraid to march, and for all the people who can't march, the people living lives like I did. Today, I march to remember that I'm not just a me - I'm also a we."

Nomi doesn't get very far on her Pride march, however. Her eyes meet those of a mysterious onlooker - Jonas. A second later, she passes out on the street.

She wakes in the hospital, with her mother (Sandra Fish) at her bedside, insistently calling her by her birth name - Michael. A surgeon, Dr. Metzger (Adam Shapiro), comes in to inform Nomi that she has been diagnosed with UFLS, Undifferentiated Frontal Lobe Syndrome, which means that her brain tissue is fusing together. He tells her she will experience increasing hallucinations and will be dead in six months unless they perform immediate surgery. But once Nomi is alone, Jonas "visits" her, telling her what she can already sense: Metzger is a liar, and she has to get out of this hospital as fast as she can.

In Mexico, Lito finds that Daniela (Eréndira Ibarra), the young actress he has been seeing for the sake of the press, is becoming seriously infatuated. He tries to dissuade her - But she shows up at his apartment, determined to spend the night. When she discovers his secret male lover, Hernando (Alfonso Herrera), she has a most unexpected reaction...

Meanwhile, in Chicago, Will discovers that camera recordings from the night of Angelica's death have been altered. Before he can follow up on that, however, a federal agent informs Will's precinct about a suspected terrorist: Jonas!


CHARACTERS:

The focus in this episode is on Will, Lito, and Nomi, with most of the others relegated to one or two scenes (in some cases, a wordless piece of a scene). This is a good choice, allowing us a chance to connect to those three characters without other plotlines getting in the way.

Will's interactions with Deshawn (William Burke), the boy he saved, show his innate decency, while also allowing him to reveal a bit about his past as a juvenile delinquent, rebelling against his career cop father (Joe Pantoliano). He also deals with fallout from saving Deshawn, as veteran officers at a cop bar shun him, and his father tells him that if Deshawn goes on to kill a police officer, then that's on Will.

The revelation that Lito is gay is... honestly no surprise at all, though his interactions with Dani are highly entertaining. Outside of the blog speech that gives this episode its title, Nomi actually gets the worst of the three spotlighted characters, being relegated to largely a victim role once she wakes in the hospital.


THOUGHTS:

The series' second episode is slower-paced, but it's also much more engaging. Because we aren't constantly being moved from one character and continent to another, there is a chance to genuinely connect with the episode's three focal characters. Will and Nomi brush up in different ways against the Big Secret Plot, but that is wisely not the focus. The mystery is teased in the gap in the police recording, and Dr. Metzger is balanced as both believably a medical professional but at the same time a sinister figure. But for the most part, the episode defers plot mechanics in favor of building the first episode's sketches into fully-rounded characters.

All three characters are likable, and some parallels are already emerging. Will is in the shadow of his father, just as we saw Wolfgang in the shadow of his own parent in the previous episode. Just as Wolfgang had an obviously terrible relationship with his father, we see Nomi's relationship with her mother - a mother who refuses to even acknowledge her by her current name, and who seems almost relieved to hear from Dr. Metzer that something is wrong with her child, as if clinging to the diagnosis as an explanation for sexual identity issues, and not just blackouts and hallucinations.

The three seem to exist in alternate genres. For this episode, Nomi is mostly in a family drama, attempting to stand up for her own identity even as circumstances pull her back to her estranged family. Will is in a paranoid conspiracy thriller, stumbling across altered evidence while being used to track down a falsely-dubbed "terrorist." Meanwhile, Lito is in a sex farce. The changes in tone complement each other, with Will's investigation keeping the thread of mystery alive, Nomi's family issues granting substance, and Lito's thread lightening the mood at the right moments.

Save for an end chase that leads into another effective cliffhanger, this is not a particularly exciting episode, and at this point I was starting to wonder if it should have been "Sense6" as neither the Kenyan bus driver nor the Korean businesswoman appeared to be receiving any script attention at all (that is very soon to change). But by rounding out three of the characters while still keeping the central mystery alive, I Am Also a We manages to engage emotionally in a way that the previous episode did not, marking a significant forward step.


Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Limbic Resonance
Next Episode: Smart Money Is on the Skinny Bitch



Review Index