Review of Episode 14: Nightingale
4/6/2005
Jack: "Yes, I imagine this must be quite upsetting
for you, Arvin, my not anticipating that Sydney and Vaughn's
deceit could be greater than your own."
I love all of the regulars on this show. Every single character
is well developed, well written, and well acted. But I have
a special fondness for Jack. If Jack has just sustained a
fatal dose of radiation, I'm going to be seriously, seriously
pissed.
This season's major arc now appears to be something about
Elena Derevko and Bill Vaughn. I have absolutely no idea what's
going on. I've thought all along that Irina probably isn't
dead (though we still don't know for sure), but does that
have something to do with Elena and why Jack and Sloane need
to find her? Sloane said that Sydney connecting with Elena
would be "disastrous." Why? Plus, it sounded like
Jack and Sloane covered up Bill Vaughn's death by switching
him with this Philip Burke guy. Is Bill Vaughn "dead"
for the same reason Irina is "dead"?
I like that Sydney put her love for Vaughn ahead of her job,
but I don't understand how she could possibly believe that
Jack wouldn't figure that out, or that anyone would believe
that Vaughn would clip her in the mouth. I'm also not quite
on board with the Bill Vaughn is-he-alive-or-isn't-he subplot,
despite my fondness for Vaughn and Vartan.
My favorite scene was the Sydney and Jack "Daddy, may
I borrow your clearance?" and "Gee, we haven't really
talked much since you killed Mom." (They didn't exactly
say that, but I can project a little, can't I?) I also loved
the Jack and Marshall scene at the end. We've been getting
a Jack and Marshall comedy bit every week, but this time it
was serious: "It was my daughter's life," and the
cryptic, and moving, "Between us."
Bits and pieces:
-- Good news, "Alias" fans: the show has been renewed
early for a fifth season.
-- I loved the whole beer garden scene: Sydney sliding down
the bar, the silliness with Klaus, the way she verbally seduced
Dietrich until she had her heel at his throat. (How many of
you Buffy fans were shrieking, "Ethan Rayne!"?)
-- Vaughn didn't pick up "Through the Looking Glass"
in the children's library: he had "Alice's Adventures
in Wonderland": I recognized the first page. Yes, they're
usually published together, but they're not the same thing.
The "Inject me" thing was pretty cute, though. (Although
I sure wouldn't have done it.)
-- This week's winner for Most Obvious Symbolism was the
almost Whedonesque opening dream sequence, with Bill Vaughn's
memorial star crumbling, as Michael Vaughn's perceptions about
his father are also crumbling.
-- Jack and Sydney were drinking pinot noir at the restaurant.
Wasn't that the wine from "Sideways"?
-- Dixon has gotten over his bout of nerve agent well enough
to spar with Vaughn, although having them doing it right there
in the office looked odd. You don't often see people sparring
in the office. Not where I work, anyway.
-- So what's going on with Nadia and Weiss? They seem all
couple-y, but where are the smoochies? Where's the hot monkey
love? I would have enjoyed a scene with Nadia and Weiss instead
of the gratuitious gross-out scene at the beginning.
-- Speaking of which, the nuked people Nightingale thing
was just bad. But the genetic marker bit smells like Rambaldi
to me.
-- There were no cute Marshall gimmicks or com links: just
cell phones. After last week's episode, I'm sure Sydney has
developed a lasting appreciation for cell phones.
-- Jack: "The only way to proceed is honestly, above
board." Yeah, right. It would have been even funnier
if Sloane had said it.
-- Sydney: "We always thought my mother killed your
father, but what if we were wrong?" I think the fans
all got there several weeks ago, Sydney.
-- This week's itinerary: Siberia, Munich, Siberia.
-- This week's hot look: the beer garden cutie waitress outfit,
although how did Sydney braid that wig so fast?
-- This week's language skills: Jennifer Garner did a fabulous
job with the German. I don't speak it, but I just loved the
way she came on to Robin Sachs in German.
-- This week's grossout moment: Do I even need to say it?
It reminded me of my least favorite scene in "Robocop."
Yucky things keep happening to people on "Alias"
this season, and frankly, it's turning me off.
-- By the way, in the states we got a commercial for "The
Muppet Wizard of Oz" that had Miss Piggy doing Sydney
Bristow. :)
Pretty good in spots, less good in others. Three out of five
spies,
Billie
- Review by Billie Doux
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