Review of Episode 8: Echoes
2/23/2005
Sydney: "She can have the blouse."
A couple of episodes back, I complained that it felt like
the real story
hadn't begun yet. I think it just did.
Rambaldi is back (I keep thinking the guy himself will show
up sooner or
later), and we're again in prophecy territory. While under
the influence of
the Rambaldi fluid, Nadia hallucinated about killing Sydney,
and now the
Ramdaldi devotee Anna Espinosa is trying to set them against
each other ... although how she could do that by shooting
Nadia is beyond me.
The writers are clearly setting up a future showdown between
Sydney and Nadia -- or they're making us think that they are.
What could possibly come between them, and set them at each
other's throats? Irina, of course. And we still don't know
what's up with Irina. Sydney said at one point, about Anna:
"She's supposed to be dead." And Jack replied, "So
are a lot of people." Was he hinting that Irina is alive?
I really want Irina to be alive, but I also don't want Sydney
to kill Nadia, or (certainly) vice
versa.
Jack and Sloane exchanged several meaningful looks in this
episode. And there was that interesting opening shot of the
two of them walking together that was set up just like the
sister shot of Sydney and Nadia last week. ("Spy dads
... spy dads ... there were never such confusing spy dads
...") That can't be a coincidence. Not that Jack and
Sloane are secretly brothers or anything, but the two of them
are cahooting like mad and we still don't know why.
Poor Weiss is so in love, and it's delightful and worrisome
at the same
time. Sydney and Vaughn both think that Nadia is going to
hurt him, and I
agree, even though I don't think she'd do it on purpose. I'm
also worried
that Weiss is going to get killed; he's got that red shirt
feel about him
this season.
And Sark is finally back, and as nasty as ever. Vaughn has
gotten so dark and is no longer the idealistic, upright boy
scout; their latest debate was such fun to watch. Did Sark
truly love Lauren? Can someone that evil truly love anyone?
As despicable as he is, I can't help liking Sark; when they
were talking about bringing in a surgical team, I kept thinking,
no! Don't hurt him! He's so cute!
For the first time, we learned what the Rambaldi symbol supposedly
means. The surrounding pieces are Irina's two daughters, Sydney
and Nadia: the circle in the center is what they will fight
for, to the death. Nadia said, "We were both together,
scared and upset, holding guns aimed at each other, and I
remember my hands were shaking, and I pulled the trigger."
<o>
As interesting as this episode was, I found a couple of things
disappointing. One: It's way too soon for Nadia to bite the
dust, and the
preview for next week showed her in a hospital bed: this ruined
the suspense about her possible death in this episode. And
two: Sark evaded an internal homing device once before. I
knew it wouldn't work this time, and son of a gun.
Bits and pieces:
-- Anna Espinosa was in several season one episodes. ("Give
her the dough, she'll give you the show.") Nice to have
Gina Torres back.
-- I wonder if Sloane is hoping Nadia will fulfill the prophecy
and kill
Sydney. I noticed that Sloane didn't say if he still believes
in the
Rambaldi stuff ... only that he knew Anna did.
-- Sounds like the Covenant has mutated into the Cadmus Revolutionary
Front.
-- Goody, more amputation. Branding, too. Yum.
-- The wonderful "Making Whoopee" fight scene took
place at Koran Donna, or Donna Koran, which probably makes
more sense. Isn't that a designer's name? It sure looked like
Rodeo Drive to me.
-- The Dante Compound sounded like Black Thorine or Ice Five:
a little like a spy novel device, in other words.
-- It's funny: Vaughn is darker and more interesting than
he ever was, and the Sydney/Vaughn romance is clearly tanking.
Could we please bring back Will Tippin now?
-- Sydney: "Dad, please tell me Rambaldi is not dictating
procedures."
-- Sark, to Vaughn: "I see your bargaining skills have
gone the way of your manhood."
-- This week's itinerary: Brussels, Johannesburg, Estonia.
-- This week's hot look: Sydney's one-minute hooker makeover,
which
reminded me strongly of Jamie Lee Curtis in "True Lies."
Good episode. Four out of five spies,
Billie
- Review by Billie Doux
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