Hi everyone!
Here it is, my little review of "The Devil You Know". As always this contains huge honkin’ spoilers for that episode, and I have not read anyone else’s comments, so everything I say I came up with in my own little mind. :-)
"Better the devil you know then the devil you don’t."
-The proverb is of Irish origin and has been traced back to the 1539 collection of proverbs by R. Taverner. First attested in the United States in 'Dodd Cases' (1934) by K. Livingston. From "The Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings" by Gregory Y. Titelman
So there...Darien isn’t the only one who can throw around quotes :-)
Overall:
We continue on our search of main characters names this week with The Official. A man that last week told us that he loves his job and wouldn’t give it up for anything, admits this week not only is his job the defining factor in his life, but is willing to sacrifice it for Darien. Several people have told Darien they think he’s capable of much more then what he’s done with his life in the past, and up until now the Official didn’t just say it, but forced Darien to be more. Of course he did it by holding the counteragent over Darien’s head, a tactic that wasn’t appreciated. But now the Official not only drops all bull and becomes Charlie, but gives up his own "life" for Darien...an action that obviously means much more.
The Good:
-This week we’re given Scott Fitsgerald, Hemmingway, and Willie Sutton. I’m beginning to think Darien spent more time studying the Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings then law books while in prison! :-)
-Uh, this kidnapping will be a good bedtime story for the kids?
-I really enjoyed the background music in this episode. I didn’t notice it at first (and that’s a GOOD thing, as any background composer will tell you) but when I did, it’s some fun stuff and very appropriate to each scene. Go Robert Sprayberry!
-Everyone who turned their head to look at that first upside-down picture raise their hands! :-)
-"Piece of Mind in Six Fashion Colors!" Oh LOL... and did you notice all those colors were bright neon?
-I was wondering how long it would take for The Agency to try and get that gland insured. I’m surprised though, with them knowing how independent Darien is, that they would be so condescending as to call him "The Receptacle".
-And speaking of that insurance policy, Charlie was very quick to let Darien
not sign it...he have another plan to get that gland insured we don’t know
about?
-I liked the chain of command bureaucracy conversation when they first meet
Lawson!
-What a great look that passes between Charlie and Darien when Charlie is talking about him being able to sneak into places "without anyone knowing he was there"
-I’m not at all surprised to find out that Hobbes would love to have the gland in his head, with "all the stuff I could do".
-I’m also not surprised Hobbes would be so insistent that Fawkes is an agent, not a receptacle. Those too are really showing respect for each other.
-How can your gut NOT twist in sympathy from the look on Darien’s face, after the building explodes, and he realizes he’s responsible for killing three people. Wow...
-Nice to see Claire continuing to show her more human side, "Damn the gland, how are you?"
-You gotta love how Darien just lays out his "training" for the committee. No apology about his past here!
-Ah, Room 101, from "1984" Classic story by George Orwell, about a man who is fighting the establishment and is caught. TPTB are taking him to a room to be tortured, and tell him that inside the room is his worst nightmare. And this episode we learn a lot of people’s Room 101. Darien’s we knew before...not just the fear of spiders, but of loosing his mind. Now we learn about the Official, him not having a purpose in life. And as much as Lawson may tell others his Room 101 is full of terrorists, I think it’s really what he told someone else...fear of being ordinary.
-Love all the old stuff Charlie packs up; the old-fashioned adding machine, lunchbox, stapler...
-Great Scene 1: Charlie talks to Darien after packing up his stuff. It’s the first time the Official comes right out and tells Darien how talented he is, even without the gland. And that it’s his job to use people for the greater good. That’s what any good boss does.
-So being the dork that I am, and after getting a chance to take a look at Darien’s apartment, I checked out his criminal record when Lawson was looking at it. You learn a lot of interesting things after you pass by the mugshot of him looking all depressed. :-) Like he’s been caught for crimes 4 times, but was acquitted once. He’s got "Above average intelligence." and is "Extremely deceptive". There’s a whole list of crimes: petty theft, several burglary charges, fraud, several theft, one GRAND theft, trespassing, unlawful entry, and a partridge in a pear tree. And among all the info about his height, weight, eye color, and other things we can learn just by looking at him, it says his DOB is "Not available" and his age is "approx. 30." Uh...ok, so does that mean no one knows when his b-day is, or are the writers just messing with those of us who are geeky enough to look? :-)
-Watch Claire try her best to flirt with Lawson when they first meet!
-"It’s not nice to play with other peoples toys." Uh, is Claire talking about the flame thrower or Darien’s gland? :-)
-Great Scene 2: Darien confronts Charlie about having the gland implanted before they knew how to remove it. Right here is where Darien beings to really respect the Official.
-Love the awkward scene between Hobbes and Lawson. Uh, yea Hobbes you can go now. :-)
-*snicker* Watch Darien check out the two ladies after he’s come down the stairwell.
-We all knew Lawson’s evil side was coming...of course his whole argument with "See-Through Boy" and talking about making him do what he wants just makes you want to hurt Lawson more.
-"Is this a good time for my big entrance?" ...I wonder if that’s how Darien acted every time he was in court :-)
-You GOTTA love the look Darien gives Lawson as he turns around to do the "hand trick". You can almost hear him saying "You messed with my head, it’s payback time. I’m gonna mess with you."
-So Lawson is still out there, knows all about Darien and his gland, and is looking for revenge...
-When Paul-Ben Victor is on a roll, no one can keep a straight face! Love that last scene with Hobbes insisting that Fawkes admit he was wrong!
The Bad:
-So at the beginning of the opening credits we get in huge letters "And Mike McCafferty as Eberts", and I promptly cheered! Uh...ok...WHERE WAS HE?? Usually being put into the opening credits means your in the show...Mike, wana tell me where you were?!
-From fashionable office wear to really dorky beachwear in one jump cut. WHY does Darien have the Pepsi logo on his shirt? WHY is the Official wearing his grandma’s quilt as a shirt? And Hobbes, WHAT is with the bright red hat?
-So all the FBI people run over when Darien is flung from the burning building with guns raised. Huge guns...like AK47’s. Uh, they were NOT hiding those down their pants...where did they come from?
-Anyone else think when Darien is wandering around the hotel, his earpiece and microphone are kinda obvious?
The Crap Count:
-(to Lawson) "I’d say I think you were full of crap." -Darien
-(in Voice Over) "So Hobbes fired his gun and I knocked the guy into the pool, which managed to fake out Lawson and scare the crap out of 50 tourists. Not bad for a days work." -Darien
-(about the court proceedings) "That is crap!" -Lawson
The Nitpicky:
- Added Dialogue: Kidnapper "We want you! ...to join the US Army. Here’s a pamphlet and a uniform."
-Is Darien drinking Starbucks coffee before he goes into the hearing?
-"Well I’m afraid, sir, that you leave us little choice." But to go to lunch I guess... :-)
-Lawson replaced the fish posters on the office wall with some real awful modern art.
-So they are now "Acme Carpet Cleaning" ?
"Of all the overbearing, beurocratic, penny-pinching, chauvinists I’ve
worked for, he was defiantly the best."
-Claire
