USA's Covert Affairs sort of reaches their mid-season finale this week, with three weeks off before returning to finish up the third year. The episode is called "Let's Dance," and takes place a significant amount of time after the previous installment, with Annie (Piper Perabo) somewhat healed from her gunshot wounds. Filled with rage at Nina Lena (Sarah Clarke) because Lena not only shot Annie, but killed Jack's Annie's love, Terri Simon (Richard Coyle), Annie takes off for Russia, where Lena is holed up.
I almost wish the previous week had been the mid-season finale. It would have been a neat ending, with Annie unconscious, dream-like sequences, and Auggie (Christopher Gorham) wrestling with his feelings by her bedside, while the CIA hunted an elusive Lena. Instead, "Let's Dance," which feels like a premiere, adds a coda with a different tone.
"Let's Dance" is a revenge story, pure and simple. Annie is filled with some dark emotions, and wants to make the woman who caused them pay dearly. This isn't a good idea, as is obvious to viewers. Auggie and Joan (Kari Matchett) tell her so. Heck, even the Russian named Dmitri, who she asks for help, tries to talk Annie out of her mission when he realizes how much hate she has flowing through her. Bottom line, if you can't turn off your emotions enough to keep a cool head, you will make a mistake that will likely cost you your life.
But Annie doesn't make a mistake. Our super hero spy not only finds Lena, despite Dmitri's betrayal (he falls in love with Lena... again), but shoots her dead. This is only slightly disappointing. After all, it feels good to watchNina Lena be killed again. No one can argue that she didn't deserve it.
The lingering thought remains, though. What kind of episode would this be if it stayed more realistic, and Annie had screwed up? Not that Annie could be killed off; she's the main character. But there are other ways to show how everyone else is right in this situation, and Annie is wrong. Not only would that reveal a vulnerability that I'd really like to see in Annie, it could also keep Lena as a foe for, say, two more seasons (OK, I'm done with the 24 references)?
We also see that Annie can play the piano in "Let's Dance." This seems to stretch believability just a little too far. Annie has never been seen playing an instrument before, and she is supposed to be good enough to convince Dmitri to help her? Maybe she studied just for this trip, but come on! Even Annie can't learn that fast. It doesn't gel with what we know about the character.
That being said, despite a few things I would have liked to see changed, "Let's Dance" is a great episode. It's exciting, there are a couple of twists, plenty of action, some tender moments between Annie and Simon's old flame, and we get to see Annie being totally bad ass, which is never completely a bad thing.
At first, it seems odd that Auggie would choose now to try to tell Annie about his feelings for her, which he seems ready to do in this episode. However, upon reflection, this might be an OK time. True, both are still smarting over losing someone they loved, which might not leave them ready to start a new relationship. However, this is also the type of thing that can bond them, as they each understand how the other one is feeling. And fans are ready for Auggie and Annie as a couple to happen.
Joan has great moments, too. Even though Annie has requested a transfer from her department, and things have been strained between them lately, Joan sticks her neck out for Annie. She can't allow official CIA assistance to Annie's mission, of course, but she does offer some help and tries to convince Annie only to take a picture (which, admit it, is never going to happen), rather than risk her life. Joan is accused of favoritism for this, and the charge is probably accurate. That doesn't stop me from rooting for Joan anyway.
Covert Affairs will return in four weeks to USA.
If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Firts posted on TheTVKing
I almost wish the previous week had been the mid-season finale. It would have been a neat ending, with Annie unconscious, dream-like sequences, and Auggie (Christopher Gorham) wrestling with his feelings by her bedside, while the CIA hunted an elusive Lena. Instead, "Let's Dance," which feels like a premiere, adds a coda with a different tone.
"Let's Dance" is a revenge story, pure and simple. Annie is filled with some dark emotions, and wants to make the woman who caused them pay dearly. This isn't a good idea, as is obvious to viewers. Auggie and Joan (Kari Matchett) tell her so. Heck, even the Russian named Dmitri, who she asks for help, tries to talk Annie out of her mission when he realizes how much hate she has flowing through her. Bottom line, if you can't turn off your emotions enough to keep a cool head, you will make a mistake that will likely cost you your life.But Annie doesn't make a mistake. Our super hero spy not only finds Lena, despite Dmitri's betrayal (he falls in love with Lena... again), but shoots her dead. This is only slightly disappointing. After all, it feels good to watch
The lingering thought remains, though. What kind of episode would this be if it stayed more realistic, and Annie had screwed up? Not that Annie could be killed off; she's the main character. But there are other ways to show how everyone else is right in this situation, and Annie is wrong. Not only would that reveal a vulnerability that I'd really like to see in Annie, it could also keep Lena as a foe for, say, two more seasons (OK, I'm done with the 24 references)?
We also see that Annie can play the piano in "Let's Dance." This seems to stretch believability just a little too far. Annie has never been seen playing an instrument before, and she is supposed to be good enough to convince Dmitri to help her? Maybe she studied just for this trip, but come on! Even Annie can't learn that fast. It doesn't gel with what we know about the character.
That being said, despite a few things I would have liked to see changed, "Let's Dance" is a great episode. It's exciting, there are a couple of twists, plenty of action, some tender moments between Annie and Simon's old flame, and we get to see Annie being totally bad ass, which is never completely a bad thing.
At first, it seems odd that Auggie would choose now to try to tell Annie about his feelings for her, which he seems ready to do in this episode. However, upon reflection, this might be an OK time. True, both are still smarting over losing someone they loved, which might not leave them ready to start a new relationship. However, this is also the type of thing that can bond them, as they each understand how the other one is feeling. And fans are ready for Auggie and Annie as a couple to happen.
Joan has great moments, too. Even though Annie has requested a transfer from her department, and things have been strained between them lately, Joan sticks her neck out for Annie. She can't allow official CIA assistance to Annie's mission, of course, but she does offer some help and tries to convince Annie only to take a picture (which, admit it, is never going to happen), rather than risk her life. Joan is accused of favoritism for this, and the charge is probably accurate. That doesn't stop me from rooting for Joan anyway.
Covert Affairs will return in four weeks to USA.
If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Firts posted on TheTVKing
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