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V – Fruition

Last week we saw the weakest installment of the series and my review was appropriately scathing. Will tonight’s episode claw it’s way back from mediocrity, or has the damage already been done? In short, it's better, much better...

The opening shot unveils the twisted and beaten body of Lisa, which if you remember, was ordered at the behest of Anna in the final moments of Hearts and Minds. This was one of the few redeeming developments of the last episode and Fruition focus significantly on the effects on the Queen’s manipulation of public opinion.

Lisa’s scarred and bruised face is paraded before the media, as evidence of the viscous nature of the ’5th Column’ and Anna’s threat to leave Earth causes a mass outcry and eventually the compliance of world governments to assist in the capture of any and all members of the resistance. Where last week we saw a fumbling and confused narrative structure that stumbled across tired clichés and troublesome plot holes, tonight draws focus from Lisa’s turmoil and efficiently paces the episode towards an ominous climax.  

The main source of intrigue lies in the prodigal daughter’s conflicting feelings of loyalty to her mother and to Tyler. At several points, she seems set to unravel Anna’s conspiracy, but eventually succumbs to fear and plays the role the V’s have shackled upon her. Even Tyler invokes few moments of irritation, providing a necessary supporting role as Lisa’s catalyst for her new human emotions. We are provided with an interesting situation, where Erica finally realizes that not only is her son's girlfriend a V, but that she is also the daughter of the hive Queen. This provokes some tension although I must confess, I wasn’t aware that Lisa’s ‘visitor' status was a secret and am still uncertain as to whether this was as guarded a secret, as we were led to believe. Anna and Erica have an unnerving exchange, as they discuss the lengths a Mother would go to protect her offspring and there is a definite threatening subtext. Although this was a poignant moment, I was a little puzzled as to why it was happening. Anna is not aware of Erica’s true motivations and it was strange to see them sparring in this manner. This was a first of a few inconsistencies, which although glaring, were easier to forgive due to the strong momentum of events.

The suspects for Lisa’s attack are Hobbes and a scientist called Dr Parker. Although the witness sketches are basically a man with a trimmed beard and a man with horned rimmed glasses, the suspects decide not to shave or wear contacts and so it isn’t long before the worldwide media knows all about their identity. We finally learn why the V’s are so intent on incriminating Hobbes and the Dr, and at last we see some glint of hope that the most impotent resistance in human history, may actually be able to fight back. Everyone who’s seen War of the Worlds knows that aliens hate bacteria, it gets them every time. I think it’s because they are almost exactly the same as Native Americans and have a low immunity to disease… yeah that must be it.

Ryan seems to be having quite the crisis, as his human emotions towards Val are waning and his reason for fighting against the V’s is suddenly in doubt. In one of the highlights of the episode, as Anna cracks open a can of ’bliss’ for her people, we see Lisa turn to Joshua, apparently unaffected by her mother’s mind control, whilst Ryan struggles to resist its allure. Hobbes is also working away in the shadows, performing deals with the enemy in an apparent attempt to save his own skin. I do find myself hoping he is performing a kind of double-cross however, as the show already has enough characters to hate and could use a few people to root for. Father Jack, with his ever grating religious mumbo jumbo, certainly isn’t one of them. Presently, listening to him is like sitting through a Psalm recital at Sunday school (just without the molestation and subsequent night-sweats).


Overall

A significant improvement on last week's disaster, with some excellent moments of clarity for several characters. Suddenly, I find myself extremely intrigued by what Lisa will do next, with a hint that she may even help Joshua destroy Anna’s freshly hatching soldiers, which would surely be a defining moment in the story.

There are still several inconsistencies throughout the episode and the producers are slightly over doing Anna’s sinister smiles to herself (I might start trying them out in my own everyday life, like when the missus asks me if she looks fat…). But all in all, a good episode and a step in the right direction. I haven’t forgiven V for what happened last week, but with time and possibly some make-up sex, we’ll be able to get through this.


Oliver Hume

Rating
7.8

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