4.18.2016

Television: Limitless, "Hi, My Name is Rebecca Harris"

So in this episode Rebecca confronts Brian about his ties to Sands and Morra, and Brian finally tells her the truth: that Sands killed her father. Rebecca then decides to try some NZT. Ostensibly to better figure out how to get justice/revenge? (Are those the same thing in this case? Are they ever the same thing? We could have a rockin' philosophical debate right now.)

But then we're subjected to Rebecca's narration, and we see her having the conversations with herself that Brian normally does with himself, and she's just not nearly as good at it. Or as much fun.

And while one would expect two NZTers are better than one, somehow Brian comes across and slow and stupid here. I even had to ask my husband whether Brian had taken any NZT? Because it seemed like he hadn't. Maybe the writers were worried Brian and Rebecca would sound too much alike so they scaled him back a bit. I dunno, but it was off.

Meanwhile, Sands' people are champing the bit to go take Brian out. Sands is clearly reluctant; after all, Brian has helped him in the past, and in no small way (his son, yeah?).  But at some point the Rebecca-centricity of this episode lost my attention, so I don't remember how it all fell out. Not the most glowing recommendation.

Hopefully it finds its voice again this week and this was just a blip. Though I feel things have been sliding since the Russia thing. As I often point out, it's very difficult to sustain really good work, and when the bar is set high from the beginning, the writers have made it harder for themselves in the long run. Not that shows should come out of the gate limping, but a series is a marathon, not a sprint. And while episodes will be up and down, the ultimate goal is to have them average out over time so that people don't lose interest. Slumps shouldn't be allowed to go on too long.

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