Threshold: Shock

I like how this show can be so unbelievably cartoonish and goofy, yet so smart in its storytelling. I truly believe - eve more than Invasion or Supernatural - that the writers know where this story is going. They're dropping little hints about certain aspects of characters (Arthur's engagement and eyesight suddenly becoming better), Caffrey's nose bleeding, etc) that you know are going to be important later in the series. It's not just standalone episodes set in a different city every week, with mindless action or explosions. It's a fun show, but one with some cleverness too.

This episode begins with a voiceover from Carla Gugino to catch everyone up on what's happened so far. They show scenes from previous episodes of aliens attacking people (including one mistake from last week's ep - the guy they showed wasn't an alien but an escaped mental patient). It's a nice little one minute summary, and if you hadn't seen the show til tonight it was good primer.

A cop is killed trying to stop a gang from stealing micochips from a dock (killed as in "head twisted completely around"). His female partner lies to Threshold that the guy escaped when in reality she hid his body after he was electrocuted (but not killed) on a fence. But when Threshold goes to see him, guards inform them that Homeland Security was already there and taken the guy. Oh oh.

This show is like a live action cartoon. It's X-Men, or The Superfriends, or Jonny Quest. Each member has their specialty (Caffrey is the fearless leader, Cavennaugh is the brawn, Fenway is the doctor who knows how to do everything, Lucas is the tech guy, and Arthur is the expert in languages). It's a little ridiculous that these are the five people who hold the fate of the world in their hands (Gugino even says in the opening narration that the only people who can stop the alines is Threshold - because they "have a plan." They do?!) It's a fun cast with entertaining plots and doesn't take itself too seriously (until it has to be, of course). I just hope it doesn't die or Friday nights because it's one of the lowest-rated nights of television in general.

And was that Joe Penny? Cool to see him again.

Funny line: Caffrey tries to get Arthur to help her, leading Arthur to say "I'll be your linguistic bee-yotch." Heh.