(S01E06) OK, so I missed the first five minutes of tonight's episode (damn move to Saturdays!). Can one of you fine readers explain why the private eye was helping Mark and Kat get to the airport and get on a plane to Italy? Did he have a change of heart? Is there another motive for getting them there? Or am I misreading the scene entirely?

Regardless, I can honestly say that this show is one of the short-run shows that I am completely hooked on. Where I got tired of shows like 'Happy Town' and 'Harper's Island,' I'm sticking with this all the way.

I was thinking of how much of a different show this would be if it wasn't created as a 13 episode series. Imagine if it was a multi-season mystery, like 'Lost' or 'Alias.' We wouldn't be getting as many answers as we've been getting in this show. What we found out tonight would have been revealed in episode 6 of season 3. So let's hear it for short-run shows. We're getting a lot of answers.

We're also seeing character changes and reveals. Just when you thought Joe wouldn't be discovered as being in on the entire plot, in this episode everyone found out he is. And just when you thought Erika was going to turn out to be the tough ex-prisoner who really has a heart of gold we find out that she's in love with Janet and actually poisons Joe with anti-freeze because she's jealous (and she wants to find out if he knows anything). That isn't the way most shows would have gone, even in a short season.

So it's a great twist that Joe has already been discovered as a spy, and it opens up a lot of plots. How will the rest of the gang -- especially Janet -- treat him? Will they ask him more questions? Demand to talk to the kidnappers? Will Mr. Jerky try to kill him with the sledgehammer? Or will the people in charge decide to kill or isolate Joe because he has betrayed them? Nah, I doubt either will happen. Joe is too important to the show.

I'm still not thrilled with the investigation that Mark and Kat are heading. Yeah, I'm happy that Kat is finally becoming a real character that's a little likable, but things seem to be happening a little too quickly (though I know they have to do that with a show like this). They're in Italy going to the funeral of someone who might be involved in the kidnapping of Janet? They're dressing up as a priest and a nun like Jonathan and Jennifer on 'Hart to Hart' to talk to Tori's dad? Thugs kidnap them and they talk and they seem to join forces to find Tori's killer and Janet?

But it's good that we now have a solid connection between Janet and Tori (the photograph), so at least Mark and Kat know that there's something bigger going on here and the full investigation can begin.

More thoughts:

• I love when Mark found the secret vault in the office and discovered that promotional shot of the 'Persons Unknown' cast that the ambassador had for some reason. Perhaps the ambassador works for NBC? Or did he download the pic from the "bios" section of the NBC web site?

And how convenient that this shot just happened to have Tori and Janet in it so Mark knows that there's a connection. Imagine if the pic was just Tori alone or Tori and Moira or Tori and the concierge?

• I was impressed that Mr. Jerky actually showed that he cared what happened to Joe, calling the kidnappers "sadistic bastards." It sort of made up for the fact that earlier in the episode he was going around with a sledgehammer, smashing things.

• In an earlier review I compared this show to a reality show, with a group of strangers brought together in one place, facing challenges. Specifically it's like this season of 'Big Brother,' with a saboteur in their midst. Only this show's saboteur has second thoughts, and wasn't voted out of the town the first week.

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