I have to admit, the second episode of the “Bionic Woman” quelled some qualms I had after watching the pilot. Towards the end of the premiere episode, it seemed that Jaime Sommers was all too eager to assume her role as the Bionic Woman. “Paradise Lost” really got into the emotional side of Sommers.
The episode started off at the funeral of Sommers’ fiancé Will. I was actually hoping he would stay alive after Corvis shot him, but I guess guess the funeral put that hope to bed. Then again it could just be a ploy by the agency to keep Will away from Sarah Corvis, especially since Sarah had a romantic relationship with Jae Kim.
Why would the agency suspect Kim to still be in league with Sarah after putting a bullet in his girlfriend’s head? Well, it’s all about second chances. If Jae had the chance to do it again, would he put the bullet in Sarah’s head? In “Paradise Lost” we saw that Jae had another opportunity to take down Sarah, but disgarded it so that he could bed Bionic Woman the first bionic woman one another time.
Now, back to our heroine Jaime Sommers. Her near death emotional whirlwind continued over losing her unborn child and fiancé. Then to make matters worse Jaime discovers that her dead fiancé was keeping a dossier on her from before the two met. Her fragile mental state drives her to drink and seek a one night stand at a bar. Unfortunately, her lack of bionic control leaves her would be sex partner with a broken rib.
Her younger sister Becca isn’t helping matters either. Becca nearly gets kicked out of school for smoking pot in the girls’ bathroom. Life just continues to slip out of balance when we learn that Jaime had an opportunity to attend Harvard, but declined it to raise her sister. To top it off when Jaime meets up with her friends to lament, they want to celebrate their own academic achievements.
Enter Isaiah Washington, who plays the character of Antonio Pope. He runs into Sommers in a bookstore under the guise of an emotionally-sympathetic civilian dog lover. Alas, he iss really Sommers’ new supervisor.
After saving a woman from a suicide attempt, Sommers accepts Jonas Bledsoe’s offer to join the agency. Her first mission takes her to the city of Paradise. Ruth, Jonas’ second in command, and Jaime travel to the city under the guise of the Department of Agriculture. Paradise, aptly named, has had its entire population killed off with a special toxic gas. Only one survivor remains, who Jaime protects from a covert militia that is patrolling the city.
What struck me as odd about this episode was the end. Pope discovers the location of the main stockpile of nerve gas and leads a team to neutralize it. Okay, he’s a field agent, so that’s fine. But, then everyone else comes with him. I really didn’t expect Jonas to come out armed to the teeth with an AK-47. And, Ruth really didn’t need to be there either.
The series definitely looks to be a winner for NBC. Be sure to tune in for Episode 3, entitled Sisterhood, next week at 9pm.
this show is really picking up steam, I love it!