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Journeyman 1.8: "Winterland" |
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Monday, 12 November 2007 |
By John Keegan
Visit Critical Myth for an archive of John's TV Review archives, with more than 1100 entries. If the previous episode was all about setting up the impending complications, this episode is when the complications arrive in full force. The FBI investigation mentioned at the end of the previous episode becomes a major issue of contention, as Dan, Kate, and Jack all react to the potential disaster such attention might bring.
At first, I though the quick misdirections and Jack’s evasiveness would be enough to get the FBI off the scent. After all, that’s what usually happens in most shows dealing with the same plot element. Instead, the writers took the more ambitious and satisfying choice. If anything, the FBI is more interested than ever, and they seem to be very focused on Dan’s possible activities.
This brings me to Dr. Langley. Dan’s previous conversation with him suggested deeper knowledge of time travel and its potential sources, but Langley seemed to be more intrigued than anything else. At this point, it’s far more likely that Langley knows the truth about Dan’s situation, and he’s trying to keep himself out of the spotlight. The idea that Dan’s situation is related to some kind of experimental anti-terrorism initiative is intriguing, especially the notion that Langley wants to keep the government from getting the technology.
Along with that new insight into the time travel origins, we are given more information about Livia. The idea that Livia comes from 1948 was completely unexpected, and it introduces a number of new possibilities. First and foremost, it suggests that Dan could find himself falling into longer and longer missions, especially if Livia was displaced in time for several years. Her time with Dan also adds to the overall sense that the two of them were chosen to work together by some unknown agency.
After all, at this point, only Dan and Livia have been shown to travel through time. Livia had been doing so for quite a while, and then she was displaced for years in a time seemingly designed to bring her into a relationship with Dan. Now she seems to be assigned, for lack of a better term, to helping him during his own travels. The underlying message is that a certain rationale is at work, something that has been assumed for some time but now has solid information to substantiate it.
All of these issues contribute to Dan’s growing sense that he’s losing control, and that is reflected in his mission. He can’t escape his roller coaster ride, but he can help Abby survive hers. It’s a tenuous thematic connection, but it works, especially since the intersections give Dan and Livia enough time to talk. One very nice touch is the strain on Dan and Katie’s relationship. No matter how understanding she might be, Livia’s presence gets under her skin, and it’s starting to show.
The constant escalation of overarching elements is taking an already great show and making it that much better. Considering the ratings situation, the additional effect of the writers’ strike is incredibly frustrating. While the strike forces the network to make full use of the material on hand, it works against the possibility of eventual renewal. I hate to think that this show may very well come to a premature end. |
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