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Category: Alphas

Alphas – “The Unusual Suspects” – The Ninth Circle of Hell and Occam’s Razor

Welcome back Alphas fans!

Who is the traitor?

This very question is at the heart of what is likely the darkest hour so far for Doctor Lee Rosen, (David Strathairn), and his Alphas. This week on Syfy’s Alphas, both the writing and the story take a twisted turn that pits the Alphas against one another, forcing well-hidden secrets to light, and having potentially dangerous repercussions on the relationships that have been forming so precariously over the past few weeks.

We as humans in general despise the concept of a ‘tattletale’, (which could be consider a level 1 traitor for you gamers out there). Tattletales are generally distrusted, avoided, and mocked. As they grow up, they become more secretive in their behaviors, taking on titles such as ‘informants’ or, (in some cases), ‘spies’, ‘double agents’, or even ‘mercenaries’, (I use the definition loosely). The term ‘traitor’ is often thrown around depending on the emotional level of the person doing the accusing but the truth is, at the endgame, ‘traitor’ is truly the last ‘level’. It is sometimes considered the worst title that can be given to someone, because betrayal can often cut deeper than any other crime. Even Dante Alighieri, in his Inferno, places the traitors in the lowest level of Hell (the ninth circle), and the greatest Biblical traitor of all in the central mouth of the terrible Cocytus. They are unforgivable. They are dangerous. They are….traitors.

According to Nathan Clay, (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali), one of the Alphas fits the bill. He is so convinced, in fact, that he kidnaps the entire team and plants them in The Place, (also known as Binghamton). We have heard about this ‘rehabilitation center’ at least once an episode every week. We have glimpsed it. We have heard the disgust and fear in the voices of the Alphas who have been there and the Alphas who are trying to avoid it. Now, we are in it.

We are not getting out.

MAJOR SPOILERS TO FOLLOW

The Alphas wake up in what Clay calls: “soundproof, signalproof, escapeproof, Alphaproof cells.” Through dialogue with Rosen, we learn that the entire team has been moved to Binghamton, and over the course of the next few minutes the Alphas are each interviewed, (read: “questioned”), individually, each with the sole purpose of being revealed as the traitor. Someone has been aiding Red Flag in tracking down and killing the Cold War-era Alpha researchers. Clay uses an Alpha of his own: Eric Latreaux, (Tom Barnett), whose ability enables him to read micro-expressions, effectively a human lie detector.

He focuses a lot on Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell), because of her aiding Skylar Adams, (Summer Glau), previously, but nothing is revealed – save for the fact that Eric himself was formerly a patient of Rosen’s and he evidently has a thing for Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada). Eric pastes Cameron Hicks, (Warren Christie), as the mole purely on a guess, though he does call him ‘too handsome’.

The next stage of questioning puts the Alphas in a room together, forcing them to sweat it out on the threat of going to ‘Building 7’, (the next level of Binghamton, and the one place no one wants to go). The Alphas turn on one another, identifying faults and snapping over minute details. Only Doctor Rosen is able to stop things from escalating by pretending to fake lower back pain. He is not actually faking; the pain is real, but he is able to use it to tell the others they need to escape. They do so, and hole up in an old warehouse. Here, things explode. Rosen reveals he knows who the traitor is, and after nail-biting seconds of waiting, he also pins Cameron Hicks.

Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba), attacks Cameron and, in the resulting confusion, Rosen sneaks Gary Bell, (Ryan Cartwright), out. The two head back to the office, where Rosen attempts to get Gary to erase the files on the main computer that started all of this. At the same time Rachel realizes that the blood coming from a wound Rosen received is not his. Rosen – or rather someone who looks like Rosen – is the mole.

The shape-changing Alpha almost gets away with it too, if not for the real Rosen waking up, escaping his own prison cell, (near the Alphas’ office building), and essentially getting in a fight with himself, (which he loses). The shape-changer, (who we never see but who is voiced by Rafal Mickiewicz), tries one last time to get free but in his haste does not properly fully change into Gary. He is caught.

It seems like things are going to turn out well for our Alphas this week, with Eric soon to sign on as Rosen’s newest member of the team. But Bill is still recovering from the loss of his powers, and in the final shots of the episode we watch as the amped-up Alpha collapses to the floor, victim of a ferocious heart attack.

Most of the Alphas finish strong this week despite the terrible challenge that has befallen them.

Bill and Cameron are even joking around despite the fact that a few hours before one of them was nearly trying to kill the other. Gary has bounced back from his panic attack. Rachel and Eric already have the possibility of something brewing between them. However, Rosen is deeply troubled both at the way Clay handled the situation and with the concerns as to what Red Flag will do next. Despite working for DCIS and despite all he has seen and even done, Rosen still feels unprepared for the assault Red Flag is focusing on him. He also feels betrayed in his own right by Clay, who he feels handled the situation ‘dangerously’. Clay defends himself by quoting Occam’s Razor, that all things being equal, the simplest explanation tends to be the right one. In this situation, Clay was correct in that there was a mole on the team, even though that mole had not been there for long. But no matter how it is worded, It is still a slap to Rosen’s face by someone he trusted, and he may be feeling like he and his team really are just as much a threat to DCIS as any other Alpha. That kind of realization brings consequences – which we may see in season two. If Clay always operates on the belief of Occam’s Razor, what could be in store for Rosen and his Alphas when they come under fire again?

Before we move on to what was revealed about the characters and their growth this week, I would like to take a look, finally, at the silent menace that has been growing all through the season and finally, this week, became a character in its own right. Binghamton. (It deserves the bold).

On the outside, Binghamton is a rehabilitation center for the most dangerous Alphas, (though the worst of the worst go to a place called ‘Building 7’). Doctor Rosen seems to have freely sent many Alphas there himself, believing them to be going to place where they will be safe. Such does not seem to be the case. Binghamton gained its first true level of infamy with Marcus Ayers, (Devon Graye) revealing to Rosen that ‘experiments’ were conducted behind its walls. Since then it continued to be mentioned at least once an episode. We have glimpsed its inner walls and Nina, especially, seems to be particularly terrified of it. Now that we have been inside, we can all see why.

Binghamton, in its prisoner hall, sports a Spartan, (read: nonexistent) decor and bleached walls with only one tiny window to suggest a world outside. Much like a mental hospital, it is meant to emphasize nothingness, no stimuli to affect the people placed within its walls. The tiny cells contain a bed that is more like a cot and a stainless steel toilet and sink with no suggestion of nearby toilet paper.

On top of that, the cells seem to be able to be programmed to suppress each specific Alpha ability, as we can see Gary attempting to access signals. The cells can be accessed with a key code, (that Rachel is able to get off her handler’s glasses), but otherwise there is no clear handle or lock to pick.

Perhaps most disturbing of all, however, is the interrogation room. This is the room we glimpsed in the second episode, and it has not changed at all in its disturbing appearance. Huge, vast, and empty save for one white table and two chairs, the room is darkly lit by deep yellow light, a tough color to handle for any length of time. From a technical standpoint, the color is warm but oppressive, meant most likely to push the weak-minded into admitting anything just to get out. Symbolically, yellow is used in the third Hindu chakra to mean willpower and achievement, and as been noted by psychics as the color of a scientific mind. Outside the metaphysical, ‘yellow’ is also the color of cowardice and deceit, all too appropriate for the episode and for the facility itself, given the rumors of its two-faced nature.

The effect Binghamton has on the Alphas is stark. Nina and Rachel are both equally terrified, with Rachel nearly in a full-blown panic and Nina wound tighter than a violin string. Cameron and Rosen are both equally calm, representative of their respective backgrounds. Cameron knows the side of the law he is on now, and has slipped into old habits. Rosen, (fake Rosen), as the mole, actually has the most pressure on himself, but he bears up well and only begins to fall apart as his Alpha ability begins to affect his body chemistry. Bill, as a special agent, (do not call him a cop), alternates between amped-up agitation and relative calm. He does not like being on this side of the table, especially as he knows the methods that are being employed and how well they work. He believes in the system, but with his own troubles going on he is low on patience and high on adrenaline.

Speaking of Bill, his subplot in the second half of season one is reaching a head – almost literally. He is the only Alpha to have lost his ability while under the effect of Jonas Englin, (Garret Dillahunt). From the looks of it, Rosen’s forced countermeasure is having severe side effects as Bill appears to amp up without being in control of it. In addition, the countermeasure seems to be serving as a pacemaker in that it is simulating Bill’s ability more than restoring it and, as with many artificial methods, there are bugs. Yes, a heart attack is a pretty big bug. What is going to happen to Bill?

Finally this week, we have another secret exposed from Gary Bell. While it has been suggested that Gary has kept up with Anna, (Liane Balaban), this week he admits it out loud. This is a clear surprise to the rest of the Alphas, none of whom support his decision. However, none of them outright forbid him to stop talking to her, which is a reflection of how Gary has grown throughout season one and how each of the Alphas have changed their opinions of him. That being said, Gary shows an almost frightening naivete in his assessment of Anna. He points out that she hurt him, but that she apologized. She may be the leader of Red Flag, but he insists they do not talk about work. Is Gary hiding something? Are he and Anna really only keeping their conversations friendly in nature? Or is the deviously clever Anna using Gary in ways Gary does not realize yet?

We include the promotional trailer of the season finale “Original Sin” which Alphas airs Monday, September 26, 2011 at 10/9c on the Syfy Channel. Enjoy!

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Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

September 26, 2011
Alphas: “Blind Spot” – Fringe Elements

Welcome back Alphas fans!

So as the season begins to draw to a close, Syfy’s Alphas is pulling some old tricks out of its still-new hat. One of those said tricks is the ever-popular back-to-school theme. Monday’s lesson began with the first sentence of the entire episode. “Possible Red Flag prisoner in our office.”

Now, truth be told, it does not matter just how high-tech your holding cell is. It does not matter if you have strict surveillance. It does not even matter if you have an Alpha who can read minds (we have not seen that one yet). There is just one lesson that you need to know.

Alphas Lesson #4: Always meet the enemy on neutral ground.

Your professors this hour are Doctor Kern, (Brent Spiner), and Griffin, (Rebecca Mader). Take notes if any appear, put on your hard hats for when the ceiling starts falling, and pay no attention to that shadow out of the corner of your eye. It is all part of the course.

Cue the tardy bell. Everyone in their seats? Off we go, then. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

Doctor Lee Rosen, (David Strathairn), and Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba), set the stage for Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell), and Cameron Hicks, (Warren Christie), to bring in a prisoner possibly associated with Red Flag. Right on cue, the moment the prisoner arrives, strange things begin happening around the office.

The Alphas feel they’re being watched. Strange cracks appear in the walls and windows. Gary Bell, (Ryan Cartwright), gets very upset to find out his phone has been stolen, and before long Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada), goes missing after following her heightened senses to an elevator. Dancing around all of this is the mesmerizing, enigmatic, and possibly evil Doctor Kern, the aforementioned prisoner who reveals that not only is he associated with Red Flag, but he is attempting to create Alphas by altering prenatal vitamins which he then prescribes to pregnant mothers.

The plot thickens as Kern reveals that he is not behind Rachel’s disappearance, but he knows who is. An Alpha named Griffin (Rebecca Mader), who is a mercenary that works for no one, is after him, seeking to bring him in for a bounty reward. Rosen deduces through the clues given to them that Griffin’s Alpha ability allows her to take advantage of a person’s ‘blind spot’ – to stay just out of peripheral vision so that our own natural radar is raised, but we never see what is lingering so close.

After Griffin is trapped, (rather heroically by Rachel and Gary), she reveals cockily that she is truly not the bad guy, and that Kern is the true enemy of the Alphas. Caught between two, Rosen does not realize which way to lean until it is too late. Doctor Kern’s Alpha ability of echolocation has a side effect of sonically attacking the structure of a building. The holding cell he is pinned in shakes apart, and soon the entire building is at risk. Only a well-placed piece of glass from Griffin saves the Alphas, and the mercenary herself vanishes without a trace, leaving behind only a name and the sensation that she could be a potential ally.

The starting and ending lines of the episode form a nice little summary of what is likely to be the end of Alphas season 1. “Possible Red Flag prisoners in our office?” “Things aren’t going to get any easier, are they?” Everything now is beginning to come to a head, and with next week’s hint that one of the Alphas themselves is an informant to Red Flag, (theories? Go on. Who is it? I’ve got my idea.), Rachel’s overall assessment of the lifestyle of an Alpha is ringing true.

This week was the most intense episode yet as the danger level came home, but on a personal level this episode also gave further insights into the characters. Little details are hammering home. The Alphas, no matter how close they are, are still five people with their own opinions and their own relationships and their own problems. In all seriousness, how long can each of them keep this up? And why would they? Is the money that great, or do each of them have a specific goal they are working towards? Perhaps these questions will be answered in later seasons, but I think we’re going to see the first stone fly in a couple of weeks – if not next week!

Bill has an interesting little subplot this week still dealing with the fallout of meeting the Angel Alpha. While neither Cameron nor Nina are showing aftereffects of their “short time in Paradise”, Bill remains unable to “amp up” – or regain his power. The personality change is surprising. Bill’s sense of humor is lighter, his sarcasm is gone. He’s no longer so gruff and, as Gary blithely puts it: his veins: “don’t stand out anymore.” We’ve known for the whole series that each one of the Alphas’ abilities comes with a price. Cameron’s ability fades and he becomes almost clumsy. Nina has no idea if anyone she talks to is responding to her, or her push. Bill suffers extreme weakness. Gary gets headaches. Rachel loses her other senses.

This is the first time we’ve been exposed to other side effects of the abilities. At home, Bill was the warm bear, and at work he was the gruff lion. Now, without his ability, he is gentle all the time. He even blames the ability for his issues with anger and his marriage. Now that he is no longer an Alpha, he even mentions about how he is ‘in control all the time’, which is something we’ve known Bill prefers. To him, losing his ability must be a gift.

How the others react to Bill’s ‘inability’ is just as interesting. Gary is extremely annoyed, complaining endlessly that Bill: “being different [and] being gone is the same thing,” (his unique perspective on the world coming out again). He comments that he liked the ‘old Bill better’, and we can see through his blunt if nondescript wording that Gary misses his friend. Of course, the old unspoken affection returns as Bill attempts to hug Gary and Gary refuses. There are some lines you just don’t cross, even with personality changes.

Fascinatingly enough, Doctor Rosen is the most disturbed, and his reasons for doing so are vague and muddled. “No,” he says, “I”m not all good with it. It’s not who you are, and the DoD isn’t happy with it either.” These statements could be easily interpreted a number of ways, especially when Rosen adds later that the government views them as a ‘group of Alphas’. So the questions begin.

What did Rosen mean by ‘it’s not who you are’? Is he saying what we believe Rosen would say, that Bill’s power does not define who he is? This seems like the psychologically correct thing to say, but couched around the fact that Rosen is not happy, that the DoD is not happy, and that Rosen wants to bring Bill’s power back, it sounds more like Rosen is saying this ‘new’ Bill is not ‘who Bill is,’ which is a bit of a dark thing for him to say! It is almost out of character. Or is it perhaps in character, and a whole new level of Rosen that is beginning to come out in response to the new, violent environment that he and his Alphas are living in?

Regardless of how those statements are interpreted, the darkest moment of the episode and I would almost say of the series happens later on, as Rosen injects Bill with a cocktail meant to jump-start his ability back into working. Though Bill is complacent and does not fight Rosen on this, he makes a heavy-handed comment that left me with a sinking feeling. “So, the decision is made for me.” Again, though Bill did not fight, it is clear that his hand was forced.

Rosen, in a panic, saw Bill as someone who could physically open the doors that had locked down the building and Bill, seeing the circumstances around him, was pressured into doing exactly what he had been doing. Make no mistake, this was not a choice that Bill wanted as a snap decision and even though he says later: “You bet I am [back],” we are left knowing that it is very possible that this is not what he wanted.

Bill is not the only person with whom Rosen is butting heads this week. Nina’s confession to Rosen about her and Cameron’s relationship and his clear disapproval of it brings Cameron to Rosen’s door in a heady fit of testosterone. Cameron sees Rosen as a father here more than a shrink – and not in a good way. While he may not view Rosen as competition, (despite the quiet sexual tension between Rosen and Nina in the early episodes), he does view him as someone who is in the way and ‘stopping’ him, much as a teenager might view a parent preventing them from trying something new.

In this episode, we finally and clearly see that Cameron is serious about this relationship, that he is willing to push any boundary necessary to try and make it work. Whether that stems from his divorce, his need to have someone as he is losing his kid, his intense attraction to Nina, or some combination is till unclear. But Cameron is serious about this. Nina, however, does not seem to be. She is still trying to bear up under immense pressure of self-confidence issues and resignation when it comes to relationships. Good luck goes out to Cameron to see if he can break her out of the mold.

Rachel and Gary both continue to show their growth in this episode. While at the start of the series both of them were the ones meant to be protected, here they were each singled out and thrown into very specific danger. Gary faced down Griffin alone as best he could, and though he was unable to fight back he stood his ground and shouted for her to surrender even as she advanced on him with a knife.

Rachel, for her part, saved Gary as well as the rest of the Alphas, first by attacking Griffin with a laptop, (and saying, curiously enough: “that felt so good!”), then detecting Kern’s oncoming destruction of the building. By the end of the season, I feel I will not be able to call them the ‘children’ of the Alphas anymore.

A buzzword for this week’s episode forms the unspoken pattern and theme. “Fringe elements.” While, Kern argues that fringe elements such as the Ghost who attempted to assassinate Rosen in the pilot episode are non representative of their larger factions, Rosen argues right back that fringe elements cannot function without parent support of their larger factions. Either way, Red Flag has returned again. As shadowy as they are, their quiet fringe appearances are becoming more and more frequent as they expose themselves steadily. All the while the romance between Nina and Cameron has grown.

This week was one of their boldest moves yet as Doctor Kern outright invited Rosen to join their cause, even going so far as to reveal that he was trying to create new Alphas, something he believed Rosen should support. Rosen did not show any approval, instead telling Kern that he will intervene on his behalf if Kern turned himself in.

The concept of working with a terrorist organization is what turned Rosen away, but at the same time I would not be surprised if, with all of those exposures, Rosen’s mind is not wondering about Red Flag and its motives, and if perhaps they have the right idea. More attacks from humans may shift his view, but that can only come later. Right now, it’s only a theory.

One more interesting thing about this episode is that despite the overall danger level, neither Kern (a supporter of Red Flag), and Griffin, (a mercenary who MAY work for Red Flag, but there is really no evidence to support this), actually tried to kill anyone until their hands were forced. Rachel was abducted and hidden. Bill, Rachel, and Rosen were all knocked unconscious.

Cameron was stabbed, in a nonlethal area, (indeed, he was stitched up and moving around within a few moments, only bleeding because of the vibrations Kern was building). In fact Anna, (Liane Balaban, and the suggested leader of Red Flag), did not attempt to kill Gary, merely incapacitate him. Only the Ghost – the fringe element – did such a thing. Is it possible Red Flag’s motives or interests in the Alphas have changed?

Finally, the end-all question that will likely be answered by season’s end: Who or what is Stanton Parish? The name was tossed at Bill as payback for saving Griffin’s life. Was she toying with him and throwing the Alphas on a wild goose chase? Or is there an actual meaning to it that could bring down huge consequences? We shall find out.

Thank you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency

Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

September 19, 2011
Alphas: “A Short Time In Paradise” – Judgment Calls Before Brent Spiner Arrives!

Welcome back Alphas fans!

First off this week, why don’t we all pop a bottle of champagne (or a can of soda if you are reading this at work) and celebrate the fact that Syfy has decided Doctor Lee Rosen, (David Strathairn) and his team of Alphas deserve a second go-round! Hurray for a second season! Cue the confetti (that Gary Bell [Ryan Cartwright] will be picking out of his hair for weeks to come).

Done sneezing from the champagne? Let’s get to business! It has been a while, no? But here we are again after a nice little break, jumping back into the action as the Alphas are forced to experience and see a whole new perspective on the lives they lead. In one deliciously subliminal hour, three members of Doctor Rosen’s team get a dose of paradise, while two others get their eyes opened in ways they had not expected. In an upheaval necessary to strengthening the bonds of the team, each Alpha comes away from this week changed – and the repercussions will be felt for weeks.

There is a duplicity when it comes to the phrase ‘seeing the light.’ In some cases, the light is good, signifying change and revelation, understanding, (the “Eureka!” moment), and the new drive to overcome some obstacle that has been standing in the way for hours, days, or years. But in other cases, ‘seeing the light’ has a far more dire truth behind it. Light also represents the afterlife or moving on, which may be all right and good for the person who is about to leave the shackles of Earth, but it is certainly not pleasant for those of us left behind.

This duplicity is powerfully explored in this week’s episode, and the aftereffects of being exposed to this constantly conflicting intoxication are going to reverberate through the rest of the season. We had a couple of earth-shattering (or earth-moving, depending on your point of view) moments, at least one “Oh my!”, and a chance for some of the shippers out there in Fandomland to squee wildly. Leave it to a cult leader to get people to expose themselves – (and not just figuratively).

Off we go now, with MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

The episode starts with a terrifying suicide – a church burning with willing devotees within while a young boy watches in horror. Fast forward to present day, and the young man is revealed to be Jonas Englin, (Garret Dillahunt), an Alpha who has the ability to open people’s eyes to a ‘light’, or an ‘interconnectedness of everything. The first Alpha he places under his spell is Cameron Hicks, (Warren Christie), who is attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in an effort to avoid drinking away the pain of losing both his ex-wife Patti and his son Tyler.

Shortly after, Cameron visits a bleary Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell), and brings her under Jonas’ spell as well. As the couple explodes in fiery passion, one of Jonas’ other followers falls terribly ill, causing Nina and Cameron to call in Doctor Rosen. Rosen soon realizes that Jonas is unable to accept or deal with the fact that his gift is causing his followers to fall ill and die, and despite successful treatment, Jonas will not relinquish the hold he has over ‘his’ people.

In the meantime, Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada), is going through a powerful crisis of her own; an emergency forces her to take Gary as her date to her sister’s engagement party.

Within seconds of arriving, Rachel learns that her father is ill and refuses to see a doctor. Gary convinces Rachel to force her father to go to the doctor, and as a result his stage one throat cancer is caught and treated. With Nina, Cameron, and Rosen all missing-in-action, Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba), rounds up the two younger Alphas and makes a play on Jonas’s grounds. Bill comes under Jonas’s spell himself, and ultimately it is Rosen who finally frees everyone – by shooting Jonas Englin in the face.

The parallels between the cult of this episode and the overarching threat of Red Flag turn Jonas Englin into almost a warm-up round for the final battle ideally set for the season closer. While Red Flag is no cult, it does have a stern following of people who all believe in ‘the right way to live’. Equally led by charismatic, intelligent, and potentially insane people, each following has tested the Alphas in terms of ethics and morals, forcing them to change things about themselves or view the effect of new ideas in the general populace.

Each following has also caused each Alpha to make a judgment call, a moment where only they are in charge, and no one else could influence their decision or help them in any way. How each Alpha handled the call could be representative of many things, including where they will fall when Red Flag makes its move, (assuming it does, of course – perhaps Anna [Liane Balaban] will slip into the shadows until mid-next season. Anything’s possible!).

This week, the focus was on the Alphas and their interactions with each other as a whole – a bit of a change from the person-specific focus we have seen over the past couple of weeks. The strongest focus was on Nina and Cameron, and Rachel and Gary. Each pair took significant steps in their relationship to each other. Each pair also came out of their struggle differently – Nina and Cameron shaken, and Rachel and Gary warm.

The budding and burning sexual tension between Nina and Cameron has been no secret. Ever since Rachel caught them a couple weeks ago, the playful flirtation and flying sparks revealed that this is no simple office crush, nor is it going to simply go away anytime soon. Both Nina and Cameron are fearlessly vulnerable, and their silent understanding of the fragility of the other has drawn them closer together.

On the surface, it may only look like the hot ex-con and the seductive vixen are making eyes at each other, but underneath they are cultivating a friendship bond stronger than anyone has imagined. Their handling of “the Jonas experience” is at the core of this bond. Each pretends it will never happen again and they can safely move on from it. But the unspoken words are still there.

To me, the silence between them is not so much an ‘I’m going to pretend I don’t care’ as a “We have got something here and neither of us is really ready for it. Let’s wait.” What do you think, readers? The evidence flies both ways, Both encounters between them have led to each backing off and saying: “it was weird, let’s not do it again,” but neither of them can seem to stay away from each other. Denial, or a careful work-through? Regardless, they are starting to see the pattern – and even if they are not, hawk-eyed Rosen certainly is!

It is my opinion that the season’s biggest “Awww” moment occurred in this episode as well, thanks to one Gary Bell and Rachel Pirzad, (and a tub of hummus). Despite Rachel’s tendency to stay prim and proper, it is clear that Gary has an effect on her, and Gary himself takes his role as Rachel’s boyfriend very seriously, most interestingly keeping it up even after the two of them have left the party!

He does not let up as well about her father, giving an impassioned speech about how she needs to keep telling her father to go to the doctor until he listens to her. “I am looking out for you,” he says to a somewhat-surprised Rachel. “You should learn from me.” We are left wondering why Gary feels so strongly about this point, but there is certainly no question that his unswerving persistence and genuine concern have left Rachel a little dumbfounded.

Judgment calls. We saw at least two of them ‘above and beyond’ what this show has revealed so far. First, with Rachel, (who has grown so much since the pilot), taking Gary’s advice to heart and taking a stand to her father. Second, the potentially character-changing moment when Doctor Rosen lifted his arm and shot a man in the face in order to save a roomful of people.

Rachel Pirzad is well known as the mouse of the group. Quiet, reserved, shy, proper, and wholly unassertive, she has taken step after step this season towards not only finding her voice, but using it. Her father has described her as a ‘quiet, obedient child’, but as Rachel points out to him, she is ‘grown up’.

In a truly impressive scene of spine, Rachel wears her father down to the point that he goes to the doctor. We are treated to the realization that despite all the pain she has gone through, Rachel still holds family as one of her most important priorities in the world. She could have become a rebel with the way her family has raised her, but she remains loyal and loving. At this point in the season it could be argued that Rachel is the heart of the Alphas. I’ll take any dissenting opinions!

Finally, we come to the big cheese this week – a huge character-defining change for Doctor Lee Rosen. Up until now, Rosen prefers to put his troubles on a couch and talk out the problems. He is a thinking man, not an action man. He is both confused and intimidated by Bill’s insistence that the Alphas learn combat tactics, and has actively fought against the stronger dangers that DCIS has exposed his team to. Any number of factors could explain his behavior until now.

Perhaps he prefers pacifism. Perhaps he is frightened to take action because he feels it it out of his league. Perhaps he simply does not want to get anyone killed or even take the chance that it will happen. Regardless of his reason, all the bets are off. This thinking man proved this week that when the chips were down, he had the ability to do what was necessary to protect those around him. In short, this week, Doctor Rosen proved he was capable of murder.

Murder in self-defense, of course. Doctor Rosen is still not likely to kill anyone in cold blood. But despite his intense misgivings and his verbal ‘choice’ never to fire a gun, when backed into the corner he still went against his own personal core of beliefs. This reveals a lot about Rosen, not the least of which is he can be influenced, and that he values the good of the many over the good of the one.

His ability to set aside his own morals is almost a frightening one, but it shows a strength of character we have not yet seen, and it paints his resolve in diamond-hard strength. You might argue that it also shows Rosen as ‘giving in’ to the ‘methods’ that so many have been trying to convince him are the only ones that work. It is a viable argument. But take note that Rosen gives in, finally and only, when there is no other choice left. Ultimately, he made the decision alone.

This week’s episode was a powerful one for bonds. Over the past few weeks we have seen each Alpha’s personal strength come to light, but now as we near the end of season one the bonds they form with each other continue to grow. Ultimately, and I will say this again and again, it will be these bonds that decide how the first showdown against Red Flag goes.

Alphas returns Monday September 12, 2011 with an excellent new episode called “Blind Spot” featuring Brent Spiner which proves beyond any doubt that this series is worthy of the recently announced second season! We include the “Blind spot” trailer below courtesy of Syfy for your enjoyment!

Thank you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency

Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

September 10, 2011
Alphas: “Catch and Release” – “Run, Idiots!”

Welcome back Alphas fans!

“Run, idiots!”

Well, at least she gave them the option.

In a lot of films and TV shows, the villain of the scene is often crippled by their inability to comprehend the ticking clock, shoot in a straight line, or simply stand in one spot and gloat while the hero works their way free of any trap that has befallen them. Is it a natural instinct by the writers to always do happy endings, or are bad guys really just that stupid, blinded by their obsessions, orders, or overall lack of observation?

At any rate, in the opening of this week’s action-packed episode of Syfy’s Alphas, techno-gifted Alpha Skylar Adams, (Summer Glau), took pity on the poor idiots following her and gave them a warning before blowing them off their feet.

Unfortunately the warning didn’t work, because they just kept coming. Maybe it really is stupidity.

That theory is for another time. Let’s review what we saw when we weren’t staring in utter jealousy at Summer Glau’s hair, (or maybe that was just me?) As always, MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

Doctor Lee Rosen, (David Strathairn), and his Alphas appear to be going about business as usual, but a few kinks have been thrown into their works. Sandra Bell, (Jane Moffat), is refusing to allow Gary Bell, (Ryan Cartwright), to come to work. Jeannie Harken, (Rachael Crawford), is pushing Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba), to have children. And despite his own flirtations with their handler Kathy Sullivan, (Valerie Cruz), Doctor Rosen is concerned about Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell), and Cameron Hicks’, (Warren Christie), ‘innnocent flirtation, (again, et tu Doctor?) These kinks are soon put aside as the arrival of the news that ‘catch and release’ Alpha Skylar Adams is in trouble.

Despite her not being any real threat to anyone unless threatened, Skylar has come under some trouble and is being followed. Over the course of the episode we learn about Skylar’s history with Rosen and Nina, and are introduced to her own opinions of herself and the world she has managed to hide from. Paranoia and trust becomes a strong issue, especially when it’s revealed that Skylar is also hiding a second-generation Alpha – her daughter Zoe, (Skyler Wexler).

With some help from Nina and ultimately Dr. Rosen, Skylar makes an escape. Of course, she’s not gone for good. Not with that little smirk being the last we see of her.

As with any group that spends a lot of time together, the Alphas themselves are beginning to splinter a little – not necessarily for the worse, but each of them has their own life to deal with, and given how closely they work together the lines between personal and professional are beginning to blur. Romance especially seems to be a subject everyone is avoiding, as Rosen tells no one of his flirtations, (and there have been a few in this series so far!), Nina and Cameron downplay their budding relationship, (but the tension between them is palpable), and Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada), outright refuses to discuss anything with anyone. Also, as the world around them begins to open up, the Alphas’ individual opinions about their roles and their world are starting to clash. Skylar was a lovely catalyst for Nina in this episode. Bill’s motives about his life are clearly in conflict. Rosen is finally getting a clue about how he and his team are really viewed. And Gary, still under the influence of his encounter with Anna, (Liane Balaban), strongly asserts his place as an adult in one of the more emotional scenes of the episode.

Skylar Adams is this week’s Alpha, a seemingly harmless young woman with a gift for invention and a knack for trouble.

Described as the ‘typical catch-and-release’, her natural rebellious streak has landed her in some trouble. As with many government agencies, the one chasing her now, (the NSA) has elected to bring her in and have her create objects for use while ‘compensating’ her. Covered in tattoos and with a wild hairstyle, Skylar does not present the picture of one who would simply conform to whatever she is told to. She is devilishly smart, a true escape artist, sarcastic, and at her core: compassionate. She does, after all, have a daughter to whom she is devoted to and determined to protect. She also, as stated earlier, uses mostly non-lethal methods to achieve her escapes. Skylar is no threat; she is merely protective of herself and the one person she holds dear. She is also, like Cameron, a lone wolf, having turned down Doctor Rosen’s offer to join his Alphas. Whether or not she refused to join him because of her own solitary preferences or because she knew what he and his Alphas would become is unclear, but it is open for discussion. Finally, while Skylar is no threat, she is a wild card. Given her opinion about the government in general, where will she stand when the chips fall?

Skylar wastes no time with Rosen and Nina, pointing out to them immediately that they are nothing more than flunkies for the government, taking orders and doing as they’re told with little regard for consequences. Nina understands this without hesitation, but Rosen is less open to the idea, sighing that ‘we can’t always do as we please’. Up until this episode, Rosen has been comfortable to call the shots but keep everything he has done within the confines and protection of the DoD and DCIS. He is helpless against the machine, having no control over who comes in, and seemingly he likes it that way.

Yet, at the end of the episode, Rosen makes a decision, (or series of decisions), that shows he has finally broken out of that mold. Instead of allowing Skylar and her second-generation Alpha daughter to be taken to Binghamton, he allows her escape and writes a report omitting many facts. To some, Rosen has finally ‘gone rogue’. His comment to Nina about finally doing something against the grain? “You’re right, that felt good.” Perhaps the patient is now teaching the psychiatrist. We can only hope that Rosen’s ‘going rogue’ will continue through the rest of the season, because the rules may not apply when the fires finally spin out of control.

This was a strong Nina episode this week as well. Though not as expository as previous weeks, we get to really touch on what makes Nina….Nina. She is a free spirit, taking no orders, flitting wherever she wants, and doing whatever she wants. This comes from her power, but it also comes from other circumstances that we still have yet to discover about her. But she has changed from her earliest appearances on the show – she is no longer quite as twisted, and in fact appears far more fragile and far more caring than the ice queen she has previously shown the audience. While she continues to hold herself apart in general, she has warmed to the group. The most interesting change we see so far is her compassion. We know it is there, but being forced away from the role of protector and into the role of captor has brought it out full force. She is willing to turn against the group and aid someone who could be trouble because she believes it is the right thing to do. It can be argued that she is the reason Rosen ultimately turns against the DoD, because thanks to Skylar and her own suspicions, she realizes that the Alphas really are turning into government flunkies, lapdogs to chase down other Alphas and bring them in for study and exploitation, instead of mere identification and freedom.

She presents this case powerfully to Rosen more than once in the episode, finally getting through to him at the very end, and hopefully opening his eyes enough that he will continue to give his team precedence over what the government tells him to do. This, obviously, opens up a whole new can of worms. The question from this? How will this tie into what happens with Red Flag? Once Rosen realizes the government many not be so helpful with his Alphas, how long will he stand against Red Flag’s belief of offense rather than defense? Is he the only one asking himself this question now?

Suddenly, the first lines of the episode: “Run, idiots!”, takes on a whole new meaning.

We have seen our developments in the field. Coming back to the home front, we had two more large character developments swing forth this week. One of the Alphas is turning his mind far into the future, while another has solidified his present.

Jeannie Harken wants kids. On top of all the pressure Bill’s under, suddenly his wife wants kids. Well, not so suddenly, it is been a topic of discussion, but with the FBI upheaval and Bill’s ‘new’ job as an Alpha (that he finally took full-time a couple weeks ago), circumstances have changed. Jeannie does not know this, but Bill is weighing his options. Whether or not his child is an Alpha is a clear concern for him, and he gets both sides of the coin here, quietly studying Tyler Hicks, (Cameron’s kid, a non-Alpha), and Zoe Adams, (Skylar’s kid, an Alpha). The dilemma takes on a whole new turn when you add in Red Flag’s attack on the anti-Alpha drug factory a few weeks ago.

By the end of the episode Bill is clearly a little more into the whole idea, but studying a book does not guarantee a decision. It is a dangerous world to raise a child in to begin with, much less a child who could have heightened reflexes or stronger hormonal control, (using Skylar’s kid as an example, it seems second-generation Alphas may have abilities that stem from their parent’s). Plus, the long-term effect of Bill becoming an actual father will have a clear impact on his role in the Alphas. At least Bill is showing some changes from his earliest appearances too – he’s no longer quite so rude or angry. Maybe having a child will mellow him out even more?

Finally, Gary Bell stands up to his mother in the best way he can – by proving himself, coming back, and making his argument in his trademark frank way. At the start of the series, Gary’s main focus was on driving a car and trying to make sure everyone understood and recognized him. In this week’s episode, he asked for no help, and tracked down Nina and Skylar on his own in his own particular, (though admittedly not cost-effective), way.

He has grown now from someone who is taken care of to someone who is taking care of others. His regard for his coworkers is also coming into sharper focus – he doesn’t always call them coworkers anymore, but rather friends. He argues that he helps to take care of them, and indeed he does. While stuck in his room, he watches them to make sure they are all right, and chimes in whenever he can via text message. He is integrating into the group more – which frightens his mother to no end. Gary is clearly close with his mother, trusting her enough to tell her what he does when she asks, but thanks to Anna he has also found the motivation and the drive to take a stance and inform her that he ‘is an adult’, a ‘secret agent’ and that working with the team makes him happy, which is all she has wanted for him.

The emotional scene in which this point is driven home is a bit of a tearjerker, and even though we are left with a sense of pride that Gary has finally taken responsibility for himself (in words), we still know that he likely would not have done this without the help of friendly enemy Anna. It puts a bit of a dampener on the excitement.

The Alphas are growing. Next week, it looks like we get another glimpse into the power of the mind. What effects will come from experiencing “A Short Time in Paradise”?. We include the sneak peak below courtesy of Syfy. Enjoy

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Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

August 28, 2011
Alphas: S1x06 – “Bill and Gary’s Excellent Adventure” or “What Happens When Gary Gets Behind the Wheel of a Car.”

Welcome back Alphas fans!

Do we believe in superstition? Who out there refuses to walk under ladders, will not pick up facedown pennies, and throw salt over their shoulders when some is spilled? Does the sight of a black cat send you into a panic?

If so, then you are probably thinking that Gary Bell, (Ryan Cartwright), should never get behind the wheel of a car again. After all, even if an ‘excellent adventure’ came from his seemingly innocent act, there was of course the element of mortal danger that followed.

The sixth episode of Syfy’s breathlessly exciting Alphas held a few milestones within its hour time span. We finally discovered a few of the skeletons in the closets, allowed some things to happen that we have been waiting for, had some tension finally reach its breaking point, and even found time to address the ongoing and silent division beginning within the Alphas themselves, (more theory time)!

Let us take a look at our plot for the hilariously-titled and eagerly-awaited “Bill and Gary’s Excellent Adventure.” As you can expect: MAJOR SPOILERS TO FOLLOW!

In an effort to catch a fleeing man, (with a tablet similar to the one used by Red Flag in “Rosetta”), Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada), is forced to leave Gary alone in a car. Gary, following her strict instructions to neither move nor speak to anyone, is soon arrested. As Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba), comes to bail him out, Gary reveals that he knows where a phone is that could contain the location to a kidnapped girl, Lisa Collier, (Melissa Hood). With the FBI on the case and Bill currently suspended, (likely expelled), Bill makes the decision to solve the case on his own, using Gary as his partner.

Meanwhile, Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell), allows Cameron Hicks, (Warren Christie), a little more into her life when he catches her pushing a cop asking questions about the death of her ex-boyfriend. Bill and Gary spend the night working on the case, eventually revealing that Sarah Nelson, (Stargate Universe’s Alaina Huffman), the security for the kidnapped daughter of big-shot James Collier, (Sanctuary’s Peter Wingfield), is in on the plot.

A narrow save opens the door for Bill to re-enter the FBI, but Bill turns the chance down, electing to stay with the Alphas. Nina, as it turns out, did not kill her ex boyfriend, but the spark of lust between her and Cameron suggests that she might be in the market for a new one soon.

It’s official now: we’re moving into the revelatory episodes for each character. Two weeks ago, it was Gary. Last week, it was Rachel. This week, we got a peek into both the lives of muscleman Bill Harken, and aloof ice queen Nina Theroux.

Bill has changed from the pilot episode. His boundary issues seem to be improving, as have his anger issues, (though his tendency to externalize his internal monologue has not quite been subdued yet). He has gone from being a dangerous giant to a quiet cobra: he keeps himself under strict control, but once he loses it the consequences are dangerous. His Alpha ability is of no help to him in this matter: adrenaline causes a “high” that heightens the senses and sharpens the reflexes in preparation for fight or flight.

For a large man such as Bill with a history of this thready control, it comes as no surprise that we finally learn the reason for his brief suspension from the FBI. A simple disagreement with a fellow agent resulted in a broken clavicle when Bill lost control and shoved the man into a wall.

In my first review, I mentioned the difference between Bill as an Alpha and Bill as a husband, stating that he is calmer, more collected, and less stressed at home. (You might even say he is gentle). Home-Bill has begun to bleed over into Alpha-Bill, (thankfully not the other way around), becoming a little calmer in his interactions with people and steadier when confronted with deep emotional troubles. Bill and Gary have so far enjoyed sniping at each other whenever the chance arose, and for a bit it seemed that Gary could frustrate Bill enough to where he would leave the room.

Such is no longer the case; in this episode, we see that Bill actually cares for Gary a great deal. The question can always be risen: does Bill care for Gary as a person or because Gary is the only one who can help him solve the case and get his job back with the FBI. But given the actions of the episode, I think we are led to believe it is the former. Bill’s blunt attitude, rock-solid determination, and fatherly (protective) instincts come out in strong force around his more-fragile partner, (an interesting note: both Bill and Cameron have each done something to care for Gary; Bill with the driving, and Cameron with the baseball to the microwave tower). The affection between Bill and Gary is unspoken, but it is not unseen.

Bill also shows more remorse than he has in previous episodes. Even though he takes Gary’s arrest lightly and casually degrades Rachel and Doctor Lee Rosen, (David Strathairn), as ‘amateurs’, (a common nickname Bill has given the Alphas in general), he is apologetic and frank. Later on in the episode he also shows genuine shame as Rosen rips him a new one about landing himself and Gary in jail. With the help of these emotions, (and a bit of acting magic by Malik Yoba), Bill has become a more sympathetic character than just the muscle of the group.

The dynamic between Bill and Gary also got to take center stage this week. When put together, these two make a hilarious, if rough, duo. Both blunt, frank individuals, Bill is the doer while Gary is the pusher. Whether or not Gary holds back because he has been told to all his life, or because he is aware of his limitations, remains to be seen, but Bill offsets that with his own power and a little dose of impulse, (happily provided by the introduction of Cameron Hicks). The effects of Cameron’s impulsive nature and Gary’s unpredictability force Bill to step back from the plan occasionally, (or just rush in blindly because there is no other way to go). Unfortunately as we see, when Bill gets impulsive, bad things happen.

Despite that, and despite their still-fairly-constant sniping, (a memorable scene in a diner comes to mind here), the two work together well. Plus, (and finally), Gary gets a little bit of recognition within the Alphas through Bill. In many of the previous episodes, it has become quite clear that while the Alphas genuinely care about their transducer, they still do not take him seriously. Most things he says are dismissed or not given the full weight of their attention.

Gary has several times pointed out that “You need to work on your listening skills.” In this episode, Bill gave it right back to him, telling him he needs to listen to what people tell him to do. Gary takes no offense to this, but it seems rather hypocritical of Bill to say so – and Bill potentially recognizes this, as he makes a valiant effort to pay attention to Gary for the rest of the episode. He even points out that Gary is ‘on to something’ after Hicks attempts to dismiss one of Gary’s statements. As it turns out, each time Bill listens to Gary, Gary turns out to be right. Is the lesson learned? Will the Alphas start to take him more seriously? Or will they dismiss him again as just having a ‘lucky streak’?

Also featured in this week’s episode, (though admittedly to a smaller degree, perhaps she still has her own episode to shine), is the beautiful Nina. After five weeks of wondering, (and a few dropped hints), we finally get the full story on the skeleton she is been keeping in her closet. She is feeling guilty, thinking that she pushed an ex-boyfriend into committing suicide, and has been dodging the cops asking questions about it.

Nina is so certain that she is the actual cause of death that she has blinded herself to any other options, and so it comes as a surprise to her and the viewers that she actually had nothing to do with it. Now, as she has told Doctor Rosen that she was the cause of death, how will she deal with learning she was not? What will Rosen think?

Nina has always appeared as the untouchable beauty of the group. Sophisticated, aloof, and seductive, she does her job and seemingly only truly cares for Rachel, (her relationship with Rosen has taken a backseat since the pilot, and she acts strictly as a mother to Gary). In the pilot, there was a strange bond formed between herself and Cameron, and this week the bond finally sparked enough tension that the two gave into each other. Or would have given into each other had Rachel not walked in the door, (way to go).

Unfortunately for the smouldering pair, habit becomes stronger than passion, and both withdrew their actions for each other. Cameron took a step forward in the end by asking Nina to dinner ‘sometime.’ Nina agreed, hinting that the romance is not over. The ice queen and the lone wolf: now there is some potential there!

Cameron and Nina are the only two who have not really shown themselves to take a side in the growing conflict. Rachel and Gary have both expressed a distrust of Doctor Rosen that is virtually unspoken. This week, Bill actually ‘sided’ with the good doctor, choosing the life of an Alpha over the life of a man in the FBI. It is mentioned that Bill joined Rosen and his Alphas because Rosen promised to get him back into the FBI. But when given the chance, all on his own, Bill chose to stay with Rosen. It’s a mark of trust.

The reasons behind his decision are not fully clear, but some can be theorized. Perhaps he feels he can do more as an Alpha. Perhaps he does not want to hide. Perhaps he, too, knows that when Red Flag makes its next move, Rosen and the Alphas will need him.

For the first time since Alphas has started, we finally see an episode that is not focused on finding a new Alpha. It is a curious change from the rhythm of the show, but also a welcome one. The Alphas now work for DCIS, (and in the episode they are helping the Department of Defense as well, and not having to track new Alphas all the time enables them to use their skills to help in ‘normal’ cases as well.

Does this help them keep their cover, or does it threaten to expose them more? Arguments can be made for either side: the Alphas are not only being called in on ‘mysterious’ cases, but as they bring more and more people in, it runs the risk of showing Red Flag and human enemies where to find them. Why are Doctor Rosen and his Alphas safe from the compound? What kind of trust does DCIS have in him?

Also for the first time since the start of the series, Doctor Rosen has taken a huge step into the background, emphasizing the focus on the Alphas working together without his leadership and guidance. In fact, near the end of the episode, it is Bill who takes control of the Alphas, laying out a game plan and giving the orders while Rosen sits quietly and pays attention. We are finally seeing that the Alphas can act alone when need be, even if their actions are not entirely orthodox. However as the episode proves, the Alphas are so far strongest when they all work together. If there is tension brewing within them, (a theory that so far, I support), then what will happen if a splinter drives a wedge between them?

It’s the sixth week! Is Alphas making the grade for you? Let me or the cast know with a comment here or on Twitter! Next week Alphas returns with “Catch and Release” guest starring Summer Glau! We include the trailer below for your enjoyment!

Thank you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency

Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

August 18, 2011
Alphas: “Never Let Me Go” – Oxytocin: A Psychological Study with S1x06 Alaina Huffman Promo!

Welcome back Alphas fans!

Here we are in our fifth week of living the lives of Syfy’s Alphas, learning our life lessons and experiencing the consequences of cutting third period science. Now, in the school system I grew up with, we got report cards every six weeks. So, since next week is the big week, figuratively speaking, let us start by taking a look back at what we have seen so far.

HERE COME THE SPOILERS….

Week 1: Meeting the Alphas

Gary Bell, (Ryan Cartwright), Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell), Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba), and Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada), are a professionally-close-knit group of people under the care of Doctor Lee Rosen, (David Strathairn). Using their individual, enhanced human abilities, (called ‘Alpha’ abilities), they find and welcome a fifth Alpha, Cameron Hicks (Warren Christie), who is under the influence of Red Flag, an organization that may or may not become the Alphas’ main adversary in the season.

Week 2: Cause and Effect

Doctor Rosen and his Alphas track down Marcus Ayers, (Will McCormack), Rosen’s first patient, who is dangerously paranoid and a threat to those around him. Though he ‘escapes’ at the end of the episode, Ayers does his damage: he reveals a war brewing between humans and Alphas, and warns that Binghamton, a supposed ‘safe’ area, may not be so safe.

Week 3: Anger Management

The Alphas experience a severe shakeup when Matthew Hurley, (Devon Graye), turns them all against each other with his pheromonal Alpha ability. The Alphas also lose their primary handler, Agent Don Wilson, (Callum Keith Rennie). Rachel finally moves out of her parents’ home, though under worse circumstances than planned, and Doctor Rosen finally bends to the reality that his Alpha team no longer seeks Alphas to help, but rather Alphas to put away.

Week 4: Rosetta

As the Alphas try desperately to fit themselves into their new roles, Red Flag makes a stunning reappearance in the form of Anna, (Liane Balaban), an apraxic woman who forms a special connection with Gary. Anna finally exposes Red Flag as a real threat to the Alphas, and vanishes with an unspoken warning.

Now we come to this week’s episode: “Never Let Me Go”, in which a quietly written story arc slowly comes to light.

A small football town is plagued with gruesome deaths, and Doctor Rosen brings Rachel along to investigate. A young man’s suicide may have triggered the murders, but the Alpha actually causing them is well-hidden. Using their new DCIS badges and with the help of CDC Doctor Vanessa Calder, (Warehouse 13’s Lindsay Wagner), the rest of the Alphas join up and go on the hunt, questioning everyone including the sheriff, the football coach, and the star quarterback, (with whom Gary accidentally and hilariously picks a fight). After nearly half an hour of horror-story-meets-whodunit, the mother of the young son is discovered as the murderess, blaming the whole town for her bullied son’s suicide. Worst of all, the mother now has the emotionally-vulnerable Rachel in her clutches, and the race to find them is on. In a briefly emotional moment, Rosen manages to save Rachel, and the woman is sent away to Binghamton.

We have taken a step back from the curtain call of Red Flag last week, but with the rise of a new villain it makes sense that we would strengthen our forces and turn inward for introspection in preparation for the battles to come. This week’s episode turned inward to the Alphas and the relationships they have to each other, as well as their relationships to Doctor Rosen. The theme this week was that of family, and we saw a never-ending stretch of its gentle, though sometimes painful, touch.

Forget hyperkinesis. Forget having the ability to see cause and effect. Forget the leader of Red Flag herself. (Well…no, put her in reserve, don’t forget her completely). There is nothing more dangerous than a mother with the ability to love you to death.

Jessica Elkert, (Isabella Hofmann), is a grieving woman unable to move on past her son’s terrible suicide due to bullying and the various torments of high school. Though her first attack is accidental, (she kills her husband when she learns he did nothing to stop their son from being bullied), she manages to turn her grief to action and takes vengeance on the town.

The birth of her son, Chris, seems to have been her catalyst for her Alpha ability, and living with it for years suggests she had a pretty good handle on it until she discovered its vicious side effect right when she was weakest and needed help. Essentially, she addicts people to herself through an overdose of oxytocin, (the ‘love hormone’), and then harshly cuts herself off from them, causing them to die of withdrawal. Doctor Rosen suggests she is suffering from psychotic post-partum depression. It is this diagnosis that makes me personally raise my eyebrow at him. Et tu, Doctor?

Here now is the quiet story arc that has its roots in week two of Alphas. The theme of paranoia that was so evident in the first two episodes of Alphas has returned in a much more subtle form. In my first review, I asked many questions about Doctor Rosen. Why did he form the Alphas? What is his connection to each of them? The next week, we saw that Rosen does seem to have difficulty letting go of past mistakes, (evident in Marcus Ayers), and that he does clearly see his Alphas as more than patients.

But of course, does he see them as the next step in evolution, or as people he has become close to? In last week’s “Rosetta”, Gary turned against Rosen for even a fraction of a moment, directly informing him that Rosen is not an Alpha, not “one of us.” And in this week’s episode, Rachel confesses that she wants to trust Doctor Rosen, but is unable to decide if he only sees her for her abilities, or as the human she is.

How does Doctor Rosen view his Alphas? Slowly but surely, the Alphas are beginning to doubt him, or at the very least reveal that they do not trust him or believe him as much as he thinks or as we have been led to believe so far. With Red Flag looming on the horizon, trust is going to become core to the battle, and so far the bonds are shaky at best. Rosen, though presented with several opportunities to show his care for the Alphas, is almost always careful to draw the professional line. Though briefly and frantically emotional at the thought of losing Rachel, when he has a moment to tell her how valuable he finds her as a person, he instead withdraws and tells her that she saved herself with her abilities, implying that he did nothing of real importance.

Doctor Rosen is slowly becoming a very multi-layered character. His necessity to keep a professional distance and his theorized inability to let go of certain events or people suggest that he should put himself on his own couch and ask himself what he is trying to hide from, if anything. We are introduced to a new aspect of his life this week that we had not known before, and in this one sentence, a new theory is born. Rosen informs Jessica that he is a father.

When we first met Rosen in his home in the pilot episode, he was alone. We have never seen any evidence of his family or his personal life. Or have we? Again, how does Doctor Rosen view his Alphas? Is he their ‘father’? Or, given a number of clues we have seen throughout the episodes, could he be a real father to one of them? Start looking, readers. Piece it together. Start theorizing. (My money, just so you know, is on Gary Bell).

Moving on now to Rachel: this was a huge episode this week for her. The fallout from her explosive exodus from her parents’ house continues to linger around her, even as she struggles through this coming of age story arc. She’s taken a bold step forward, dating on her own to the point of even bringing a guy back to Nina’s place, something that surprised me greatly, (then again, being on your own from your parents for the first time does bring a certain intoxication with it – even if your separation from them was not on the best of terms). We are also sadly introduced to the ‘downside’ of Rachel’s ability.

her oversensitivity makes her extremely vulnerable to sensory (and sensual) experiences. She is unable to handle the heat of a kiss, or certain scents, or the sight of germs. It is a powerful burden for her to bear, and it serves to physically weaken her, even though her strong internal core manages to overcome it. Normally. This week, she was deeply affected emotionally as well, exploited at first accidentally, then cruelly, by oxytocin-emitting Jessica Elkert.

Rachel has suffered in silence. Though she is steadily growing more assertive, (she went from apologizing profusely for interrupting Doctor Rosen to informing him directly that she will not talk about something), she is also beginning to put a bubble up around herself that could become impenetrable if it is not stopped.

There is a time to be quiet and a time to ask for help, and Rachel may not realize the difference yet. She has not been reaching out, and it has eaten away at her to the point that once she came into contact with one person who had both the motivation and means for her to explode, she did. Rachel told Jessica everything – exposing herself and the others as Alphas, revealing her troubles with her family, and confessing that she does not trust Doctor Rosen as much as she would like.

While it could be argued that she did all of that under Jessica’s influence, it is suggested that Jessica really gets a hold of people once she touches them – and Rachel was already affected before she had any kind of contact with Jessica. We will only have to wait and see what kind of fallout Rachel has to deal with now that she has been exposed to what she can do when the pressure becomes too much.

Eventually, we hope Rachel’s mother will start returning her phone calls. Is her mother simply angry at her? Or has something happened to her family? It is a bit of a stretch, but at this point in the series, anything is still possible. The writers are peeling away the layers bit by bit and it is my firm opinion that these episodes are only getting better as we go along.

Stepping back from the family theme, there is another pattern that has been emerging through the episodes. This is the fifth episode of five to mention Binghamton. We have glimpsed the facility once, in ‘Cause and Effect’, (which is also where it got the most mention), but hearing its name every episode is beginning to raise questions. It has become a point to ask if this week’s Alpha is going to Binghamton. Is Binghamton just stuffed chock full of Alphas with dangerous powers? Doesn’t that make it seem like a breeding ground for Red Flag to move in on?

Then, of course, there is also the question of what is going on at Binghamton. Marcus Ayers mentioned experiments, and Rosen describes it as a ‘safe place’ for Alphas to go. Contradictory statements only serve to heighten the mystery and brings up yet another question: if Rosen is working for DCIS and has his own team of Alphas, but honestly believes that Binghamton is safe – just how in the loop is he with the organization he works for?

This week, with all of the personal revelations and introspection, raised more questions about the Alphas themselves than their outside world, but these questions needed to be raised. As the season reaches its halfway point, the tension is building moment by moment with the writers leading us through a neat little chess game.

Next week looks to be a new set of rules being established, and despite the lightness of the title I suspect we’re going to get a very good look at what the Alphas do when turned loose featuring Alaina Huffman of Stargate Universe in “Bill and Gary’s Excellent Adventure”! We include the trailer below courtesy of Syfy via Hulu for your enjoyment.

Thank you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency

Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article.

Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

August 13, 2011
Alphas: “Rosetta” – Catalyst of The Red Flag Organization!

Welcome back Alphas fans!

This week on Syfy’s Alphas, change was the name of the game. In a previous review I commented on how the writers had not yet started creating episodes that focus entirely on one character or another.

Welcome to the Alphas curve ball brought to you by Michael Karnow and Zak Penn in the form of an outstanding episode called “Rosetta” including the introduction of new character, a woman named Anna (Liane Balaban).

Now, for all intents and purposes the episode did not focus exclusively on one character, but this week one of the Alphas was brought very firmly into the spotlight for some strong development, painful attacks, and a general sense of foreboding during the ‘fade to black.’ This week, we got an hour-long look at Gary Bell, (Ryan Cartwright).

As this episode focuses so much on Gary this week, we also would like to include some information here about the diagnosis of his character in the series. In Alphas Gary has been diagnosed with “High-Functioning Autism” known as HFA. To learn more about High-Functioning Autism, we invite you to visit Disabled World to be better informed about what HFA actually is. Thank you.

MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS TO FOLLOW:

“Gotcha.”

With that simple statement, we see the Alphas set to take down the man who sent the Ghost after them in the pilot, the potential leader of the almost-mythical Red Flag. However, our savvy leader has an Alpha sidekick, and manages to escape capture, leaving behind a woman with severe apraxia. The Alphas themselves are already terribly on edge with their new ‘status’, and Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell), is none too happy to be left as the babysitter for Gary and Anna. Soon after, Gary deduces a way to communicate with Anna, and she offers to aid him and the others in finding the ‘leader’ of Red Flag.

A couple twists and turns later, Gary discovers that Anna herself is the leader; she has manipulated them brilliantly, and thanks to the confusion the original goal of the episode is still met: the destruction of a building creating a biotoxin meant to stop the birthing of Alphas. Anna incapacitates Gary and escapes. In the final chilling sequence of the episode we sense that not only will she return, but that she has already had a marked effect on Gary’s standpoint of the position of the Alphas versus Red Flag. We may have met our season one villain.

This week, the writer made a couple of very bold choices. First of all, for the second week in a row they chose to throw in a twist to the episode, leading us down one path and then slamming on the brakes and spinning us around. It is a brave move for a new show, and it remains to be seen if this becomes the norm or if they revert back to a more straightforward exposition.

Cases can be made for the potential success of either form doing this this early in the series. In this week’s twist, we find out that Red Flag’s leader is an Alpha with a simple ability and a brilliant, driven mind. Anna’s motivation remains unclear but her effect and her influence is powerfully felt throughout the episode, even as the web of deception around her begins to unravel.

Red Flag has been under wraps for the last couple episodes leading up to now, mentioned only in passing references. The Ghost who made Cameron Hicks, (Warren Christie), a proxy in the pilot episode remains the strongest point of contact for the Alphas, and through him we were introduced to the somewhat-easy-to-find Milos Kosar, (Dean Armstrong). Indeed, finding the potential kingpin of Red Flag so early on in the episode was our first clue that something was off.

This episode’s core was to draw back the curtain and expose the main villain in an introductory way. We see some of Red Flag’s propaganda, and follow two of its agents on their mission when we are not with the Alphas. And slowly, subtly, preying on his weaknesses, Anna begins to get into Gary’s mind with the core of Red Flag’s mission: “We are better.”

Red Flag, as we know so far, is mainly consisted of Alphas that are in direct competition with humans, who seek to prove the necessity of their existence by subduing those around them. Whether or not they mean to ‘take over’ is still not established, but their goals seem focused more on recognition and control, which is in opposition to Doctor Lee Rosen’s, (David Strathairn), Alphas, who battle for integration and acceptance.

Anna, for her part, establishes herself throughout the episode as a powerfully core villain. Though ultimately human, (a point Rosen has made over and over throughout the series in general), she possesses a deceitful and manipulative mind, cleverly twisting the facts and wording her sentences in such a way as to elicit certain emotions. Without even trying, she convinces Gary to explode at Nina, forsaking his somewhat calm demeanor in a fit of defensiveness about his ability to ‘care for himself’ (a plot arc that seems somewhat wrapped in this episode but hopefully is not, as there still seems like there is a lot left to explore).

When she turns on Gary finally, she almost seems remorseful for what she does to him, but is she really connecting to him, or is she really just manipulating him through a fake friendship? The questions about Anna continue. What is her motivation? Is she the true leader of Red Flag? How did she become the leader? Will she return? What will she do when she returns? And scariest of all for the Alphas: was she successful in turning one of them against the others?

The ‘one of them’ I mean is of course our transducer, Gary Bell. This episode put a strong core focus on him, opening with glimpses of his home life, throwing out possible points of conflict, and giving him a direct connection to the center of this week’s story. Rosen goes so far as to insinuate that Gary has ‘met someone’ to Gary’s own mother, Sandra Bell, (Jane Moffat), pointing out such details as the woman being of his age and of similar “cognitive disabilities,’ as well as mentioning that Gary ‘has taken’ to her quite well.

To his mother, this is a sign of growth for Gary, and she appears pleasantly surprised even as she firmly reiterates that Rosen ‘can’t keep throwing [Gary] off schedule.’ Rosen assures her it will not happen again. We, of course, know otherwise.

Gary himself was established early on as one of the ‘kids’ of the Alphas, being one to be protected instead of one doing the protecting. His ability to see sounds, (somewhat synesthetic in nature), makes him a core group member, as indeed he is heavily relied on for tracking and tracing, especially when everyone is on the move.

As we see him in his home, it is obvious that his ‘kid’ role extends to even there, with his mother preparing his meals, buying his clothes, and checking the temperature of his water for him. It’s the water that gets the focus in this episode, and is one of the stronger points of evidence that Gary has undergone a significant change by the time the hour has wrapped.

At the beginning, Gary makes it a point to say that he knows he can get his water himself, but the dismissive tone suggests that he just does not want to do it. Later on, Anna calls him smart and tells him he does not need anyone to take care of himself, but Gary boldly replies to her that he does not want to take care of himself, even though he knows he can. In most of his conversations with Anna we are exposed to more of his trademark refreshing bluntness and frank introspection.

Gary is still a child in some ways, seeming to want things but not necessarily being willing to work for them, not to mention being easily distracted particularly when the topic of conversation focuses on him, (but it is possible we can blame Anna’s manipulative abilities or the fact that she’s a pretty girl for that one).

By the end of the episode, however, he is not quite so hesitant. Anna has gotten to him. Whether or not Gary’s own opinion of the Alphas versus Red Flag has been seen, he seems to take on a more definitive notion of it through Anna’s influence. He bluntly, almost coldly, informs Doctor Rosen that Rosen is not an Alpha, and near then end of the show he hears Anna calling to him. His response is a silent smile, and we are left wondering if he will tell Rosen that he can find her, or if he will keep her his secret. He has not turned on anyone yet, but this could be the beginning of a dangerous story arc with exciting consequences.

A less menacing but equally important effect appears at the end of the episode when Gary is again brushing his teeth and his mother brings him his water. When she asks him if he wants to test it, he refuses, saying he can take care of himself. In only a few days’ time, Gary has somehow found the motivation to take one more step towards being independent. It is an outside step and we are left wondering how much more control he is going to take.

A final conflict for Gary that so far has only been touched on in interactions is that of his belief that no one takes him seriously. We have seen two large instances of this: first in his refusal to go home with Nina in “Rosetta”, and in his consistent complaints about the ‘humming’ in “Cause and Effect” and “Anger Management.” Gary often seems to be trying to communicate things over and over, as frankly and forward as possible, and many times he has been brushed off or simply told: “that’s okay,” without the problem being addressed. Through hints like these and with the character development given to him so far, Gary could be being set up to play a wild card by the end of season 1. Let the theorizing begin!

This week was a particularly tough week for the Alphas. Despite the apparent time jump between last week’s “Anger Management” and this week’s “Rosetta”, the Alphas are still reeling from the loss of control inflicted upon them by Matthew. Nina has been horrified to experience a taste of her own medicine, Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada), has faded even more into the background, and Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba), and Cameron have taken to passive-aggressive behavior and outright defiance, respectively.

On top of it all, Doctor Rosen is deeply shaken from losing the man who tried to kill him and his Alphas. This is the first week we have seen him truly frightened: not concerned, not calm but nervous, but truly frightened. It is a strong move, (in my opinion), for the writers to show him in a weaker light this early on, but it also emphasizes the point he makes: that everyone is ultimately human.

The interesting side of Rosen’s fear is that it blinds him. Throughout the series he has been a steady heartbeat, a confident player because of his psychoanalytical abilities. He is a psychiatrist and until this week he has been strong. However, the growing tension and the fear of the very real threat that Red Flag is becoming is finally getting to him, and he misses the signs that Anna is a far greater danger than she is portraying. The tension that springs up between Rosen and Cameron is a second illustration of this weakness, and it was well-written.

A final theme evident in this episode is that of adaptation and change, not just growing up as Gary so effectively portrayed. With last week’s admission that the Alphas are going to become a ‘team’, we seem to have jumped again right into the thick of things with their first visual exposure being their attempted takedown of Milos Kosar. Each one of the Alphas is facing their own challenge working now with others instead of just themselves.

Suddenly, Doctor Rosen is making decisions that affect more than just his group, and his group is right there on the front lines. He has said that this was not what he intended his group to become, but that is what they have been forced to do by DCIS. How long the Alphas can keep up taking orders and jumping in front of loaded guns is yet to be seen, and if next week’s episode is any indication, we are about to experience what happens when the gun from the “Red Flag” movement goes off!

The next Alphas episode is named “Never Let me Go” when the team will face one of its greatest threats while Gary delivers some of the the best lines with a bit of sincere humor that offsets the serious nature of his character’s diagnosis. See you then.

Thank you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency

Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

August 9, 2011
Alphas: “Anger Management” – Wanted A Chill Pill and Other Therapy

Hello Alphas fans,

Anyone who has been in the New York metro around rush hour knows the score. You have approximately seven seconds to locate a car and fight or bargain your way into the rush of people already taking up most of the allowable space. You will be jostled. Hands will brush places they shouldn’t. You will not have more than 2 centimeters of room all around, and chances are you’ll be breathing down the neck of some heavily unattractive person who decides to turn their head and inform you with terrible breath that: “they need more personal space.” Oh, the wit!

Now I ask you, with the crowded, smelly, and personally uncomfortable conditions, does this sound like a good place to start a full-scale riot?

One Alpha thought so. But there’s no accounting for taste.

In this week on Syfy’s Alphas, excellently directed by Nick Copus (and producer) the tagline question was: “How do you control an Alpha who can control you?” And for the next hour, we got the answer to the question through a lot of very intense decisions.

Here come some MAJOR SPOILERS! The episode opens with a visceral riot aboard a New York metro, then offers a well-deserved break for the senses as Lee Rosen, (David Strathairn), and his team of Alphas interact with each other on some issues that have become day-to-day for them. Gary Bell (Ryan Cartwright) still can’t handle the incessant hum of a microwave tower, while Cameron Hicks, (Warren Christie), argues about visitation rights for his son Tyler and Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada), tries to calm down after an uncomfortable meeting.

The team is shortly called into action to investigate the mayhem and riot. They are dispatched to the New York City the subway system. It is obvious that an Alpha is at the root cause of the death and destruction.

The Alphas team at first suspects a young Alpha girl (Tatiana Maslany) who easily eludes them on the streets of New York, and capture her brother Matthew Hurley, (Devon Gray), instead.

The episode takes a disturbing twist then as the brother turns out to be the actual Alpha and turns Rosen’s new offices into a bloodbath, resulting in the regrettable death of Don Wilson, (Callum Keith Rennie), before escaping.

The Alphas track him to a bus station and finally capture him amidst another bloody riot. Though badly shaken from their experiences, the Alphas strive to recover and Cameron, in a moment of compassion, breaks the tower causing the hum that is distracting Gary. The episode title of ‘Anger Management’ is all too appropriate, and ties in in several ways with the episode itself, far more even than the previous week’s ‘Cause and Effect.’

However, it should be noted that while anger management itself was mentioned, the episode, through some subtle and not-so-subtle, (read: “absolutely in-your-face”), application reveals what happens when anger is not managed. This overall theme saturated the hour-long look into the life of an Alpha to a degree that I, at least, came away feeling breathless and dizzy from adrenaline. The kind of powerful choices made in the development of this episode got their points across, and it’s an exciting premonition to the rest of the episode if this kind of intensity keeps up.

The strongest application of the theme came from the directing/cinematography choices made during Matthew’s attacks. Filming a general riot scene is tough enough, but this was taken one step further. In keeping with the emotion of the scenes, the cinematography takes on a documentary-style feel, sweeping the camera around to try and see all of what is happening, (which forces many shots out of focus), and then cutting to and fro in jerky motions, trying to follow one or another person as they succumb to the Alpha’s power. Warm filters are added to several of the shots, heating the screen in shades of yellows and reds. Point-of-view shots follow the screaming actors as they writhe about in confusion and blind rage.

At the start of the episode, we also have strobing which cuts into the flow of each shot, adding to the gradually increasing intensity. On top of all that, these sequences go on for seconds – not just five or ten, but twenty, thirty, forty. In the case of the attack in Rosen’s office, we follow our Alphas for almost two full minutes, getting only small breaks when Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba) is onscreen. (Bill is unaffected by the pheromones Matthew emits, for reasons to be explained later). Finally, for the climactic scene at the end of the office attack, we watch someone be beaten to death from their own point of view. The overall effect from the visual choices alone may leave you pumped with adrenaline and gasping for breath, wondering: “Did that just happen?”

But of course, that’s not all. Slipping to the forefront for another of his rare but enjoyable showcases is series composer Edward Rogers, who takes the episode to the next level with a steady pulse of a score. He, too, got the memo: “We’re being angry this week.” With his simple four-note melody and chord progression during the attack itself and steady build of adding instruments from the beginning, he powers through the violence onscreen and gives it a voice.

The theme takes a more subtle turn in the interactions of the characters this week, showing up in tiny, (relatively), situations – mostly all with consequences. The first interaction we see is with Gary, who is steadily reaching a breaking point with the ‘hum’ that has been present since the previous week’s episodes. Last week, he merely mentioned it a few times.

This week not a scene goes by where he doesn’t make an allusion to it, and we see how he begins to react when pushed up against a simple matter he can’t fix himself. Gary is firmly blunt, commenting on how teams ‘help’ each other, which is why Nina should help him push Bill into shooting the satellite – a pretty extreme fix for a problem that reveals a lot more about Gary than we’ve previously seen. It’s well-known Gary has an attitude problem, but how deep does it run?

Cameron is having anger issues of his own, a development of his character previously unseen. While in the pilot episode he mentioned having an ex-wife, we finally see something of that relationship as it’s revealed he is going through an equally nasty divorce and custody battle for his baseball-playing son. Unable to control himself, he hurls a baseball at the door behind Doctor Rosen and winds up breaking a glass sculpture. Rosen reminds Cameron that when he loses his temper, his powers leave him, (a curious twist, as Matthew’s activate when he loses his temper). It’s a small but subtle look at consequences. It’s also interesting to note that Cameron’s powers seem to be the one we have seen fail most often. Perhaps because he is untrained, or maybe because he’s so susceptible to distraction? Maybe we’ll find out.

This week, Rachel is actually following the ‘management’ part of the theme by filling her office with soothing aromas to help her deal with stress. As the least assertive member of the group, she is the one most likely to try to control her emotions no matter what stimulus she comes up against. However, later on in the episode, even she loses her temper, which turns out to have some surprising consequence. It’s just too bad she didn’t place those nice aromas in Rosen’s office during his talk with Matthew.

In last week’s review, I mentioned that by the third episode of a new series, we generally are getting a real sense of where the show is going, how it looks, and who the people are that we’re going to follow for the first season. This week, the Alphas themselves are transitioning into a new pattern of their roles with Doctor Rosen. The death of Don Wilson as their handler at first seemed to shatter the Alphas, but Rosen quickly rallied them and pointed out that Agent Sullivan will probably take over.

While Nina Theroux (Laura Mennell) has mentioned that the Alphas primarily search for other Alphas and go to counseling sessions with Rosen, Rosen has finally come out and said that they are stopping other Alphas, which may imply stronger tactics than talk, and stronger risks than what they have been doing before. It’s starting to feel like the introductory part of the series is coming to an end, and the meat of the story is about to kick in. The little trailer for ‘the coming weeks’ post-episode suggests this as well; the writers are giving us a taste of what they have planned.

One, (in my opinion), extremely well-done approach the writers are taking to this series is the method in which they handle the expository moments of the characters. While many series often take time out to focus exclusively on one character for a full episode, the writers are instead choosing to use the mission at hand interlaced with moments of personal time to develop each character week-by-week over the course of the episode. It’s still early enough in the series that they could still start focusing exclusively later on in the season, but for now the tidbits of information help shape each person week by week.

Some examples that immediately come to mind are Rachel’s conversation with her mother at home about being single, Cameron’s fight with his ex over the phone about Tyler, Nina’s revelation that her boyfriend was somehow involved in her first meeting with Rosen, and Bill’s comments about how his badge still works despite the disciplinary hearing. Each one of these tidbits could grow into something later but so far they are serving to build the foundation for these people.

A couple other climactic wraps occurred this week in the episode, one of the strongest being Rachel pushing herself further out of her comfort zone than she has before. At the start of the episode, she goes so far as to interrupt Doctor Rosen while he was talking, and under the influence of Matthew’s pheromones she explosively rebels against her parents, something she has wanted to do since the start of the series but has been unable to do due to her quiet nature.

Rachel has proven herself time and again to be a capable young lady, and the fact that she is actually following through with moving out of her parents’ home instead of begging their forgiveness is a huge step for her. She is disoriented and frightened, but she is still stepping forward, and now with Nina as a roommate there is a whole new dynamic to open up.

Cameron still appears to be holding himself separate from the other Alphas, but as the new guy this is still to be expected. He is not quite at ease with either his new position or the people he is around, and still has a tendency to go off on his own, which causes Bill some frustration, (a bit of the dynamic mentioned earlier of system versus spontaneity).

He is also one of the stronger challengers of the group, questioning what they do and what the point is of what they do, though this is likely due to his naturally paranoid nature. Hopefully this will smooth out with time. This week, however, Cameron did take another step forward as well in his reaching out to another member of the team. While he has formed a tenuous connection with Nina and an almost alpha-male rivalry with Bill, he has not really tried to step out to the remainder of the group.

This week, his fatherly instincts overcome his anxiety, and he chose to help Gary. Nina has refused to push, Bill has refused to shoot, and Rachel doesn’t hear the hum, but Cameron takes Gary up on the roof and uses his hyperkinesis to break the dish causing the younger man such frustration. Gary has a point; the team should help each other, and even if the dish is fixed in later episodes, the fact that Cameron reached out finally shows his taking steps towards further integration in the group – not to mention healing himself.

Alphas returns each Monday at 10 PM E/P 9 central time on Syfy. I look forward to the next episode “Rosetta” will certainly reveal much about the “Red Flag” group. Is it a criminal venture or a movement? .

Thank you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency

Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

August 1, 2011
Alphas: “Cause and Effect” – Pay Attention in Science Class!

Welcome back Alphas fans!

In this second stunning episode of Syfy’s exciting Alphas, Syfy continues to teach its viewers the importance of the simple things in life. First, we were told not to use a cell phone at work. Then it was suggested we never ask for help in a grocery store. “Cause and Effect” brought us lesson #3: “Pay Attention in Science Class.”

The “Cause and Effect” episode of Alphas also brought wonderful music provided by gifted composer Edward Rogers whom we also know from his fine work in Warehouse 13. Thank you Mr. Rogers for your haunting and enchanting score that makes Alphas such a great series!

This week, Doctor Lee Rosen (David Strathairn) gets taken back to school for some basic science 101: “Cause and Effect”. We know the basic definition: “Cause and Effect” is a general term meant to describe the response of one force when another acts upon it. For example: spilling water on a computer will break your computer.

Raise your hand if you know that one. Yeah, I empathize. In a less-destructive example, if you kick a ball, the ball will roll away or go flying if you really put your weight behind it. What really makes all of this interesting, however, is that the cause does not always predict the effect. Unless you’re Marcus Ayers.

“Who is Marcus Ayers?” you say.

Well, here we go into the meat of it all, so if you haven’t had time to watch the second episode of Alphas, “Cause and Effect” – well first off I suggest you go watch, and second you may stop reading if you do not want any MAJOR SPOILERS.

Our brief recap follows: A new Alpha has broken out of prison – more specifically, a prison transport – through a series of ‘perfect’, (and for his captors, unfortunate), events. While the rest of his Alphas try to overcome their prejudices of their new office, Dr. Lee Rosen goes to the scene and deduces that his first-ever Alpha patient, Marcus Ayers, has rejoined the public.

The brilliant strategic but dangerously paranoid Ayers leads Rosen down memory lane and a DoD liaison, Nathan Clay (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali) on a cat-and-mouse chase through New York City. He eludes capture to the end, and mysteriously vanishes after imparting a warning: that there is a war brewing between humans and Alphas that will affect the entire team.

Given the cloudy nature of Marcus’s end in this fast-paced and somewhat breathtaking episode, let’s take some time to get to know him first as the Alphas team contemplates as well.

Marcus Ayers has no official ‘Alpha’ title, but he has the ability to make events play out to a predetermined outcome. In essence, he controls cause and effect like a natural Rube Goldberg. Since this is a natural occurrence to him, (and supernatural to those around him), he often does not understand why others can’t see the outcomes like he can, which has bred a deep paranoia. This paranoia, combined with his almost instinctive genius, (it’s hinted that his ability to see cause and effect also suggests a brilliant mathematical and scientific understanding), has also turned him into a master strategist. The man is a walking chess game.

Whether by choice or by chance, Marcus Ayers (Will McCormack) is oddly similar to Cameron Hicks (Warren Christie) , and that similarity forms a strange bond between them even though they are almost never onscreen together. Though Cameron does not like the insinuation that his brain is wired like a psychopath’s, there is no denying that his intuitions about Marcus, and his subsequent deductions about what drives his character comes from an innate understanding of the situations he is in.

76With Cameron’s peppered history and Marcus’s calculating mind, the two would make a powerfully frightening duo onscreen if they were to ever join forces – though at the same time, their impulsive behavior and brimming paranoia would make them violently unstable. Quite frankly, that is a very interesting dynamic.

The real underlying character relationship throughout this episode, however, is that of mentor and student: Doctor Lee Rosen and Marcus Ayers. They are established from the get-go in the opposing roles, and as the show progresses we are able to see the attempts to form understandings from both sides. Marcus follows the path of ‘troubled man’ more than ‘curious denial.’ Whereas Cameron was surprised at his powers, Marcus is solidly focused on his, even eager to show them off. Dr. Rosen does his best to harness Marcus’s fiery personality, but by the time he starts to get through to him, it’s simply too late.

Marcus does not want, nor does he believe he needs help, but beneath his roiling exterior there still lies a deep respect and even possible fondness for Rosen. The interactions between them do not suggest a student come to take revenge on his mentor, though Rosen believes this may be the case. Instead, Marcus is clearly asking for help, having seen a darkness forming on the horizon and believing he will be its first victim. His escape at the end of the episode leaves him wide open for return.

Also through this relationship, we begin to understand a lot more of Lee Rosen. Rosen sees Marcus as a failure but continues to hold out hope that he can someday understand that the world is a different place than Marcus believes. Dr. Rosen also seems to have an inability to let go of things, somewhat ironic for a psychiatrist. Finally, though he is the leader of the Alphas, like many others in his position he clearly sees his people as more than just patients in need of help, more than people with great potential.

Dr. Rosen fears for them like a protective lion, though it remains to be seen if he is truly fearing for them more as people he cares for or people who are ultimately a step forward in the human race. It could go either way; his arguments with Marcus and his discussions with Nina Theroux (Laura Mennell) are two clear examples of how personally involved he is with those that were formerly his patients, but he still maintains a respectful distance from some of the others such as Rachel Pirzad (Azita Ghanizada), Bill Harkin (Malik Yoba) and Gary Bell (Ryan Cartwright), and makes a point about how he did not make this ‘team’ in order to fish out Alphas and do ‘field work’, (which begs the question of why he formed them).

“Cause and Effect” is the second episode of Syfy’s Alphas, another hour-long episode like the pilot before it. Instead of starting off the entire series with an introductory two-hour marathon, series writers Michael Karnow and Zak Penn have boldly thrown us into the action right in the middle, and episode two keeps that pace going.

The pacing and feel of a series is normally established by the second or third episode – by the time that third hour, (or fourth if you had a two hour opener) is over, the viewers have a taste for what the show itself is going to offer visually as well as a sense of the opening arc and the chemistry of the characters.

These crucial elements are only some of the factors to help us decide if we’re going to stay with the show – though it’s my opinion that they are the most important. In the case of Alphas, though still firmly expository at times, the writing of episode two is just as firm as the pilot before it, showing that these men have a story to tell, they are going to push forward with the action, and we are going to hang on for the ride.

The usage of flashbacks is always a little threatening in any story, as it jerks the watcher out of the previous moment and forces them to form a time-line in their head, deducing current action from past experience. In the case of “Cause and Effect”, however, the flashbacks don’t serve to really push the story forward, but rather to enhance character motivation and instigate theories. They get the audience guessing in an interactive manner that involves them in the story more than the present plot, which is core to surviving these initial introductions to a new series.

The writers also have selected certain themes with which to carry the story currently. Though it’s too early to tell to see if these themes will stay, they certainly serve their purpose to tell the stories from other angles and special perspectives. One of the more subtle themes right now is predetermination.

Predetermination is the belief that everything happens for a reason. There are no accidents. There are no coincidences. For someone like Marcus Ayers, who can literally control what does happen, this theme is the absolute core of his being, whereas for the more pliable and open-minded Doctor Rosen, this theme is unrealistic and unpredictable.

The viewers, of course, are left up to their own beliefs, but Alphas so far has made some interesting silent arguments for both sides. Predetermination is far more subtle in the pilot but from the mind of Marcus Ayers its effects are clearly seen. Under his idea of ‘forced moves’, Red Flag’s decision to hunt an Alpha that ultimately brings the Alphas further out of their secrecy was the ‘best move for them.’

If Red Flag is indeed an organization choosing to eliminate Alphas, (a theory that has yet to be proven one way or the other), then bringing them into the open would facilitate that destruction. In return, the Alphas are forced into their own move of bringing the target into their fold, enlarging their numbers but letting their secret out to yet one more person.

Now that is a more concrete example, but under the belief that the Alphas are a newly emerging ‘evolution’ of humans, it really was only a matter of time before the leaks overwhelm the dam. The full course of this theme may not become apparent until the season one closer, but the concept in and of itself when paired with other themes brings both merit and intrigue to season one of this show.

A stronger theme pulsing through these first two episodes so far is that of paranoia. From the get-go, it is evident that the Alphas are no longer as well-hidden as perhaps desired. They are targeted, infiltrated, and to some minds, openly betrayed. Cameron was a prime example of this in the pilot, suffering as he does from PTSD from his time in the Corps as a sniper, as well as the repercussions of his brainwashing. Marcus has become naturally paranoid and given the experiences he has been through in the past, has only gotten worse as his life degrades around him. Paranoia brings with it a plethora of stories and variables that make the show far more unpredictable.

So far, the poisonous emotion has not quite infiltrated the core group of the Alphas, but Doctor Rosen makes a statement at the end of the episode that, from one angle, suggests he might be willing to consider allowing it in. Powerful, one-way statements serve as more of a defense mechanism than anyone wants to admit, and Rosen stating: “It should be us and them. That’s the only option,” only serves to show that he is beginning to feel a pressure. With next week’s episode being what it is, we will see if paranoia plays a part in the quietly-looming conflict.

The Alphas writers have started small but fast. We are not going through the opening motions with the Alpha team, but instead are left feeling as though we are catching up with them as they go through their own everyday lives and jobs. This is not meant to be negative; in fact so far, catching up is proving to be far more exciting than starting with them at the beginning.

The characters’ familiarity and comfort levels with each other has created a chemistry of its own with none of the rocky, tripping conflict of first-timers, and the situations they are all coming up against have yet to really trip any wires when it comes to suspension of disbelief. We are left feeling as though we are watching not amateurs, not professionals, but novices moving definitely up through experience. And as for me, personally – I’m enjoying the ride.

Alphas airs each Monday evening at 10 PM E/P 8 PM Central time on Syfy for the next exciting episode!

Thank you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency

Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

July 25, 2011
Alphas: Pilot – Lesson #1: Never Use Your Cell Phone On Duty!

Welcome Alphas fans,

Syfy’s newest series Alphas seems determined to teach its viewers a couple of life lessons straight from the beginning.

ALERT: MINOR SPOILERS: Within two minutes of the series’ start, a minimum-wage employee at the local supermarket receives a phone call that consists of nothing but a strange pulse. A friendly grandmother interrupts his confused staring at a potentially broken phone to ask where she can find some ice cream. She evidently doesn’t like the answer, as she promptly informs the employee that it’s: “time to kill.” The employee apparently agrees, as he marches out of the store and to a roof several blocks away. He sets up a nasty-looking rifle, and shoots a bullet in an unknown direction.

This leads us to lesson #2: Never ask for help in a grocery store again. You could be an accomplice to murder, people.

We include a special video from the cast discussing what it means to be one of the Alphas!

Produced by Ira Steven Behr, Syfy describes its newest action/sci-fi thriller show in the following two paragraphs:

“Alphas is an action-packed thriller from writers Zak Penn (The Avengers, X-Men: The Last Stand) and Michael Karnow. In the series, five ordinary people are brought together to form one extraordinary team of Alphas — people with the unique power to stretch the capabilities of the human mind giving them superhuman physical and mental abilities.

Operating within the Defense Criminal Investigation Service of the U.S. Department of Defense and led by preeminent neurologist and psychiatrist Dr. Lee Rosen (Emmy Award-winner and Academy Award-nominee David Strathairn), an expert in Alpha phenomena, the team investigates cases that point to others with Alpha abilities. As they work against the clock to solve this new brand of crime, they must prevent their own personality differences and disparate backgrounds from interfering with their ultimate mission to catch the enemy.”

Over the course of the next ninety minutes, the show introduces us to these five ‘ordinary’ people as they each showcase a touch of their ‘superhuman’ talent. First on the list is Dr. Lee Rosen, (David Strathairn, The Bourne Ultimatum, Good Night, and Good Luck), followed by Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell, Smallville, Watchmen), Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba, (Why Did I Get Married, New York Undercover), Gary Bell, (Ryan Cartwright, Bones, Mad Men), and Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada, Castle, General Hospital: Night Shift). Newest on the scene storywise is Cameron Hicks, (Warren Christie, “October Road”, Gray Matters).

And rounding out the cast list is Nathan Cley, (Mahershalalhasbaz Ali, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Predators), Quinn, (Joe Pingue, Devil, The Book of Eli), Agent Don Wilson, (Callum Keith Rennie, Tin Man, Battlestar Galactica), as well as a fine supporting ensemble including Matt Bois, Patti Cook, Scott Edgecombe, Sevaan Franks, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Jimi Shlag, and Saad Siddiqui.

For those of you who have not managed to catch the pilot of Alphas, I’d ask for you to stop reading now as MAJOR SPOILERS will follow. For those of you still with me, I invite you to take a look at our six major characters and the story surrounding them.

First, a brief recap: The five Alphas are brought together to investigate a seemingly impossible murder that took place at the start of the show. En route to their meeting, we get a short glimpse of each of their powers, as well as a small introduction to the lives they lead. The hour continues on as they attempt to bring the suspect – a new, undiscovered Alpha, into the fold while simultaneously trying to solve the murder he committed. In a nasty twist, it’s learned that the murder was actually a setup, and the Alphas have to regroup fast as one of their own is forced to turn against them. Though the pilot ends with a completed story, the stakes are left high as the Alphas realize they’re more of a target than they expected to be.

The five ‘original’ members of the team display a connection to each other that suggests at least months of working together. Most of these connections are professional in nature, only personal when they are in close quarters to each other. It isn’t suggested that they spend time at each other’s houses or interact with the others’ families, but there is an easy emotion between them. Feeling this connection eases watching and makes it more enjoyable since we get a sense of comfort even when the danger level is skyrocketing. They’re no well-oiled machine – for example Bill is reckless and Gary is unpredictable – but they get the job done. The introduction of the ‘lone wolf’ Cameron Hicks throws off this balance a bit, bringing impulsive action to a team that formerly follows plans. It’s going to get even more interesting from here on out.

Let’s meet our Alphas:

“Take Me to Your Leader”

“Dr. Lee Rosen is a preeminent neurologist and psychiatrist with a long history of hands-on work with patients suffering from neurological disorders. His fascination with Alphas — ordinary people with very extraordinary abilities known as Alpha Skills — has led to the formation of a group of highly evolved humans specializing in solving Alpha-related cases. Though not an Alpha himself, he has become the unconventional leader of the team and his nurturing personality and fatherly wisdom are instrumental in holding the group together when stresses and personality conflicts threaten to tear them apart.” – from Syfy

“Nurturing”, and “fatherly” are two of the best words to sum up soft-spoken Rosen. He has a remarkable intuition for people that, if I had not read he was no Alpha, I would have suspected to be his ‘power’. He is an educated, even cultured gentleman with a strong penchant for healthy food and activities, even going so far as to swim two miles a day, make coffee out of barley grain, and chew on medicinal roots. He carries an aura of peaceful confidence that bleeds off on anyone he meets, including the ‘patron’ of the Alphas: the need-to-know government-official-type Agent Don Wilson.

Though Rosen appears easy to read from an objective standpoint, the word ‘enigmatic’ can be tacked on at the end of his description. There are enough questions about Rosen that arise in the pilot to draw attention. How and why did he form the Alphas? Did he or why did he give up his position to head the team? And what is his personal connection to each Alpha?

“All that She Wants”

“Nina Theroux is worldly and sophisticated, attractive and intelligent, complex and manipulative. In short, she gives new meaning to the idea that a woman “always gets what she wants.” Her alpha skill is called “influencing” and it involves the disruption of the specific neural pathways in the cerebral cortex that leave the brain vulnerable to suggestion. It’s Nina’s curse to know that those aware of her ability, cannot distinguish if she is being genuine or if she is controlling them.” – from Syfy

Nina Theroux is possibly the most mysterious of the group. At first glance, it seems as though she has it all: taking what she wants, going where she wants, doing whatever she wants, because of this ability she has to make the world bend to her control. Cameron suspects her to be a ‘good person’ because she hasn’t tried to do anything overly cruel in the time he has met her, despite the power she has. When Nina tells him she’s not a good person, however, it’s time for the viewers to give pause.

Adding on to the fine list Syfy compiled up there is the word twisted. Nina’s manipulations of those around her often take on a bit of a twisted air. She forces a police officer to eat a ticket. She knocks out but refuses to catch Cameron. She sends a security guard running for the bathroom. These are all fairly innocuous occurrences until they are added to the full package. She makes dry comments about self-medication. She seems to have formed a strange attachment to Cameron – not romantic in nature, more kindred spirit. Through her conversations with Rosen, (with whom she appears to be closest), as well as her reaction to death scenes, she reveals that she may have a very real skeleton in her closet that has left her scarred.

Nina has also taken on the role of ‘mother figure’ to the group, directing the ‘kids’ around, controlling the ‘father’ when need be, and generally keeping an eye out for everyone. Despite her manipulative nature, she has a calm head and steady hands in the face of absolute danger. Of the group, she is the most level, able to handle a lot of different things at once. Seeing her breaking point will be a strong character development – as will the revealing of her past. Many questions arise as well about the dark-haired beauty: where did she come from? What has she done? And why does she stay with Rosen and the Alphas when she’s a self-proclaimed free spirit?

“Muscle Machine”

“Bill Harken is a former FBI agent who strictly adheres to procedure and protocol. He is also a hyperadrenal Alpha — an everyday person with a very special physical ability. Bill is able to summon amazing strength by consciously activating the “fight-or-flight” response. With a flood of adrenaline, pain receptors are subdued and for a short bursts of time, he experiences super human strength and a resistance to harm that borders on invulnerability.” -from Syfy

The group’s ‘muscle’, Bill has a strong need for control on top of what Rosen calls ‘some boundary issues’. Interestingly enough, he is also the only Alpha we see as actually married, with a wife who may or may not be in the FBI, but no children. He has a strongly sarcastic nature and seems to enjoy picking fights with Gary, who often has no trouble giving it right back to him.

Bill often appears angry, rude, and caustic, as well as firmly stubborn and outspoken in his opinions, particularly where it concerns the team. He has been strongly bred in FBI culture and does not like when plans change or when impulsive elements, (i.e. Cameron Hicks), are chucked into the mix, (there is a lot of tension incoming between those two). He also does not like lack of information – though he can control his adrenaline, it seems as though he is not one to stay put for very long for any reason, waiting for things to happen. When trouble comes, he is the first on his feet. Finally, Bill has taken on the ‘father figure’ to Nina’s ‘mother’ of the group, often talking calmly with her about issues, whereas he is short, abrupt, and briefly emotional with Rachel and Gary. We include a special interview ith Malik Yoba below courtesy of Syfy via Hulu.

This is all juxtaposed against his attitude at home. In the one scene we see with him at home, Bill is almost the opposite of what he is with the others. He is jokingly self-deprecating, somewhat panicky but not angry, and generally lighter. It remains to be seen if he was just in a good mood that day or if he really does put on facades wherever he goes. Also, the ramifications of his encounter with the Ghost still have yet to be explored. For a man who loves control, losing it has got to be devastating.

“Sensual Shyness”

“Rachel Pizad is a pretty, timid girl in her early twenties, sheltered from society by her protective parents. Rachel is that of a “synesthete”, which allows her to enhance one sense while rendering her remaining senses temporarily useless—often leaving her vulnerable to danger.” – from Syfy

Emotionally the youngest of the group, Rachel has grown up in a close-knit family that suggests of traditionalism and overprotectiveness. Deeply respectful of everyone around her, Rachel is sweet and shy. Told most of her life she has a ‘condition’, she also is made painfully aware that her parents do not hold much hope for her in the ‘adult’ world, (namely marriage).

Pushed into a shell by everything around her, Rachel finds it difficult to really step out even around her fellow Alphas, mainly limiting her contact to Gary, (closest to her equivalent in age), and Rosen, (with his naturally inviting nature). She has a somewhat proper and conservative nature to her. She also has a problem with conflict in general; her pliable attitude makes her more willing to let things slide, (such as her refusal to confront Bill about eating part of her muffin), and others to take control of the situation, (when captured by the Red Flag Ghost, she panics and succumbs, only struggling to get free).

When she works, however, she seems to gain a confidence that is almost invisible elsewhere, suggesting that she understands the meaning of her power and has the potential to outgrow the limitations her parents have put on her. This makes her character a symbol of hope as well as a valuable addition to the team.

“Signal Received”

“Gary Bell is in his twenties, sensitive to many factors of his environment, and dependent upon rigorous routine. Despite any perceived limitations, Gary is also a “transducer” — a human antennae. His neural synapses have the ability to “read” a wide range of frequencies including television, radio, and cell phone signals in the same way people typically hear the everyday sounds around them. Gary’s alpha skill is incredibly effective and allows him to intercept communications and encrypted messages. However, it can also be overwhelming for him when he is unable to turn these signals off.” – from Syfy

Gary Bell shares a couple of traits with the other men of the Alpha team. Like Bill, Gary can become agitated easily when he feels he’s not being understood. He also seems to enjoy sniping back and forth with Bill, and has a pointed bluntness that creates a couple humorous moments in the show. He is somewhat rebellious, and in at least one scene he appears outright cocky. Gary also shares Rosen’s healthy tastes, sticking to organic foods and making sure he avoids fast food, (even if it’s because his mother told him to). Gary is obedient and respectful to those in authority but does not hesitate to challenge them when he gets a chance. He’s also notably persistent, (he refuses to take no for an answer when asking if he can drive the car).

Another part of Rosen that Gary seems to share is his intuition, though Gary’s is more deductive than instinctual. He picks out Cameron’s YouTube video after only a couple hours of searching, and is completely certain that he is the man they are searching for. He is right, and while Hicks fits the profile, it’s Gary’s deductive reasoning that leads the team to him. Gary also immediately picks up on the danger to Rachel when Cameron leaves the grocery store. Gary thinks very fast, and is a great alarm bell among his other roles in the Alpha team.

Gary has limitations which do ultimately come into play in high-risk situations. He panics easily when plans are overturned or go wrong and often is the one left behind to be protected and give protection from afar.

“Lone Wolf”

“Cameron Hicks has lived a hard life, the scars of which are evident in his personality. His run-ins with the law and the medical and military establishment have created a deep sense of distrust in authority. A former army sniper and minor league baseball pitcher, Hicks has an unusual condition called “hyperkinesis,” wherein the mind’s imaging systems and muscle control are perfectly in tune with the motor skills center of the brain. As a result he possesses flawless aim, perfect balance, and greatly enhanced motor skills.” – from Syfy

Cameron Hicks, as the newest Alpha, is the one with the least current back story, which has been brilliantly summed up by Syfy in the above paragraph. Whether from PTSD or by his own simple choice, Cameron has clearly left his former position as a military man and resigned himself to working in the local supermarket. What would cause one of the best snipers in the military to leave his posting and take a minimum-wage job? Worse, he is a divorcee, and a father to a kid who loves baseball as much as he does. Something strong happened in Cameron’s fast to turn him into the loner her is, and I suspect we will learn a great deal more about it in the future.

Cameron is paranoid and, like Nina, aloof. He is initially not a believer in the Alphas or in the potential within himself to activate his own powers. He neither trusts nor likes working for the government, and he is a natural solo artist, unable to stand by while something is happening if he thinks he can contribute. This has the side effect of changing the rules of the game, which Bill does not like, but Cameron clearly does not care. He is looking for redemption, and not just for being the killer at the start of the episode. This ties back to what he’s done in his past, and is currently the core of his character.

And there you have it, readers: the six people we are going to get to know one hour at a time. There’s a mix of potential to be had in the upcoming episodes, and we will get to see how everyone cements together as we learn more about them. Hopefully we will find answers to the initial questions raised from the pilot – and if we don’t, then let the theorizing begin!

We include the full episode below courtesy of Syfy via Hulu for your enjoyment!

As for me, I’m going to the grocery store. Don’t worry, I know where everything is. Alphas returns Monday July 18, 2011 with another great episode called “Cause and Effect” on Syfy (promotional trailer included below).

Thank you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency

Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

July 16, 2011

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