Season finales these days carry a heavy burden. They’re all expected to be game-changers, yet we want our shows to be recognizable when we return to them. They have to stand alone as episodes, yet wrap up the season so far.
Alphas did a serviceable, if not staggering, job accomplishing all of this. It changed the ground a little, moved some things forward, introduced a new villain or two, and did the very necessary job of altering the Alpha team’s relationship with the government (although we don’t know yet exactly how). SPOILERS below the fold.
So, Dr. Rosen has an alpha daughter. Not exactly the most original plot twist. Even less original is how he “happened” to run into her on a mission. Rosen hung a lantern on that coincidence, realizing he was being manipulated when he realized Danielle couldn’t have just “happened” to be where she was. So I’ll accept that. The scene between the two of them at his pool was awesome, and Straithern was given more chance to emote than at any point in the series; of course, he did so with deft vulnerability and complexity.
The new villain, Stanton Parish, is interesting. His “downside” is…sociopathy? Or simply lack of empathy? He’s a cold manipulator, that’s for sure. When Rosen noted that Parish had no empathy, a “ping” went off that this was a perfect complement to Dani’s ability to create shared empathy, but I didn’t extrapolate it all the way, so I was a bit surprised that she and Parish were in league all along. This looks juicy!
I’m beginning to realize that, not only do alphas have abilities that stem from fictional extensions of real neuroscience, not only do they all have “downsides” that function as a counterpart to their ability and also derive from the same neurology (so that, for example, Rachel’s OCD and her hyper-senses are connected, as are Bill’s jumpiness and his ability to harness his own stress), but almost all of the abilities are hyper versions of real things in real life. Some people do just seem to have perfect timing (although Cameron has never shown us a connected downside, making him a less relatable character).
But, more than that. Nina is a lanky beauty, and her ability to manipulate people is the sort of thing that people have long attributed to lanky beauties: ‘One look at her, and I was helpless to do anything but what she said.’Or the way that some autistic people seem so deeply connected to machines.
How the whole raid played out was very well done, although the DOD constantly playing the role of “I’m from the government, therefore I’m not listening” is irritating and not getting better. Anna’s death was completely unexpected, and Gary’s grief was tragic and beautifully portrayed. The whole concept that Parish and the government were on the same side against a particular Red Flag faction was appropriately disturbing.
Rosen’s final reveal is a mixed blessing. Good: It was a ballsy move and nicely revealed. Bad: Where did he get that device (is Skyler helping?) and how did he get it through Congressional security? Good: It could make next season amazing. Bad: It could make next season a predictable revisit of roads the X-Men have walked for 40 years: Press, fear, prejudice……zzzzzzzzzzz…oh, sorry, fell asleep there.
I have high hopes for Season 2 and I’ll be back blogging it when it happens.
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