FlashForward, 1x09, “Believe”

Episode Title: Believe
Writers: Nicole Yorkin and Dawn Prestwich

Director: Michael Nankin

Originally Aired: 11/19/2009
Grade: A-

There wasn’t much in the way of forward plot momentum here, but I like Bryce just fine, so I’m okay with that. I’m glad we finally found out why he tried to shoot himself in the pilot. I’m also kind of pissed at him for going to Japan to try to speed up his flash-forward, rather than going to Houston to try the experimental cancer treatment. Stupid move there, because as Olivia pointed out, you’re not going to have much of a romance with the woman if you’re dead.

I’m curious as to why we needed to see things from Keiko’s point of view. She was perfectly likable, and it was kind of cool that they showed her side of the story rather than just relegating her to being the object of Bryce’s obsession. Still, unless she’s going to become a main character in her own right at some point, it seems like a waste of the audience’s time. And why robotics? Is that significant to the plot, or were the writers just dead set on giving her a traditionally male scientific profession in Japan? (Whatever the case, the “Please serve us our tea” scene was wonderful.)

And finally, why was Mark such an asshole to Aaron? Even if Aaron did send the message, there was nothing to gain by refusing to make nice, and Mark ended up giving Aaron the “guilty until proven innocent” treatment. More importantly, Mark was, well, drinking in his flash-forward and thus doesn’t remember every detail. In fact, we know there’s quite a bit of missing time in his vision. He could have spoken to someone that he doesn’t remember in his flash-forward, except the other person would remember.

It’s also worth pointing out that there were some presumably well-informed masked gunmen bearing down on Mark in his vision, and they may have known he was sauced, especially if one of them ends up being someone he already knows. But no, Mark is too much of an impulsive, arrogant turd to consider either of those possibilities, and instead chooses to blame his closest friend and his boss equally, because dammit, one of them must be guilty. At least he apologized to Aaron, but between this and him being a total dick to Olivia about Lloyd, he’s fast becoming the Jack Shephard of this show.