Alphas 1x05 Review

Episode Title: Never Let Me Go
Overall Season Rating: A-
Episode Rating: A-

This week's episode is about love and loss. I think Alphas' greatest strength is that they connect enhanced human powers to emotions better than most shows, or even comic books have done. Sometimes I do get a little tired of all the emo stuff, but it is done well. Rachel has issues with her parents, Hicks has confidence issues, Gary can be a little selfish, and Nina has a past that gives her issues. In my opinion, this makes the show seem more real, which is a good thing but also can hurt it in the future if they keep focusing on it.

This week, we meet an Alpha who has the power to release a chemical called Oxytocin. This is what makes us feel very close attachments to people, and feel "love". The sudden removal of it is also what causes the very real physical pain we feel when we lose someone we love. I checked on Wikipedia and found that not only are they pretty much dead right in the show, the article also says that it makes 100% sense that she would gain this power, or at least become aware of it when Chris was born. During and after childbirth women have larger amounts of this chemical.

Of course, this encounter happens right after Rachel has had a fight with her mother, and moved out. She's upset about it, and we finally hear her say that she feels like her only role on the team is as a walking crime lab. They all have their role though. I think Rosen is doing his best to take care of them, but also help them use their powers for good. Perhaps the Government is just using them to find more Alphas, but I do think Rosen's motives are totally genuine.

I liked that they got badges finally, but I think they missed an opportunity for a great Gary joke. He should have said "We don't need no stinking badges." Everyone laughs and he's like "Why are you laughing?".  Suggesting that his "joke" was not a joke and he has no idea what that reference is. Oh man, I should go back to writing. In the show though, I did love that Bill liked that Gary was having fun with the badge. Sometimes he can come off as a hard ass, but it's good that they don't let us think that for long. I found it strange though, that none of them knew what the Defense Criminal Investigative Service was, but everyone they showed the badge to was quite impressed. Was it just the badge, or did they recognize the DCIS?

The end of the episode, where we see Rosen tell Rachel that he does, and always has seen her as a daughter was a wonderful scene. He cares about them all, but there always has been a closer connection between him and Rachel. I think it's that her situation outside of being an Alpha is the most difficult, and also she's still young enough where she's not very sure of herself. With her, I never considered that she'd basically have to live like Rouge does. If all her senses are enhanced then sexual contact of any kind must be far to powerful to even comprehend. I've often rolled my eyes at Nina's emo issues since she can get whatever, and whoever she wants whenever she wants. I'm sorry, but that basically makes her a god, and it's hard to pity her about anything. Rachel on the other hand is a very sad case, and Dr. Rosen has done an amazing job helping her.

In conclusion, let me just say that while I did really like the emotional part of this episode, I do think they should back off from it a little bit in the coming weeks. They shouldn't ignore it, or forget about it, but don't have it be so central. If they do that, then I fear the show will become too emotional, and too emo. Does that mean the same thing? That can work for some shows, but I'm not watching a soap opera here, or at least I hope I'm not.