Alcatraz 1x04 Review

Cal Sweeney

Cal Sweeney is a bank robber who only steals from safety deposit boxes, and he doesn't kill people unless it's necessary. Or at least that's the profile we get from Diego about him. The episode and his actions are a little different than that. This episode is my least favorite so far. I was not very interested in Cal Sweeney, and I'm starting to worry that each bad guy will have something dark and sad in their past that will try and make us understand why they turned to crime. Last week I said that they weren't trying to make us feel terribly sympathetic towards them, and I think that's still true, but I'm not sure of the message when Tiller acts like such an ass to all of them. Are we supposed to despise Tiller? Are we supposed to view the prisoners are victims? Sure it's not right to treat them badly, but come on, these are very bad guys and just because Tiller teases them is not enough for me to hate him, and like them. 

In this episode Tiller wasn't even behaving all that badly. He wanted in on the illegal smuggling ring Sweeney had set up, and found a way to get what he wanted. It was the other guy who stole the box, not Tiller. I'm not saying I'm on Tiller's side, I don't like the guy, but it's hard for me to root for criminals. I still don't think that's what the show wants us to do, but I'm starting to worry. 

I also was not blown away by his actions in the present. Until the very end when it appears he stole that key for reasons unknown even to him I was wondering if it was going any place. I was also a little annoyed that they went for the cliched hostage situation, although I was very relieved when it only lasted about 10 min of show time. We never really were told why he robbed those other banks, and why he killed that guy over the story about the wife. Are we supposed to believe that because his family was killed in a fire, and all he had left was a tin box that that would make him a murder? I suppose it could, but we were told he rarely killed people, and would always just sell the items he stole. Why did he change? What was his motivation for robbing those other banks? Depending on who wants these keys that Sylvane and now Sweeney acquired, why not have him rob that bank first, and hopefully get away with it. Hauser showed in this episode that he doesn't know what the keys are, or how the '63s transported. With that in mind we must again ask--then who does know? Someone out there clearly programmed these men to do this, and they must be aware of Hauser and his team. With that knowledge, why wouldn't they be more direct in trying to get these keys. 

Something that occurred to me in the end was the look on his face before being placed in the hole. He was scared as anyone would be, but it looked like there was more. It looked like he was being shown something terrifying, but also incredible. I wonder if the hole is a major key to who transported, or at least maybe the ones in the hole are the ones who were conditioned and prepped for whatever plan is unfolding. 

We also learn that the keys were made with lasers. As Hauser points out, lasers didn't exist in that manner back in 1963, so what could their connection be. I have to say, while the episode as a whole didn't wow me I am very intrigued by this mystery. I've said many times that if I watch a show and absolutely cannot come up with a plausible explanation for the shows main mystery then I'll be hooked for a long time. That's why I kept watching Lost after the Pilot. As much as I tried I could not explain anything from that episode. The same is true--at least for now--with Alcatraz.

One of my favorite moments came very early in the episode. When Sweeney is handing out the stuff hidden in the laundry we calls the guy "Pinkner". This is clearly a reference to Jeff Pinkner, the executive producer on Fringe. I'm sure everyone knows that Fringe is also a J.J. Abrams creation, so this was a great little wink and a smile to their sister show. 

Next week it looks like things are going to be a bit different. I won't say anything in case people don't watch the previews, but I'm pretty pumped for it. 

So yeah, not a bad episode, but the procedural nature of the show is slowly starting to get to me. Unlike a show like Fringe there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason of who these guys are, and why them! In early season one of Fringe, at least we had the conspiracy theories about Massive Dynamic and the connections to Walter's past work. With this, it seems like it's just a random guy every week, and they end up catching them. I know it's only been four episodes, but they need to throw a wrench into the works soon, or people will stop feeling the conflict, or the danger of the situations. 

Post any thoughts in the comments.