Believe - 1.06 Sinking - Review - Getting To Know The Tates

The series sixth episode continues on as we and Team Winter follow William Tate back to his home town Hudson to confront the man who he believes framed him and put him away.

We come to meet the senior William Tate and see the poorer rough lifestyle of fishing community, as William senior had taught Tate how to fight and where we learn (through a flashback) that "Billy" was apart of some job gone wrong, where two bodies were found and where his friend Patty goes back on his word and ends up testifying against Tate. "Billy's" conviction made it very hard on his father's standing in the community, as he wanted to leave and start over, but couldn't.

The episode plays out allowing the audience to learn more about Tate through his severed relationship with his father and where Bo, somewhat hypocritically I might add, makes Tate promise that he will not hurt anyone after seeing Tate hold someone brutally at gun point, as he starts to learn the truth that it wasn't really his friend Patty that set him up to take the fall, but the politically ambitious Jack. Tate not being able to let go his need for the truth, leads to a deadly confrontation on board a boat. Patty helps Tate and turns on Jack, but also hands Tate his gun. Tate uses it to shoot a leaking gasoline can and blows up the boat!

Jake McLaughlin did a really great job at letting us see Tate progress from the man he pretends he still is, as we can see how Bo has great influence over him, as he struggled to allow himself to go back on his promise. This is also contrasted by the fact that Skouras is also realizing that Tate has an affect on Bo, as we also see he is on a time table due to his project being green lit by a Government comity that expects Skouras to have his "weapon" ready soon.

No threads from last week's episode show themselves in terms of Skouras mentioning his pursuit of finding out who leaked information to Ben, but Zoe's ideals continue to be pushed when Skouras approaches another kinetic young man we met in the Pilot episode named Sean, whom Skoura wants not only to eventually help them find Bo, but put the severely hurt Joshua out of his misery. Sean, whom seems unstable in many ways and doesn't initially like the way Skouras treats him, is successful in killing Joshua from a catatonic state. If I had to guess however, I might expect Sean to turn on Skouras eventually, especially if Bo and Sean ever had or will come to have any kind of a relationship.

But the best part of the episode I think was it's ending, where after the boat blew up and thinking Tate had sunk, Tate comes home and is able to connect a little better with his father due to Bo's way of having affects on people, -and that Tate finally learns the truth that Bo is in fact his daughter! The two stand together out in the sunlight facing the river where Bo says she forgives him, and he nearly in tears, gently reaches out and places his hand against her back.

Again the only real problem with the series is that it hasn't found a way to be very suspenseful. It feels like there is just too much straight forwardness that doesn't allow the audience to hang or chew on anything, because everything is being explained to them in almost every scene. Other than that, it is a really nice and unique family story that barrows a lot of non family genre elements from science fiction, conspiracy, war, and crime and finds different and interesting ways to explore the characters each episode.

Bad Robot Factor:
Each week after my review I will bring this section relating to many things Bad Robot in relationship to the episode, as I feel certain Bad Robot often makes a point to reference themselves with similar characters, subject matter, riffs, easter eggs, aesthetics, contrasting situations, & occasionally shared pop cultural references. So this section is to explore the possibility of those things, which may provide some and insight speculation and at the very least food for thought and/or trivia. I also think it's just fun to be able to reminisce!

Every Man For Himself or Live Together, Die Alone?

Just a little to consider in this week's episode. Before the series began I had thought that Tate would have some commonalities with Lost's James "Sawyer" Ford. In this episode I was definitely reminded of Sawyer and by extension his relationships with those like Kate, Juliet, and Jack with ideas or themes being touched on in this episode like being 'Left behind', "I've Got Your Back", and even the more karma-like idea of "It'll come back around".

Additionally in "Every Man For Himself" while in prison for conning, we see James learned to fight or box, a standard of things we tend to see of prison inmates on TV. It's also in this episode, like Tate, that James learns from Cassidy that he has a daughter named Clementine. James is also a character that starts off rather disgruntle, but eventually becomes a good man, especially after he is able to deal with his past (Anthony Cooper). This also goes along with the whole Bo verses Tate line of thinking, as Bo just wants Tate to ask for help and not do things all by himself.

Trivia: In Alias Sydney suggests the name Clementine to love interest Michael Vaughn for the name of their yet to born daughter, which he rejects and they eventually call Isabelle.

Also in "Every Man for Himself" James learns the truth that he, Jack, and Kate are no longer on the main Island, but a smaller one. He compares it to been as Alcatraz. Bad Robot eventually made an unsuccessful short-lived series called Alcatraz where several of 1960's inmates ended up be experimented on, presumably turned into sleeper agents, and mysteriously ended up in present day. One inmate was named Jack Sylvane, and like Tate, he seemed to be set up for murder.

Welcome To...

The Welcome to Hudson sign was also reminiscent to one in Fringe's, "Welcome to Westfeild", which in turn may be again referenced on Once Upon A Time's, "Welcome to Storybrook".

Also William Tate's friend's full name is Pat "Patty" Farnsworth. Farnsworth is the surname of Fringe main character Astrid Farnsworth, which in itself is one of many Fringe-David Bowie related references such as the character Oliver Farnsworth in the film and novel, The Man Who Fell To Earth.

So what did you think of "Sinking"? Are you glad Tate knows the truth about Bo now? How long do think it will be before Bo learns the truth about her father? Do you think Sean will go along with Skouras or turn on him? Do you think Zoe is safe? Where do you think Team Winter will go next? Let us know in the comments below!

About the Author - Darthlocke4

Laura Becker (Darthlocke 4) is a long time commentator, TV addict, and aspiring writer participating with other fans on SpoilerTV. She writes reviews and analytic type articles. Some of her other interests include philosophy, cultural anthropology, reading, drawing, and working with animals, as she grew up and continues to work on her family's horse farm.