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This week’s episode of Scorpion, “A Cyclone,” was written by showrunner Nick Santora and Executive Producer Nicholas Wootton. The episode was directed by Gary Fleder, whose other credits include Beauty and the Beast, Life Unexpected, and October Road. This episode felt a lot more like the second episode of the series, so I had to wonder if they switched the order of the episodes for some reason. I can’t for the life of me figure out why they would have, however.
Some of the evidence that this was meant to be the second episode? In one of the first scenes, we see Paige (Katharine McPhee) hand her uniform in to Nemos (Anthony Skordi). She’s also clearly less comfortable with the team and is still trying to earn their respect in this episode. The episode also has Walter (Elyes Gabel) explaining the team to Cabe (Robert Patrick) and his supervisor Merrick (David Fabrizio). The team hasn’t been accepted as part of the “team.” It’s possible they didn’t want to follow the “Pilot” with another exposition heavy episode, but I think it was actually really helpful to have their various roles and personalities laid out for us again.
We also get an explanation from Cabe about why he’s really in LA – he needs Walter and the team to save his own career. While some of the exposition felt a little heavy-handed – Toby’s (Eddie Kaye Thomas) run down of each member’s strengths and weaknesses – it felt even more out of place in the third episode. I hope that the show is now past this and we can have the characters show us what they are like rather than telling us. While some reviewers have not warmed up to the characters, I certainly have.
I thought it was very telling that Paige felt very much like she was being boxed out like the cool kids on the playground do to others. Although, I have to admit that I do still feel a little bit like Toby in wondering exactly what it is she’s supposed to do for the team. Toby himself is supposed to be the whiz kid at psychology, so why can’t he manage their interpersonal relationships more effectively? Maybe as far as Paige is concerned, it’s as simple as being the one that we can identify with on the show. The characters’ problem is that others can’t relate to them – is that the problem with the show too? Is it that viewers are having trouble relating to characters who are much smarter and who don’t play well with others? We all want to be able to root for the hero, but what if that hero is a bit of a jerk?
Paige points out to Walter that they don’t listen to others because the team is always right. But being right doesn’t mean that they always get the job done. I thought it was hilarious that they were so, so bad at surveillance. In fact, it is the humor that is the most endearing thing about the show. So far the crises that they’ve had to solve have almost felt too complex, but that keeps the action moving. One thing the show does well is its stunts, effects, and fights.
Walter does get one thing wrong. He tells Paige that Ralph (Riley B Smith) will never play on a team of be on student council, yet Walter himself is the leader of a team. I did like that Walter insisted that the entire team go to pick Ralph up from school. The riddle about what kind of punch a jellyfish likes nicely fit in with the theme of the show – and explained why they are called Scorpion. Scorpions are fiercely loyal to others in their group which is called a cyclone. The team certainly whips up a storm as they solve their cases! Scorpions also have very hard shells and are not liked by many – other than other scorpions. The answer to the riddle is a nice play on the word punch – a group of jellyfish is called a smack. And of course, this is what the marines were calling the team when they wanted to belittle them at the beginning of the episode. The test mission fails because of the marines. Left to their own devices, the team is able to save the day.
I’m very much enjoying Gabel as Walter. Patrick does a wonderful job in this episode peeling back some of the layers of Cabe. I particularly liked the scene in which he tells Walter that it’s a show of his trust for Walter that he’s bet his career on him. I also really liked that we see Cabe come back to Walter for redemption for the lives he’s lost – which is what drove Walter away in the first place. I’d be remiss in not giving a shout out to Ari Stidham’s portrayal of Sylvester. While many of his fears and phobias are very obvious, he also adds nice little subtle touches, like pulling his sleeve down over his hand to open the door – even when they are rushing out to figure out where the bomber went. What did you think of the episode? Are you warming up to the characters? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
