The dialog sparkles, as does some lovely poolside scenery during a very brief respite.

In a welcome reversal from last week, Blood & Treasure regains its focus, tight pacing, and light touch. Delightful one-liners abound with nary a stumble. They fit perfectly with both the plot and the characterization, and enhance the story and some clever directing. Both the writing and delivery really shine. Lexi and Danny show the full extent of their considerable skills, as do actors Sofia Pernas and Matt Barr. They continue to deepen the relationship without falling into soap opera. They and the whole cast continue to impress as they play perfectly off one another.

Violet returns, to Shaw’s immense glee. He compares Lexi and her former partner to such legendary duos as Butch and Sundance, and Thelma and Louise. Danny looks at him askance and reminds him, “…they all died…” The pair demonstrate adeptness at avoiding just that with some extremely athletic (not to mention lovely) work on aerial silks during a heist attempt.

Danny and Shaw provide backup for the theft. They also run interference when the bad guy returns to his lair sooner than expected. This gives Danny the chance to show off his linguistic skills in the form of an alleged Cockney accent – which Shaw mercilessly mocks.

The one-liners include diverse pop-culture references to Miami Vice, Ninja Turtles, and Cirque du Soleil, not to mention a shout-out to the Discovery Channel. Many of the best moments should be enjoyed without being spoiled beforehand. Suffice it to say, this week everything clicked. Writing, directing, acting, all meshed wonderfully with the whole greatly exceeding the sum of the already-excellent parts.

Deliberately, the final scene jars with its abrupt tonal shift from the rest of the episode but, importantly, it reminds us of the stakes and the brutality of the bad guys. If anything, the leniency surprises.

Verdict: Back in top form with full-speed-ahead pacing and progress, and a welcome lack of melodrama. 10/10

Rigel Ailur