Following the assassination of a suspect, Clarice and ViCAP are investigated by Krendler’s rival at the Bureau.

Bureaucracy and back-stabbing come to the fore in the fallout of last week’s debacle which embarrassingly let a fake police officer into an FBI office to poison a suspect. Special Agent Anthony Herman (David Hewlett, Stargate: Atlantis) was a rookie at the same time as Krendler, but resents the latter’s opportunities and success. He’s out for blood, putting the ViCAP team members under scrutiny, initially sticking them on desk duty.

Particularly interesting is Ardelia Mapp’s role in the story. Up until now she’s been on the sidelines as Starling’s room-mate, helping from afar, but now she’s got a shot at the big time, which will involve investigating Clarice. Ardelia’s relationship with Clarice has never been more strained, her frustrations at the FBI’s ‘show pony’ now boiling to the surface. And why is Krendler fiddling with the entry logs – is he taking one for the team?

There’s still time for some investigations and the fortuitous discovery of evidence, but is it being orchestrated by higher powers? Krendler makes the point that his reason for being hard on Clarice is not the fact she caught Buffalo Bill before he could, but that she made a call that put herself in danger and potentially those who would have to rescue her. But has she learned from her experience, to ensure she has backup? The ending suggests otherwise.

Verdict: The first cliffhanger episode so far, but it’s a good one, setting up Clarice for what should be a fascinating trip next week. 8/10

Nick Joy