David begins to learn the truth behind his powers at the Summerhall institute, as his new friends help him explore his memories and try to start putting his fractured understanding of himself and his experiences together into a coherent narrative.

Episode 1 left us in no doubt of one key thing – David Haller really doesn’t have much clue of what is going on or who he actually is. Ending on the high note of a daring rescue from the nefarious clutches of ‘Division 3’, this episode wastes no time in picking up where the last left off.

Melanie Bird is somewhat of an enigma, but again the show avoids the usual genre cliché. Here we have an older character who clearly has an interest in helping people like David, as the head of the Summerland institute. She’s firm without being harsh, caring without being cloying, and there’s definitely more than a hint that deeper motivations lurk beneath her tranquil exterior. As she introduces David to the facility and begins his ‘training’ to recover his memories and utilise his powers, she’s neither the wise old mentor nor the idealistic dreamer that she might have been in another show. If anything, she’s a perfect approximation of a mother, without being the archetype of one.

Syd too gets a little more development, but it’s Ptonomy who steals the show this episode. The ‘Memory Artist’ who is there to transport David (and others) back into their own memories and relive them with perfect clarity is perhaps as close as the show gets to the ‘wisecracking sidekick’ archetype, but again it’s handled with a defter touch than you might expect. Small comments in the course of a private conversation provide some insight into the depth of the character, and he’s definitely someone I look forward to seeing more of.

Of course, David is the real star, and the episode jolts almost as much as the pilot with the constant shifts in time and place, to the extent that it’s really important that you pay attention to everything to stand a chance of following what is going on. From flashbacks to his dead best friend and his ex girlfriend to some surprising manifestations of his ‘gift’, there’s never any shortage of interesting things going on with the character. As before, the visuals of the powers are un-flashy, but no less impressive – one in particular stands out, but won’t be spoiled here.

It all feels impressively weighted and focused, as if the writers have a very definite goal and a really clear idea of how they’re getting there. An 8 episode series probably helps this – no room for extraneous side quests or musical crossover episodes here, it’s all driving the overarching plot forwards with each moment.

Verdict: Continuing the strong trajectory established by the opening episode, this is the show to watch if you like comic book heroes, but you’re tired of twenty odd episode seasons of flashy fluff packed with zingy one-liners and an overuse of powers. Gripping and compelling stuff, just don’t take your eyes off it when you watch. 9/10

Greg D. Smith