Ben leaps into the officer third in command of the USS Montana which is taking part in war games in the South China Sea. The kicker: second in command is Addison’s father. The two are not exactly estranged but were never close, especially after he left Addison’s mother.

Last week gave us insights into Ben and his mom; this week we get Addison and her dad.

This episode rolls out all the clichés. Emotionally distant parent, check. War games scenario that turns serious, check. Commanding officer too stubborn to see he’s being blind, check. Drama between following orders and doing what’s right, check. Marital strife back on shore, check. Self-sacrificing martyr leaving so his family will be happy, check. The race to save an imperiled crew, check. Race to stop WWIII, also check. Grown child gains major revelation about parent, check.

This installment doesn’t turn a single trope on its ear. Not one is subverted. It explores no new territory. And yet the show does a fantastic job.

There is no way this episode should work even half as well as it does, but it ends up being excellent.

First the script, understated and note-perfect. Clichés are clichés because they ring true. Everyone knows them or has lived them. None of the characters’ depictions cross the line into caricature.

But second, and even more important, the cast. I love this cast, and they shine here. Each and every performance rings true. The CO isn’t the bad guy; he makes the best call he can with the information he has. The thing is, the viewers know that Ben has more information thanks to the team back home. Brandon Routh isn’t playing an archetype. He comes across as a real person genuinely torn by what he should do on the bridge, and anguished at the state of his faltering marriage. And Caitlin Basset deftly conveys the pain of her memories, the longing for something better, and tenderness when Addison reassures her father. Never forced or fake, emotion resonates through the whole episode.

Verdict Formula done right.  A perfect example of how it’s all about the characters. Always. Every time. 8/10

Rigel Ailur

http://www.BluetrixBooks.com