Ben Leaps into a private eye trying to help a falsely committed woman escape from an asylum run by the requisite evil doctor.

Plotwise, this episode breaks absolutely no new ground. We get the ultra-creepy asylum, isolated on an island. Inside is dark and dreary, all shadows and claustrophobic spaces. Outside, pounding rain, rumbling thunder, flashing lightning and the gloom of night. The whole episode conveys a tense horror vibe.

The cast continues to shine. We get Addison – reminiscent of a few scenes between Sam and Al in the original – frustrated and beside herself that she’s there but not there and therefore unable to physically help Ben who is in mortal peril. Magic gets to show how he’s a good boss in scenes with Addison and with Janis. Addison reveals she’s not just a combat veteran but also former military intelligence – yet another example of the series weaving in characters’ backstories in service to the plot instead of weighing it down.

The show also continues promoting the theme of family and loyalty, and never giving up and settling. For… reasons… Janis insists Ben is supposed to fail this leap. She claims that’s what he would want as well if he had all his memories. As on several previous occasions, the team refuses to accept this. Janis is proving to be a more and more interesting frenenemy to the team. Magic and the others are gradually developing a most tenuous trust with her, and her revelations always prove to be intriguing. They up the ante by adding that not only does Ben have a target – in the future, no less – he has a deadline as well. This is especially portentous considering that only two episodes remain in the season.

Jumping ahead to theorize about the future, I hope the show resolves this particular metaplot instead of stretching it over several seasons. Rather than treading water with the same mystery leaper and threat to Addison, hopefully they will move on. Otherwise I worry they’ll lose momentum and get mired in rehashing the same old conflict. Thus far they have proven more than up to the task of avoiding that. The show has continued to build all season, deftly balancing the weekly story with the overarching plot.

The final scene this week drives that point home with a vengeance. All along Janis has alluded to the need for security and secrecy, with the team never sure of the validity of her concerns. Tonight they finally come to the same conclusion. Further, we now know who their nemesis is.

Verdict: After the stunning final reveal, I can’t wait to see what happens next. 8/10

Rigel Ailur

http://www.BluetrixBooks.com