In the wake of their daring springing of Reed and Lorna from the Sentinel Convoy, the Mutant Underground face real danger, with Agent Turner determined now to drag every last mutant out of hiding by whatever means possible. The Struckers find themselves ever more deeply entwined in Underground business, even as cracks start to show elsewhere in the Underground family.

As Episode 4 closed, we got a triumphant first look at what Lorna was truly capable of, as part of an adrenaline-soaked finale. This week, the show takes the time to address what happens next, once the heroes have made the heist and the real world must be confronted.

It’s to the credit of the show that in spite of its fantastical premise, the writers take time to ground proceedings without getting dull. The gang were involved in an armed standoff with government agents, and one of them was shot – they don’t just get to walk away and carry on. Using this problem to advance every one of the characters is organic, and very well executed.

First we have Reed – he’s got some trust to win back, given that the last time one Mutant saw him, he was confessing to having double-crossed them. Not only that, but as more refugees pour into the hideout, driven out by Turner’s purge, the whole Strucker family are viewed with suspicion. Having just been reunited, they’re still in a hostile environment surrounded by folks who don’t much like them, albeit at least these ones aren’t carrying badges and court orders.

How this plays out is fascinating. You expect it to be cliched, you may even predict the eventual outcome, but it’s not without its surprises along the way, and more importantly, it’s done well. I notice that I keep using the word ‘organically’ when talking about this show, but it always seems most appropriate – when changes occur, when things happen, it’s always in keeping with what has happened before. And nothing ever happens and is forgotten – something which leads to another bit of conflict between two mutant characters that will definitely have impact later.

And speaking of organic: the one ‘weaker’ element in the show to date has been the characterisation of Agent Turner – a one-note villain who seemed to have very little behind his tough guy façade. The great genius of this week’s instalment is not just making him a more believable and realistic character, but making the viewer care, retrospectively making all that previous blandness make sense, hell even making a virtue of it. If there’s one thing I never expected before this episode, it was that I’d end up actually feeling sorry for Jace Turner. It’s quite refreshing just how often this show subverts expectations.

Verdict: Tight, focused, incredibly well-paced and written. I can find nothing to fault here. This is how comic book TV is supposed to be done. 9/10

Greg D. Smith