V Recap: Welcome (Back) to the War

After four months on hiatus, V reared back up last night with both humans and Visitors hatching plans for vast armies of, you know, humans and lizards. Rallying those two legions were Erica Evans (Elizabeth Mitchell), an FBI agent moonlighting for the resistance, and V High Commander Anna (Morena Baccarin), who, as it turns out, looks a lot like Venom from Spider-Man 3 under all that faux-human skin. And unfortunately for her mate, she's a little hungry, too.

Anna is literally hatching an army: While secret-V Ryan Nichols is warm-blooded enough to have a baby the human way, Anna's got a whole bunch of eggs. The episode culminates with her choosing a top-notch mate, lying motionless on top of him for about three seconds, announcing "It's done," then pulling a preying-mantis move (revealing her Venom face) and eating him. I can't think of any lizards that do that, but feel free to prove me wrong.

Meanwhile, after Erica is attacked by a V in her house, she recruits Carl Hobbs, a man wanted by the FBI, to help train resistance members. "Welcome to the War," she tells him after he accepts, working in the not-terribly-nuanced episode title.

It seems the first prize in this war -- or at least the mini-war beginning to form between the two women -- is Erica's wholly unremarkable son Tyler (Logan Huffman). A major thread in the episode sees Erica channeling a little bit of John Locke ("Don't tell me what I can't do!" to Ryan, after he says she can't go to the V ship) in an effort to retrieve him. Tyler's been wooed by the V's and has holed up on one of their ships, but Anna, in the end of the episode, tells him to go back and comfort his mother, who looks mortified to learn he's become one of their stealth camera-toting "Peace Ambassadors."

Anna's interest in Tyler -- and by extension her vendetta forming against Erica -- doesn't quite jibe in this episode. How has this conflict become so chiefly focused on Erica and Anna? Erica, intrepid double agent that she is, can't be that much of a treat for Anna, who's got a whole world of gullible humans at her disposal. And Erica's eagerness for action, revealed through her recruiting a felon to the resistance and, as she says, "breaking every oath I've sworn to protect," seems just a little misplaced. I mean, come on. The V's apparently aren't trying that hard to kill her considering their resources. They're kind of just picking at her. Anna's kind of just picking at her. Forget the Obama administration analogies -- we're getting into catfight territory, here.

Welcome to the war, indeed. It's getting way, way personal.



Comments

  • Katie says:

    I would have thought they would look more like alligators. Great recap!

  • Alex RW says:

    Awesome!

  • Melody says:

    Wow! I think I'm gonna have to start watching V after that recap!!

  • jim says:

    Totally agree, as I read this, I'm feeling like I've missed something!!!
    Jimbo

  • dunn says:

    O.K. The problem with this show is that it just isn't sophisticated enough. It's too simplistic.
    The Vs park their ships over major cities. Why have we never seen the military or any top level government officials? How do the Vs have a building in NYC constructed on the ground for them to use 2 hours after they land? This is an international story. Why aren't there scenes from around the world. The visitors have a new drug that they want to give to humans. Hello? Don't all drugs have to be approved by the FDA?
    After watching convoluted, cryptically plotted shows like Buffy, Lost and 24, V seems like something from 1985 in its simplicity.
    And then we have the irritating Tyler kid. Blah! Why did they have to saddle Elizabeth Mitchell with a horny, nitwit for a kid. No slam on the actor, but as written, the kid is a tool.
    At this point, I'd keep Anna, Ryan, Ryan's girlfriend, and Elizabeth Mitchell's character. Relaunch the show next year. Hire some ex-Lost scribes to clean this mess up.

  • Susan says:

    Thanks for the recap! I was thinking about checking out this show and now I'll have a good frame of reference for what has happened so far. Nice job!

  • Citizen Bitch says:

    They have had some international shots in the previous episodes, but it has been mostly ignored. I think after Heroes success in the DVD markets all sci-fi shows are requried to have some nod to international plots. See the FlashForward episodes in Asia.
    I'm hoping there is some reveal as to why Tyler is the chosen one because so far he seems less than average. I was thinking they could have made him a science/math prodigy, but even then the V would be way ahead of him. Maybe it has to do with the emotions thing? The V can't feel emotions and Tyler has some special gift re emotions? Seems also unlikely. Maybe he just has special DNA, and Anna wants him to mate with the daughter?
    In any event, it is nice to see what Juliet has been up to in the Sideways Flash.