The penultimate episode of Powers came out this week and one can only imagine things are going to get tense. Storylines are culminating into a complicated smorgasbord and the bad guys just might win. I take a look at episode nine of ten to find out if the show is worth viewing.
Powers: Episode 9 “Level 13” (Playstation Network)
This episode opens where we left off, with our hero Walker telling semi-villain Johnny Royalle he’ll join him in killing the big bad of this series named Wolfe. All they need to do is break into the prison known as The Shaft, and shoot him while he’s under a green power draining light. It quickly dispels any idea that Walker is turning to the dark side and instead sets up a big double cross trap. Or is the double cross on the audience who thinks it’s a double cross?! After the last episode established Royalle and Walker’s friendship as kids who knows really, which makes for an interesting episode indeed.
The episode does a good job cutting back and forth between Walker planning for his double cross, planning with Royalle and the actual break in. What makes this episode and the characters’ motivation hard to get a bead on is Walker’s obsession with gaining his powers back. Yes, this has been an annoying never ending character element that won’t go away, but it effectively makes it hard for the viewer to anticipate what will happen as the episode progresses because he could be lying to anyone. A nice touch really and it makes the viewer race through the possibilities that could take place.
Time for a vacation.
Royalle’s friend and number one henchman Simon (who has the ability to multiply himself) gets screen time this episode as well and it’s nice to see considering how powerful his arc was when he lost his Powers in episodes past. Meanwhile other secondary characters get some moments, like Crispin and his ever growing hatred of powers growing further while he attends his mother’s funeral.
Pilgrim’s line about “the only difference between Powers and us is we follow the rules” may be the dumbest quote I’ve heard in a show about human cops working in super powered world. Maybe the writers forgot? Something tells me this line was all to set up a much better and rather badass line from Walker later in the episode when he said, “I was never a hero I was a Power.”
Ultimately the plan, or plans, by Walker and Royalle culminate into a conclusion that’s predictable, although the way they get there is frustratingly stupid. I suppose we can’t count on characters like Simon to make smart decisions, but the acting, or maybe directing, never calls for Simon to be all that worried or stressed out. He makes a rash decision though, but without the dramatic effect he just comes off as dumb. His actions do set up what could be a game changing final episode though.
Don’t believe a word he has to say!
Conclusion:
This episode does a great job keeping the audience on its toes never expecting what might happen next. Unfortunately it falls apart in its final minutes to set up the next episode rather than deliver quality TV.
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