The fifth episode of season 2 of “The Lazarus Project” is how this show should have been from the beginning. Its no-nonsense approach to the issue of the time machine being constructed by the Time Break Initiative was so welcome after the tedious personal relationships in prior episodes.
It was intriguing that Wes put both Janet and Ross in charge of Operation Midnight. This brought up the possibility that past Janet and future Janet would interact, which I was looking forward to with great relish.
When Lerner reveals to Janet that he was a part of Lazarus Project, I was genuinely surprised. His cover story of others being told that he was dead seemed weak, though, since he stayed in London quite a bit. What if someone saw him?
I also liked the meeting in the “Private Members Club” between Wes and Lerner. The question remains at this point as to whether or not Lerner is funding the Time Break Initiative. Later in the episode we discover that he is the funder when Wes reads that the test on the machine has been successful.
He and Wes seem to have a past together. Certainly there is a particular ease in their interactions. But it becomes clear that Wes wants to kill any time travel project.
Here we begin to get insights into Wes’ thinking on what the difference between the Lazarus Project’s resets and unlimited time travel are. Although the resets do cause travels back in time and a chance to re-do the future, they are limited in scope. Wes looks at LP as a way to save humankind from mass extinction, not as a toy to play with time travel.
I enjoyed the tentativeness of the relationship between Dr. Gray and Janet. It does appear odd that someone with no curriculum vitae of credentials would appear out of the blue with plans for a functional time machine.
I was wondering what the point of Dr. Gray’s story about her role model, Charlotte Weir, was. The fact that Gray got into time-travel research as a way to save people from ailments that have not yet been cured was an unusual twist on why people get into certain fields of study.
But on the other hand, is Dr. Gray so naïve that she has not thought about what the negative consequences of her discovery might be? She seems very narrow-focused on the science and not on the ethics. This provides a nice contrast to Lerner and Wes. While we don’t what Lerner’s intent in creating time travel is, you have to wonder if it is benign. For Wes, time travel=bad.
I have to give major kudos to Vinette Robinson in her portrayal of Janet. She has had a lot of hats to wear. Each time she brings genuine believability to her role as a spy, counter-spy, scientist, mother and wife.
The inclusion of title breaks for the countdown to Operation Midnight was an effective technique for creating tension. I felt the momentousness of what was about to transpire.
I also loved the way Wes, who we now discover is Elizabeth Wesley, threatens Dr. Gray. Wes seemed very officious but little else in the first season. Now we get to see the hard edges emerging. But I was disturbed that Janet did not take this threat seriously enough to tell Dr. Gray the truth about LP. This was the moment to confess her origins to Dr. Gray and start working hyper-fast on the machine.
The party at Bryson and Janet’s apartment was a nice touch. It personalized the show while not being sickeningly sappy. You knew what was about to happen soon, so it was very bittersweet.
I was very confused when the mouse was sent into the future. Why was only the mouse transferred and not its cage or container? Is the machine only set for organic matter? Would a human end up nude in the future? This is a small point, but one which should have been elaborated upon.
Time will tell if episode 6 lives up to this one.
In the new season, resolute Lazarus agent George has been left in disgrace after betraying the organization in the name of love. He is determined to redeem himself and win back the trust of his friends, colleagues, and the love of his life. But when he discovers that the cause he is fighting for is more sinister than it appears, George suspects that the only person he can really trust is himself.
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