Just a quick review of tonight’s new episode of Deception…
If it helps and if I had reviewed it, I would have given last week’s episode of the show a B-. I sort of thought that things were going to quickly ramp up, at least quality-wise. But tonight’s outing renders the same grade that I gave the series premiere, a C+ because of its continued shallowness but more importantly because of its blatant “twists.” What I may dislike the most about this show is that we’re not learning everything as Joanna is learning it, and thus everyone seems to have their own point of view to work the audience with here. It’s certainly frustrating, if not just a bit inconsistent.
For example, we learn this week through some flashbacks that Julian was the one who first approached his sister during the pilot episode. Giving the audience that kind of information allows for us to deduce more than Joanna can, and in practice doesn’t allow for the actual dramatic tension to build within the relationships that are created inside of the show. It’s jarring.
What was great about last week’s episode was that it fully allowed the characters to be a bit more fleshed out and it gave everyone particular motives for their current actions. We got a non-diegetic (to other characters) flashback for Julian last week, as well, which showed that he was the reason Vivian first got a taste for drugs. That’s what set him to go on his mini-rampage. That kind of audience-only information works, certainly. But when its pertinent to the whodunit, it’s kind of only for our benefit… and in reality, we’re trying to watch a story where our heroine comes out the victor.
This week, it’s more of the same. And oh, by the way, Mia meets a guy[*] who obviously is playing her. The twist I didn’t see coming!!!! Please.
[*] How funny that it’s the same actor who plays her friend from Miami as Lola in Gossip Girl.
At least the promo for next week shows that Joanna is trying to actually investigate anything. This week she sort of just went along for the ride and happened to stumble upon a picture with Julian wearing a ring. I get that it gives great tension for the love triangle that is brewing here — if not already boiling — but keep your priorities straight, woman!
Anyway, for two weeks in a row, it’s still looking like Julian is the culprit. Which is why it’s most likely not him. What I can say about the show, however, is that at least it doesn’t just give us clues only to absolutely revoke their meaning. Not everyone and everything is a red-hering, so that’s a huge plus! We should do a little diagram game for this one. Could be fun!
Michael loves TV. You can find him at home, where he spends all of his time watching TV with his best friends couch and cable access.