spot_imgspot_img

Top 5 This Week

spot_img

Related Posts

Countdown-Dead Lots of Times

Countdown-Dead Lots of Times, Season 01-Episode 02. Recap & Review.

Episode Title Release Date
01 Teeth in the Bone Wednesday June 25, 2025
02 Dead Lots of Times Wednesday June 25, 2025
03 The Birthday Final Wednesday June 25, 2025
04 Bite ‘Em Down Wednesday July 2, 2025
05 Blurred Edges Wednesday July 9, 2025
06 A Needle or a Bullet Wednesday July 16, 2025
07 Nothing Else Helps Wednesday July 23, 2025
08 The Nail in the Chair Wednesday July 30, 2025
09 10-33 Wednesday August 6, 2025
10 The Muzzle Pile Wednesday August 13, 2025
11 Run Wednesday August 20, 2025
12 This is His Signature Wednesday August 27, 2025
13 Your People are in Danger Wednesday September 3, 2025
ย  ย  ย 

The Mission and All It’s Parts

During the task force status meeting Blythe summarized what happened at Pier 31 and the investigative steps they need to take moving forward.

Oliveras shared that two years prior to her joining the task force, her undercover identity was that of a smuggler working both sides of the border. She crossed paths with a cartel lieutenant named Javi Lopez.

If the cartel are the ones who helped smuggle the fissile materials into the US, then Javi would be able to tell them who they passed it off to.

Blythe tells Oliveras to set up a meeting and take Meachum as her muscle.

Blythe is visited by Los Angeles District Attorney Grayson Valwell. Heโ€™s a man who clearly has strong political ambitions and wants to be included in Blytheโ€™s task force, especially since the team includes two LAPD officers that fall under his purview.

Blythe tells him his mission is at the federal level and rebuffs his advance, suggesting he make an official request with the US Attorney for the Central District of California.

Blytheโ€™s entire impression of this exchange is that Valwell is trying to muscle in on their work to gain political advantage. He tells Drew his first stop will be Attorney General on his way to Governor. Both Drew and Blythe believe Valwell will try and play rough if he doesnโ€™t get what he wants.

Meachum and Oliveras meet with Javi Lopez. He is sending them on a job to test them. He has a truckload of drugs he needs smuggled from Mexico into the US.

The primary goal for the task force is to infiltrate Javi’s operation long enough to obtain his trust in order to obtain the information they need. This is the crucial step in discovering who smuggled the fissile material into the United States.

To make their task even harder, they discover that the cartel has corrupt border patrol guards on their payroll, so the task force canโ€™t rely on any border law enforcement to assist.

Finau, Bell, Oliveras and Meachum are all involved in the drug smuggling task. They have to get across the border into Mexico, pick up the truck trailer full of drugs and drive it back across the border from Mexico into the LA.

They run into trouble getting back into the US and Meachum creates a significant diversion so Finau can slip the rig over the border.

Meachum ends up getting arrested and detained in a border cell until Blythe pulls some strings and sends Bell in as an FBI Agent to collect him.

After the border task was complete, Valwell paid Blythe another visit. He wanted to know more details about the US citizen that was arrested at the Mexican border.

Valwell told Blythe that his office could be a big help to his task force when things like this happen.

Again, Blythe refused his offer of involvement.

Valwell made an attempt to intimidate Blythe saying he had law enforcement friends all across the state. And while the statement came out like a quiet threat, Blythe responded in kind.

Once their task was successful and the drugs were brought into the US, the task force needed to deliver them to Lopez.

Oliveras struggles with allowing so many drugs to be released onto the streets and talks with Meachum about it. She lightened Javiโ€™s load by one kilo.

They deliver the truck trailer to Javi Lopezโ€™s garage, but before they can complete the exchange, Javiโ€™s SUV explodes, killing him and his driver.

All through the mission that is being played out in this episode, there are constant flashbacks to 2008 which chronicles the origin-story of our villain. The last exciting moments of the episode see an oscillating account of two explosions separated by many years but perpetrated by the same man. Volchek.

The Villain

Everything we learn about the villain in this episode comes from flashbacks to 2008 in Minsk.

We see a man (Borys) alone in his dingy and somewhat dilapidated apartment. There is a framed photograph of him in uniform, indicating he was once a soldier. Heโ€™s intent on fixing his brotherโ€™s toaster when he answers loud banging on his door. It turns out that it is his brother Anton, who has been beaten up and is very afraid. Anton confesses that he made a mistake and โ€œthey own him and are going to kill him.โ€ Borys asks who is after him and Anton says, โ€œThe American.โ€

Anton had arranged a meeting with the American (Dennis) and begged Borys to go with him. On the way Anton explains what trouble he is in. An American who works for a large food corporation approached him and offered to pay him for yield and statistical data on Belarusian agriculture. Anton takes a large sum of money from the American but gives him false data. When he is found out, Dennis (or someone working for Dennis) beats him up.

Dennis knows that Borys works for the Belarusian Defense Minister, Pavel Kostenko. He demands that the payment to clear Antonโ€™s debt is electronic copies of all email traffic between Kostenko and the Kremlin in the last four months. At great risk to himself, Borys complies and steals the emails requested, putting them on a storage device.

Once back in his apartment, Borys and Anton share some family memories. Anton has gotten himself drunk on Vodka and begins to lament over the trouble he has visited upon his brother. It seems he has long been a black sheep of his family and apologizes to Borys about all of his shortcomings. Anton excuses himself to use the bathroom. He is gone for too long and when Borys calls out to him we hear a loud bang. Borys runs to his brother’s side but he is too late to save him. Anton has died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Borys is visibly broken by his brotherโ€™s death.

Iโ€™m left to wonder if Dennis was just using Anton all along. It seems likely that he manipulated Anton to get to Borys because the emails to the Kremlin were always the end goal. Either way, Borys feels his brotherโ€™s death is the fault of the American and devises a plan to get even. 

When Dennis arrives home, he is surprised to see Borys coming out of his building. Borys shoves the storage device at him and demands that Dennis never contact him again. We see Dennis downloading all the emails as he attempts to toast some bread for himself. Suddenly, his whole apartment explodes into a fireball.

It makes sense that Borys found out where Dennis lives, broke in, and exchanged his toaster for the one that was Antonโ€™s. He converted it into a bomb and waited outside to see Dennis die. There is a profound vengeance tied to using his brothers toaster to murder Dennis.

While Borys exacts his revenge on Dennis back in 2008, the scene simultaneously shows him doing the same in the present day timeline with Javi Lopez. Volchek is the one who obtained the fissile material smuggled into the US by the cartel and Javi Lopez knows it. He is now a loose end that must be tied off. Another death by explosion results when Volchek plants a bomb in Javi’s car.

Character Development

โ—„ Nathan Blythe โ–บ

Episode 2

Eric Dane as Nathan Blythe, Countdown Episode 2
  • In his task force leadership role, he seems to attract attention from local law enforcement and political wannabes. He effortlessly dispels their interference.
  • Blythe hails from Greenwich, attended Ivy League (Princeton), wanted to be a lawyer, aspired to clerk for SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States), but pivoted after 9/11 and enrolled in the army after the twin towers came down. Army Intelligence.
  • Nathan obviously grew up wealthy and Drew teases him about it.
  • He is clearly a leader who is all about getting the job done and has no time for political aspirations, which is obvious in his dealings with D.A. Grayson Valwell.

Episode 1

Eric Dane as Nathan Blythe, Countdown Episode 1
  • We know he is a 22-year vet with the FBI and has worked on 5 task force missions, being the lead on 2 of them, and one of them included Mark Meachum.
  • He worked as a co-case Agent on the Amerithrax Operation (this was a real case in 2001 involving anthrax spores being mailed to victims, killing 5 and infecting 17 making it the deadliest bio-terrorism attack in US history).
  • We learn he worked undercover with the Aryan Brotherhood for a year, earning Blytheโ€™s respect despite the danger.
  • We discover he was tipped off by an informant claiming a โ€œforeign playerโ€ was trying to buy off DHS (Department of Homeland Security) officers but was denied from initiating a mission until he went to the Director of the FBI personally, which is why their mission is under cover.

โ—„ Damon Drew โ–บ

Episode 2

Jonathan Togo as Damon Drew, Countdown Episode 2
  • After 9/11 Drew also enlisted but he went into the reserves.
  • Teases Blythe about his โ€œaffluentโ€ beginnings, demonstrating a warm bond between them.
  • Drew warns Blythe about how politicians can play rough and seems a little concerned about Valwell.

Episode 1

Jonathan Togo as Damon Drew, Countdown Episode 1
  • Damon Drew is Blytheโ€™s second in command.
  • As a self-proclaimed man who thrives on competition, Drew comes from the Office of Intelligence and Analysis within the Department of Homeland Security.
  • We find out he wants to coach his sonโ€™s little league team, however, by the end of the episode we discover that his nine-year-old son Noah was killed by a drunk driver. The coaching effort shows a grieving fatherโ€™s need to feel connected to his lost son. I thought this was impressively handled with a delicate hand.
  • The little league team miss their friend and teammate Noah and honor him by stitching his jersey number (7) on each of their caps and gifting one to Damon when he shows up to their practice session.

โ—„ Mark Meachum โ–บ

Episode 2

Jensen Ackles as Mark Meachum, Countdown Episode 2
  • When Oliveras suggests she reconnect with Javi Lopez she tells Blythe she would prefer to work alone, to which Blythe refuses. Meachum seems to enjoy her discomfort and simply smirks when she doesnโ€™t get her way.
  • Meachum is intent on winding Oliveras up and getting a rise out of her, as he starts messing with her on the drive over to Javi Lopezโ€™s compound. She is so angry you can almost see smoke coming out of her ears. The whole exchange further fuels the tension between them, which he seems to be enjoying.
  • He is still in pain but so far no one knows about his illness.
  • When the smuggle operation is complete, Meachum shares a story about his rookie year as the arresting officer on an assault charge. It demonstrates who he is as a cop and a man. It also demonstrates the commitment he has to his principals and those heโ€™s sworn to protect. See Favorite Scene for more details.
  • He takes this a step further by expressing his willingness to protect Oliveras in whatever steps she wants to take regarding the truckload of drugs. So much so, he reveals he is willing to put his career on the line, regardless of the consequences.
  • Rather than helping her, his exchange with Oliveras leaves him on shaky ground. A grand plan to thwart a huge infusion of heroin onto the streets of LA, is now replaced by her taking a single kilo.
  • As opposed to helping thousands of kids on the streets of LA, has he just aided and abetted a heroin addict?
  • Now heโ€™s left wondering if he can trust her.

Episode 1

Jensen Ackles as Mark Meachum, Countdown Episode 1
  • Mark Meachum is a Detective with LAPD, Robbery/Homicide.
  • When Blythe introduces the team, he looks square at Meachum when he says, โ€œNo lone-wolf.โ€
  • We learn very quickly that Mark Meachum is everything authority figures donโ€™t like. Heโ€™s a maverick. Heโ€™s unorthodox, cavalier, risk-taking to the point of reckless. He uses humor as a shield and heโ€™s a smart-ass. Heโ€™s not the kind of guy who asks for permission or stays between the lines.
  • But heโ€™s also everything a leader admires; heโ€™s brave, courageous, intelligent, astute, has good investigative instincts and will go places others wonโ€™t, literally and figuratively. Heโ€™s an asset most would love to have, if they can find a way to control him.
  • Meachum immediately recognizes that Blythe hasnโ€™t shared all the mission facts and has been working on it for some time before the team was brought in. During this conversation the audience learns what Meachum endured in his previous mission with Blythe.
  • Meachum worked undercover for a year, cut off from everyone, to live with a very dangerous group of Nazis known as the Aryan Brotherhood. He got Blythe what he needed to save a womanโ€™s life and get information necessary to make arrests.
  • Blythe is so impressed with Meachum that he tells him heโ€™d put up with anything if Meachum could do work like that again. It sounds like it came at some cost to Meachum.
  • Just before the episode hits its dramatic climax, the audience is made aware that Meachum has a brain tumor. His doctor has informed him that the condition is terminal. He was diagnosed nine months prior with glioblastoma multiforme, and neither radiation nor surgery are viable options for him. His doctor recommends that he load up on relief medication and live out his remaining time in as much comfort as possible.
  • Meachum tells the doctor that finding some beach and checking out is not an option for him. He wants the medication to manage the pain in his head, so he can keep working.
  • No one knows that Meachum is terminally ill, or the threat that his condition poses for the team. He is quite literally a ticking time bomb. Knowing his fate, his recklessness becomes the wild card he plays knowing heโ€™s expendable.

โ—„ Amber Oliveras โ–บ

Episode 2

Jessica Camacho as Amber Oliveras, Countdown Episode 2
  • Two years prior, Oliveras was involved in a mission where her undercover identity was that of a smuggler who worked both sides of the border. She worked with a cartel lieutenant named Javi Lopez, who likely would know who they passed the fissile material off to.
  • She got in touch with a runner of his to reestablish contact and offered to set up a meeting. Blythe told her to take Meachum as her muscle.
  • She wanted to do it solo, but Blythe refused. Itโ€™s obvious that she is still annoyed with Meachum and is trying to avoid working with him.
  • Her level of knowledge about the cartel and their smuggling tactics are impressive and obviously come from her own extensive undercover work.
  • She and Meachum have that heart-to-heart in the truck about the drugs and he shares some of his past regarding his rookie year on the force. You can see her opinion beginning to soften.
  • The fact that Meachum would put himself on the line to play out the drug delivery any way she wanted to, really has an impact on her.
  • Instead, she takes a single kilo. Are we seeing the actions of a cop trying to lighten the influx of drugs one kilo at a time, or are we seeing the undeniable temptation of an addict not being able to pass up on an opportunity to take some for herself?
  • What is this going to do to her relationship with Meachum, who was willing to lay it all on the line for her?

Episode 1

Jessica Camacho as Amber Oliveras, Countdown Episode 1
  • Special Agent Amber Oliveras, DEA.
  • Blythe shares with the team that she has 14 years on the job and has been involved in multiple operations, some of them undercover.
  • She speaks up with knowledge and authority when talking about the cartel, which tells the audience that she has seen some pretty harrowing stuff.
  • Oliverasโ€™ opening scene clearly demonstrates she is one tough agent.
  • We learn very quickly that Oliveras is fearless facing down bad guys and has no problem defying her bosses orders. She is also unorthodox, cavalier and risk-taking to a much lesser degree than Meachum, but I wonder if this contributes to their clash of personalities. They have more in common with one another then either of them would be willing to admit.
  • Oliveras demonstrates immediately that she is bold, gutsy, intelligent and perceptive.
  • However, in her conversation with Bell we learn that her undercover operations were hard to come back from, not because they were dark, but because she didnโ€™t want to.
  • This is almost immediately supported when another officer in the FBI meets privately with Blythe to offer substantive information that Oliveras has been identified by a credible informant as a drug addict.
  • Later that night Oliveras sits in a bar and takes up Finauโ€™s suggestion that she look up Meachumโ€™s last undercover assignment, which was Palmdale prison. In doing so, she also comes across details of Operation Smoke, which is the task force that Meachum worked with Blythe.
  • She reads Meachumโ€™s personnel file and it describes Meachum as arrogant, selfish and unprofessional, exhibiting a lack of restraint and discipline, accusing him of โ€œcowboyโ€ behavior that endangers the lives of his fellow officers. At the time Oliveras reads this it validates her low opinion of Meachum. It isnโ€™t until episode 2 that she learns a significant revelation about what is written in his file, and it calls into question, itโ€™s validity.
  • While at the same bar, we see a woman nod for Oliveras to follow her to the restroom. The audience is naturally left to imagine that this clandestine meeting is drug related.

โ—„ Evan Shepherd โ–บ

Episode 2

Violett Beane as Evan Shepherd, Countdown Episode 2
  • Shepherd was able, along with Drew and Blythe, to participate in the smuggling operation using surveillance technology.
  • She was able to view the border smuggling operation from cameras at the border, and satellite surveillance images.
  • When it came time to โ€œblow it upโ€ they did their part in making sure Meachum could generate enough of a diversion to get the truck across the border.

Episode 1

Violett Beane as Evan Shepherd, Countdown Episode 1
  • Special Agent Shepherd, FBI, has expertise in cyber investigation, internet fraud and computer intrusion.
  • If I had to pick a reason why Shepherd would not be missed by her department (and hence was chosen for this task force) is because she is so inexperienced.
  • Shepherd demonstrates her greenhorn status by raising her hand to ask a question during the mission meeting, talking to Blythe and thanking him for picking her, interrupting Blythe from studying Dardenโ€™s financial data on their way to interview Dardenโ€™s wife, and being corrected by Blythe on the leadership details of the Amerithrax operation she studied at Quantico.
  • Shepherd definitely redeems herself when she discovers the panel truck in the vicinity of Dardenโ€™s murder and syncs up all the video to reveal an image of the shooters face.
  • I think Blythe sees Shepherd as the beating heart of the team as he seems to involve her in the very human aspects of police investigation, like dealing with the family of fallen officer Bob Darden.

โ—„ Luke Finau โ–บ

Episode 2

Uli Latukefu as Luke Finau, Countdown Episode 2
  • In this episode we see Finau take on a critical role, being the driver of the rig that is smuggling the drugs across the border from Mexico to LA.
  • One thing I noticed about Finau is that of all the task force members, with perhaps the exception of Oliveras, he seems to be keeping a quiet watch on Meachum and notices his telltale signs of pain.
  • He comes off as a stoic friend, not wanting to interfere, but always noticing when something is amiss.
  • A small piece of show trivia is that Uli Latukefu proudly rocks his Tongan heritage, and so Derek Haas, assured Uli that his character name in the show could be chosen to honor him in this way.
  • Uli Latukefu ‘oku mau ‘ofa lahi atu โค๏ธ

Episode 1

Uli Latukefu as Luke Finau, Countdown Episode 1
  • Detective Luke Finau is from the LAPD and is an 18-year vet with the Gangs and Narcotics division focused on the nexus of guns, gangs, narcotics and crime. When Meachum asks him โ€œDidnโ€™t you get suspended?โ€ the answer was โ€œWhich time?โ€ so it sounds like he may have some โ€œsuspensionโ€ violations? Perhaps heโ€™s been too rough with suspects in the past, however we see no evidence of that.
  • Finau moves amongst his teammates as a quiet, keep to himself man who remains focused on the job.
  • While Finau doesnโ€™t engage with Meachum about his struggles with Oliveras, he does demonstrate his respect for him by telling Oliveras to read about Markโ€™s last undercover assignment.

โ—„ Keyonte Bell โ–บ

Episode 2

Elliot Knight as Keyonte Bell, Countdown Episode 2
  • Entering the building, Bell crosses paths with D. A. Grayson Valwell in the lobby and introduces himself. It seems there is an old family connection, as Valwell and Bellโ€™s father worked together.
  • Valwell asks Bell if he is a part of Blytheโ€™s task force but withdraws the question. He could tell immediately that Bell was involved based on his reaction, and Valwell thanks him for his service and โ€œkeeping them safe.โ€ You can tell Bell feels proud.
  • This feels a little like Bell has inadvertently confirmed to an outside member of law enforcement his identity on the task force.
  • Will this prove to be another point of entry for Valwell if he continues to pursue the taskforce?

Episode 1

Elliot Knight as Keyonte Bell, Countdown Episode 1
  • Bell is an Agent with the FBI specializing in terrorist threats, homegrown and international.
  • Heโ€™s a character who seems ambitious but would prefer his path to glory be on his own merit, based on his admission to Oliveras that he was insulted when a coworker accused him of being a โ€œlegacy-hireโ€ because his grandfather worked a very famous case back in the day (which was a real case; the Anglin brothers escape from Alcatraz in 1962). It seems his father also had a good reputation, which puts Bell as a 3rd gen agent with the FBI.
  • He comes off as elitist when he questions Blytheโ€™s decision to have him hack Spellmanโ€™s phones instead of having Shepherd do it.
  • As an expert in terrorism, it was Bell who recognized the dangerous elements at the Pier 31 shoot out that has subsequently become the focus for the mission.

Best Performance

The scene I chose for best performance is when Oliveras and Meachum show up to Javi Lopez’s auto garage. This scene is powerful. The moment Oliveras and Meachum enter the garage, everything about this scene spells danger; the fact that they are conspicuously outnumbered, they are surrounded by ruthless men who belong to the cartel, they would be instantly murdered if their true identity were discovered, even the lighting in the garage is ominous. There is no music playing. There is an undercurrent of menacing sound, but everything about this scene boils down to the dialogue, body language and camera angles. This is all about power and intimidation. Javi is immediately triggered and points his gun center mass on Meachum, accusing him of being a cop. Oliveras is sidelined trying to plead his case, but Javi isnโ€™t buying it. The death glare between Meachum and Javi is scathing and the distilled concentration of emotion in this scene is palpable.

Full marks to Jessica Camacho in this scene, she is fantastic. You can feel Oliverasโ€™ fear and desperation as she defends Meachumโ€™s identity. Meanwhile Jensen Ackles produces something Iโ€™ve rarely seen before. His ability to emote on screen is one of his remarkable calling cards as an actor, but this was next level. What I’m referring to is that look.

The death-glare he wore was eerily calm. There was no element of self-defense or self-preservation in it. Spine chilling in its detachment, it was the look of a man who had already made peace with his own death, daring Javi to pull the trigger. It stopped the world around them, freezing everything in place waiting for Javiโ€™s next move. Remarkably, the pinnacle of this scene only lasted about 30 seconds.

In the early 1990โ€™s I read an excellent non-fiction novel by David Simon called Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets, and it was the very first time I heard the term โ€œeye-f*ckingโ€ and Jensen Ackles brought that back for me. I also know from Ackles’ convention panels over the years, that it was a term frequently used in Supernatural scripts.

This scene has it all; tension, suspense, fear, high-energy, great camera + sound + lighting work, and most of all, wonderful performance.

For full effect, Iโ€™m sharing the whole video segment from start to finish, as it perfectly captures Countdown at its exciting โ€œedge-of-your-seatโ€ best. Itโ€™s so good in fact, I also used this clip in my โ€œCountdown Needs a Season 2โ€ article.


Favorite Scene

I love this for so many reasons. Not only is it well performed, but it is the first heart-to-heart conversation between Meachum and Oliveras. It dispels some of her preconceived notions about Meachum.

In episode one when she first saw his personnel file, it said many unflattering things about him and she was eager to believe them, but now, we are finding out why those things were in his file to begin with. The very Sergeant he pissed off for helping a battered woman, is the one who filled out his file and demoted him to traffic duty. Now we know why, and so does Oliveras.

Setting the chain-of-command issue aside, as someone could argue that law-enforcement, like the military, leans into these concepts for good reason, but this is offering her a glimpse of who Mark Meachum really is. He made a promise to help a battered woman. Knowing full well that his commitment to stop the man who hurt her, would end badly for him, he stuck to his principals. Even after he was given a direct order to stand down.

Not only did she learn something about Meachum that is in direct contrast to what she thought she knew, she is now discovering that he has her back.

Her history as a DEA agent comes heavily into play here, and she is loath to allow 500 kilos of heroin to hit the streets once they complete the delivery to Javi. For Oliveras, this is a moral issue. You can see her wrestle with her conscience as she weighs the threat of their mission against the damage these drugs could do.

Meachum offers her a way out. He makes a commitment to her, that regardless of the consequences, he is willing to put his career on the line in order that their next move, be whatever she needs it to be.

Can she trust him? What she is learning about him could be “all talk.” They donโ€™t know each other very well. But we know what is going on in his personal life. We know what he endured in his last mission with Blythe. We want her to trust him.

This is one of those delicious examples of the audience knowing more than the characters on the screen do, that knowledge for us should soften the edges of her ire and make her lean into him in ways that will develop the bond we are all rooting for.


Favorite Quote

“Why donโ€™t you drop that gun, Iโ€™ll do more than tell you.โ€


A Little Something Extra

I chose the Meachum, Oliveras heart-to-heart for my favorite scene because it is so rich in character development, but the most exciting scene is the โ€œtime to blow it upโ€ segment triggered at the border. The entire team explodes into action.

This scene is pure high-octane Countdown. Itโ€™s got great physicality from every one of our ensemble cast, fantastic camera work that elevates the frenzy unfolding on the screen, all driven home by an unbelievable music track.

I took the liberty of providing fans with a little layered video, showcasing both.

What Didn’t Land for Me

Everything about this episode was spot on.


Some Pictures from Episode 2

In Closing

It’s very exciting to see the hype and popularity this show is experiencing so early in its season one cycle. Itโ€™s consistently topping the viewing charts for Amazon. Congratulations to Derek Haas and the whole Countdown family.

Reminder

Next Countdown episode “Happy Birthday Final.” It aired on Prime Video Wednesday June 25/25.

Episode Rating Grid

Category Score Notes
Performance & Casting โ˜… Character portrayal and the quality of acting is as good as it gets and delivered authenticity, chemistry, depth and range. The Javi Lopez scene is top notch.
Writing & Storytelling โ˜… The pacing in this episode is edge-of-your-seat with top marks for storytelling. The character development is really connecting with fans.
Direction & Production โ˜… Execution, tone and camera work on the border scene is fantastic. Absolutely thrilling to watch it all come together.ย 
Sound & Music โ˜… As in episode one, sound and music get top points for supporting the story. Can’t say enough how great your Kaleo choice was for the border scene.ย 
Emotional/Entertainment Impact โ˜… High-octane thrills promised and delivered. Nothing has changed with the re-watch appeal. Pure joy to watch.
Total 5/5 Rating
  • Please note, all media used in this article are courtesy of Amazon Content Services, Prime Video and/or IMDb unless otherwise stated.

Gail
Gail
Never stop growing. Work hard. Spread kindness. Starting with self, love with all your heart. I am inspired by good friends, loving family, music, writing, travel & video tinkering. Deeply passionate about the art of good storytelling. I abhor cruelty, bullies & bureaucracy. Computer Systems Tech Grad, BA, LSSGB and ITIL Certified geek. Make every effort to contribute to the greater good in all things.

6 COMMENTS

  1. Great article! I love the character development dive. Your articles always hit the points I love to see explored! And I so agree with your favorite moment.. that garage scene was a breath stealer! Keep the articles coming.. weโ€™re here for them!

    • HEATHER โค๏ธ Thanks so much my friend. This was such a fantastic episode. Just loved it. Gotta love that death-glare Meachum gives Javi. Chilling! Thanks for all your kind words and encouragement. Cheers!

  2. Wonderful, well written, and captured the charactersโ€™ development perfectly. I totally agree with the scenes you chose to highlight. That scene in the garage with Javi and Mark was electric. Jensen really brought the heat in that exchange – the death stare of โ€˜bring it, I got nothing to loseโ€ was spine chilling.๐Ÿซฃ The lack of music added to the intensity, too. Thanks for the Kaleo overlay! Superb๐Ÿ’•

    • JANE ๐Ÿฅฐ Everything you said… I completely agree. I watched that scene a few times. So good! And Jessica Camacho was fantastic too. Great stuff. Loving this show! Cheers!

  3. Awesome article and your picks and reasons why you pick certain scenes I have to agree. And since it’s described so perfect that I don’t need to add. It’s all spot on. I always think about an episode after watching. #Countdown always leaves me with wanting more. Hope we get season 2

    • JOANNA ๐Ÿ˜ Thank you for your kind words. Like you I am thoroughly enjoying everything about this show. Watching this cast do their magic is such a joy. I’m with you… we need Season 2. This is so good! ๐Ÿ˜

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Popular Articles