A Romantic Caper in Three Assignments!
Warning: Full spoilers for the episode follow.
After the last few installments, “Undercover!” was very much a back-to-basics episode for Limitless, as Brian teamed up with an undercover agent, Lucy Church (Freaky Friday’s Christina Vidal), to take down a human trafficking syndicate. Rather than amping up the sci-fi elements or resorting to episode-long gimmicks (which are both fun on occasion, mind you), this week’s case focused more on Brian doing what he does best, as well as a nail-biting subplot for Rebecca.
Granted, the investigation was pretty unremarkable (and a lot more talky than usual), but it did bring about some amusing scenes. As ever, the comedy and character development were on point in this. Of all the guest stars we’ve seen, Vidal was definitely one of the most electrifying, especially in terms of Brian’s romantic interests. And from the moment Brian met Lucy (on the longest straightaway in the city no less), their chemistry was undeniable.
I also liked how the unlikely pair developed their rapport over the course of their three assignments. The first assignment, for example, was easily the high point of the episode, as Brian cracked all the contingents at the Blue Limit’s benefit. I particularly enjoyed his exchange with Sergei, which inadvertently led to the humorous “threesome” situation — not to mention Brian and Lucy’s version of “beer o’clock,” aka raiding the minibar.
She likes to watch.
That said, my favorite moment here was after the second assignment, when Brian decided to give each woman some starting money (read: racetrack winnings) along with their passport. Again, this was a great character moment highlighting Brian’s moral center amidst a low point in his personal life. And it paid off for him too, as he got to “Bollywood dance” with Lucy afterwards.
The final confrontation with Gudmund Friedrich was also strong, calling back to Brian and Lucy’s talk in the hotel suite. It also served as a nice bookend to Lucy’s undercover career, so she could finally start accepting who she was rather than her false identities. In that spirit, I thought her “See ya later” sticky note for Brian was a fitting way to end things, leaving room for Lucy’s return at some point. And I hope she does.
Meanwhile, Rebecca’s unexpected meeting with Sands yielded some very interesting results. Of course we knew Rebecca would never accept Eddie’s job offer, but the fact that she practically guaranteed Sands she was coming after Eddie upped the stakes considerably. On top of that, she figured out that there is probably an FBI mole feeding Sands information, which can’t be good news for Brian. And now that her place is bugged and she has a target on her back, it can’t be long now before Brian gets caught between another rock and a hard place.
This week’s Limitless was simple but entertaining. In addition to featuring three unique assignments for Brian, “Undercover!” introduced a great new character in Lucy Church, and Christina Vidal played her with great energy and determination. Then there was Rebecca’s meeting with Sands, which ended the episode on a rousing note.
