This week, Brian tried to prove he was ready to go out in the field, with comical results.
Warning: Full spoilers from the episode follow.
Not to sound hyperbolic, but Limitless’s second episode was easily my favorite episode of a new series I’ve watched this fall. Admittedly, I was a little hesitant after watching the pilot. I thought it was good, but a lot of the first hour felt like a retread of the movie to me, and the promise of case-of-the-week storylines didn’t sound very inciting. So my expectations were low going into episode two, and I certainly didn’t think I would like it as much as the first installment.
Thankfully, I was wrong! Not only was “Badge! Gun!” more enjoyable than the pilot, but it was actually kind of hilarious. While the premiere tapped mostly into the movie’s action-drama sensibilities, this week’s episode fully embraced the fun that comes along with being the smartest guy in the world. (It was almost Chuck-like in that respect, with plenty of upbeat musical cues to keep things light.) Part of that, I think, stems from the fact that Brian is more of a goofball than Eddie ever was. But also, Brian has a real drive to do good — especially when it comes to his family — which makes him easier to root for. Plus, Jake McDorman is just a funny dude. Some of his one-liners really killed.
We want to hear it.
As for the actual case, it was surprisingly entertaining. Right off the bat, “Badge! Gun!” subverted some of the typical crime series tropes, as Brian realized that working for the FBI wasn’t as glamorous as TV and movies made it seem. Regardless, he made the most of his situation by outsmarting “Mike and Ike,” and putting his skills to good use out in the city. (“And I met some cool people on the bus!”) Granted, the mystery itself was pretty generic (car bombs, code names, double dealings, assassination attempts, etc.), but the added twist of targeting genetic traits associated with Genghis Khan was pretty clever — especially given the the warlord’s “prolific breeding.” And Brian’s dynamic with Rebecca helped keep the story focused on the characters, rather than getting too hung up on the plot.
I also liked Rebecca’s partner, Agent Boyle (Hill Harper), who assumed the role of Brian’s biggest skeptic (although he did not say “Brian = Terrible”), and Mastrantonio’s “Naz,” who lectured Brian in a Peanuts-style “wah, wah” voice. Even little things like Brian adding a soundtrack to his security cam compilation made some of these more procedural elements feel different from typical crime shows.
“Haha, are you hazing me? That’s awesome! Thanks, man.”
At the same time, “Badge! Gun!” struck an emotional chord as well, as Brian struggled with lying to his father Dennis. While Rebecca alleviated some of Brian’s stress by suggesting he hire Dennis as his attorney and confidant, there’s still the matter of Brian working for Eddie and what that could mean for the rest of the season. While Bradley Cooper wasn’t actually in “Gun! Badge!”, Eddie’s presence was definitely felt this week, like when he apparently hired the woman in scrubs (Sipiwe Moyo) to keep tabs on Brian via Dennis. And who knows how long Brian will be able to work for the FBI before it starts to conflict with Eddie’s interests. In any event, so long as Limitless maintains this same great balance of intrigue and fun, I’ll be game for more episodes.
Limitless’s first two episodes have already done more with the “smart pill” concept than the movie did in two hours — and that’s not a knock against the film; it shows just how much potential this world really has. Between the show’s pitch-perfect sense of humor and the mystery surrounding Bradley Cooper’s Eddie, CBS’s new series shows great potential. Hopefully future episodes will maintain the same energy and humor as “Badge! Gun!”.
