{"id":27493,"date":"2011-08-09T23:08:54","date_gmt":"2011-08-10T06:08:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wormholeriders.com\/blog\/?p=27493"},"modified":"2017-11-22T10:21:01","modified_gmt":"2017-11-22T18:21:01","slug":"alphas-rosetta-s1xe04-catalyst","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/alphas\/?p=27493","title":{"rendered":"Alphas: “Rosetta” Catalyst of The Red Flag Organization!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Alphas<\/a><\/p>\n

Welcome back Alphas fans!\"Syfy<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This week on Syfy\u2019s Alphas<\/em><\/a>, change was the name of the game.\u00a0 In a previous review I commented on how the writers had not yet started creating episodes that focus entirely on one character or another. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Welcome to the Alphas curve ball brought to you by Michael Karnow<\/a> and Zak Penn<\/a> in the form of an outstanding episode called \u201cRosetta\u201d including the introduction of new character, a woman named Anna (Liane Balaban<\/a>).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Now, for all intents and purposes the episode did not focus exclusively on one character, but this week one of the Alphas was brought very firmly into the spotlight for some strong development, painful attacks, and a general sense of foreboding during the \u2018fade to black.\u2019\u00a0 This week, we got an hour-long look at Gary Bell, (Ryan Cartwright<\/a>). <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Click<\/a>As this episode focuses so much on Gary this week, we also would like to include some information here about the diagnosis of his character in the series. In Alphas Gary has been diagnosed with “High-Functioning Autism” known as HFA. To learn more about High-Functioning Autism, we invite you to visit Disabled World<\/a> to be better informed about what HFA actually is. Thank you.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS TO FOLLOW<\/strong>:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGotcha.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

With that simple statement, we see the Alphas set to take down the man who sent the Ghost after them in the pilot, the potential leader of the almost-mythical Red Flag.\u00a0 However, our savvy leader has an Alpha sidekick, and manages to escape capture, leaving behind a woman with severe apraxia.\u00a0 The Alphas themselves are already terribly on edge with their new \u2018status\u2019, and Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell<\/a>), is none too happy to be left as the babysitter for Gary and Anna.\u00a0 Soon after, Gary deduces a way to communicate with Anna, and she offers to aid him and the others in finding the \u2018leader\u2019 of Red Flag. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A couple twists and turns later, Gary discovers that Anna herself is the leader; she has manipulated them brilliantly, and thanks to the confusion the original goal of the episode is still met: the destruction of a building creating a biotoxin meant to stop the birthing of Alphas.\u00a0 Anna incapacitates Gary and escapes.\u00a0 In the final chilling sequence of the episode we sense that not only will she return, but that she has already had a marked effect on Gary\u2019s standpoint of the position of the Alphas versus Red Flag.\u00a0 We may have met our season one villain.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span>This week, the writer made a couple of very bold choices.\u00a0 First of all, for the second week in a row they chose to throw in a twist to the episode, leading us down one path and then slamming on the brakes and spinning us around.\u00a0 It is a brave move for a new show, and it remains to be seen if this becomes the norm or if they revert back to a more straightforward exposition. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Cases can be made for the potential success of either form doing this this early in the series.\u00a0 In this week\u2019s twist, we find out that Red Flag\u2019s leader is an Alpha with a simple ability and a brilliant, driven mind.\u00a0 Anna\u2019s motivation remains unclear but her effect and her influence is powerfully felt throughout the episode, even as the web of deception around her begins to unravel.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span>Red Flag has been under wraps for the last couple episodes leading up to now, mentioned only in passing references.\u00a0 The Ghost who made Cameron Hicks, (Warren Christie<\/a>), a proxy in the pilot episode remains the strongest point of contact for the Alphas, and through him we were introduced to the somewhat-easy-to-find Milos Kosar, (Dean Armstrong<\/a>).\u00a0 Indeed, finding the potential kingpin of Red Flag so early on in the episode was our first clue that something was off. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span>This episode\u2019s core was to draw back the curtain and expose the main villain in an introductory way.\u00a0 We see some of Red Flag\u2019s propaganda, and follow two of its agents on their mission when we are not with the Alphas.\u00a0 And slowly, subtly, preying on his weaknesses, Anna begins to get into Gary\u2019s mind with the core of Red Flag\u2019s mission: \u201cWe are better.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Red Flag, as we know so far, is mainly consisted of Alphas that are in direct competition with humans, who seek to prove the necessity of their existence by subduing those around them.\u00a0 Whether or not they mean to \u2018take over\u2019 is still not established, but their goals seem focused more on recognition and control, which is in opposition to Doctor Lee Rosen\u2019s, (David Strathairn<\/a>), Alphas, who battle for integration and acceptance.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span>Anna, for her part, establishes herself throughout the episode as a powerfully core villain.\u00a0 Though ultimately human, (a point Rosen has made over and over throughout the series in general), she possesses a deceitful and manipulative mind, cleverly twisting the facts and wording her sentences in such a way as to elicit certain emotions.\u00a0 Without even trying, she convinces Gary to explode at Nina, forsaking his somewhat calm demeanor in a fit of defensiveness about his ability to \u2018care for himself\u2019 (a plot arc that seems somewhat wrapped in this episode but hopefully is not, as there still seems like there is a lot left to explore). <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span>When she turns on Gary finally, she almost seems remorseful for what she does to him, but is she really connecting to him, or is she really just manipulating him through a fake friendship?\u00a0 The questions about Anna continue.\u00a0 What is her motivation?\u00a0 Is she the true leader of Red Flag?\u00a0 How did she become the leader?\u00a0 Will she return?\u00a0 What will she do when she returns?\u00a0 And scariest of all for the Alphas: was she successful in turning one of them against the others?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span>The \u2018one of them\u2019 I mean is of course our transducer, Gary Bell.\u00a0 This episode put a strong core focus on him, opening with glimpses of his home life, throwing out possible points of conflict, and giving him a direct connection to the center of this week\u2019s story.\u00a0 Rosen goes so far as to insinuate that Gary has \u2018met someone\u2019 to Gary\u2019s own mother, Sandra Bell, (Jane Moffat<\/a>), pointing out such details as the woman being of his age and of similar \u201ccognitive disabilities,\u2019 as well as mentioning that Gary \u2018has taken\u2019 to her quite well. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

To his mother, this is a sign of growth for Gary, and she appears pleasantly surprised even as she firmly reiterates that Rosen \u2018can\u2019t keep throwing [Gary] off schedule.\u2019\u00a0 Rosen assures her it will not happen again.\u00a0 We, of course, know otherwise.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span>Gary himself was established early on as one of the \u2018kids\u2019 of the Alphas, being one to be protected instead of one doing the protecting.\u00a0 His ability to see sounds, (somewhat synesthetic in nature), makes him a core group member, as indeed he is heavily relied on for tracking and tracing, especially when everyone is on the move. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As we see him in his home, it is obvious that his \u2018kid\u2019 role extends to even there, with his mother preparing his meals, buying his clothes, and checking the temperature of his water for him.\u00a0 It\u2019s the water that gets the focus in this episode, and is one of the stronger points of evidence that Gary has undergone a significant change by the time the hour has wrapped. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

At the beginning, Gary makes it a point to say that he knows he can get his water himself, but the dismissive tone suggests that he just does not want to do it.\u00a0 Later on, Anna calls him smart and tells him he does not need anyone to take care of himself, but Gary boldly replies to her that he does not want to take care of himself, even though he knows he can.\u00a0 In most of his conversations with Anna we are exposed to more of his trademark refreshing bluntness and frank introspection. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a><\/p>\n

Gary is still a child in some ways, seeming to want things but not necessarily being willing to work for them, not to mention being easily distracted particularly when the topic of conversation focuses on him, (but it is possible we can blame Anna\u2019s manipulative abilities or the fact that she\u2019s a pretty girl for that one). <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span>By the end of the episode, however, he is not quite so hesitant.\u00a0 Anna has gotten to him.\u00a0 Whether or not Gary\u2019s own opinion of the Alphas versus Red Flag has been seen, he seems to take on a more definitive notion of it through Anna\u2019s influence.\u00a0 He bluntly, almost coldly, informs Doctor Rosen that Rosen is not an Alpha, and near then end of the show he hears Anna calling to him.\u00a0 His response is a silent smile, and we are left wondering if he will tell Rosen that he can find her, or if he will keep her his secret.\u00a0 He has not turned on anyone yet, but this could be the beginning of a dangerous story arc with exciting consequences.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A less menacing but equally important effect appears at the end of the episode when Gary is again brushing his teeth and his mother brings him his water.\u00a0 When she asks him if he wants to test it, he refuses, saying he can take care of himself.\u00a0 In only a few days\u2019 time, Gary has somehow found the motivation to take one more step towards being independent.\u00a0 It is an outside step and we are left wondering how much more control he is going to take.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A final conflict for Gary that so far has only been touched on in interactions is that of his belief that no one takes him seriously.\u00a0 We have seen two large instances of this: first in his refusal to go home with Nina in \u201cRosetta\u201d, and in his consistent complaints about the \u2018humming\u2019 in \u201cCause and Effect\u201d and \u201cAnger Management.\u201d\u00a0 Gary often seems to be trying to communicate things over and over, as frankly and forward as possible, and many times he has been brushed off or simply told: \u201cthat\u2019s okay,\u201d without the problem being addressed.\u00a0 Through hints like these and with the character development given to him so far, Gary could be being set up to play a wild card by the end of season 1. Let the theorizing begin!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This week was a particularly tough week for the Alphas.\u00a0 Despite the apparent time jump between last week\u2019s \u201cAnger Management\u201d and this week\u2019s \u201cRosetta\u201d, the Alphas are still reeling from the loss of control inflicted upon them by Matthew.\u00a0 Nina has been horrified to experience a taste of her own medicine, Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada<\/a>), has faded even more into the background, and Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba<\/a>), and Cameron have taken to passive-aggressive behavior and\u00a0 outright defiance, respectively. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span>On top of it all, Doctor Rosen is deeply shaken from losing the man who tried to kill him and his Alphas.\u00a0 This is the first week we have seen him truly frightened: not concerned, not calm but nervous, but truly frightened.\u00a0 It is a strong move, (in my opinion), for the writers to show him in a weaker light this early on, but it also emphasizes the point he makes: that everyone is ultimately human. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The interesting side of Rosen\u2019s fear is that it blinds him.\u00a0 Throughout the series he has been a steady heartbeat, a confident player because of his psychoanalytical abilities.\u00a0 He is a psychiatrist and until this week he has been strong.\u00a0 However, the growing tension and the fear of the very real threat that Red Flag is becoming is finally getting to him, and he misses the signs that Anna is a far greater danger than she is portraying.\u00a0 The tension that springs up between Rosen and Cameron is a second illustration of this weakness, and it was well-written.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A final theme evident in this episode is that of adaptation and change, not just growing up as Gary so effectively portrayed.\u00a0 With last week\u2019s admission that the Alphas are going to become a \u2018team\u2019, we seem to have jumped again right into the thick of things with their first visual exposure being their attempted takedown of Milos Kosar.\u00a0 Each one of the Alphas is facing their own challenge working now with others instead of just themselves. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span>Suddenly, Doctor Rosen is making decisions that affect more than just his group, and his group is right there on the front lines.\u00a0 He has said that this was not what he intended his group to become, but that is what they have been forced to do by DCIS.\u00a0 How long the Alphas can keep up taking orders and jumping in front of loaded guns is yet to be seen, and if next week\u2019s episode is any indication, we are about to experience what happens when the gun from the “Red Flag” movement goes off! <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The next Alphas<\/a> episode is named “Never Let me Go” when the team will face one of its greatest threats while Gary delivers some of the the best lines with a bit of sincere humor that offsets the serious nature of his character’s diagnosis. See you then.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alphas<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Click<\/a>Thank you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter<\/a>, <\/span><\/span>WHR on Facebook<\/a> or visit me on Twitter<\/a> by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side<\/a>“! <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you. <\/a>\"Click<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Regards, <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Nayari09<\/a> (Pam) <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome back Alphas fans! This week on Syfy\u2019s Alphas, change was the name of the game.\u00a0 In a previous review I commented on how the writers had not yet started creating episodes that focus entirely on one character or another. Welcome to the Alphas curve ball brought to you by Michael Karnow and Zak Penn…<\/p>\n

Read More “Alphas: “Rosetta” Catalyst of The Red Flag Organization!”<\/span> »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,46,9,36,10,30,11,47,37,31,12,38,48,39,15,49,32,16,17,18,41,19,20,21,22,42,24,25,43,44,26,27],"tags":[45,152,153,175,154,171,155,183,176,172,156,177,184,178,158,185,91,159,160,161,179,162,163,50,164,165,180,167,168,181,182,169,170],"class_list":["post-27493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-alphas","category-alphas-s1x04-rosetta","category-azita-ghanizada","category-bill-lake","category-callum-keith-rennie","category-david-perrault","category-david-strathairn","category-dean-armstrong","category-devon-graye","category-edward-rogers","category-ira-steven-behr","category-james-byron","category-jane-moffat","category-kathleen-gati","category-laura-mennell","category-liane-balaban","category-mahershala-ali-celebs","category-malik-yoba","category-matt-bois","category-michael-karnow","category-nick-copus","category-patti-cook","category-paul-sun-hyung-lee","category-ryan-cartwright","category-saad-siddiqui","category-scott-yamamura","category-sevaan-franks","category-syfy","category-tatiana-maslany","category-tyler-kyte","category-warren-christie","category-zak-penn","tag-rosetta","tag-alphas","tag-azita-ghanizada","tag-bill-lake","tag-callum-keith-rennie","tag-david-perrault","tag-david-strathairn","tag-dean-armstrong","tag-devon-graye","tag-edward-rogers","tag-ira-steven-behr","tag-james-byron","tag-jane-moffat","tag-kathleen-gati","tag-laura-mennell","tag-liane-balaban","tag-mahershala-ali","tag-malik-yoba","tag-matt-bois","tag-michael-karnow","tag-nick-copus","tag-patti-cook","tag-paul-sun-hyung-lee","tag-red-flag","tag-ryan-cartwright","tag-saad-siddiqui","tag-scott-yamamura","tag-sevaan-franks","tag-syfy","tag-tatiana-maslany","tag-tyler-kyte","tag-warren-christie","tag-zak-penn"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/alphas\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27493","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/alphas\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/alphas\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/alphas\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/alphas\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27493"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/alphas\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27493\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29530,"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/alphas\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27493\/revisions\/29530"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/alphas\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/alphas\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/alphas\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}