What I’m Watching: V

V: Season 1, Episode 6 “Pound of Flesh” (B+)

While I still don’t love Elizabeth Mitchell on this show, which is a shame because she was so great as Juliet on “Lost,” I’m really liking how this show is revving up and getting the action started without wasting any more time. Going up onto the ship was a fantastic idea, and it helps kick the show into high gear. The revelation that Samuel was a member of the Fifth Column was an excellent surprise, and it’s cool to know that the people administering the tests for displaying emotion are actually recruiting the people who fail and helping to protect them as fellow members of the Fifth Column. Anna’s way of dealing with the suspected traitors is a harsh one, and it’s becoming clearer that, despite her smile, she is one evil bitch. I like the casting of Nicholas Lea as Erica’s ex-husband, though I’m not exactly clear on what his purpose on the show is, especially if Lisa was able to locate him so quickly. As a huge fan of “The X-Files,” I was more than amused at seeing the onetime triple agent Alex Krycek talk about how alien ships in the sky are so amazing (I wonder if the Vs are familiar with the black oil?). In terms of satisfaction on this show, it was extraordinarily gratifying to see the message of the revolution, “John May Lives,” pop up momentarily in the middle of Anna’s transmission. While Anna may think she can exterminate them once they come out of hiding, I don’t think she’s preparing herself enough for the sure-to-be-awesome fight that’s coming.