What I’m Watching: V

V: Season 1, Episode 8 “We Can’t Win” (B+)

With this episode, we have not only a hint of how the Visitors plan to extend their stay on Earth, but also an idea of what they’re up to, thanks to a previously useless and unhelpful character, Chad Decker. For once, he’s finally asking the right questions and also shrewdly handling himself with Anna in terms of how he phrases them. Anna’s explanation to her right-hand man that they’re giving the humans the blue energy expressly so that they can take it away tells a lot, but Chad’s own conclusion that they’re not just planning on visiting is quite revelatory. The simultaneous introduction of a non-V enemy in the form of a traitorous human devoid of hope ups the ante considerably. Even more exciting than all that is the fact that Lisa failed her emotional response test, and that Joshua dealt with it in a perfect manner. He isn’t sure yet if he can trust her, but to have her in his corner at a time in the future when he’ll needs her most is an invaluable asset. I’m sure that will do more than piss off Anna, but I could definitely see Lisa turning over to the other side, and I’m glad the show is exploring that alley. Ryan definitely wins this episode’s prize for showing up just in the nick of time to rescue Valerie from being sedated by a V doctor. That’s absolutely the worst place in the universe for her to be, and even if she’s going to be angry at Ryan for a while, it’s good to have her back together and safe with him in the Fifth Column camp.