Round Two: Chaos

Chaos: Season 1, Episode 2 “Song of the North” (C)

So much for some clarity in episode two. Instead, we’re treated to just more chaos and unevenness. While the team which Rick has just joined continues to impress with its abilities, there still isn’t any kind of true bonding that goes on or elaboration of the characters beyond the fact that they might all have one woman in mind whose allure they have never been able to forget. The show could benefit from a female presence aside from Christina Cole’s Adele, but mostly, the plot just needs a bit of sharpening. While it’s definitely supposed to be a comedy in most respects, things do feel a bit too goofy, like the happenstance presence of the wife’s extended family when the team had only prepared to extract one person with a fake passport. Mainly, there isn’t enough backing to justify it all. Rick still seems like too much of a fish out of water, just happening to run into the ambassador while scouting out the roof, and even the threat of death (note: not torture) in North Korea isn’t anywhere near as serious or grave as it should be, and the same goes for the joke of a Pyongyang Film Festival. I was especially disappointed in the reaction by Higgins to the situation, since, after a strong opening last week, he couldn’t even muster any energy to chew Rick out or make any sort of jokes. The presence of Currie Graham’s political figure also needs to be evened out sooner rather than later to help this show establish its tone. I’m not sold.