Round Two: Outcasts

Outcasts: Season 1, Episode 2 (B+)

While this second installment isn’t quite as spectacular as last week’s pilot, it’s still a more than able follow-up. I had thought last week that Julius Berger seemed to me to resemble Gaius Baltar from “Battlestar Galactica” in many ways, and the first episode in which he actually appears only validates that claim even more. Unlike Gaius, Julius seems to be full of bad intentions, rather than being forced to lie based on his circumstances. Eric Mabius isn’t always the strongest actor, but I think he’s a good choice for this party because he’s not capable of being truly terrifying but can still do disconcerting quite well. The prisoner swap in this episode was definitely tense, as Jack proves himself to be quite a hothead and Lily not the darling baby angel that her mother had hoped she would be. All this business about cloning and reproduction is truly intriguing, and I like the idea that Stella and Tate are, in theory, the bad guys, while Rudi is positioned as some sort of revolutionary hero. Fleur’s role in this conflict will also surely become truly complicated. Tate is extremely skilled, it seems, at giving motivational speeches, getting Stella back on track by reminding her that it’s always been about staying alive. As for the paper moving all by itself in his office, that’s something that’s going to require some explanation at some point soon. For now, I remain fully and sincerely hooked, and eager for the next six episodes of this series.