Believe, Ep. 1.06, “Sinking” puts the focus on Tate

Believe, Season 1, Episode 6: “Sinking”
Written by Seamus Kevin Fahey
Directed by Roxann Dawson
Airs Sundays at 9pm (ET) on NBC

Since Winter, Channing, and the group broke Tate out of Death Row, the latter has expressed a strong desire to confront the people who put him in jail in the first place. Tate’s earlier efforts to escape have been hampered by the FBI-led manhunt as well as Winter insisting that his first priority is to look after Bo, an assignment Tate has shown some interest in carrying out. However, Bo’s disengagement of Tate’s ankle bracelet at the end of last week’s episode gave him his first real opportunity to follow his own agenda. This week’s episode puts the focus on Tate’s history, in an exciting episode that alters character dynamics permanently.

The look at Tate’s past is a fascinating aspect of this week’s episode. Not only does delving into Tate’s history give the audience a better handle on the character, it also adds a sense of perspective to his actions in the series to date. A fundamental betrayal by his childhood friends that nobody attempted to rectify until Tate himself forces the issue goes a long way towards explaining his natural distrust of Winter, Channing, and co. It’s understandable that Tate thinks he’s being set up, especially since he doesn’t know anyone in that group, and was previously unaware of why he was chosen to safeguard Bo. With the pressing issue of vindication now resolved for Tate, as well as Winter’s reveal that Bo is his biological offspring, it will be interesting to see how Tate’s attitude changes from here on out. With his immediate need to find out the truth now gone, Tate is no longer compelled to escape at the earliest opportunity, and has only the authorities to worry about, from whom Bo has helped him escape numerous times already. In addition, his desire to look out for his daughter is likely to keep him around, and finally make him a willing and valuable ally for Winter and his group against Skouras, changing the relationship dynamic between them as well. It will also be intriguing to see how people like Channing react to Tate if he shows a willingness to stick around from now on, or to learn more about the group and what they are fighting for.

The motivations of Skouras also gain added clarity this week. The declaration to the Pentagon that he’s looking to weaponise Bo and others like her proves without a doubt that Skouras is not to be trusted, a realisation Agent Ferrell seemed to be coming to as well in her prior pursuits of Bo and Tate. This also serves to further emphasize that Skouras’ hunt for Bo is not for any altruistic reason, but to keep his promise to the government. With Winter already having broken free of Skouras, and Zoe on her way out of Orchestra as well, how others react to the knowledge of the deal Skouras has made with the Pentagon promises to be fascinating. With Bo’s regret last week at having to injure Joshua, as well as Sean’s heavy reluctance this week at using his powers, it is clear that Skouras is forcing these individuals in a direction they do not want to go. Individuals such as Joshua and Sean follow along because they think Skouras has their best interests in mind. However, if they learn the truth behind Orchestra, individuals such as Sean and Bo may prove to be the biggest threat to Skouras, as some of them are very likely to want revenge for the things Skouras has made them do for his own gain. In addition, the government is unlikely to allow Skouras to renege on the contract, so how he deals with these threats once they emerge will be worth keeping an eye on.

Overall, this is a well-done episode. Over the past two episodes, the writers have shown a level of confidence in juggling the many elements of the show, ensuring they all get adequate exposure, which bodes well for the series going forward. The glimpse into Tate’s childhood and the relationship he has with his father is compelling to watch, and provides an intriguing yardstick by which to measure Tate’s relationship to Bo going forward. While it’s likely that Tate will want to avoid the mistakes he perceives his father to have made, this episode proves that Bo isn’t incorrect in pointing out the two men are more alike than they’d care to admit. In addition, Tate has the added issues of Bo’s powers and constantly being on the run to further complicate his parenting, putting him in a difficult situation. What type of father he manages to be to Bo in these circumstances will be very telling, and is likely to have an impact on Bo as well. The observation this week by Winter that Tate’s presence makes Bo stronger is also an intriguing one. If Skouras clues in to this as well, it will put Tate under additional pressure, as he will not only be pursued by the authorities, but also by Skouras’ people, who are likely to have orders to kill Tate if necessary. This may make Tate even more vulnerable than Bo, and how the group handles this situation as it arises, as well as what steps Skouras takes with Sean, will be worth tuning in for as the season continues.

– Deepayan Sengupta