Jamie Chung
Believe, Season 1, Episode 5: “White Noise”
Written by Dave Erickson
Directed by Jonas Pate
Airs Sundays at 9pm (ET) on NBC
While Skouras and Winter have had their disagreements on how to effectively take care of Bo, both men have agreed that her powers need to be kept secret. In addition, the rift between Skouras and Zoe over how to handle the other patients at the facility has been steadily growing over the course of the season, in many ways mirroring the rift between Winter and Skouras. This week’s episode brings both of these stories together, as Joshua and Bo collide for the first time in a solid episode that adds more dimension to a number of characters.
The reveal of Zoe’s plans to try and expose Operation Orchestra is an exciting development. In these pursuits, Zoe not only finds herself at odds with Skouras, as expected, but also working in direct opposition to the FBI and, unexpectedly, Winter and his group. This adds a new variable to the pursuit of Bo, one that could pose the most danger to her, as well as Zoe. Zoe’s danger is clear, as Skouras and the FBI is unlikely to stop at anything to plug the leak. However, if Zoe does manage to expose Operation Orchestra, as well as Bo and her capabilities, Bo is likely to face danger from two new sides. Not only will other individuals and organisations similar to Skouras and his group want to capture her for their own nefarious purposes, it’s also feasible that other groups would rebel at the idea of someone with Bo’s capabilities freely walking in their midst. With both Skouras and Winter in agreement on keeping Bo a secret for the time being, it will be interesting to see how insistent Zoe is on revealing Operation Orchestra to the world. Whether or not either Skouras or Zoe reach out to Winter with regards to this, and how Winter receives the news, also promise to be compelling developments. Winter’s opposition to Skouras may lead him to side with Zoe, but his opposition to Bo becoming public knowledge may lead him to side with Skouras. Which side he picks if it comes down to it will speak volumes about what Winter considers important.
Johnny Sequoyah
Bo’s apprehension about her powers is also an interesting turn for the character. By and large, Bo has seen her entire life defined by her powers, since she has grown up in Skouras’ facility. Her desire to be rid of her powers thus says a lot about how she was treated, and how people other than Winter and his group regarded her. It’s understandable that she thinks the only way people relate to her is through her power, and that her power ultimately drives everyone away in fear, as she has rarely interacted or bonded with anyone without the use or presence of her powers in some form or another. Tate, however, stands as a glaring exception to this. If Tate decides not to leave Bo, his presence may go a long way towards alleviating her concerns about how people perceive her power. Even without the biological connection, Tate is the first person to relate to Bo for reasons unrelated to her capabilities. Thus, the manner in which he chooses to treat her, especially now that he’s no longer under obligation to watch her, is bound to have an effect on how Bo perceives herself and her powers. It will be interesting to see how their relationship dynamic progresses as Tate becomes aware of Bo’s perceptions about herself. If he chooses to help, even without the knowledge that she is his biological daughter, it will reflect on his character and his growing affection to Bo, and may be crucial in helping Bo figure out her life.
Overall, this is another thrilling episode. The firm shift of Zoe into another force tugging at Bo adds an intriguing new variable for everyone to deal with in addition to Winter, Skouras, and Agent Ferrell. How Ferrell and Winter deal with this new apparent threat, particularly as Zoe remains an unknown entity, will be worth looking out for, as it will point a clear finger at the motives of both groups. It’s also fun to see Channing take a bigger role this week. Her interactions with Bo and Winter to date have indicated that she’s a crucial member of their group, and this episode goes a long way towards indicating why that is the case. Hopefully the character moves closer to the forefront as the season continues, rather than sporadically assert her importance. Tate’s desire for revenge is also a promising storyline. While every other threat that has been encountered has centred around Bo, it’s important to remember that Tate was nearly executed for a crime he continues to insist he didn’t commit. How far he pursues his revenge will be very telling, especially if it interferes with how well he can take care of Bo. Tate’s freedom from the ankle bracelet leaves him free to pursue his own motivations, and even if he doesn’t go after them now, it’s feasible that he will catch up with them at some point, if they don’t catch up with him first. How Tate’s own story develops, as well as what steps Zoe takes next, and how Skouras tries to find Bo and the leak, will be worth tuning in to see as the season continues.
– Deepayan Sengupta