Jamie Chung
Believe, Season 1, Episode 7: “Bang and Blame”
Written by Brynn Malone
Directed by Michael Offer
Airs Sundays at 9pm (ET) on NBC
Throughout their time on the run, ensuring that Bo does not over-exert herself when using her powers has been a major concern for Winter. With the knowledge of how the stress of several factors proved fatal for Nina Adams, as well as the knowledge that Skouras intends to push Bo’s limits, taking care of Bo has proven to be the primary concern for Winter and his group. This week’s episode sees the group try to figure out how to heal Bo as she falls sick, in a strong episode that continues the show’s focus on strengthening its characters.
Learning more about Channing is a great aspect of this week’s episode. While it’s been clear what function both Tate and Winter serve on the team and in relation to Bo, Channing’s role has been less defined, despite her clear importance. The reveal this week, however, that she used to be a security expert for Skouras effectively establishes how crucial is to Bo’s protection, while also giving a reason for her ability to predict how the mercenaries might come after Bo. In addition, the fact that Channing joined Winter’s team after his escape from Skouras adds another intriguing layer to the character. It will be worth keeping an eye on Channing to see how her relationship with Bo evolves as the series continues, and how much her actions in protecting Bo are motivated by guilt over her attempts against Winter and his group. If it’s the latter that drives her, there is a possibility that she might hit a wall at some point. If that situation comes to pass, how Winter, Tate, and Bo convince her to stay promises to be compelling, as her value to the team is unquestionable and unmatched. It will also be worth keeping an eye on other mercenaries sent after Bo to see whether any of them follow Channing’s path. This might be particularly likely in the case of those with similar powers to Bo, who might be able to heal better in her presence, making them loyal to her over Skouras, as well as giving Winter and co. some new powerful allies.
Jake McLaughlin, Johnny Sequoyah
The conflict the group faces over how to treat Bo’s illness is also a compelling aspect of this episode. While it’s clear that everyone in the group has a lot of affection for Bo, it is only Winter who is aware of the depths that Skouras is willing to go to. With Tate already willing to send Bo back to Orchestra this week, it will be intriguing to see how the group continues to handle Bo as she deteriorates, and what sides are taken in the ensuing conflict. Channing in particular will be worth keeping an eye on in this conflict. While Winter is vehemently opposed to using Orchestra, even as a last resort, Tate is clearly willing to go down that route if he thinks it will help Bo. This makes Channing the tie-breaker, as someone who is also aware of what Orchestra does, but may not know the full extent of their experiments. What side of the fence she falls on, and how her opinion changes as time goes on, is bound to have an effect not only on her, but on how well the group operates. As a small team fighting against a much larger organisation, being able to work together and trust each other is crucial, and how people like Winter and Bo try to maintain harmony as the circumstances continue to wear on them will be promising to watch.
Overall, this is an engaging episode, and marks the show’s continuing increase in quality over the past few weeks. The show’s focus on building the core group of characters has been a joy to watch, and this week’s episode proves the writers’ ability to progress both the characters and the plot, which is a good sign for the show going forward. It’s interesting to see Tate’s reactions to Bo this week compared to prior weeks. The resolution of his wrongful conviction, as well as the knowledge of his biological relationship with Bo means that Tate is now much more invested in Bo’s well-being. This manifests itself in an active interest in her drawings and diet, and with Bo learning of her relationship to Tate, it will be fascinating to see how the two of them relate to each other going forward. Winter’s interactions with Zoe is also an eye-opener this week. While this is the first time the two have interacted, Winter’s willingness to call Zoe proves that he trusts her, and that Skouras’ organisation is not what Winter has a problem with. This adds an extra layer to the knowledge that Zoe is trying to reveal Orchestra to the public, and makes Winter’s reaction less predictable, especially since he doesn’t consider Zoe an enemy. The exploration of the Degrade from the perspective of Bo is also a compelling aspect of this week’s episodes, and how the group handles her well-being going forward, as well as how the revelation of being followed everywhere affects Zoe, will be worth tuning in for over the rest of the season.
– Deepayan Sengupta