US Airdate: 16th December 2001
Writers: J.J. Abrams & Vanessa Taylor Director: Jack Bender
Guest Stars:
Miguel Sandoval (Russek) (Ineni Hassan) Sarah Shahi (Jenny) Conrad Gamble II (Bodyguard) Erica Inez (Hotel Manager) Kevin McCorkle (Agent) Don Took (Agent Grey) Scott Vance (Security Section Agent #1) Nancy Wetzel (Amy Tippin) Scott Paulin Aharon Ipale Christopher Thornton Scotch Ellis Loring James Warwick
Plot: Sydney awakens after being apprehended by SD-6 officers in a hidden cell
in SD-6. Sloane believes her to be the mole after Marshall uncovered the
alternate transmission sent in Geneva--one that doesn’t belong to SD-6. Sloane
orders her to be tortured, but just before that begins, Marshall discovers
another transmission that leads Sloane to believe Russek, Sydney’s partner in
Geneva, is working for K-Directorate and is the mole. Sloane stops the torture
from taking place, trying to comfort Sydney and attempting to regain her trust.
Sydney is confused; she doubts the likelihood that Russek would’ve been
transmitting to K-Directorate at exactly the same time as she was doing the same
to the CIA. She explains this to Vaughn, who has no explanation to offer; he
explains the CIA was not responsible for implanting a false transmission in the
records. Vaughn also gives Sydney a very nice Christmas gift--an antique silver
picture frame.
Will discovers the gift and asks Sydney about it, clearly jealous of a possible
‘guy from work’ who Sydney may be interested in. However, he is in no position
to argue, since he has just begun an affair with his assistant, Jenny--a fact
which Sydney knows about.
Will has also been continuing his investigation of Danny’s murder. By decoding
a tape left in his car by his informer, he learns the murderer of Eloise Kurtz
mentioned ‘SD-6’ before she was killed. This is another piece to the puzzle,
and leads Will to David McNeil, a computer programmer in jail for embezzlement
who mentioned SD-6 in his hearing. But before he visits McNeil, he questions
McNeil’s lawyer, who admits that David only pleaded guilty after his wife
committed suicide under questionable circumstances. So Will goes to visit David
McNeil in jail, who seems very frightened by the name ‘SD-6’ and insists Will
stop the investigation and leave his lawyer-friend alone. Will is even more
intrigued than ever...
SD-6 sends Sydney to Semba Island in another attempt to track down rogue arms
dealer Ineni Hassan; it is believed that he was given plastic surgery and
acquired another identity while working with a man living on the island. Sydney
investigates and discovers Hassan’s new identity is Nebseni Saad.
Sydney hides this fact from SD-6, giving it only to the CIA. But Sloane
already knows, and has sent Jack to Cuba to eliminate Hassan. As Jack’s
handler, Vaughn presents the counter-mission: to fool Hassan into believing he,
Jack, is interested in betraying SD-6. Jack is to tell him that SD-6 wants
Hassan dead, and they could fake his death so SD-6 would believe he was taken
care of, in exchange for Hassan’s client list. Then Jack would send Hassan
straight into CIA custody.
Vaughn also questions Jack about Russek’s ‘betrayal’, and Jack inadvertently
admits to putting a false transmission in the records to make it seem that
Russek was working for K-Directorate. Then Vaughn meets with Sydney, who forces
him to admit what Jack said. He stands up for Jack’s decision, insisting that
he had no other choice in the situation than to sacrifice Russek. Vaughn goes
on to inform Sydney of Jack’s mission to Cuba, which has gone awry, leaving Jack
in Hassan’s custody.
Sydney insists to secretly travel to Cuba to save her father, and with Vaughn’s
help, is soon on her way. However, Sydney is captured, and Hassan recognizes
her as a SD-6 agent. Hassan is still tempted by Jack’s offer, and insists that
to prove that he is willing to go against SD-6, Hassan instructs him to kill the
SD-6 officer. So Jack raises a gun and aims directly at his daughter...
Best Bits: Sydney’s mission to Semba Island, The Christmas gift’ controversy,
Vaughn’s meeting with Jack and getting him to admit his actions
Best Quotes:
1. -Vaughn (To Sydney): The truth is, Russek could very well have been working
for the K-Directorate so let's just assume for the moment that you're the
luckiest girl in town.
2. -Marshall: (Holds up sunglasses) Okay, um, this place you're going to is
swank. I mean, it's, like, super-swank. Which is why I made you these puppies.
Now, not only do they take pictures silently and have a telephoto lens, but...
they're super-swank.
3. -Jack: Whoever the hell you think you are -- checking up on me, pulling my
file, second-guessing my choices -- let's just both face the facts. You're not
that person. Neither your experience, nor your intelligence has earned you the
right to question a thing that I do. Now, I'm going to make two suggestions.
One, that you stop it. And two, that the next time they assign you to be my
handler, you kindly decline.
-Vaughn: Russek never transmitted a thing, did he?
-Jack: Of course he didn't. If you got the SD-6 transmission, why the hell are
you asking me?
-Vaughn: I never got the SD-6 transmission. It was just a hunch.
4. -Will: Maybe he likes you.
-Sydney: No!
-Will: Maybe he does.
-Sydney: No, he doesn't like me.
-Will: If he knows you, Syd, chances are he likes you.
Personal Review:
This episode is the climax ending to the whole ‘is-she-or-isn’t-she-the-mole’
debate at SD-6 that’s been the focus of the last several episodes. And what a
way to end it--Sydney and Sloane holding hands!?! There’s something cliche and
ironic about that. The Vaughn/Sydney flames are growing with the addition of
that sweet Christmas Gift, and the viewers can really start to see jealousy in
both Will (over the mysterious ‘guy-from-work’) and Vaughn (over Will). Viewers
are left to speculate which man Sydney is actually more interested in--was it
suprise or devastation on her face when she discovered Will and Jenny’s
relationship? I also find that very amusing--Will is jealously prying Sydney
for details on her and Vaughn’s relationship while he has just begun something
more serious himself. Will definately has a large role in this episode. His
investigation finally leads him to uncover the name ‘SD-6’, and though he still
doesn’t know what it means, it is a big step. I thought the whole Semba Island
mission scene was very funny. Sydney’s southern drawl accent and the beachy,
sexy, ‘swank’ look she wore helped make this mission a ‘walk in the sun’, a nice
respite after the serious and dangerous last few missions. I don’t know about
everyone else, but I thought Jack was being exceedingly rude to Vaughn. He does
seem overly hostile, even if that is in part his nature. But Vaughn wasn’t
perturbed by Jack’s insults, and had some great, strong (unusually so for his
seemingly soft-hearted character) comebacks to the stinging remarks. I
completely understand Jack’s actions in sacrificing Russek for Sydney. Where
would the show be if he hadn’t? He had to do something, she is his daughter.
Finally, I was aggrevated at the speed in which both Jack and Sydney were
caught. Sydney, especially, I expected to hold her own for a little longer.
And, as always, we are left with the angsty, suspenseful ending that is
characteristic of all the episodes and that keeps us hanging for more. How will
Sydney get out of this mess; what will Jack do? Stay tuned for more...
Trivia:
Ken Olin, who plays David McNeil in this episode, is also one of the shows writers and producers.
Music:
Freddy Johnston: Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
Thunderball: Domino
Klyph Black: Santa’s Dilemma
