US Airdate: 2nd December 2001
Writer: Jeff Pinkner Director: Perry Lang
Guest Stars:
Robert Clendenin (Kostia Bergman) Tobin Bell (Mr. Dryer) Gina Torres (Anna Espinosa) Peter Dennis () Keone Young () Elaine Kagan () Jack Axelrod () Michael Halsey (Professor Hoyt) Sam Ayers (Man)
Plot:
The episode opens with Sydney traveling to Oxford to retrieve an ancient
clock believed to be associated with the Rambaldi mystery. Sydney confronts
Anna Espinosa, keen on the same goal. Sydney successfully steals the clock and
outwits Anna.
But after the mission, she discovers SD-6 has an agent tailing her. She angrily
confronts Sloane, who tells her it is simply a routine procedure. Jack,
however, informs Sydney that Sloane suspects a mole, warning her to be careful.
He also tells her Sloane will be giving a highly-advanced lie-detector test, and
that she should have Vaughn help her prepare.
At SD-6, Jack confronts Sloane about the death of Eloise Kurtz. Sloane admits
that he assigned the young agent to impersonate Kate Jones to lead Will Tippin
astray, but had her killed when he began questioning her trustworthiness.
Sydney’s next assignment is to travel to Italy to have the clock repaired by a
descendant of the man who built the clock for Rambaldi. He does so, and
explains to her that the symbol engraved on it, , is the mark of the Magnific
Order of Rambaldi. He also inadvertently hints that he is not a descendant of
Rambaldi’s confidante, but in fact has lived hundreds of years and knew Rambaldi
himself. Then, he is killed by a K-Directorate bullet aimed for Sydney, and she
barely escapes Anna Espinosa and her team, successfully returning to L.A. with
the repaired clock.
Will’s editor demands that Will cease his investigation of Danny Hecht and
Eloise Kurtz’s death, recognizing several possible loopholes and believing that
Will may be making the story up. Will, however, does not stop, and, after being
tipped off as to the location of Eloise Kurtz’s car, searches it and finds a
strange-looking pin. He soon discovers it is actually a highly-sophisticated
piece of tracking and surveillance equipment.
At home, while reading a book her father gave her mother, she uncovers a secret
Russian code imprinted in the pages, disturbing her and leading to further
questions about her father’s loyalties.
At SD-6, Marshall discovers that the disc obtained from the church in Malagia,
Spain fits into a slot in the clock. When light is shown through it, it
displays a star chart with a pattern only visible from one location--a specific
point on the slope of Mount Aconcagua (near the Chilean and Argentinean
borders). Sydney and Dixon’s next mission is to go there and investigate.
But before they depart, Agent Dreyer gives Sydney a lie-detector test. Despite
the intense practice she had with Vaughn, she is still very apprehensive, and
worries afterward that she may have failed it. Dreyer doesn’t reveal the
results, but later, when talking to Sloane, tells him they have found the mole.
At Mount Aconcagua, Sydney and Dixon discover the mark of the Magnific Order of
Rambaldi covering a hidden tunnel which travels straight down hundreds of feet.
Sydney scales an unstable ladder, leaving Dixon at the surface. Following the
tunnel once she reaches the ground, Sydney uncovers Rambaldi’s ancient journal,
full of the prophet’s plans and designs.
But before Sydney can escape to the surface, she hears gunshots through her
walkie-talkie. She comes face-to-face with Anna Espinosa, who is intent on
beating Sydney once and for all and taking Rambaldi’s journal. After a fierce
fight, Anna is able to take the book and knock Sydney hundreds of feet off the
rickety ladder and into the darkness...
Best Bit:
Sydney’s mission in Italy
Best Quotes:
1. -Vaughn (during the lie detector practice): Are you romantically interested
in anyone? (Sydney gives a startled look--Vaughn half-shrugs) Could be a
question.
-Sydney (slightly alarmed): No, I'm not. (test indicator jumps to 56.)
-Vaughn: Interesting.
-Sydney (impatient): Wait, ask me that again.
-Vaughn: No, I don't have to. We have our answer right here. That's very good.
Moving on.
2. -Boss: You're a talented writer, Will. But I promise you, if anything like this happens again, the only thing you'll be inventing are facts on your resume.
3. -Marshall: You know that boom? That's my mind blowing.
Personal Review:
Though not one of my very favorite episodes to to is somewhat unbelievable nature at times, Time Will Tell had several memorable moments and concepts worth
mentioning. Anna played a more significant role in this episode than in previous ones, and the scenes between her and Sydney were, as always, very
entertaining and fast-paced. I thought Sloane was a bit thick-headed to put an obvious tail on one of his best special agents; wouldn’t he figure that she would notice, that being her job? I thought the lie-detector practice scene between Sydney and Vaughn became very amusing; it’s one of the great scenes between them because it so obviously plays off the characters’ chemistry. I, being the shipper that I am, watched it multiple times for the crafty, witty implications (see quote #1). However, it remains somewhat of a puzzle as to whether Sydney is interested in Will or Vaughn. This scene is one of the few in which a different side of Vaughn emerges: a certain cunning deviousness, even if
in this scenario it is used lightly. Next, I thought that implying that the man in Italy who repaired Rambaldi’s clock had actually lived hundreds of years was rather far-fetched. It makes an otherwise almost believable story into something supernatural and unreal. But at the same time it does lead the viewer to believe in the Rambaldi documents. Plus, that scene was very exciting and nerve-wracking. In this mission, too, Anna makes an appearance, almost succeeding in getting rid of Sydney. At this point in Will’s investigation, one
begins to question his rationality. Of course, curiosity is a driving force, but he should be taking more careful precautions, especially since he believes
Eloise Kurtz’s murder is related to that of Danny’s, and so would imply he is in some sort of deep water. I suppose blind curiosity is a characteristic of this
‘early, undeveloped’ Will, though later in the year his development led this to be minimized. Lastly, I found myself really short of ideas about how she could
escape from this final situation the first time I watched the episode. Eek!
Stay tuned for the next episode to find out how the writer dealt with this...
