Company Man
Jul. 19th, 2009 09:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lathanyEpisode 17.
Summary: Ted and Matt are looking for evidence in the Bennetts' house when the family arrive home. Ted decides to take the family hostage with Matt's reluctant help. At first Mr Bennett tries to tell them he doesn't know anything but, as Matt reads Claire's mind, Matt realises that she knows and this can be used to find out more information. Getting more wound up, Ted moves to shoot Sandra, and Matt mind-reads that he needs to shoot Claire to save the situation. Matt then takes Mr Bennett to the Company to form a plan to stop the now dangerously unpredictable Ted, telling Ted that the information is there. At the paper factory they meet the Haitian who Bennett berates for keeping secrets but accepts he needs as an ally. Meanwhile, Claire attempts to rescue her mother and brother. Lyle escapes, but Sandra won't leave without Claire. Matt and Mr Bennett return just as Ted works out he's been betrayed. Mr Bennett is in the process of doing a deal with Ted, getting Sandra and Lyle out, when his boss arrives and shoots Ted. Ted is in the process of going nuclear when Claire tranquilizes him - the only person now able to approach him and live. Following the incident, Mr Bennett tells his boss that the Haitian hid Claire and he will now bring Claire in. Mr Bennett then arranges for the Haitian to shoot him and memory-wipe him and escape with Claire. In flashbacks, Claude Reins is shown to be Mr Bennett's first partner and Hiro's father is shown to be part of the company. Claude and Bennett are responsible for the incident that separated Claire and her mother and Hiro's father then gives Claire to Bennett, telling him she will be reclaimed if she has an ability. Claude is shown growing more uneasy with the methods and aims of the company until finally he is found to be protecting someone with an ability. Despite Claude's hopes for help, Bennett shoots him and assumes he has died.
Comments: This is a little like the centrepiece of Run! - one long set of related sequences. It gives Claude's background with the company and shows how Bennett has changed over the years. There are various references back to earlier comments (such as Claire's remark in the pilot "I walked through fire and I didn't get burned") and this mostly puts the Company in context and contrasts the moralities and motivations of Bennett, Matt and Ted. Also, it links Hiro's father (and presumably his company?) to the Company - a new big tie-up. Oh, and good to have back the two big guest stars.
Cast list absences: No Niki, DL, Micah, Nathan, Peter, Hiro, Ando, Mohinder, Isaac, (Simone) or Sylar.
Sandra/Lyle: Sandra has been described in previous episodes as "a gentle soul" and this is borne out here. Also she echo's the Haitian's view that Claire's ability is god-given. (Incidentally the actress is the wife of the actor who plays Ted). Lyle takes the brave step of attacking Ted (fortunately surviving this!).
Claire: Finally exposed to the Company, Claire is now set to leave with the Haitian. She and Matt seem to form something of a fragile bond - they have similar views on their abilities. Whilst aware of Bennett's lies, she seems to finish the episode aware of his ultimate aim of protection. Also, it turns out that she was twelve when she was told she was adopted (and Mr Bennett's glasses were chosen by her).
Claude: The explanation for why Claude was bitter and betrayed and why he was afraid of the Company is in this episode. It all makes sense and he initially comes across as a very optimistic and friendly man. However, it left me with one question - who was he protecting? (No answers please!).
Mr Bennett: Everything he most fears has come to pass and he manages to keep his head and come up with a plan. Thinking in Japanese is just plain scary - I wondered whether that was a comment on how much of his work was over there, or whether this never really gets followed through. He comes across as loyal here though and puts a great deal into his word - such as giving it to Matt. Wonder if his link with Hiro's father will become relevant again? (Again - no answers!)
Ted: Not terribly likable in this episode! The poor guy did lose his wife and did think Bennett responsible, but even so. His glowing hands and eyes match the exploding Peter from earlier episodes which suggest that Peter doesn't get a "too many powers" overload - he picks up Ted's power. What's interesting is how Ted turns nuclear after being shot - did he choose to, or did it happen because nuclear is one of the powers Mohinder describes as "unstable"?
Matt: Matt comes across great here. He quickly realises he's in over his head and does his best to sort it out. He tries to save the Bennetts from Ted. When Ted goes nuclear, he goes back into the house after Bennett and Claire and pulls Bennett out, despite the risk. He also learns that his ability was genetic, not given to him.
The Haitian: They made an excellent choice for the child version of this actor although; given he was a teenager back when Claire was a baby, he's still younger than the actor of this guy! He makes it clear that he works for someone he puts before the Company who is connected to Claire (which is implied earlier, but not explicit until now). Also, it turns out that the Company told Bennett he was mute (was he cured or were they wrong? - Again no answers please!).
Summary: Ted and Matt are looking for evidence in the Bennetts' house when the family arrive home. Ted decides to take the family hostage with Matt's reluctant help. At first Mr Bennett tries to tell them he doesn't know anything but, as Matt reads Claire's mind, Matt realises that she knows and this can be used to find out more information. Getting more wound up, Ted moves to shoot Sandra, and Matt mind-reads that he needs to shoot Claire to save the situation. Matt then takes Mr Bennett to the Company to form a plan to stop the now dangerously unpredictable Ted, telling Ted that the information is there. At the paper factory they meet the Haitian who Bennett berates for keeping secrets but accepts he needs as an ally. Meanwhile, Claire attempts to rescue her mother and brother. Lyle escapes, but Sandra won't leave without Claire. Matt and Mr Bennett return just as Ted works out he's been betrayed. Mr Bennett is in the process of doing a deal with Ted, getting Sandra and Lyle out, when his boss arrives and shoots Ted. Ted is in the process of going nuclear when Claire tranquilizes him - the only person now able to approach him and live. Following the incident, Mr Bennett tells his boss that the Haitian hid Claire and he will now bring Claire in. Mr Bennett then arranges for the Haitian to shoot him and memory-wipe him and escape with Claire. In flashbacks, Claude Reins is shown to be Mr Bennett's first partner and Hiro's father is shown to be part of the company. Claude and Bennett are responsible for the incident that separated Claire and her mother and Hiro's father then gives Claire to Bennett, telling him she will be reclaimed if she has an ability. Claude is shown growing more uneasy with the methods and aims of the company until finally he is found to be protecting someone with an ability. Despite Claude's hopes for help, Bennett shoots him and assumes he has died.
Comments: This is a little like the centrepiece of Run! - one long set of related sequences. It gives Claude's background with the company and shows how Bennett has changed over the years. There are various references back to earlier comments (such as Claire's remark in the pilot "I walked through fire and I didn't get burned") and this mostly puts the Company in context and contrasts the moralities and motivations of Bennett, Matt and Ted. Also, it links Hiro's father (and presumably his company?) to the Company - a new big tie-up. Oh, and good to have back the two big guest stars.
Cast list absences: No Niki, DL, Micah, Nathan, Peter, Hiro, Ando, Mohinder, Isaac, (Simone) or Sylar.
Sandra/Lyle: Sandra has been described in previous episodes as "a gentle soul" and this is borne out here. Also she echo's the Haitian's view that Claire's ability is god-given. (Incidentally the actress is the wife of the actor who plays Ted). Lyle takes the brave step of attacking Ted (fortunately surviving this!).
Claire: Finally exposed to the Company, Claire is now set to leave with the Haitian. She and Matt seem to form something of a fragile bond - they have similar views on their abilities. Whilst aware of Bennett's lies, she seems to finish the episode aware of his ultimate aim of protection. Also, it turns out that she was twelve when she was told she was adopted (and Mr Bennett's glasses were chosen by her).
Claude: The explanation for why Claude was bitter and betrayed and why he was afraid of the Company is in this episode. It all makes sense and he initially comes across as a very optimistic and friendly man. However, it left me with one question - who was he protecting? (No answers please!).
Mr Bennett: Everything he most fears has come to pass and he manages to keep his head and come up with a plan. Thinking in Japanese is just plain scary - I wondered whether that was a comment on how much of his work was over there, or whether this never really gets followed through. He comes across as loyal here though and puts a great deal into his word - such as giving it to Matt. Wonder if his link with Hiro's father will become relevant again? (Again - no answers!)
Ted: Not terribly likable in this episode! The poor guy did lose his wife and did think Bennett responsible, but even so. His glowing hands and eyes match the exploding Peter from earlier episodes which suggest that Peter doesn't get a "too many powers" overload - he picks up Ted's power. What's interesting is how Ted turns nuclear after being shot - did he choose to, or did it happen because nuclear is one of the powers Mohinder describes as "unstable"?
Matt: Matt comes across great here. He quickly realises he's in over his head and does his best to sort it out. He tries to save the Bennetts from Ted. When Ted goes nuclear, he goes back into the house after Bennett and Claire and pulls Bennett out, despite the risk. He also learns that his ability was genetic, not given to him.
The Haitian: They made an excellent choice for the child version of this actor although; given he was a teenager back when Claire was a baby, he's still younger than the actor of this guy! He makes it clear that he works for someone he puts before the Company who is connected to Claire (which is implied earlier, but not explicit until now). Also, it turns out that the Company told Bennett he was mute (was he cured or were they wrong? - Again no answers please!).
