“Nefarious characters coalesce around you like bum-hairs in a drain.”
–the eloquent Agent Gale (Jay Karnes)

Cole faces betrayal and the loss of an old friend as our characters deal with a Nazi and the Nazi origins of Olivia and the Witness.

Tomorrow belongs to….?

Title: “Fatherland”

Directed by Norman Bee
Written by

Aaron Stanford as James Cole
Amanda Schull as Dr. Cassandra Railly
Kirk Acevedo as José Ramse
Todd Stashwick as Deacon
Barbara Sukowa as Katarina Jones
Jay Karnes as Agent Robert Gale
Matt Frewer as Dr. Albert Kirschner
Scottie Thompson as Vivian Rutledge
Alisen Down as Striking Woman / Olivia
? as Striking Girl / Olivia
Demore Barnes as Whitley
Andrew Gillies as Dr. Adler
Daniel Kash as Mossad Agent
Murray Furrow as Dr. Lasky
Tal Gottfried as Talia
Jordan Kanner as Caleb

Premise

After some characters alter a mission for dubious reasons, Cole, Ramse, and Railly all find themselves in 1961, tracking down a Nazi scientist.

Ramse acquires a key missing piece of the puzzle, and we see Olivia’s Nazi origins.

A supporting character sacrifices himself– although it’s clear from the dialogue that we will see him at least one more time, in a future episode that will take place some years earlier.

After the previous Jennifer-centric episode, the enterprising Ms. Goines gets the week off.

And the redness stands ready to engulf the central characters.

High Points

While making the Nazis the Root of All Evil is hardly original, the disturbing connection between the Nazi eugenics programs and the Army of the Twelve Monkeys makes perfect sense.

I look forward to the next meeting with Agent Gale. That’s going to be very interesting.

Low Point

While the storytelling was fine, some of the dialogue felt a little wooden this week– especially in early scenes.

The Scores:

Originality: 2/6

Story: 5/6 The basic premise involves three characters making a very stupid premeditated decision. The science is particularly dodgy– time travelers running out of time– but the main storyline makes sense.

Effects: 5/6

Acting: 5/6

Emotional Response: 5/6

Production: 5/6 I had to laugh during the initial crossing of the as-yet incomplete Berlin Wall, not because it looked remarkably like they were running across a cluttered soundstage, but because it was so easy to get across.

Overall: 5/6

In total, “Fatherland” receives 32/42

Lingering Question

Why doesn’t Cole, who knows he will be bopping around the twentieth century and wants to remain inconspicuous, ever bother to get his hair cut? It’s obvious from tbe rest of the cast that barbers and beauticians are available in this post-apocalyptic world.