This episode promises to shake things up for us, and it certainly has a lot going on.  We even get the resolution for many plot lines, while setting up board for the new ones.  Hopefully, you aren’t the impatient type, because it won’t be until next year until we get some more.

Title: “gaMe changer”

Director: Allison Liddi-Brown
Writer: Melinda Hsu Taylor

Cast:

Stephen Moyer as Reed Strucker
Amy Acker as Kate Strucker
Sean Teale as Marcos Diaz / Eclipse
Natalie Alyn Lind as Lauren Strucker
Percy Hynes White as Andy Strucker
Coby Bell as Jace Turner
Jamie Chung as Clarice Fong / Blink
Blair Redford as John Proudstar / Thunderbird
Emma Dumont as Lorna Dane / Polaris
Skyler Samuels as Esme Frost / Sophie Frost / Phoebe Frost
Grace Byers as Reeva Payge
Kate Burton as Dr. Madeline Risman
Christopher Cousins as Lawrence Hayes
Anjelica Bette Fellini as Rebecca / Twist
Tom O’Keefe as Officer Wilson
Ken Kirby as Noah
Lowrey Brown as Kyle
Jason Davis as Mr. Hoover
Dani Deetté as Sentinel Services Guard
Hayley Lovitt as Sage
Anissa Matlock as Porcelain Mutant
Devin McGee as Mutant Prisoner
Lily D. Moore as Shawna (as Lily D Moore)
Maureen Mountcastle as Mrs. Hoover
Jeff Daniel Phillips as Fade

Premise:

Tensions within the Inner Circle are at an all-time high, as Andy comes to Rebecca’s defense against Reeva. After making an important discovery about Dr. Risman’s research, Lauren convinces Reed and Caitlin that they must take action to destroy it. Frustrated with not being taken seriously, Jace begins to strategize with the Purifiers. Meanwhile, the Mutant Underground continues to work on saving mutants. However, tensions flare between Blink and Thunderbird as they confront their differences. (From Trakt.)

High Point:

Rebecca might be my favorite character.  She is charming, but clearly unhinged and evil, and she’s acted well enough that it is clear to see what has Andy both crushing on and fearful about her.

Low Point:

It’s nice to see Polaris trending towards her Comic book self, but there was no need to point out her steel toed boots to allow her to fly. The headband is forgivable because she admitted it was just a “because I want to” thing, but the boots do not help and only give her something else to steal her concentration.

The Scores:

Originality: 5/6 We see a parent actually trusting their kid, we see a couple having trouble but still working together, and see see parallel seek and destroy missions.  It does some ordinary things, but avoids all biggest tropes typically associated with them.

Effects: 4/6 I can’t point to anything in specific, but this episode’s effects felt more like what we typically see from television shows, and less cinematic than it has given us in the past.

Acting: 5/6 Acting for the main cast was great, especially Anjelica Bette Fellini and Percy Hynes White, however the supporting and guest stars didn’t seem to reach that same level.

Production: 6/6 While the effects seemed to slack off for what is likely budget reasons, the rest of the show came together very well.

Story: 5/6 This episode carried the story along pretty well, and set up the back half of the season nicely,

Emotional Response: 5/6 Still staying engaging, though they weren’t actually pulling tears out of the audience.

Overall: 5/6 A respectable wrap up to the first half of the season.

In total, “gaMe changer” receives 35/42.