Charlie Jade: Devotion

We learn more about Jade’s past as he works yet another money-making case, and, once again, finds a Vexcor connection. Reena helps her benefactor, and the plot to kill 01 Boxer takes us to an interesting place.


Title: “Devotion”

First aired May 28, 2005

Cast

Jeffrey Pierce as Charlie Jade
Patricia McKenzie as Reena
Tyrone Benskin as Karl Lubinsky
Michael Filipowich as 01 Boxer
Michelle Burgess as Essa Rompkin
Marie-Julie Rivest as Jasmine/Paula
Danny Keogh as Julius Galt

Plot:

The plots include Jade’s efforts to find a missing woman, his recollections of his own past involvement with Vexcor, Reena’s friendship with a woman who has helped her, and Julius Galt’s efforts to have 01 Boxer killed.

High Point:

Two things which seemed predictable and heavy-handed went into genuinely intriguing and disturbing directions: the training Vexcor provides for their security forces, and the manner in which the show prepares us for where 01 Boxer finds himself in the final moments. This show raises ethical dilemmas in a uncomfortable and dramatically interesting ways, and I definitely want to see where they’re going to go next.

We also get extraordinary parodies of the language used by motivational speaker types, and a satire of how corporate culture can gloss over evil.

Low Point:

01 Boxer is a difficult character to write and play, and the writers and Filopowich generally do well. However, his scenes easily become excessive—I would write, “too excessive,” but I’m sure that violates a convention against the torture of language—and in his recollections of his mother (I assume), the scene verges on unintended parody.

The Scores:

Originality: 5/6.

Effects: 6/6.

Story: 6/6.The parallels between and connections among the different plots have been handled masterfully. But does Vexcor have to be connected with every evil doing on two worlds?

Acting: 5/6..

Emotional Response: 5/6. Certain scenes have a stunning impact. The confusing nature of others mutes the response somewhat.

Production: 6/6.

Overall: 5/6.

In total, “Devotion” receives 38/42

Additional Comments

I recommend reading Iceowl’s Enron and the Cult of Personality and/or George Orwell’s Politics and the English Language in conjunction with this episode.

One reply

  1. left hanging
    Havn’t seen the next ep yet.
    At the end of this episode, is was left with a feeling of “wait, where’s the rest?” — I figured there would be more closure to Jade’s storyline. He didn’t DO anything to help, and the bad guy got the last word in.
    That’s it. Still a great show, and the last scene w/ 01 was awesome.

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