Caprica Review: “The Imperfections of Memory”

This week delivers some startling revelations, including the reason why Amanda’s behavior often seems crazy.

She sort of is.

Title: “The Imperfections of Memory”

Cast and Crew

Directed by Wayne Rose
Written by Matthew V. Roberts

Eric Stoltz as Daniel Graystone
Genevieve Buechner as Tamara Adams
Paula Malcomson as Amanda Graystone
Esai Morales as Joseph Adama
Polly Walker as Sister Clarice Willow
Allesandra Torresani as Zoe
Magda Apanowicz as Lacy Rand
John Pyper-Ferguson as Tomas Virgis
Hiro Kanagawa as Cyrus Xander
Alex Arsenault as Philomon
Richard Harmon as Heracles
Liam Sproule as Keon

Additional cast and crew information may be found here.

Premise

Daniel Graystone learns that the stolen chip never worked for Vergis. Philomon, working with Zoe Avatar, discovers why they might not be able to duplicate the Cylon. With this new information, Graystone experiences a startling realization about his project.

Joseph Adama visits New Cap City, where he acts like a total n00b and gets Heracles killed. He then uses his considerable intellect to find his daughter by wandering the grim streets and calling her name, like some guy walking his neighbourhood seeking a missing kitty.

Sister Clarice furthers her womance with Amanda Graystone in order to learn the secrets of virtual immortal life. Intoxicated Amanda lets a secret out, while similarly-impaired Clarice references God.

“Which one?” asks Amanda. Indeed.

High Point

We’re starting to see the rationale behind the Zoe/Philomon relationship. It may not be socially appropriate, but it’s definitely story-appropriate.

By this point in the series—and I believe the season only has a couple more episodes—we can see both the future Cylons and their theology taking shape. Despite the strong connections to its progenitor series, Caprica stands on its own.

Low Points

A respectable lawyer and a kid who could lose his job wire into v-world in an alley, a stone’s toss from a main street? I know Adama has experienced some emotional troubles, but his behavior in this episode seems very odd, and very poorly planned.

The Scores:

Originality: 4/6.

Effects: 6/6.

Story: 4/6. I like the plots, but the pace of this show can be quite slow and it may keep some from it, as they do not want to watch a show that moves as slow as this show can move.

Still with me? Although I liked this episode, it loses a point for the series’ continued reliance on stupid behavior to move the plot forward. However, Amanda’s bizarre behavior, at least, now has a context.

Acting: 5/6. The acting remains strong, overall, on Caprica.

Emotional Response: 5/6.

Production: 6/6.

Overall: 5/6.

In total, the “The Imperfections of Memory” receives 35/42

Lingering Questions

Given that drugs were clearly controversial in the past, and the Colonials take religion very seriously, does it strike anyone else as odd that Sister Clarice raises no alarms when she hangs at the Dive?

The Canadian broadcast, at least, of this ep featured several commercial for Viagra. I don’t know what this says about the audience—oh, wait—it’s a show, record tech notwithstanding, for people who watch television Friday night—but I wonder about product placement. Twice in this episode, we hear references to the Colonial version of Viagra, which has a nearly-identical name. Coincidence? Or stealth marketing?

One reply

  1. I definitely second the complaint about the pace of the show. It the story is taking way too long.

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