Clip shows are usually by default the weakest episodes of a TV season, however "Q & A", which is essentially a clip show (Sydney is being interrogated by the FBI and tells the story of her recruitment by what she thought to be the CIA and how she came to be a double agent), is actually a pretty enjoyable episode, for 3 main reasons:
1) It actually gives us some new information, like where the name "SD-6" comes from, the scale of the crimes of the Alliance, etc.
2) It starts and ends with a striking sequence and an ambitious, well-shot stunt.
3) Terry O'Quinn. A few years before becoming John Locke on "Lost", this brilliant actor manages to make something special out of a role that, in most other hands, would be just a standard obnoxious detective.
As the producers explain with honesty on the DVD commentary, "Q & A" was made not only to draw new viewers into the story and help old ones keep up with it, but also because they had gone over-budget at that point. Considering the limitations, this episode could hardly have been better. *** out of 4.
1) It actually gives us some new information, like where the name "SD-6" comes from, the scale of the crimes of the Alliance, etc.
2) It starts and ends with a striking sequence and an ambitious, well-shot stunt.
3) Terry O'Quinn. A few years before becoming John Locke on "Lost", this brilliant actor manages to make something special out of a role that, in most other hands, would be just a standard obnoxious detective.
As the producers explain with honesty on the DVD commentary, "Q & A" was made not only to draw new viewers into the story and help old ones keep up with it, but also because they had gone over-budget at that point. Considering the limitations, this episode could hardly have been better. *** out of 4.