Monsters of Television

“Everyone says that internet dating is, like, for geeky, socially awkward types, but I meet a lot of people just like me.”

Yes this was a fairly George centric episode. Yes this dealt with a great story in which he had to decide against putting away a mob lieutenant and protecting Jim’s secret. Yes he was given a love interest. But the crowning moments of this episode had to deal with JJ and Katie, both as individuals and in stories with one another.

I’ve said it before and I’m sure this won’t be the last time I say it: Katie is the best character on the show. She fills the role of audience informant very well with her explanations of things, she fills the nerd quota with her constant (and amazing) comic book references and she fills the “lust” role as Daphne is too young and Stephanie is in a committed relationship (even though both are still admittedly beautiful). “No Ordinary Mobster” shows Katie getting more involved in the show not only with the Powells but with the seasonal arc as well.

The brains are some of the most fascinating and important people in comics and superhero mythology. So many heroes have great minds in addition to the powers they obtain. Peter Parker, Reed Richards, Tony Stark; all were geniuses even before fate changed their lives for ever. Fate of course being spiders, cosmic rays and shrapnel inching closer to a man’s heart in the aforementioned examples, but I digress. As Katie often does as well.

Katie agrees to tutor JJ and help find the extent of his genius intellect. She says she wants the opportunity to tutor the next possible Lex Luthor or Reed Richards. After Daphne’s power evolution in last week’s episode I am very excited to see how JJ will use his powers in new ways as well. Here’s hoping for some sort of Forge-like role. With that, I’m hoping Katie becomes an actual member of the team. Maybe in an Oracle-like capacity. I’d love it, but I don’t see it happening. The super will always take  backseat to the suburban on this show and that’s fine. It’s the only way it will continue to reach mass audiences and stay alive.

In their tutoring sessions, JJ develops a crush on Katie. He decides to setup an account on the online dating service Katie uses but can’t follow through with a dinner date that his internet counterpart, Will P. Jerome, makes with her. Katie’s worried she’s been stood up but who should come to her rescue (if you want to put it that way) but Watcher, our telekinetic right hand man to Evil Camden. Quite the cautionary tale about online dating. But there’s no stigma about it anymore, right Ted? Why is it that supporting female characters looking for love always end up with a bad guy? I’m looking at you, Deb from Dexter.

Initially Daphne’s story this week annoyed me. I thought she was going to intrude in the affairs of a troubled teenage couple, leading me to believe she was named after another pretty, meddlesome teenager named Daphne. That’s a Scooby-Doo reference in case you didn’t get it. Fortunately it wasn’t so and she instead used her powers to get the boy. If I had her powers, this would have been the first thing I’d do: read girls minds, get said girls. You say abuse of powers, I say everyone gets what they want.

Very pleased to see Amy Acker on the show. I wonder if she’s really into black dudes cause she always seems to get with them on her shows. That was an Angel reference that time. Keep up, guys. She didn’t die in the end so I hope she sticks around for a while. Knowing George’s less than stellar romantic history it would be nice to see him in a successful relationship.

The story concerning Evil Camden is revving up. Turns out he’s been paying off Volson’s wife to keep quiet about her late (but probably not really) husband’s research and to lead the inquisitive Stephanie astray. Now that he knows Stephanie is looking into Volson’s work he has Watcher keep tabs on her. Dating Katie is an excellent way to do so. Bits and pieces keep coming to light and I’m hoping the end results toward the end of the season have the payoffs that Heroes could never muster.

Final Thoughts:

• Seriously? A super-powered version of the old walkie-talkie date gag? At least it didn’t go horribly and hilariously wrong.
• When Daphne told JJ he couldn’t build the perfect man for Katie I was really hoping we were going to get a Weird Science story arc.
• Guggenheim written episode. His scene transitions with dialogue are great, such as Daphne seeing what’s his name kissing his girlfriend with Katie’s overlapping “It’s just so hard to find the right guy.” Uses this a few times during the episode.