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Episode Recap: "Hollywood Homicide"
This was a consolidating episode for the series. It eased the Colby character back into the team, and it showcased the romances of the Eppes brothers (David Krumholtz’s Charlie with Navi Rawat’s Amita and the slight edge in Charlie’s voice in response to the gentlest of nudges from his woman friend; Rob Morrow’s Don with Aya Sumika’s Liz Warner, neither of whom are good at defusing the workplace/relation tension). It gave nearly everyone in the cast a setpiece, and it also gave the show an opportunity to mock Entourage and to make a few inside jokes about Numbers itself — as when mildly star-struck Charlie and the less-impressed Larry Fleinhardt (Peter MacNicol) demonstrated how they use calculations of water displacement to determine the size of a murder suspect, only to be told by their audience of a film actor and his lifelong friend that their efforts are just like something out of the movies… "only not as cool."
Aside from the Eureka moment that led up to that exercise, the math in this episode was rather light; the A and B storylines for this one were still wrapped up in questions of identity. Aside from various members of the FBI detail, most obviously Alimi Ballard’s David Sinclair, still trying to come to terms with Colby’s long-term deep cover, the primary mystery of the episode involved what turned out to be two prostitutes who’d undergone plastic surgery to look nearly identical… one murdered and the other apparently the intended target of that murder. Kelly Overton excelled in her small role as the latter, flint-hearted Andrea Barton, who had been blackmailing the actor and his entourage with information her “twin” had picked up and passed along. It turned out that the actor, who made much of his brother having been killed in a carjacking some years earlier, actually killed the brother himself in a drunken accident… more twinning, or almost, and more deception.
Aside from being well-paced and only rather slightly far-fetched, the strength of this episode is, as I suggest above, in reinforcing or reintroducing several of the themes that have run through the series, not least the relation between Amita and Charlie. Charlie could be remarkably abrasive at times, while he dithered over whether he wanted to pursue a relationship with Amita (if she would have him). One of the strengths of the series is that this rarely felt like a gambit on the part of the producers so much as genuine unresolved tension within Charlie’s slightly maladjusted soul, which is mirrored in the similarly rocky romantic life of his brother. Leaving aside the effect the death of their mother might have had on the brothers, it also suggests what life with obsessive people, whether ingenious mathematicians or dogged FBI agents, can let one in for.
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Oct 6, 2007 12:05 AM
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ooh first again!
Hi Todd, nice recap. I enjoyed the episode, love the return of Liz Warner.
I'm just glad to have new episodes as I haven't enjoyed many of the new fall shows. Hey, they can't all be winners. Can't wait for Jericho to replace one of them.
I agree some of it was a little far fetched.
Charlie looks a mess, I don't think he is that into shaving these days. Wonder what is up with that.
Next week's episode looks good too...
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Oct 6, 2007 12:28 AM
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While Charlie was a little distant with Amita regarding her poking him about his paper, at least he didn't turn into a jerk.
Don was a total pr*ck for asking Liz about Colby. If he doesn't want Colby there that badly, he should do his own dirty work and transfer him. He talks a lot about being a man - well step up and act like one.
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Oct 6, 2007 3:24 AM
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First of all, as a big Traveler fan who is very unhappy about the show's premature death (especially after reading the creator's blog here on TVG), I was very happy to see Aaron Stanford (Will Traveler) back on tv. I was impressed that the word Entourage was never mentioned. Would they have considered it a plug for that show?
I found this episode much more interesting & entertaining than a lot of them. The gang's behavior at FBI headquarters was funny--like a bunch of little boys.
I'm a little sorry that Charlie didn't use the words Archimedes or Eureka when he explained his bathtup theory!
And I agree--Charlie needs a shave & a haircut. Brad could have used one, too. I'm so glad the FBI agents have to be clean cut.
And Don, Charlie, & Larry: Marry the girls already! They're beautiful, they're bright, they love you! What are you waiting for? None of you (or them) are getting any younger!
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Oct 6, 2007 6:00 AM
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Hey, I kinda like Charlie's scruffy look. Well, okay, I like the hair, but he COULD stand to shave once in a while.
I don't watch Entourage, but of course I've heard of it. I can't believe people (actors) really do live like that, with people just hanging around them, either trying to get $$$ or trying to become famous themselves. In other words-- being USED. What a crappy way for a star to live! No wonder so many of them are insecure and prone to drinking/drug problems.
My son asked me "Why does David feel that Cobly lied to him? He didn't actually lie about anything." He didn't get it that after spending so much time w/ someone for two years, you feel like you know them, and then find out you don't know the most important thing about them. And I think Megan hit the nail on the head at the end: David feels guilty that he thought Colby was guilty. I think that's at least half the issue.
Another good episode. Sometimes I think they force too much arcane math into the episodes, so every now & then I don't mind a less math-centric story.
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Oct 6, 2007 9:14 AM
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Has the romance between Megan and Larry been addressed since his return? I missed the first episode.
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Oct 6, 2007 10:39 AM
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I loved this episode! So glad to see Liz Warner come back, I think she's really good for the show. I'm also glad that Colby's a good guy, and he's back on the team.
I'd like to see more of the relationships between the couples on the show; it seems like we don't get enough of that.
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Oct 6, 2007 10:56 AM
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I'm glad Colby turned out to be a triple agent and not a double agent. I like him. I hope David will soon forgive him so that they can be partners once again.
I'm glad Megan had that talk with David. It didn't occur to me that he might feel guilty b/c he thought Colby was guilty.
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Oct 6, 2007 1:23 PM
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vbudzi, all that happened in the premiere episode (if you are in the US, you can watch the episode on cbs.com for free) between Larry and Megan was they chatted about the Colby case a bit, Larry was still at the Monestary.
I recommend you watch it if you can, it was really good.
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Oct 6, 2007 3:30 PM
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Thanks nsgal. I'll have to watch it on-line. My DVR and I have a love/hate relationship 
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Oct 6, 2007 5:33 PM
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Okay------last season, Charlie looked great. They trimmed his hair just a bit and it was all good. So leave it alone already. He looks just plain seedy now. I don't mind he beard, but for Pete's sake, run a comb through your hair, David!!!! And I really love this show by the way................
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Oct 6, 2007 5:49 PM
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It appears obvious that the character that plays Amida is pregnant. Can anyone confirm this so I can win a bet with my husband?
TMR
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Oct 6, 2007 7:25 PM
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I absolutely adore this show, but I hate the way they are treating Colby. They should put there self in his shoes and they would have done the exact same thing. Undercover work is part of the FBI. I hope David can forgive him soon, they are awesome as partners, and they obviously care about each other.
The drama, comedy, one liners, you laugh and you cry. How many shows out there can make you say that. This show is a breath of fresh air and I hope it is on for a long time to come.
This is one show that I will not miss!!
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Oct 6, 2007 7:46 PM
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