Absentia – Episode 5: Dig

Starring: Stana Katic, Patrick Heusinger, Cara Theobold, Angel Bonanni
Director: Oded Ruskin
Writers: Kate Powers

Reviewed by Sidney Morgan

This review CONTAINS SPOILERS. You’ve been warned!

Did she or didn’t she? That is the question. At the end of the last episode, Adam Radford was killed and the editing certainly made it look like it was Emily. And frankly, running away didn’t help her cause. After only four episodes, Emily is now the prime suspect in three murders (Semerov, Harlow and Radford). It really isn’t working out for her, is it? And nobody seems to believe anything she says anymore either. Not good.

The Bleeding Eye

The aptly titled episode leads Emily to dig, both figuratively and literally. Thanks to her chat with Radford at the end of last episode, Emily now knows that the bleeding eye, something she’s been having visions about, refers to a place from her past rather than a person. Given it’s something she’s mentioned to her psychologist during therapy, she visits him to get some insight as to where this place could be. She looks through her file, hoping that he might have jotted something down in his session notes. When she does figure it out, she rushes to the place and literally digs up her next clue. Meanwhile, Tommy and Nic are looking for her and what ensues is an exciting game of cat and mouse between them.

Emily on the run.

For the first time, it felt as though the writers were at a loss on how to advance the plot. The writing felt lazy and plot development contrived. When Emily goes to her psychologist, Dr. Vega (Bruno Bichir), to get to the bottom of the bleeding eye, he has her undergo a kind of session. On the spot. She closes her eyes and slows her breathing to try and remember. Presumably this wouldn’t be the first time they tried, but on this occasion, within seconds, Emily remembers where the place is. Really? He’s tied up, scared and she’s on the run, stressed. Are we to believe these are the best conditions under which she would remember? And it doesn’t get better from here.

When Nic and Tommy speak with Jack, trying to find out where this “bleeding eye” location could be, he tells them he doesn’t know anything. After discussing her troubled youth, Jack states that Emily would often threaten to escape with Robin Hood. Somehow, those two words allow Nic to make a connection with Sherwood Forest and Nottingham Park, which is where Emily is. What a convenient eureka moment, (and yes, I’m rolling my eyes). The writers even got Warren (Emily’s dad) into this weird information exposition episode. When Tommy and Nic visit him, instead of helping them locate Emily, he launches into a tirade about Nic being a poor husband, having, in his opinion, abandoned the search for Emily too quickly and broken his vows too easily, and on and on. Seriously? It’s been 6 YEARS! Surely this wasn’t the first time they’ve met up since Emily’s first disappearance? So why bring it up now? Simple. Lazy writing. It’s as though the writers realized they were halfway through the show and needed to quickly clarify a few things before moving on with the mystery.

I was pleased that Alice finally addressed the elephant in the room, asking Nic directly whether he slept with Emily. Of course he doesn’t answer. When she then asks him if he still loves her, he says that part of him always will. His reaction has merit, but this would have been a great opportunity to have the two sit down and talk, especially since it’s hinted at that Alice may be pregnant. But nope, nothing. No conversation occurs. And the elephant remains. (Yes, I’m shaking my head.)

Alice knows.

Meanwhile, Emily continues to be the only one seemingly working on her case. To be fair, it’s believed she killed Radford (and Semerov, and Harlow), so having the FBI and the BPD investigate anything else wouldn’t make sense. Still, it would have been nice for someone to throw her a lifeline. But, in true Absentia fashion, an episode couldn’t end without giving us another potential suspect. This time, it’s Agent Crown (Christopher Colquhoun), who while reinstating Nic as an active agent, acts very suspiciously, making odd statements. Unfortunately for Crown, all the previous obvious suspects met their ends rather quickly.

Verdict:
Continue to watch! 
Even with this mid-season slump, Dig doesn’t disappoint. Emily is one step closer to finding out what happened to her, which inevitably involves a trip back down memory lane. It’s becoming more and more evident that her abduction and subsequent set ups have something to do with her childhood. Where will this next clue lead her and is anyone going to help her? Who knows, but it seems certain that Emily is going to have to find the answers by herself.

Sidney Morgan
sidney.j.morgan.author@gmail.com

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