V: "Birth Pangs" Review

While not as exciting as "Siege," this week's episode was full of big revelations and major discoveries that advanced the story along in tremendous ways. In "Birth Pangs" (not the best title, I know), we actually leapt forward over a week in time to give us some distance from Joe's death and found a new, bolder and more aggressive Erica. An Erica who needed to prove herself to Eli's global Fifth Column contacts. It was a nice shift and I enjoyed the scene where she threatened to torture the V sleeper chick, Dr. Rai. Also, for the record, I'm a fan of shots where people jump off a building and it looks like a person actually jumping off a building. Yeah, I know there was lots of CG used, but Rai's swan dive still looked pretty swell.

I'm not sure what to make of the little romantic moment between Hobbes and Erica while laying on the closet floor, trying to open the safe. It seems like she's been giving meaningful glances to everyone these days. Jack, Joe and now…you know, Grizzlebee. And wasn't Hobbes an international arms-dealer of mystery? Yet there he was demanding donuts in Hong Kong? Wouldn't he be familiar with worldly cuisine? Anyhow. It was good to see him in action, providing much needed muscle and grit.

"I just want to be a shuttle pilot. And forget about my past." Oh, Tyler. We'd like to forget you too. The worst part about Tyler now, is that because Lisa is in love with such a lazy character like him, it affects the way we feel about her. Why would she love such a shlub? Either he's all emotion or, now, no emotion. I did like Lisa and Anna's little mini-alien bitch fight. No tails were used, but Lisa drew blood. Then Anna squished her face like you would a puppy. It was grand. A few episodes back, Anna spoke of a "Plan B" if Tyler didn't wind up working out as Lisa's mate. This week, we got to see the "alternates" as she called them; 28 other young men, around the globe, who were candidates for breeding with the future Queen.

In the original 80's V lore, the Visitors were here to eat us and steal our water. I'm happy this new series chose to update the insidious plot by having them be gene-thieves. I felt like (a few wonky scientific explanations aside) a lot of the puzzle pieces started falling into place in this episode: The V ships residing over cities where alternate breeding males lived, Erica's discovery of some sort of galactic DNA pill hidden inside her pre-natal vitamins, Anna's reveal of the un-hatched Queen egg that she's been saving for a rainy day, etc It was nice to feel like this series had been doing some nifty planning and that most of the revelations fit the story.

Still, Tyler's "phosphorous levels" not being right? After all that damn Red Rain we get the "everyone's built differently" spiel? That felt a little weak. Other than that, the episode found a good way to include characters who didn't have all that much to do. I liked Ryan telling Jack "well you have to forgive me because of the whole priesthood thing" and Jack telling him to, essentially, take a hike. Chad connecting briefly with Lisa was nice too. And those badass shades that Erica was sporting? I hope she winds up adding, as the weeks progress, more killer accessories to her look. Basically, I won't be happy until she looks like the Baroness.

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