Will's inadvertent treachery is discovered, and with the fake Francie's help, he is framed as the second double created at the same time as Lennox. While Syd is determined to prove him innocent, others are determined to see Will dead.

There are a lot of good points about this episode, number one being its undoubted pace. A lot is going on here, and quickly, with Syd and Vaughn jetting off around the world in an attempt to discover information on the doubling process. Their visit to a bondage club is fun, although more enjoyable would have been if the person they were after had preferred men and we could have had a laugh at Vaughn. And is it me, or have Jennifer Garner's lips got more pouty?

The machinations back at the CIA are interesting too, as the welcome return of Kendall leads to more power play between him and Jack, something that's been missing for the last few episodes. Jack is right when he says he belongs in the field, although it seems unlikely that sending Syd on an unauthorized mission would get him what he wants. I mean, yes, it's a demotion, but it's hardly a punishment if he wants it, is it?

Bradley Cooper is on top form as the lost and terrified Will, thoroughly set up so that there is nothing he can do or say to clear his name. That said, if he's certain he's been set up, how come he hasn't made the link with Francie yet? It seems ludicrous that he's actually asked her to pick him up at the end of the episode; this is an intelligent man and he should be able to find the connections. He knows illegal access was one reason he was accused, so surely he can explain that he was looking something up for Francie? Unless of course it's an elaborate bluff, as to clear his name he has to bring her in.

Most of the other characters, however briefly they appear, are also well used. Carl Lumbly gets an excellent scene with Will as the vicious and unforgiving Dixon, Sloane's sinister appearance is tantalizing in his offer to Jack, not to mention the terror of being held at the point of two guns that can't be seen, and even Sark and Derevko get some good moments, both together and apart, and in the case of the latter it still isn't clear whose game she's playing.

The problem lies in a reliance on too much convenience and contrivance. While Will's set-up and inability to prove himself does make him appear guilty, the CIA really doesn't seem to be looking at other options. Considering anyone could have been doubled, why does it not occur to them to examine the possibility of Francie being the replacement, especially after they discover evidence suggesting Will isn't a traitor. It's also necessary to overlook the fact that conveniently no one sees who Will is shooting at while in the bus, not to mention that he runs off when to prove himself he should just hand himself back over to the CIA. But most glaringly, Syd and Vaughn meet a man who worked on the DNA-altering project, yet he can't even give them one piece of info that would help them prove Will's innocence. Well, let's see: the real culprit is a woman, and a black woman no less. Did he not notice these useful distinguishing features? You can't just work on any old DNA; how could he have not noticed even the most obvious things about the person he was dealing with? If he's this useless an informant, why don't Syd and Vaughn find someone else? If he truly is the only one alive who can help, they've got big problems. It's a shame, as there are too many little niggling facts that you have to buy to make the episode work. And there are just too many to really gloss over them all, which is a shame.

***

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