When Talmadge is kidnapped while on holiday, Frank must reach him in time to stop him taking a suicide pill. However, getting involved with a drive-by shooting on the way means Parker gets there just too late. Must he choose or can he keep trying until he gets things right?
This week, film buffs, Seven Days takes on arty German film Run Lola Run in which a girl tries various different ways to reach her boyfriend with money to avoid his death. Using many of the same narrative devices and ideas, this Seven Days episode is one of the most stylish to date, with lots of quirky shooting and a one-to-one dialogue between Frank and himself. Not only that, but it ends on a surreal note that makes you wonder if the whole series has been a dream so far.
Although I find it hard to believe that all Backstep staff are given suicide pills and also the fact that the autopsy doctors manage to pinpoint Talmadge's death almost to the minute, this is an engaging 45 minutes of television which, despite being essentially the same thing three times over, manages to throw in a new surprise or problem each time. Particularly satisfying is Frank's last attempt when he throws away a woman's mobile phone who'd hit his car earlier.
It's similar in places to season one's Groundhog Day-esque Come Again?, bit it's stylistically different enough not to invite unfair comparisons. Plus, it's a fast-aced and fun action-adventure story, the kind of thing this show does pretty well when it puts its mind to it.
****
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