Hazards

Pretender Episode Review

In which it only takes one psychiatrist to change a light bulb, but the light bulb has to want to change.

What Happened

Jarod parks himself at a bus stop and starts talking to a nice man named Dan Healy. Dan tells Jarod that family is the most important thing in the world, then walks out in front of the express, nearly winding up a smear on the pavement. Examining the man's briefcase, Jarod decides to figure out why.

A video inside shows that three employees at ECS, a hazardous materials clean-up company, died in an industrial accident. Dan was the guy who designed the seals that busted and sprayed chemicals all over, and he felt that the ultimate responsibility lay with him. Jarod proves otherwise and finds time to help Dan's angst-ridden son with his Issues.

Sydney is in a good mood, and we know that can't last long. In fact, it lasts a about thirty seconds until a strange man walks past him. After tearing through his files and finding a pencil sketch, Sydney loads up his gun and walks out. Miss Parker orders the Centre swept to find him and even brings Angelo in.

Broots identifies the guy in the sketch (which Angelo faxes off to Jarod) as Martin Zeller, an optometrist from Upstate New York. Oddly, he was just getting out of of the Tower elevator. Coming off of a Twinkie binge, Jarod recalls drawing the picture and calls Miss Parker, suggesting a way for her to find Sydney.

In a hotel room, Sydney has Zeller tied up, threatening to shoot him. Parker shows up and Sydney explains that he and his brother were test subjects for a Nazi doctor looking to accelerate the reproduction of the Master Race. In order to get his hands on the twins, Zeller had Sydney's family sent off to the gas chambers.

An unrepentant Zeller points out that he knows the kind of work Sydney does. Miss Parker reminds Sydney of the day her mother was buried. He made her feel safer than her own father, she says, asking for his gun. She puts a silencer on it and hands it back, telling him to shoot.

Sydney refuses.

What We Learned

• Twin-kies come two in a pack.
• Suicide is not just an action. It is a cry for help.
• Sydney is looking refreshed. New underpants will do that to you.
• Sydney had a date last night.
• New experiences keep his psychiatric skills sharp.
• Uncle Fester will never know Lurch was missing.
• It only takes one psychiatrist to change a light bulb, but the light bulb has to want to change.

Best Lines

Jarod: "Hey. What happens when you get to zero bottles of beer on the wall?"

What Did I Think?

It seems like Sydney kept Zeller tied up in that room for days before Miss Parker showed up.