Lazarus – Episode 06 – The Con Artists

Episode Synopsis:

The team discovers a connection in Skinner’s past – an MIT researcher who now leads a cult. Notably, the cult follows an AI god with a brain built (in part) by Skinner, so they plan to download its memory to get some insights. Elena reveals that she grew up in the cult, so she and Leland infiltrate. Despite partial success in obtaining the data, their plan is discovered and they are nearly burned at the stake before rescue can be effected. In the end, the cult self-destructs and the team gets away with a new possible lead.

Episode Review:

Many of the episodes in the show have been relatively self-contained, but this one stands above the rest as feeling particularly disconnected from the plot. It also feels just a touch too hare-brained even for our rag-tag team. To begin with, fifteen years ago Skinner collaborated with another scientist on an AI, and the team thinks that gaining access to its memory will somehow give them insight into Skinner’s current whereabouts? Far-fetched doesn’t begin to describe it. There is also the chance that Skinner is actually at the compound, but this too seems unlikely – they’re completely cut off from the Internet (which Skinner is using to make announcements) and the entire compound is already under FBI surveillance as a dangerous cult, making it unattractive as a hiding place.

For that matter, if anyone in the government suspects that raiding this place might yield a lead on Skinner, good news! The FBI already has the place surrounded, and the clock is ticking on humanity’s extinction, so send them in! Team Lazarus may not have the time to investigate every lead and this doesn’t seem like the kind of job that requires their diverse skillset. Let’s see some teamwork, NSA!

Then there’s the plan itself. For a network-isolated, possibly dangerous cult, we’ll send… a hacker and a child. It’s hard to even say if Elena’s connection to the cult is a plus or a minus, as her return is likely to (and does) stir suspicion. But don’t worry! If anything goes wrong, they’re armed with… a single flare.

Not something that can make a call or send an SOS, not even a flare gun, just a hand held flare. Meanwhile, the rest of the team is ready to rescue them… at the nearest hotel.

The whole thing feels ludicrous, and it seems like the story wants to end up where it does (Elena and Leland imprisoned by the cult with little hope of rescue unless they can convince Elena’s friend to throw the flare for them) so much that it damages suspension of disbelief.

Speaking of suspension of disbelief, that flare. This cult has been around for 15 years, its leaders in strong control… but one girl throws a single flare during an execution meant to show how in-control the cult is, and the cult leader panics and hits the ASCEND button.

How can a cult this fragile have even lasted this long? A backfiring car should caused them to burn the place to the ground a decade ago.

To be clear, this is still a pretty good episode – we learn a lot about Elena’s past and there’s tension for the safety of the team. Oh and also Axel gets to toss out a trying-to-be-badass one-liner to the remnants of the AI post-self-destruct (the AI can now inexplicably talk out loud and has engaged Axel in conversation).