S01.E02: Badge! Gun!

[thewhiteowl]

Brian risks his new FBI job when he disobeys orders to stay out of the investigation into a renowned journalist’s murder.

 

 

[janeta]

OK, so i didn't quite follow the connection between the bomber and the guy making the virus, but i'm still liking the dialogue and the quips.

[Free]

i'm still liking the dialogue and the quips.

 

I'm enjoying the dynamic between the leads so far.  I also liked the visuals as it helps to make the procedural more interesting than what it could've been.

 

OK, so i didn't quite follow the connection between the bomber and the guy making the virus

 

I think the bomber was the one being hired and the guy making the virus was the mastermind behind the attacks.

[janeta]

But why blow the guy up if he was going to die from the virus? Belt and suspenders maybe?

Edited September 30, 2015 by janeta

[Free]

But why blow the guy up if he was going to die from the virus? Belt and suspenders maybe?

 

That's just what I got out of it from the procedural aspect, it was kind of confusing for me.  I was just trying to figure some things out.

[Netfoot]

I enjoyed this week's episode more than last week's pilot.  I can't put my finger on it for certain, but it just seemed to be a better show. Brian seemed more collected and capable, even in his non-NZT moments, and threw in enough humour to make the episode fun without it becoming frivolous.  Agent Deb seemed slightly less Deb-like, and I'm glad she is showing some signs of developing the character as  a unique personality, rather than the Dexteresque character I was initially led to expect.

[j5cochran]

I also thought that this second episode was much better than the pilot -- though I always believe that pilots should be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. It is good to get the basic exposition out of the way.

 

The addition of more humor was a large portion of why I liked this.  And I think that showing Brian discussing the cases (and life in general) with himself is a clever way of getting inside his head without endless voiceovers or without turning one of the characters into the dumber-than-dirt-exposition-fairy.

[theschnauzers]

I've enjoyed both the pilot and this episode.

 

FWIW, I think the bomb maker's efforts were coincidential as the victim never made it to where the bluetooth device was set to detonate the victim's care. So while the bomb maker didn't kill this victim, he killed others, and Brian got credit for identifying him.

 

The second thread in this episode was the genetically coded virus. It was a coincidence that the victim went to the same coffeeshop, but the common genetic trait from Gengis Khan demonstrated the means and not the intended target. That's where the woman comes in who was having an affair with the actual intended target, the general. Between that and the intuitive bomb designs Brian reasoned out, the device led to the patent holder who was the CEO and had a reason to kill the general using a new supposedly undiscovered bioweapon (the genetically targeted virus).

 

So it is possible to keep it straight. Something I often find impossible to follow on Elementary.

 

But I find the cast, especially Jake endearing, the reminders that Bradley Cooper's character is watching -- now that the nurse taking care of Brian's dad is the same nurse providing the injection to Brian to prevent the NDZ side-effects, and the clever (but true way) Deb gave Brian to speak to his dad truthfully, are signs that this show is as well designed as the CW-DC Universe, and I do hope Greg Bertilani is keeping it up with Supergirl.

 

I am planning to either get a season pass on I-Tunes or pln to get the season dvds, it has made "my" list.

 

And yes, the producers did find a way to show Brian reasoning things out without voiceovers. Inventive and entertaining as well.

Edited September 30, 2015 by theschnauzers

[sjohnson]

They're keeping the question of whether Brian really wants to solve crimes, or do something else, in play. 

 

The only false note was that he wasn't looking up old girl friends to impress. 

 

In the long run, it is very difficult to write a character who is supposed to be an intellectual superman using the brain of normal human writers. Still, one hopes they give him a different perspective on justice and society than the police. 

 

The visuals are delightful and Jake McDorman is charming. And Brian recapping his lip reading of Hill Harper as "Brian=terrible," was really, really funny to me. I think I'm in.

[shapeshifter]

The lead is disarmingly charming, and his handler is strong without being obnoxious about it. Also, I appreciate that they aren't relying heavily on action scenes as filler.

I forget, who hired the bomb maker to off the journalist?

Edited October 2, 2015 by shapeshifter

[Free]

The addition of more humor was a large portion of why I liked this.  And I think that showing Brian discussing the cases (and life in general) with himself is a clever way of getting inside his head without endless voiceovers or without turning one of the characters into the dumber-than-dirt-exposition-fairy.

 

Definitely, I liked the humor and especially the visuals representing Brian on NZT, which was pretty creative.

[kili]

I forget, who was hired the bomb maker to off the journalist?

A guy at a construction firm who was using slave labour in Indonesia. He didn't want it exposed.

 

I liked that they had two mysteries to solve this week (who was trying to bomb the journalist and who created the virus that accidentally killed the journalist first) because it enabled Brian to solve two complex crimes that didn't at first look like crimes, so he could quickly prove himself and we could get him in the field.

 

I'm loving all the characters. Brian is charming and I like how he uses both his NZT smarts and his slacker smarts to solve crimes (getting the scientists to rat out their boss was total slacker smarts - so he's not becoming a completely new person, he is morphing). !Deb is a competent agent (recognizing there were no Porsche parts and figuring out how to get a picture of the guy spraying the coffee) who is listening to Brian. (So, they are willing to let Brian be smart, but not forcing everybody else to carry the Idiot ball). The actress playing the boss is always awesome and !Deb's old partner (Brian=Terrible) is doing a good job being skeptical. The family is great and the Dad is perfection.

 

The Senator has been on NZT for a while...Brian isn't going to find it as easy to escape from him as he did from his two FBI handlers. 

 

I hope they can keep this up. It's got an early Burn Notice vibe to me.

[Mecca]

So it is possible to keep it straight. Something I often find impossible to follow on Elementary.

 

Although they did use the same, "appeal to the disgruntled employees to get evidence" technique that Sherlock used in one of the episodes of Elementary.

 

Two things I hope is not a recurring aspect of this show:

 

1. Please do not constantly show footage of Bradley Cooper just to remind us that the big hollywood actor Bradley Cooper was in this show for 5 minutes in one episode.  I understand two episodes in that they need to remind us who he is as it is a big part of the main plot, but they were veering into overuse territory with the flashbacks.

 

2.  Ok, this one is sort of a nitpick, but do we really need to zoom in on Brian slowly putting the pill in his mouth...right.on.his.tongue everytime? 

 

I already decided I liked this show last week, but this episode was so much better overall and dare I say, funnier?  I laughed quite a few times during this episode.  The lead actor continues to be very likable without being the smug asshole that you would envision a highly intelligent person would be while on the drug.  Like when he was stuck in the room and figured out that the chip was hidden behind the bumper sticker on the car only to find out that they had already found it.  He went from being proud of himself for figuring it out, then a little disappointed Agent Deb already knew, to being eager to find more clues.  All without a hint of "I'm better than these people".

[Netfoot]

2.  Ok, this one is sort of a nitpick, but do we really need to zoom in on Brian slowly putting the pill in his mouth...right.on.his.tongue everytime?

 

Yes, I'm afraid we do.  And an X-ray of the pill slipping down his throat, as well.  I'm pretty sure that will be in every episode.  Same as how his face will light up with colour, when he suddenly smarts-up.

 

Something I liked:  The boss, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, ripping a strip off his ass, and meanwhile all he's hearing is "Yak, yak, yak!  Yaak, yak yak!" Hehe.  Been there!

 

What I didn't understand?  Why a simple set of 123 Blocks would become explosive.

[Primetimer]

The best moments are the ones when Brian gets to explore the effects of NZT without involving any kind of duty. Why couldn't they have built the whole show out of those?

Read the story

[iMonrey]

Wow, is it just me or was there a jarring shift in tone between this episode and the pilot? This one seemed more like a comedy while nothing in the pilot suggested they were going for a Chuck-like vibe that was in evidence in this episode. I think I like it better this way, although I'm going to find myself comparing it unfavorably to Chuck in all likelihood. Love Brian but I'm not crazy about Rebecca (she's no Sarah Walker, that's for sure). She just looks a little too . . . harsh, for lack of a better description.

[Xantar]

I think I like it better this way, although I'm going to find myself comparing it unfavorably to Chuck in all likelihood. Love Brian but I'm not crazy about Rebecca (she's no Sarah Walker, that's for sure). She just looks a little too . . . harsh, for lack of a better description.

I also find her a considerably harsher character than Sarah Walker, but I think that's only a problem if they decide to have her get romantically involved with Brian. Chuck and Sarah had chemistry from the beginning. Brian and Rebecca don't, at least not right now. And that's ok! I know that's the genre convention, but there's always a chance that the writers will buck the trend (Watson and Holmes have no romantic interest in each other on Elementary).

All in all, this show is yet another procedural with a quirky genius man partnered with a female law enforcement officer. I certainly think the premise of NZT has a lot more potential than just for crime solving. I was kind of curious about some of those conversations he had with people on the bus. We know from that scene with the corporate lady in the first episode that the writers are good enough to write interesting scenes that don't have to do with solving murders.

Poor Ron Rifkin and Blair Brown are kind of wasted in their roles now, aren't they?

Anyway, I'm still going to keep watching because the show has avoided a few pitfalls:

1. The lead is not a jerk. He delights in his powers, he gets a little cocky sometimes, and he chafes under the rules. But he is basically a decent guy who truly loves his family, and nobody hates him.

2. The FBI aren't idiots, as noted above. They make their own contributions.

3. There is a potential that the team could take on more than just a murder of the week (financial fraud? Identity theft? Disappearing WMDs?).

[Free]

Wow, is it just me or was there a jarring shift in tone between this episode and the pilot? This one seemed more like a comedy while nothing in the pilot suggested they were going for a Chuck-like vibe that was in evidence in this episode.

 

Sounds like changes made after the pilot, I've seen it happen with other shows as well.

[MissLucas]

This is shaping up to be my favorite among the new shows so far. I really liked the massive infusion of humor, which of course brings up the comparison with Chuck. Not a bad thing at all though I think they manage to keep a nice balance between goofy and dark. That last scene with whistling evil nurse broke my heart because Brian had been so happy about telling his Dad the truth. Rifkin and McDorman have really managed to establish the father-son bond as the strongest relationship on this show.

 

As noted above it's great that the FBI team (well except Ike and Mike) remains competent and capable. That's another plus and I do hope they keep it up. Brian is immensely charming and I really appreciate that they make sure we see him on and off NZT - both personalities are entertaining to watch. Especially when off NZT-Brian tries to catch up with on NZT-Brian. The scene in Rebecca's apartment where he tried to work through his prior 'enhanced' research was great.

[thuganomics85]

Definitely felt like this was a more humorous approach to this episode, compared to the pilot.  I think a lot of it was because last week, the health of Brian's dad was on the line, so that made Brian a bit more dour; not to mention being framed for murder is certainly not fun for anyone.  Here, he's was allowed to enjoy working on the case and the effects of NZT.  Either way, I think this works better for the show.

 

I do like that the NZT is making Brian smarter, but it really isn't changing his personality.  He doesn't seem smug about it or think he's better then everyone, but instead seems to be more giddy about his new abilities.  He's basically more "This is cool!" about it, which I think makes sense.  In comparison, from what I remembered about the film, Eddie/Bradley Cooper always had a bit of ego even before the NZT, so it makes sense that he seems to be more about the power compared to Brian. I think that's a good way to separate the characters, and will probably make their eventual reunion interesting.

 

Warming up to Rebecca and already no longer seeing her as another version of Deb.  So far, they are making her competent at her job, which is good, since that tends to be one of the biggest issues these type of shows tend to have (I mean, I shudder to think over how many deaths and destruction would have happened on The Blacklist, if Red wasn't there to pretty much hold the stupid FBI's hand and guide them to obvious answers.)

 

I still wonder what their plan is with Brian's parents, and the underuse of the actors.  At least Ron Rifkin is getting a few good moments, but it's frustrating watching Blair Brown being regulated to one to two lines and a whole bunch of reaction shots. 

[kaygeeret]

I also am beginning to really like this show.

 

Humor and good writing always work for me - - as well as a pretty charming lead and good cast.

 

Blindspot sounded intriguing, but the writing and acting are pretty sad - - Limitless is my new show fav so far.

[Netfoot]

I certainly think the premise of NZT has a lot more potential than just for crime solving. 

 

Hopefully, he will continue to evade Ike and Mike, and will perhaps solve some problems for other people along the way, separate from the FBI Case-of-the-Week.  In fact, if the writers can muster up the talent to script it, he could easily solve as many non-FBI, non-official, non-crime-related problems as official ones.

 

I think the comparison to Chuck is a little cruel.  Chuck was comedy only, with very little in the way of serious.  Brian does inject a modicum of humour, but without the program descending into comedic farce 99% of the time.  At least I hope it will be so!

[hnygrl]

Okay, him knowing that guy's personnel hated him? And getting ALL of them ALL. Of them to rat him out?

 

That. Was. Awesome. LOVED. It.

 

Okay. I kinda like it.

 

Oh shit. I'm stil watching...the NURSE. OH. SHIT. So much for confiding in dad, huh?And roll credits...

 

I'm in. It's both silly and serious at the same time. I like it. I also like it better when he's on his own, not with his baby sitters. It works best when he works alone, and I really like the talking-to-himself schtick because I do that all the time.

 

Not too crazy about the FBI lady. They made her kinda slow...I would rather he had Beckett (Castle, seasons 1-3) as a keeper instead of Slow FBI Lady.

 

I still think that the only way this is going to make it past two seasons is if he goes rogue. Like someone kills his dad.

[theschnauzers]

There's all sorts of plot potential going forward with his relationship with the Senator. The Senator wants Brian to be his eyes and ears on the ground; the FBI is a convenient way to provide the NZ and the injection to control the side effects, but something tells me we'll find out soon enough hoe Brian will be contacted by the Senator.

So that is sort of a POI-style plot device.

And Limitless was the top rated (live and live plus three days -- 13 million plus eyeballs -- new drama on any broadcast netowrk during premiere week. (That per a CBS press release. And the overnights were level with the first week, and the season premiere las year of POL, so it is off to a good start. (This, compares to this year's season premeires to date of broadcast nets generally showing a 15 - 20 % decline from last year.)

[AlliMo]

I started casually watching this just because my roommate had it on, and I'm actually finding it highly entertaining. Enough so that I put it on season pass, and I honestly have yet to see anything else new this season I liked enough for that. I'm finding the lead charming and it's clever without being TOO clever.

[shapeshifter]

And excellent choice of episode title! I am so tired of tired episode titles or cryptic ones.

[BooBear]

So far I am really liking this. The lead actor is great and I love not Deb. So far I think they have a brother sister type realationship and I love it. I like that the FBI agents are smart and capable (love that Brian brought her to the auto chop shop but she figured out all was not right)  and I love the humor.  I also think they got rid of the color when on NZT from the pilot which I didn't like.  I am not totally thrilled with the Senator's mild threat. That sort of ruins things for me becuase Brian is having so much fun, but maybe it is going someplace.

[DoubleUTeeEff]

I was hoping Brian would use his NZT Skillz to turn that stapler into a gun somehow.  Like a gun that shot staples or something.  Chekhov's stapler.  You can't show us a stapler in the first act and not use it!   I like how he was happy that they were hazing him.

 

The one thing I'd like to nitpick is how out of all the FBI agents who were on NZT, none of them came up with Eddie's solution to the bad side effects of NZT.  Is it because they weren't on it as long as Eddie, so he's smarter?  Or is he just smarter than the average FBI agent?  Or am I mistaken and the NZT trials the FBI ran were just on average folk and not on agents?  Either way, it seems like someone who took enough NZT to become that ravaged would also become smart enough to figure out a cure.  Also, how come it doesn't show up on the tests they do on Brian?

[sjohnson]

If I remember the movie correctly, Eddie managed to score enough NZT to survive until the scientist he put on NZT found a solution to the terminal side effects. 

 

Technically I suppose NZT isn't supposed to be magic, and it doesn't have to be treated like magic. For example Brian just doesn't know enough genetics and biochemistry to replicate the killer virus and devise a cure...but a geneticist on NZT might well whip it up. Just as the personality doesn't quite change, but sort of sharpens, "focuses" I guess you'd have to say, The more consistent the show is on this point, the better grounded it will feel, by not abusing our willing suspension of disbelief. 

 

On the subject of the limitless powers, the notion that people are always eager to hear some talk intelligently is nearly as far fetched as the notion of NZT. And the scenes where Brian is counseling are the least believable, because people resist opening up. They've even been known to be less than forthcoming with therapists, people they've paid for counsel! In the long run, people on NZT are as limitless as the human intellect has so far proven to be. There are no barriers in principle, merely practical ones like background or time invested. The thing is, these are really quite enough. 

Edited October 1, 2015 by sjohnson

[Netfoot]

They've even been known to be less than forthcoming with therapists, people they've paid for counsel! 

 

But presumably someone who is a really good therapist, or someone who is very empathetic, would be able to get them to open up.  Someone, like, say, a guy on NZT...

[Big Mother]

Wow. That twist at the end of this episode is what makes the plot so intriguing. He's stuck between a rock and a hard place. He's lying to his father, he's lying to his FBI handler, and now he can't tell his father anything, because... the nurse is there, and she overtly threatened to harm his father if he tells him anything. Yikes!

 

I think when he was googling Eddie's name, he was trying to find out when he needs his next shot, no? But then why would there be a momentary blackout every time he googled his name?

[arc]

Definitely, I liked the humor and especially the visuals representing Brian on NZT, which was pretty creative.

Yeah, I'm on board so far for the inventive direction of the NZT brain at work.

 

I think when he was googling Eddie's name, he was trying to find out when he needs his next shot, no? But then why would there be a momentary blackout every time he googled his name?

Welllllll... I'm gonna have to head-canon that as Eddie Morra sending him a not-too-subtle signal not to google Eddie, by targeting only the computers Brian uses.  If this was a reproducible effect for anyone who googles NZT + Morra's name, it'd be way more suspicious than just returning "no results found"... which would be the much smarter move for anyone trying to stay undetected.

 

If I remember the movie correctly, Eddie managed to score enough NZT to survive until the scientist he put on NZT found a solution to the terminal side effects.

Yeah, that was a great thing in the movie: "NZT is great but it will eventually kill me... good thing I'm now smart enough (or can hire a scientist to turbocharge with NZT?) to make a version of NZT that won't kill me."

 

...so why doesn't the FBI on this show do that too?  Oh, it's a gamble that top scientists boosted by the world's greatest smart drug won't be able to figure out the trick before they die from bad NZT?  Shoot, you could probably still get scientists to sign up for that gamble, because a good fraction of them would want to be smarter.

 

Also, as much as I do like the visuals at work... he really didn't need to build models, he coulda just stayed at the office and sketched them on paper.  And he didn't need to bust out a second time to talk to doctors, he could have called them.  In fact, that would be more efficient because it would cut out all the walking-around-Manhattan time.

[sjohnson]

My judgment of the FBI is that they would rather shut down the project than recruit someone for the NZT project they wouldn't be willing to recruit for the FBI. That is, that their choice would be someone who thinks like them. I don't think they would have too many research scientists even to consider, given those limits. I'm hoping the show goes for the inherent drama of clashing viewpoints between the FBI and Brian Finch. I'm not sure that the show's FBI doesn't plan to make drug charges against Brian if he disturbs them with wayward thinking by their standards. 

 

Most of us understand physical models better than sketches. 

 

The only advantage to not phoning I can think of is that it's much easier to read people in person, and they can't hang up on you if you're standing there.

Edited October 2, 2015 by sjohnson

[Netfoot]

I'm not sure that the show's FBI doesn't plan to make drug charges against Brian if he disturbs them with wayward thinking by their standards. 

 

They can't bring charges against him for taking NZT unless it's listed in one of the schedules of the Controlled Substances Act.  And I get the distinct impression that the authorities don't want even the very existence of NZT to become public knowledge.  If it's existence were generally known, it would become the most sought-after drug in history, overnight.

 

I'm trying to think of any other indiscretions he might be guilty of that the FBI could possibly use to blackmail him into obedience/compliance.

[DoubleUTeeEff]

For example Brian just doesn't know enough genetics and biochemistry to replicate the killer virus and devise a cure...but a geneticist on NZT might well whip it up. Just as the personality doesn't quite change, but sort of sharpens, "focuses" I guess you'd have to say, The more consistent the show is on this point, the better grounded it will feel, by not abusing our willing suspension of disbelief.

 

I don't know.  NZT!Brian spent a night with medical textbooks to figure out what was wrong with his Dad, something a team of doctors couldn't do with years of experience.  I don't think they showed that regular Brian had an aptitude for medicine before that.  He also figured out the Genghis Khan gene/virus connection. That shows me that if you are motivated and you have access to information, you can figure out a lot on NZT even with no prior knowledge.  Which is why it annoys me that only Eddie and his doctors have the "cure."  You would be hella motivated if you were dying on NZT.  But whatever, I hope they are more consistent with other plot points.

 

Another inconsistency was that Agent Deb figured out that the woman in the cafe taking the picture was a regular but she acted all surprised that the woman who picked up the virus coffee was also a regular!  But she's not on NZT so I guess she gets a pass.

 

If this was a reproducible effect for anyone who googles NZT + Morra's name, it'd be way more suspicious than just returning "no results found"... which would be the much smarter move for anyone trying to stay undetected.

 

I know, right?  Plus, I'm not sure why the lights cut out as well as the computer shutting down.  Those are two different series of tubes people.

[arc]

Most of us understand physical models better than sketches.

I guess, but part of the evidence Brian found on Taurus was the patent for the Y-shaped thing, which was a diagram that time.

Also also, seems like the FBI investigators should have had a car expert on hand to help separate the known car parts from the everything else.

[sjohnson]

Brian's diagnosis for his dad hinged on his knowledge of the family, noting similar symptoms in relatives. 

 

The Genghis Khan thing is very well known in science popularization for those who are interested in such things. But connecting it with real people strikes as a good example of lateral thinking. 

 

But there is no doubt the show is not going to consistently portray supersmart thinking, not being supersmart themselves. As long as they fight making everybody else idiots...

 

I'm guessing that possession of NZT is already deemed a national security violation, being classified material. I'm sure he'd never be charged for taking NZT the FBI gave him, but the NZT he took before still counts. I don't know why I called that "drug charges," except I'm definitely not on NZT myself. Sorry.

Edited October 2, 2015 by sjohnson

[Snarkette]

Another really fun ep. I thought it was an improvement on the pilot and I hope they can keep up the fish-out-water tension for a while.

 

That said, this seems like the kind of show that would be better with a shorter season. Is this due for 22 eps?

[twoods]

I really like this show. It's nice to see Jake back on my screen after how awesome he was on Greek. Jake isn't an arrogant douche, which is very refreshing. I also like how the FBI is competent, especially Rebecca. I hope they don't dumb her down and I like her relationship with Brian. Hope this mix of humor and casework stays.

[Free]

That said, this seems like the kind of show that would be better with a shorter season. Is this due for 22 eps?

 

I think it has to get a back order first, which it seems like it might.

[Clanstarling]

I've enjoyed both the pilot and this episode.

 

FWIW, I think the bomb maker's efforts were coincidential as the victim never made it to where the bluetooth device was set to detonate the victim's care. So while the bomb maker didn't kill this victim, he killed others, and Brian got credit for identifying him.

 

The second thread in this episode was the genetically coded virus. It was a coincidence that the victim went to the same coffeeshop, but the common genetic trait from Gengis Khan demonstrated the means and not the intended target. That's where the woman comes in who was having an affair with the actual intended target, the general. Between that and the intuitive bomb designs Brian reasoned out, the device led to the patent holder who was the CEO and had a reason to kill the general using a new supposedly undiscovered bioweapon (the genetically targeted virus).

 

So it is possible to keep it straight. Something I often find impossible to follow on Elementary.

The coffee shop bit reminded me of a similar method of poison delivery in Elementary.

 

I enjoyed this episode more than the pilot - possibly due to the added humor.

 

I wanted him to do a more savvy and back-door Google search the next time he searched. It would have been interesting to see if more complex and subtle searches would trigger the same response. There are many entry points to information, particularly on the internet.

Edited October 4, 2015 by clanstarling

[tomatoflyer]

I think it has to get a back order first, which it seems like it might.

 

Correct. CBS really doesn't do the short season thing for fall shows much because they are a syndication farm first and foremost. This show has done fairly well in the ratings so it's almost guaranteed a back nine at this point. Procedurals especially can stretch out for the full season. 

[Clanstarling]

Did anyone else notice the picture of the Ebola virus on the wall he had covered with his research about the Genghis Khan gene? That did take me out for a moment, as the only thing it had in common with anything is that it was a virus - but the "flu" they mentioned certainly had nothing to do with Ebola.

[shapeshifter]

I wanted him to do a more savvy and back-door Google search the next time he searched [NZT and Morra]. It would have been interesting to see if more complex and subtle searches would trigger the same response. There are many entry points to information, particularly on the internet.

Yes, like maybe he would be able to see the search results screen for just a fraction of a second before the computer rebooted.

I'm gonna have to head-canon that as Eddie Morra sending him a not-too-subtle signal not to google Eddie, by targeting only the computers Brian uses. If this was a reproducible effect for anyone who googles NZT + Morra's name, it'd be way more suspicious than just returning "no results found"... which would be the much smarter move for anyone trying to stay undetected.

Yes. So I guess they will have to target computers in coffee shops where Brian goes too--which isn't too big of a stretch since they probably put a tracker in him. But then maybe Brian hangs out outside a university computer lab and profiles the best person to give a $20 bill and a hand written note which reads: "Google NZT and Morra then print the first pages of the first 3 results and put them under [well-known] rock, and come back 24 hours later to get $100."

If the writers aren't thinking about stuff like this, they will either have to go totally campy or inject lots of humor to avoid annoying the savvy segment of the audience.

Edited October 4, 2015 by shapeshifter

[benteen]

I really liked this episode, even more than the pilot.  I think I'm in.

 

Brian's abilities and the fun way he utilizes them sets this apart from the usual procedural.  The Genghis Khan thing was an off-beat idea.  Speaking of which, absolutely loved the way Brian took down the CEO.

 

Glad to see Ron Rifkin's continued use and hoping that since the Senator is keeping an eye on him, we'll eventually get an Alias reunion between him and Bradley Cooper.  I like how dangerous the relationship between Brian and the Senator seems.  Rebecca's suggestion on how to tell his Dad was a clever one though that's obviously not going to happen anytime soon.  I wonder just what he ended up telling him.

 

Agreed we don't need flashbacks to Cooper's scenes every five minutes in future episodes.

[arc]

If the writers aren't thinking about stuff like this, they will either have to go totally campy or inject lots of humor to avoid annoying the savvy segment of the audience.

Thing is, there is real-world censorship along these lines: for example, the Chinese government heavily censors any talk about the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Square incident, such that activists now call it "May 35" or other euphemisms to defeat automatic search term flagging.  So like clanstarling said, there should be better ways for Jake to see it.

Yes, like maybe he would be able to see the search results screen for just a fraction of a second before the computer rebooted.

By the show's internal rules, that should be enough for an NZT user to understand and recall.

 

I'm gonna start a catchall nitpick thread tomorrow if no one else wants to. =)