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"Slick"
Season 1 | Episode 2 | 175451
Original Air Date: October 16, 2002
First-Run Ratings: 4.7/7
Written by: Laeta Kalogridis & Melissa Rosenberg, Directed by: Michael Katelman
The crime: Slick, otherwise known as Silas Waters, was caught by Reese and two other cops trying to steal an armored truck carrying military ordnance - munitions that would catch $30 million on the black market. He tries to bribe them but they won't take the bait. When they leave him alone, cuffed to a steampipe, he liquifies and goes down the drain. A metahuman, Slick can go from water to solid whenever he chooses. He next appears in Harley Quinn's shower and she berates him for screwing up. He promises to fix his mistake.
What's up with Oracle: She's trying to register Dinah for school but the teen is being evasive about her records and her past. Wade asks her out again and she promises not to run off this time. Through her Delphi network she discovers a policeman was murdered and it looks like he drowned on dry land. She goes out on her date with Wade and he treats her to a romantic dinner in the park, complete with wine, candles and strings of white lights. Too bad she gets an urgent page about another murder and has to run out again.
What's up with Huntress: She has completed the last of her court-ordered
therapy, but Dr. Quinzel invites her to come back if she wishes to continue.
She's suspicious of Dinah's past and worries that whatever the newest
member of their team is hiding, it can't be good. After a second cop is
murdered they figure out that the killings are tied to the three officers
who arrested Slick. Huntress goes to protect Reese, who's very unhappy
about it. Slick appears out of the pool and tries to drown Huntress by
suffocating him with his liquid self. She manages to turn him solid by
using a fire extinguisher. Huntress and Jake hide in a sauna (since it'll
melt Slick) while they figure out to do - and figure out each other.What's up with Dinah: She tells Barbara and Helena that all records burned in a fire, but it sounds like a lie even to her. She continually pisses Helena off and can't figure out how to make things right. When Barbara goes off on her date Dinah visits Helena at the bar to try and patch things up. Helena says she doesn't trust her, that trust has to be earned. When she overhears Oracle telling Huntress the location of Slick and the truck, she slips out of the Clock Tower, keys in hand, to join the fight.
What's up with Jake: He's upset about his fellow cops getting killed, seeing a man turn from liquid to solid and back again and Huntress' unwillingness to tell him who she is. He helps Huntress take down the bad guys, but isn't sure if he can take the leap of faith and trust the amazing woman who keeps crashing into his life.
How it all ended: Oracle figures out that the cops are being killed so they won't be on the detail when there's another attempt on an armored truck. She sends Huntress and Reese to the truck's location. They fight off the goons, but just as Huntress is trapped between a flamethrower and a gun, Reese is enveloped in Slick's liquid chokehold. Dinah steps in and clobbers the guy with the gun, allowing Huntress to use the flamethrower on Slick, killing him. Helena tells Dinah she was wrong about trust, that Dinah was there for her and she trusts her. Dinah admits her real last name is Redmond. She ran away from the foster home her mother dumped her at the age of six because her foster parents wanted to take her to a place that might remove her powers. Barbara says she's still grounded. Barbara makes a candlelit meal to apologize to Wade and he accepts. Helena returns to therapy and begins to tell Dr. Quinzel about Reese and her attraction to him. [Back to top.]
Guest Stars:
Shawn Christian ...Wade Brixton
Silas Weir Mitchell ...Slick
Brian Tahash ...Det. Kelly
Brent Sexton ...Det. McNally
Phil Abrams ...Coroner
Ratings for 10/16/02 - 4.7/7, Position 4 of 6, 85 out of 130 Shows (tie).
Ratings for 01/01/03 - 2.1/3, Position 6 of 6.
Review:
The second episode felt much like the first, in my opinion. What about your opinion?
Dina Meyer as Oracle/Barbara Gordon.
Ashley Scott as Huntress/Helena Kyle.
Rachel Skarsten as Dinah Lance
Shemar Moore as Detective Reese
Ian Abercrombie as Alfred Pennyworth
Mia Sara as Harley Quinn
Written by Laeta Kalogridis and Melissa Rosenberg.
Directed by Michael Katleman.
Original Airdate
Slick originally aired on Wednesday, October 16, 2002.
Synopsis
The ladies try to prevent the murders of police officers protecting shipments of weapons.
High Point
The combat with both action heroes. That was well directed, and very well paced.
Low Point
Maybe I'm just not familiar enough with the comic book Alfred, but giving him dialogue with the phrase "piss them off" just seemed wrong.
Other Comments
Gee, do you think they're hoping to appeal to horny teenage males? The lengthy shots of the showering Harley Quinn were gratuitous, especially since there was no sense of any real danger to her, and his appearance was so predictable. Similar comments can be made about the sauna scene. I like looking at these women as much as the next guy, but they could at least try to work that stuff in without messing with the episode pacing.
Also, I hope that's not the regular theme song. I can't say that I liked it, or even that I think it suits the rest of the show.
The Review
This was not a particularly original episode. The villain was a lot like Hydroman (of Marvel comics; I'm not a DC buff, but they've probably got someone similar over there.) The relationship developments were predictable, not because we know the characters, but because that's the way these character types always seem to relate. I give it 3 out of 6.
The effects were decent. The water looked like water, but it looked like it was constantly flowing into a person's face, even though the size of the water body never actually changed. The motion of the batarang was excellent, as was the wire fighting. I also have to give them credit for the decent blending of real shots and the CGI cityscape. I give the effects 4 out of 6.
The story was fairly well done. The character development was nice, although the changes in the character interactions should have been spread over a few more weeks. This seemed too sudden. The intentions of the villain were well handled, too. I give the story 4 out of 6.
The acting was good but not great. These actors and actresses haven't quite settled into their roles yet, but they're coming along. The guest star was believable in his character's only dimension. I give the acting 4 out of 6.
The emotional response this produced wasn't particularly impressive. I don't know the heroes well enough to really care for them yet, and I never thought that Harley Quinn was in danger for a moment. (They've obviously got plans for her, so they wouldn't bump her off with a freak of the week in the second week.) There were moments of laughter, and stirrings of other responses (see "Other comments",) but there was nothing here that really got me enthralled. I give it 3 out of 6.
The production, apart from the opening theme music, was of very high quality. Tight pacing (apart from the scenes already mentioned,) well chosen camera angles, and well chosen mid-episode music helped hold the show together. I give it 5 out of 6.
Overall, it was an entertaining second episode that helped justify keeping the team together, even if that aspect did feel forced. I enjoyed it, but probably wouldn't watch it as a rerun. I give it 4 out of 6.
In total, Slick receives 27 out of 42.
by fiziko October 17, 2002 [Bureau 42]
| Season One: | Pilot | Slick | Prey for the Hunter | Three Birds and a Baby | Sins of the Mother | Primal Scream |
| Split | Lady Shiva | Nature of the Beast | Gladiatrix | Reunion | Feat of Clay | Devil's Eyes |