The fallout of the lockdown casts suspicions around the OI. Howard and Emily Prime find clues about the history of Management. Clare questions her allegiances.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of Starz's Counterpart.
"No Strings Attached" was written by Maegan Houang and directed by Hanelle M. Culpepper
The previous episode was very illuminating when it came to the creation of the Crossing and the people behind Management. It put things into context as to why all of this is happening in the first place. And now, the show is catching up with the other characters who are dealing with the brunt of those consequences. Howard and Emily Prime are surveying the damage from the attack on Echo. All they have are guesses as to why Mira needed to break out Yanek. However, they are correct to guess that they are father and daughter while the scientists in the picture are the faces of Management. As such, they suspect that all of this may simply be nothing more than some family squabbling by the people in charge who have been in those roles for too long and have been deciding on the fates of too many people. Yanek always said that the two worlds were destined to fight until one was killed. And now, all of this may just be the war taking place between four people and their respective counterparts. That's so sad and tragic because people are still getting hurt despite the two sides of Management agreeing to meet in person for the first time in decades. Mira has a plan to lock down the Crossing for good to ensure that no one can ever travel between the two worlds again. That may be the best solution. However, many people are faltering in their beliefs simply because they don't know the full scope of their missions. Howard is done being a pawn in the games of others. He just wants to go back home to his wife. He continues to survive a number of deadly shootouts. But there are consequences to his bold tactics as well. He gets shot while Shaw is forced to kill Yorke in order to survive. Of course, Emily Prime and Howard don't wait around for Shaw. They no longer see him as an ally. He's just a man perpetually forced into awkward positions without any choice. He was set to work for Prime Management because he slipped up in the Alpha world. He told his wife the truth about the Crossing which led to her being killed. This was the only way he could continue to live without being a prisoner of his world. Management expects loyalty from him but he still supports Emily Prime in the end. She doesn't trust him though which is bound to be devastating to him. Meanwhile, Naya is quickly able to deduce that Quayle and Howard aren't being completely forthcoming in this investigation. The office believes that they have finally killed the true Shadow. Quayle's assistant was the real mastermind behind this plan. That's still not the truth though. It's enough for everyone to see Quayle as a liability. Naya doesn't believe he should be involved in top-secret meetings. She is right too. Quayle understands that and immediately does something about it. He no longer wishes to be a puppet who keeps having to witness some brutal events. He has survived everything the Prime side has done to the Alpha world. And now, he's done with it. He's very fortunate that Clare is having her own doubts right now as well. She is shaken by the information that Mira killed her parents just to recruit her into the Indigo program. She isn't comforted by the sight that all of her former friends from the school comprise her new cell that is plotting out the next attack. Instead, she is willing to go back to that place with her new family. Sure, the school is very different on the Alpha side. However, it's still a comforting sight for her. It just means everyone is left confused by a suddenly empty apartment and the trained agents outside being knocked out. That will only intensify this war even more. But again, what is the purpose behind it all if the Crossing will close as a result of the meeting amongst Management? Will the war actually end then? Or will it just leave things even more destructive as there is no end game for any of the agents operating in this world?
