Countdown to Thirteen: The Assets: Episode 6 – “A Small Useless Truth” (2014)

Big goings-on in this episode.  It’s pivotal for both Sandy and the mole, and it seems apparent that it’ll be full steam ahead for final two episodes – it’s only a matter of time before the major paths cross (a bit of spoilerish-ness.)

The investigation into the mole has suffered a major setback, and Sandy is hit even harder by another threat to one of her assets.  It has her questioning a lot of things and wondering whether it’s worth it to keep fighting (since she’s the main character and there’s still two episodes left, you can probably imagine what she decides on that front.)  The mole also faces a reckoning, with a major hurdle coming their way that could expose them.

As usual, the scenes that follow the mole themselves don’t interest me as much as the rest of what’s going on, although there is other stuff happening in their plot to make it worthwhile.  And look – I know that the way a show portrays a traitor/double agent always tips its hand a little once it reveals to the audience who the traitor is, but the mole is so blame twitchy, I don’t get how the entire building doesn’t immediately realize it’s them.  Yeesh.

But then we have Sandy, who rocks.  Only a little bit of her and Jean this week, but I like what we get.  The two women recognize how different they are but appreciate that about each other, knowing they’ll need both their strengths to see this thing through.  Most of the episode, though, Sandy is on her own dealing with some heavy stuff.  A long stretch of this plotline very effectively intercuts between Sandy listening to a tape of an interrogation and the interrogation itself.  In my opinion, it’s a strong piece of storytelling, really well-done.  On both sides of the story, the emotion is deservedly earned.

Jodie Whittaker has a chance to display some really fine acting here, fairly subtle but heartfelt.  As she listens to the tape, she only hears the scenes that we the audience are witnessing through the intercut, but you can watch the story playing out on her face.  I also really love a scene where she’s reeling with what’s happening at the agency but is desperately trying to hold it together in front of her family.  Great, great work there.