I have always been a firm believer that the best stories out there take the time to develop every last one of their characters no matter how big or small of a role they just happen to play in the story. When it comes to Limitless, for the most part the show has worked to live by this rule, giving us a good look at what drives and motivates the vast majority of our heroes.

But not everyone on the show has received the same attention on the as Brian and Rebecca. Our...let's just call them villains for now since their intentions are not always noble; have remained within the shadows for a better part of this first season and considering that they are central to a bigger and more suspicious plot line I've been okay with it. But this week on the show a pleasant surprise came our way, we got up close and personal with Sands in the creative and engaging episode, "Sands, Agent of Morra".

Now the first thing I absolutely loved about this episode, was the fact that we basically learned every single thing we could about Sands, including his first name, Jarrod, and that well...perhaps he's not that bad a guy after all. I mean, I get he's done a lot of murdering over the years but it looks like nothing has come easy for this man. He's seen the life most of us enjoy ripped away from him time after time for a greater cause and he's simply accepted his fate and let's just face facts, Sands' story is really quite a tragedy. Especially when you consider the fact that he had a son and a wife and lost all of those things to someone else's agenda. By the end of this episode I really felt for the guy and the fact that he was able to save said son, but the poor kid would never know that his real father was the one keeping him safe was absolutely heartbreaking. 

The other thing that really made this episode great was the fact that everything tied together in perfect fashion since at first it seemed as though the kidnapping plot line was going to become another potential trap for Brian with the FBI looking for him to come in and save the day, and my favorite moment was when Brian and Sands sped off with the kid mere seconds before Rebecca and her team rolled up with the NYPD. Everything was simply perfect this go round. Plus the comedic relief was top notch as well, I found myself laughing pretty hard over the impromptu hookup between Ike and Brian's sister Rachel while Finch was out and about saving a life.  

But, when all is said and done, there's still plenty to be concerned about. Rebecca is still under surveillance and Brian now knows that Sands is the one who killed Rebecca's dad during the great NZT purge that Eddie Morra ordered a few years ago. Yet despite the ominous ending, I'm left wondering if this episode and all that happened within it is setting up something for later on down the road. After all we have learned now that Jarrod Sands is one loyal dude who is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done for those that can benefit him, and for those who stand by his side. So...does this mean at some point he will actually have Brian's back when he needs help the most, say during that final confrontation with Eddie Morra that we all know is brewing? Only time will tell...until next time.

The other day I was discussing Better Call Saul with a couple of folks that had never seen the show, simply because of the fact that they were interested in the series and wondering if it was worth their time and effort since let's be honest, there's a billion excellent shows to watch out there right now. Of course I recommended the series to them, how could one not? It's well written, well acted and enthralling to watch, but that conversation got me thinking, what is the real fascination when it comes to this show?

After all, on the surface it's a Breaking Bad prequel about a guy who loses his way and well...that's when it hit me. The simplicity of that story is exactly what I love because it feeds a burning curiosity in all of our minds, what is it that makes good people go bad? We often believe that it's a singular moment in someone's life, a turning point if you will, but this show is steadily showcasing that a turn to the dark side is a long and arduous process where the best parts of a person are chipped away and last night's episode, "Cobbler" demonstrated this as we discovered that respect, and a lack there of is one reason Jimmy became Saul Goodman.

In fact we are learning more and more that Chuck's stunning revelation about what he really thinks about Jimmy is having a greater effect on him than we ever expected. For proof we need not look further than Jimmy's interaction with Cliff over at Davis and Main. Despite stumbling on what could be some potentially helpful evidence in the Sandpiper case, Jimmy had zero confidence in talking with Cliff and it was strange to watch the normally confident Jimmy McGill speak in such a mousey manner and back out of the room in such a reserved fashion. But while that was a subtle example of what those damning words have done to Jimmy, the glaring evidence came about when Chuck dropped by a Sandpiper Update meeting at HH&M, and Jimmy fell to pieces with his brother in the room, and if it wasn't for Kim who knows if he would have been able to recover.

But while those baby steps toward Jimmy's future were fascinating, nothing beats the moment when a preview of Saul emerged at the end of the episode in what turned out to be one of the funniest moments I've seen in a long time and quite frankly, I don't think I'll ever look at pie the same way ever again and I'm pretty sure the show coined a new phrase for Urban Dictionary with the "Hoboken Squat Cobbler." But I digress, because despite all the laughs, this was an important scene, one where Jimmy compromised and risked everything he had earned this point, something Kim was quick to point out later in the day, ironically over pie, because...this potentially could have been the moment when Saul Goodman was born. I mean just look at how quick Jimmy was on his feet, and how amazing a job he did in getting Pryce off the hook...it was everything we have come to expect from our favorite future antihero. 

Every single second of this episode captivated me thanks to more fine performances from this stellar cast and because of the fact that this episode was in fact a detailed character study. We learned so much about Jimmy and how much being cast in a positive light drives him, I mean we watched the guy pout like a little kid caught stealing cookies when Kim scolded him, speaking large to the conflict brewing within Jimmy and at this point in the story, it looks like the only thing keeping him from becoming his infamous alter ego is Kim and one has to wonder how long she will put up with his rebellious ways, regardless of how much she loves him.  Either way, I really do get a funny feeling that this week's episode was designed to feel like it was full of fluff because it was setting the stage for something larger, exactly what I don't quite know just yet, but I am certain whatever is about to go down, will put Jimmy McGill past the point of no return. Until next time. 

When it comes to Limitless, Brian Finch has performed many heroic acts. Granted he's also pulled off some shady stuff too but that's just to keep the show interesting. Because deep down we know Brian is a good man caught up in the weirdest of situations. But despite all of the wonderful things he has done, Brian has never actually played the hero on the show.

Sure he's saved a lot of lives, put plenty of bad guys away, but for the most part he's always done it from afar, within the creature comforts and confines of the CJC, or surrounded by agents, rarely going into the field to truly make a difference outside of collecting evidence. But that all changed last night since Brian was finally able to get into the trenches and do some solid good for a change and "Undercover!" turned out to be one high quality episode because of it. 

Now I'm sure some folks are going to cite "Brian Finch's Black Op" as an episode that shows his abilities in the field, but I disagree, that was about survival and thinking fast. This particular episode was a full on FBI case and really the first time that Naz went along with everything and let him do his thing and well...with or without NZT, Brian was quite the hero last night. It was up to him and Undercover Agent Lucy Church to save a group of women from a life of sexual servitude...or death if deemed necessary and really, this noble quest brought out the best in Brian and featured some of his finest moments on the show to date.  

After all, there is something to be said about Brian getting the job done and finding the passports for all of the girls that have been brought stateside, but there's something incredibly special about his decision to go to the track and win a buttload of money so that each girl has thousands of dollars to start their life over again. I mean, if that's not heroic, I'm not sure what is and kudos to the show for being the first one to really address the issue of what happens to people once they've been saved by law enforcement in stories such as this. But of course Brian's big moment was in the final phase of the case after Lucy's cover had been blown with his wonderful speech on what was right and what was wrong, all done off of NZT. 

But the show wasn't all sunshine and rainbows this week. Despite that stellar storyline, we still had to deal with the fallout of last week's mess with the Evidence Clerk and well, it was quite the awesome twist to see Sands make Rebecca an offer to join up with the Morra security team. For a brief moment there I thought Sands was doing the right thing for once, recognizing talent and smarts when he saw it...then came that surprise with her apartment being bugged and the order to drop her like a bad habit at the first sign of trouble. It really was an ominous little treat, and I love the buildup this show is putting together for a showdown with Morra. Either way, this was a wonderful episode of the show. I really enjoyed watching Brian work in the field for a change and I love all the wonderful things he did for people in an episode that could have been extremely dark and heavy. This show always manages to surprise and it looks like next week will be no exception to that rule either since it looks like Sands is coming to Brian for help for a change...should be interesting. Until then. 

To me, Better Call Saul was one of the finest television shows to grace our screens in 2015. It was dark, gritty, fascinating, filled to the brim with a stellar cast and performances and most important of all...it was a great American tragedy. Sure we all know how this one ends, someday Jimmy McGill will become Saul Goodman, but to see the man he was before those gaudy suits is something special...and heartbreaking.

In fact, a shattered heart is where the season one finale left us, with Jimmy discovering that his brother Chuck, had done everything within his power to sabotage Jimmy's career because he simply believed that his little brother was incapable of ever being a good lawyer or a good person and well...I'm fairly certain we all thought that was the moment that Saul was born and in many ways he was, but last night's season two premiere, "Switch", showed us that a complete fall from grace takes more than a moment and quite frankly, this episode actually managed to be more heartbreaking than the season one finale.

I say that because this one picked up immediately where we left off, with Jimmy making the decision to no longer do the right thing and well, what came next was just plain ugly, thanks to its sense of realism. Instead of exacting revenge upon his brother, or going on some epic path of self destruction, Jimmy McGill simply walked away from it all, quitting his job and scamming a hotel so he could spend his days lying in the pool to get some sun and let the world that has done him wrong just pass him by. But it wasn't that particular part of his decision that was uncomfortable to watch, it was the pain on Jimmy's face when Kim came to make sure he was okay. You could see and feel the hurt this entire episode, which made his push to scam Ken the stockbroker all the more pathetic. Jimmy simply felt there was nothing left for him to do in this life but run cons, despite the fact that Kim and everyone else at Hamlin and McGill believed in him. 

That all led to the best part of the night, the fact that despite the fury within him, Jimmy still felt conflicted about his decision to walk away from the job opportunity of a lifetime. If Saul Goodman was born the moment Chuck told Jimmy he was never a lawyer and never going to be a lawyer, he clearly needed time to grow because there was a sense of satisfaction in watching Jimmy suck it up and head to Davis and Main to work on the Sandpiper case. But despite the awe and respect that Jimmy commanded when he walked through those doors, the darkness was still there, growing slowly and I always love it when a show gives us something subtle to work with and really...there was no moment more powerful than those final seconds in his office, where he felt the need to flip the switch that was labeled to never be turned off. Those are the formative moments for Saul Goodman, the baby steps if you will...he's in there, waiting for his moment to shine and it's only a matter of time before the right moment brings him out into the open.  

I have to say, what a wonderful way to kick off season two. In addition to the wonderfully engrossing storyline for Jimmy, we were treated to more of Mike and the idiot I.T. guy he works for, Daniel, and I say idiot because the decision to fire Mike as his bodyguard was disastrous since it led to Nacho robbing him blind and I have no doubt that this storyline will be central to season two. Because you don't spend that kind of time showing off Daniel's schemes without giving us some kind of payoff, in fact I'm betting he is going to become this season's version of the Kettlemans and perhaps help nurture the birth of Saul. Either way, it didn't take long to slip right back into the world of Jimmy McGill last night and this episode was so solid it was like we never left, only because the character remains fascinating and because we are all dying to be there for the moment when Jimmy crosses over to the darkside, despite the fact we don't want him to. Until next time.

The structure and design of television shows as a whole has always fascinated me. After all it has to be incredibly difficult to plan out 22 distinct episodes for a season and attempt to make them compelling and entertaining along the way, and I imagine such a feat only becomes ten times more difficult when a brand new show goes from a short season order to a full one, as was the case with Limitless.

I say that because Limitless is a complex series, one filled to the brim with fascinating conspiracies and storylines so it had to be extremely difficult for the men and women behind the scenes to put together a brand new episode for season one when it was clear that last week was designed to serve as a season finale. So how did they do with this week's brand new episode "Fundamentals of Naked Portraiture"? Well this particular entry in Brian Finch's tale wasn't the strongest in the series, but it worked well thanks to the fact it played out as a best of/refresher episode of the best parts of the series to date.

We had our wild and crazy case revolving around artificial intelligence and a shattered love affair, and while all of that was well and good and fun...it was quickly overshadowed by the first throwback of the night, Agent Johnson. If you recall this "gem" of a character, he was part of the power play to remove the CJC from Naz and was sent back to Washington, D.C. in disgrace thanks to an embarrassing text message about the size of his junk. Well he returned in creepy fashion by planting a mole in the department, the hilarious and eager Agent Spike who spent the hour kissing Brian's ass and spying on him along the way. The discovery of his true intentions came courtesy of Mike and Ike and well...it was super sweet to see these two men work together to protect Brian after all this time. 

But while that little shout out was entertaining, it paled in comparison to the plot line/conspiracy that continues to brew when it comes to Eddie Morra since Rebecca's tenacity and curiosity continues to drive her to find some answers and holy crap...Brian came close to being caught this go round since Rebecca made a fierce push to try and talk to the evidence locker clerk that was there the day Brian switched the coats. Brian was able to pull her off the trail time and time again, but when all was said and done she went to speak to the man on her own time...only to find out he died. The circumstances were of course ridiculously suspicious and all signs point to Morra and Sands taking the clerk out to preserve Eddie's big secret and at the same time continuing to reinforce that Eddie Morra has transformed from a writer who wanted to make the world a better place to outright monster. 

Either way, while this episode was entertaining and fun by giving us just enough of the Eddie Morra plot line and giving us a little throwback with Agent Johnson, I know I'm not alone is saying that I was left wanting just a little bit more from the plot. It really just gave us a taste of the ever evolving Eddie Morra plot that is quickly building to become the centerpiece of the show, and I just felt like it could have done a little bit more with it. After all, I think we all know that as the evidence begins to point to our favorite shady senator, Brian is going to have to make some tough choices, ones that will fundamentally change him, much like when Piper popped up, and the show is really at its best when it challenges Brian and everything he stands for. Hopefully this standalone episode is a good foundation point for the back half of season one and things get start coming together from here on out. Until next time.