Friday, January 17, 2014

'Almost Human' GifTweetCap: How to Catch a Tracking Bullet

"You Are Here" was a bit out of place, since it was originally supposed to be the second episode in the "Almost Human" series, but was aired as the eighth. That's OK, because it was still one of the best episodes. It was nice to see some of the first days of Kennex/Dorian snark. That is one thing about this show that will never get old.

Near the beginning of the episode, Kennex is in an anger management seminar. The first guy we hear from seems to be hatin' on everything in the group, including their therapist. But Kennex insists that he is doing fine. The therapist insists that he is not telling the truth, what with his girlfriend having been part of the criminal organization that blew off his leg and had his entire team killed. Instead, he projects it all on a poor guy named Marty... because he would definitely want to off himself if he were that poor sap. And then he asks "Anal"... er, "Aneel" how he's doing. Kennex really knows how to lay on the insults to pull the focus away from himself.
The episode opens with a man running for his life, attempting to find a place to hide. He just misses a subway train, and that's when the cops stop him. He frantically tries to explain that his life is in danger, but it's too late; a bullet enters through the glass in the top of the building, and makes its way to the man, killing him.
Kennex and Dorian arrive, showing off some cool tech, highlighted a little better than it had been in previous episodes. The first is the nifty transparent paper that acts as a tablet computer. The next is the virtual crime scene tape that checks the identities of the people who enter through it to ensure they are allowed.
Det. Richard Paul's MX comes up with a highly improbable theory for what went down, suggesting that a single bullet ricocheted to its destination, and just coincidentally hit a man walking by at that moment. Dorian disagrees, explaining that that is no residue from any object from which the bullet could have ricocheted. The MX then suggests that Dorian is an inferior DRN, and should be replaced, causing Kennex to cover the MX's mouth so he can hear the rest of Dorian's theory.
When Kennex removes his hand, the MX just won't shut up in his unemotional beratement of Dorian. Of course, that leaves Kennex with only one option:
Maldonado is pissed beyond belief that Kennex has wasted so much of the department's money, along with firing his weapon in a public place. He insists, however, that the MXs are inferior "bullet catchers," deserving of the same fate as a "broken toaster." Paul is, of course, pissed that Kennex destroyed his MX, and threatens to do the same to Dorian. A short cat fight ensues.
Rudy confirms that Dorian was correct. The single bullet did not ricochet, but had its own power source and tracker, allowing it to find a specific target. The shooting was not due to coincidence and ricochets.
Kira, the girlfriend of Anton, the guy who was shot, doesn't know anything other than the fact that Anton had been distracted. She also has a phone message from him, which she displays for Kennex right on the palm of her hand.
Dorian notices some ads targeted directly to him in the building where Anton and Kira worked together. After a little research (in his own brain), he learns that the ad tracking software created by Anton is the same technology used in the bullet, and the bullet design was stolen by a group known as Revolution Now. Meanwhile, an arms-dealing woman who has the tracking software to match with the special bullet, sets up a new tracking bullet for some customers. She's going to prove that it works by killing Kira!
The arms dealer fires the weapon, but Dorian can sense it coming. He moves Kennex out of the way and takes the bullet!
Dorian's injury leads to a round of hilariousness, in which he is only able to speak Korean until Rudy patches him up. He even sings a little ditty in Korean... until Kennex threatens to shoot Dorian in the face unless Rudy turns off the noise.
Kennex brings Kira and her daughter to safety, but she's under the delusion that she can go to a "Scrubber" to have her memories of Anton erased, and the bad guys will simply let her go free.
She escapes from her safe haven, and heads right to the Scrubber's for some brain-erasin'. Kennex shows up to stop her, but she pushes him away. This must be the first woman in 2048 history who can withstand the Kennex charm.
The arms dealer doesn't care about Kira's memories. She just wants to prove her tracking software, and she doesn't want to waste time or mess around. That won't be happening with our dynamic duo, however. Dorian becomes a "bullet catcher," and takes out the arms dealer while Kennex takes out one of her customers.
Kennex and Dorian had found a safe deposit box belonging to Anton, which contained a blackmail video. The arms dealer was going to kill Kira if he had not given her the tracking software for the bullet. They also found a number on a torn piece of paper. It was Anton's phone number, written with an antiquated pen, and given to Kira. Kira had ripped up the paper, but he kept it as a memento until he won her over. Kira gives the sentimental pen to Kennex.
Earlier, Kennex had been awkward on the phone with Stahl when she said she had something for him. He thought it was a gift, but it was actually information about the case. To make up for it, Stahl later gives Kennex an actual gift: an energy chew. In return, Kennex gives her a note, written in pen. What was written on the note is a mystery we may never learn.

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