In this episode, Ben leaps into a teenager, named Ben also. He leaps right in the middle of their escape from a boarding school. Parents put their troubled children into that boarding school for rehabilitation. As it turns out some of the teachers at the school abuse the children. In this episode we discover the kids' troubles and how they finally put in action a plan to shutdown the school for good.
I'm glad they are continuing the trend of focusing more on the leap story-line and less on the mystery story-line.
In my opinion, on the mystery side they are dragging the reason for Janice' involvement too long. But in this episode Ben does remember the reason he leapt. It's to save Addison. But this raises a bunch of questions. Why would Janice Calavichi want to be involved? What's her interest? There is of course more to the story, which we will probably find out in later episodes.
What I hope doesn't happen is they descend into a conspiracy theory about some apocalyptic event which Ben has to prevent. I think the more personal they keep the story, the better it will be. The strength of the original series was focusing on the characters and their struggles. It was about changing the small things, which at the end had bigger impacts on more lives than one.
And I still think Janice is really involved because she wants to finish her father's mission; bring Sam home.
And here is an interesting thought, what if Addison turns out to be Sam's daughter? Wouldn't that be an interesting twist. Maybe there is some force which wants to go back in time and stop Sam from ever leaping. And if he does Addison will never come to be. Maybe this is the reason Ben leaps. I gotta feeling I'm right about this one... close anyway.
As regards to the story telling in this episode, I have a couple of comments. My beef is still with Addison. She isn't really useful in the story. Why is she telling Ben how to make a splint? He doesn't know how to do it?
Fleshing Ben's background is necessary. Right now he feels too dependent on Addison. What can Ben really do? Is he just a genius physicist only? What life skills does he have? I mean Sam was a medical doctor. He knew several languages. He was a capable fighter. He sang. He was empathetic. We need to see Ben more "heroic". He needs to be way more capable than he is right now. He can be extraordinary, while being humble.
Another critique I have with the story telling in this episode, is we just really only see these kids on the road, escaping. Yes they talk about their troubles and their problems, but I have said this before. It's always more interesting to show the audience the struggle of the characters, than the characters just talking about them. The former is always more compelling.
Instead of an on the road episode, it would've been better if Ben, being disoriented after the leap, doesn't complete a specific task, which causes them to be recaptured.
Then the episode can take place inside the boarding school, and we see first hand how much they are mistreated. And then Ben realizing how he's the reason for these kids' suffering, tries to figure out a way to shutdown the school, while at the same time trying to help them survive the mistreatment. In the process he gets to know them better.
This approach would've made for a much more compelling watch, in my opinion.
Anywho, that's all I got. Over and Out.