V Season 1 Episode 2: There Is No Normal Anymore

Last week, the series debut of V, a redux of the ’80s sci-fi franchise pulled the second highest debut of the season with a 5.2 Nielsen rating and 14 million viewers.  It scored big in the all-important 18-49 demographic and covered a lot of ground in its one-hour opener.  Although the pace slowed considerably for the second episode of the series, V hasn’t entirely shot its wad right out of the gate.  While this episode wasn’t nearly as action or info-packed as the expository first ep, this week’s serving of the Visitors started laying the ground for action to come this season.  Not a bad second episode, even if there are some characters/plot points that are starting to look a tad predictable.

Erica Evans is in the thick of the action, facing down V’s on the work front with the disappearance/possible death of her partner, Dale Maddox; on the home front with her son Tyler who has developed a fascination for the V’s; and in her spare time tracking the Visitors with a list of contacts she pilfered.  Interrogated about the disappearance of Dale, Erica is faced with some rather curious department heads who put her on the track of getting to the bottom of it.  Having explained that there was no monkey business between the two of them and that Dale was more like a brother to her, she takes the show on the road and questions Dale’s wife about any activity on his part that seemed suspicious… Particularly since the arrival of the V’s.  Mrs. Maddox is rather tight lipped, alluding that Dale had always been insistent upon keeping his work life separate from his private life.  However, she manages kick out some grudging praise regarding the arrival of the Visitors, possibly hinting at her disdain for them and exonerating herself from knowing her hubby was packin’ lizard beneath his skin suit.