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Alphas 2.06 “Alphaville” TV REVIEW

THE ONE WHERE Rosen needs answers about the Photic Stimulator, and turns to technical genius Skylar (Summer Glau) for help.

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VERDICT Another maddeningly inconsistent episode from Alphas this week was at least partially saved by the return of Summer Glau as Skylar. For the first time this season, someone other than Gary had some great lines and a power worth shouting about, and it looks like we're going to get at least one more episode with Skylar, so hooray for that.

But aside from the mighty Glau, “Alphaville” was pretty flat, even with all the running, jumping and fire-starting. Rosen continues to manipulate Alphas for his own ends – although at least this week Skylar called him out on it – and leaves a trail of destruction in his wake. If the season arc plot fails to cohere around the perfunctory weekly plotting, the show feels hollow, which is sadly what happen here.

We now know that Stanton Parish is an able and aggressive enemy, and yet he continues to make strange decisions. Why send trigger-happy morons to do subtle work? And why leave a Photic Stimulator, revealed this week to be an incredibly important device, unguarded in a hospital? It's sloppy, underdeveloped writing, and it's disappointing. Alphas is better that this.

The return of TV's beigest couple, Rachel and John, also picked up again this week. It's hard not to switch off when the two of them are together. I can only presume that John is going to turn out to be Stanton Parish's evil sex spy or something equally shocking, because otherwise why is this no-mark getting given so much screentime? We didn't get a glimpse of the new team member Cat this week, instead being treated to the least tittilating tounge-tennis ever.

On the upside, there were glimpses of better things hiding in the undergrowth of this episode. Rosen having to face up to angry Alphas who feel he had no right to out them publicly; Gary communing with nature; and the potential recruitment of Skylar by Stanton Parish; all of these elements bode well for meatier future episodes. Hopefully they'll help Alphas o ut of the slump it's currently experiencing.

WHAT’S IN A NAME? In a pun that was just waiting to happen the episode’s title is a reference to the legendary 1965 Jean-Luc Godard film Alphaville .

BEST BIT I'd forgotten how cool Skylar's Alpha ability is, and there's no doubt about it, it's very cool indeed. Her MacGyver style fire extinguisher was all class.

BEST LINE

Skylar: “Trouble in the Justice League?

Rob Power

Alphas season two is currently airing in the UK on 5*, Tuesdays at 10pm

• Read our other Alphas season two reviews