he Invisible Man begins its second season with "Legends," an episode that touches on where the quicksilver invisibility gland might have come from. As the episode opens, The Agency has a new sponsor and is now a special investigative attaché for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Darien (Ventresca), Hobbes (Ben-Victor) and The Keeper (Kenny) head out to an Indian reservation where a mysterious double murder has occurred. Two men were murdered and dismembered. The one witness, an elderly Indian, claims the men were killed by a wendigo, a shape-shifting evil spirit with glowing red eyes who devours men to get their power.
Checking out the crime scene in the woods, the trio and their Indian guide discover Bigfoot-type footprints and a survivalist who takes exception to their presence. Even worse, the wendigo seems to have a knack for vanishing, and Darien soon realizes that he may have a little too much in common with the mysterious creature.
In the second episode of the season, "The Camp," The Agency has been reassigned to the Department of Health and Human Services, and a cocky new agent named Alexandra Monroe (Ledford) seems to be the cause. She has friends in high places and a five-star A rating, meaning she is proficient in all spy-type skills.
In their first case, they discover that several thousand newborn babies have been stolen around the world. The team discovers a common factor: all the parents were being treated for infertility at specific clinics. During their investigation, they make a terrible discovery about why the children are being taken, one that may have a very big impact on their new agent.
Change is inevitable and invisible
As The Invisible Man's second season gets underway on the heels of season one, there's not much in "Legends" to mark it as special. While there are intriguing elements involving what might possibly be the origin of the invisibility gland, the episode itself is weak and doesn't hold together well. The second episode, "The Camp," is much stronger and introduces a new regular character who shows promise.
"Legends" fiddles with Indian legends, survivalists and Bigfoot, but the story doesn't have focus. The beginning of the episode appears to be about Indian legends. But that's not what the episode ends up being about, as the Indian themes are just discarded. While Ventresca and Ben-Victor are always a joy to watch as the bickering partners, the episode has a bigger problem than a noncohesive story. It's wasteful of life. When a character is introduced, simply to end up as a victim for the convenience of the story, it'd be nice if at least one of the characters got upset about it.
"The Camp" holds together much better and it is a good introduction for the Alex Monroe character. In an episode that has unusual depth, just enough is learned about Alex to make her more than just another pretty face. Ledford does well portraying a woman who is both strong and vulnerable, and who also happens to look like she can kick some butt when she wants to. She'll be a good addition to the solid Invisible Man cast.
"The Camp" also features Darien being used the way he should be used by a government agency. Instead of pretending to be a ghost ("Ghost Of A Chance") or hunting down stolen sperm ("Flowers For Hobbes"), he goes where no other agent can by doing reconnaissance and attempting to defuse a volatile situation in a way only an invisible man could. It also marks the return of Chrysalis, an organization that appears to be factoring in as the main bad guys.
