Say what!?!? Just when I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen during Wednesday’s new episode, the folks at X Company threw a knuckleball I watched go past me.
“In Enemy Hands” began dramatically enough, with Harry stabbed in the neck and suffering shrapnel wounds following an attack on a German factory. Knowing Connor Price wasn’t going to die—he’s part of the main cast after all—didn’t ease up on the tension. For a few minutes it looked like Harry could very well have died on that table no matter what the pretty Irish nurse did for him. Ah, that pretty nurse who was so beguiling to the youngest member of the team. Harry’s Achilles heel is a lady, and he was simply smitten with her.
Too bad she turned out to be working for the Germans. The episode’s twist wasn’t that the German radio operator had been telling the truth when he’d hit an extra “H” in his report back to HQ and helped them escape. No, the shocker was Siobhan (Emily Taaffe) was more interested in ousting the English from Ireland, a promise Franz Faber vowed to uphold if she kept feeding him intel and the Germans won the war.
Now Faber knows of Alfred’s abilities and that he is the most important member of the team. With just a few episodes of X Company left, it would appear my belief Alfred is captured will end up coming true.
And while a lot of time was spent with Siobhan tending to Harry’s injuries, the most dramatic scenes of the night came between Neil and radio operator Rolf Bauer (Rick Okon). The claustrophobia of the bottle episode was made even more so in the confines of that basement, where Neil did everything he could not to murder Rolf with his bare hands. At first refusing to trust the German, Neil let down his guard as Rolf explained he loved his country, but hated what the war had become. By the time Rolf messed up that second transmission he was going to become a double agent and Neil had bonded with him. Which made it even more difficult for Neil to kill Rolf for his apparent alert to high command.
Warren Brown hasn’t shown a lot of emotion so far this season, but he laid it all out last night, playing a man haunted by the death of his mother and sister during the Blitz and furious with himself for becoming attached to Rolf. No wonder he keeps everyone he cares about at arm’s length.
Notes and quotes
- Was Alfred drumming out Morse Code on the armrest at the beginning of the episode, or is it just me? I’m looking for clues all the time now.
- “Lucky Harry. He opens his eyes and sees a pretty nurse.” You got that right, Tom.
- My heart almost stopped when the German officer opened the door to the basement … and Tom came out dressed in a German uniform.
- “I’m glad it’s you doing it and not a stranger.” Rest in peace, Rolf.
X Company airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on CBC.
