It’s a mixture of ‘Mission Impossible’ and ‘The Big Bang Theory’ – heroes who are brilliant except in how they relate to each other and life in general. Scorpion‘s Second Season hits DVD…
Though originally pitched to audiences as being inspired by the real-life Walter O’Brien, an Irish ‘information technologist’ who claims to have a genius-level IQ (one of several biographical facts critics have since been questioned) and who then founded the ‘Scorpion’ group – which involved into technological research and risk management- there’s really no denying that the subsequent show is most definitely wish-fulfillment and fantasy. Though tied in a neat parcel of some genuine scientific theory and inspirational lateral thinking, the show’s action-adventure / impossible mission format owes more to MacGyver and strategic marketing than algebraic clauses and loopholes.
But once you’ve agreed to ignore all the factors on which it is based and simply enjoy the ride, Scorpion is undeniably a lot of fun – a Big Bang Theory / Mission Impossible hybrid that puts the fun in dysfunctional and the event horizon into adventure. The first season established the characters and this second season builds well on those relationships. The too-focused Walter (Elyes Gabel) and the relatively well-adjusted Paige (Katharine McPhee) continue to largely deny the attraction that has viewers screaming ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake, get together already!’ and, more satisfyingly Toby (Eddie Kaye Thomas) and Happy (Jadyn Wong) actually do start to have some (very cautious) momentum in the second half of the latest run. Sylvester Dodd (Ari Stidham) and his world are less happy, as he and the team deal with a tragic personal loss, proving that the show can still reach in and twist our hearts along the way.
Robert Patrick, an age away from his iconic role in T2, continues to have fun with his elder statesman and agent Cabe Gallo, essentially bringing them some of the cases to work on but also acting as chief cat-herder when things get more chaotic (and ofetn being drawn into the craziness despite himself now that he trusts the team rather than merely guards them.
I’ve heard people complain that this second run got a ‘bit silly’ in the scale of some of some of the challenges the team face and the way they are resolved and that’s certainly a way of looking at it. Wen your show is bouncing around from nuclear weapons to runaway trains to biochemical threats and conveniently placed other threats there’s a necessary suspension of disbelief. But of all the family-friendly shows on the networks, the show still retains something of an honest heart – there’s really nothing darkly cynical here: the broad-stroke stories produce broad-smiles and the more scientific aspect interferes into proceedings just enough to offer solutions and Bones-like backbone rather than distract.. But if you are clever enough to identify the left and right part of your brain and then decide to ignore the cortex that’s based on analysis in favour of indulging the guilty pleasure centres then Scorpion is still a show to enjoy.
The Second Season DVD set includes all the episodes of the 2015-2016 run with over an hour of extras – interesting featurettes on key episodes and special effects as well as the obligatory gag-reel and deleted scenes. It’s a decent package and one that should satisfy fans.
8/10
Scoprion – The Second Season DVD Box-Set is now available in both the US and UK – distributed through CBS-DVD in the US…
