Covert Affairs ends the season in big screen fashion

Watching the last two hours of the season unfold, I really felt like I was watching a theatrical feature film, which in part may have to do with some of the location shots — particularly the Sri Lanka scenes, most of which producer Gavin Barclay indicated were actually filmed on location. The stories were gripping and the hand-to-hand combat sequences had a Bourne-esque touch to them, complete with shaky camera angles.

In the first hour, Annie went undercover as bait to bust an international smuggling ring, only to end up blowing her cover.  I couldn’t help but recall Darth Vader‘s words to Luke Skywalker — “Your thoughts betray you” — when Patricia told Annie that she could tell she was listening to her phone conversation. “I could see it in your eyes.  You were really very good until then,” she told Annie. Cool and clandestine, two areas where Annie could use some polish.

It is true, you can almost always tell what Annie’s thinking. Even when she talks to Danielle and the subject of her job comes up, you can actually see the wheels turning as she tries to figure out the next lie she needs to tell. Ordinarily I would cry foul on that, but it occurs to me that I’ve been perhaps overly critical of Annie’s skills over the last few episodes. I have to remind myself that Annie is still green. She’s what, maybe two months out of the farm? If only Arthur and Joan would remember that.  Annie reminds me of one of those child prodigies who get moved up to high school at 12 years old with the brains and aptitude to handle the work, but not the experience or emotional growth to keep up with the pace. She also needs to learn what following orders entails and improve her self-defense skills (perhaps some more sparring scenes with Auggie?).

As I implored the producers on Twitter tonight:  For the love of all that’s good and holy: Give. Annie. A Gun. I will restrain myself as much as humanly possible from making any broadway musical references if they will make this happen. Annie fails to follow protocol too often not to have a weapon at her side. For at least the second time, Annie ignored direct orders to stand down and ended up apprehended, held at gunpoint (nice touch though, her standing in front of Vivian to protect her) and Jai had to step in (again) and save her life. Help me understand why Jai can have a gun and Annie can’t?

In the second hour, the stakes spiked higher than Annie’s Christian Louboutins. Ben returned to the agency and threw Annie into an emotional tailspin. Everyone knew it too. Joan remarked that Annie wasn’t ready to handle a mission with emotional entanglements when Arthur tasked her to accompany Ben to Sri Lanka. Even Auggie thought it wasn’t a good idea and was going to try and talk Joan out of it. Annie’s emotions seem to double as her biggest weakness and her greatest strength. On the one hand, she’s easily persuaded, as evidenced by her blind faith in Ben, and falling back under his spell and his sheets. But at the same time, her emotions set her apart from the sometimes cold and calculating folks back at Langley. They drive her to do what’s right no matter the cost. I think she just needs some time to find the right balance.

I’m willing to bet (but not as much as Annie did) that Danielle summed up the feelings of every Covert Affairs fan tonight when she said, “We love Auggie!” How awesome was it that he came to Annie’s rescue from across the pond to save her niece’s school field trip at the Smithsonian, keeping Annie’s cover intact in the process? And when he found out that Annie was going to Sri Lanka, he secretly gave her a tracker so he would know exactly where she was and an encrypted phone with a direct line to him in case she needed help. Because she’s his “friend.”

On the Joan and Arthur front, Arthur’s position as DCS was threatened by a new story Liza Hearn was working on and Joan was privately approached to succeed Arthur as DCS if and when he was forced to resign. Joan threw protocol out the window and told Arthur, saying she valued their marriage over the job. She then suggested they unite and fight together, thus ensuring they are both still standing at the end of the day. I am now totally on board with these two as a power couple.  I can’t wait to see them take the sniveling weasel Henry Wilcox down.

And speaking of mustelidae, the extremely predictable, but no less satisfying, twist that Henry is Liza Hearn’s source makes me more eager for the return next summer. Anyone else dying to see him become a “big bad” ala Arvin Sloane on Alias?

Through the ups and downs, Covert Affairs was the most fun I had all summer! What did you think of the finale and the season as a whole?  Think it’s too soon to start sending out “For Your Consideration” vibes to the Emmy overlords for Chris Gorham‘s slick and deserving supporting performance as Auggie? Clack away below!

Some other moments  I enjoyed:

–  Googling “wonk” to find out that it means someone who spends much time studying and has little or no social life.
–  Auggie doubling as a jungle gym for third graders.
–  The looks on both Jai and Annie’s faces when Vivian mentioned how she was glad she never became a spy because the deception of a double life is just too hard.
–  Annie kissing Auggie on the cheek.  Shipper alert!
–  Annie getting smacked in the face by a thug, yelling “My tooth!” and then clocking the guy.
–  Arthur telling Henry he was no longer welcome and ejecting him from the conference room.
–  Liza telling Auggie that he’s probably the only agent in it for the greater good.

Great quotes:

Annie: Get out.  James Bond played there!

Jai: Burned coffee and stale donuts.  The Batcave never changes.

Auggie: A yellow bellied masochist.
Annie: I am not yellow bellied.

Chloe: Auggie’s better than Ben Stiller!

Auggie: My cane is not a lightsaber!

Auggie:  Anything involving a third grade class is an automatic no! It’s your constitutional right. You can say no to line dancing, to karaoke, duck pinballing with your Aunt Louise … and anything coming out of Jai Wilcox’s mouth.

Annie (To Auggie): I can’t believe it took this to finally get your digits.

Clacked by Jeff Kirkpatrick
on Sep 15, 2010 @ 08:28 EST5EDT