After last week’s premiere, I was excited all week to see what tonight’s Alcatraz would bring us. And, unfortunately “Kit Nelson” was a bit of a disappointment. I’m going to attribute that to having such high expectations though, rather than it being an underwhelming episode since I did enjoy it. And, when compared to other shows on television, it ranks towards the top of my favorites.
My problem is that the flashback and the current day story of Kit Nelson didn’t provide enough insight into what is going on and why. I’m going to contradict myself now and say that I actually think there was a lot of insight, just not in the way I was looking for it. In last week’s premiere, it was clearer why those two prisoners were sent to our time.
Jack Sylane was sent to retrieve the key from Flynn and Ernest Cobb was sent to kill Lucy. But, why was Kit Nelson sent? What was his mission? Surely, he wasn’t sent forward just to kidnap, play with some kids, and kill them, right? The individual missions seem to be an important part of the mystery.
While that clue was missing, we did get a look into who’s involved in the big picture. Also, I suspect if we watch this episode again in a month, more clues will emerge and all will probably make much more sense than they do today.
What did we learn? Emerson Hauser knows much more than he is letting on. Last week, it wasn’t clear whether he knew Lucy was brought forward from the 1960s. With the appearance of Dr. Beauregard, it’s pretty likely that he does know about her. Why are Lucy and Dr. Beauregard working with Hauser?
Last week, commenter ScottH questioned Hauser’s age. I began to wonder about that as well. Is it possible that Hauser was pulled out of his timeline at some point and brought to 2012? Assuming that Hauser was 18ish in 1963, that would make him 67ish now. And, according to Wikipedia, Sam Neill is now 64. As ScottH mentioned, he does look young for his age, but for now, I’m going to believe they cast someone age appropriate for the role. Meaning Hauser is from and has existed within our timeline. Unless of course, somehow people can move back and forth in time.
If that’s the case, then Hauser somehow figured out what was going on or was brought into the conspiracy at some point. He could just as easily be part of the conspiracy as he could be trying to stop it. When Sylane got the key, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was captured so Hauser could retrieve the key.
Lucy seems to be the question mark in this theory. Hauser appears to really care for her. What is Dr. Beauregard going to do with Nelson’s body? Reincarnate him? Does this have anything to do with what Hauser asked Dr. Beauregard to prepare to do for a “friend?”
Hauser’s motivations are due a closer look with his calling off the Amber Alert. His priority is protecting the 63ers and the program, even over the life of an eleven year old boy. This moral conflict between Hauser, Rebecca and Diego is something we will see come up again and again.
Overall, I found “Kit Nelson” a decent follow-up to the premiere. It was more procedural than I hoped the show would be, but that is a formula that could still adapt as we are brought further into the conspiracy.
Odds and Ends
Clacked by Carla Day 
on Jan 23, 2012 @ 23:37 EST5EDT
I only caught the last 15 minutes of this episode and didn’t see the other two. Definitely going to have to back up and watch from the beginning.
Was it my TV, or did Sam Neill look like he had spent too much time in the spray tan booth? His skin looked really odd.
Just got to this on my TiVo. I guess Sam Neil’s actual age is close enough not to be too concerned, although your theory that he was pulled out of time at some later date is interesting–I’ve been under the impression that everyone was yanked off Alcatraz at the same time, right before they came to close it. But who knows?
I liked this episode in the way it focused more on Doc (Diego? Sorry, I’m still thinking “Hurley”). Hauser and the female lead seem like fairly stock characters–the tough G-man and the tough female cop. Doc is definitely a different type of character. I felt genuine concern for him when he realized he was in the diner with Nelson and the kid.
I did miss the on-location scenes. I read that the first 2 shows were filmed in San Francisco, and the rest in Vancouver. So other than the stock photos as establishing shots, we’re now in anywhere, USA (or Canada, to be precise).
I also appreciated that this fugitive was not made particularly sympathetic, like the first 2 guys. Although I didn’t understand why he just stood there while the warden interrogated him with the matches. Couldn’t he have easily overpowered him in the dark? Maybe he’s not a violent person with adults–just likes strangling kids (shudder).
So I didn’t mind that the overall storyline wasn’t addressed. It’s still a new enough show that there’s room for episodes that don’t advance the mythology, although I don’t want it to turn into a strict procedural. For now, the character of Doc is interesting enough to learn more about.
well one thing that i did notice was that at the begining of Alcatraz when the two men got off the boat; the younger one was Hausser and at the end of that same episode Jack said i recognize you. therefor implying that Hausser was there not only after the 63 disapeared but also before. ( In 1963 Hausser wasnt a warden he was a policeman from san francisco sent to help with the “transfer” of one of the prisoners)
“The torture and treatment of the prisoners was horrendous.” I’m curious as to how you came to this conclusion. Historical references and interviews with former prisoners clearly indicate otherwise. Finally, my family lived on McNeil Island while my father worked at this federal institution. He worked with men who had transferred to and from the Alcatraz facility. These were family men, not monsters. Remember Hollywood is the one that deals in myths.
*POST AUTHOR*
Have you watched the show? On Alcatraz, the prisoners have been treated horribly. My reference is only in regard to the show. In the flashbacks to the 1960s, the warden, deputy warden, and prison doctor were not nice men. They went out of their way to torture the prisoners.
Interesting show, but they better hurry up and tell us why these prisoners are in present day. I like the concept, but many people will lose interest if you don’t tell us what’s going on.
My thought is that they went into some kind of experimental medical treatment while they were in prison and somehow came back to 2012 without aging.
Daniel .. Toronto, Canada
https://dandmb50.wordpress.com/
Did anyone else think it strange that Cal Sweeney- the bank robber – who disapearred in 1963- knew it was a Mustang that was following he and Rebecca in the police car as they were fleeing the bank where Rebecca helped him escape –the Mustang didnt come out until 1965 !!!!!!!!