Minority Report
Season 1 Episode 5: “The Present”
Directed by David Straiton
Written by Shalisha Francis
Created by Max Borenstein
Starring Stark Sands, Meagan Good, Wilmer Valderrama, Nick Zano, Daniel London, Laura Regan, Zhane Hall, Li Jun Li
FOX
Air Date: Monday, October 19th, 2015, 9pm

Last week, Dash (Stark Sands) gained a lot of personality, as he connected with suspected victim, later suspect Fredi (Sheila Vand). He had to talk her down at the end from getting revenge on the preppy jerk who killed her sister. Detective Lara Vega (Meagan Good) is having trouble keeping her working relationship with a precog a secret. Already her partner Akeela (Li Jun Li) knows. Lt. Blake (Wilmer Valderrama) is close to figuring things out. And of course, Dash’s precog siblings are none too thrilled of his involvement in police work. Agatha (Laura Regan) has her own secrets. She was able to obtain stolen files to a new “milkbath” in development. She’s way too nervous and confident at the same time… much more than meets the eye there. Tonight’s Minority Report episode premiered at NYCC last weekend and it’s a doozy. We’ve learned that Vega wanted to follow in father’s footsteps. Now as the episode opens, we watch her father walking his beat, 8-months before pre-crime when he’s gunned down in the rain”¦ and in the background, a certain eyeless man, fans of the film might remember!

Spoilers below.

Dash tries to continue his appeal with the ladies by giving Vega flowers for her birthday, not realizing she shares the date with her deceased dad. Dash gets a vision and they see a blood spattered “vintage” 2019 Washington Red Clouds jersey. Surprise! Guess what Akeela got Vega for her birthday”¦ uhoh.

“I bought you a death shirt for your birthday! I’m the worst friend ever.”

They go a criminal rehab center to look at inmates arrested by Vega. After she’s attacked by one, Dash thinks they have crisis avoided until Vega finds her Dad’s pocket watch there. Could her dad’s killer be after her? Another major reveal is that while pre-crime didn’t begin until after her father’s death, it was in the testing stages and murders were seen but never prevented. So Vega and Dash are in a position where they can possibly solve her dad’s murder, and prevent hers at the same time… or walk Vega directly into the firing line.

Deputy Director Henry Blomfeld (Reed Diamond) shows up looking into Hawk-Eye, and reveals to Vega and Blake of an imminent terrorist attack. When Vega presses him for info about the early stage precog testing, he says those files were destroyed after the Supreme Court ruling that dismantled the program. Is he hiding something? And is there a harder working man in TV-Land right now than Reed Diamond? He was Harold Balinger on Wayward Pines; another great FOX show I reviewed for this site, as well as appearing on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, The Mentalist, Bones, and Franklin and Bash over the past few years.

When Vega realizes she needs both brothers, Dash and Arthur (Nick Zano) along with a complex machine to find the name of her dad’s killer, she goes to Arthur herself. When he joins the rest of the gang there are some interesting exchanges of dialogue showcasing the differing perspectives of the characters:

“Arthur, so good to see you,” says Wally the Caretaker (Daniel London) being as heartfelt and genuine as possible.

“You’re the guy that used to do my nails,” Arthur responds. Can you blame the sarcasm? Wally misses the days of caring for the pre-cogs, meanwhile, they were kids trapped against their will.

Vega gets her name and goes off to encounter the killer. The last few minutes are, like usual on this show, really pulse pounding, managing to work you up over who may die, and what might happen. The show continues to remind me of another of my favorites on TV, Castle. There the pull was always the mutual attraction of the characters. Here though, Dash and Vega aren’t in love or even flirty. They’re co-dependant. He strives to be of use in world without pre-crime, and she is his vessel for that. She desperately wants to stop evil, and thus preventing murders before they happen helps her. More than that, they are each other’s moral compass. Last week, Dash was pushed to the edge because of his feelings for Fredi. This week Vega is pushed because of the memories of her father. That’s why I love this show. Instead of just laughing along with funny characters who spit witty dialogue (and there’s nothing wrong with that); Minority Report brings the fun and entertainment, but also asks tough questions of its characters and audience. I’m hoping the show gets a deserved pick up for season 2.

Minority Report airs tonight, Monday the 19th at 9:00 ET on FOX. Please watch.

FOX’s synopsis:

“THE PRESENT”
THE PAST BECOMES THE PRESENT IN THE FUTURE ON AN ALL-NEW “MINORITY REPORT” MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, ON FOX
MON OCT 19 9/8c

After Dash and Vega realize that Vega is the victim in Dash’s latest vision, they team up with someone who played a key role in the murder of Vega’s father many years ago. Meanwhile, Arthur digs further into his and his siblings’ memories in the all-new “The Present” episode of MINORITY REPORT airing Monday, Oct. 19 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Minority Report Image Gallery

Video

MINORITY REPORT | Preview: “The Present” | FOX

The future isn’t looking bright for Vega in an all-new episode of MINORITY REPORT this MON at 9/8c on FOX!