Minority Report
Season 1 Episode 8: “American Dream”
Directed by Adam Kane
Created by Max Borenstein
Starring Stark Sands, Meagan Good, Wilmer Valderrama, Nick Zano, Daniel London, Laura Regan, Zhane Hall, Li Jun Li, Reed Diamond
FOX
Air Date: Monday, November 16th, 2015, 9pm

On the last episode of Minority Report, Arthur’s underworld tidings got Dash (Stark Sands) in hot water, and landed him one finger short… until it was futuristically reattached. Arthur (Nick Zano) had some flirty moments with Vega (Meagan Good), even though she was pissed at him. The problem is that Agatha (Laura Regan) has been having visions of Vega betraying them, and them ending up back in the pre-cog milkbath. This week will go a long way towards finding out if that is the reality, as Lt. Blake (Wilmer Valderrama) finds out the truth about Dash.

Spoilers below.

We open with a flashback to the early years of pre-crime where a dysfunctional family dinner is interrupted by cops bursting in to arrest a man for the “future murder” of his wife. He is dragged away as his wife and stepson look on. One scene and pre-credits, and it already reminds me what I loved about both the 2002 Spielberg movie and this show; the moral questions that pre-crime asks. Is it okay to arrest and detain people for crimes they have not committed? The show also keeps highlighting topical issues. They hit on global warming a few years ago, and now the shooting they’re investigating takes place on Amnesty Day (celebrating making 10-million undocumented immigrants into citizens…Trump would be livid!) The compromise was that the 14th Amendment be repealed and with it birthright citizenship.

Blake decides he’s going to accompany Vega and Dash on their next case, as the DIA is looking into their outstanding recent police record. The case happens to fall upon a “14,” one of those affected by the Amnesty/Repeal deal, and we find out that this is personal to Blake as he was one of those similarly impacted. In fact, we find that Blake was the boy in the flashback. He tracks Dash and Vega and surprises Arthur after a lunchtime meeting. Blake assumes he’s Vega’s mystery C.I., but the pieces are falling into place. They fall into place rather quickly when Dash miraculously predicts a robbery, and then helps Blake avoid gunfire. Dash is too good a person to not get caught in the act. His reaction is great, however, and Stark Sands finally feels like he manned up a bit:

“C’mon Lieutenant, don’t you want to run with a pre-cog at least once?”

I like that we got to find out about Blake. Valderrama has played Blake with sly smugness all season, but now he’s been humanized, and is tons more interesting. All questions going forward will focus on trust issues. The more people that know any secret, the easier the secret slips and becomes known. Now Blake joins Vega, Akeela (Li Jun Li), and Wally (Daniel London) in the “we know who the pre-cogs are” fanclub. Arthur is not amused by this and responds in kind to Dash… let’s just say, the punches to the face on this show could lead to a fun drinking game.

Overall, this was another really good episode for a show that has failed to gain traction in the ratings. The show has great acting, action, sci-fi elements and asks interesting questions. The source material is sci-fi legend Philip K. Dick and Steven Friggin’ Spielberg, so I honestly don’t get why this show is in danger.

Minority Report continues tonight, November 16th at 9:00 ET on FOX.

Image Gallery

Videos

MINORITY REPORT | Followed from “The American Dream” | FOX

Will Blake questions Arthur.

MINORITY REPORT | A Better Life from “The American Dream” | FOX

Blake shares personal details of his childhood with Akeela.

MINORITY REPORT | Closing The Doors from “The American Dream” | FOX

Akeela gives Dash a history lesson.

MINORITY REPORT | Symbols from “The American Dream” | FOX

Blake and Vega interrogate a suspect.