It’s been a while since Episode 10, but last night the new episode of Surface aired. I was afraid that since I hadn’t watched it in a few weeks, I might be confused or bored. However, the show was really good. Laura finally got the footage of the creatures on TV; Nim isn’t really dead; and Miles…well…Miles is becoming super-human. Unfortunately, the middle of the show dragged somewhat, so I’m only going to give it a B-plus. Nevertheless, it really excited me for the run-up to the season finale!  

The show opens with Rich and Laura being rushed to the hospital. (Remember, last episode they had just been rescued from their 5000-foot plunge and the subsequent days-long ocean drifting.) Although medical personnel try to pry the videotape of the creatures from Laura’s hands, she won’t let go. Placed in separate rooms, Laura quickly grows suspicious, leaves her room, finds Rich, and together they escape. Good thing, too, because we know that the evil G-man Lee has declared he wants them in interrogation “in one hour!” Unfortunately, despite Rich’s protests, Laura calls Sean, her ex-husband, to check on their kid. Sean says people have been asking about her and that she needs to be careful. (Prediction: Laura’s kid will be kidnapped in an upcoming episode and used against her.)  

Meanwhile, Miles visits the aquarium’s lab. Despite being shot in a previous episode, it turns out that Nim’s alive! (We predicted it here, folks.) Miles claims he’s going to take Nim to the ocean and release him. However, Dr. Blum discourages him, claiming Nim would be safer in the aquarium. Miles soon becomes a minor celebrity in the aquarium, since he knows more about Nim than anyone. However, despite Blum’s protests that he’s helping Nim, he quickly begins experimenting on the creature, forcing Miles out of the lab. (Prediction: Nim kills Blum.) Strangely, Nim starts sneezing. (Another prediction: the actors will finally decide whether to call him Blum or Bloom, since they kept calling him both in last night’s episode. Grrrr…)   

On the other coast, Rich and Laura take their videotape to a copy center, burn it to DVD, and get the copy-guy to spread the footage online as a “viral video” (a la Paris Hilton). Laura also calls a local news station, asking them to break the story. After watching the footage, they agree to do so, but you can tell they’re going to screw it up.  

 

Back in the aquarium, Miles has also started sneezing. In the meantime, some really pretty redhead keeps flirting with him. (A lot. I instantly grew suspicious, because she was way too hot to be interested in Miles, and she was extremely forward with him.) She offers to teach him how to surf (“I’ve taught lots of guys”); she shows up at his house after curfew and takes him for a ride on her scooter (“You can hold on tighter”); and she takes him to the aquarium after hours to snorkel in the tank in which Nim is living (when changing into her wetsuit, she asks, “Shouldn’t you be peeking at me?”). Just as they emerge from the tank – mysteriously, Miles’ fingers are un-pruned – Dr. Blum walks in. He’s furious. The girl says, “Sorry, Dad!” Miles is amazed that she’s Blum’s daughter! (So was I. I didn’t see that coming!) For sneaking into the aquarium, Blum bans Miles from the aquarium. (Prediction: Blum used his sexually-charged daughter to get Miles in trouble, so he could use the after-hours swim as a reason to ban him from the aquarium.) On the way home, Miles despondently walks past some lights, causing them to flicker. Coupled with his un-pruned fingers (and the fact that he rebounded from his earlier hospital visit so swiftly), it seems Miles is developing many of the powers of the creatures.  

 

Just before they’re going to be interviewed by the news station, Laura tells Rich that they need to maintain their credibility: so she tells him he can’t be on the news. Visibly crushed, Rich agrees. The news piece runs, and Laura is horribly embarrassed: after setting her up as the discoverer of a new species, the interviewer undermines her by interviewing competing researchers who dismiss her claim. He also mentions that Laura’s thesis had been plagiarized – remember: this isn’t really true! – making her look like a fool. However, in checking the number of hits for the video, they realize that people are downloading the footage at an alarming rate. Hmm…bad press is better than no press at all (a la Paris Hilton). (Prediction: Laura’s and Rich’s footage will soon be all over the Internet – on sites like Engadget, Slashdot, and Digg – and people will believe Laura. Or at least be aware of the video.)  

 

The show closes with Laura and Rich in their hotel room. There’s a knock from someone claiming to be delivering a fax for the front desk. She asks Rich, who’s in the shower, if he’s expecting a fax. He says no. As she looks through the peephole, she doesn’t see anything suspicious; however, as she slides the chain from the lock, we see in the hallway: there are several armed goons present. Don’t open the door, Laura! Oh no…are Rich and Laura going to be caught? Who knows, because the show ends right then. Curses! But what a great ending.  

 

There are only 4 episodes left until the season finale. Here are my predictions for what’s in store:  

 

* The creatures will emerge and begin attacking humans like crazy – a whole episode will be devoted to the bloodbath (this may be more of a plea than a prediction). 

* The creatures will be revealed as a government-experiment (for healing wounded soldiers) gone horribly wrong. 

* Laura and rich will be considered “experts” on the animals, and Miles will be the only person able to communicate with them. (Maybe via Nim?) 

* Lee – the evil G-man – will be revealed as a good guy. 

* The missing Russian sailors and the other people (like Rich’s brother) will turn up alive.  

Did you watch the show? What did you think? Do you have any predictions of your own?