EPISODE REVIEW: V: "Uneasy Lies the Head" (Season 2, Episode 8)

Beijing--a male peace ambassador begins to dissolve and a woman screams.

On Anna's ship a live-aboard is screaming in the needle machine as DNA is extracted (why do they treat DNA like it's a finite resource? I mean, have the V's really attained that level of technology without figuring out how to sequence and replicate DNA?) Anna thinks the 5th column leadership has been destroyed.

Next scene is, of course, in the 5th column hideout, where the still-very-much-alive 5th column leadership are planning to plant DNA bombs in the last group of live-aboards, calling it an "instant flu virus" that will somehow infect and destroy the DNA that's been collected by the V's.

Apparently the dissolving peace ambassador was one of the 29 candidates, and another from Johannesburg is also dead. My initial reaction: finally, the 5th column is doing the smart thing, taking out the candidates.

Anna says Lisa has to do what she says, or she'll be killed "as the traitor she is." Anna then meets with Lisa, shows her the recorded scene with Rafael and informs her she has to do as commanded. Lisa acquiesces. Anna then goes out to discuss one of the prospective live-aboards, a toddler with a "super-high immune system." The mother is reluctant to bring her daughter, but Anna thinks she can convince her with a "mother to mother" talk.

Back at 5th column HQ, Erica and company are planning the raid to get the super-flu virus. Erica tells science boy (whose name I never remember) to come along. He's nervous and Jack objects to involving him in an actual mission. Erica points out he's the one who knows what they're looking for.

On the ship, Anna meets with the mother of super immune kid, whose name is apparently Jennifer. Jennifer's mom is worried because there are no other kids on board and she doesn't want her child to be alone. Anna tells her she has a daughter just about Jennifer's age, named Amy. Coincidentally, Jennifer's grandmother is named Amy. The magic charms of Anna and her recently renamed "daughter" convince Jennifer's mom it's okay to bring her up to the ship to live.

Ryan is spending some quality time with the newly named Amy. V thugs take her away, then immediately try to immolate him. He manages to immolate one of them instead and the other one runs away. Ryan finds Joshua and threatens him with the immolation gun, but doesn't kill him. Joshua, in his eerily calm, blissed voice, wonders why Ryan doesn't kill him. Ryan tells him it's because they were once comrades together and that he hopes Joshua finds human emotions again.

Back on Earth, the 5th column leadership and science boy break into an office building by very subtly smashing through the plate-glass front door (which is just plain old glass--a seemingly strange choice for a secure building) and taking out the guards. They all run into a lab and Jack stands watch outside. He sees a guard and follows him, but the guard doubles back and interrupts Erica, Hobbes, and Science boy while they're searching through poorly labeled vials. Erica shoots the guard, but he's wearing a vest so he isn't killed. They find the virus they need and skeedadle back to 5th column HQ. Back at HQ, Jack sews up Hobbes while SB does speed science and hands over the finished virus. Jack confronts Erica about her double tap to the chest of the guard. She claims she knew the guard was wearing a vest, but neither of them believes that. She then tells Jack there are 28 planes waiting for the virus. Hobbes remarks he's just glad to be alive.

Chad does presumably important stuff in his office.

Anna talks to her new lieutenant, who asks why she's pretending to be a mother. He confronts her about inflicting a child with the illness that caused her agony and using that. For an emotionless, blissed-out automaton he seems genuinely troubled by the ethics of her actions.

Lisa meets with Rafael to "show him the ship" for reals this time. She kisses him and Tyler walks in. Lisa and Tyler fight, but Rafael starts bleeding from the eyes in the same way the Beijing candidate did and he collapses on the floor.

Chad brings a list of the live-aboards to 5th column HQ. Science boy comes in and remarks he hopes the DNA virus will remain stable. Jack (of course) balks, saying "what do you mean, 'remains stable?'" Science guy points out it's completely untested. Jack realizes Erica lied