Violet recaps Season 1 Episode 2 of Legends, titled Chemistry, where Martin’s team tries to track down information about a chemical warfare weapon that the Chechan mob is trying to create. Meanwhile, Martin also tries to dig up more information about the guy who was murdered in the subway. Following the recap, both Violet and Josh share their thoughts on the episode.
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Episode Recap of Legends, Season 1 Episode 2: Chemistry
- A couple of Russians pose as cops in Bakersfield and kidnap a father, mother, and daughter.
- Martin undergoes a psychological evaluation as Crystal and Gates watch remotely. After, Martin asks Gates about Bobby’s autopsy, but his death was ruled not to be a homicide, and instead blamed on a heart defect.
- The task force watches video of the Bakersfield family’s kidnapping. It turns out that the dad, Richard Hubbard, was actually a Russian chemist named Alexander Nevelsky who had sought asylum. They identify the dialect as Chechan, and decide to send in Troy to one of the clubs he frequents that has Chechen ties to see what he can find out, along with Crystal and Martin. Meanwhile, the kidnappers tell Hubbard that the Colonel is eager to see him, and his family is stunned to learn that he speaks Russian.
- Martin goes to FBI Agent Rice of the Division of Transportation to see if he can get any info about the stabbing of the guy at the subway – off the record. Rice identifies the man as Robert McCombs, a former marine with mental health issues.
- The kidnappers bring Hubbard down to make the VX weapon, but he refuses. The Colonel shows him a picture of his wife and daughter with knives to their throats in order to convince him to make the weapon.
- Troy, Crystal, and Martin go to the Tzar Bar in Los Angeles and meet up with Troy’s CI, Nick. At first, Nick claims not to know anything, but Martin decides to play Russian Roulette with him, and gets the name Dimitri out of him. They get a fake cable guy to go into Dimitri’s apartment and set up surveillance cameras. Gates recognizes him from the Bakersfield video. Martin comes up with an idea for Troy’s CI, Nick, to invite Dimitri to the club.
- Gates privately asks Martin about a file on Robert McCombs that they found at Bobby’s apartment. Martin tells Gates that McCombs was following him, and how McCombs told him that Martin Odum was just a Legend. Gates tells Martin not to mention this to anyone else in the office.
- Rice confronts Martin and shows him video of Martin with McCombs at the subway. Rice is very suspicious of Martin.
- Hubbard confesses his past to his wife, telling her that she saved his life, and promises he’ll get them out of there.
- Nick introduces Troy and Crystal to Dimitri, while Martin sits at the bar, and he and the task force back at the office listen in. The four go to Nick’s office, while Martin stays at the bar. Dimitri makes a phone call, and they try to trace it, but it fails. However, they know it came from somewhere in town, so the boss is likely on his way there. Crystal swipes Dimitri’s phone and goes to the restroom with it.
- Some guys go into Nick’s office and shoot everyone in there. Martin goes to Nick’s office and shoots the two guys before they get to Crystal. It’s too late for Troy, though. Crystal shoots the next couple of guys that try to come into Nick’s office, then she and Martin get out of there. Meanwhile, some Russian guys steal some chemical barrels from the Port of Long Beach.
- Rice’s boss chews him out for putting in a surveillance request for an active FBI agent, Martin, and tells him it’s denied. However, he calls his guy and tells him the boss approved it, and tells him to start surveillance right away. Meanwhile, Maggie shows the task force a video of canisters being stolen that contain the chemicals to make VX gas. We then see Hubbard working in the lab.
- Gates authorizes Martin to go undercover as Dante Auerbach, Lord of War, to track down the WMD. When his ex-wife figures out he’s going under again, she disapproves. When he drives off, his surveillance follows him with a tracker, but Martin seems to know that he’s being followed, and loses him. The task force is briefed on the Dante Auerbach Legend, who is a slick, smooth-talker.
Violet’s Thoughts on Season 1 Episode 2 of Legends: Chemistry
It looks like this is going to be a series where each episode is connected to the next in an ongoing story, rather than each episode being its own standalone storyline with small elements of an overarching storyline in the background, like I thought it would be. Considering that in the first episode, things seemed to have wrapped up for the most part by the end, I was surprised to see that that wasn’t the case in this episode, and that the issue with the VX WMD was left open to be tackled in the next episode by one of Martin’s Legends. I had thought each episode would be its own thing, though also with Martin trying to find out the truth about his identity. I’m actually glad that the opposite appears to be true, because one-off type shows tend to bore me. That’s why I had trouble getting into The Blacklist at first, because each show had a bad guy that was taken out by the end of each episode. I much prefer the ongoing storyline, because it makes be become more invested in the show.
However, I felt just a little disappointed by this episode, and I think it was because we got to see Sean Bean’s excellent acting abilities on display last episode, as he portrayed both Lincoln Dittman and Martin Odum in that episode, whereas we only see him as Martin Odum for the most part in this episode, though transforming into Dante Auerbach at the very end. I suppose this episode was supposed to serve for us to get to know Martin Odum’s character a little better, since he spent a large portion of his time last episode as Lincoln Dittmann.
Considering that Gates knows about Martin’s difficulties in readjusting after coming out of the Dittmann Legend, and the fact that he now knows about Martin questioning whether or not Martin Odum himself is a Legend, it seems rather quick that Gates would suddenly approve Martin assuming the identity of yet another Legend already. Is there really no other way? Even Martin’s wife knows this isn’t good for him. Portraying multiple Legends in such a short amount of time will probably send Martin spiraling deeper and deeper into confusion about his true identity. But, that’s what we’re here for, isn’t it? To see Sean Bean portray all of these different Legends. And so, the show must go on!
One thing I thought about this episode that was interesting was the fact that Hubbard was sort of a Legend. He left behind his old identity and embraced this new one, going on to marry, and even have a young teenage daughter! I think the show was quietly trying to point out that yes, a person could be undercover with a new identity for a long period of time, long enough to have a teenage child – who is older than Martin’s child. So if Hubbard has been under a different identity for that long, it’s entirely plausible that Martin, or whoever he really is, has been using the false identity of Martin Odum for a very long time. The question is, how long? And who is he really working for? I have a feeling that Agent Rice will help uncover that. Until then, I am looking forward to seeing what this new Legend, Dante Auerbach, is like!
Josh’s Thoughts: Legends, Season 1 Episode 2: Chemistry
I have to say, I was a little unsatisfied with this episode. I was really looking forward to more undercover work by Martin Odum/Sean Bean, but we really didn’t get any. The good news is that next episode looks to be back to the undercover storyline, with Martin playing a British arms dealer. This probably won’t be as an exciting of a role as Dittman was since Sean Bean is in fact British, but it still could be a lot of fun to see.
As for the story of this episode it was pretty good, but nothing we haven’t seen before. The most interesting part to this episode I felt was the secondary story, regarding Tony Rice’s investigation of Martin Odum. I am going to make a prediction here that Tony Rice will eventually become an ally of Martin Odum as more information is uncovered by the two of them. They’re going to but heads at first, but eventually something will dawn on the two of them and they will begin working together.
I really hope we learn more about Martin Odum’s past though, so we can figure out who he really is.
Scenes from Legends, Season 1 Episode 3: Lords of War
Here are scenes from the next episode of Legends, titled Lords of War:
I am caught up and can say “don’t kill Sean Bean”