Deron Generally
Deron GenerallyClarice
CBS All Access
Season 1 Episode 3
Are You Alright?
Clarice and her team question the suspect in the three river murders, but they might have a bigger problem looming.
Attorney General Ruth Martin is brought in to give testimony on why her VICAP team should continue to be funded and the meeting does not go well as the cameras invited by the head of the inquiry catch Martin going really dark during her testimony as her colleagues use the recent trauma her daughter suffered against her.
Martin needs a win for her team and that means bringing in a serial killer. Unfortunately, the man they have in custody responsible for killing three women and almost killing a fourth is not one. Something Clarice keeps trying to convince her team to believe and take seriously if they have any chance of bringing in the men the killer works for.
Unfortunately, the suspect makes it more difficult for them by reneging on his agreement to cooperate for a deal. Clarice will have to use both her skills in Behavioral Science and the skills of her team if she is going to find a way to break the suspect and get the information they need.
There are some interesting character moments throughout the episode, but the plot boils down to your standard procedural fare. I was hoping for some more character development or a better sense of the team dynamic, but nothing has changed much from the last episode other than seeing more of Ardelia and what she deals with. Beyond that, there’s nothing compelling about any of the characters outside of Kathryn Martin and not enough time is spent with her to explore her character or her psychological state.
The series is building some shadow conspiracy narrative into the season and that has me interested as a viewer. It adds an interesting level of paranoia to the series as you look at the characters and wonder who you can trust. Beyond the predictability of a lot of the plot and storyline, there is something here compelling enough to bring me back as a viewer. I just hope the series finds that thing sooner rather than later.
Clarice S01XE03
