'Countdown' Episode 1.07 Deep Dive Review
Suspicions, Twists and Unexpected Parallels
SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 7 OF COUNTDOWN!
“Countdown” really knows how to start things off in a memorable way – this time it’s Mark Meachum (Jensen Ackles) doing pull ups on a beam in a barn, sleeveless tee and sweatpants and bare feet, juxtaposed with his adversary Volcheck working out by pummeling a heavy bag in a warehouse. Both men are sweating, grunting with exertion. The soundtrack is perfect, the lyrics ‘it’s a tick tick ticking time bomb’ foreshadowing their inevitable confrontation while also reminding us of the other time bomb – the one in Mark Meachum’s brain.
We’re clearly seeing them pitted (pun intended) against each other, more personally than we have before, with this intro. We also might be just sitting there kinda open mouthed watching Jensen Ackles do pull ups, not gonna lie.
Before we can recover from that, the scene transitions so quickly it’s disorienting from appreciating Meachum’s strength to watching him clutch his head after, vision blurring as he falls to the floor and curls up in agony. The bars of the Countdown logo cage him in again, the tick tick tick of the clock counting down, as his phone rings while he’s helpless to answer it.
There’s something about a big strong capable guy curled up in an almost fetal position on the floor that really leaves an impact. Poor Mark.
Side note: on this episode: As fandom works on a ship name for Oliveras and Meachum (I think Mamber is in the lead?), I’m loving that Finau calls Mark “Meach”.
Suspicions
‘Suspicions’ could be the title of this episode. Things are getting very interesting as multiple people have their suspicions about all kinds of things – and the audience has our suspicions too.
The ringing phone is Oliveras calling from HQ where the rest of the team is meeting. Meachum joins them with a (pretty obvious) fabricated story about why he’s late. Oliveras confronts him in the bathroom as he’s splashing cold water on his face, accusing him of abusing the meds she gave him and putting them both in jeopardy.
He says the pills just aren’t cutting it and she says he needs to talk to his doctor, because what’s going to happen if he gets a migraine in the middle of a chase? Blythe walks in just then, clearly suspicious, but Oliveras covers for Mark.
Blythe is frustrated, the Gallagher leads going nowhere, feeling like they’re just chasing their tails. He gives the team a pep talk, then Bell and Shepherd head out to investigate the origin of some tongs left behind by Volchek’s people. Finau, meanwhile, heads out to investigate the stolen Border Patrol vehicle that had the radioactive material in it – which the lab mysteriously claimed was completely clean. Turns out it was a re-skinned stolen SUV, not an actual Border Patrol vehicle. Hmmm.
Once the team returns, Blythe asks Evan and Bell for an update and Bell just turns away – things between him and Blythe are definitely chilly.
On the other hand, Blythe compliments Finau on his ‘sheer dogged determination’; their working relationship is a lot warmer.
Shepherd and Bell bond when she asks him what’s wrong and he admits he’s in the dog house with Blythe, determined to not “roll over and show my belly”. Bell’s in such a bad mood that he’s even surly with the tongs salesman and puts him off. Luckily Evan is more persuasive, noticing he’s a big time Lakers fan and bonding over that. After, Bell runs into the DA, who reminds him of his wonderful and relentless dad.
The DA also reminds him that he helped his dad get his promotion and that he has friends all over the city, then asks “are you my friend?”
It’s a clear invitation to do some favors and get some favors. Hmmm. The plot thickens. And by this time, we’re pretty suspicious too!
Mark and Amber Go Antiqueing
Oliveras and Meachum head out to chase down the Russian bullets that were used to attack the team, which means they go to an antique market. Meachum suggests she goes regularly.
Oliveras: Do I look like I go antiquing?
Meachum: Those boots look like they’re from the Clinton administration.
Oliveras: You should be looking for an alarm clock, maybe then you wouldn’t be late…
I enjoy their bickering.
Oliveras’ connection sets up a meeting for them with the guy who supplied the special bullets, Oliveras pretending to be a collector and Meachum pretending to be her long-suffering boyfriend. Which means Oliveras gets to say “thanks, babe” to him, which is kinda cute.
Unfortunately, the guy gets cold feet and takes off, so we get a nice chase scene with some good music before they take the guy in. He eventually tells them who he sold the weapons to – a company called Iskander, private military contractors, including Sobul, Volchek’s number two.
The Plot Thickens
The team heads to Iskander’s offices in Culver City with their big obvious vehicles and a SWAT team. Which means we get Mark Meachum all in black with a bulletproof vest.
They blow up the door and find one guy in a business suit casually waiting for them – their attorney.
Blythe: You knew we were coming.
Back at HQ, Blythe confronts the SWAT leader, accusing someone on his team of leaking that they were coming. SWAT guy yells right back that it wasn’t his guys, though he promises to debrief them all – in ten years together, he says, this has never happened.
SWAT guy: It would be in your best interest to take a closer look at who you have on this task force.
Blythe: I have the best on this task force.
Bell looks worried…. And we’re all thinking, what did you do, Bell???
It’s Evan who makes the breakthrough, finding the needle in the haystack.
Evan: I found the needle. A truck company – Gallagher Freight.
Meachum: Holy shit.
(Have I mentioned I enjoy Meachum’s repeated ‘Holy shit’ exclamations?)
They go into Gallagher Freight without SWAT this time, guns drawn, Meachum and Finau pulling open the warehouse doors and the team searching with flashlights, Blythe behind them.
The music amps up the suspense as they call out “Clear!” for one section after another, and then Blythe flips on the lights. The warehouse is empty.
They realize they have no idea where those Gallagher trucks are, but they know they’re full of radioactive material. And Finau realizes from some skin left behind that they’ve re-skinned the trucks.
They could be anything.
The Volchek Parallel
Meanwhile, things are complicated for Volchek too. He checks up on the guy who’s making him new passports in a secret back room, only to be betrayed by that man and confronted by the Belarussian guys who insist on calling him Vusovich. They’re not from the consulate though, they’re here about Daniil, worried that he’s missing. (Permanently unfortunately for Daniil).
(Also every time someone mentions Daniil, I hear “Danneel”, as in Jensen Ackles’ lovely wife….)
Anyway, they “offer” Volchek a plane ride to Belarus and he pretends to agree, then tries to fight his way out of there – and ends up curled up on the floor in pain just like Meachum did earlier.
Volchek nearly gets himself shot trying not to repay the Belarussians all the money he embezzled, but finally agrees to, saying the money is in a safe at his house.
Another Great Ending
The ending is a montage, all the loose ends playing out – in unexpected ways. The clock tick tick ticks in the music playing in the background…
Bell meets with the DA.
Oliveras knocks on Meachum’s door; he offers her a beer. She questions if he should be drinking; he shrugs, says nothing else helps. (Ding ding episode title!)
The Belarussians take Volchek to his house to get the money.
Bell agrees to let the DA help his career.
Then the twists start coming…
Oliveras brings Mark more meds and he impulsively comes clean, telling her he has a tumor.
Volchek says he has the money in a safe in the basement, then elbows one of his captors and suddenly locks himself in the safe.
Bell tells the DA he has a great leader on the task force and he won’t go behind his back for anyone. The DA says his father was smarter. Bell says his dad was a lot of things that he’s not.
Oliveras struggles to deal with Meachum’s revelation, that the tumor isn’t treatable and is terminal. That he has maybe six weeks, maybe six months.
Meachum: I’m not goin’ out staring at a fucking sunset or dipping my toes in the ocean. If I’m goin’ out I’m goin’ out saving something. If I get that chance then that’s what I’ll do.
The Belarussians suddenly realize Volchek locked himself in a heavy duty safe for a reason.
Gotta grudgingly respect Volchek’s smarts, I admit. All the kudos to Bogdan Yasinski for helping make him such a fascinating villain. Also, have I mentioned that this show has the best beginnings and endings?
Stay tuned for next week’s “Countdown” episode, next Wednesday on Prime Video!