TV episode review
US airdate 22 October 2009 (ABC)
UK airdate 26 October 2009 (Channel 5)

The Mosaic team tries to secure funding in Washington...

A sensible decision has clearly been taken by the part of the production team not to feature every character every week. There's no sign of lover-to-be Jack Davenport, or drowning babysitter Peyton List this time, with the focus firmly on three of the Mosaic team.

The almost casual revelation that Agent Hawk is gay a couple of weeks back takes on fresh meaning, as she meets a new partner. That itself adds a new twist to the revelation that she's pregnant in her flash forward – assuming, that is, she survives the end of the episode attack.

Joseph Fiennes and Courtney B. Vance, as Benford and his boss, get some great scenes, particularly when Benford admits that he was drunk during his flash forward – something that is also subsequently revealed anonymously to Benford's wife.

Vance also excels in the Washington political subplot, matching wits with Barbara Williams' ambitious Senator, and Peter Coyote's weak President. It's interesting that the visions of neither Hawk's girlfriend's nor the Senator are visualised; subconsciously the viewer is left wondering whether they can be trusted.

Add in some oddities discovered from an earlier blackout, the President's own flash forward and a violent gun battle, and you've got a strong episode. Paul Simpson

VERDICT: 8/10