Minority Report: The Present review

This Minority Report review contains spoilers.

Minority Report Season 1 Episode 5

Minority Report is making a valiant effort to deepen its conspiracy plot while digging deeper into its characters’ back story, and “The Present” was the show’s first truly successful storyline in this regard. As the secrets surrounding pre-crime unfold, I’m intrigued both by Vega’s origin story, if you will, and by the idea that there were those in government circles who wanted to use the precognitives’ powers for issues of national security. The show still has its flaws, but at least its underlying mythology is getting the attention it deserves.

If it weren’t for Vega’s hot-headed unprofessionalism, I could almost feel sorry for her as she investigates the cold case murder of her father. Unfortunately, I still find her brashness annoying and unbecoming rather than the heroic flaw it’s likely intended to be. While I enjoyed the switch from Vega investigating her own murder to the discovery of a possible conspiracy surrounding her policeman father’s death, her recklessness makes me wonder how any of her co-workers trust her.

Equally puzzling is Arthur’s repeated acquiescence to her demands for help when Dash’s assistance isn’t enough. At least Dash has the excuse of wanting someone who can help him use his precognitive powers to do good. Arthur obviously wants to help his brother despite Agatha’s warnings, but extending that good will to Vega and her family tragedy seems unlikely for a character who has been cast as self-serving and protective only of his brother.

Nevertheless, his reunion with Wally and the explorations of the pre-crime beta program provided a nice bit of detail to the background of the story as inspired by the movie. It now seems more likely that Vega’s intrusions into the top secret details of the Defense Intelligence Agency’s involvement in pre-crime will get her into more trouble and perhaps lead to the milk bath revival that Agatha’s visions predict. Again, her ham-fisted approach with the DIA director (played wonderfully by Reed Diamond) portrays Vega as a detective lacking the subtlety and stealth I’d think was necessary for the job. Frustrating.

Regardless, Meagan Good is a great actress and can pull on audience heartstrings with the best of them. The scenes with her family were both emotional and informative. It’s easy to understand how Vega became a cop and why she looks fondly at the pre-crime practices of the past that could have saved her father. Considering the surprising turn her confrontation of the murderer took, it’s clear there’s more to explore. I hate to repeat myself, but Vega’s assault of the suspect as well as her brandishing her weapon, although understandable, was unprofessional enough to taint my view of her character, but at least it made sense.

The show at large is also coming together as a cohesive whole with intriguing little puzzles to solve, including the reasons behind the hit on Vega’s father, the growing specter of Hawkeye and its impact on society, the tension between the pre-cogs and their disparate missions, and now the burgeoning conspiracy within the government to perhaps bring back pre-crime in some form.

It may be a day late and a dollar short, but Minority Report found its footing this week in spite of its flaws. Let’s see where this goes, shall we?