The Others
"Luciferous"

Airdate: March 11, 2000

Marian moves out of the dorms into an off-campus apartment just as an evil entity begins to take an unnatural interest in her. This dark force uses her uncertainty to poison her against The Others even when they attempt to help the young woman through this difficult time. In the end she must decided whether or not to pursue her gifts and if the price for the extraordinary life she craves is too high.

Let me begin this review by stating my belief that whatever person at NBC decided to air the episodes of this show out of order should be beaten with a stick. Written to be aired right after the pilot, this episode provides more than a few moments of characterization that illuminate -- and in the case of Mark completely refocus -- what we've come to know of the individuals who comprise The Others from "Unnamed", "Eyes", "Souls On Board", and "1112".

In accordance to the correct placement in the series timeline, Marian is even less of a satellite member of the group here as she tries to assert her normalcy while the supernatural continues to surround her. It is interesting to see that even as talented a person as Marian must choose her path and that path can be obscured or deemed far too dangerous to travel by beings who represent the absence of light.

The relationship between Mark and Ellen (Satori) seems to be in full swing in this episode and we're treated to some of the sparks that occur between them that were hinted at in "Unnamed". What is interesting to note, however, is that instead of the full fledged member you might have assumed Mark to be, the good doctor is shown to be as conflicted about his commitment to the group as Marian is. His actions towards Marian in previously aired episodes take on a whole new dimension. Instead of them being the actions of a concerned mother hen in regards to a new member, he is actually longing for kinship with another who questions their abilities and place in the group.

For a detail oriented mind such as my own, the hiccups in continuity overshadow a particularly eerie tale. (And I'm not just talking about that butt ugly wallpaper either!) However, if you blind yourself to them you find a good setup to what we've seen so far of the rest of the series.

Marian's integration into the group is seen as far from smooth which lends a touch of realism to this fantastical series. The existence of an evil Yin to the beneficent Yang who aid The Others is a nice touch as well, but what I really liked was the idea that even the presence of talent in a person does not rob them of their free will. The entities which they deal with can be weak, powerful, good or evil, and in many cases, even the most kindly and well-meaning spirit can scare the hell out of a person, so it's nice to know that nobody is forced down the path which The Others have chosen.

While Julianne Nicholson's Marian is a great introduction into the universe of The Others and Bill Cobbs is wonderful as the patriarch of the group, I find myself growing more fond of the other characters with each new episode. My initial distaste for Ellen (Melissa Crider) and her "gypsy babble" has vanished with the revelation that most if not all of the window dressing is for the show that her clients expect. As exhibited in this episode, Albert (John Aylward) isn't entirely the grouch that he paints himself to be. And Warren (Kevin J. O'Connor) is simply a joy to watch. His frenzy, kinetic energy contrasts well with his genuine desire to help. I even sympathize with poor Dr. Ballard (John Billingsley) and his inability to see the wonders that surround him despite his desperate desire to do so. And Mark (Gabriel Macht)? Well.... He's kinda pretty.

-- Linda M. Najera

The Others airs at 9pm EST, Saturdays on NBC.

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