Is it just me or is this show burning through the storylines at a breakneck pace?

I'm all for fast-paced action, and maybe that's why this series is becoming the best rookies of the 2018-19 TV season.

The addition of Horace on The Passage Season 1 Episode 5 shed a lot of light on some of the characters I've been on the fence about until now.

Horace wants results, and that makes perfect sense, especially when you consider the fact that the virus is not far away from U.S. soil now.

Nichole, in particular, has battled with the decision to use Amy as the test subject, but it was unclear how she would react if she were forced to put Amy in harm's way.

Prepare to have your mind blown.
Daniel

Permalink: Prepare to have your mind blown.

Thankfully, she's not that type of person. I immediately pegged Nichole as the likely candidate for death. It's a common TV trope to have the character who randomly offers help to be killed off.

Nichole wants the world to get saved, but not at the expense of Amy's life. Nichole went from being one of the middling characters to one of the best in a matter of scenes.

She knows she's being played by Clark so that probably explains why she's done caring about the consequences of her actions.

When there are lies in a relationship, it puts each party on a one-way ticket to splitsville. Nichole is not going to recover from her lover lying about Shauna.

Nichole knew there was more to Clark's relationship with the vampire than meets the eye. The true test will be whether Clark will allow Nichole to continue with Project Noah.

The hard part is getting her ready for what's coming.
Anthony

Permalink: The hard part is getting her ready for what's coming.

It wouldn't surprise me if Nichole went on the run with Amy and Brad at this stage. That's assuming they can escape now.

It was the best time for Amy and Brad to make a run for it. With the reliance on the virus as a cure becoming a top priority, Amy's life was well and truly on the line.

Even though Amy is a young girl, she and Brad are a formidable force. I especially liked Amy hearing the vampire lurking in the darkness before he showed up.

Amy screaming and sending the vampire running off back into the darkness is a real game changer here. If everyone else heard that, then Amy is probably in more danger than ever.

There's no telling whether the virus manifested it inside her or if she's been able to do that this whole time. It presents a whole new direction for this story.

Whether this was a one-time thing, I don't know. It's also possible that Amy can only activate that ability when someone she cares for is in danger.

As for Daniel undermining Nichole to Horace, that was expected. There had to be a conflict in views to make the addition Horace worthwhile.

Daniel's plan to tap into the mind of the vampire was a good one. I was shocked when it actually worked, but I wasn't shocked the vampire didn't play ball when Horace was watching.

When are our heroes going to get the memo that you do not mess with these vampires?

The mind control was scary because that shows these villains can make their escape whenever they want to.

They're waiting for the right time, and I dare say it's going to be when the virus makes its way to the country.

The deep dive into Fanning's relationship with Elizabeth was a good one. That pairing will go down as one of the least unexpected on TV ... ever.

Fanning is manipulative, cunning and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. That's why he offered to drive Elizabeth home during the big speech.

There was an attraction between the two of them, and Fanning wanted them to act on it. He didn't give a damn whether it would break his friend's heart in the process.

Fanning partly blames Jonas for getting him bitten. That's not unnatural. Jonas was the one who urged Fanning that this was a breakthrough.

Elizabeth's Alzheimers seemingly being cured was a big shock, but I don't think it was the virus that cured it. Fanning wants to lure Jonas into a false sense of security before striking.

It's possible that Fanning's meeting with Elizabeth in her mind is what allowed her to remember who she was. If she's not cured, Fanning could be jumping inside her mind on a need-to-know basis to reveal everything.

Lying that the virus is the cure for Alzheimer's would keep Project Noah going even after Daniel's death. It's a big breakthrough for sure.

Lila and Lacey's mission had some big curveballs. They're on the run now. With Sierra seemingly murdered, they had to go somewhere nobody would find them.

The trouble is, these villains know everything and can cover things up. Now that Lila has gotten kidnapped, I hope she's reunited with Brad.

Then again, it's likely Lacey will be the one to track her friend down and save her life. Going to the convent was probably the best course of action, but the women were likely being watched from the get-go.