Treadstone Season 1 Episode 4 Review: The Kentucky Contract
Paul Dailly
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That was another strong dose of action.
Treadstone Season 1 Episode 4 gave the likes of Randolph, Petra, and Tara time off to zero in on some of the other Cicadas. The result was a more streamlined installment that gave a lot of answers.
We'll start with Doug because Treadstone Season 1 Episode 3 ended with a wild cliffhanger, and the resolution was fascinating.
The wheels were turning for Samantha. She tried to keep up the ruse with the agent that she didn't know what he was talking about when it came to Treadstone.
Samantha is not that smart. She landed a kill shot on the agent with ease and followed up by seemingly knowing how to dispose of a body. She may be a nurse, but it's difficult to believe that a nurse would be trained in disposing of bodies.
Thankfully, Doug knew very well there was more to the tale and kept his lover at arm's length throughout "The Kentucky Contract." Samantha was telling Doug information on a need to know basis, and that put her in a bad spot.
More concerning was when Doug found the file about him. Samantha tried to get away from the answers, and it was very well-executed.
One moment she was playing the doting wife, and the next, she seemed like a complete and utter liar grasping at straws to make Doug believe her.
Now that Doug knows his whole life is a lie, he's probably not going to want to return home.
He's going to want to go on a mission to get revenge and find others like him. The people who are activating the agents are playing with their lives.
The only way that we're getting through this is by trusting each other. We can't trust anyone.
Samantha
That's not okay, and it will be fun to watch them taken down when the time comes.
Did anyone else think Matt was about to die? Omar Metwally's alter ego is one of the best characters on the series, so losing him so soon would be tough.
But Matt wanted to find the Cicada that murdered the doctor and escaped the facility before it was too late. He would have been wise to force Ellen to keep it on the books instead of off because going after the man himself was his silliest move to date.
Matt is resourceful, but he's no match for Hayes. Hayes doesn't think before he kills. He just does it and moves on to the next person.
Related: Treadstone Season 1 Episode 3 Review: The Berlin Proposal
Offering Hayes the opportunity to see his daughter was the best way for Matt to get through to him on a personal level. Matt wants to know everything there is to know about the humans who are getting raised as machines, so he's perfectly happy putting his life on the line to get some results.
Treadstone Season 1 Episode 5 should finally shed some light on the real villains in the story because the Cicadas are merely victims getting used against their will to carry out attacks.
Given the number of Cicadas, I figured we would be losing one, and the likely candidate was SoYun. Her back was against the wall as she rushed off from the party to save her mother and son.
Her excellent fighting skills came to the forefront as she tried to kill the agents who were threatening the lives of her family. The fight-scene was exceptional. It went on for a long time as the power kept shifting from her to the remaining agent.
There is an asset who should not even exist, who is leaving a trail of bodies. That blood is on our hands.
Ellen
Thankfully, SoYun survived to fight another day, but we still don't know where her story is going. Shin is calling himself her friend and claiming that he will keep her family safe as long as she works for him.
But what happens when he realizes she is no longer worth something to him? There will be a clean-up operation, and it will probably end with SoYun and her family getting wiped from existence.
For now, SoYun has to agree to the deal because that's the only thing keeping everyone safe. Her goodbye to her son seemed like she was prepared to say goodbye to him for good.
Matt: I need to get moving.
Ellen: You are hunting him on your own?
Matt: I need to contain this.
It leads me to believe that she thought there was a good chance she would not return from her delivery mission. I expected there to be high stakes, but I did not expect her to have to go to China.
Related: Treadstone Season 1 Episode 1 Review: The Cicada Protocol
There's so much going on that it's easy to forget about some of the characters when they're missing for an episode. However, "The Kentucky Contract" successfully made me care for some of the characters that I wouldn't usually.
That's the mark of a good show.
As we move on to the half way point of Treadstone Season 1, we need some more answers. Endless action is good, but it doesn't preclude much needed answers.
What did you think of the latest twists and turns?
Hit the comments below.
Remember you can watch Treadstone online right here via TV Fanatic.
Treadstone airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on USA Network.
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Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
