When a former colleague of Donovan and Frank's commits a murder, followed by suicide, the Backstep team investigate.
We're back into familiar cliché territory here, but on the good side, Donovan gets something to do! Admittedly, he gets to die, which isn't very helpful, but does appear more than usual. It's just a shame that Frank takes over with all the heroic stuff at the episode's end while Donovan just stands about.
The concept of sleeper agents programmed to kill has been a spy drama idea since at least the 60's, but it's put to good use here, with Parker and Donovan programmed years ago. Although why their programmer has waited this long to activate them is anyone's guess.
It's all pretty so-so fun, there are some nice scenes between Olga and Frank as the pair start to get a little closer, and some sequences in which Frank and Donovan demonstrate their closeness, but the end resolution seems a bit too convenient and simple. Why does the programmer hang about to be caught? Why doesn't Donovan shoot him?
But the most unlikely event is the funerals of the dead men. It's astonishingly fast! Donovan manages to get interred mere hours after his untimely death. Okay, it's possible, but wouldn't it be better to wait a little while to get relatives etc down for the funeral? Obviously, Frank has to go back and stop anyone dying so the deaths can't occur in anything other than the last five days maximum so that they'll be alive whenh Parker backsteps, but please!
***
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