Original Cindy's ex-lover returns from prison and the pair take up together again. However, Diamond still has the heart of a thief, and when she interferes with a theft of Max's, Max lands in a dangerous situation.

Too much time here is spent on Cindy and Diamond and their relationship. While the lesbianism doesn't get overdone (one kiss being about the limit), it takes a long time to build towards anything substantial. Plot elements get introduced seemingly randomly as the episode goes on, and after starting with a theft mission, Max somehow winds up in the hands of a group keen to experiment on her and Diamond is revealed to have a fatal and contagious disease.

Presumably all these things are related somehow, but the explanations are so garbled that nothing seems to follow on properly. Max's mission gets forgotten somewhere along the line, with no-one thinking to ask Diamond what she's done with the disc Max stole. The disease plotline is dealt with far too easily when it should be released into the world at large by the end of the episode, and having yet another group after Max seems pointless. Doesn't the girl have enough people targeting her already? While I appreciate that she needs a regular work-out, throwing another faceless organization into the mix is an odd decision. We don't discover anything about these people here, although that may be to increase their mystery. The fact is, though, that it simply renders them annoyingly one-dimensional.

It could have built Cindy and Max's relationship, or at least explored Original Cindy's past a bit, but it's too cursory a look at her lifestyle and we need some more in-depth characterization if this show is going to treat its cast with any degree of respect.

**

Would you like to go to the Dark Angel Season One guide, head back to the main TV reviews page, read older reviews in the Reviews Archive or return to the front page?