SCORPION 4x02 "More Extinction"

Scorpion returned for the concluding half of its two-part premiere with a brief recap of the premiere, in which Scorpion were alerted to a potential extinction event by ex-team member and antagonist Mark Collins, who was drafted in to help avert the disaster before Scorpion's efforts made things a whole lot worse. And if "Extinction" set up a bunch of questions for "More Extinction" to answer, then it's a little disappointing we could have guessed them outright.

   The most disappointing - but, honestly, expected - outcome of Mark Collins' brief jaunt into Scorpion's world was that he would play mind games with the team, then deceive them and disappear into the night. And that was exactly what happened. After feigning an ankle injury, Cabe made the difficult choice to unlock Collins' electric anklet lest he be left behind and electrocuted, and Collins took this window of opportunity while Cabe was focused on saving humanity to flee with his newfound freedom.

   After a premiere episode guessing Collins' intentions, I spent the entire second episode waiting for the penny to drop, so when it did it felt like a lost opportunity to redevelop one of my favourite recurring characters. But a leopard never changes its spots (or Leonard - as in Joshua Leonard, who plays Collins! I'll just leave now), and while Collins vanishing in the wind was surprising to (I hope) nobody, it at least sets up the potential for another interesting return later in the season á la "Toby Or Not Toby".

Scorpion prepare to infiltrate the military spa
Image: CBS

   Elsewhere, the advancement of the main plot took Scorpion down an interesting route: into a Russian military spa on the border of Norway. They wouldn't have conjured the solution without the fortuitous - perhaps too fortuitous - appearance of a Russian military helicopter passing the methane geysers early on, but with no support from America the team needed that stroke of luck. And, ironically, it's the team's high-stakes infiltration of a heavily-defended spa for the Russian wealthy that eased the seriousness of the episode, as it allowed our characters to split into tried-and-tested teams and lurch from one improvised solution to the next - like the Scorpion we know and love.

   This lurching culminated in some in-depth science I've not even a slight understanding of, with Scorpion appropriating supplies from the spa in order to create snow that would block the methane geysers and save the world. And despite almost causing an international incident between the US and Russia, humanity itself was eventually rescued from the jaws of death.

Paige and Walter are discovered by guards
Image: CBS

   But the human species saved means the human species continues as usual, and there's no understanding from the US government regarding Cabe's decision to release Collins. In another, slightly less climactic cliffhanger, Cabe was arrested on his way to visit Allie. I like where this could go, but I guess it proves the old saying that no good deed goes unpunished.

   The final plot points resolved in "More Extinction" were the character beats. Those smaller beats included Toby and Happy dispensing with their marriage code, and Happy forging a new wedding ring for Sly using pieces of the original he lost in the methane geyser. Anybody else crying?

   Last to be wrapped up was Paige and Walter's tentative approach to their new relationship. Some mind games from Mark Collins and some of their own misunderstandings throughout the past two episodes culminated in a very cute closing scene where, back in the garage, they reconnected over some fruit punch and fermented fish, foodstuffs cleverly chosen by the writers to typify each character. Fun #Waige will almost certainly return in episode 3 - and then we can really get this already awesome season going.

RATING: 8/10

POINTS OF NOTE

• If this wasn't part of a two-parter, I image "The 2% Leap", which signifies Collins' view of changing from 51% bad, 49% good to the reverse, would have made an excellent episode title.
• Happy flirting with Toby is always an episode highlight.
• Paige and Walter kissing despite fermented fish breath was cute - but was anyone else a little disgusted?
• "Sylvester Dodd. He had the VERY best friends."