Review of 'Counterpart' 1.5

Counterpart 1.5 was truly beautiful —or at very least, a part of it was: the very last part, in which our Howard asks Howard Prime's daughter Anna, on the other side, to tell him what he's missed (in her life).

We also learn a lot and see a lot more of what's going on, and has been going on, between the two sides. The other side lost seven percent of its population as a result of the plague that hit it in the 1990s — and they blame our side for starting it. Deliberately starting it? Apparently that's the belief of some who are over there and in power, even though our side says that's just a conspiracy theory. One of the attractive qualities of Counterpart is how it takes conspiracy theories to a new level — the level in which the reality is two alternate realities existing at the same time, transversable via the most mundane "bridge" you ever saw. That's fertile ground indeed for conspiracy theories.

I also liked in this episode the new combination we saw in alternate people and their relationships. Up to now, the biggest shock was the two Howards meeting one another. In episode 1.5 we find a pair of alternates who have gone beyond that: they live together, as lovers, actually in a ménage à trois with a man both women find a poor cook but handsome.

Meanwhile, the relationship between our Howard and Emily on the other side continues to develop. She's well on her way to loving him, despite her tough bravado. And Howard already loves her, because he can't really distinguish this Emily from his Emily. In his heart, he feels they're the same, and in a way he's right. In spite of the fact that their Alexander Pope tells him (our Howard) to be wary of Emily — good advice or is this Pope just trying to keep our Howard from telling her things Pope would prefer she not know?

Counterpart is fine, understated science fiction at its best, and I'm looking forward to more.