Course Correction
Encyclopedia
"Course Correction" is the 19th episode of the ABC
series FlashForward
. This is the first episode directed by Leslie Libman
, and also the first episode written by Robert J. Sawyer
, the writer of the original novel that inspired the series
.
) and Agent Fiona Banks (Alex Kingston
) track down a man who has taken it upon himself to kill those who have avoided the death foretold in their flashforwards, thus supposedly helping the universe "course correct" itself. Demetri manages to kill him before he can kill a woman who was supposed to die a week earlier, but Fiona accidentally runs her over. Fiona then receives a phone call from the doctor at the hospital and the conversation they have is the same one that Gough had in his Flashforward. Fiona believes the doctor will call again on April 29th to tell her Celia is dead. This makes Demetri question if the universe will cause him to die.
Mark (Joseph Fiennes
) discovers that Simon (Dominic Monaghan
) is lying about the circumstances behind his sister Annabelle's disappearance. When confronted with the evidence, Simon tells the truth, and Mark reluctantly agrees to help Simon locate her. Simon finds his sister on a bridge, but Annabelle tells him not to walk too close or "they'll" kill her. She tells Simon to give them the QED (quantum entanglement device) if he wants to see her alive. Later, Mark and a SWAT team find her in an empty van at a warehouse. Thankful, Simon quickly phones her, then runs off. Mark goes to the safe where the QED is, only to find the device gone. Mark then questions Annabelle about her experience, and she says she overheard her captors saying that Simon could cause another blackout.
Lloyd (Jack Davenport
) feels guilty about lying in a televised interview, so Olivia (Sonya Walger
) tries to ease his guilt. Lloyd confirmed that the blackout didn't cause brain damage
, but to be sure, he asks Olivia to show him some MRI records. The result: no brain damage. They both reveal their feelings for each other are growing and share an intimate moment. Just then, Mark comes over to Lloyd's house to ask him where Simon is and sees Olivia there. Lloyd explains he doesn't know where Simon has gone but that Simon is capable of anything and that he always has a plan.
gave this episode a 7.2 rating out of 10, stating they liked "the idea of someone killing off "Blue Hand" members." The AV Club gave this episode a D+. Television without Pity gave this episode a B-.
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
series FlashForward
Flashforward
A flashforward is an interjected scene that takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards are often used to represent events expected, projected, or imagined to occur in the future...
. This is the first episode directed by Leslie Libman
Leslie Libman
Leslie Libman is an American television director. She also directed commercials and music videos.-Television work:Since 1995 she works primarily as a TV director on a number of television series, most notably directing multiple episodes of Homicide: Life on the Street, The 4400 and NCIS. Other...
, and also the first episode written by Robert J. Sawyer
Robert J. Sawyer
Robert James Sawyer is a Canadian science fiction writer. He has had 20 novels published, and his short fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Amazing Stories, On Spec, Nature, and many anthologies. Sawyer has won over forty awards for his fiction, including the Nebula Award ,...
, the writer of the original novel that inspired the series
Flashforward (novel)
Flashforward is a science fiction novel by Canadian author Robert J. Sawyer first published in 1999. The novel is set in 2009. At CERN, the Large Hadron Collider accelerator is performing a run to search for the Higgs boson. The experiment has a unique side effect: the entire human race loses...
.
Plot
Demetri (John ChoJohn Cho
John Yohan Cho is an American actor and musician, best known for his roles in the American Pie films and the Harold & Kumar films . He also starred in the critically acclaimed hit film Better Luck Tomorrow...
) and Agent Fiona Banks (Alex Kingston
Alex Kingston
Alexandra Elizabeth "Alex" Kingston is an English actress. She is most widely known for her roles as Dr. Elizabeth Corday on the NBC medical drama ER and as River Song in Doctor Who.-Early life and education:...
) track down a man who has taken it upon himself to kill those who have avoided the death foretold in their flashforwards, thus supposedly helping the universe "course correct" itself. Demetri manages to kill him before he can kill a woman who was supposed to die a week earlier, but Fiona accidentally runs her over. Fiona then receives a phone call from the doctor at the hospital and the conversation they have is the same one that Gough had in his Flashforward. Fiona believes the doctor will call again on April 29th to tell her Celia is dead. This makes Demetri question if the universe will cause him to die.
Mark (Joseph Fiennes
Joseph Fiennes
Joseph Fiennes is an English film and stage actor. He is perhaps best known for his portrayals of William Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Love, Sir Robert Dudley in Elizabeth, Commisar Danilov in Enemy at the Gates, Martin Luther in Luther, Merlin in Camelot, and his portrayal of Mark Benford in the...
) discovers that Simon (Dominic Monaghan
Dominic Monaghan
Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan is an English actor. He has received international attention from playing Merry in Peter Jackson's adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and for his role as Charlie Pace on the television show Lost....
) is lying about the circumstances behind his sister Annabelle's disappearance. When confronted with the evidence, Simon tells the truth, and Mark reluctantly agrees to help Simon locate her. Simon finds his sister on a bridge, but Annabelle tells him not to walk too close or "they'll" kill her. She tells Simon to give them the QED (quantum entanglement device) if he wants to see her alive. Later, Mark and a SWAT team find her in an empty van at a warehouse. Thankful, Simon quickly phones her, then runs off. Mark goes to the safe where the QED is, only to find the device gone. Mark then questions Annabelle about her experience, and she says she overheard her captors saying that Simon could cause another blackout.
Lloyd (Jack Davenport
Jack Davenport
Jack Davenport is an English actor, best known for his roles in the television series This Life, Coupling and as James Norrington in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. He has also appeared in many other Hollywood films such as The Talented Mr. Ripley...
) feels guilty about lying in a televised interview, so Olivia (Sonya Walger
Sonya Walger
Sonya Walger is an English actress known for her roles in the ABC series Lost as Penelope "Penny" Widmore, and as Olivia Benford on ABC's FlashForward.-Education:...
) tries to ease his guilt. Lloyd confirmed that the blackout didn't cause brain damage
Brain damage
"Brain damage" or "brain injury" is the destruction or degeneration of brain cells. Brain injuries occur due to a wide range of internal and external factors...
, but to be sure, he asks Olivia to show him some MRI records. The result: no brain damage. They both reveal their feelings for each other are growing and share an intimate moment. Just then, Mark comes over to Lloyd's house to ask him where Simon is and sees Olivia there. Lloyd explains he doesn't know where Simon has gone but that Simon is capable of anything and that he always has a plan.
Reception
The episode was watched by a series low 4.77 million viewers with a 1.3 rating with adults 18-49. IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave this episode a 7.2 rating out of 10, stating they liked "the idea of someone killing off "Blue Hand" members." The AV Club gave this episode a D+. Television without Pity gave this episode a B-.