Obviously, colors showed up a lot tonight. Also, I will point out that one of the night exterior shots of a building had a very particular pattern of which lights were on and which weren't. I don't know that I;m any closer to deciphering these patterns, but I'm certainly more observationally aware of them.

Character progression and development for just about everyone:

Noble is the best actor on television right now, bar none (I'm sorry Michael Emerson, you're so close for me too). The way he has been progressing the character of Walter episode by episode, watching the processes he went through in this one: the denial of responsibility in Liv's experimentation when he was clearly involved, if only as a bystanding watching without stopping them; the emotional connection that parallels his son's attachment to Olivia. I'll post more on the two of them and their' relationship to her later.

Broyles is just fantastic. Lance Reddick is just such a presence. He's putting out feature film power on a small screen. Just about everyone is.

Cheers to rock solid, always there Charlie.

Olivia too, and the complexities that she displays. Although I never found her problematic, there was much talk earlier about a lack of emotional connection from the audience to her. I think by developing it more slowly she has cemented a more powerful emotional bond. I think she's an outstanding surrogate for us to live vicariously through this show with.

Yes, John Noble is amazing. I also didn't realize until I saw a commercial on FOX when he is talking at the actor, not character, that he is putting on an American accent.

I think it could be hard to connect emotionally with Liv at first, because she has sort of an inscrutable personality, on purpose. She keeps herself contained. But over the season, we've learned a lot about her, as she's learning about herself. I feel connected to her, as a viewer. How could you not, after this episode??

I also love Josh Jackson as Peter. It's such a great cast.

Olivia too, and the complexities that she displays. Although I never found her problematic, there was much talk earlier about a lack of emotional connection from the audience to her. I think by developing it more slowly she has cemented a more powerful emotional bond. I think she's an outstanding surrogate for us to live vicariously through this show with.

See, now I thought this from the beginning of the show, but I didn't mind it. I liked all of the characters from the start, and Olivia just seemed like a person that was very closed off. but it was fantastic getting to see her emotions last night. I think Anna performed flawlessly in this episode and was very convincing.

I agree, from the very beginning I think the three that are the core of the show (Anna, Josh and John) were really doing outstanding work, and creating interesting complexities in the differences and similarities of the characters. They ARE characters, and that is what ultimately makes them (and by virtue of this the show) stand out from any other stamped out cop procedural.

The fact that the show has consistently produced strong performances from secondary characters such as Broyles, Charlie, Nina and even Jones is another feather in the cap of the casting directors. I still feel like they haven't managed to find a way to let Astrid shine in the same way some of the other secondary characters do, but I've certainly not seen anything to indicate that this is the actress in any way, I just think that one part is sadly a bit underwritten.