Star-Crossed Review: Season One, Episode Four – “And Left No Friendly Drop”

First aired March 10th, 2014.

Star-Crossed delivers a solid episode this time around, focusing a lot on Sophia, Roman’s sister, who until now has mostly been in the background. After doe-eyed Sophia expresses to Emery how much she loved swimming on Atria, she’s brought to the school pool and asked to join the swim team.

After fighting some red tape, Sophia is allowed to compete but is met with severe resistance, notably a doll strung up in her locker with a knife through it. Roman wants her to quit but she wants to continue in order to honor their father. This leads to the competition poisoning her with a caffeine laced drink (which Atrians are deathly allergic to) but quick thinking by Roman and Emery save her from dying.

The storyline works well because this is something that has occurred throughout our history. Whether it was sports or integrating schools, people have a history of aggressively opposing that kind of change and this episode uses examples from that history. The scene where Sophia finds the doll in her locker reminded me of Ruby Bridges, one of the first black children to attend a then all-white school. One woman protesting held up a black baby doll in a wooden casket.

This all culminates in a giant fight with the opposing team, the best moment being when Teri calmly explains to the girl who poisoned Sophia that her actions made her feel unsafe and head-butts her. Gloria promptly breaks it up and reprimands everyone, but she’s also proud of them because she believes their rumble was a sign of the Integration Program working. Humans and Atrians fighting side by side in a school fight is progress to her and she’s running with it.

Meanwhile, Roman finds an illegal cell phone that belongs to his father Nox and is determined to find out who he contacted and what was on it. He enlists Emery’s friend, Julia, who’s “eternally in his debt” for saving her life twice, and Emery’s other friend, Lukas (played by Titus Makin Jr.), to help. Like Sophia, Lukas never had much to do until this episode. He uses his computer savvy mind to find a video of water before the phone is destroyed by Gloria.

She had good reason to, as the video was of her secret Atrian son taking a bath. We also learn that the father is none other than Roman and Sophia’s father Nox. Apparently, when he and Gloria were trying to bring Atrians and humans together they took their work seriously. Having Nox be the father was a good plot twist since now instead of being a stand-alone storyline it ties in with Roman and Sophia.

Overall this episode is probably the best of the season so far. Between Gloria’s son and the escalating resistance of the Atrian Trags, there’s good material for upcoming episodes.

Quotes/Thoughts

“I’m thinking of taking it easy on you because you almost died.” “Don’t think I’m taking it easy on you, ever.”

Atrians have two hearts and lungs. Wonder what else they have two of.

Turns out Grayson really is a good guy. That’s great, I guess.

Since Atrians can absorb oxygen through their skin, Sophia has an unfair advantage on the swim team.

“If you want to go swim against those unmarked monkeys, go for it. Just make sure you smoke them.”

If the school opens a fight club, everyone can work out their differences in no time.

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