Limitless Season 1 Episode 2 Review: Badge! Gun!

I was already hooked by the entertaining mini-movie that was Limitless Season 1 Episode 1, but I knew the series was going to shift gears and follow the procedural route.

So would that be just as engaging?

Thankfully, Limitless Season 1 Episode 2 was a fun ride, but it sort of fell right in line with that case of the week style we’ve seen on countless other shows.

That wasn’t a bad thing by any means, but I can see people who are looking for a more mythology-based show or a show that feels more heavily serialized to check out.

The case of the week really does go the distance by incorporating Genghis Khan and genetics and viruses, all with some typical misdirection and twists. It’s interesting enough to follow along, but the victims and the suspects don’t get much time to really stand out.

However, what really helps make following the case worthwhile are the lead characters and especially Jake McDorman as Brian. There’s such a likability to his character, and the second episode seems to up the fun factor when it comes to Brian and his personality.

Take his James Bond-like fantasy of playing baccarat (which he does wind up playing for real later) or his humor when it comes to dealing with “Mike and Ike” or just his earnest positivity at being able to be a part of the FBI team. It’s nice to see the show not taking itself too seriously, and it helps that McDorman makes Brian a charming and charismatic character.

You can also tell that he’s going to get into plenty of banter with Rebecca, and I’m sure it won’t be long before the two get real flirty with each other.

I also liked that Brian wasn’t useless when the NZT drug wore off, and it did multiple times. He’s not some constant superhero, but he can still manage to try and work the case, albeit a bit slower.

And I’m glad his family wasn’t just pushed to the wayside after the premiere, instead allowing some conflict involving Brian lying to his father and his family when it comes to NZT. I did think it was an easy fix by having Brian’s father be his personal lawyer for the attorney-client privileges, though it was a good twist to have Eddie’s special nurse be the one to take care of Brian’s father.

I’m still interested to see what Eddie’s plans are, and I was pleased Brian was intrigued by Eddie, even going so far as to look him up. Though, the end result was a bit sketchy when the power seemed to go off.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see any new scenes with Eddie, instead just numerous flashbacks from the premiere, but his presence was still felt. I’m curious as to what his bigger plans are.

Turns out, even with the case of the week being something we've seen before, this was a fun hour and another pleasant surprise for the series. McDorman is proving to be the standout element of the show, and now I'm even more eager to partake in another dose of Limitless Season 1.