This time David isn't settling into a new town. Instead, he spends the entire episode on the road with motorcyclist Carl Rivers. Rivers recently quit a biker gang because he objected to their getting involved in gunrunning, and is making his way to a life of farming. But when the feds are tipped off to the gang's gunrunning, they mistakenly assume Rivers was the "fink" and set off in hot pursuit.
What I like most about this episode is the sensation of length and depth; it feels more like a feature film than a TV episode. The biker gang is there to provide tension, but the core of the episode is the developing friendship between David and Carl. Stereotypes and human differences are quietly shed as the story shows a deepening bond between these two men from very different backgrounds. By the end, you almost feel like you've been watching the adventures of these two for a whole season.
A key factor is that Paul Koslo is perfectly likable and convincing in the role of Carl Rivers. Looking up Koslo online, I was a bit saddened to learn that he's typically cast as a villain; he makes an excellent good guy.
What I like most about this episode is the sensation of length and depth; it feels more like a feature film than a TV episode. The biker gang is there to provide tension, but the core of the episode is the developing friendship between David and Carl. Stereotypes and human differences are quietly shed as the story shows a deepening bond between these two men from very different backgrounds. By the end, you almost feel like you've been watching the adventures of these two for a whole season.
A key factor is that Paul Koslo is perfectly likable and convincing in the role of Carl Rivers. Looking up Koslo online, I was a bit saddened to learn that he's typically cast as a villain; he makes an excellent good guy.
