“Signal & Noise”

Improbably, of all the many shows featuring time travel of some kind, Frequency might be the most promising of them all, thus far.

After the events of the pilot setting up the premise and the consequences of the same, it’s refreshing to see how the series wants to explore the impact of the changes in the timeline on the main characters and their response to the stress.

This episode hinges its effectiveness on the relationship between Raimy and her father Frank (in two different time periods) as they struggle to come to terms with the bizarre circumstances and with each other.

For Raimy, she has lost her mother Julie and also her fiance Daniel and suddenly her life is empty and she is hellbent on getting Frank to prevent her murder in the past. In the meantime, she works hard to uncover clues in the present that will help this process in 1996 – it is difficult and the pressure is taking its toll on her.

For Frank, his problems are only beginning after realising that his boss tried to get him killed whilst undercover and burdened with the knowledge that his wife will be murdered by the notorious “Nightingale” killer. Struggling to maintain a semblance of a relationship with Julie, Frank is at odds with Raimy as to how to proceed.

By the end of the episode, both characters are at a low point and realising that maybe changing the past is the worst idea possible but the alternative is unacceptable as well. Catch-22!

… still there’s more …