MINI REVIEW WEBB OF LIES

By Anne Taul

 

     “Webb of Lies” is an episode fundamentally about relationships and revelations. However, as its association with spy Clayton Webb would imply, these elements are somewhat latent in nature. Even though he only appears in a few scenes at the very end, the CIA’s Webb is the main focus of this one. Rather than following him, the action unfolds around other characters as they see aspects of their relationship with him of which they were unaware; and discovering things about him that they hadn’t known.

   

       Characters like Harm, Mac and Bud find, while investigating Webb’s death, that they actually like the guy. It’s a surprise to them because they’ve always tried to steer clear of involvement with him when possible. What triggers this new found camaraderie is a series of  revelations about him as a man. They discover that Webb is very good at his job and that the stunts he pulls are really what it takes to get the job done most effectively, even things like faking his own death and holding off Clark Palmer alone. For the first time, Webb has a real life, apart from his career. We see this when Harm and Bud search his apartment and again when Harm visits his mother. His cryptic past (i.e. years that his activities can’t be traced) are very like the spook we’ve come to know, yet Harm begins to feel a real kinship to him as he discovers that Clay id living up to a family legacy left by his father.

 

       The other characters get a chance to explore relationships as well. Harm and Mac seem to try to protect each other as he purposefully keeps her from going after Webb with him  and she insists on spending the night at his apartment when Palmer may be after him. The scene where Mac admits her inability to sleep due to doubts and fears about her ability to maintain relationships and all the death around her is indicative of the closeness she and Harm share. The relationship between Bud and Harriet is good, as Bud realizes in this one, but we get the opportunity to see them working at it.

 

     Webb’s and Harm’s interaction with Clark Palmer set this villain up to be a recurring nightmare for Harm. Rabb is also pushed into a revelation about his feelings for Jordan when Palmer is threatening her.

 

         All in all, we make discoveries about the characters in “Webb of Lies” and they get to grow in their relationships. Setting this against the backdrop of a murder investigation that’s not really what it seems, makes this episode interesting, revealing and fun.