Michael’s abrasive and rash behaviour becomes the catalyst for his own downfall here, but it’s also puts the aliens firmly on the path towards finding out where they come from. Alongside some strange Indian nuttiness, Michael’s condition allows for a little reflection on his place within the group, and how much he means to all of them.
A lot of The Balance straddles too much on that vague Indian mumbo jumbo, but it eventually makes its point, and the visual aspects of Michael’s inner journey were some of the coolest things the show has done so far. Saving Michael didn’t just give Michael himself the insight necessary to bring them one step closer to the truth, but it was a big kick in the face for Max, who realized that his relationship with Liz could prove fatal down the road. Liz’s fear for Max’s safety got in the way of restoring Michael, so what if her fear got in the way of saving someone else? It’s a flimsy excuse to end things with her, but you can see it’s out of love.
Michael’s rash behaviour comes out his own personality, but a lot of his desperation comes from Max’s stubbornness to include him in what’s going on, for fear of him overreacting. The leadership role seems to be one Max has slid into himself, but it’s unfair to leave Michael it the dark, when this stuff is just as important to him as it is to Max and Isabel. Then again, when you’re dealing with someone as unreliable as Michael, a little caution isn’t necessarily a bad thing...
Isabel is slowly starting to take the reigns as one of the show’s driving characters. Her initial reaction to Michael’s illness is one of fear and desperation, which rubs off on the newly inquisitive Alex who is forced to accept the truth about Liz’s new besties. As his condition worsens she reveals how much Michael means to her, and it’s painful to realize that Max and Michael are the only true family she has. They’re the only people she can really be herself around. Katherine Heigl’s talent shines far and above some of the rest of the cast here; it’s easy to see why she’s become a household name now.
It’s a little clunky in places, but the Balance follows Blood Brothers in being one of the show’s heaviest episodes to date, and it definitely feels like the show is building to something.
7/10
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