Episode Reviewed: Touch Safety in Numbers

Is it possible to have a love-hate relationship with a TV show. I know I have one with a couple of writers who shall not be named (sometimes I'm afraid that insert evil writer we love here will kill everyone I care about) but I think I might have one with Touch. On the one hand, it's starting to feel formulaic and repetitive, which I've not really a fan (why do you think I hate cop shows so much) but on the other hand, it always provides a few solid moments of human connection and character development that will make even the most cynical of us grin. Go figure. So, Jake, whose stuck at the board and care facility, sends Martin after a set of numbers that lead him to homeless man who has a thing with numbers that feels more than slightly familiar, which leads Martin to something involving the man's family and a strange financial sham. At the same time, we have the the B-plot that connects unlikely people we've had in every episode so far, with the third consecutive appearances by the Japanese girls and the magic phone we all love so much. Meanwhile, Teller pays a visit to the board and care facility and we get some further insight as to what's happening with Clare's mother. Overall some fairly entertaining story telling, but, since I'm me, I feel like there's a ton of potential for serialization that Tim Kring is purposely avoiding out of fear (granted, we probably shouldn't blame him for that.) There were, however, a few interesting moments that suggest where the story might be going involving something that happened to Jake, others like Jake, and a mysterious room at the board and care. Kiefer Sutherland, as expected, stole the show, and the ending was actually a bit touching, no pun intended. Final Rating: 87%