TV.com

Without a Trace Season 4 Episode 1

Showdown

Favorite

Watched It I've Watched This 0

Next
Episode Previous
Episode

9.1

User Rating

128 votes

Your Rating: 10
Your Rating: 9.5
Your Rating: 9
Your Rating: 8.5
Your Rating: 8
Your Rating: 7.5
Your Rating: 7
Your Rating: 6.5
Your Rating: 6
Your Rating: 5.5
Your Rating: 5
Your Rating: 4.5
Your Rating: 4
Your Rating: 3.5
Your Rating: 3
Your Rating: 2.5
Your Rating: 2
Your Rating: 1.5
Your Rating: 1

Rate Now

EPISODE REVIEWS
By TV.com Users

Write A Review

Episode Summary

EDIT

AIRED: 9/29/05

Martin and Danny are ambushed by Emil Dornvald, who ends up killing the prisoner they are transporting. Martin is in serious condition, and a barely wounded Danny is at the end of his rope as he tries to find the man who put Martin in the hospital in critical condition. Jack has his hands full with keeping Danny in check and hunting down Emil Dornvald, the mercenary who had previously worked for General Gamba. Things get sticky when Victor Fitzgerald and Tom Banes of Homeland Security get involved, determined to make a deal with Nuru, whom Jack believes isn't the friendly that Homeland Security believes he is.moreless

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (6)

Season 4 came out with a bang, and I see the return of this series to the calibre of Season 1. Supersized potholes aside, this was a beautiful, beautiful episode. The action scenes in the hospital were ingenius, especially in capturing Danny battling himoreless

9.6

By smallcar4, Aug 04, 2010

It was great to see Victor again, but it made no sense that Jack got off for the amazing infractions committed as a team leader in the prisoner transport. It was heart wrenching seeing wounded Martin's agony, the emotional shock and confusion in Danny, and Samantha's panic and dread. I enjoyed the Charles Mesure's performance who was the force de jour in this episode. Anthony energetically transported the action scenes, but I resented his unwarranted harshness of a distressed Danny. But it was Poppy's emotional depth that hit this episode out of the park during her bedside dialogue to Martin.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
1 0

Flag
Share Hide
We set off exactly where we left it! Danny, Martin and Adisa Teno are being shot at and Martin get's badly injured. Danny get's luckey and the rest of the team (Vivian recovering from surgery) search for revenge and justice to be served. They succed.moreless

9.9

By CharmedGirl7, Jun 21, 2006

Wow! That's really all there is to say!

We returned to the exact same cliff-hanger moment where we left of. I loved it, really!

I bit my nailes off when Martin was in surgery, and I really felt Sam's anxiety. Very well written. I liked the way this ended. I thought it was a very cool moment when Jack shot Dornvald. I was like: "YAY At last!! About time that son of a ***** got what he deserved!"

It was really getting to me that Nuru got away, I would have loved to see his *** get kicked, you know? But still you can't always get what you want.

I did love the final part with Sam by Martin's bedside. I would have loved to see him open those pretty eyes of his and see them hook up again.

But I guess I'll have to wait untill season 5, because I do believe they will end up together in this season. I'm routing for them!

Anyway this ep. had everything I love about this serie: Action, drama and love. A little more love would have made me give it a 10, but that's really all!moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
0 0

Flag
Share Hide
Season Four premiere...all about revenge.

7.1

By Milks23, Dec 08, 2005

From season three finale we left Martin and Danny, and their prisoner victims of gun fire. We return to Martin being severely wounded,Adisa Teno being to to death by Dornvald, and Danny receiving a slight head wound.

They tried to have Danny feeling guilty and lost as Martin is critically hurt, and he escaped with only a graze, so they he begins taking risks to get Dornvald and is lectured by Jack. But it my opinion his acting was not up to par and I was just praying for when the camera would move off him. He

Dornvald is caught and Jack is forced to shot him when he refuses to give up his weapon.

But the best part of the episode was Sam's visit to Marin's bedside.

Overall, a good premiere, which has me wondering why the rest of the season is not that way.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
0 0

Flag
Share Hide
It is just like they are starting all over.

9.0

By danasdude, Nov 10, 2005

This is the conclusion of the 3rd season's cliffhanger. The previous episode featured the murder of a corrupt leader of an African country. When last we saw them, Martin and Danny were under fire. This one picks up with the aftermath of Martin trying to unsuccessfully drive away. He sustains heavy damage. Danny comes through a little banged up and begins a hot pursuit of the killer. Sam realizes she still cares for Martin and tells him so while he is sedated.

There is a lot of excitement in this one. The missing person is a killer for hire. The resolution of his being caught and shot on a rooftop is exceptional.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
0 0

Flag
Share Hide
It picks up the cliffhanger from last season: Martin and Danny are ambushed while transporting Adisa Teno.

8.9

By epc9902, Oct 08, 2005

It picks up the cliffhanger from last season: Martin and Danny are ambushed while transporting Adisa Teno.

As far as I could tell or remember, Dornvald was the head security assigned to kill revolutionary leader, Adisa Tenor. Isaiah Nuru claims to have nothing to do with the ambush, but Jack suspects the opposite. As much as Dornvald is known to be a killer, the episode wisely portrays him with empathy. He is following orders and he's being blackballed by the people who hired him.

There are some interesting things in the plot. The international intrigue is fascinating. Nuru knows how to bluff and Martin's dad (a top FBI director) sides with the policy of negotiating with Nuru, by trading Paige Hobson (who confessed to have killed the African leader) for Dornvald. Of course, our team has to find Dornvald before Nuru kills him. Techniques to finding Dornvald involved looking for a black hooker and Dornvald's technique of going after close relatives of his target. The episode ends atop Port Authority; Jack shots him dead with no evidence as to what happened.

I got to say "Without a Trace" is exceptional at shooting in location. I know they're usually based in California, but they fly to New York for the scenery. In this episode alone, the ambush takes place in front of the bull statue in Wall Street and then there's the aforementioned Port Authority.

As drama goes, we are limited to three characters, since Vivian and Martin are both in the hospital. Anthony LaPaglia is so good at his role. This time around, with Martin's father complicating the case, he's extremely protective of his team (Martin got shot, man!). Meanwhile Danny is acting like a stubborn kid, who believes he's okay, despite some minor bruises (not to mention a bit of trauma perhaps). His jittery impulse is evident when he tries to shoot Dornvald, where he could have shot the hostage. Sam Spade is driven to rush towards Martin's side. She is feeling guilty because she had been distant.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
0 0

Flag
Share Hide

See All Fan Reviews

Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

Anthony LaPaglia	Jack Malone
Enrique Murciano	Danny Taylor
Eric Close	Martin Fitzgerald
Poppy Montgomery	Samantha Spade

See All Cast & Crew

Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

Charles Mesure	Emil Dornvald	Guest Star
Anna Belknap	Paige Hobson	Guest Star
Jason Winston George	Adisa Teno	Guest Star
Eric Scott Gould	ND Agent #1	Recurring Role
Ty Miller	Tech Agent	Recurring Role

See All Cast & Crew

Watch Online

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

FILTER BY TYPE

TRIVIA (3)
ADD TRIVIA
- Valhalla, the name of Dornvald's boat, is also the name of the high school that series regular Eric Close graduated from.
  EDIT SHARE
- Goof: Victor tells Sam that Martin's mom is at the hospital, but she is never seen or heard from.
  EDIT SHARE
- Goof: Danny talks to Jack on his cell phone in the hospital emergency room but cell phones aren't allowed due to the problems with potential interference.
  EDIT SHARE
QUOTES (1)
ADD QUOTES
- (Sam sits beside an unconscious Martin's hospital bed.)
  Samantha Spade: I'm sorry I didn't come to see you sooner. I, ah, I guess I was scared to see you like...like this. I want you to know that I know that I haven't been very good about...being there for you. But I'm here now. And...I'm not going anywhere until I know you're alright.
  EDIT SHARE
NOTES (1)
ADD NOTES
- Original International Air Dates:
  Norway: January 7, 2009 on NRK1
  Slovakia: November 12, 2009 on Markiza
  The Czech Republic: February 8, 2008 on TV Nova
  EDIT SHARE
ALLUSIONS (0)
ADD ALLUSIONS
- ADD ALLUSIONS from this episode.