Counterpart 1.07

The Sincerest Form of Flattery

1997. Young Clare is sent to a boarding school after her parents die from the flu epidemic. She is trained to be just like her counterpart. She has a friend named Spencer. They break Clare's legs after they learn that her counterpart's legs were recently broken in a skiing accident. Spencer disappears. Clare is told that Spencer was sent to live on the other side. She never sees him again.

Clare grows up at the school. She continues to study everything about her counterpart. When she gets old enough she becomes a teacher at the school. She stays there until one day in 2013 when they tell her that it is time. Clare Alpha is engaged to marry Peter Quayle. This is an excellent opportunity to place her. 

Present. Peter gets Clare to go out and buy him cigars before the party. He doesn't have any of the kind that her father likes. Actually he does but he hides them. Peter gets Howard Prime to come to the house while Clare is out. They search the house. They find a cyanide pill but nothing else incriminating.

Howard tells Peter to act natural when Clare returns. They can't let her know that they know that she is from the other side. Peter is freaking out on the inside. He doesn't even know if it has been Clare Prime all along or if he ever knew Clare Alpha.

2013. Clare crosses over. Her cover is that she will be working at the embassy but she never does. She gets set up in an apartment. Lambert from the embassy is her contact. She breaks into Clare Prime's flat. She plants hidden cameras and microphones. She studies her counterpart. She sees her counterpart and Peter having sex for the first time.

Present. Peter tries to stay cool but he drinks a lot. He offers a toast to Clare. He asks her questions about an early date they had, in front of everyone. She scrambles and makes something up. Peter continues to drink.

2013. Clare Alpha and Peter get into a fight. She returns the engagement ring. She doesn't want to see him again. This is not what Clare's supervisors want to hear. She is given orders to do what needs to be done. She hires two men who break into Clare Alpha's apartment. Clare Prime waits outside. Clare Alpha gets away from the men and tries to escape but Clare Prime catches up to her and strangles her to death. Clare takes over her counterpart's life and reconciles with Peter

Present. The party ends. Clare is headed to bed when she stops by Peter's office and sees the cigars that he hid. He confronts her while they are getting ready for bed. He tells asks her when the change happened. He offers her the cyanide pill. She tells him that it's no good. It has gone bad.

Clare tells him that she never had anything until now. The story flashes back to the day her daughter was born. She named her Spencer.

Thoughts

This was different. Howard Prime is only in this episode briefly, Howard Alpha not at all. This episode is mostly Clare and Peter. Alexander Pope makes a brief appearance. Emily, Baldwin, and Aldrich are not in this episode.

Peter just couldn't keep his big mouth shut. What is he going to tell Howard Prime when he sees him next?

Clare acts at the end like she has changed but I've got my doubts. I think she is just playing him once again.

I really like the way the past and present are mixed together. The reveal at the end wasn't quite as impactful as the one at the end of the previous episode but I still liked the way this one was wrapped up.