SPOILER ALERT: The following contains spoilers for Anna Pigeon Season 1, Episode 1.
There’s a lot to love about Anna Pigeon. From a great leading performance by Tracy Spiridakos, to beautiful scenery, the USA show has several different strengths. But the most interesting moment in the series premiere might have flown under the radar.
In “Track of the Cat,” Anna (played by Spiridakos) is lured out onto the edge of a cliff by a piece of litter—the character’s pet peeve. But when she goes to retrieve it, she realizes that it’s a trap, as the trap gives way and she falls over the side. This scene absolutely should not work at all, because cynical viewers will understand the degree of false jeopardy. The show can’t kill off its main protagonist midway through the first episode, especially when that character’s name is the title. Anna hanging off a cliff should be good for a burst of dramatic action, and little more. But showrunner Morwyn Brebner, who wrote the premiere, utilizes this limitation to her advantage.
There’s still a physical component to the sequence, as the audience doesn’t know how Anna’s going to get back up the cliff; they just know that she has to. And Spiridakos is well suited to action after her years as Hailey Upton on Chicago PD. But there’s so much more going on in this scene than the action bit, and that’s what viewers might have missed. Brebner is limited in how much physical peril she can put Anna in, so instead she focuses the scene on emotional and character-building impact. What could’ve been a short-lived jump-scare thus becomes one of the most layered moments in the pilot, because she takes it in the exact opposite—and unexpected—direction. No one expects an emotional beat in the middle of a physical stunt.
The viewer certainly doesn’t expect one that takes one of the crime genre’s well-worn cliches and reinvigorates it. Audiences have already learned that Anna’s husband Zach Redhill was murdered when she lived in New York. So many crime shows feature a detective who has a tragic past involving the death of a spouse, child, parent or other loved one, thus motivating them to catch bad guys and/or avenge their loss. In that sense, Anna Pigeon is not unique. But when a dazed Anna sees a vision of her husband, encouraging her to keep going, that gives this familiar idea a more intriguing element.
Firstly, it humanizes Zach (played by Jordan Sledz) to the audience. He’s not just a plot device for Anna or a photo in a crime report. He’s a person they can see and hear, so they can connect with him. Seeing how he interacts with Anna also provides valuable context for their marriage, even if it’s only for a few moments; it’s the “show, don’t tell” principle of writing. Anna and her sister Molly talking about missing Zach, while informative, doesn’t hold the same weight as seeing the rapport between them and watching how she reacts to him. His having a presence at all proves that her grief isn’t solely going to pop up when it’s dramatically convenient. She really hasn’t forgotten him. And if fans can understand Anna’s loss, they can better understand how it continues to affect her.
This scene also opens the door to a bigger idea that would continue to make Anna Pigeon‘s tragic angle far more worth watching. If the show keeps using Zach as a recurring character—which would have to be with a different impetus, such as Anna deciding to talk to him when she finds herself particularly vulnerable—that adds more weight to the ongoing subplot of his murder. The post-premiere season teaser confirmed that the investigation into his death will play out across the season. If the viewer keeps getting to know him, then who killed him becomes more than a dangling subplot in a corner of the show. It could be an interesting way to sneak in potential clues, as the audience learns more about Anna’s time in New York. It’s certainly a more unique way to introduce further parts of her backstory, rather than the typical flashbacks.
“Track of the Cat” takes a literal cliffhanger—something that’s meant to startle the audience and entice them to keep watching after the commercial break—and evolves it into a moment that gives insight into Anna’s personality and her most important relationship. Director Lea Thompson is wonderful in shifting gears, making the fall and the climb look as big as possible but then making the world feel smaller when it’s time to focus on Anna and Zach. Between her visual handiwork, Brebner’s ability and willingness to push genre conventions, and a scrappy performance by Spiridakos, this scene has a little bit of everything. And it’s proof that Anna Pigeon isn’t going to tread the same ground as other crime shows. It’s willing to go over its own cliff.
Anna Pigeon airs Fridays at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on USA. Photo Credit: Michelle Faye/Courtesy of Versant Media.
Article content is (c)2020-2026 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.
