My Own Worst Enemy Episode 1.2 Review

The second episode of the first season of My Own Worst Enemy aired on October 20, 2008. The episode is titled the Hummingbird and focuses on Henry's attempt to prove that he is a real person and not a split personality. Warning: my episode review contains plot spoilers.

My Own Worst Enemy opens with Tony, Mavis, and Edward discussing Edward's problem. He has a computer chip implanted in his brain that allows him to switch back and forth between Henry on command. The switch has malfunctioned and now they have no control on when Henry emerges. The trio discuss that Raymond is the only other person who knows about the problem and they must keep the issue a secret because otherwise Edward and the project will be in trouble (possibly killed).

Edward and Raymond head to Germany to kidnap a German software engineer who knows info about a planned terrorist attack. Edward and Raymond successfully kidnap the engineer and throw him in their trunk. As they drive off, Edward starts to feel anxious, which is a sign that Henry is about to emerge. Henry awakens and is quite upset that they have kidnapped someone. After reaching headquarters, Mavis explains to Henry that he needs to keep up the ruse because one of his many bosses, Alistar Trumball played by Alex Cromwell, is watching. Henry is supposed to interrogate the prisoner and torture the information out of him but of course Henry can't do it. Henry is having a very difficult time dealing with Edward's life.

Henry, still in denial, decides to prove that he is real by watching home videos and calling everyone he went to college with. He even gets an old college friend who is now a doctor to do a CT scan. The CT scan proves that Henry has a computer chip in his brain. Henry swears the doctor to secrecy but the doctor doesn't take Henry seriously and submits the bill to his insurance company. The insurance company rejects the bill which results in Henry's wife and Edward finding out about the CT scan.

While on his quest to prove he is real, Mavis sends out a team to bring Henry back. They squirt him with a poisonous gas that will kill him unless Mavis jump starts his heart. As Henry is dying, Mavis again tells him to accept that he is just an experiment and deal with it or die. Henry decides to deal with it and Mavis saves him.

Christian Slater does an excellent job playing Henry, the confused family man who can't accept that his life is a lie. Henry is the main personality of this episode with Edward appearing only long enough to seduce Henry's wife with numerous sexual positions (thus the title Hummingbird). Henry's quest to find the truth ends tragically for his doctor friend who is murdered at the end of the episode. Was it Edward, Mavis, or Raymond? Of course Henry suspects Edward because he is starting to think Edward is evil.

The Hummingbird was a very good episode but wasn't quite as interesting as the first episode. I really hope the writer's don't spend too much time on Henry whining about his "fake" life. That will get old real quick. I liked last week when Henry and Edward started to communicate. They communicate a little more this episode. I need more Edward; Henry is starting to get on my nerves. I give the episode 3 out of 5 stars