Who doesn’t love a locked door murder mystery?

While Perception has always done a pretty good job of illustrating, or at least making me more aware, of various real neurological disorders, I wasn’t sure quite how factual the “L-Dub” project was.

I’m sure there is work on artificial intelligence programs, but one that could easily do something like call Daniel a prick or heck, even commit murder?

Watch Perception Season 3 Episode 5 Online

It immediately made me think of the recent Johnny Depp film Transcendence, what with uploading the human consciousness so one could invariably live forever, but I also was thrilled to hear the nod to Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Skynet became self aware, so why not something in real life?

Either way, I was curious as to where the case was going, even if I had some reservations about the possible outcome and the technology associated with the crime.

Interestingly enough, the twists were less of a shocking reveal for the sake of surprise, but rather steps to the ultimate realization that there was no murder at all. And not from a computer, no matter how advanced and life-like it seemed.

Rather, it was Dr. Landon Jennings who committed suicide. The brilliant mind couldn’t handle the thought of his body and mind deteriorating in a way that would be detrimental to the project and make him, or in what he believed, would be less of a person than he used to be.

It was a tragic ending, made more relevant by Daniel’s father’s struggle with Alzheimer’s. And I can certainly sympathize having seen someone with Alzheimer’s change from a person cognizant and present to someone who not only forgets but can no longer make decisions for themselves.

Seeing Daniel’s father embarrassed by his “accident” or angrily thinking his wife was still alive were just small but poignant moments of the disease that transforms a person, and something that no one can stop.

And as much as Daniel tried avoiding his father and thus his home (although Daniel’s father walking around naked was pretty funny), the moment between the two men as Daniel tried to keep his father there and his father admitted it was time to go was tragic in its own right, even if it allowed his father to make that sort of final decision.

So to cap everything off with a rather thought provoking question about the end of our existence and the importance of those small human moments such as love and care during that short span of life was truly fitting. I certainly was able to connect and empathize and see just how the final moments were impacting Daniel without him saying anything to his father at all.

There was no need for Donnie and Kate wedding drama or a wild hallucination. All the pieces connected in a way that was relevant to the case and the personal drama. It made me wish Daniel could help his father with that brilliant mind of his as his father gave that last little wave at the close of Perception Season 3 Episode 5.

I was not quite prepared for this episode of Perception Season 3 and so pleasantly surprised by how well it all came together. And it's definitely one that makes you think of your own story and life.

Do you know someone with Alzheimer's disease?

Sean McKenna was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. He retired in May of 2017. Follow him on Twitter.