More compelling than the battle itself were the scenes between Monroe and Connor, as Monroe worked to convince Connor to kill him so that he could walk away and have the life that Monroe had messed up for himself. To make Connor willing to kill him, Monroe admitted that he was responsible for the death of Connor’s mother. I was impressed with the performances, as Mat Viaro (Connor) is proving himself as an actor and was able to hold his own against David Lyons (Monroe), who has a tendency to steal the scenes.
But the real story movement was with Aaron, Priscilla, and their friend, the artificial intelligence. The AI has adopted Cynthia’s appearance as the one most likely to resonate with Aaron, and tries to convince Aaron and Priscilla to help save it from a coding error they made 25 years ago. Priscilla doesn’t want to help because it’s too powerful, but Aaron makes the argument that they don’t have a choice. After it let Cynthia die, he’s not willing to lose Priscilla too. Aaron, however, is faking, plants a virus, and in a twist I didn’t see coming, wakes up amongst Mr. Roboto music in an apparently altered reality of 2014 where they never lost power. Ha! I’m hoping means the machine isn’t going down without more of a fight, because it would be very anticlimactic if that storyline was already over.
High Points
Aaron’s deceit of the AI was to me the strongest storyline in the episode. The pinnacle moment occurred when Priscilla threatened to not help, and the AI answered with the skies opening up in thunderous storms over the town. Nice creepy mood set in that moment.
Low Points
The Charlie mini-arc of being captured, dressed in lingerie so that she could be prostituted out, and then her predictable escape was gratuitous filler that would have been better left on the cutting room floor. The first half of the episode would have been stronger had she just earned Duncan’s respect in a more original way, convinced her to help Monroe, and then assisted in the rescue.Hottest Action
The most action-packed scene has to be the break out of Monroe and Connor from their Vegas fighting ring. This episode wasn’t as action-packed as some, but we did get some blood and death.Best Quotes
Cynthia/AI: “Save us.”Aaron: “No, not again.”
Neville: “And by the way, glad you finally got together with your sister in law. Thanksgiving get weird?
Miles: “God, you’re a dick.”
Pete: “Everything’s that happened to us for month has led us to this moment, so that we can save it.”
Aaron: “It’s a machine Pete, it’s not god.”
Pete: “It is better than god.”
Pete: “It answers our prayers. It heals. This is a new age. This is a new god.”
Monroe: “Just do me a favor. Find yourself a girl – not Charlie – have kids. Don’t be alone.”
Monroe (watching Charlie captured): “So much for that rescue.”
Charlie: “I just saved your life, bitch. You owe me.”
Miles: “Unbelievable. I mean your dad’s a soulless piece of crap, fine. But you? You’re working for these guys?”
Neville: “Now this is just getting silly.”
Miles: “You know in Mexico, they would just call this a stand off.”
Monroe: “Five? We could use three times as many.”
Duncan: "I think the words 'thank you' are what you’re looking for.”
Duncan: “They don’t take orders from you. They take orders from her. She’s the one I am. You’re not bad kid. You’re way better than he deserves.”
Monroe: “Well congratulations. You’re the new lead singer of the Village People.”
Aaron: “Screw fate. You make your own choices, right?” [followed by Mr. Roboto music]
Thanks for the review and for not just concentrating on main story line (Monroe again) but also focusing on the Miles/Neville one as well on the Aaron story line. I had heard thru the grapevine that the end would be mind blowing but did not see this one coming. I can't wait for the next episode and please continue with your reviews especially since other are now stopping to review this great show :)
ReplyDeleteMy absolute favorite scene was this
ReplyDeleteNeville: “And by the way, glad you finally got together with your sister in law. Thanksgiving get weird?
Miles: “God, you’re a dick.”
Love how the show is now able to make fun of itself.
Thanks for your comments! I don't have any plans to go anywhere - at least for the time being anyway. I'm really curious where they go with the Aaron/AI storyline. They keep saying the AI is a new god. I guess he's flexing his muscles because I can't think of another scenario in which it would make sense that the timeline was altered because Aaron wrote in a virus.
ReplyDeleteThe show obviously needs to get back to the current timeline, but my thought is the AI is trying to force Aaron's hand in this. But to do this, to make Aaron want to go back to the other reality, the AI would need to make that reality worse than the current one. Anyway, I'm just speculating, but curious to watch where the show goes with this.
This is my favorite too. Or maybe a toss up between this one and Monroe throwing in the line about not wanting Connor to end up with Charlie. He's not wrong.
ReplyDeleteI loved this episode! I actually enjoyed the Charlie story line. Thought it was nice to see her portrayed as a hero instead of a victim for a change. :) Loved the Monroe/Connor scenes. It's been pretty awesome to watch that relationship develop. Neville's line about Thanksgiving & Monroe's about the Village People were my favorite one-liners. I think the next episode will be pretty awesome. Will be interesting to see what these people might have been like without the daily struggle for survival. Can't wait for the next episode.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment! Hero Charlie I like. The lingerie was the part I could have done without. Agree with you on loving the Monroe and Connor scenes. Integrating Monroe into the group, and introducing an adult Connor, has breathed new life in the series. The Village People quote was another great one.
ReplyDelete"Rachel arrives, because you knew she wasn’t going to listen when Miles told her not to come. I finally placed who her character reminds me of, and that’s Kate from LOST – impulsive, always getting into trouble, a darkish history, and hopelessly doomed to exist mostly in love triangles."
ReplyDeleteI was reminded of the time where Jack and Miles get into it and Miles says "How stupid do you think I am, Jack?" and then Juliet and Sayid come out with their guns aimed and Jack says, "I dunno, Miles. How stupid are you?" But there were a lot of little scenes like that and Kate was def notorious for doing what she wanted and not following instructions! :D
"The Charlie mini-arc of being captured, dressed in lingerie so that she could be prostituted out, and then her predictable escape was gratuitous filler that would have been better left on the cutting room floor. The first half of the episode would have been stronger had she just earned Duncan’s respect in a more original way, convinced her to help Monroe, and then assisted in the rescue."
It was predictable, but thematic going back to season 1x06. I have seen a lot more tie backs lately with the first season, including this upcoming dreamscape or alternate reality may play into 'Ghosts" (Zack Oarth - Fringe - Ghost Network) and back to "Kashmir".... which I think is nice.
I'm a little worried about the theme of Monroe and his NDE he keeps having. On one hand it goes with the upcoming Christmas Carol/alternate reality scenario on the other hand I hope it isn't foreshadowing...I'm also hoping that the alternate reality resurfaces in later episodes especially since "our" Charlie is there (she would be 7 in 2014) and that it all doesn't just end with Aaron doing what Hugo didn't...
Thank you for the review really like this episode and can't wait to see what happens next week!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that the Patriots will also be in the alternate timeline as shown by one picture, so all is not well in there either. Really can't wait for this episode.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's the hidden playgirl in me, but Charlie choking out her captor as he was preparing to get biblical with her, was fabulous. I was cheering like a dauuum football game. She has arrived as character, and I totally dig it.
ReplyDeleteI'm just gonna say it, the sci-fy thing, isn't working for me. So, I am gonna stick to what I did love and do some praising. The Bass, Connor, and Charlie Viva Las Vegas hoorah, was very entertaining. Writers did well putting the two most appealing and magnetic characters together, Bass and Charlie; adding Connor worked and worked well. The banter and chemistry was just plain fun. Bringing in a blast from Bass' past, by way of mercenary leader Duncan, with her crass and wit, as well as a sizable helping of a 'woman scorned' attitude, made for good TV. The Duncan/Charlie cat-fight dynamic, had a great thing going, by throwing around the "B" word and generally just good I'm-gonna-beat-your-ass looks; it was pure fun to see Charlie step up and own Duncan. No bitch-slap, but maybe next time.
ReplyDeleteAll-in-all, a good portion of this arc served IMO, as a propeller for Charlie. The underlining theme was her being called a kid, more than once. Every scene, including knocking boots with baby Bass in "Happy Endings", worked to break that mold and evolve her. We leave Sin City with her as a formidable squad leader, having earned it, proving herself fully capable; a fact that we already knew, a fact Bass should have known, given a season of them fighting side-by-side, and saving each others lives, however, I believe his cage comments on the subject were solely aimed to take hope away from Connor; to get him to focus on how to kill him, thus I don't think Bass meant what he said. At any rate, the stakes were higher and fell squarely on her to rise to the occasion and save the day; and she did save it, even once in lingerie, which earns like an extra 100 points for sheer greatness. This set the stage for what's to come for our Charlie. I'm pulling for world domination.
The only other aspect I would mention is Bass. The road to redemption is a long one they say and the jury is still out for his judgement day, but as one that believes nobody on the show should throw stones, especially Miles, 'Fear and Loathing' provided material for a redeemable Monroe. The article author is correct, he often steals scenes, he just has that thing with the camera that draws you in, but like the author said, Mat held is own and garnered baby Bass some baby-steps towards a deeper father and son bond. We knew you had it in you Bass. Group hug.
My favorite part, besides Charlie being the badass she has become, is her chemistry with Monroe; why? Cause they are all awesomesause together, you can't not love it. Both Vegas eps had a scene of him jaw-dropped by her, to which she does this sass walk past him, that is just all fire. Duncan paved the way on several occasions, concluding the ep with Duncan, to Bass' dismay, putting Charlie in charge of the squad, sealed with a sweet tag-line from his ex-scorned lover: "She's better than you deserve" ***insert awesome facial expressions from Connor and Bass' jaw-drop. A threatened, jealous, secretly impressed Monroe, is just good for biz, so I hope Charlie-in-charge, continues those sass walks and banter-talk with Bass, going forward with these two at the helm together in defeating the Patriots. Get er' done.
ps. Totes down for recurring shirtless Bass scenes. Thanks.
Hmmm. That doesn't make a lot of sense. The plot thickens. I guess we'll find out what it means next Wednesday.
ReplyDeletehaha. I like that this show doesn't take itself too seriously. There's something for everyone, right? ;)
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the ep. Thanks for commenting!
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of fun to find the connections with this show and LOST, isn't it? You're really good at that! Yes, I too was thinking of every time Kate followed when she was told not to. Not that women should be told what to do though, and in this case Rachel was right. ;)
ReplyDeleteInteresting comments about some of the themes going back to season 1 and the alt reality. I'll have to think more about those ones.
The sci-fi and the dynamics between the group almost feel like two different shows, and although I've been enjoying the sci-fi element lately, I think it was the change in the chemistry and group dynamics that really pulled me in this year - much more so than last season. It's going to be fun to see Charlie as the boss. That I could get behind. :)
ReplyDeleteThe "alternate reality" or "its just a dream" episodes are always so silly in my opinion. In fact, another show, "Being Human," is doing just that next week also!
ReplyDeleteI'm predicting Aaron goes to work where he as to work on fixing some code, which of course is the exact code the AI wants Aaron to fix. The AI is just messing with his head (they did it once before with showing him Ben).
I think it would have been creative if Aaron was actually able to "save" them, quite literally to a thumb drive (didn't the pendant hook up to a USB?). With the AI gone, the power should come back too....
Yeah, electricity and modern technology for all beats mystical healing for few any day.
It either is completely nanite manifesting 'Dreamscape' or we're getting something were characters time travel to this already existing alternate reality in various ways and times from physical (Charlie the Patriots) and/or to conscience (Aaron)...
ReplyDeleteThe Dreamscape is the easy way out for a one shot episode, but a part of me hopes that it's more than that. Unlike a lot of people I love alternate reality and/or dreamscape episodes for their insights and empirical value on identity.
I'm thinking it's an intentional allusion to Princess Lea (lots of Star Wars references already! -Including that Return of Jedi Lunch Box)
ReplyDeleteBut I enjoyed it too, especially looking back from 1.06, as you said she came a long a way and it's nice to see her holding her own! :)
I'm with you. I think the characters and their arcs are just so much better this year, despite what genres we're treading. I mean I love the sci-fi and the action-adventure aspects both, but I feel like they work well together, but more over that it feels like "two different shows" is because the groups are separate and so far the nanites are only with Aaron and persons he knows, but I would expect some kind of convergence or expansion by the seasons end. I don' buy that the nanates are gonna die or that Aaron will let them. I think it's just been a little slow lately, because we're not making a lot of progress forward with the Patriots and their full fledged agenda or where Aaron is going with the nanite story, but I do think we've had nice character progressions. It's nice to have Tom and Jason back, Rachel and Miles getting closer, have Monroe bond with his son, and see Charlie come more and more into her own, while we also keep meeting new characters.
ReplyDeleteThe dreamscape episodes are done a lot, but as you said, they can be very good in telling things about the story, or character motivations in some cases, by the detail. I'm expecting dreamscape, but I find it interesting that it would even be suggested at this point. I'm curious what their plans are to tell with this episode.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like most shows have at some point done this. I guess to me, like any episode, it depends on the details. I hope Aaron doesn't lose his memories in this, or think that they're not real, but instead we see a back-and-forth power struggle between Aaron and the nanites.
ReplyDeleteI thought of Princess Lea too!
ReplyDelete