I have ... mixed emotions about this episode.
I have to admit- I felt a little let down. I watch most shows via binging nowadays (I know, my bad), so I was hoping for more of a finale. And ... this episode did provide some closure on certain thematic elements to the season (and character arcs), but also?
It also felt like the episode... moved the chess pieces around for season 2. Which is fine but not what I was hoping for? I expected bolder choices- I wanted the chess board to be kicked over with the pieces scattered (and many lost forever). Instead, it's, "Huh. I wonder how the changed dynamics of these characters will play out next year ... or, more likely, in two or three years, given the vagaries of modern shows."
With that said, I think that the episode was very successful in delivering a lot of payoff and avoiding the dreaded "mystery box" curse. Observations-
1. I liked the Boy Genius / Daddy Synth payoff. Well done, and makes prior scenes even more resonant.
2. While I loved the "serial killer" and horror aspect of the Xeno, and I was willing to suspend my disbelief for most of it (Inverse Law of Ninjas), they really need to develop a little consistency about how powerful it is as opposed to being a plot contrivance? In one scene, Wendy's Doggy ..., um, the Xeno is chased off from killing Dame by a few soldiers it wasn't aware of. In other scenes, it easily kills several soldiers with guns drawn and firing pointing at it.
3. Kirsh is the spice that makes A:E Stew taste better. Could have used more Kirsh. Still, loved that he and Morrow finally threw down. But ... we still do not know what is driving Kirsh. Where is the wriggle room in his programming? I'm guessing that S2 will explore this further.
4. Oh, Hermit. I think that the very last scene, for him, was the equivalent of Wendy finding the grave.
5. My biggest random question- do you think S2E1 will start with WY landing on the island and what happens, or will it be "three months later"?
Finally, I started my series of posts here (I think) by talking about how I thought that Hawley wouldn't be taking on "Alien" per se, but instead would be riffing on Ridley Scott and his recurrent themes as explored through, inter alia, Blade Runner and Alien and their progeny.
Two of those themes that Scott likes to return to are:
1) What does it mean to be human?
2) Why does humanity keep endeavoring to find ways to end itself? (And as a corollary, what lies do we tell ourselves to justify it?)
Let's call these the "self-reflective" and "self-destructive" themes. So .... I think A:E has done a masterful job at exploring them on both the micro- and macro- level.
PS- Octo-eye 4EVA! We all know who the real star of the show is. Boy Genius might want you to talk, but you can just keep on keepin' on.
I have to admit- I felt a little let down. I watch most shows via binging nowadays (I know, my bad), so I was hoping for more of a finale. And ... this episode did provide some closure on certain thematic elements to the season (and character arcs), but also?
It also felt like the episode... moved the chess pieces around for season 2. Which is fine but not what I was hoping for? I expected bolder choices- I wanted the chess board to be kicked over with the pieces scattered (and many lost forever). Instead, it's, "Huh. I wonder how the changed dynamics of these characters will play out next year ... or, more likely, in two or three years, given the vagaries of modern shows."
With that said, I think that the episode was very successful in delivering a lot of payoff and avoiding the dreaded "mystery box" curse. Observations-
1. I liked the Boy Genius / Daddy Synth payoff. Well done, and makes prior scenes even more resonant.
2. While I loved the "serial killer" and horror aspect of the Xeno, and I was willing to suspend my disbelief for most of it (Inverse Law of Ninjas), they really need to develop a little consistency about how powerful it is as opposed to being a plot contrivance? In one scene, Wendy's Doggy ..., um, the Xeno is chased off from killing Dame by a few soldiers it wasn't aware of. In other scenes, it easily kills several soldiers with guns drawn and firing pointing at it.
3. Kirsh is the spice that makes A:E Stew taste better. Could have used more Kirsh. Still, loved that he and Morrow finally threw down. But ... we still do not know what is driving Kirsh. Where is the wriggle room in his programming? I'm guessing that S2 will explore this further.
4. Oh, Hermit. I think that the very last scene, for him, was the equivalent of Wendy finding the grave.
5. My biggest random question- do you think S2E1 will start with WY landing on the island and what happens, or will it be "three months later"?
Finally, I started my series of posts here (I think) by talking about how I thought that Hawley wouldn't be taking on "Alien" per se, but instead would be riffing on Ridley Scott and his recurrent themes as explored through, inter alia, Blade Runner and Alien and their progeny.
Two of those themes that Scott likes to return to are:
1) What does it mean to be human?
2) Why does humanity keep endeavoring to find ways to end itself? (And as a corollary, what lies do we tell ourselves to justify it?)
Let's call these the "self-reflective" and "self-destructive" themes. So .... I think A:E has done a masterful job at exploring them on both the micro- and macro- level.
PS- Octo-eye 4EVA! We all know who the real star of the show is. Boy Genius might want you to talk, but you can just keep on keepin' on.
