165 replies to this topic

[TWoP Howard]

From ZAP2it:

Tom and his men are attacked while on a mission to retrieve motorcycles; Anne and Dr. Harris make an important discovery.

Just a reminder: this thread is for discussing the events of the episode only, so no spoilers or speculation in here, please.

Edited by TWoP Howard, Jul 24, 2011 @ 1:53 AM.

[Doom]

I found myself liking it and making fun of it. Of course we use Mike to make you feel bad for an alien that helped with the human genocide that wiped out almost the entire population of the earth.

I guess at least Rick(y) survived. But they didn't take any pains to make that clear at all, did they? I thought that kid was dead, and here he is on the preview for next week. When Mike ripped the harness off and Ricky is sitting there bleeding, and there are not one but two doctors in the room, and one of them is a pediatrician...and they just stand there and watch Ricky bleeding? What the hell?

Pope just continues with his sameness. Of course they take the racist rape standby guy and let him escape and have a heart of gold making bread for all the survivors, since apparently nobody knows how to make a loaf of bread. Nobody.

And Dai getting shot in the leg was just stupid. You see these kids advancing, slow as zombies. Did you think they wanted you to sign their replica firearms? Too stupid to live moment of this episode, by far.

Oh, and whoever hoped the whole show wouldn't be father-son moments and trying to rescue ben? Look away now, brother. Look away now.

[AimingforYoko]

Man, it's hard to figure out who's the bigger asshole: Harris or Pope?

[Auntie Anxiety]

I really want to like this show, but I am finding it somewhat underwhelming and much too cheesey. Already had enough of the religion thing, sick and tired of poor man's Sawyer (aka Pope), and it's morphing into an after school special with not-so-great special effects. The only thing I do like is the occasional shout out to my suburban Boston town.

[peridot16]

It was creepy how the harness just re-attached itself. I also thought the kid was dead after the father ripped it off, I don't understand how he's alive next week.

The lady doctor wasn't too bright at all with giving the alien water. There would be no way that I would unlock the opening in the cage and slowly put my hand in it.

I sigh every time I see the youngest son. To me, he drags the show down. I agree with Weaver, Tom's eternal optimism is annoying. Dai was an idiot to turn his back on Pope.

I liked the Harry Potter show outs in the show.

Edited by TWoP Howard, Jul 4, 2011 @ 6:50 PM.
Unnecessary spoiler bars

[Glass Ocean]

Catholic Girl saying grace, holding hands, and inspiring the heck out of the dining room full of survivors was nothing short of nauseating. She even got Military Guy to go along, maybe find his lost faith. This is not what I signed up for.

Chef Pope is continuing his somewhat indecipherable ways. He wacks Asian Guy, then drives out on his own cycle, then detours to roast a bunch of napping Bat Skitters, which I assume drove the nearest nonleeping Skitter batshit. But somehow easier to kill, nonetheless.

Let me see if I've got this straight -- the lobster harness goes into the kids' spinal chords via metal spikes, which pumps opiates into their systems. Then their Skitter Master can communicate with them either telepathically or by radio waves which in turn produce static on the Cold War era crank-it-up radio? Did Ricky actually call the spider-bat thing "Daddy" or was he just confused when he didn't recognize his real father? And did he actually die or not? And why was nobody else around guarding him or the nasty drooling POW? Why was his lobster so close he could reach out and touch it instead of it being dissected by Team Med?

Oh show, please strive for a little common sense already.

[KnitTzu]

If the Hallmark channel decided to make an alien-invasion show, this is exactly what it would be like.

[Glass Ocean]

If the Hallmark channel decided to make an alien-invasion show, this is exactly what it would be like.

They could certainly co-opt the opening kids' drawing for cards.

[fester01]

Aren't they supposed to be learning about the Skitters by studying them, both the dead one and the live one? There are 300 (give or take a few) people living at that school, and the best that the DOCTOR could come up with is holding up pictures of Earth and the Milky Way galaxy?

Why would they think the Skitters understand English? Then, they go all Ugly American when the Skitter doesn't respond and scream at it in English instead?

Also, for a guy who is such a great scrounger, did Pope take a gun from the guy he knocked out? I mean, the guy had an assault rifle, a shotgun, and probably a handgun just lying there on the ground, and he didn't take any of them?

One more thing: When they killed the Skitter controlling the kids at the motorcycle shop, they should have taken the kids' weapons back with them. That's one way a guerrilla war works, you use captured weapons of the occupying force; they grow weaker as you grow stronger. Maybe even use some alien technology at some point, ala District 9.

On the plus side, way less of Lourdes and the annoying kid this week.

Edited by fester01, Jul 4, 2011 @ 12:23 AM.

[bbell]

One more thing: When they killed the Skitter contolling the kids at the motorcycle shop, they should have taken the kids' weapons back with them. That's one way a guerrilla war works, you use captured the weapons of the occupying force; they grow weaker as you grow stronger. Maybe even use some alien technology at some point, ala District 9.

You speak as if this show has decent writers. Who understand something.

[Doom]

I mean, the guy had an assault rifle, a shotgun, and probably a handgun just lying there on the ground, and he didn't take any of them?

It's because he has a heart of gold. He makes bread, dontcha know. Bread, so good. If you look closely, you might be able to see that after knocking him over the head, Pope put his skitter-finger necklace around Dai's neck, kissed him an apology, and blocked the door so that skitters couldn't get in. Pope's so dreamy!

[Glass Ocean]

Pope put his skitter-finger necklace around Dai's neck,

Man, I have been wondering what the hell that thing was and why he wore it since we first met the scary but street-smart dude. The 2nd Mass didn't recognize a good resource when they had it. I mean, they talk guerilla tactics, but they don't know how to actually do much.

[fester01]

You speak as if this show has decent writers. Who understand something.

Good point, LOL. It just seems like all common sense just comes and goes (mostly goes) with the characters. How many times so far have there been references to guerilla wafare and/or insurgency, mostly by Professor Tom? And they made sure to pick the bike shop clean of supplies, but don't take multiple automatic weapons?

Something else I just thought of: When did Pope manage to make the bread? He was in the field all day, and escaped on a dirt bike. Did he stop off at the school to play baker, then run off again? If he made it in the morning before they left, why did everyone act so amazed and suprised that he had baked bread?

Two sad words to describe this show's writers: Consistently inconsistent.

Question: I just started posting on here. How do you link to get the quote box when you want to quote someone's post?

Edited by TWoP Howard, Jul 4, 2011 @ 7:00 PM.
Fixed quote tags

[taiko]

Question: I just started posting on here. How do you link to get the quote box when you want to quote someone's post?

Its old school, you have to copy and use the quote function on the toolbar and paste in between

Also, for a guy who is such a great scrounger, did Pope take a gun from the guy he knocked out? I mean, the guy had an assault rifle, a shotgun, and probably a handgun just lying there on the ground, and he didn't take any of them?

Well he is not a scrounger but a lone convict and the cop on the professors squad already threatened to empty a mini-Uzi magazine into him.

It s funny the extras standing around in the school hallways do look like soldiers or at least fit athletes While the fighters who go outside look like male every man and female supermodels.

[fester01]

Also, for a guy who is such a great scrounger, did Pope take a gun from the guy he knocked out? I mean, the guy had an assault rifle, a shotgun, and probably a handgun just lying there on the ground, and he didn't take any of them?

Well he is not a scrounger but a lone convict and the cop on the professors squad already threatened to empty a mini-Uzi magazine into him.

He was doing pretty well for himself when they first introduced him. He may be alone now, but except for he and Maggie, there didn't seem to be a lot of brains in his original gang, which leads me to conclude he was smart and quick to adapt, i.e. a good scrounger.

I think the squad was in another part of the building, but maybe he didn't want to risk it? Beats me.

In other news, Dr. Wings needs another dose of fist in the face.

Thanks for the info on how to link quotes, btw:)

Edited by TWoP Howard, Jul 4, 2011 @ 7:01 PM.
Fixed quote tags

[taiko]

Well its like he said when they first met him "guns" were not a problem a heavy machinegun however he wanted. Even if the first survivors picked over the drug stores and super markets I am betting he set up personal weapons stashes, which were missed by your ordinary suburban survivor. Besides not only does the 2nd Mass have fully auto assault rifles from all over the world the Skitters have managed to equip their slave armies with equally exotic arms.

[fester01]

Well its like he said when they first met him "guns" were not a problem a heavy machinegun however he wanted. Even if the first survivors picked over the drug stores and super markets I am betting he set up personal weapons stashes, which were missed by your ordinary suburban survivor. Besides not only does the 2nd Mass have fully auto assault rifles from all over the world the Skitters have managed to equip their slave armies with equally exotic arms.

I agree with you 100% when it comes to the long term. I just mean short-term, to help him survive until he gets to his hidden stashes.

[thuganomics85]

For some reason, I couldn't stop laughing that Pope actually made a Slytherin reference during his racist "What gang are you from?" question to the black guy. I mean, it was meant to be funny, so that was part of it, but the other part was that it's now hard for me to buy Pope as some kind of Sawyer-like badass, because now I just picture him sitting around and reading Harry Potter during his spare time.

I don't know; I'm still going to keep watching and their are parts I like, but I still find this show coming up short. The cast is solid, the overall story and aspect of it is intriguing, but the writing is just so inconsistent and a letdown right now. It's way to predictable; as soon as Pope and the Asian guy went into the other room, I knew Pope would escape, when the guy turned his back. Maybe you should have two people with him, Tom, since you already know Pope can't be trusted.

So, it looks like Anne and Dr. Wings are going to be polar opposites of each other. She'll be the nice, moral one, trying to "understand" the aliens, while he'll be the ruthless and immoral one, that has no problems being an ass to accomplish his goals. Figured that was coming.

More Maggie/Sarah Carter please. She and Moon Bloodgood are the main reasons I will keep watching.

Oh, goody, the return of the hyper religious girl, who I'm sure it going to be all over Hal, now that Karen is gone. Agree that the final scene was just so cheesy.

Edited by thuganomics85, Jul 4, 2011 @ 4:57 AM.

[angelsamongus]

Catholic Girl saying grace, holding hands, and inspiring the heck out of the dining room full of survivors was nothing short of nauseating. She even got Military Guy to go along, maybe find his lost faith. This is not what I signed up for.

I loved that scene and found nothing neauseating about it .. I appreciated the fact that talking about Faith and GOD is allowed since on television and in movies that's a taboo subject yet satanism can abound in spades and that's considered acceptable !
Kudos to the powers that be for acknowledging there are still people who believe in GOD and have Faith and are comfortable enough to express it too .. Hallelujah !

Edited by angelsamongus, Jul 4, 2011 @ 3:58 AM.

[Raid Maze]

Man, this was bad. It played as a really bad draft of a script that needed major rewrites and the cast delivered it like this was season 4 and they were completely over the show. Where is the energy and enthusiasm? There was no spark, no sense of danger, no compelling characters. There's far too many bland males doing bland things taking up time. I wish they'd really dig in deep and take some risks with the characters.

I hate Ben and want him found or killed. Anything to end that storyline once and for all.

The only way the episode could have been redeemed is if Pope were back at the end of the day, just cooking the food and acting like nothing went down at the cycle shop.

[Rickster]

Do gas cans automatically explode when tossed in the air, or were the skitters hot enough to ignite it? Just nitpicking.

[Mikita]

I too liked Lourdes still having faith in God. I didn't find anything cheesy about the prayer scene at all.

Do gas cans automatically explode when tossed in the air, or were the skitters hot enough to ignite it? Just nitpicking.

Rickster the gas can had two hand grenades attached to it. Pope pulled one of the pins just before he tossed it at the skitters. That's why it exploded.

Edited by Mikita, Jul 4, 2011 @ 7:00 AM.

[taiko]

Then their Skitter Master can communicate with them either telepathically or by radio waves which in turn produce static on the Cold War era crank-it-up radio? ........
Oh show, please strive for a little common sense already.

Did Doc just conclude that the Skitter POW wasn't just broadcasting everything about the JFK High because she thinks it was a weak signal based on a crystal radio set? Three lethal raids have already been launched from the school you would think a bomber would have dropped a blue light (not nuke) bomb on the place already.

[KnitTzu]

On the plus side, way less of Lourdes and the annoying kid this week.

Really? Because to me it felt like they were in every other scene, especially the Sad Widdle Boy. The writers are determined to shoehorn him into as many scenes as possible.

Aren't there only ten episodes of this season? If so, they really need to get to work. Enough with the daddies-wuv-their-boys, we get it. Aside from obsessing about children, what are these people actually doing? Every week we watch them address short-term problems (finding more food, bickering about living arrangements, the endless quest for Ben) but do they have any actual plans for their long-term survival or an assault on the Skitters? Anything? Surely the head military guy must have some sort of plan in mind, I hope?

I'm glad that they recognized that they don't have an unlimited supply of morphine to pump into the harnessed kids, but good lord our lead character is dumb. "The pharmacies in a 20-mile radius have been picked clean." "So I'll go -- 30 miles!" Um, I'm pretty sure that all the pharmacies have been ransacked at this point, and if you weren't on a TV show you'd be SOL.

Say what you will about Pope, but he's one of the few character who has any spark of life to him and at least he's interested in actually killing the Skitters rather than standing around obsessing about a son.

Where is the energy and enthusiasm? There was no spark, no sense of danger, no compelling characters.

Add "sense of urgency" to that list. These people seem to have no concept of the fact that they have a short window of opportunity to actually do anything. Once the canned food and ammo has run out and the gasoline exhausted and they've given the last of their pharmaceutical drugs to Ben or Karen, they won't have to worry about the aliens anymore.

Not that the aliens seem especially interested in them, either. *yawn*

[rippleintime]

The upside is that I found this episode more entertaining than the past three, though I'm not sure if it was for the right reasons. I did legit love when Tom was like "Yeah, I recognize you too." all badass boom credits.

What is about having kids that turn people into idiots. Dr. Steven Weber is talking TO the alien and he's communicating and Mike is like "WAAAAALT, my boooooy!" and shuts that down as fast as possible. Screw the idea that maybe there is something useful happening here, that may save his son AND everyone else. Oh no, he's MY SON.

And Tom refusing to believe that Ben will be any different, that he has any control over what the Skitters do to him? He's a college professor. I know denial can be huge, but no matter how strong Ben might be, you're dealing with extraterrestrial forces here and something tells me 14yo Ben wasn't ready for that. Tom already saw what happened to Ricky, he's just deluding himself and setting himself up for disappointment thinking that things are going to turn out any differently for Ben.

[taiko]

Surely the head military guy must have some sort of plan in mind, I hope

While it seems that Captain Weaver has backed down from wanting to Banzai charge the tower over Boston General Porter gave orders to disperse and stay alive. That is the mission with a captured Skitter it became no more then stay alive and try to figure out the whats and whys they are here. Storytelling pressure is pushing there must be an attack on the Deathstar feeling that there is a greater plan for the 2nd Mass Militia.

[Kitten Poker Cheater]

I feel that the show would benefit from a little more action, a little less angst, and little less heavy-handed religious themes- not all folks are catholic.

I also think that the Skitters, having taken over the world, would know how to communicate in the earth languages. But ymmv.

[Auntie Anxiety]

And Tom refusing to believe that Ben will be any different, that he has any control over what the Skitters do to him? He's a college professor. I know denial can be huge, but no matter how strong Ben might be, you're dealing with extraterrestrial forces here and something tells me 14yo Ben wasn't ready for that.

Am I the only one who predicts that Ben has some disability or is a special needs kid? I think it was telegraphed when Dr. Carter was talking to his oldest son (who seems much too geriatric to be playing a 16yo) about Ben finally realizing that having a parent read to you when you're 14yo isn't exactly normal. So, yeah, why not kick it up to ABC Afterschool Special blast since it's already headed in that direction?

[Slider]

I loved that scene and found nothing neauseating about it .. I appreciated the fact that talking about Faith and GOD is allowed since on television and in movies that's a taboo subject yet satanism can abound in spades and that's considered acceptable !
Kudos to the powers that be for acknowledging there are still people who believe in GOD and have Faith and are comfortable enough to express it too .. Hallelujah !

The first scene with Weaver bugged - BIG time. But the second I really liked. I especially loved the zoom in to Weaver's face when Lourdes was making the sign of the cross and he mouthed the words along with her, secretly. Gave me chills.

If Lourdes is a first year med student in college, and Hal's a 16 year old - then I'm the duchess of Cambridge. She looks 12, and he looks 20. Also, how happy is Karen going to be when she finds out about Hal's late night conversations with Lourdes?!

More Jimmy please, and more Maggie too - and thanks for taming down the little brat's screen time. I appreciate it!

[DonnaJ]

I feel that the show would benefit from a little more action, a little less angst, and little less heavy-handed religious themes- not all folks are catholic

.

Well, I am Catholic, and we don't just sit around praying all day. Its soooo annoying to see the Catholic depicted as someone who just sits around praying, touching photos, saying the Rosary etc. As bias as having the AA & the Asian being incompetent. I thought the dinner scene was nice, since these people need to believe in something positive, but it went waaayy too long.

Count me with those who find Pope one of the few interesting characters. I hope we haven't seen the last of him, and his silent exchanges with Margaret. My guess is that he didn't know about the rapes (he was out hunting/stealing/killing aliens), but she thinks he did.