[7.2/10] This is another episode that totally works on a nuts and bolts level, but still feels a bit like filler. There’s a straightforward appeal to the premise of this one -- “What if a robot had to hide out in a community that abhors and swears off technology?” -- but the execution turns out more solid than spectacular.
That said, this one has its high points. While the setup of a “Don’t call us Amish!” collection of “No-Techs” is a little cheesy, their crew stapling Zeta to a post and threatening to crush him with a giant rock, while the head of the community rails against the evil soullessness of technology makes for some striking imagery and dialogue. I also enjoyed Bennet having to deal with the local court system and try to get a warrant to be able to get into the place.
That said, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m pretty tired of Agent West’s idiocy driving the plot. His crash is pretty dumb, as is his effort to antagonize the No-Techs in his hover bike thing, only to be felled by flying rocks. But Bennet and Rush’s sarcastic reaction to it is amusing.
The problem is a lot of this feels very stock. The leader’s attitude toward tech is familiar, and the twist that his daughter envies the modern world is a good enough source of conflict, but pretty standard. Still, while overly telegraphed, Zeta helping to change his mind by saving him from the flood is both a solid arc driven by character choices and something appropriately biblical given the context.
Overall, this isn’t one of the show’s more memorable episodes, but it checks all the right boxes.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2020-08-04T22:01:25Z
[7.2/10] This is another episode that totally works on a nuts and bolts level, but still feels a bit like filler. There’s a straightforward appeal to the premise of this one -- “What if a robot had to hide out in a community that abhors and swears off technology?” -- but the execution turns out more solid than spectacular.
That said, this one has its high points. While the setup of a “Don’t call us Amish!” collection of “No-Techs” is a little cheesy, their crew stapling Zeta to a post and threatening to crush him with a giant rock, while the head of the community rails against the evil soullessness of technology makes for some striking imagery and dialogue. I also enjoyed Bennet having to deal with the local court system and try to get a warrant to be able to get into the place.
That said, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m pretty tired of Agent West’s idiocy driving the plot. His crash is pretty dumb, as is his effort to antagonize the No-Techs in his hover bike thing, only to be felled by flying rocks. But Bennet and Rush’s sarcastic reaction to it is amusing.
The problem is a lot of this feels very stock. The leader’s attitude toward tech is familiar, and the twist that his daughter envies the modern world is a good enough source of conflict, but pretty standard. Still, while overly telegraphed, Zeta helping to change his mind by saving him from the flood is both a solid arc driven by character choices and something appropriately biblical given the context.
Overall, this isn’t one of the show’s more memorable episodes, but it checks all the right boxes.