01x08 - The Creation of a Thousand Forests: 7.2/10(Good, It Gets the Job Done, Slightly Flawed)
I had high expectations for “The Peripheral” after the two-episode series premiere, and although it has undoubtedly had its moments, overall, it has been a little disappointing.
The season finale, “The Creation of a Thousand Forests,” cleverly titled drawing parallels between tree branches and the various branches of realities that are shown to us, had a lot resting on it. In a complex science fiction show, it’s easy for a poor finale to undermine the entire storyline. Even if, from a narrative perspective, I believe the season finale concluded where it should have, the episode felt rushed and occasionally muddled. It’s unfortunate that the season’s sluggish pacing as a whole leads to a finale that needs to hurry along, sacrificing the necessary breathing room for the tale it’s attempting to tell.
This isn’t necessarily a knock on the show, but the first season only gave a very shallow explanation of what is actually going on, so it can be hard to follow unless you pay close attention. Even though it was great to see all the Sci-Fi elements come together in the end, I couldn’t help but feel like the show wasted time on unimportant subplots and didn’t invest enough in its characters. Therefore, even pivotal points in the story didn’t have the impact they should have.
Now that the foundation has been laid, hopefully, next season will make up for this one’s shortcomings. The show’s premise has been intriguing, and the ideas it explores feel substantial, even if it occasionally falters in execution. I’ll definitely be tuning in next season, but unless you share my enthusiasm for sophisticated Sci-Fi television, I’ll hold off on any recommendations, at least for the time being.
Review by SuitBlockedParent2022-12-03T07:48:36Z
01x08 - The Creation of a Thousand Forests: 7.2/10 (Good, It Gets the Job Done, Slightly Flawed)
I had high expectations for “The Peripheral” after the two-episode series premiere, and although it has undoubtedly had its moments, overall, it has been a little disappointing.
The season finale, “The Creation of a Thousand Forests,” cleverly titled drawing parallels between tree branches and the various branches of realities that are shown to us, had a lot resting on it. In a complex science fiction show, it’s easy for a poor finale to undermine the entire storyline. Even if, from a narrative perspective, I believe the season finale concluded where it should have, the episode felt rushed and occasionally muddled. It’s unfortunate that the season’s sluggish pacing as a whole leads to a finale that needs to hurry along, sacrificing the necessary breathing room for the tale it’s attempting to tell.
This isn’t necessarily a knock on the show, but the first season only gave a very shallow explanation of what is actually going on, so it can be hard to follow unless you pay close attention. Even though it was great to see all the Sci-Fi elements come together in the end, I couldn’t help but feel like the show wasted time on unimportant subplots and didn’t invest enough in its characters. Therefore, even pivotal points in the story didn’t have the impact they should have.
Now that the foundation has been laid, hopefully, next season will make up for this one’s shortcomings. The show’s premise has been intriguing, and the ideas it explores feel substantial, even if it occasionally falters in execution. I’ll definitely be tuning in next season, but unless you share my enthusiasm for sophisticated Sci-Fi television, I’ll hold off on any recommendations, at least for the time being.