Um, what happened? Who wrote this episode because they deserve a raise and everyone else needs to be fired because this episode so far (50%) is EXCELLENT. And the couple that is literally the worst is having a legit fight. But let's back up.
This episode picks up on the event that happened last episode Cal is missing. So the entire family is kicking up a storm. Dad wants to spy hard, Michella kidnaps the spy passenger (I don't even know when she learned Autumn was a spy because I must have fallen asleep last episode, something that happens regularly but I try to rewatch later to see what I missed) to find out what she knows. Assuming the infomation matches this is a reasonable act. Mom calls the cops which is a reasonable action given that she doesn't know what's going on.. wait is that right? Because Dad and Mom fight about this. Did he not tell her about all the stuff going on? I swore he did and she scoffed him off. Either way we get the "Don't protect me" speech which I usually agree with, but again I don't think he was protecting her because I thought I remembered him telling. If I have that wrong I have to reassess everything to do with Mom and how wrongly she's been acting. Not this episode though.
Dad: This is the drawing that is the only clue to where our son might be Mom: I know this place Dad: Are you sure? Mom: it's made out of crayon I don't know.
wow. a great response to a stupid question. You have no leads. What do you care if she's sure. Then they have a drive that's just as awkward as it needs to be (with bonus product placement). Before they scour the town and have a legit fight. I mean a real legit fight over real legit things. I was so shocked that I suddenly realized the entire episode has been good and I had to get my notepad++ open just to type this mid-episode. They have a fight about whose fault it is that Dad moved out.
Mom: If we lived together this wouldn't have happaned Dad: Yeah, I agree but it's not your fault Mom: Wait what?!?!
Holy balls. Where do you get the cajones to say something that stupid hombre? I mean do you not like your wife? I thought you wanted to have her sleeping next to you? Because that's exactly how you keep her sleeping next to your replacement. She is rightfully offended at his presumption that she blames herself. After all it was his decision to leave.
Uh oh. I just hit unpause and it got stupid.
Dad: You kicked me out Mom: You didn't fight for "us" (Ed: Ugh really?) Mom: You left because you know what you did. You didn't make Cal the number one in your life.
Chicken-head says what? (I'd like to apologize for the unnecessary sexism. it's not cool. I was just super frustrated with the dialog) Like dang Grace you've been blocking Ben from doing what he needs to do FOR the family.
Dad: Everything I've done has been to keep Cal safe. Mom: But no one else is blowing up their families why can't you be normal like them? Dad: I'm a main protagnist do you not get how this works yet?
Alright the episode has gotten cheesy and product placy but you know what it hasn't got? Bad.
Dad: Mom, see this car? (Ed: because it's so ridiculous everyone needs to see it - https://i.imgur.com/2wkwI4G.jpg) Dad: I think someone is following us. There's a single car behind us on this two lane highway with infrequent exits. Why else would a car be behind us. Mom: But.. how can they keep up with us and not get lost we've been driving straight down the highway Dad: I don't know but we're not driving a normal direction we're going straight Mom: Does this car have any off-road features or anti-lock brakes? Dad: I'm glad you asked that because all the base models come with both of those and for an extra $1000 we'll throw in linen seats.
Michella and Jared show up to do information exchange with the spy passenger Autumn
Mich: Thanks for switching to our side Autu: You're welcome. Mich picks up the information she brought autumn from the table behind her rather than from a brief case or any sort of envelope she would have been carrying on her. thus indicating she came in. Put the envelope down and walked in to talk to Autumn rather than just holding on to it for whatever reason.
Do the show runners even car about prop logic?
Mich: Did you guys get the location I sent you? Mom and Dad: Yes. Mich: I know it took you guys hours to get where you are but I'm coming too.. wait hours for me to get there don't try anything stupid like going to find your lost and missing son in the middle of winter.
But these are all relatively minor complaints in this show. I mean after this episode i can see what they were trying to do with Grace's character act. it just made no sense until now. In retrospect those earlier episodes are even worse because it was intentional. they need a firm steady hand to keep the characters and their motivations consistent and reasonable with the long term serial nature of the show. This shouldn't be impossible. But even the mythos ending was great. The hiker from Michella's vision isn't Cal in the future as I thought it's another time skipper, this time a hiker who skipped two years . He's an interesting addition to the cast and we've barely met him. This has got to be one of THE BEST episodes of the season.
Ed: Some of the conversations have been paraphrased for laziness reasons. Some have a bit of creative license in them
Review by wolfkinBlockedParent2019-01-23T14:48:58Z
Um, what happened? Who wrote this episode because they deserve a raise and everyone else needs to be fired because this episode so far (50%) is EXCELLENT. And the couple that is literally the worst is having a legit fight. But let's back up.
This episode picks up on the event that happened last episode Cal is missing. So the entire family is kicking up a storm. Dad wants to spy hard, Michella kidnaps the spy passenger (I don't even know when she learned Autumn was a spy because I must have fallen asleep last episode, something that happens regularly but I try to rewatch later to see what I missed) to find out what she knows. Assuming the infomation matches this is a reasonable act. Mom calls the cops which is a reasonable action given that she doesn't know what's going on.. wait is that right? Because Dad and Mom fight about this. Did he not tell her about all the stuff going on? I swore he did and she scoffed him off. Either way we get the "Don't protect me" speech which I usually agree with, but again I don't think he was protecting her because I thought I remembered him telling. If I have that wrong I have to reassess everything to do with Mom and how wrongly she's been acting. Not this episode though.
Dad: This is the drawing that is the only clue to where our son might be
Mom: I know this place
Dad: Are you sure?
Mom: it's made out of crayon I don't know.
wow. a great response to a stupid question. You have no leads. What do you care if she's sure. Then they have a drive that's just as awkward as it needs to be (with bonus product placement). Before they scour the town and have a legit fight. I mean a real legit fight over real legit things. I was so shocked that I suddenly realized the entire episode has been good and I had to get my notepad++ open just to type this mid-episode. They have a fight about whose fault it is that Dad moved out.
Mom: If we lived together this wouldn't have happaned
Dad: Yeah, I agree but it's not your fault
Mom: Wait what?!?!
Holy balls. Where do you get the cajones to say something that stupid hombre? I mean do you not like your wife? I thought you wanted to have her sleeping next to you? Because that's exactly how you keep her sleeping next to your replacement. She is rightfully offended at his presumption that she blames herself. After all it was his decision to leave.
Uh oh. I just hit unpause and it got stupid.
Dad: You kicked me out
Mom: You didn't fight for "us" (Ed: Ugh really?)
Mom: You left because you know what you did. You didn't make Cal the number one in your life.
Chicken-head says what? (I'd like to apologize for the unnecessary sexism. it's not cool. I was just super frustrated with the dialog) Like dang Grace you've been blocking Ben from doing what he needs to do FOR the family.
Dad: Everything I've done has been to keep Cal safe.
Mom: But no one else is blowing up their families why can't you be normal like them?
Dad: I'm a main protagnist do you not get how this works yet?
Alright the episode has gotten cheesy and product placy but you know what it hasn't got? Bad.
Dad: Mom, see this car? (Ed: because it's so ridiculous everyone needs to see it - https://i.imgur.com/2wkwI4G.jpg)
Dad: I think someone is following us. There's a single car behind us on this two lane highway with infrequent exits. Why else would a car be behind us.
Mom: But.. how can they keep up with us and not get lost we've been driving straight down the highway
Dad: I don't know but we're not driving a normal direction we're going straight
Mom: Does this car have any off-road features or anti-lock brakes?
Dad: I'm glad you asked that because all the base models come with both of those and for an extra $1000 we'll throw in linen seats.
Michella and Jared show up to do information exchange with the spy passenger Autumn
Mich: Thanks for switching to our side
Autu: You're welcome.
Mich picks up the information she brought autumn from the table behind her rather than from a brief case or any sort of envelope she would have been carrying on her. thus indicating she came in. Put the envelope down and walked in to talk to Autumn rather than just holding on to it for whatever reason.
Do the show runners even car about prop logic?
Mich: Did you guys get the location I sent you?
Mom and Dad: Yes.
Mich: I know it took you guys hours to get where you are but I'm coming too.. wait hours for me to get there don't try anything stupid like going to find your lost and missing son in the middle of winter.
But these are all relatively minor complaints in this show. I mean after this episode i can see what they were trying to do with Grace's character act. it just made no sense until now. In retrospect those earlier episodes are even worse because it was intentional. they need a firm steady hand to keep the characters and their motivations consistent and reasonable with the long term serial nature of the show. This shouldn't be impossible. But even the mythos ending was great. The hiker from Michella's vision isn't Cal in the future as I thought it's another time skipper, this time a hiker who skipped two years . He's an interesting addition to the cast and we've barely met him. This has got to be one of THE BEST episodes of the season.
Ed: Some of the conversations have been paraphrased for laziness reasons. Some have a bit of creative license in them