For me, personally, this couldn't have been written any better. I loved it! I know not everyone will but for me it did the show justice. It was bittersweet and in line with how the show did things in all its seasons. When Hvitserk is given his new name 'Athelstan' I had to push back some tears. It's like the story has come full circle in a way. Ragnar took Athelstan with him on his first quest and now a son of Ragnar has taken place in Wessex as Athelstan, a name given to him by none other than his son.
Ivar's death was more heartbreaking than I could've imagined. I never thought I'd be shedding tears over him. He changed a lot during his time with the Rus and it is beautiful that he essentially gave his life to ensure that of Hvitserk. These two had such a deep bond and I wondered how it would conclude. I always thought one would kill the other but this was beautiful and tragic all at once.
The last scene of Floki and Ubbe on that beach was so well written too. When Floki tells Ubbe he looks like Ragnar, beautiful. Such a pure scene of two men with deep respect and love for each other. Ragnar would be proud of that.
Now if there is one thing I would like to have seen different it would be Ingrid, living her best life as Queen. I never cared for her though I can admit she is a force. She stood her ground against Harald and Erik but I think I never really warmed up to her because she got with Bjorn while he was already married to Gunnhild and I loved Gunnhild like I loved Lagertha.
I'll say goodbye to this epic adventure for now... probably going to re-watch it in the future and appreciate it all over again.
[6.0/10] I think Maggie is the new Rick. I don’t just mean that she’s a rough-hewn parent shepherding her young son through a dangerous, post-apocalyptic world. I mean that the show wants me to care a lot about her -- in whom she chooses to trust and whether she’s being a good leader -- mostly by dint of the fact that she’s been around for a long time.
And I just can’t. Somewhere along the way, I stopped caring about what happened to Rick Grimes, let alone the battle for his soul. It’s hard to say why, but it had something to do with how much focus he got relative to more interesting characters, to where his scenes started to feel like a chore. The Walking Dead is more of an ensemble now than in Rick’s heyday, but still, I find myself waiting for the show to move its spotlight to someone else whenever Maggie’s front and center. Sometimes characters run out of gas or just lose your interest. Whatever the reason, I’m there with Maggie.
Which is rough since she is, more or less, the main character of “Acts of God”, the show’s mid-season finale. She’s not the only person with stuff going on. Daryl, Gabriel, and Aaron have to evade Hornsby’s extermination attempt. Leah makes a pact with Hornsby to eliminate a common enemy. Max has to thumb through Pamela Milton’s files to find fodder for an expose. And the muckraker squad of her, Connie, Kelly, Magna, Eugene, and Ezekiel is pooling their resources to expose the dark underbelly of the Commonwealth. There’s plenty going on.
But the main story here centers on Maggie. She decides to hide little Hershel away. She looks for Negan’s group, seeks out his friends and allies, and decides to trust him as a temporary caretaker. She’s the target of Leah’s hunt. And she’s the one who directs her people out of and back into Hilltop in order to “end it” with Hornsby. She’s the main character for this one, and if you’ve run out of interest in the character, that makes this a less-than-engaging capper to this block of episodes.
There’s a good story to be told about whether someone like Maggie could ever forgive someone like Negan after what he did, no matter what personal changes he may have made in the meantime. And it’s not like TWD is failing to do the work. There’s major choices and scenes devoted to the question throughout season 11. But in the end, it comes down to the same big speeches and on-the-nose conversations that don’t have the power they ought to.
Likewise, it’s striking to see our group of survivor’s returned to their roots -- wanderers scraping by in a rough landscape. Alexandria and Hilltop have been a part of the show for so long at this point. Seeing Hornsby turn them into his personal colonies, replete with Commonwealth banners draped across their gates, is jarring. Our heroes had found some measure of stability in these places, and seeing them torn away makes this into Serious Business.
But Maggie leading the charge against Hornsby doesn’t, if for no other reason than she comes off like the same sort of “generic leader guy” Rick once did, and because it’s episode 16 of 24, so we know there’s plenty more that has to percolate before things come to a head. The survivors skulking around is fine enough, but also plays as interstitial ahead of the real fireworks.
Though we get some of those too. Daryl, Gabe, and Aaron have a shootout with some Commonwealth goons, including one soldier who gets just enough shading for us to get the mildest bit of satisfaction when Daryl neutralizes the dude. Maggie and Leah have a mutual stalking session when trying to locate and stop one another. And they also have a knock-down, drag-out fight once things settle out.
All of it’s fine. It all features the fast and loose presentation of trifling things like physics, combat effectiveness, and human anatomy. But if you’re not used to that on The Walking Dead after eleven seasons, this show has nothing for you. None of them are bad. The Maggie/Leah fight in particular is sufficiently raw and intense as befits the emotions at play. But none of them can muster the level of big thrills or emotional investment to bump any of them above a mild thumbs up.
The most interesting part is Daryl choosing to shoot Leah to save Maggie, something he was more reluctant about earlier in the season. That's a big deal, given how much has gone on between him and Leah. But unfortunately, we have to leave the processing of such a big decision until months from now given where this episode’s focus is.
(Side note: If anyone should have stumbled into the “Rick Grimes vortex of apathy” it’s Daryl. He hasn’t changed much in ages and falls into some pretty traditional archetypes. So why do I and so many others still care about the lug? I’d chalk it up to two factors: (a.) Norman Reedus is so good and so natural in the role and (b.) he’s one of the more taciturn characters on the show, which means he’s less subject to the show’s big dumb speeches. Both of those things help spare the him from the worst of TWD’s flaws in the writing department.)
The other storylines have their ups and downs, with some truly baffling choices along the way. With the explicit “act of god” talk, I expected this to be some kind of Exodus riff just in time for Passover. But the presence of locusts or some other insect infestation doesn’t really mean anything to the plot. I guess it’s just symbolism, a sign that the Heavens themselves look poorly upon the Commonwealth’s largesse, but who knows with this show.
What I do know is that the decision to turn Hornsby into a store brand version of Two-Face, replete with scarred cheek and a propensity to flip coins, seems downright bizarre. I like Hornsby as the smiling bastard, but making his two-facedness more literal is a step down. He’s a mustache-twirler rather than a chilling, conniving baddie here, and it weakens one of the better new characters from this arc.
The strongest material here comes from the muckraker. Watching Max and Eugene find the comfort they’d sought and missed out on before is really heartening. And despite the cheesy attempt at tension when Sebastian finds Max rifling through his mother’s files, I love that Max gives Pamela one more test. The asks her boss if the extra money could go to a scholarship for the less fortunate and is rebuffed in a politician-friendly fashion. It’s on-the-nose, like so much in this show, but a good use of a small test of character to tell the story of whether and why Max is willing to go that far.
But like so much here, it’s mostly a tease. We get Leah as the terminator, Hornsby and the Commonwealth rounding up survivors from Alexandria to Oceanside, and one glimpse of Connie’s expose. The bulk of this one, though, is centered on the adventures of Maggie and her troupe of loyal followers. I’m ready to tap out on that story, and my only hope is that over the final eight episodes, TWD is more willing to spread the love to the rest of its cast, who have more to offer and more worth caring about at this point in the show.
Watching order
Because there are some issues with watching this, here is the order.
Copying from the site in case it ever goes down, but this info came from here: http://thunderpeel2001.blogspot.com/2010/02/battlestar-galactica-viewing-order.html
It's probably more confusing here on trakt, so go to the above linked site for a better layout.
The Miniseries
Night 1
Night 2
Season 1
1.01 33
1.02 Water
1.03 Bastille Day
1.04 Act of Contrition
1.05 You Can't Go Home Again
1.06 Litmus
1.07 Six Degrees of Separation
1.08 Flesh and Bone
1.09 Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down
1.10 The Hand of God
1.11 Colonial Day
1.12 Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I
1.13 Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II
Season 2
2.01 Scattered
2.02 Valley of Darkness
2.03 Fragged
2.04 Resistance
2.05 The Farm
2.06 Home, Part I
2.07 Home, Part II
2.08 Final Cut
2.09 Flight of the Phoenix
2.10 Pegasus (56 minute extended version)
2.11 Resurrection Ship, Part I
2.12 Resurrection Ship, Part II
2.13 Epiphanies
2.14 Black Market
2.15 Scar
2.16 Sacrifice
2.17 The Captain's Hand
Razor (101 minute extended version - not the 81 minute broadcast version)
Important note: This was originally broadcast just before Season 4, but chronologically it fits here, telling more of the Pegasus's story. Some people argue it's better to watch after Season 3, as originally broadcast, but it makes most sense to watch it here.
The reason that the placement of Razor is a hotly contested issue among BSG fans is because of a bit of dialogue at the very end (in the last 10 minutes) which sets the tone for Season 4 (barely even a spoiler). Everything else in this TV movie is not a spoiler.
So why place it here, and not where it was originally broadcast, if there's any sort of issue? Because, chronologically, the story is set here, and by the time you reach the end of Season 3, the story of Pegasus will feel like ancient history. Indeed, that was the complaint echoed around the internet from fans after Razor originally aired -- it had nothing to do with what was going on in the story at that time.
As a result of this, most fans agree it's better to watch Razor here. In doing so, you'll appreciate the story more and it will have greater emotionally resonance. In short: I highly recommend that you follow my advice and watch it here.
There is one small caveat, however: In order to deal with the above dialogue issue, and so not to unintentionally alter the tone of Season 3, I have two, very specific instructions that I recommend that you follow for your absolute optimum enjoyment.
I will try not to spoil anything with these instructions, so pay attention. You need to press MUTE on your TV (and/or turn off any subtitles) in the following two moments. Both of these moments occur in the last 10 minutes of the story, so you can relax and enjoy the first 90 mins before you need to worry.
Press MUTE when:
and shortly afterwards:
That's it! That's all you have to worry about. Two very small moments, and even if you don't unmute it, it's not a huge spoiler, it just unintentionally alters the tone of Season 3 if you don't, so do try your best to follow my instructions.
2.18 Downloaded
2.19 Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I
2.20 Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II
The Resistance
A 10 episode web-based series bridging seasons 2 and 3. (25 mins.)
Season 3
3.01 Occupation
3.02 Precipice
3.03 Exodus, Part I
3.04 Exodus, Part II
3.05 Collaborators
3.06 Torn
3.07 A Measure of Salvation
3.08 Hero
3.09 Unfinished Business (70 minute extended version - Note: Not included on Region 2 DVDs, but is included on ALL Bluray releases.)
3.10 The Passage
3.11 The Eye of Jupiter
3.12 Rapture
3.13 Taking a Break From All Your Worries
3.14 The Woman King
3.15 A Day in the Life
3.16 Dirty Hands
3.17 Maelstrom
3.18 The Son Also Rises
3.19 Crossroads, Part I
3.20 Crossroads, Part II
Razor: Yes, this again. (Well this is where Razor was originally broadcast, after all.) Remember the last 10 minutes where I told you to MUTE two small moments? Well, guess what, now is when you get to go back and hear what was said. Watch the last 10 minutes of Razor here.
Season 4
4.01 He That Believeth In Me
4.02 Six of One
4.03 The Ties That Bind
4.04 Escape Velocity
4.05 The Road Less Traveled
4.06 Faith
4.07 Guess What's Coming to Dinner?
4.08 Sine Qua Non
4.09 The Hub
4.10 Revelations
Season 4 Continued (aka "Season 4.5" or "The Final Season")
4.11 Sometimes a Great Notion
The Face of the Enemy
A 10 episode web-based series (although it plays together like an intense mini-episode). (36 mins.)
4.12 A Disquiet Follows My Soul (53 minute extended version - only on Bluray releases)
4.13 The Oath
4.14 Blood on the Scales
4.15 No Exit
The Plan (DVD/Bluray movie)
A stand-alone movie that shows (approximately) the first two seasons from the Cylons' perspective. (You finally get to see "The Plan", mentioned all those times in the opening sequence!) Although The Plan was originally released after the show had finished, it is generally agreed that it should be watched here, so that everything is all tied up when you do reach the end.
4.16 Deadlock
4.17 Someone to Watch Over Me
4.18 Islanded In a Stream of Stars (62 minute extended version - only on BluRay releases and Region 1 DVDs)
4.19 Daybreak (150 minute extended version - only on BluRay releases and Region 1 DVDs)
The Plan : This is where this DVD/Bluray movie was originally released (after the show had finished). It seems universally agreed that it's preferable to watch this after No Exit, instead of after you've finished the entire series, but there's no harm in waiting until now.
Then Caprica the series: http://trakt.tv/show/caprica
Wonderfully atmospheric and paced quite well, this still feels far too long at 10 episodes. Based on the 1978 short story Jerusalem's Lot - which is a vague prequel to the 1975 novel 'Salem's Lot - this expands upon the story greatly.
A much larger cast of characters, new plot points, and in some respects a whole new drive to the narrative make this improve upon King's original writing quite a lot. The short story never felt connected to 'Salem's Lot whereas this does. Adrian Brody is particularly great in the lead role of Charles Boone, a widower who brings his three children to the New England family home of Chapelwaite after his cousin and uncle have died.
If you think of 'Salem's Lot then you probably think of vampires. King's short story didn't have any. This has lots, and they are quite welcome. I always enjoy seeing Christopher Heyerdahl in my sci-fi/fantasy TV and here he is fantastic as the head vampire. The town of Preacher's Corners is also considerably fleshed out and filled with a variety of people who contribute quite meaningfully to the tale.
Is it scary? Hmm, not really. Creepy at times and with some disturbing imagery (if you don't like worms then this isn't for you), this relies more on the growing sense of dread and inevitable confrontations that are coming. It's gorgeously shot in the way that so much modern prestige television now is, but I think the real key here is the good relationships that are built between characters. Most of all I enjoyed seeing Charles as a father, with the three child characters each leaving quite a mark.
But it's flabby and halfway through began to feel like a little bit of a slog. Five or six episodes would have been ample time to wrap this all up without losing anything vital. I wouldn't call it slow at any point, like The Outsider, and each episode does progress the story quite well. It also has a very strong ending and felt like a worthwhile watch. But I don't think anyone would call this a classic King miniseries, especially since it doesn't feel very King-esque.
