I've been thinking for 30 minutes how to review this without spoilers but I'm as giddy as a 10 year old right now. Simply shell shocked. This was pure pleasure for any Star Wars fan, just go watch it (again)
[8.4/10] What a masterclass in tension that final scene is. Lalo ready to kill. Jimmy having lied to someone who's already proven he'll kill a civilian. Kim seeming in continuous mortal peril. And Mike with a sniper rifle ready to end things in different terms at any moment. The scene is a brilliant one, deliberately paced with the right conclusion -- Kim saving the day by making a bold move, a move with the conviction, like she always does.
It's a great episode because it's one that centers on choices. The key comes from Mike's speech to Jimmy about the decisions that we make, and the way they set us on a certain road. Jimmy is overcoming his PTSD from last week's episode and with it comes an epihpany that maybe he's gone too far, that maybe he's in too deep and should pull back. But Mike basically tells him that it's too late. It's too late for Mike, who's made peace with his role as Gus Fring's lieutenant as the place where his choices have led him. It may be too late for Nacho, who Gus seems to suggest will either continue to serve Fring's empire or be "put down." And it's too late for Jimmy, who made so many choices before he ever officially became Saul Goodman that led him here, and which he can't suddenly turn away from.
But it's not too late for Kim. She quits her job, breaks things off with Mesa Verde, and decides to pursue a life of helping the people who really need her talents. She has the vision to see where this road is heading and the courage of her conviction to go another way. She has the temerity and the fortitude and the boldness to go toe-to-toe with a crime lord and talk him down.
In short, she is the one person in this show, and maybe in all of the Breaking Bad universe, with the willingness to see herself frankly, the self-awareness to recognize what path she's on, and the strength to decide it isn't what she wants. That is, however, a hell of a way to find that out, and one hell of an episode.
EDIT: For anyone who enjoys my longer reviews for this show, you can find mine for this episode here: https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/04/better-call-saul-kim-wexler-his-girl-friday/
A backup, a hug, a fight and a kiss
El is the cutest BADASS character ever
This episode was amazing and beautiful, if there's more than 10 stars I would give it more
First let's talk about Steve, he's amazing, he's brave and kind.. Did you see how he was genuinely care about these kids and puts himself in danger just to protect them.. I gotta say he became one of my favorite characters in the show
Also lets talk about the kid who plays Will, gosh!! That kid is sooo talented, I was genuinely feeling his pain, he's so amazing and I'm sure he has a bright future ahead of him
The 3 ways attack bit was also amazing, seeing all the characters attack at the same time from different places was gold writing from the show runners.. I liked how the kids took Steve with them while he was unconscious LMAO, and he was like f*** it lets go burn that sh*t.. I still thing that Nancy doesn't deserve Steve, he's too good for her
Anyway, I didn't like that bit with Dustin and his pet, it felt stupid, I mean they're monsters after all so I don't see how that monster can form such feelings for human, anyway he died at the end we saw him next to the chocolate bar
About El, her scene closing that gate was simply EPIC, I loved how she towards the end used both her hands to push the monster back, and by doing that she actually became more powerful, so now we know El with 2 raised hands are unstoppable
Last thing is the Snow Ball party, it was sad and hilarious seeing Dustin get rejected one by one LMAO, but then Nancy saved his a**, then we saw Mike sitting alone and I had a feeling that El gonna show up, and she did!! She was beautiful and cute.. I'm glad that she's finally with Mike and she feels happy
It was a great season but now we have to wait a long time from season 3 :(((
What's wrong with all the haters here?
I usually dislike musical episodes, but the investment in this episode giving us a glimpse into the crew emotions. I mean, even the theme song was sung!
I still say, best star trek ever. Loving it!
I'm very surprised by the negative comments on this episode. Perhaps it's because I'm a casual Trek fan, but I adored this episode. So many hilarious line deliveries. So much colourful chemistry between all of the characters (Chapel in particular has perfect chemistry with everyone she talks to). So much class, charm and optimism. Very good use of the visual effects budget to punctuate moments of awe. Overall, I feel really energised by this episode.
Wow. I don't know what it was exactly, but that episode hit me in the feels.
Something about seeing Boba go through the tribe's rite of passage was extremely mesmerising and powerful to me.
While I would like to give this episode a 10/10, the whole present-day stuff still really isn't doing anything for me right now. I'm a lot more invested in his bacta flashbacks with the Tuskens.
I guess that stuff is just kinda uninteresting to me currently in the series. I'm waiting for some serious sh*t to go down.
I'm really liking where this show is going. Looking forward to next week.
Side Note: Tatooine was once a water planet?! No way!!
The butthurt comments here are hilarious; it's an alternate history show, and if they're crying SJW here I'm surprised they weren't sobbing Commie Propaganda in the first episodes if one is that sensitive and fragile to any societal difference. If anything, it feels realistic that in the show people have to be shamed and embarrassed into this decision back then from not being a first historical milestone. Anyway, the first two episodes can feel too scattershot for setting up an alternate history scenario while also establishing the show's own characters and storylines, but the 3rd and 4th being so focused gives it some real momentum and drive that make the show so involving now.
Captain Holt is so goddamn extra and I LOVE IT. Also, imagine being as civilized and respectful as Rosa and Amy having that debate. Ugh, I love these people. Stephanie did a great job with her directorial debut. Fantastic material.
I liked how they addressed the subplot of M'Benga's daughter versus miraculously finding a cure for her and it was clearly a chance for the actors to show some different, sillier sides to themselves. Hard disagree with the low-rated comments -- this episode clearly embodied the spirit of TOS.
Sometimes, life is just dark. People are left with no answers and more questions. People are left angry, sad and with no hope.
I applaud this series for not going the easy way. But instead, the hard way.
I don't do drugs, but after watching this episode, I'm not so sure anymore.
This episode continues to maintain the high bar set by episode 1. Good writing and wonderful performances, without a single phaser blast being fired.
After 2 weeks of world and character building we finally get to the heist and I was maybe just as nervous as those guys. Everything felt natural and logical so the events unfolding seemed very realistic for a bunch of motivated amateurs. We all knew it would be risky and although everything happened like I expected, I was still surprised how it happened. That's as close to a magic trick that a writer can come.
Thank you, writers. What a brilliant episode about an important subject. And what a great way to tell it. Amy really touched me with her backstory and her efforts; and Jake, as always, proves to be an inspiring male feminist role model.
That last shot with the three of them in the elevator skyrockets this episode to the top!
Brace yourselves, dear viewers, for this episode will undoubtedly spark heated debates among fans. Some will love it, while others will loathe it—much like the game itself.
The Last of Us ends with a masterful coup de grâce, cementing this adaptation's place in the pantheon of prestige television.
It is sombre and dark yet replete with emotions that run deep. Joel, at long last, becomes a man of action. Whether his actions are morally defensible, however, is a subject of endless debate.
Staying true to the game, this episode does not falter in its execution, boasting a master-stroke opening that sets the stage for a gripping narrative to unfold. The strategic use of a flashback adds layers of complexity to already richly-wrought characters, serving as a catalyst for some of the most poignant dialogue between Joel and Ellie to date—dialogue sure to leave the audience teary-eyed.
The action is far from glorified, leaving viewers in a state of visceral shock and awe. The last couple of episodes have served to do some fantastic work for Joel, and this episode is the proverbial cherry on top, truly a beautiful and profound culmination of his character arc. Indeed, the show is a thing of beauty, but beauty that is shrouded in darkness.
Were a flaw to be ascribed, it would be that of brevity. At a mere 40 minutes, the finale feels curtailed. The absence of the Cordyceps is understandable, given the laser-focused narrative, though it marks a deviation from the source material.
By turns harrowing and humane, towering and intimate, this finale buries its hooks deeply in the viewer, capping off a brilliant maiden season. Love it or loathe it, impassioned discourse will assuredly abound in the wake of this uncompromising conclusion to the first chapter of The Last of Us.
01x09 - Look for the Light: 8.5/10 (Great)
1) (again) Teenagers and their underdeveloped brains, oh my god. Unfortunately, in TLOU every idiotic decision becomes a literal life or death situation.
2) STELLAR performance by Storm Reid, I swear it forced Bella to take her own acting up a notch. The result was my tear stained face (and quite possibly yours too).
3) Fuuuuuuucccccck! "Back in 5 mins", I'm bawling.
8/10 - for Riley/Storm Reid, the pop culture references, the delightful reminders of life pre apocalypse, and a (nearly) flawless victory.
Honestly this might be my favourite episode so far, although I have pretty much been feeling that way for every new episode. What could have been a fairly clichéd and generic "alt universe/role reversal" story was elevated by the beautifully emotional conclusion to an ongoing plot thread. I was expecting to laugh going in, but I certainly did not think I would end the episode in tears.
[8.7/10] The natural inclination in an episode like this is to go big, to make it loud and exciting and epic. It is the Original Trilogy meeting the Prequel Trilogy meeting Rebels, and so the powers that be could be forgiven for turning that encounter into an epic confrontation, full of fireworks and piss and vinegar.
Instead, “Twin Suns” is a quiet, deliberate, almost melancholy episode. That is a bold choice, one that pays off for Rebels and delivers one of its most meditative, understated episodes in a way that does justice to the various major figures it invokes in the effort.
It opens on the holy site of Star Wars, the deserts of Tatooine. There in the swirling sands, Darth Maul wanders the arid wasteland, searching in vain for his mortal enemy. “Twin Suns” commits to the desolation of the planet. Many times, it frames its character in wide shots, often at a distance, showing how small and insignificant they are on that vast landscape between those dual radiating stars. While there are moments of action, most of the time is spent with the characters wandering through those miles of nothing, contemplating what’s calling them there.
Of course, it’s not enough to just have Maul stalking the specter of Obi Wan, so Ezra Bridger feels the call to Tatooine as well. The reasons for his being there are thin, but adequate. He is, essentially, bait. Maul uses the same visions and hallucinations to draw Ezra to the desert planet so as to put him in danger. If Obi Wan is there, Maul reasons, he’ll be unable to stop himself from emerging to save the day.
So foolhardy Ezra heeds the call, follows the visions, and gets both Chopper and himself lost and desperate amid the sands of Tatooine. Despite the half-plausible excuse, Ezra doesn’t have much of a place in this story. It gives the character a bit of nice material, with deliberately disorienting edits creating his sense of being at a loss and in peril as the amount of time he spends out there remains unclear. But on the whole, his arc, to the extent it exists, is merely a familiar epiphany that he’s turned his back on his newfound family and should return to them rather than taking things on his own.
But it’s the man who offers him that advice who matters. Rebels realizes the Ep. IV-era Obi Wan Kenobi well. The franchise has yet to address the awkward business of bridging the gap between the Ewan McGregor/James Arnold Taylor incarnation of the character, and the version that started it all. But Stephen Stanton (who also voices Tarkin and AP-5), does his best Alec Guiness and it scans as true to one of Star Wars’s founding performances.
The Obi Wan Ezra meets in the desert is of a piece with one Luke meets in A New Hope. The years have blunted the edges of the reserved but adventurous man who fought in the clone wars. In his place is this wise old monk, one who has the zen and worldly perspective that Guiness and George Lucas imbued in the role. Rebels attempts to revive characters who’ve gone unseen since Return of the Jedi have been hit or miss, but kudos belong to Stanton and writers Dave Filoni and Henry Gilroy for capturing the spirit and demeanor of the character we know from Star Wars’s first act.
It’s not, however, inter-generational crossovers and desert-worn wisdom. Obi Wan’s time with Ezra is mercifully short, just enough to give him the lesson he needs and send him on his way before Maul arrives. Maul explains his manipulation in a suitably villainous fashion, and trades insults with Obi Wan as he gears up for a confrontation greatly hyped and long in the making.
When Obi Wan faces Maul, the scene is tense. Maul is inquisitive, probing, challenging his wizened adversary. He sniffs out why Kenobi is on this backwater planet, and the Jedi Master’s eyes subtly react with concern and awareness of what he’s revealed. Only then does Obi Wan ready himself to fight. The two men hold the tension, stand their ground, letting the potential of this grand clash linger in the air before the first, tremendous blow is struck.
Instead, it simply ends before it barely began. A few swift moves is all Obi Wan needs to fell his opponent. He moves slowly but decisively. Anything more would be a betrayal of the warrior we saw in Episode IV. There is mercy in his blade and in the way he cradles Maul in his arms after the deed is done.
But the purpose of that anticlimax is not simply fidelity to the source that began it all. It is a reveal, a demonstration, that these are not the fiery young men who clashed on Naboo. They are not the hardened warriors who met in battle on Mandalore. They are broken down old men, the last of a generation, finishing the last vestiges of conflicts that were already lost before they’d even started.
These are the last gunfighters, drawing one last time, because what else is there to do? As Maul seemingly dies in Obi Wan’s arms, he asks Kenobi if his task is to protect the chosen one. Obi Wan admits it, and Maul says the most curious, revealing words as he leaves the living force – “He will avenge us.”
Maul and Kenobi have stood on opposite sides of the battle lines for decades. They have seen the fall of republics and the rise of empires. They have done this dance across the ages, each taking pounds of flesh from the other. And yet, when the final blow is struck, the clarity of the last light reveals a simple truth. They are both victims of the same tormentor, the same individual who took away all that they had and believed in.
As Star Wars has gone on, it has evolved, showing more shades of gray within the hero’s journey that started with A New Hope. Before that little boy running across the horizon could rise up and strike down the evil that took so much from so many, too many had to suffer, both the good and the bad. The distance between the two seems as small as the distance between Maul and Kenobi. They are the twin suns, intertwined, eternally circling ‘round these same events, pulled by the same force, until they are snuffed out, ready for a new light, a new beacon, to sweep the galaxy, and wipe away their shared regrets, mistakes, and pain.
That was the worst episode in my opinion. It wasn't actually that bad, but it lacked any suspense or surprises the previous episodes had. There was no real twist and the ending seemed a bit over the top. Also, I hated Waldo.
This has got to be one of the strongest jumps in quality from a season to another in a show.
What an amazing ride this has been so far.
Where the heck did this little gem come from? Fantastic episode. Incredibly funny and touching.
I don't see why many are still confused and hate the timeline. Yeah it's all mixed but it's intentional and the bigger picture is worth it when all the perspectives are shown in the end. You don't have to be a Sherlock to understand this show wtf
Now we don't need to have a black screen saying present and past or X days/years later now do we?
I truly dislike jump scares, not because they scare the shit out of me (they do!), but because they're a cop-out, a lazy option overused in today's horror. But - holy shit! - that scene with the sisters arguing with each other in the car... THAT'S how you do a jump scare! Also, nice way to stop a fight. Then, Theo's monologue right after was emotionally intense, I could feel her despair creeping inside me. This show can be slow and boring, at times, but the acting is consistently well above average.
lmao i like the Ed Norton recast joke
Now I have seen 2 episodes it's clear that this show is what many Trekkies have been looking for : mystery of the week with some food for thought, camaraderie, some humor and (if it's not to much of a bother) some pew pew flying stuff in space.
Mount, Peck and Romijn hit the ground running in their own spin-off but Gooding as Uhura is amazing. Can't wait for an episode focused on the medical team. Of course I can't help but like Ortegas and La'an, although I see some similarities with a certain Naomi Nagata & Camina Drummer, but I'm certainly not complaining about that.
The special effects are amazing and the writers do an excellent job with giving known characters more depth while still respecting what other writers have done. The way they get Pike's command style smack dab in the middle of Archer and T Kirk is very impressive. Strong characters but with flaws. This is a crew I would actually like to be part of, something that hasn't happened since Enterprise ( Team Trip Tucker all the way )
If they can keep this up I say : "6 seasons and a movie"
rosa is bi and i'm happy
The man who rode that train was built weak and born to fail. You fixed him. Now forget about it. Teddy 2.0
Dolores wanting to change everything but herself, Maeve wanting to change herself to influence the world.
What we learned in Phase Space
Dolores is programming and testing and Arnold bot
Or maybe, that's not her (or her cr4-dl consciousness). That's Ford. He needs to have her appearance b/c that's what the real Arnold knew about that conversation.
William thinking his daughter was a host sent by Ford. ROFL!!!
Of course, he was testing her to see if she was a real or host version of Emily sent by Ford as part of the game
Climate control is working
More about the Cradle
Cradle—spelled CR4-DL is "the simulation technology that stores and tests all of our storylines" and ensures customers "get the immersive and dynamic experience [they] deserve." So it's the way Delos test-drives its experiences. Bernard describes it as a "backup," and Elsie calls it a "hive mind" where all the host's consciousnesses are "alive.
Japanese Armistice is sticking with Maeve and the gang
William and Emily's relationship has been...difficult
William confused his wife with his daughter when recounting the story about the elephants in Raj World. Does that say something about his family life, a simple slip of the tongue, or is it something else like MIB is a Host?
Maeve's daughter has new parents
Who didn't see Maeve meeting her replacement? Did she think her daughter was all alone? That was typical of Lee to omit that little piece of information. And what is the Ghost Nation's game?
Ghost Nation wanted Maeve to come with them. Since they protect the guests, there was also more to Maeve than simply being a host.
Akecheta is awake & probably sees that Maeve is too!
Teddy 2.0 is Stone Cold
Dolores is going to regret reprogramming Teddy in the coming episodes.
Her reactions were so funny "oh shit what have I done!"
Teddy is aware that Dolores reprogrammed him. I feel that will be important later.
Ford is inside the Cradle
Ford's back, or at least an approximation of his consciousness in the Cradle. We all suspected Ford would return as a Host despite the flat-out denials from Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Nolan & co.. They pretty much telegraphed his return over the season (he's in the system, briefly surfacing in Hosts e.g. young Ford), but Episode 4 all but confirmed it.
Dolores and Maeve storylines ** is not interesting at all. They're currently paper thin and taking their sweet time to go anywhere.**
The Man In Black's daughter who we know nothing about is a far more compelling character.
The Cradle Is Capable Of So Much More Than We Expected
The Cradle, in essence, is a server that stores memories and consciousness for retrieval. Like a file cabinet, the hosts’ “data” is copied and contained within the server, and can be accessed to run theoretical or training simulations on the robots. The main function of the Cradle, though, is to act as a backup for each of the intricately-crafted hosts; a way for Delos to preserve the work that went into detailing their appearances, their preferences, their mannerisms, the very things that make them so human. Think of it as the Cloud that stores your phone pics.
Those pearls, it turns out, are the container for the hosts’ consciousnesses. But the Cradle itself send commands to the parks, not unlike the way the Matrix papers over glitches with deja vu. And the implications of this functionality go way beyond just data storage. It means that the Cradle itself can run simulations or disrupt the flow of time —if it has a programmer (the host) to program a server farm (the Cradle), illustrated by Bernard getting off the train at exactly the spot he needed to be. The Cradle doesn’t appear to create simulations without a host’s consciousness to guide it.
Do we have a host in the Cradle? We sure do, and because Bernard just uploaded his brain pearl into the Cradle, it could mean that everything we’ve seen in season 2 thus far — the multiple timelines, the weird ways that the characters are interacting with him — are just a simulation. This totally mind-bending but plausible theory was put forth by YouTuber HaxDogma, and in a 10-minute video he makes the case that Bernard has hacked his way into the Cradle, and everything is running from his point of view. In other words, it’s as though we’re viewing everything like Neo did at the end of the first Matrix: as a source code that can be manipulated.
Or (and this is even more sinister), perhaps Robert Ford has been in the Cradle all along, pulling the strings, and driving wedges between Dolores and Maeve with her new powers.
Such a phenomenal and truly important episode. This is definitely the best they've ever done and certainly going in my Top 10 of the year, and probably staying there. Literal art!
I was very skeptical about a musical episode, but after the fantastic crossover I had my hopes up. And I wasn’t disappointed. It was not the best episode of this season but it was great. I don’t understand the bad ratings - maybe because they [spoiler]stayed in the musical and didn’t go space bunnies[/spolier]? I even started to feel like Jim(s actor) belongs. Unfortunately only one episode left :cry:.
