If last week's penultimate episode was the show's dramatic peak, this finale is an elegiac send-off, with Mariko's loss really felt by all (and which Jarvis beautifully conveys that throughout). Sanada and (especially) Asano are really in top form throughout, especially during that cliff's climatic conversation. Great series.
One of the most captivating shows of the decade ended with this episode. I can’t sing Shogun enough praise. What an absolute masterpiece.
Maybe they’ll continue it, maybe they won’t. I know I’ll be following the crew to see what they do next.
I won't lie, I actually liked the previous episode more. It was a good ending, but it could have ended a bit further into the future, leaving the rest to our imagination isn't too much of a problem. I could listen to Lady Ochiba's speech for hours, she is magnificent. The conversation between Toranaga and Yabushige was really good too. Thank you for one of the best series of recent times. Here's hoping to see more productions that portray Japanese culture and history in such a high-quality manner...
I secretly wanted Fuji and Anjin to be together, I'm sorry Mariko-sama. (˘･_･˘)
"Why tell a deadman the future?"
I couldn't have asked for a more fitting finale for this "piece of an art" mini-series. The bar was set high. It could've been either like the GoT finale or Breaking Bad finale. So glad they stayed consistent from start to finish. Undoubtedly, this ranks among the greatest miniseries ever produced.
Many people may be dissatisfied with the finale if they expected to watch an all-out war, which contradicts the entire idea of the show.
Another brilliant episode. Doing something right for season 5.
Interesting choice Michael has made for her Number 1.
Will Saru be back? :thinking:
Arguably better than the season pilot, but still a soup of questionable personalities. Watchable - especially while you’re waiting on other shows.
Great start to the season. Good they didn’t hide what IT is and some nice call backs to previous events.
Hopefully it will be a great ride ending this amazing show. :vulcan_salute:
Wow, could be the best season yet!
Wow that was good, one of the better episodes this season. Reminded me of Andor. Really captures the loneliness and the quiet, controlled horror of the empire.
I'm convinced none of you know what 'filler' actually means, this episode was a banger, not the best episode but a certified banger still. Got context for Lady Ochiba, more romance between Blackthorne & Mariko (their chemistry is actually very strong), more behind the scenes politics with the council and a great set up for 'Crimson Sky'. Another great episode!
Fuji's silent reaction shots during the tea negotiation are all gold
Good episode. :thumbsup_tone4:
Did we ever find out what happened to Kolos? Was he able to make a significant impact like he wanted? I don't recall if it's mentioned in Klingon history? Does anyone know? I tend to think not considering what became of the Klingon Empire. Maybe they mention him later in this series... will just have to keep watching and find out.
Kolos: says one word
Me: OMG that's J.G. Hertzler!
Sure, ok, make the first non-corporeal species Enterprise encounters evil, because two legs good, no legs bad, right. The xenophobic undertone of this episode is hilariously ironic when you consider the whole point of Star Trek is to examine and embrace other cultures and ways of life.
Also, I've come to the conclusion that the theme of Enterprise is "Star Trek, yes, but make it sexy."
The closing credits to this should have read:
in memory of the anonymous settlement which was later destroyed from orbit by a Klingon ship.
I can't believe for a second they got away with it XD
We've seen this story concept before in DS9 episode "Shadowplay" (S2:E16) - planet of holograms with a malfunctioning core matrix, and all they want is to go on living. Only DS9 did it WAY better, this story is mediocre at best with most of the reveal rushed at the end. I will say I liked the acting and it's always good to see Rene immortalised on the screen...
Despite what she's been through, Danielle seemed pretty...chipper there at the end.
On one episode of "Band of Brothers" I once wrote that no show or documentary can ever relate what it means to be in battle. But this episode was tense, it was frantic and you can get an idea what these men went through. And you really have to be amazed that they did it again and again.
The airbattle scenes in this show are through the roof. It's not all about the action, though. We are reaching a point now where losses are becoming more meaningful for the viewer.
Oh my! Captain Kathryn Janeway!
This is a slog and a half.
Weakest season so far. Of course the finale is exciting, but the storytelling is so, so manipulative it takes away my enjoyment. And as for the season as a whole, there were so many loose threads, plot points that just vanished – I think the show may have jumped the shark.
The adventure story was weak but the character development was strong. Pecan pie!
Enter: The Andorians! Featuring Star Trek guest star veteran: Jeffrey Combs (Brunt (FCA), Weyoun, Shran, etc)!
I've read terrible reviews about this show, but I was such a great fan of David Suchet's series that I just had to watch this and thus get myself a new fix of Poirot.
After watching this episode, I can only conclude that those terrible reviews came from people who've read Agatha Christie's books and found significant discrepancy, in an unwanted way, between the books and this show. I haven't read them, so I cannot compare, I can only be influenced by what I just watched. I really liked the acting and the whole ambience. There's this weirdly comfortable dark setting throughout the whole episode. I also enjoyed watching an older Poirot, someone who's been forgotten by pretty much everyone, someone who's not respected, anymore. So, he's more of a loner, poking around stuff all by himself. I think that John Malkovich does a convincing job portraying such an older, forgotten, almost disgraced Poirot, but then again, I always liked Malkovich on screen.
Though it still seems to suffer a bit from "style over substance", I thought this first episode was good enough to keep me curious about the other two. So, off I go, two more to watch!
"It's funny, the day you lose someone isn't the worst. At least you've got something to do. It's all the days they stay dead."
Azbantium plot hole aside, this is very well acted. A lot of the Capaldi-era episodes have been lackluster on the writing front, the acting front, or both—but this one is a masterful performance. If I have only one major question about "How?!", that's a massive improvement.
I, for one, really appreciated the "Oh, snap!" moment when I realized that my suspicions had been right: the whole "cycle" premise had been foreshadowed at the very beginning.
(The "plot hole" is the azbantium room not resetting, when all the other rooms in the entire castle reset to their original state after some time. Why should that one not reset? Obviously because the Doctor would never be able to escape if it did.)
Clearly one of the best Doctor Who episodes so far!
Capaldi is a great actor and I'll always remember his performance as the Doctor.
It was outstanding.
This was the best acting in a while by Capaldi! A masterpiece. I bow to Moffat. Still sad about how Clara died. But this makes up for it. A big SQUEE at the end so I don't give any spoilers away. And be careful what Capaldi says, don't take it literally (or Not).
Clara, noooo! That silent scream really hit me hard... Why did she have to die like this.. Wish they had found a way to keep her alive cause her story deserves a much better ending...
