[9.0/10] Not since The Sopranos has there been a show on television so devoted to examining the psyches of its characters. I feel like I need to rewatch this episode five times to truly unpack everything there is to glean from such a dense, psychologically complex episode. If there’s been a consistent theme to Season 3, it’s been digging deep into what makes the show’s main characters tick, what makes them who they are, and “Rest and Ricklaxation” both literalizes that (by separating its title characters into their constituent parts) and plays it out in fascinating, emotionally-wrenching detail.
The impetus for that is Rick and Morty going into a psychological toxin-clearing chamber at an intergalactic spa. The catch is that the chamber doesn’t just free you from harmful it elements, it removes those elements, personified as “booger” versions of you, and keeps them trapped in a chamber. So while the real Rick and Morty are feeling happier and more relaxed in the real world, the concentrated toxic parts of them are caught in the chamber working frantically to get out.
The initial results seem predictable, if a little twisted. Toxic Rick is even more hateful and self-aggrandizing than Real Rick. He’s constantly touting his own genius, constantly belittling Morty, and constantly lashing out at the world. Toxic Morty is entirely self-hating and debased, little more than a subservient wart of a person accepting any and all abuse.
What’s interesting is that it seems to flip the good/evil dynamic in Healthy Rick and Healthy Morty. While Healthy Rick feels compelled to rescue their toxic counterparts once he knows of their existence, Healthy Morty likes his own happiness and is constantly resisting any attempt to set things back the way they were under a the guise of not questioning it.
Now splitting protagonists into their good and evil sides is nothing new. (Lord knows the Star Trek franchise returned to that well time and time again.) But the twist, and the thing that makes the episode really stand out from the pack, is that the divergence point for “healthy” Rick and Morty isn’t some arbitrary definition of toxicity, it’s what they themselves view as the toxic parts of their being.
Which leads to all kinds of interesting complications, not the least of which is that Toxic Rick isn’t just some personification of bad, and Healthy Morty isn’t some noble personification of good. It’s a brilliant, fascinating choice to depict Healthy Morty as this honest but heartless, manipulative douchebag. The things that Morty sees as toxic in himself -- his self-doubt and self-loathing -- weigh down an overconfidence and disregard for others’ that, left unchecked, turn him into an uberpopular, successful stock broker, but one who doesn’t really care about anything else or anyone.
It’s a deranged echo of Inside Out’s thesis that negative emotions are vital and valid and help make us stronger individuals. There is something so frighteningly recognizable about Healthy Morty, between his offhand quips about his food being organic to maxims about saying important things face-to-face that reveal a deeper soulless beneath despite all the crowd-pleasing pablum. Toxic Morty isn’t a pretty sight or an encouraging reflection of the real Morty -- he’s deeply unhappy, horribly self-defeating, and outright declares that he wants to die. But the idea that these are the things keeping Morty from becoming a wide-eyed, smiling little monster is one of the boldest and darkest takes this show has offered on one of its main characters.
But that’s only half the impact of the twist. The other, and arguably more foundational reveal in the episode is that Rick really does care about the people in his life, at least Morty, but he views that as toxic, as “irrational attachments” he’d rather overcome. It’s striking in that it answers one of the basic questions the show has been teasing out forever now -- whether despite his protestations to the contrary, Rick loves his family. “Rest Ricklaxation” suggests that he does, but it’s something he hates in himself, which explains how and why he’s always trying to disclaim any such affections.
Rick may acknowledge the other parts of his personality as “toxic.” He admits narcissism, of disregard for the rest of the universe in favor of his own brilliance. But without that, without the parts of him he views as holding him back psychologically, he only has a general care for the world, about the impartial welfare of all, without any personal attachments to his grandson or anything else. The episode digs into who Rick and Morty are, what they hate about themselves, and the people they become without that, which tells you so very much about the show’s title characters.
Meanwhile, amidst all this deep psychological examination is an episode that just works on a nuts and bolts level. The conflict of reconciling toxic and healthy versions of Rick and Morty propels the episode nicely. Seeing a Rick-on-Rick battle throughout the Smiths’ house is thrilling with plenty of creative turns. Healthy Morty’s quiet psychopathy builds and builds keeping a comedic hum the whole time. And there’s even some amusing social commentary as Rick’s toxicity ray covers the globe and Morty’s restaurant acquaintance yells out “sea cucumber!” The main event of “Rest and Ricklaxation” is the show boring into the mental processes and damage of its protagonists, but it keeps the tension and the excitement up for what could otherwise be an overly cerebral exercise.
Like nearly all sitcoms must, it then returns things to the status quo. But while for most shows that’s a return to normalcy and sanity, for Rick and Morty it means returning those two characters to the fraught place where they began the episode. One of the most harrowing scenes in the entire series is the two of them sitting in Rick’s craft in the intro. Morty cries; Rick screams in anguish and admits he wasn’t in control, and the episode doesn’t turn away from the unnerving distress and damage these two individuals have accumulated over the course of their adventures.
This is what the combination of good and bad in Rick and Morty gets them. There’s the sense that both need that balance, to keep them tethered and, in different ways, to keep them caring about people, but the results of that cocktail -- of self-glorification and self-loathing, of brash confidence and debasement, of personal fulfillment and global concern -- doesn’t create a pretty picture for our heroes either.
One of the most creative things I've ever seen. And almost as much of mindfuck as A Rickle in Time and Total Rickall were. I imagine this one will only get better the more I watch it. Jeez.
In Season 3, she's going undercover in the seediest government agency of them all, the DMV!!!
Elliot and Mr. Robot talking in unison was horrifying. Actually the whole therapy scene was. Esmail really turning up the horror this season.
I've been waiting for this show with a lot of excitement. The Netflix shows are probably my favorite part of the MCU. DD and JJ were simply excellent, with compelling stories, great cast and a dark tone, although each of the two had its own unique atmosphere. DD played out like a crime procedural/legal drama with phenomenal fight scenes, while JJ was a gritty psychological thriller with incredible depth mixed with some neo-noir detective stuff. And I loved them both. Luke Cage was more of a mixed bag for me, but the first half of it was great and it had some of the best music I've heard on any show in a long while, so I still liked it. And Iron Fist... I mean, I didn't hate it? It was just kind of meh. But still, seeing these four characters together was something I've been looking forward to for months.
This episode is your typical introducing-our-heroes-and-setting-up-the-overarching-plot pilot. Except we already know the heroes, so instead, we catch up on what they've been doing. Matt's given up on the vigilante business and his relationship with Karen is visibly strained, he's also having trouble moving on from Elektra. Jessica drinks hard as ever and doesn't want to be anyone's hero, thank you very much (although she can't help but follow the mystery that quite literally knocks on her door), Luke has a delightful reunion with Claire (I love them!) and is determined to continue his mission of fighting crime in Harlem, and Danny... spends most of the episode on a plane. Doing nothing. Oh well. There's a reason Iron Fist was the weakest show of the four.
We're also introduced to our main villain. Sigourney Weaver is one of those people who just radiate elegance and steal any scene with their presence. That's the kind of person I strive to be. She's so... regal, I guess. They couldn't have chosen a better actress.
We see Foggy (who is rocking the hell out of his new haircut) for a second as well and Elektra, The Actual Love Of My Life, makes a short appearance at the end. I forgot how beautiful she is. Elodie can kick my ass anytime.
I love how they used colors in this episode. Matt's apartment was bathed in red, Jessica's scenes were sort of pale blue with hints of purple, Luke was surrounded by different shades of yellow, and Alexandra's signature hue seems to be white, from the sterile hospital rooms to her coat to the pidgeons in the park. I also love the way the show fluidly moves from one character to the next with some really neat editing. The older I get, the more I find myself paying attention to those more technical aspects of shows and movies - cinematography, editing, sound design. The opening episode of The Defenders is incredibly aesthetically pleasing and it seems a lot of thought went into the visuals, which I appreciate.
Can we just skip Luke and Dannys respective second seasons and just do Heroes for Hire?
And that first teamup fight was just fucking fantatstic. Nuff said.
[8.0/10] One becomes two, two becomes four, four get into an epic hallway battle. So goes The Defenders, as we reach our big team up beat-em-up moment. I have to once again compliment the season-long pacing, as the show reestablishes the characters independently, establishes them as duos, and only then brings them together as one big, happy, bad guy punching family.
But before it gets there (or to the opening credits) it gives a little series of vignettes on how Elektra became The Black Sky. It’s a pretty standard slow burn training montage kind of thing, but it has a lot of evocative imagery that makes it work. The image of Elektra’s bloody hand emerging from the sarcophagus, her baffled feral person slipping in a puddle of blood on the ground, the soothing but forceful struggles with Alexandra who goes from pugilistic to calming nicely.
This is where I’ll admit that I’m a fan of Sigourney Weavers, but I’m not loving her in this. There’s something kind of stilted and unnatural about a lot of her delivery, and while I suspect she’s going for a certain superior aloofness, and the writing for her character isn’t great (ugh that Constantinople line) it only really works when she’s calling Danny Rand on his bullshit, which everyone looks great doing. Still, Elektra had the same problem and The Defenders has the good sense to mostly keep her quiet, expressing her character’s journey through candle-ringed ninja fights and well framed action. It’s a nice choice that give us some backstory and makes her The Hand’s yin to The Iron Fist’s yang.
But Danny gets another foil here, this one more directed at his personality and position, in the form of Luke Cage. Again, the plotting so far has been solid, as the episode doesn’t beat around the bush but instead has Claire organically figure out the connection between Luke and the guy who punched him and bring them together. There’s a certain retrograde “oh you boys” quality to Claire and Colleen leaving the two guys to hash things out, but it provides one of the most interesting scenes in the episode, to I’m willing to excuse it a bit.
That scene comes when Luke and Danny disagree with one another’s perspective with regard to Cole, the young man who Luke was trying to protect and Danny was trying to strongarm for information. What I like about the scene is that while I tend to side with Luke (and lord knows Danny is just the worst), the show gives both characters good reasons to feel the way they do about this. Danny knows that The Hand can’t just be bought off; he has resentments for these people since they killed his parents, and that taints anyone who would associate with them in his eyes, or at least makes them a means to an end to cut out the cancer that’s plaguing New York City.
Luke, just as understandably, doesn’t see it as a mystical warrior (and Luke’s chagrin at hearing about dragons and chi is well-played by Mike Colter) out for justice. He sees it as a privileged white boy beating up a good kid wrapped up in something bad who ends up in jail while Danny gets to continue on his one-man crusade (give or take Colleen). Look, I’ve thought Danny is kind of a dweeb, to say the least, for a long time for it’s easy for me to side with Luke here, but I appreciate the way the show dramatizes his feelings about what Danny’s doing, and gives Danny good reason to approach this the way he does. It’s a good outing for the fated series of personality clashes.
It works with the other half of The Defenders equation as well. I get a big kick out of Daredevil and Jessica Jones playing cat and mouse with one another. As Mrs. Bloom observed, Matt and Jessica make pretty great foils for one another too, with the caustic sarcasm of Jessica blending nicely with the martyr-y do-gooderness of Matt to create some real sparks. We don’t get that much of the two of them here, but Matt being able to track Jess to the bad guy hideout, Jessica being able to figure out that Matt isn’t what he seems, and the contrast between Matt borrowing Jessica’s scarf (with amusing repartee about it) and parkouring his way to the top of the building while Jessica just takes the elevator is brilliant.
Again, in terms of plotting, the episode parcels out good reasons for all our heroes to make to the Midland Circle building. Luke finds Cole’s money box with the name on it. Jessica uses her P.I. skills to ferret it out from an architect. Matt follows J-Jo with his super-hearing. And Danny uses his corporate connections to figure out who they are and, idiot that he is, just walks in and declares that the jig is up, much to Alexandra’s amusement. (Again, he really is an idiot, though I like the idea that Alexandra wants him alive since he’s the key to the mystic wall thing.)
So we get our big fight, and while it doesn’t match the best hallway fight of the Defender-verse we’ve already seen, it’s still cool to see our heroes actually teaming up to take on the bad guys. Iron Fist hiding behind Luke to stay safe from bullets, Jessica and Matt walking down the hall when Luke just bursts through a wall, Matt going toe-to-toe with Evilektra -- it’s all well-done with the right “the gang’s all here” note to go out on.
The Defenders has pretty well mastered the escalation game over it’s first three episodes. It’s planted seeds for the conflicts, provided convincing reasons for our heroes to coalesce, and hinted at the bigger badder stuff that is progressing on the periphery (I forgot to mention Stick’s badass, handchopping escape!). It’s been a stellar build so far. Let’s see if The Defenders can pay it off now that all the pieces are where they need to be on the board.
No better ending for an episode than Jessica ex machina.
I haven't talked about the opening credits yet, so here goes: they're amazing. And the music is very Avengers-y. It has that larger-than-life, epic feel to it.
Danny is so fucking annoying, acting like those three strangers he just met are supposed to drop everything and join his mystic quest. But it was interesting to see his world view clash with those of Luke and Jessica, who are both very pragmatic and don't want any part of all the supernatural stuff. And poor Matt. He's so traumatized. He and Elektra were kind of my OTP, so it's incredibly heartbreaking for me to see him like that, still reeling from his loss.
Of course that fucker Bakuto is alive. I hate him so much. He's an awfully weak villain and the actor who plays him definitely didn't go in the right direction with his performance. It's like he was aiming for the Charismatic Bad Guy, only he's yet to show any actual charisma. I want to roll my eyes whenever this guy is on screen.
So we got all the people that the Defenders care about in one room and they didn't interact with each other? That's bullshit.
I don't like how the others ganged up on Matt because of Elektra. Tone down that holier-than-thou attitude. You all have your secrets. And it's not like any of you would've acted differently if you were in his situation.
The overhead shot of Elektra curling up on Matt's bed surrounded by gray with her red costume spilling out from underneath her coat looked like some kind of a baroque painting. I would totally frame it and hang it on a wall in my living room. It was exquisite.
If only we lived in an alternate universe where Iris actually died last season.
Our name is West-Allen and we are the fastest couple alive. To the outside world, we are a happy couple, but secretly with the help of our non-communication we fight crime and repress our feelings. In an attempt to understand what happened over six months, we got an appointment for couple's therapy and we saw all the problems that we have. But we won't let that happen. Barry's gonna do everything in his power to listen to me, and we're the only ones fast enough to solve our drama. We are the Flash.
I'll admit Maggy's story was kinda sad.
"I really love this show". I'm sitting here dying of laughter. These guys always get me. What a great episode!
"I love broccoli". Nate, 2017. profound.
"Quiet! The marshmallows are talking", rotflmao. I was in tears for ten minutes. He randomly eating a cheeto was something for the books. The writers are on drugs. I have a feeling Nick Zano was adlibing his lines. He had me dying. He tried to touch Sara's face and then said "Cobra!" Sometimes I can't believe this show is even real.
Ray's ridiculous bad guy outfit just makes me love him even more. "Don't be fooled by our disguises". He's an absolute cinnamon roll. He's gained the status. "I'm following her posterior from a respectable distance". Gotta love him.
Welcome to Legends, Zari! I was expecting her to get powers as the story progressed but I've got to say I'm cool with it.
Gideon is savage "What a bitch!" and "Bollocks!" feelt so right in a weird way. I love that even Gideon hates her. You know someone is bad and annoying when even Gideon swears.
"Prison Break. I'm in". Mick freaking Rory. So meta. God bless the writers of this awesome show.
I loved Kuasa. "I'd just kill you, but I'll be killing myself". So, is she Mari's sister? And she time travels with a rock?
Sara is such a badass. That scene were the ships were about to collide was so good. I'm down for Gary appearing every single time after he fucks time up and Agent Sharpe coming to blame the Legends. Gary is amazing. He's either going to be part of the team or backstabbing them. There's no in between. But I really love his character. He's also a fuck-up. He fits in with the Legends. That bar fight. What would it be of this show without a bar fight?
"You'll float too, Ray". That scene was freaky. I was expecting Pennywise to come out. Ray is so lighthearted. "Hi! What's your name? Mine is Ray Palmer". What's up with kids talking to monsters in the sewers? I want a whole story about Ray "the fuck up" Palmer. He's adorable in every era, even as a kid.
Rory's prison break scene was great!!
Absolutely great episode, action, confrontation, background politics and the ongoing "runtime error", all at just the right composition.
ET gets a remake! What a great episode! Definitely one of the best ones I've seen! So much cuteness in just 42 minutes and now I have alien goo in my eyes!
"Isn't that adorable!" Ray "cinnamon roll" Palmer is just simply adorable. The more I know about his childhood the more I fall in love with his character. Gumball was simply lovely! That cute little baby dominator! That head-bobbing while watching Singing in the Rain. Gold. I was looking forward for some insight into Ray's childhood and backstory and here it is.
It was surprisingly emotional. I connect with little Ray in every way possible. His words really pierced my heart. Props for the actor who plays young Ray. He made me laugh, he made me cry and he definitely won my heart.
Zari's character development was perfect. She was great. She being supportive of little Ray was cool. She's so much fun and her dynamic with the team was great as well. She's a great addition to the team.
I really loved Stein's interactions with Jax and calling him family, especially know that we know Victor Garber is leaving the show. And he named his grandson Ronnie! Cute.
I love the writers of this show and the big nerds they are. So many E.T. references. This touched my heart. So many emotions. I loved the flying bicycle scene. That was breathtaking.
MiB agents randomly start singing. This is the show! It was a WTF scene but boy, did I enjoy it! I lost it the minute they said "good morning". This just proves that the show can do whatever they want even if that doesn't make any sense. They don't hold anything.
The Mommynator scenes with Nate were just golden. "I'm gonna brush my teeth forever", lol. Nate was great. His Biff Tannen outfit while waxing the DeLorean was perfect. I love BTTF and I hope they do an episode inspired on it.
That scenes with all of them suited-up was awesome. Zari's suit is amazing. I love that it's loosely based on Isis. I loved Rory robbing candy from those bullies. This show is just awesome!
Man, I already love Zari. The way she figured out the whole team at the beginning was hilarious and 100% accurate (also, Mick was so pleased with himself, I love one (1) man). But while she acts all sarcastic and whatnot most of the time, deep down she's a total softie. Her interactions with little Ray (that British accent!) were precious. I wonder if she's going to be wearing that white costume into battle from now on, or if it was just for Halloween purposes. Either way, it looked cool.
The little Dominator was absolutely stinking cute and I want one. If only there was any way to stop it from growing up because the Mominator was UGLY. The way she cuddled her kid was sweet though.
The federal agents singing with both Rays and Gumball bobbing their heads in sync was so freaking adorable and one of the best moments of the episode.
All the E.T references were awesome. Especially the shot of little Ray riding his bike in the sky with a full moon in the background. Iconic.
Welcome to the world, baby Ronnie (I'm not crying, you're crying)! It's going to be a wild ride.
Jax, whatever you're doing, stop it right now. No one's breaking up Firestorm, not on my watch. I love my team and I want it to stay the way it is.
Young Ray is soooo precious!
Barry using his speed to do research. Barry acting like a friend to Cisco and his girl. Barry not brooding and having the weight of the world on his shoulders. Barry legitimately caring about his team and calling them family. Yep, I'm here for this. This is The Flash that I fell in love with and want to see. Good episode.
Which proves, yet again, take Westallen out of focus, Barry and the show shine.
So, is Westworld the official Prequel to Altered Carbon now?
HAPPY 100TH EPISODE, EVERYONE!
I just want to say this: I'm so happy, so proud and so, so grateful. I've been in love with this show since I first started watching it 3.5 years ago. The fact that we're here today celebrating this wonderful milestone is a privilege, one that I wasn't sure we'd get this time last year. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has defied the odds time and time again. There has been so much working against it: backlash from hardcore Marvel fans way back when it started; ratings getting lower year after year; ABC itself not giving a shit about it, dumping it first in their worst slot at 10 PM on Tuesdays, and then moving it to Fridays, where most shows go to die; finally, having a completely undeserved reputation of the bastard child of the MCU. Despite all of that, it's still going strong, reaching new creative heights with every season, giving us awesome content, and keeping us on the edge of our seats. Maybe it never quite became the smash hit that Marvel surely expected it to be, but all of us who have stuck with it through thick and thin know just how special it is. "We have a small but active fanbase", indeed.
This episode was beautiful. I don't even know where to start. I think I'll just make a list of everything that stood out to me, it'll help me organize my thoughts a little:
Daisy and Coulson's relationship is absolutely incredible. I started crying as soon as Daisy teared up and I didn't really stop until the end of the episode. Chloe Bennet broke my heart. She's come such a long way since the pilot and grown so much as an actress.
Fake Deathlok trying to convince Phil that it's all in his head gave me major anxiety, mostly because for one horrifying second I imagined them ending the show like this. Just "psych! It was a fantasy all along!". They wouldn't do that, right? RIGHT???
Real Deathlok showed up! Yet another old character to have come back this season!
I saw a theory circulating around Tumblr that Deke is a descendant of FitzSimmons. I was sceptical. But guess what, it's true! Which means there are some cute, genius FitzSimmons babies coming! It does raise some questions, though. They'll have to send Deke back to the future eventually, right? Will he even exist if the team saves the world, or will he get erased? As usual with the time traveling stuff, my head hurts.
Goddamn. FitzSimmons. Wedding. This was where I went from low-key crying to just straight-up bawling. They couldn't have chosen anything better to celebrate the 100th episode with. It was perfect. The setting, Coulson marrying them, their vows... Jemma looked stunning, Fitz looked so handsome (shame about that kilt though, I think they should've gone for it), Elizabeth and Iain's acting was out of this world, as usual. I'm so happy for those two nerds.
What an emotional rollercoaster. I need to lie down for a bit. Huge, huge congratulations to everyone involved in the show, the whole cast and crew. I hope they know that they've created something extraordinary. And I hope that cake they had in celebration of the 100th episode was delicious.
Forget about Cpt. Marvel. Fury should be contacting Talbot not her AHAHA
I have a better title for this episode: "Canaries and handshakes".
It's so good to have the Legends back! It's also great to see that they haven't changed in the slightest. It's go good to see that the writers are still smoking the same weed they used to to give us compelling, action-packed, and emotive episodes like this one.
Never change, you beautiful morons! Never change!
So, this episode delivered a murderous unicorn in Woodstock, Nate and Mick's own buddy comedy, Nate's mum's famous sandwiches, Ray making out with a tree, Constantine being the absolute badass, Ava and Sara being extra adorable and in a healthy relationship, Gary's nipple and an unknown demon coming for Constantine. And also, Nate's dad is Biff! Good lord, I've missed this show so damn much.
I love Ray. He's all heart and hasn't got a bad bone in his body. I loved his scene with Zari at the end. So full of heart and heartbreaking. Zari is slowly becoming one of my favourite characters ever. She's all kindness and doesn't give a fuck about anything.
Ray is completely breaking the fourth wall. "It will be good for our ratings" and "we have some dedicated fans" made me laugh out loud. All these me me remember my all time favourite "this is the second worst attack of the clones I've ever seen".
When he said "everyone loves the Supernatural" I couldn't keep myself from bursting out laughing. Petition to have these guys saying they are going out to hunt the supernatural and deciding to wear layers and layers of flannel only. I need a Legends-Supernatural crossover asap.
Gary as an intern Legends is what I wanted. Give us more Gary. He's the absolute best. I'm so protective of him. I get the feeling that I would be him if I were on the show. I'm dying for his evil nipple to come back from hell and to attack the Legends. Thus, we'd go from a fluffy toy (all praise Bebbo) to a possessed nipple. I think it's all in their wheelhouse, though.
I need more Constantine in my life. Matt Ryan is simply perfect, although I don't get the whole I can't join the Legends because everything I touch dies, or worse. THey guy's all alone and is bound to join the Legends, just do it now and stop playing hard to get. Gosh, every time I see Constantine I get angry that they cancelled the show. However, it'd be awesome if they get Chaz and Zed to show up. Since this season is more focused on the Supernatural, they could add Many to the mix as well. But what can I say, a girl can only dream.
The whole unicorn scene was great. And Zari covered in unicorn...vomit? was super adorable. I mean, Ray-Ray? And Nate and Rory....and Axel! Damn, the feels. I loved their "I thought you were dead?" and "I thought you were dead...on the inside!"
Speaking of my new favourite crime buddies. I loved the chemistry between them and Nate being Rory's jimminy cricket telling him to protect the timeline to save Black Sabbath was great.
Nate's dad being Biff from BTTF was amazing. I guess that's why he was wearing Biff's clothes in last season's "Phone Home". Given the meta level of this show, I was expecting Biff to call Nate butthead.
The hippy thingy got me laughing more than I care to admit but that guy carrying that "Speed: $1,00" sign almost made me die of laughter.
That split screen scene was outstanding. I loved how all of them got reunited at the end. Please, keep these coming!
Now, all praise the writers of this show for giving us a healthy relationship. Thank God they escaped that forced CW relationship drama. However, I always expect it to hit when I least expect it.
I love hos Legends is supposed to be a fun show which brings laughter in my life, but that can make me cry the next minute. That scene with Zari and Ray was heartbreaking. You could see the pain in Zari's eyes. It must take great courage and strong will to have the power to change it all and be finally happy but deciding not to do it to save the timeline.
I actually like the idea of a heart eating unicorn but I would have liked more Woodstock less time agency. It was also nice for them to give an old time traveling pro like Biff a job as Nate's dad.
It's time for Constantine to stop playing hard to get. Your show was canceled. You have no job. Time to jump aboard ship.
Well, I didn't plan on sleeping tonight anyway.
I do have to say though, aside from the bathtub-smashing spider traumatizing me for life, I enjoyed this episode very much. I've been reserving my judgement of this season, but after 4 really good - in my opinion, at least - episodes, I can officially say that I already like it more than most of Peter Capaldi's run. I mean, I adored Peter himself, but the writing didn't do him justice most of the time.
I fall more and more in love with Jodie every week. Everything she does is so perfect, from her excited "Tea at Yaz's!", rambling about getting a flat and buying a couch, the whole Ed Sheeran thing, her confused "I don't think so. Are we?" (by the way, I am fully on board the Yaz/Thirteen ship, fight me) to her mourning the dead spider mother (despite my raging arachnophobia, I did tear up during that scene because growing to the point where you can no longer breathe is a horrible fate that no creature deserves). Mandip Gill is definitely a standout among the companions. I really like that Yaz follows the Doctor into danger so unflinchingly, I just hope it doesn't get her killed. And so many people seem to think that Bradley Walsh is a bad actor for some reason, but to me, he nailed the emotional moments in this episode. The fact that he keeps seeing Grace everywhere in their house is such a realistic portrayal of grief and it was done in a lovely way. Tosin Cole is the hyperactive 8-year-old of the group, which I don't really mind. Ryan blasting music through the speakers to get the spiders to the panic room did make me laugh. That's just peak Doctor Who.
I also love that the spiders weren't the villains of the story at all. No, the true enemy was a selfish man and corporate greed, which is so true for so many things in real life that it actually hurts. Keep spilling that tea, Doctor Who.
Team Tardis is officially a thing! The Doctor was so happy, bless her hearts. I can't wait to see what shenanigans these losers get into next.
Overall, this episode maybe wasn't flawless, but that's not really what I expect anyway. If something keeps me entertained, leaves me wanting more and actually gets the intended emotional response from me, I consider it good. During this episode I laughed more than once, I felt excited, I felt sad, I felt angry (seriously, fuck that guy) and I'm already pumped for next week. So as far as I'm concerned, mission accomplished. Now, if all of y'all who are getting this episode below 70% could perhaps stop, that'd be great. This was worlds better than fucking Love and Monsters and you know it.
A nicer ending than the books. The book ending left me with more questions than answers. This ending is more satisfying. Yet still too faithful to the books ending. While it’s a more happy ending there’s still questions in the end that were never answered.
Spoiler warning: For instance. Season 1 teased us season long that the Quagmire parents were the Baudelaire parents. Yet, now that we know they aren’t. The writers wrote them out basically and they are never reunited with their children.
I guess since it’s a coming of age story. About children learning to not need the help from grown-ups and growing up. So just like the books. The Baudelaires and Quagmires aren’t reunited with parents that are teased to be alive.
Wow, those flashback scenes added a whole new dimension to the story.
Apparently Ressler knows Red better than Liz
Dembe keeping Liz's secret makes no sense- there's no incentive for him to keep it from Red much less lie. I guess he's trying to save him the heartbreak? Sheesh. I want Red to find out soon.
I thought they would have a whole series of episodes with Red on death row, not jump to his execution. That was surprising to me.
We saw some of the old Liz here, the person from season one. I wasn't surprised that after all that she didn't end up asking him anything, but I was, of course, a bit disappointed and mildly annoyed. Maybe next episode he'll use his last words to tell her! --But probably not.
