Not entirely sure if Lena is going full villain, but if so, they are already doing a much better job than David Benioff and DB Weiss.
It was so emotional at the end that I cried, even though the wigs were hideous
I am so excited for season 6 that I have already forgotten my hate for O, Clarke & Abbie xD
I'm so glad Monty got the best happy ending he could hope for. He deserved it so much. It felt bittersweet but it couldn't have went better - He could live with Harper in peace, have a family and die at an old age :')
This whole scene at the end would've been a perfect series finale. Guess we'll see the humans from that other ship on the new planet, but I hope the next season won't be immediately about starting a war with them. Instead I would like to see new animals or creatures and them building a civilization there. Of course conflicts will be unavoidable (we're still on The CW here), but please don't repeat the same storyline we've had multiple times by now.
And I hope "End Book One" doesn't mean this show will have 10+ seasons because they haven't really been brimming with original ideas lately, so I would rather have an actual ending at some point instead of a never-ending show.
human body can literally withstand so much shit.
as seen in this episode, it's terrific, horrific and shocking to see them willingly accept a fucking radioactive duty which can fuck their life up pretty good but the KFuckingGB won't take international help. what a fucked up world. we need better international relationship across the globe to survive in such catastrophic events.
Humanity must strive for a better world from every small aspect to survive as a species
fucking make the whole world pop a tab of LSD and melt into oneness
I'm running out of superlatives for this show. I continue to marvel at the historical accuracy of the events. I was waiting to see if they would recreate one of the most amazing facts about the accident...the clearing of the roof by the "biorobots". 90 seconds. 90 seconds on the roof to receive a lifetime dose of radiation. And going out on that roof wasn't voluntary. Nice government. Also, the scenes of young Pavel being forced to liquidate starving, deserted family pets was one of the saddest things I've ever watched.
The opening scene features an old woman milking a cow while being told by a soldier to leave her farm for her own safety. She tells him she's not leaving and recalls the history of her life under the iron boot of the communist system. The mention of the horrific Holodomor was shocking to me. It seems that kind of reflection on past evils (other than Hitler's Nazis) is never mentioned.
This series has pulled absolutely no punches showing the oppression and brutality of the Soviet government. I hope that support for such a system, no matter how well intended, never sees the light of day again.
Whoever talks shit about Monty deserves to be hit lbh.
Nice try show! But I'm not buying what you're selling. Murphy's come such a long way. He's moved way past being a selfish, self serving asshole. He cares too much about his friends to betray them like that. Plus, the writers of this show are too good to give him such a lazy regression. Murphy is too smart for you Josephine! He's just buying time.
Every second of this episode was magnificent. I was worried they were gonna drag out the whole not Clarke thing. But I should've known better. This show doesn't let you catch your breath before throwing you into the next thing. And I loved it so much that it was Bellamy who figured it out. They're each other's person, how could he not? #bellarkeforever
Also Jordan being the most sensible made my heart happy. He's the new moral compass. He definitely takes after his dad! It's not okay that the primes are brainwashing people into thinking it's cool to kill someone to hijack their body. Besides, this boy, who grew up really isolated, was the first one to realize something smelled fishy. And everyone else, who should know better than to take things at face value, were super dismissive about his concerns. I love Jordan.
And how amazing was that Octavia/Diyoza heart to heart? Diyoza certainly knows a thing or two about being a violently ruthless leader. And it seems she has struggled with the guilt and consequences of her actions (much as Octavia is doing right now) and come out the other side. It's also pretty clear she sees herslef in Octavia. Maybe she'll turn into a mentor of sorts (kinda like Indra was in previous seasons), and teach her how to accept and move on, so Octavia doesn't self-destruct and can learn to live with herself and the terrible things she's done, just like all the other characters of the show. Plus there was that weird event with the green light and now her hand is all messed up!
I can't wait for next week!
ooooh I like this whole Eve & Villanelle working together vibe.
And Carolyn is COLD. Damn.
Finally after almost 20 years a real competition in town, I stopped watching WWF after they replaced the F with the E, and started watching NWA, TNA(or what ever the fuck they call it these days), ROH, NJPW,And some of the independent stuff,and many of the faces in AEW are familiar faces, I hope they get Jay Briscoe and Dalton Castle to AEW, The first show was really good not perfect because i felt there's some stuff missing, And i never heard JR saying holy shit on I commentary before lol and i been listening to JR's voice for more than 20 years, I am just happy that "Pro Wrestling" is back
This end was kinda of a mess.... What the hell happened here?! Between finding who's who and what's the anomaly, they lost me altogether...
Sam "We don't need to talk, I throw my name in the bucket of "the best episodes of the year" without writing dialogues" Esmail
One of the best episodes ever made! Amazing!
My unedited reaction to the episode : Ah, balls!!! Lena! Stop this nonsense now young lady. Focus your energy on supercorp instead.
Wow! I was going to give this episode a 9, but that ending easily pushed it to a 10+. I can only hope that the rest of the series is as exciting.
So much Meta in this episode. I'm happy they found a way to make Rose play "herself" with her real hair and real accent. Although her accent felt a bit overexaggerated, or overiggsidgereeded as a kiwi would say.
Great first episode. This feels much more like a Star Wars movie than the current trilogy.
This episode gave me such happy teary moments about halfway through to the end. The actual sweetness of this show (w/o being schmaltzy) is so tremendous. I absolutely loved it. Can't wait for it to continue in January but I so don't want it to be over.
[8.5/10] One of my complaints about early episodes of The Good Place was that the psychology could be too simple. We’d see the humans face some challenge in the afterlife, flashback to an illuminating vignette in the past that informed their choices and character, and then see them have a breakthrough in the present.
“The Answer” is that idea on speed. We don’t just get a solid Chidi flashback; we get flashbacks to his whole life, to hidden moments over the course of the show we haven’t gotten to see before, to intimate conversations that gave him guidance and solace. And we don’t just get to see him have a breakthrough; we get to see him have the breakthrough, a resolution of his constant need to decide and find the solution to the problem.
The psychology gets sufficiently complex to match. It’s still comprehensible for a network T.V. show presentation, but the story of why Chidi is the way he is has more bumps and bruises along the way than the type of backstory we saw in the first season.
It’s a story about fearing his parents were on their way to divorce and Chidi seemingly arguing them out of it. The idea that, like all kids, he was dismayed by his parents fighting, and unlike most kids, thought that logic and study were the key to preventing it. When that plan seemed to work, it set him down the path to thinking that all problems had solutions, and that any solution could be found with enough diligence and perseverance.
It led Chidi to a life of constantly trying to find the answer, of treating all questions as directed toward one possible resolution that must be excavated through rigorous logic and constant examination of the texts. The show underscores this a little too heavily in Chidi’s scene with his schoolyard chum, but it does well to frame Chidi as having solved his first big problem this way and it having set him on the path that would carry him through the rest of his life...and afterlife.
Granted, no philosophy advisor in the world would tell their grad student that their thesis needs more heart, and Chidi’s girlfriend breaking up with him the same week feels convenient. (Though hey, I’ll never turn down a shout out to David Hume in the process.) But it sets up the twin concerns of the episode: that Chidi treats all questions as both answerable and equally important, and that he thinks love and romantic fulfillment are a problem that can be solved in the same way that a philosophical problem could.
What’s great about “The Answer” is that it not only sets up Chidi being able to get past both of those issues, but it does so through intimate, heart-to-hearts with all his fellow survivors. He gets a lesson in decisiveness and being in the moment from Jason, something the Jacksonville native is an expert in. He gets a lesson on confidence from Tahani, who talks about achieving it through failure, through getting knocked down and getting back up again until the prospect of getting knocked down is no big deal.
He gets an unexpected kiss from Eleanor, and with it, a lesson on the universe-approved love of your life perhaps not being the actual love of your life, but it being something that you have to figure out for yourself. And he gets a final, and most outstanding lesson from Michael, who tells him that soulmates happen through work, not through fiat, and that there’s more to Chidi’s parents story than he ever knew.
Chidi’s parents didn’t reconcile because he argued them into it. They went to counseling; they saw the best of each other in their son; they were reminded of what was already there. Michael drives this home, with his little bits of afterlife-worn wisdom. Just as he’s about to have his memory wiped, Chidi discovers that the ideas he’s founded his life on -- that any problem, including love, can be solved -- are wrong.
That should be devastating, and yet instead it’s freeing. The man plagued by indecision because he’s not sure what path will take him closer to the mythical, platonic (or, more accurately, Kantian) ideal answer, is suddenly allowed to pursue his passions, to follow what moves him, without needing to have it approved and understood from each philosophical underpinning before going after it.
That’s especially true for his affections for Eleanor. I’ll admit, I’m still not fully sold on the Eleanor/Chidi pairing, and I have major qualms about the “finding The One will heal everything that ails you” message that more than a few other T.V. shows and movies subscribe to. And yet, there’s something incredibly stirring about Chidi’s note to himself. He has spent so long in search of the answer that it’s been paralyzing, preventing him from living his best life and being truly happy. Now, he’s found someone who conjures that happiness within him, and he realizes it’s more important than any grand, abstract problem he might otherwise set his mind on. There’s something truly beautiful about that thought.
There’s also something brilliantly ironic about the fact that Chidi has his breakthrough on not needing to find the answer and self-actualizes in a way that frees him from that burden, right when the group needs him to “Go all Chidi” and decide what new principles the afterlife should be founded upon.
But maybe, just as ironically, he’s already found them. Chidi and Michael reach the conclusion that life is not a puzzle that can be solved once and then set aside. Instead, you have to solve anew each day, again and again. Maybe the answer Chidi’s looking for isn’t a new way to formulate points or tally good deeds and bad. Maybe it’s that points, that reductions of the infinite complexities of our existence to dots and dashes and other efforts to chalk up the best and worst of us, inevitably fail to account for who and what we are from day to day. It represents a similar evolution in The Good Place itself -- recognizing that what makes a person who they are takes more than an A-to-B flashback, but a rush of key moments and realizations that build to a greater whole.
Either way, humanity, existence, and more may rest on Chidi’s shoulders, but he’s no longer burdened by the need to solve for x, and content to look into the eyes of the woman he loves with joy and hope. For now, at least, that’s enough.
Time loop... Always takes my attention and here’s a nice one.
Happy New Year, everyone!
I know that I'm in the minority when I say that I genuinely liked series 11. For starters, I found the overarching storyline a lot more coherent than a large chunk of Moffat's era. And I thoroughly enjoy Jodie's Doctor. She's bright and quirky and fun and she's got that oh-so-Doctory, slightly unhinged glint in her eye. I absolutely can't wait for her to finally snap Time Lord Victorious-style because I have no doubt that she's gonna do it brilliantly. The companions have grown on me too, as all of their predecessors did. Was last season perfect? No, it wasn't. But did I vibe with it? Yes, I did. I know there are a lot of edgy fanboys out there who'd love to explain to me that it was in fact garbage and the worst thing in the history of everything, but you can pry my enjoyment from my cold, dead hands. It's a lot more fun to like things, even if I see their flaws.
Anyway, I really liked this episode! I felt the mystery was quite compelling, there was a good mix of action, suspense, comedy and drama, and the score was REALLY good. The companions are coming into their own more and more - I particularly enjoyed Yaz and Ryan's scenes together. Jodie is exactly as chaotic and living her best life as I expected her to be, and I would absolutely die for her. And that reveal at the end? Just (chef's kiss) delicious. Can't wait for more!
The list of requirements for actors auditioning for The Master:
* must have sufficient chaotic energy
* must have aggressively sexual chemistry with whoever is playing The Doctor
I'm happy to say that they've chosen the perfect person again.
Jodie has such expressive eyes. She gets so much incredible acting done just through looks, communicating so much without saying a single word. The little details in her performance? The nuance? I don't wanna sound like a cheesy old white lady but that shit is breathtaking, bro. I love, love, love her as The Doctor. I truly hope she sticks around for a couple more seasons because I can't imagine having to say goodbye to her.
I found the laser shoes to be SO over-the-top ridiculous (actually same goes for Ryan piloting a whole ass plane via an app), but then I remembered that this is Doctor Who and that stuff kinda comes with the name, so I guess I'm giving it a pass.
I like the fact that the companions finally called out The Doctor for being so cryptic. Thirteen in her own way seems to be running from her past even harder than the previous incarnations, thinking that if she just ignores it, it'll all be fine. Well, the past came to bite her in the ass big time in the last 2 episodes. She can't outrun the darkness forever. Eventually, it'll all catch up to her and when that happens, the companions got a big storm coming.
Also, the Timeless Child is something I've completely forgotten about and honestly I kinda thought the writers have too but now Chibnall is referencing it again? I see you with your continuity, Chris. I see you. Nicely done.
I liked it. It was better than the first half. One of this Doctor's best episodes. The only thing I didn't like was the laser shoes.
wohooo time loops are always amazing, and this was a particularly good one. What a final season Arrow is having!
Holden: Guys! Guys!!!
Fred Johnson: What did you do?
Holden: There was a button. I pushed it.
Fred: Jesus Christ. That's really how you go through life, isn't it.
The flow of this episode detracted from its dramatic effect. There were many good pieces in this episode, but their order and the editing of them reduced their impact. Naomi's rescue, the battle with the Rocinante, the battle at the gate, and the reunion with Avasarala, none of these hit with me the way they could've.
Firstly, the nice speech Avasarala gives during the reception would have been much better as the last scene of the episode. After the belters and Martians have taken over the ring, we would be concerned about the future, then Avasarala gives us hope.
The other development that didn't resonate with me was the dissolution of Drummer's team. I understand that they were torn between supporting Marcos and not, but that turmoil was caused by a threat of destruction, not a desire to work with Inaros. The ties between the crew were shown to be extremely strong, emotionally and otherwise. It should take an enormous conflict to break them. The crew knew that the agreement with Inaros was made under duress and so should have understood how fragile it was. The crew faced two options: cooperate with Inaros and do things they did not want to, or risk their lives and their family's lives by defying him. Both options would be reasonable and acceptable to the crew, and it doesn't resonate with me that the crew would be that upset by Drummer making the decision everyone thought she'd make in the first place. I could accept a decision by some of the crew to leave temporarily because their brother was killed, but to blame Drummer for this (and not Inaros) and completely break their bonds is a stretch given their relationship.
[9.0/10 on a post-classic Simpsons scale] I was worried about this one. The Simpsons taking on pot in 2020 feels like the potential for some real “Old Man Yells at Cloud” levels of out of touch. But this was really good! It was funny! It told a good story! And while the third act goes off the rails a little bit, it resolves everything on a sweet note. Post-classic Simpsons, I didn’t know you had it in you! Kudos to writer Carolyn Ormine and substitute showrunner Matt Selman.
I like the emotional conflict and the story here. Marge doesn't know what to do with herself while Maggie’s at daycare, and stumbles into a job at a slick, modern CBD shop backed by Drederick Tatum. Meanwhile Homer ends up starting a business with Moe to offer old devotees the weed-buying experience of their youth. The conflict between the new look of buying marajuana and the old look is both a good source of comedy and a good source of drama between the couple.
I like Marge having qualms about participating in pot sales, only to be convinced by Tatum that she’s actually participating in wellness. There’s commentary and even some cynicism in the idea that a button down woman like Marge selling them pot puts squeamish folks at ease about engaging in something that is legal but still a touch taboo in certain corners. It makes sense that Tatum and company, who are wanting to put a new, more sophisticated and respectable face on pot, would want to use Marge’s to do it.
Along the way there’s tons of great gags. The episode is rife with great THC-based wordplay. (It’s not the most clever, but I think my favorite is “chicken pot pot pie”, though Marge’s “I’m a healer and you’re a dealer” is a good one too). Billy Porter and Chelsea Peretti are quite funny as Marge’s suave counter-culture coworkers. The running bits about Homer replicating the old pot-buying experience are amusing, as is the fact that the cops run a sting not based on him selling drugs, but on him selling food without a license.
Marge betraying Homer like that is a solid character beat, and I like the resolution that he tries to expose Marge as a fraud to her clientele as a teetotaler for retribution, only to help comfort her through her disorienting high. It’s a bit of a quick fix, but it’s sweet, and the show gets a lot of humorous mileage out of Marge the square being under the influence. Homer accidentally burning down Tatum’s center seems unnecessary, but I guess the show needed to do something to restore the status quo.
Overall, this was a surprisingly timely and funny take on modern pot sales, and a really good Homer and Marge story to boot. It’s in competition with “Thanksgiving of Horror” for best of the season in my book!
GOD, chaotic bisexual variant loki twins is my vibe now.
Chaotic bisexual "twins" from different universes is exactly the kind of time shenanigans I never knew I needed in my life.
Am I the only one who thought they were gonna make Loki fall in love with himself or in this case herself? I mean that's one way of showing his narcissistic personality.
