[7.0/10] You need episodes like “Lamentis” in a television show. Establishing Sylvie’s dynamic with our Loki is important, especially if she’s to be a major character going forward. She has a plan to overthrow the Timekeepers. The work that’s frustrated the TVA has apparently been years in the making. And her background is different enough that she resents even being called “Loki.” Taking time to set up who she is, what she wants, and how she related to the Loki we know and love is a deft choice on the part of the show.
But at the same time, though, I don’t really like their dynamic. Or rather, it’s fine, but not necessarily enough to fill an entire episode of television. You can sense Loki going for a sort of screwball banter between Loki and Sylvie, and normally I appreciate that. (Hello Gilmore Girls fans!) But it only clicks intermittently here. The sense of two gods of mischief each trying to betray one another, find various sneaky ways to get what they want, and debate what should be shared with one another should be compelling. Sometimes it is! Much of the time, though, their back-and-forth is cliché and trite.
Don’t get me started on the debates about what “love is.” “Lamentis” winks at the audience with the pair of Lokis trading poetry until Sylvie calls our Loki out for the banality of his metaphor. Still, the dialogue doesn’t sing like it needs to in order to support an episode that’s founded on almost nothing but.
The other element undergirding “Lamentis” is action, and there, I’m of two minds. On the one hand, I’m always impressed with a solid oner. The choreography of Loki and Sylvie racing through an alien enclave to try to get to an ark ship is cool. While the episode doesn’t quite reach Children of Men-like proportions (which seems to be a reference point, and while there’s a few hidden cuts, I admire the chutzpah of showing the impending destruction of the titular planet in one long take, helping to convey the urgency and chaos of the whole thing.
There’s two problems with it though. 1. Loki and Sylvie don’t really do anything. Sure, things happen around them, and they throw a few punches here and there. But the uncut sequence mainly centers on the duo rushing around. While the camera moves are still tricky to pull off regardless, the two of them doing little beyond running around the set diminishes the impact of making their attempt one big sequence.
That said, you can see the potential for Sylvie and Loki as a pairing. Who would interest Loki more than a version of him/herself. Their conversions carry an almost flirty vibe, and the mutual propensity for betrayal creates a series of double-bluff situations where they’re impressed and envious of one another, while knowing that each would stab the other in the bank if the moment called for it.
Still, our Loki shows a little empathy, choosing to sneak aboard the train rather than follow Sylvie’s plan and risk getting anyone killed. The episode hints at backstory in dialogue that may have differentiated Sylvie and Loki beyond their separate magical capabilities. I’m still not hugely into their dynamic, which comes off less endearing and vital than it needs to. But you can still see the potential there, even if the moment-to-moment writing isn’t exactly fantastic.
We also get a few key tidbits. We learn that Sylvie’s mind-control powers have their limits, especially when dealing with “strong minds”. We learn that they don’t work on Loki himself, because his mind in particular seems too strong for her self-taught magic. ANd most of all, we learn that the employees of the TVA (an organization that Stlvie refers to as fascist) were not created by the Timekeepers, but rather are variants like them who have somehow been enlisted by the agency, and might not even know it. (This lends credence to the fan theory that Peggy Carter is a TVA agent.)
On the whole, it’s just not that fun of a ride, though. I’m actually a sucker for dialogue-heavy, sparkling conversation-based episodes. Throw in two characters who have much inc common but also reason not to trust one another and consider themselves different? So much the better. But the plotting in “Lamentis” is perfunctory and, more to the point, the conversations between our two protagonists here can’t quite carry the hour with wit and engrossing banter. I appreciate the swing, but this is more of a double than a home run.
This show had no absolutely no right being as good as it was. What a fantastic surprise this has been.
The Lasso Special at the end made me smile big time. I’m now wondering if something like that has ever been done and if it would work :thinking:
Absolutely brilliant end to a great series :blush:
So far so good - pretty fun show. Coach Lasso is such a positive character, the show put me in a good mood pretty easily. Love Jason Sudeikis of course
Edit after finishing the first season: Fantastic show all around, I looked forward to it every week. Coach Lasso dealing with his struggles as he brings together the team makes for an interesting and entertaining story
finally, an episode that actually lives up to the name What If, rather than just gender swapping or race swapping a character
I wasn't too excited about this episode when I read the synopsis. I mean, I like flashbacks, but after last episode's big reveal, I wanted to move forward with the story and see what was going to happen next. That being said, I really loved the way our characters crossed paths with each other. Whether it was Lucifer sensing Chloe's presence 5 years before properly meeting her, or Officer Decker facing Charlotte and winning, I thought the way they incorporated it into the story was very clever. Also, Lucifer starting a car because he can "turn anything on" was hilarious and brilliant.
Really good. They're just kicking ass this last season. Just when the show has really found it's footing again, it's over.
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.
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.
I miss this type of episodes in Star Trek, I'm glad to see it brought back. Not only that, this was a good way to end the arc of the doctor and his daughter, neatly tied to the book too.
I hope this is not the end of the his daughter's story and they'll revisit her in the next seasons. There are questions to be answered and possibilities to explore regarding the nebula. Was it something like the Prophets in DS9? Time is irrelevant? But they're stuck in one place?
Who knows. But I for one would like to know more about it.
Thank you. I love this episode.
Great episode. I might need to do an Aliens marathon.
Wow, it just keeps getting better. Trek has done its fair share of horror stories, some poor and some good, but this is probably most effective scare episode the franchise has done. I loved the way it riffed off moments from the core Alien trilogy and managed to do some properly unsettling things in the process. Besides from having a fantastic design, the moment the blue alien dude started having trouble breathing was a wonderfully staged sequence full of dread.
The Gorn looked great and felt vicious even as infants. I love how this series is setting them up. I also appreciate how we've come to understand La'an's character up to now and her own reactions to this situation.
The most interesting part here may have been Spock. While I'm not sure the actual execution of his emotional barriers dropping was, the effect of it on the character is certainly fascinating. Ethan Peck has been KILLING IT so far and is handling this stuff so well. It's an angle that works. I quite like that the franchise is acknowledging the more emotional Spock we saw in 'The Cage' and working to bridge things to the more stoic version we are familiar with.
And damn, the episode blindsided me with the death of Hemmer. I clocked those two new away team characters as dead from the moment we were introduced to them, but Hemmer was a real shock. Especially given that he seems to have become a fan favourite. What a way to go out too - compare it to the lacklustre death of Airiam over on Discovery, which had zero impact despite the character having been there since the start. This one hit hard, with the reactions of the rest of the crew really doing it justice too.
props to my boy Dylan G for holding that position for what seemed like an eternity!
Jesus Christ! I can’t remember to feel so tense watching a tv show episode as I felt here. Absolutely perfect. Can’t wait for season 2!!!!
Okay, that was intense, this is kind of a ted lasso level of a show.
Apple is killing it to be honest. Investing in the right stuff.
Contrary to some of the other comments on this episode and series in general - by all means bring on season 2 and beyond. This is what Star Trek was and is supposed to be!
The "problem of the week" storytelling is what made TOS and TNG what they were, and I'm glad they stuck to it with this series. Discovery and Picard aside, I'm excited for where we go from here.
Trek as it should be! Great final episode of a fantastic first season. Can't wait for the next season. Why were there only 10 episodes?!
A strong ending. I've loved the vast majority of this season. Eagerly awaiting more!
What a great way to end the season. From the moment we saw that maroon movie-era uniform I had a feeling that we were in for something special. This weaved itself in with an alternate take on a classic TOS episode with great skill, as well as throwing in some fun stuff.
I particularly loved the way that they altered the lighting here to match the TOS style, with actor's eyes/faces smoothly lit up in highlights.
Was it a little too on the nose in it's tribute at points? Maybe. But I'm okay with it, and it had enough of a twist on things to make it work. Introducing Kirk this way was a deft, sneaky move and I liked it. And a cliff hanger ending! SNW, you have my attention and my heart.
Now THIS was a great episode - the best of the season so far. Even Cara Deleveigne comes across as decent.
This show does a great job of throwing red herrings around, and even though you tell yourself, surely it can't be them, you wonder, and when you think, oh it must be this side character that shows up once, the show addresses them.
I'm thinking (and I hope I'm wrong) that it's Amy Schumer by accident - given all the artist references. I just hope I'm wrong - that would be let down.
I don’t get the Cara Delevingne hate. More tolerable than Amy Schumer.
They did….. what…. They did the episode that ….. I am at a lost for words …. That was like unexpectedly watching end game ….. wtf
Well, Canon was definitely delivered. Damn.
Amazing ending to a lukewarm season, but it so radically ripped apart the fabric of Rick and Morty themselves that I can't help but fear future episodes are just going to jump over it, going back to being episodical and care about what happened here only when they make another Canon delivery.
Also make Mr. Poopybutthole happy, seeing him like that was an extra knife to the heart.
It’s been staring us to the face for years... we’ve seen so many creatively imagined alternate Ricks and Mortys that we’ve been distracted from the fact that the dynamic of their relationship is always the same which goes against the principle of infinite universes / possibilities. This episode gave a whole new meaning to the concept of infinity because what you think is infinite could just be a small part of something even bigger, and so on...
After the weakest, most underwhelming season that feels at times veered towards Family Guy than itself, Rick and Morty sticks the landing nicely. Surprisingly, by leaning into serialization more than it has ever done before (even if couched in self-deprecating gags about doing so).
Nothing earth-shattering but still a solid setup and the CGI is top notch! Daemon shines every time he’s on screen. 8/10
Be warned: this show has straight relationships. There's actually men and women who love each other, I can't believe they are pushing this agenda. Can't we just keep politics out of these shows?
