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OK I GET it. A "slow burn" show like this isn't everyone's cup o' tea. However, IMO, in the case of "Invasion", it worked well, in that it made you "feel" for the characters, (love OR hate them), while intercutting between stories, all the while avoiding hitting you over the head with monster jump scares, but still teasing you enough to keep you intrigued. A fine line to walk, and, they didn't always do it well. But all in all, a pretty good series, which, especially after the seemingly "easy, tied with a ribbon" NOT ending, and the "we ALL saw that coming" reveal at the NOT end, I am glad is getting a second chance "at bat".
Yes, some of the characters were predictable and annoying, and yet, the one person I wanted dead murked at the start, actually partially redeemed himself, and a couple of the others may, or may not have shed their mortal coils, at least on THIS plane. It will be interesting to see if they can take this beyond the "they came here for our resources" (or our brains) trope, and actually come up with something new(ish). Especially intriguing is the thought that Caspar (and his epileptic visions) could somehow partly be the CAUSE ("they came here for ME") as well as the effect of the arrival, especially with the astronauts Father making an appearance in his dream(?) after (brain) death(?). (Vdub Fringe's "digital back ups?") (but why was the father there?) Trevante Coles BEARD gets an honorable mention as an additional character, as well as Aneesha Malik for actually being a good Mom and not pitting her kids against the Dad by withholding a critical piece of information from them, even (or especially) after his possibly assuming room temperature. (no body, then, perhaps, perhaps, perhaps?)
Yeah, OK, maybe they spent too much time on these character development parts of the plot, but, as I stated earlier, they got me invested in the characters, for better or for worse, and, I look forward to seeing how the "rest of the story" plays out.
I'm exhausted. This tension, the politics, the intrigue, even to the last second. So much is happening in this episode. So much concealed under such elegant garments.
In one way I look forward to the finale next week, however I'm not sure how they are going to fit what I was anticipating to be in this episode into the last, unless it is a 3hr episode, but I think it won't be such.
The other way I'm looking forward to the finale, is I no longer will need to invest all my emotion and attention in this concentration of spectacle and the craft of each Actor performing to perfection their role, and appreciating each word, glance, and interaction with their counterparts in such a magnificent, stunning location.
I'll be ready for this finale but until then I'll be soaking in what I've watched today. What a pleasure it is to witness what the Arts can deliver if given a proper opportunity.
Thank you to the Creators, Actors, Crew, and Those That have painstakingly brought this masterpiece to us.
The conundrum has set in... I desperately want to see the last episode now, but I don't want it to be the last show. 10/10
"They're just people. But they snap their fingers and we jump."
Interesting episode showing the clutch of corporation in the lives of the superheroes. Heroes have to obey metrics--viewership, social media likes--they have to perform, to play the role of heroes to satisfy the demands of the markets.
The life threatening crime of robberies are made mundane, as shown when Homelander and Maeve have a casual chit-chat about their employers while performing cool action stunts of "saving the world". Which, in actuality, is a no-mercy beatdown of a guy who surrendered as soon as they appear. But they have to play their part: "the bad guy shot first", that's why it's legal to murder him. In the same vein, Starlight has to upgrade her costume, to show a "transformation" from a country girl to a metropolis supe. She doesn't like showing off her body, but once she signed the contract, her body is no longer hers--it's of the corporation. The supes may have physical power, but the billionaires have political and cultural power.
We have watched this mundanity before in the form of other entertainment--Marvel Cinematic Universe. Life-threatening actions were played out as jokes and mundane routines. And us the viewers enjoyed it, because it gives us "cozy feelings". But, like most performers, heroes hide secrets. And that's where the Compound V plot kicks in.
This episode attempts to show what sci-fi usually does: a commentary not of the future, but of the present. The subplots are knitted neatly to each other, marking a distinct theme. We tread carefully as plans and ploys unfold--and failed--but as they go, more possibilities were opened up. We watch our Hughie becoming more convinced of his place in The Boys. We see his conscience in opposition to the other veteran members of professional killers.
The great thing about this show so far is how everything is not portrayed as merely black and white. Superheroes may do bad, but they are all still humans who submit to corporate governance. While our boys may seem to have clear motives of taking down corrupt heroes, but they too are vested with their own interest. Hughie acts as our moral compass--the only ordinary guy, who happens to be trapped inside this clusterfuck.
"Life is full of change. Some big, some small. I learned a long time ago, you can fight it or you can try to make the best of it. And that's all a lot easier if you've got people who love you helping you face whatever life throws at you.”
It was a beautiful finale. Nothing truly groundbreaking but I thought they did a great job wrapping the show. So many sweet moments – the Dunphy siblings, Phil and Jay, Claire and Mitch’s misadventure, Jay learning Spanish, and the ending shot - leaving that porch light on, symbolism of how Claire and Phil know their kids will return at some point.
I liked it for the most part but I think the ending seemed rushed and it’s a little unrealistic that so many family members are leaving at once. I’m glad they didn’t go with Jay passing away and I really loved the parallels between the first and last scenes of the show - Phil and Claire going over their calendar, Jay and Gloria at the football match, and Mitch and Cam on a flight. I expected Cam to top the first baby reveal. The Lion King one will forever go down in history.
A hugely missed opportunity not to address the documentary element. We'll never know why these people have been interviewed for 11 years.
Where's my breath?!
Things really explode in episode 4. The previous two episodes did feel a lot like a build up to something, and that 'something' is one hell of a detonation.
I'm really liking the storyline of Dex so far, especially when you get extraordinary scenes like the one involving CCTV. The way those deep, cold eyes stared into the camera was unbelievable and sent shivers down my spine. I just can't get over how amazing Vincent D'Onofrio is as Fisk.
I just have to mention the fight scene though. This is, without a doubt, my favourite long take fight scene of the show. It's just pure adrenaline that doesn't seem to end. It's even more realistic than the hallway scene in season 1. The effort and preparation they put into this must be off the Richter scale. Well, it looks like the show's going to pick up another Emmy nod for stuntwork... ...and just when you think your jaw couldn't fall any lower, the episode ends like THAT and proves you wrong, sending your jaw to another world. I guess it's lucky these don't release weekly, because I wouldn't be able to handle the week after this ending.
Seriously impressive stuff; I'm addicted.
Thank whatever higher power is up there that this show is finally back. Had I had to wait one more week, I swear I would've exploded from anticipation.
Unfortunately, every once in a while real life gets in the way of my watching TV shows, which is why I was unable to review 4x15 when it first aired. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to very quickly say a few things about "Self Control":
That was the best fucking episode this show has ever done and I still haven't fully recovered from it.
I CAN'T BELIEVE ELIZABETH HENSTRIDGE AND IAIN DE CAESTECKER INVENTED ACTING. These two smol humans are so incredibly talented and their performances in that episode were earth-shattering.
I love FitzSimmons. I really do. But I ship Jemma and Daisy so hard that it actually hurts a little bit. The sweaty hug, the lingering looks, the hand-holding, it was all so gay that my brain short-circuited. I've spent the last month binge-reading BioQuake fanfiction. Send help.
Robot May made me cry like a baby. Yup. That's another sentence I never thought I'd write, but here we are!
And now, moving on to 4x16:
I can't believe they just went and changed the logo to Agents of HYDRA. I'm internally screaming. That is so extra.
So, the Framework is a bleak, nightmare-inducing reality. I don't get it. If you had the power to create a whole new world, why would you make it like this? It's awful.
I love Brett Dalton and it's good to see him again, but damn, I hate Ward's bitch ass. Watching that slimy motherfucker put his hands on Daisy made me want to throw up. And then he turned out to be a good guy? That's a twist I didn't see coming. I think it's very cool. It doesn't redeem real-life Ward's actions, of course, but it's interesting to see a different version of the character, one that isn't a homicidal lunatic.
Evil Fitz is terrifying. His dad must've been one messed up dude. Also, I sincerely hope that Jemma will punch Aida in the face for seducing him. I was so grossed out when they kissed. It's just wrong.
I appreciated all the little things that Coulson had in his file. The references to Tahiti, the Cellist, LA Quake (good one, writers) and Lola made me smile.
Jemma, my baby! My tiny badass! I love her so much. She just doesn't give a fuck. She'd fight all of HYDRA by herself armed with nothing but a plastic fork and a lot of determination if she had the chance. And yet another wonderful performance from Elizabeth. I shouldn't even be surprised anymore, but she still blows my mind.
"- Are HYDRA all Nazis?
- Every last one of them."
Cue the "My longest yeah boy ever" video.
"Daisy, they're coming! You need to do something before Psycho Stalker shoots us!"
I've never wanted to marry anyone more in my life. Your fave could never.
To be honest, the thing I would like to see the most in the Framework is FitzSimmons meeting. It could be such a fantastic scene. Just imagine, Fitz interrogating Jemma or something and feeling oddly drawn to her despite the fact that she's an enemy of HYDRA, Jemma desperately trying to get him to remember, emotions all around... I really want this to happen.
Seeing Daisy with long hair and hearing people call her Skye made me reflect on how much she's changed since the show started. I definitely prefer season 4 Daisy to season 1 Skye. I mean, I've loved her since day one, but her character arc has been phenomenal and I adore the person she's become.
Coulson remembers Daisy! Agents, assemble! Aida's electrical ass won't kick itself!
I can't wait for the next episode. I'm so excited that I can't breathe.
Every episode is a documentary of a mess. It's a small world up there and I wouldn't want to be anywhere near it. The world below is rioting, Rava has left and Jess is leaving too. The people outside the bubble can't handle it. The people in the bubble can't be people. Roman shows his humanity when he fucks up and it ruins everything for Waystar. Goes to show that humanity doesn't exist up there. In such a delicate turn, all power falls back on to Kendall and he slowly rounds up the posse to take control of the company just like he was going to in Season 1. Kendall is the real successor, through all his fuck ups and his clashes with Dad, he knows exactly what to do in a business battlefield. And here's the thing, so does Shiv, but not as much as Ken does. She's doing a great job playing Matsson around and landing her spot. In the end Roman is the loser sibling and even though he tried to prove that he can be powerful, in the wake of his father and his siblings, he's still nothing.
Some nice moments where the wives and sides banding together, Tom expressing his genuine concern and Shiv being there with him, and Ewan's speech. I'm am always grateful for the performances the main cast gives and likewise irritated with how unwell these characters are to be working with such responsibilities.
I'm literally shaking right now. These Framework episodes are really freaking stressful.
Aida/Fitz is such a disturbing relationship. It's so creepy that Aida manipulated the Framework to make Fitz love her. She brainwashed him not only into having feelings for her, but probably into having sex with her too, which basically means that she rapes him. She's doing to him exactly what she resents Radcliffe for doing to her: turning him into a thing to be used however she pleases. That makes me nauseous and I can't imagine what Fitz will feel when he wakes up.
Jemma "I'm tiny but I have more than enough rage to go around" Anne Simmons is so going to fight Aida when she gets the chance. At least I hope so. It would be amazing to see her cut the bitch.
Elizabeth has no fucking chill, does she? She just goes and gives us these incredible, deep, powerful performances every week, never failing to bring tears to my eyes and turning me into a distracted, weepy mess for days. Jemma pouring out her heart talking about Fitz was too emotional for me to deal with this early in the morning. And that moment when she screamed his name and their eyes locked? I'm still in shock. The raw intensity of that entire scene killed me.
I never thought I'd be scared of Iain, but I am now. That smile at the end made me want to crawl under my bed and stay there for the rest of the season. How are FitzSimmons going to recover from this?
Stop hurting my baby Daisy! She's already in emotional and psychological pain 99% of the time and now she's going to be tortured? Just fucking rip my heart out while you're at it. I hate that they keep making her suffer. Daisy Johnson deserves the world. And yes, I will fight anyone who thinks otherwise. I love my emo daughter.
Mack joined SHIELD! Also, Hope is adorable and now I feel bad that Mack will have to live without her in the real world. The hits just keep coming, I guess.
The Framework is an absolute nightmare for a lot of reasons. And now it looks like regular people don't have access to the Internet. No smartphones, a woman getting arrested for having a laptop... We've officially crossed into the hell territory in my book.
A part of me wishes I hadn't discovered this show until season 4 ended. That way, I could just binge watch the remaining episodes instead of having to wait a week or longer for each new chapter and spending my days doing the mental equivalent of pacing nervously around a room. I just want to know what will happen next and it's killing me.
Ophelia: stands on the beach, water rushing over her feet, sunlight on her face, feeling joy and wonder for the first time, generally having a deep and aesthetically pleasing moment
Fitz: "I feel like I'm gonna throw up."
Honestly? Same.
I'll admit, for about 2 seconds I did feel bad for Ophelia. Mallory Jansen did such a great job of portraying someone who is experiencing real human emotions for the first time. But I still got creeped out during her scenes with Fitz and I'm upset that they made his relationships with Jemma and Ophelia seem like two equally valid options. They're not. Aida inserted herself into Fitz's life and manipulated him into doing what she wanted him to do. Fortunately, she went batshit crazy when he rejected her and used her weird grab bag of powers to fuck shit up. Good. All my empathy for her is officially gone. I hope they lock her up so deep underground no one will ever see or hear her again.
Jemma and Fitz's reunion was so beautiful. They didn't even need any words. Just two people, holding each other after a traumatic experience, letting their tears flow. Such a perfect little moment.
Coulson awkwardly tip-toeing around what happened with LMD May was hilarious. And May on adrenaline was awesome and terrifying. I just love these two so much.
"- I drank the bottle of Haig.
- WHAT? You piece of..."
Best. Moment. Ever.
Yo-Yo has no idea what she's getting into. She needs to find Mack and convince him to go with her. I wanted the team to use Aida's machine to bring Hope to the real world (how cute would that be?), but I guess it blew up, so Mack will have to say goodbye to his daughter and we'll all get our hearts broken. I can already feel the pain.
Ghost Rider is back! Maybe he'll drag Aida to hell. That would be so satisfying. And I really want him to absolve Fitz and tell him that he's not a bad person. Chances are, if a dude with a flaming skull for a head tells him that, he'll believe it. Oh, and Robbie's return also means that Daisy can finally get some. I wasn't the only one who noticed some weird sexual tension between them in the first part of the season, right?
Now, where is my season 5? Come on, ABC!
Some random thought about this episode:
The future of a country boiled down to petty little tyrants with daddy issues. Kendall destroying democracy because his little sister lied to him is crazy is peak Roy children.
I wish I hadn’t thought this would be the “most shocking episode” so I could have enjoyed it more. The whole time I was transfixed from start to finish, but I kept waiting for something more shocking than episode 3. A populist won, we’ve literally all seen it before.
Shiv asking her cousin if he finds her attractive. :shushing_face:I think if Shiv had actually tried to talk to the Jimenez camp about killing the GoJo deal she could've gotten something. But she didn't. She’s as complicit as her siblings. She still wants the GoJo deal going through, and was willing to risk America for it. This episode showed that she would betray everything she professes if it means she gets ahead.
It’d be real funny if Tom actually ends up in jail after his previous jail scare.
“Couldn’t I get a sniff of even a little guy? Organize a little coup, down in old Peru? Put me in a van to Tajikistan? Couldn’t I just be our fun guy in Uruguay?”
Frankly, this episode took not necessarily a nose-dive, but pretty close to that for me. Investment-wise, I mean. To me, given that there are three episodes left, this episode seemed like the calm before the storm: one last episode with setting up and building up stuff; I understand that. But it's a bit much at this point. I'm growing tired of it.
Of course, this show/first season continues the tradition of making sure something more worthwhile on a surface level happens at the end of each episode, making you come back for more, although more reluctantly now; that "trick" has grown old. Yet, of course, although reluctantly, I admit the ending was interesting, and hopefully, it means this first season will get somewhere now; come to a head.
Still, I can't shake the feeling that the writers are starting to lose their grasp on what's happening or getting ahead of themselves. I can't help but think of what some people have said, I believe, about how this first season starts "getting worse," so to speak, after the third episode. Granted, I thought the fourth episode was pretty decent: the best episode yet. With this episode, though, that sentiment's beginning to somewhat ring true for me.
With three episodes left, I have a sneaking suspicion that the ending of this episode does not mean that the next episode will "get somewhere." Five episodes in now, I'm wary. I have a feeling that'll happen in/with the penultimate episode, or maybe just the finale. At the very least, I hope the final three episodes, one or two of them, or all of them, are more exciting than this one was.
The fight sequence with Jack against Kliner Jr. and his cousin, Dawson, and that other guy was great. It was, without a doubt, better than the one in the previous episode against the South American guy. Maybe a different person/team choreographed this fight sequence or more time was available to do it: or it was somehow easier to do than the one in the previous episode. I'd say it was even better than the prison one against those four or five guys.
I don't get why the writers are insistent on having Roscoe continually shoot down Jack's speculation about the animal feed. Comedic relief? Or planting doubts in the minds of the audience; for them to think it's a red herring, that Jack's wrong? Maybe because most people would think that he's right, and he'll end up being right; so, they're trying to make people second-guess themselves. Because to me, it seems like Jack's on to something. It can't be (just) animal feed.
You just got to love that scene with Roscoe and Jasper. The part of enhancing the image THAT much was great, right? I guess Jasper or whoever took the photo didn't think to take a closer picture/pictures; closer pictures of something like a severe contusion. But Jasper mentioned, "Would you like me to go through these for you?" There was no need to look at those, though, because convenience was on their side.
If I were a police officer and went to talk to a CI regarding something that's a part of an overall, widespread conspiracy/operation: not to mention doing so behind the back of the police department I work for, I would use my police car, and drive to a STRIP CLUB, AND wear my police uniform. Yes. 100% yes. To Protect and to Serve, baby. Hell yeah!
I like how Finlay parked right outside Kliner Industries, in his car, a car that everyone in Margrave probably knows he has, right before breaking the law by trespassing and doing an illegal search, all while knowing that the people they're up against are dangerous and powerful. And that's on top of knowing that they know you're on to them/aren't going to let it go. You'd think being a little more or rather a lot more discreet and having some forethought would be crystal clear essential; I don't know.
The performances by Willa Fitzgerald and Malcolm Goodwin in this episode were worthy of slight commend. Roscoe, when she said, "He left me daisies." And when she was yelling at Teale as Finlay was pulling her away. Finlay, when he was reprimanding her in the car afterward, although it came across as slightly comedic to me: but it was still decent acting. Their performances weren't top-shelf Emmy-worthy performances or anything like that, of course. But they seemed the most comfortable in their roles in this episode compared to the previous episodes. They seem to be coming into their own now with these characters.
What in the actual f*ck.
I'm a reasonable man, I realize I've been crapping on D&D even more than usual this season but I really do have to give them props for doing exactly what they set out to do. They hoped to subvert our expectations and they did just wonderfully in that regards.
We expected all of that buildup over the years to actually amount to something that at the very least passes for a presentable series finale but instead, we got an incoherent, steaming pile of shit. Expectations subverted!
We expected all of that character development to actually result in a beautiful pay-off that respects the journey of self-discovery each and every one of our beloved characters went through to get to where they are now but instead, we got a painful, disrespectful cycle of character regression. Expectations subverted!
We expected the final season of this show to keep us at the edge of our seats with thrilling writing that didn't subvert our expectations for the sake of subverting our expectations via low-quality shock value-seeking writing, but to introduce plot twists that make sense within the overall narrative of the story but instead, we got CW-level predictable, cringe material. Expectations subverted!
I get it. I really do. GRRM let them down by not getting the books ready in time and so they had to improvise away from his influence, but this? This? For a long while, Game of Thrones lived up to the slogan of its parent network, it wasn't just TV, it was something different, something unique and now to have to see it come to this... it's nothing short of disappointing.
On the bright side though, at least this episode didn't suck completely. The acting, score and cinematography were all on point, so I guess it's nice that I didn't walk out of it having appreciated absolutely nothing about it.
So why do I even bother anymore? I honestly could not tell you, though it's probably a mixture of masochism and a faint sliver of hope that they won't flush our collective investment into this series down the drain by the end of it, just one more episode dammit.
I'm not sure what to say. I don't know how I expected this show to end. On one hand, I'm okay with this ending, and I think it was a good way to conclude the show. On the other, I feel completely empty inside. It's strange to think that we're not getting another episode next week.
I was sure that John would be the one to die. It made the most sense. He had a good death, fighting until the very end. Still, I cried my eyes out when it happened.
I'm glad that Shaw is alive, and that she has Bear by her side. I loved how she smiled in the last scene. She totally heard Root's voice on the phone.
Finch is finally reunited with Grace!
So The Machine was talking to a version of herself all along. I'd kind of suspected that.
This was a great episode, and the last few minutes of it were bittersweet but also hopeful. The Machine's final monologue was epic. You know how sometimes you hear something so profound and powerful, something that speaks to you so deeply that you have to fight the urge to get it tattooed on your body? That's what I felt like when I heard that monologue. Overall, I'm quite satisfied with the way they tied it all up.
Now, it's time for me to say goodbye.
I discovered Person of Interest quite late - just a few months before season 5 started. I wasn't hooked right away, but I stuck with the show because I'd read stellar reviews online. It took me almost an entire season to really get into it.
And then Root showed up, kidnapped Finch, stole my heart in about 0.2 seconds, and I was officially obsessed. It took me only 10 days to binge-watch seasons 2-4 (after all, who needs school? Who needs sleep?). This show was a wild ride, and I'm grateful that I got to experience it.
Thank you, Person of Interest.
Thank you for giving us compelling storylines, jaw-dropping plot twists and intense action scenes.
Thank you for exploring fascinating themes, such as AI and the true meaning of humanity.
Thank you for gorgeous cinematography, spectacular score and special effects that blockbuster movies could be jealous of.
Thank you for phenomenal characters, fantastic relationships, consistent characterization and incredible character development.
Thank you for starting my obsession with Amy Acker, which resulted in me binge-watching 19 episodes of Angel in one day (no, I do not possess amazing impulse control).
Thank you for making me laugh, making me cry, making me think, making me lose sleep over you.
Is there something about this show that I'm not happy with? Absolutely. I wish CBS hadn't acted like dicks and had given us a full season instead of measly 13 episodes. I wish Root hadn't died, and a part of me will always be bitter about it. I wish Shaw and Root had had more time. I wish they had paced the final season better (Root and Shaw are reunited after 10 months and over 7,000 simulations, Root dies in the following episode, and then we get a case of the week as if nothing happened? That's just bullshit right there), but I also know that the showrunners tried to do the best they could with a reduced number of episodes. And overall, they succeeded, making Person of Interest one of very few TV shows that were just as, if not more, exquisite in their last season as they were in their first.
Goodbye, Person of Interest. You will always be one of my favorite TV shows of all time. I don't think I'll ever get to watch something as engaging, thrilling, smart, thought-provoking, heartbreaking and powerful as you again.
What an absolutely botched ending to an otherwise strong show. Spoilers: Monica and Darcy are completely tossed aside, Evan Peters is entirely wasted as Quicksilver in favor of a dick joke, the writers show zero creativity in leaving characters to die and Wanda has ultimately learned nothing about her magic, ending the show exactly where she stood 8 years ago before 'Age of Ultron'. What a complete mess devoid of consequences, leaving characters storylines wide open for projects years away instead of tying character arcs up. Wanda apologises to the town members after tortuing them for weeks and we're supposed to feel bad when her fake children are erased? No, sorry, you're responsible for that. Monica really told Wanda the town should be grateful.... after she released them from their torture slavery. Wanda belongs on the Raft, Avengers need bodycams after this abuse. This is exactly what the Sokovia Accords were for. This isn't a show, it's a promotional ad to go see the next Marvel thing. I thought they were doing something special when the show began, embracing the wierd and unexplained magic in the MCU, but by the end the Marvel formula is intact and the story falls into laziness.
Who the hell was the missing person Jimmy Woo had in witness protection to begin with?
[7.5/10] I wondered to myself, what was the point of those Breaking Bad flashbacks. Sure, it's cool to see Walt and Jesse and the RV and even the flat bottom flask again. But I was ready to write off the trip back to Saul's first meeting with the meth-dealers in season 2 of Breaking Bad as simple fan service.
It took the scene with Mike for me to get it. The point, at least on my read, is a theme that Better Call Saul has hit time and again -- Saul can't leave well enough alone. He won't listen to Mike that this chemistry teacher is a rank amateur who's going to end up with a dark result. And Gene won't listen to Jeff or his friend who warn that it's a bad idea to darken the doorstep of another poor man stricken with cancer.
We know how things end for Saul in Breaking Bad. The choice to throw in with Walter White rather than be satisfied with his rewarding, if not exactly classy law practice ultimately ruins him, and takes away everything he'd achieved in the years before and after the events of this series. The choice to cast aside any moral hesitation and callously rob a dying man of his finances, to push the bounds of the pragmatic given how long it takes between when they dosed the guy and when Gene tries to complete the deed, will almost certainly lead to a similarly bad end.
Yes, it's neat to flashback and see some of the old faces from Breaking Bad again. It's cool to learn that Huell made it out and see Francesca get one last payday. But the takeaway is simple. Saul lost everything. He has no more fortune or empire. The cops are still after him. His former allies are either dead or have moved on. And even Kim, who asked about him, seems to want nothing to do with him anymore, via a tantalizingly opaque phone call between her and Gene.
So left with no other options, Gene makes the same choice that Slippin' Jimmy did over and over again. He goes back to running scams. He can't leave well enough alone. He does it without any joy, because he's not doing this out of pleasure. He's doing it out of desperation, addition, sadness, and loneliness. He is scraping the last bit of thrill from the bottom of the jar, and if his star-crossed visit to Walter White is any indication, it's likely to be the last step in his sad, pitiable, but always avoidable fall from grace.
EDIT: Here's my usual, more fulsome review for anyone who's interested -- https://thespool.net/reviews/tv/tv-recap-better-call-saul-season-6-episode-11/
Ahhhhhh i’m so happy they are not shying away from the tough conversations on what it means to be Captain America in this decade. I love symbolism in storytelling and there’s no stronger symbol than that shield, and the way they have used it as a vehicle and representative of the different American identities (good and (really) bad) has been incredible.
Steve Rogers, John Walker, Sam Wilson and Isaiah Bradley all represent sides of the US that co-exist, and John Walker being the effective Captain America for most of this show isn’t accidental - he’s the side of America that’s most present and salient right now (in the world off the screen), but ending the show with Sam Wilson carrying that shield - and going through all the issues that that might bring up - is as powerful a message as any - one of hope and of what the US should aspire to be. Steve Rogers is no longer enough, Steve Rogers is the American Dream - Isaiah Bradley the American Reality - and Sam Wilson is both. This show, and all of Captain America’s storyline, is about so much more than just men in spandex and they’ve done a fantastic job taking it even further here. Glad Marvel is still delivering after so many years, makes me proud to be a fan!
Danys back! That last scene was amazing. It was a long time coming and it was worth it, now lets see what she does next.
The scene between Cersei and Jamie with Euron was great. I wonder what the gift could be? Maybe he is bringing Robert's last bastard, Gendry? Jamie's look on his face when Euron said you should try killing you brother made me laugh. It’s like it just crossed his mind that she is actually capable of doing that.
Arya is not content with just killing Walder Frey, she had to kill them all. I realized about halfway through that scene and it was awesome to see her be a badass. The North Remembers! Oh and there is Ed Sheeran I wonder if we will see him again?
I loved that The Hound basically made fun of Thoros for having a man bun. Its crazy to see the way he has changed as a person and burying the people he left for dead a few seasons ago.
Sansa questioning Jon in front of everyone makes me think she wants to be in charge. I wonder if Littlefinger is rubbing off on her? Jon is concerned with the North but I think Sansa has more knowledge of everyone else and she is going to be important going forward.
I can’t get enough of Tormund hitting on Brienne. "You're a lucky man."
Sam's poop/soup montage was disgusting. He might be the most important part of this epsiode though. Finding the Dragon glass "mountain" might give the living folk an actual chance. Jon will probably be going to Dragonstone next week and we will finally get Jon and Daenerys face to face. And we get a glimpse at poor Jorah which seems the grey scale has gone into full effect.
Great episode to kick off the new season. We don't have a full 10 episodes so hopefully some big things happen next week.
"Wasn't sure I'd find you. Thought you might still be rowing." Davos finally said what the internet has been thinking for years.
So Jon is a true Targaryen and Sam is like shut up about the shits we got to go fight white walkers.
More reunions, besides Davos and Gendry, we have Jorah and Daenerys (which looks like he is still in the friendzone), Jorah and Tyrion, and Jaime and Tyrion (even if it is only for a minute).
Arya thinks she is spying on Littlefinger but acutally Littlefinger is manipulating like he always does. The scroll was from Sansa telling Robb to swear fealty to King Joffrey back from season 1. Trying to cause some sister fighting.
I love that Tormund doesn't even know Brienne's name. He just calls her "The big woman."
Is Sam the man of the Tarly house now? Or was there another brother? Does he have to back to Castle Black?
Cersei can’t have a fourth baby. The prophecy said she would only have three.
Thats a lot of wights. I’m not sure how 7 men are going to get one back below the wall. And is Tormund the only free folk that could go with them, wouldn't they want a few more? Next week looks like is going to be another Hardhome episode. Can’t wait!
No. No. I refuse to believe this.
I'm not crying, not yet. But I have this horrible, cold, twisting sensation in my stomach that usually means I'm nervous. Right now it means that my worst nightmares have come true.
I can't say that I didn't expect Root to die, but I didn't expect it to happen before the series finale, and even then, my silly, naive heart still hoped against all hope that she'd miraculously survive.
Root died protecting Harold, fighting for a cause she believed in. She transcended death and became The Machine's voice. They couldn't have possibly come up with a more fitting end for her character, but that doesn't mean I'm the tiniest bit okay with her dying. I feel sick, to be honest. I can't breathe. I don't know how to process this. Is this what heartbreak feels like? It sucks. It sucks so badly.
It's no secret that I loved Root. I absolutely adored her. She was one of my favorite characters of all time, and her journey from an antagonist to a hero was nothing short of extraordinary. I feel like a part of me died with her, and I don't think I'll ever get it back.
I can't focus because my feelings are overwhelming me. It was a brilliant episode. Great action, great Harold speech in that interrogation room, great Root/Shaw scenes... I need to scream into my pillow. Root just got Shaw back! It's not fair!
How am I supposed to live after this?
Everything hurts, and nothing matters anymore.
I think I need a hug.
[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 :(((
RIP Olenna Tyrell. The OG badass bitch, even when she is dying she still has to have the last laugh. She is right though, Cersei is a disease and she has infected Jamie. Cersei really is just the worst. What she is doing to Ellaria Sand is awful, fair but awful. Her alliance with Euron might really change the war or at least make it more even.
The battle for Casterly Rock was great, I loved Tyrion narrating how he expects it to go but it never goes as expected. This will end up being a huge misstep for Daenerys. Her army is spilt and they are now landlocked. At least she still has the dragons and the Dorthraki. Looks like Cersei has a couple of tricks up her sleeve.
It was nice to see another Stark reunion. Bran was a little creepy like, you looked so beautiful the night Ramsay raped you. Sansa seems like she is a natural born leader. I wouldn't be surprised if she ends up Warden of the North or maybe even on the Iron Throne at the end. After all she has been through it would be fitting. Hopefully we will get another Stark reunion next week with Arya.
And of course we only have the biggest meeting of characters so far on this show. Jon and Daenerys finally meeting and they introduced her with a thousand names and Davos was like "This is Jon Snow... He's King in the North." Jon seems a little petty not to just bend the knee. Its not like he wants the iron throne. The Starks were loyal to the Targaryens in the past. A little gesture could of gone a long way but at least they have some dragon glass. I think the only way he is going to convince her or anyone is to capture a white walker and bring it back.
Quick thoughts:
Theon is alive, maybe another chance for redemption?
How will the iron bank play into this war? If Cersei has money who is she going to get to fight for her?
Jorah is healthy, I hope he goes to dragonstone right away and she takes him back. I bet she was just thinking when she sent him to "find a cure" that he was going to die. She is in for a surprise.
Why does Melisandre, and Varys, need to die in Westeros?
Cersei gives zero fucks now, who cares that people she her in bed with Jamie. The Targaryens did it so why not the Lannisters.
I can't get enough of Euron and Jamie, I hope they more awkward scenes together.
I wonder if Daenerys is going to follow up on "taking a knife in the heart?"
What's with all the hate towards the doctor throughout the series? It was first thought that he's been using Jessica's mom to kill people, but it turned out to be completely untrue and related to her own anger issues. He saved the lives of Jessica and her mom, then made huge progress on making her mom look normal again. He appeared to be genuinely in love with the mom. He cared for her despite her history of murder and violence, and he sedated her so she wouldn't keep attacking people. More often, he just talked to her and it calmed her down.
The real villain was Trish. She held the doctor at gunpoint, attacked Jessica's sidekick, completely disregarded Jessica's and her mom's plans to help the doctor, all just so she could be as strong as Jessica. She was completely out of her mind, simply because of her jealousy. It wasn't a sudden rush that could be explained by drug withdrawal.
What does Jessica do about it all? She blames the doctor and sees Trish as the victim. No wonder he cracked under the pressure and killed himself. He didn't deserve it. Trish would have, and it will be a total mess if Jessica starts bonding with her again in later episodes.
Okay, so apparently this episode aired a day early in Canada? Thank you, Canada. You rock.
That being said, my mind is filled with incomprehensible yelling, and my hands are shaking, so I'll keep this one brief.
Have we just watched Shaw's Winter Soldier origin story?
Sarah Shahi was on fire, hot damn. What an amazing performance.
I was sure that Shaw's escape wasn't real the moment I saw that random-ass boat. Way too convenient. Then the episode made me doubt a few times whether it was a simulation or reality, but in the end it turned out to be exactly what I'd suspected from the beginning.
I'd been waiting to see my baby Shaw again for so long, but I wasn't prepared for that. God, I can't deal with my emotions. It's too much.
I just really want them to kill Greer, all right? Slowly and painfully. Hell, I'd kill that asshole myself if I could.
If the simulation was in Shaw's head, why wasn't it from her point of view? And have those creeps watched Shoot bang every time they've run it?
This episode was unbelievably sad, and I'll probably still be crying about it next week, but Sarah Shahi tearing apart Amy Acker's shirt might just be the greatest thing I've ever witnessed with my own two eyes. Is there any chance we'll get some more of that when Root and Shaw are finally reunited in the real world?
Shaw has chosen to put a bullet in her head 6,741 times instead of killing Root. I'm bawling. Ultimate OTP goals right there.
What an exquisite episode. It struck the perfect balance between heartbreaking and awesome. Easily one of the best they've ever done and definitely in my top 3.
I'll be on the floor sobbing uncontrollably if anyone would like to join me.
The siblings are back at their bullshits. Logan was right. They are not serious person. Everything about this episode felt so manic, really drove home how incompetent the kids are at running the company.
Was anyone else convinced that the clip of Logan calling his children idiots would somehow find itself playing in front of the entire investors meeting?
Kendall gave me major We Work Adam Neumann CEO vibes. Overpriced real estate trying to pass off as tech.
Playing 'bitey' in the middle of a party is insane. Interactions between Tom and Shiv this season is so well written. The chemistry is :fire:. I like how they both are being totally, brutally honest about who they are with each other. Tom admitting his love for money and power was so fascinating to finally see. Getting divorced is exactly what that couple needed.
-“I need you to believe that I am as good as my dad. Can you do that?” - “Say it or believe it?” - Ouch. The interaction with Gerri and the director both really showed Roman can't handle pressure at all. And the moment where Roman just wants to hear his dad insult him again is sad.
Does Mattsson really respect Shiv as an ally or is he fucking around with the siblings the way Logan did?
Karl’s moment with Kendall right before he went out on stage was jaw dropping.
Best quote of the episode, “How am I supposed to follow this? He just promised them eternal life.”
This episode was insane, so much happened! I can't believe it's the 8th episode, and finally something happened this season. The focus of season 3 being more on the company, not on the family is a minus for me because we know the Roys can’t lose the company, otherwise the show would be over.
Best episode of this season. I don't even know where to begin:
"Happiest Man/Bullet Proof Candidate" - How Connor proposed to Willa at his siblings' mother's wedding, and then pretending Willa accepted the marriage proposal. So much cringe.
"I may not love you, but I do love you" - The real tea is that Shiv meant every single word she said to Tom during their ‘dirty talking'.
"Your father never saw anything he loved that he didn’t wanna kick it just to see if it would still come back." - Shiv and her mom scene was amazing. So much hatred and hurt being shown.
The Kendall/Logan dinner scene! Logan used his grandson as a royal taste tester, he's truly a monster.
Shiv trying to get both Roman and Geri out the way by weaponizing the harassment against Gerri is a next level snake move. She is the most awful girlboss feminist ever.
I'm not interested in any Greg storyline. It seems to me the writers don't know what to do with him so they just put him in this random dull side plot that nobody cares about.
Why do people think Kendall died? As if the show would go there and lose one of their stars. That's actually my biggest problem with season 3 - the show just seems afraid to walk through any of the doors it opens. It doesn't want to disappoint fans with the direction it takes, do anything interesting, or follow through.
I can't believe we only have 1 episodes left and everyone is basically still on the sides we started out at. This season was promoted like there would be a split in the group, a war, like characters would be stabbing each other in the back, but nobody ended up joining Kendall, they're really turning him into a caricature this season, he has been taking Ls for the past like 7 episodes. Season 3 is definitely not nearly as good as season 2, what is basically a perfect season of television.
Wtf happened at the end there, what is Shiv's angle? :thinking: They are all making moves without each other: Ken lied to Roman and Shiv about telling Hugo to badmouth their dad in the press, Roman froze out Ken when he went off on Matsson on the cliff, and Shiv is now developing her own relationship with Mattson. These siblings can't work together, can they?
I like how the episode opened with a mirroring scene to Kendall’s original intro in the pilot. When Ken is rocking in the town car to rap, you know he’s back on his bullshit.
“Already rich.”
The Tom/Shiv stuff is so unhealthy.
I think Matsson was lying to Shiv about the blood bricks. He's playing her for sure. He was sounding Shiv out, I think the fact that he plays to her ego right afterwards by commenting how she is cool and like her father indicates some manipulation on Matsson's part.
I thought Toms little speech before that about how America has its own Paris and if that burned down they’d just build another was really good as well, such a perfect summation of a particularly American arrogance.
“I metabolise fast because I’m dynamic.”
“2 meters of nepotism.” is such a brutal insult to Greg. I think the Tom and Greg thing has slipped into self-parody at this point and it’s not really working anymore. Greg has become a pointless character.
“Sweden or Norway they all descend from the same rapists.”
PSA - Explanation of what the two ladies on the phone are talking about in this episode:
"The fight that led to her marriage proposal fundamentally changed — or maybe just broke — something in Kim. Now, she just wants Jimmy, and will keep making concessions to allow the relationship to continue." -Rolling Stones review
You can say that again! Damn Kim is turning out to be loyal. I was in awe of her during the last part. She's amazing!
It's weird to see Jimmy thinking so slowly and being so impaired. I'm used to watching him perform the impossible, and doing it with cheerful enthusiasm. This was the origin of bleak black and white Cinnabon Saul. Enjoyed his scene with Mike, his bitter "I can't believe you're the one I have to talk to about this." His inflection said so much; his castigation of bitter grumpy Mike. He doesn't want to be a survivor like Mike- he wants to be the special saviour to his clients, thriving; the caped stuntman, the flying acrobat.
This felt like a Breaking Bad episode. Which is thrilling but in a lot of ways I've grown to love this show even more than Breaking Bad.
It would have been interesting to see Walt deal with Lalo as Lalo has all the elements that made up a good enemy against Walter.
If Chuck had still been around- well it might have been a saving grace. His absence becomes even more vital.
