wow...I really didn't think there could be one worse than the yogurt one. My bad...
A bit too on the nose in their attempts to poke the issue on darkly designed terms of service and deepfake, especially in light of the Hollywood actor and screenwriter protest (perhaps even inspired by it). The episode leans heavily toward being a meta humor, but it doesn't really work well. Annie Murphy does her best, and I believe Salma Hayek too, but they were given a rather one-dimensional, uninspiring script. As the episode ended I realized Charlie Brooker is the writer. That kinda explains the weak episode.
Just a short comment to make some people aware that "predictability" is not per se a sign for a bad episode. Not all episodes of this series (or any series or any film, for that matter) aim to be unpredicatable and surprising. Not every film tries to be "Christopher Nolan". Some, for instance, aim to be psychologically sound - thereby telling a relatable and intense story. I found this episode to be very good since it creates relatable characters, takes its time to get into some (but not all, I give you that) nuances of the premise, creates a real dilemma that feels realistic for both main characters - and nevertheless takes it to an ending that shook me. Not as "gadgety" and superficial as some of the other episodes. I guess I'm just trying to say: The great thing about BLACK MIRROR is that certain episodes can be more psychological/"naturalistic" and others more "out there". Don't bash one episode for not being like the other.
It's tense and gory in the usual The Boys fashion, although I feel like they just sped up everything in the beginning and previous episode so that they can have this "wreak havoc" all out in this episode.
As a season finale though... it feels like this IP is starting to show a similar symptoms to MCU: each ending has to be a setup for another season/series/film. It's a huge cliffhanger. It doesn't really settle the story with Marie and co, albeit they did close the arc and begin a new one. What happened to the school? What happened after the laser? Why the Guardians of Godolkin twist at the end - and how is it possible, with everyone there clearly witnessing who the villains were? It just raises more questions and feels like not making sense.
Additionally, some of the characters made some really terrible decisions with their hero syndrome, but I guess I can suspend the disbelief because they're still teenagers after all.
Victoria Neumann gives me chills down my spine. She's literally the scariest character in The BOYS universe
Not exactly sure what's wrong with the episode.
But I feel like the dream sequence has become an easy exposition dump for the writers. They did something similar in The Boys Season 3 when they had to explain Black Noir's flashback and everything that happened back then. Mixing up everyone's memory and conveniently have everything panned out like that is not a great storytelling.
The Sam x Emma moment was fine, but how everything was resolved quickly when the group came into a conflict is quite too convenient. The ending was quite interesting, but everything feels like a filler only that the writers can get into the point to drop that ending and get the characters to band together and speak against power. It's quite a weak setup - and a too easy one at that, especially given most, if not all, characters there were ambitious students who want to rise to the top, now they were willing to easily abandon all that?
Also, where did Dusty go? The 28 year-old that looks like a boy. They just kinda forget him.
Am I the only one that doesn’t like Marie?
It's amazing how they foreshadowed the episode to be awful. It started well and turned to well.. S--t.
After 2 weeks of world and character building we finally get to the heist and I was maybe just as nervous as those guys. Everything felt natural and logical so the events unfolding seemed very realistic for a bunch of motivated amateurs. We all knew it would be risky and although everything happened like I expected, I was still surprised how it happened. That's as close to a magic trick that a writer can come.
How can they release a crap like Obi Wan and then Andor which is damn amazing. This episode was a masterclass.
I hope people watch this show and realize how bad Obi-Wan was, this show felt like I was watching the same story of Star Wars I watched so many times, but in a more realistic way, a more calm pace, I never saw myself so much involved with rebels and empire conflict such as in this episode, and also no jokes, amazing
The first half is your usual bonding between the main characters. It's fine but nothing to write home about. Just showing David developing his skills and relating to other characters - which is a very typical "calm before the storm" scene indicating someone will die in an episode or two. There's some sexual tension between David and Lucy. The editing between the scenes is kinda unique but feels like Instagram or MTV reels that don't let us connect to the characters - just like the game's strange V and Jackie bonding scene.
The second half is all over the place. First we have Pilar's demise, as expected given the build up in the first half. Then after all that chaos we get back straight to David and Lucy. Very strange pacing, as if nothing happened in the first second half, especially given the build up in the whole first half. The ending with David and Lucy feels like it just to keep the romance and plot going, which, again, feels like a cliched calm before the storm scene before some terrible things to happen in next episodes.
Good pilot with good world-building. Portrays the oppressiveness of poverty and the ads-drenched life in a cyberpunk city much better than the game. Plot is a bit cliche though but the episode spreads enough clue for build up in future episodes. Really like the visual cues they use to evoke character's emotion, such as the shot on David's shaking legs when he's anxious.
Apart from the mystery behind the elderly man, this story could feasibly fit into the pre-Prequel canon. That is to say, it doesn't require any suspension of disbelief; this feels like regular old Star Wars, through and through.
I especially like the relationship between the master and the padawan. It reminds me of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, but if Qui-Gon were a bit less hardheaded. The dialogue about Jedi wisdom was great, something we see far less frequently in the Disney-era Star Wars, so that was a welcome addition. All in all, it's a solid Star Wars story.
Absolutely amazing episode. The best episode yet. Brought tears to my eyes. It had 2 strong visual moments that I loved.
Spoiler. The Battle Droids dropping down and the look on the warlord combined with the music gave a very sinister feeling. Never thought it's possible to fear the Battle Droids. Later they were back to their comedic routine which was unfortunate.
The Jedi strike was absolutely amazing. You just hear the swoosh of the saber and never see any movements, not even a blurry thing or a ghost movement. Later the warlord realizes what has happened. I want to see that in a movie. The Jedi strike without you seeing anything.
so, they want us to believe that the Japanese soldiers run to the bullets like children to candy? these us people are amazing, they do think of themselves as a superior race. who said Hitler's vision is dead?
Great second episode that showed a version of what could have happened to Wernher von Braun if the US would have lost the space race. Very interesting theory and also very likely. The twist at the end will sure bring some interesting storylines for the show.
The butthurt comments here are hilarious; it's an alternate history show, and if they're crying SJW here I'm surprised they weren't sobbing Commie Propaganda in the first episodes if one is that sensitive and fragile to any societal difference. If anything, it feels realistic that in the show people have to be shamed and embarrassed into this decision back then from not being a first historical milestone. Anyway, the first two episodes can feel too scattershot for setting up an alternate history scenario while also establishing the show's own characters and storylines, but the 3rd and 4th being so focused gives it some real momentum and drive that make the show so involving now.
Great episode! Made even better by the salty baby d*cks in the comments because there were some women on the screen!
Having lived through the era really helps to appreciate this show. I am particularly impressed by the authentic props, down to the ubiquitous four differently colored ringed glasses that we all drank iced tea from in the 60/70s. I also worked at MSFC in Huntsville for a short while in the 90s and even then, some twenty something years later, NASA was still very political.
Superb episode, with only a couple of small stupid points:
- Kimiko shouldn't have been drinking with her abdomen stitched up. Alcohol inhibits clotting and encourages bleeding. She could've died of internal bleeding long before taking the Compound V. (Plus, I feared the alcohol would interact adversely with V, causing her to die or "hulk-out")
- I didn't like how they presented Annie's and Kimiko's decision of "I'll save you, even if you don't want me to" as triumphant, when it's no different from the toxic macho "damsel in distress" crap. Frenchie and M.M. should've objected and easily win that argument, considering their past experiences and discussions.
"V isn't good or bad" yes, but no person is all good or all bad either, nor do they stay good or bad forever no matter what. Of course, there are certain patterns of reinforcing behaviors, but everyone is constantly shaped and ever-changing by their life experiences and decisions. I think this is the most important takeaway from the show.
Despite all the gore and splatter, this episode shows this is still about the characters. And that's why this show keeps being amazing.
I hope A-Train doesn't revert to being a Vaught pawn. It would destroy his developement. Loved the parts with Black Noir. Butcher's really a major prick but why didn't Annie just send Hughie a message instead of trying to call him again and again ?
So, Homelander is Soldier Boy's son, eh ? So, will that mean they team up ? Since there is a forth season coming they need an angle for that. I wouldn't like another season of "how do we get rid of Homalander". On the other hand if they would team up they would be basically unstoppable so that should actually be avoided.
Should be a very interesting finale.
I appreciated the dig at Pepsi here
I guess this episode has little bit of everything. There is a bit of suspense of the barn invasion. There is a bit of action in the final showdown, of course. There is a bit of Justice League cameo. There is a bit of character development during the mission preparation. There is a bit of wrapping up the story (each characters' fate, tying up loose ends, and Peacemaker making peace with himself). And there is also some stereotypical eco-message slipped in (I guess since this is the anthropocene and Thanos' ecofascism seems to be popular...).
It's not a gripping finale, but it does what it does well for an action comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Highlight would be: I like that they keep Goff alive because Peacemaker's personal connection and Judomaster also alive with his chips-eating habit. I also liked that they're setting this up for future DCEU but not too blatantly obvious that they had to throw away the standalone-ness of the show like MCU/Marvel Studios usually do.
James Gunn really liked the idea of shoving stuff into people's mouth huh. He did it in The Suicide Squad, he did it again here.
I wanted to like this show, but there's good silly and there's bad silly... this one seems to have list its way.
Another good episode. Peacemaker jumping from ledges only to fall in different ways, was a great laugh. The "looking at my dick" routine between between Peacemaker and Vigilante went on a little too long and didn't contain the usual zing that most Gunn comedic scenes do.
A PROMISING START WITH JAMES GUNN TRADEMARKS AND AN EXCITING PREMISE
:wavy_dash::wavy_dash::wavy_dash::wavy_dash:
:white_check_mark: Things that pass: Characters, Look, Music, Memorability, Expectations, Replay Value
Mature and twisted comedy á la James Gunn; an exciting title sequence; John Cena fully embracing the role of the awkward anti-hero; the killer soundtrack, filled with rock´n roll goodies; a plot that deals with the fallout from The Suicide Squad (2021) and fleshes out Peacmaker as a character, particualrly regarding his human relations; the Hanoi Rocks nod; Cena dancing to The Quireboys in his undies; an amazing final fight scene.
:wavy_dash::wavy_dash::wavy_dash::wavy_dash:
:part_alternation_mark: Things that fall in between: Story, Emotions, Pacing, Novelty
Swearing, sex and maturity just for the sake of it rather than as a natural part of the story; loads of initial puzzle pieces and introduced plot threads, but no clear direction for the series; a slower second half.
:wavy_dash::wavy_dash::wavy_dash::wavy_dash:
:x: Things that don't pass: N/A
:wavy_dash::wavy_dash::wavy_dash::wavy_dash:
6 passes, 4 in-betweens, 0 no passes = 8/10
I love the end - but it is not like it would be an accomplishment to the TV Show, they took it from the book and removed so much that it barely makes any sense.
All the political tension is basically removed and replaced with "why are we even discussing this". Not to mention the fact that they completly left out how Inaros fleet got destroyed.
That was really important, because the way they did it, the physics they used in the books (The rings make matter disappear when there is more than a certain amount in transit at the same time) was the reason Earth and Mars actually agreed that a trade union controlling passage through the rings was necessary.
It would have been hard enough to do this properly in 10 Episodes, doing it in 6 was impossible. Too much of the source material has been left out without patching the holes.
Its heartbreaking and not in a good way...
What Does it mean to be in substrate?
OHHHH NO. Amazon you can't be teasing awesome protomolecule goodness with only ONE episode left :(
that's just mean...... There is so much story left to tell in this universe. I pray they give it a good send off. They just did what felt like setup for an entire SEASON worth at least, and now its over.- - - what a waste Amazon.... I hope someone else buys the rights or something
