It was horrible dude. I love the Flash, and even in the context of that series, it was one of its worst episodes. Not even Brandon Routh's charisma could save that episode. Not as bad as the Everyman episode, though
Oh god, the Hannibal Bates episode actually had me considering whether I wanted to continue watching the show. They went from the horrible bee episode one week to a Heroes level horrendous episode the next and it was hard to force myself to sit through. Thankfully, the last couple of episodes have ditched the C-tier DC villains and gotten back on point. Arrow's still on the "drop" list but I'll give it to the finale to see if they can miraculously improve things.
You mean that completely fun episode which we saw a team up with the Atom? Yeah, "horrible." The fact that POI has so much better production value, despite the CG gun flashes and sparks of late, and yet still manages to bore me to tears is kind of amazing. Like, what exactly fucking happened this season? Can anyone tell me? S3 ended with an awesome setup with everyone undercover and on the run from the machine and how exactly did S4 capitalize on this? By having everyone do the exact same thing as before, in fact it's hard to remember that they are even undercover since their lives don't seem to affected in the slightest despite now having to "do" day jobs, jobs which they don't actually seem to do. And then at the end of this season what happened? They are presumably back on the run again with Samaritan having dominated and put itself on the top. The same exact way S3 ended. What themes did this season explore? What ground breaking character developments took place? I have no idea.
This is why I consider Arrow the more entertaining show because despite all of the crap and antsy CW drama the show actually tries to push itself and explore different themes each season. The main theme for the current season of Arrow, without spoiling much for others, revolves around a clear theme of "Identity" and the show has managed to drastically change up the status quo, I don't even know how things will go back to "normal" once the season is over. Almost every character has changed, for better or for worse and end up facing their own identity crisis.
Now, going back to POI, no clear theme pops into my head for this season and nothing has really changed the status quo. Of course, the season could have had a nice theme exploring the various natures of both AI's perhaps regarding a theme of "Control." The Machine is a much more "free" AI it merely gives out numbers and threats but does not seek to control humanity whereas Samaritan does. The show could have deeply explored whether or not control was such a bad thing, Dominic's crew ultimately meant nothing by season's end when it could have reinforced such a conflict. Imagine instead that Dominic's crew was instead a much more ruthless and chaotic organization as opposed to Elias' controlled outfit. A return to the chaos that existed before Elias took over. Thus, on a much smaller level we have the Machine v. Samaritan conflict playing out except the audiences' alignment is reversed. We would want to root for Elias, to an organization able to control the Chaos of organized crime as opposed to the much more free willed Dominic. We would then see this conflict play out on a larger level between the two AI's perhaps witnessing Samaritan's brutal use of Control but also witnessing it's results as order emerges from these tactics.
Thus at the end of the season we might question whether or not "freedom" is truly the best option when seeing the results of a much more orderly, controlled world. But, the show doesn't really explore any of that, it dances around the subject, is steadfast in telling us that Samaritan is evil and is perfectly fine with its characters remaining stagnant.
So, yeah that is why I'm kinda bored with POI. I mean for fucks sake Fusco still has no idea about the Machine, wtf! And whatever happened to his son?
I disagree with so much of that but am too tired right now to really dive into to it. Short version, those character developments you are speaking of are really small and redundant. Reese learning to trust his team and open up some more, that was his whole character arc two seasons ago. Harold learning to trust the Machine more and see it more than a simple "machine," again that was tackled last season. Root likes Shaw, last season. However, I will say that Root had more character development than anyone else by having her faith in the Machine questioned yet even this is discarded after like 3 or 4 episodes as she trusts it completely again by the finale. Fusco is well Fusco.
This entire season is what I call a "holding place," retreading the same ground already covered and doing very little to change the status quo. It's like they were unsure how to proceed and just decided to do what they know best rather than taking any risks so everyone just goes through the same motions ending in a finale that is exactly the same as the last season finale, our heroes on the run. Maybe next season they'll finally have a grip on what exactly they are doing but this season was just a pure procedural snore fest.
I also want to take issue with your Arrow criticism here. Almost EVERY character on the current season of Arrow has had development relating to the very theme of the entire season, Identity. I made a post about this in the Arrow thread which you can check out if you want, but while the execution may be muddled all the characters have gone through change and experienced an Identity crisis that shakes them to the very core.
The whole Laurel trying to be the Canary plot was not just confined to the Vertigo episode it was all the episodes before it and still all the episodes after. Like, did you forget all those episodes where they thought Oliver was dead and the team was seriously challenged about what the fuck they should do now? Where everyone experienced a crisis of faith about how to continue with Oliver's guidance? And the Oliver's surprise when he returned that everyone just carried on and having him learn that he wasn't really all that needed further reinforcing his identity crisis?
There is A LOT of interesting character development happening to all those characters it just gets muddled in the execution and buried within the CW cheese and teen drama that brings down the show.
And that turned out to be more than I thought I would say, yet still I could say so much more. All said, everyone is entitled to their opinion but I stand by mine which is that the recent season of POI was boring procedural crap with almost nothing happening for an entire season. I'll take a show that takes risks and fails over a safe show any day.
Why must someone be a part of some cult to state their opinion that one show is better than another? How about actually trying to engage me in the points I bring up instead of just going "lulz crazy Arrow people."
My problem is that the season didn't really show this, they went about business like usual despite the supposed inconvenience of their covers and mostly beat Samaritan at every turn until Shaw got captured and those last couple episodes. Like I said, it feels like the whole season was just a holding pattern. As for Arrow, I want to point out that I'm not saying this season is great by any means or that it's succeeded in tackling its very clear theme, far from it. The fact that the show still entertains me on a certain level is a testament to how much they've built up these characters even though they seem hell bent on destroying all the development they've created. Speaking of the Brick arc,
what let down that whole plot to me was the fact that we knew Oliver was alive. I would have preferred if his death remained a mystery and we just dealt with Team Arrow dealing with his loss and eventually deciding they could do things without him. If you remember they end up succeeding by rallying the Glades to rise up against Brick with Oliver only showing up at the last second to claim victory.
It may seem like I'm praising Arrow a lot but that's only because I enjoy shows that take risks and try to mix things up. I'd still classify the current season of Arrow as a failure, it has a lot of lofty ideas and themes but fails to really capitalize on them. POI on the other hand just felt like a show going through the motions and thus lost my attention this season.
Arrow, even in it's current state, has more character development than all of POI.
Dominic was the student in the back of the class when Harold went undercover as a high school teacher. He talked about the purity of pi or something. Theory is that Dominic was inspired by him... in a way.
Just thought? How about reintroducing her she is now? As a mother. Maybe Samaritan inpregnated her with some Samaritan agents to breed super soldiers for its future. It wouldn't be too strange if Samaritan would be interested in biological experiments too.
Dominic was the student in the back of the class when Harold went undercover as a high school teacher. He talked about the purity of pi or something. Theory is that Dominic was inspired by him... in a way.
Yeah I'm ok with S5 being the last as well. I think they could wrap everything up next season in a nice way. I'm not opposed to further storylines but I am absolutely content with them finishing up now.
Deadline tends to be fairly legit, so if they're putting it in an article there's likely a measure of truth to it.
There's also the fact that the ratings were not great this season, and CBS doesn't own the show so there is less reason for them to stick with it for backend money reasons.
Deadline tends to be fairly legit, so if they're putting it in an article there's likely a measure of truth to it.
There's also the fact that the ratings were not great this season, and CBS doesn't own the show so there is less reason for them to stick with it for backend money reasons.
I really hope this is wrong, or I wonder if the show will become 100% serialized. Because I won't be able to take procedurals for the final season, heh.
As you guys are noticing, I'm really clinging on that maybe from the author.
Hasn't really been a lot of procedurals in a few seasons, unless you believe it's been nothing but procedurals. Can't keep up with what this show is perceived to be anymore. When POI's return half season (undercover cop & Harper) to 2 seasons later (Caleb), are they still procedural characters? Can Vikings lady come back?
For next season, I imagine the 1st 2 episodes will be about recreating and launching Machine 2.0, and because of that, I predict a decent sized time jump. All depends if they pick up where we left off or not.
I'm pretty sure they'll pick up from where we left. Or why even try to get the night vision googles? They didn't use them at all.
Plus, Finch's creation to get some megabytes from Samaritan, they could implement that unto the Machine's new code.
Also, on the procedural thing, I mean that they shouldn't do what they did in the later half of the season for some episodes where the episodes' main storyline wasn't related to the bigger storyline. I still enjoyed them, but I don't think I need more if we're only going to get just one more season.
Any who, like I said I'm not surprised at the renewal they aren't going to piss of Nolan. At the very least he could make them give him one more season to wrap things up.
I still don't want them to simplify the AI's creation. Specially since the Machine probably lost its "moral" values. I'd like them to focus on that again for a bit more than two episodes.
foxtrot, balance of probability says that you're not the sane one here.
SEASON FIVE TO BLOW OUR MINDS IS NOW ASSURED! THANK YOU BASED CBS!!!
TIME TO START THE CELEBRATION!!!
Being the forward looking man that I am, I am terrified for any possible seasons (S6 and S7), we must do everything in our power to reach the ending Nolan and Plageman originally intended. Any possibilities of CW taking it since they are CBS owned?
SEASON FIVE TO BLOW OUR MINDS IS NOW ASSURED! THANK YOU BASED CBS!!!
TIME TO START THE CELEBRATION!!!
Being the forward looking man that I am, I am terrified for any possible seasons (S6 and S7), we must do everything in our power to reach the ending Nolan and Plageman originally intended. Any possibilities of CW taking it since they are CBS owned?
Ah no, don't even let CBS touch this show. All main characters, except Harold who is now 17 and female get killed off and be replaced by physically fit, but angsty teenagers.
I know they did Flash well so far, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Ah no, don't even let CBS touch this show. All main characters, except Harold who is now 17 and female get killed off and be replaced by physically fit, but angsty teenagers.
I know they did Flash well so far, but I wouldn't bet on it.
I can't imagine another network that would be willing to take it unless we go the Netflix/Amazon/Hulu option and they would force Nolan and co to film all the episodes at once (probably would create chaos for scheduling).
We need blackmail material for NBC to take it...actually, we don't need blackmail material. NBC just take it, how else you expect to fill your hours of programming. The Blacklist/NFL can only take you so far...
If it gets canceled/ends, no one's picking it up, let's be honest.
It's got it's best chance on CBS. If this is gonna be the final season that CBS airs, Nolan and co better make the best damn conclusion they possibly can. POI is not a cheap show to produce. They shoot on location in New York, have pretty bombastic actions scenes, so I'd rather they take 22 episode to craft a brilliant finale than run into a situation where they have to end it on a cliffhanger cause CBS decided to axe it prematurely.
THOUGH.
What was the situation with The Mentalist? That kept declining in viewers until they finished at Season 7.
Sorry the final season will be a single TV movie and the budget will be slashed so drastically instead of producing a movie they will simply buy the rights to air and distribute Colossus: The Forbin Project instead.
Sorry the final season will be a single TV movie and the budget will be slashed so drastically instead of producing a movie they will simply buy the rights to air and distribute Colossus: The Forbin Project instead.
