I don’t know what to say about this episode of FlashForward. With the season entering the final stretch, and most likely not coming back next year due to the ratings, I was expecting more. I didn’t like the plot about the serial killer hunting down those who had “outlived” their death dates. I’m totally over the “will he or won’t he die” question surrounding Demetri. I really thought that story was behind us and I was looking forward to seeing the characters move on. Instead, we get more of it drawn out and have yet to see any interaction between Demetri and his fiance since his kidnapping. Obviously, the writers aren’t really interested in character development anymore.
I absolutely hated the plot twist with the woman that Gough was supposed to kill accidentally. Instead of Gough being the person who killed her in a car accident, it turned out to be Banks (Alex Kingston) with the universe “course correcting.” I think the plot twist completely marginalizes the death of Gough, which I maintain was a high water mark for the series. Now everything is plunged back into question, including Noh’s fate. I couldn’t care less about it, to be honest. There has been so much build up and teasing that I just don’t care if he lives or dies at this point. Really, I’m just annoyed that we’re still talking about it.
Not everything in this episode was bad, though. I’m glad that we got to reconnect with Bryce and Nicole. They still come off as the most genuine characters in the series. So many of the other characters seem to be slaves of their flashes, or at the very least appear to be going through the motions. Bryce and Nicole appear to be living their lives, and I appreciate that.
I am still enjoying Simon and his story seems to be mounting with Beneford and associates putting two and two together and discovering that he was suspect zero. I would have liked to have seen some give and take between Simon and Janis in this episode. He knows that she is a mole, don’t you think that he would have seeked her out in the FBI offices when he discovered his kidnapped sister? Instead, we have an episode devoid of the one of the more interesting characters over the past few episodes. I just don’t get it. Speaking of conspicuous absences, where has Alda Hertzog been since busting out of jail? I thought we were seeing the birth of a new dynamic villain for the show, and perhaps we were, but the sense of urgency is nowhere to be found in FlashForward.
Are you getting frustrated with the show too? Or do you think I’m nuts?
Clacked by Bob Degon
on May 06, 2010 @ 21:12 EST5EDT
I really liked this episode (apart from Joe Feinnes). The best part was James Callis. The camera shot of him in the hospital bed, fearful of the lettuce etc in his burger, but happy about the tomato was really funny. His character could easily develop into Flashforward’s ‘Walter Bishop’, a character and actor so strong and interesting that its enough to give a series a whole new dimension that raises it upward into being a compelling show. Likewise, the characters Simon and Lloyd continue to be a fascinating double act of angel and devil both partly responsible for the flashforward. Though I’ve never liked Joseph Feinnes’ performance, mostly because Feinnes is being asked to play the flawed macho American hero which he doesn’t pull off, these last few episodes have made me want it to continue. I’m actually enjoying it.
“Obviously, the writers aren’t really interested in character development anymore.” Well, you had one on me there, Bob, as I never thought for one second the writers cared about character development. If they had made me care about these people, or the fate of people (the ones living on the planet, and the ones who died), I might be on board. I’ll watch until the finale, but its just not doing it for me. I still cannot get over how all of these people outside of the FBI just continued on with their lives after millions of people died and planes fell out of the sky and buildings crumbled. Its so much hooey that I just don’t care. How could it possibly be business as usual? No one seems even remotely affected by anything other than their own flashforward. Bleh.