Some of you may recall that I got a chance to read the script for tonight’s episode earlier this year. As it turns out, not much has changed from that script than what premiered tonight, the most notable change simply being in the cast. Just as in the aired pilot, we had the mysterious people hidden in the Mount Inostranka base, the amazing disappearing jet and, of course, lots of mentioning of this “event” that’s going to take place.
Up until the final moments of the episode, I can imagine a lot of people watching it for the first time were wondering when the good stuff was going to happen. That last scene with the disappearing jet is the one clear indicator that this show is full-on science fiction and not simply about some terrorist plot or natural disaster about to take place (though there’s certainly a chance that either of those could be related to it). So now the big questions on everyone’s minds (besides “What is the event?”) is: what the hell happened to that plane, and how?
Even before I got through reading the pilot script, I knew what The Event all came down to: time travel. Now, time travel may not be “the event” itself, but it’s very clear to me (and it should be to you!) that it’s who these people being held are and how the plane disappeared. Think about it for a moment: the show is about an upcoming “event,” as in “the future.” Now, there are only a couple of ways you can know, definitively, that something is about to happen: through a reliable vision from a clairvoyant, or from people who’ve actually seen the event first-hand, e.g., from the future.
Clearly this group of contained people were sent back from the future to warn of some “event” that will be taking place. Whatever technology they used to time travel is likely what was used to transport the plane to a different location or time. It was easy to know when and where to place that plane-stopping time portal, because those in the future knew it was going to happen. What I can’t answer, though, is where or when that plane was sent. Clearly it’s not just gone, or else poor Jason Ritter is already out looking for a new job. Any guesses on what we’ll find out, likely in the next episode?
As for this “event” itself, that’s what troubles me about this series, right from the get-go. It brings back terrible memories of what happened to FlashForward, in that if we don’t learn what the event is by the end of the season (if it’s allowed to go that long), a lot of fans who held on, hoping to learn the secret, will be left in the cold. And what if we do learn what the event is, early on? What’s the plot of the rest of the series? Trying to prevent it? Trying to not allow others to prevent it (assuming, instead, that it’s a good thing that’s going to happen)? And how long can that go on without frustrating the hell out of people?
In any case, I’m here for the long-haul, and hopefully I won’t be coming back every week simply to bitch the show out for being too slow, boring or predictable (or, God forbid, all three). How about you guys — are you hooked already? Are my fears founded?
Clacked by Keith McDuffee 
on Sep 20, 2010 @ 22:00 EST5EDT
Yeah I thought it was time travel to just because of the lame and horribly done, HORRIBLY DONE, jumping around this episode. I got a very big “The 4400″ feel which there are good time travels and bad ones.
Well, I, for one, really liked it.
Oreo, there are some of us that like non-linear storytelling. Which is what happened tonight. No time traveling at least not yet.
I’m fine with non-linear story telling if there is a point to it, and if it’s handled well. This show did neither.
Was it germane to the plot and necessary? Probably not. Was it poorly done? You can’t get me to agree with you there. Thought it was a solid way to build suspense through four (or was it five?) straight acts, ending with their money shot.
. . . . .
Wherever that plane’s gone, I’m along for the ride.
I’m on board as well with the non-linear storytelling. It not only made the entire episode more engaging and more thought-provoking, it forced things to plug along at a nice clip. Nothing wrong with that in my humble opinion.
Here we go … !!!
Oreo, those were flashbacks, not time travel. I’m hooked, even if I did get a FlashForward vibe from it (and we can’t ignore Lost in all of this, especially with a plane involved). I just hope it doesn’t get too convoluted and there aren’t weeks upon weeks of “all will be revealed next week” when nothing is revealed. That’s when the viewer frustration sets in. The sting of not getting any answers to NBC’s last Monday night time travel show is still strong with a lot of viewers! At least we all know it’s a science fiction show right from the get-go and those who can’t handle it will tune out quickly.
Oh, and let’s hope NBC doesn’t decide to give it a four month break come December “to build momentum.” In most cases, nothing kills a show’s momentum faster than not seeing it for four months!
Yes I know that Chuck, I’m just probably giving the “writers” too much credit, but I have a feeling the disjointed might be foreshadowing some crazy time traveling stuff. Kind of like when Jack went “We need to go back Kate” on LOST and realized that all time happens all at once, you are both dead and alive at the same time.
Now, there are only a couple of ways you can know, definitively, that something is about to happen: through a reliable vision from a clairvoyant, or from people who’ve actually seen the event first-hand, e.g., from the future.
um … I’m going to the dentist at noon on Wednesday. I don’t have to be clairvoyant, have a vision or be/seen the future for that … I just scheduled it … last month in fact!
I am about to press Submit Comment … does that mean I am from the future?
I had low expectations and so was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t think that the plot was as jumpy as predicted….. the linear time-swapping thing was easy to follow and not disjointed as I had been led to expect. I’ll watch it, with the caveat that if the network pulls a Flash Forward on us and dumps its audience unceremoniously into the toilet, I will not give them another chance, evah.
Also… word to the show-runners… a long break in midwinter would not be the best move. This is no Lost….(and even they learned their lesson).
I too, had low expectations, so I find myself a happy watcher as well.
I wish the networks were not so ashamed to have overt sci-fi programming, all this flirting with sci-fi is a bit tired. Built a space ship someone!
That should be “build” – goodness, I’m exhausted.
just a though, I’m guessing that the people captured in Alaska, was the people on the plane…
I’m so glad this episode was done like this.
This way I know it won’t be worth watching until the show has aired completely. I’m with Oreo. This had a distinct “The 4400″ feel to it (“They”) and I’m sorry but who can blame me after that show and “Lost” and “Flash Forward” that I won’t watch this until I _know_ the resolution isn’t absolutely insane, the storytelling isn’t absolutely boring (which it already was in this episode because I saw every, every little detail from a mile away and found it to be unbearable) and that the show isn’t canceled.
Because that’s the main problem here. Unless US networks order FULL Seasons and actually produce them like they do in the UK or over here in Germany where you can be _sure_ something is DONE (like, say, a movie) you can NEVER be sure that you will get any answers.
Oh, add “Defying Gravity” to that list of shows that looked great and didn’t get to finish.
I’ll stick to movies when it comes to SciFi, thankyouverymuch
I bet the plane that crashed in Alaska in WWII was actually the plane that disappeared before crashing into the president’s retreat. Sort of like a self-fullfilling thing