#episodereview

BLACK SAILS REVIEW EPISODE 102 - II

WELL-FORMED THOUGHTS

The conversation between Flint, Eleanor, and Mr. Scott is the most important of the episode, the season, and perhaps even the entire show.  As such, I want to quote it in full!

Eleanor:  Why return at all to Nassau?  With money like that and my father out of business, why not run?  What’s coming our way can’t be outrun. Flint:  But with the money I strip from the Hulk, we could add fifty guns to the fort.  We could build ships to defend our shores and train new men to sail them. We could work the land, grow crops and raise cattle.  Then whoever arrives on our shores first, be it England or Spain, will be in for a most unwelcome surprise.  A nation of thieves. …You have your doubts? Mr. Scott:  Of turning pirates into farmers and soldiers?  Of fighting a war against Whitehall from a sliver in the Atlantic?  Doubt, Captain Flint, does not begin to describe how I am feeling. Flint:  They’re not animals, Mr. Scott.  They’re men starved of hope.  Give that back to them, who’s to say what could happen? Eleanor:  Why do this?  Why here? Flint:  Odysseus, on his journey home to Ithaca, was visited by a ghost.  The ghost tells him that once he reaches his home, once he slays all his enemies and sets his house in order, he must do one last thing before he can rest.  The ghost tells him to pick up an oar and walk inland and keep walking until somebody mistakes that oar for a shovel, for that would be the place that no man had ever been troubled by the sea.  And that’s where he’d find peace.  In the end, that’s all I want.  To walk away from the sea and find some peace.

This is the moment when Flint gets Eleanor on board with his plan for a stronger, securer Nassau.  A Nassau so strong and secure that pirates can settle down and become farmers.  All Flint wants is to be free enough and secure enough that he can leave the sea behind him, and he assumes that everyone else feels the same way.  It will be fun to see whether or not he is correct!

I had a hard time believing that the pirates of these first few episodes weren’t animals and did, in fact, deserve Flint’s vision for them.  After all, in just this episode we see them pissing on corpses, beating prostitutes, and murdering innocent men.  I think we’re meant to have this visceral reaction to the crudeness of the pirates we’ve seen so far, because that is how “civilization” sees them.  It’s only as our story goes along and we get various characters’ backstories that we understand what pain, trauma, and abuse led them to a life of debauchery and cruelty.  A good reminder that first impressions are often only part of the story.

FRAGMENTED THOUGHTS

That’s a lot of nudity.  As I mentioned earlier, it still feels exploitative and cheap.

I would love to know more about the history of Flint and Vane’s rivalry!

I don’t know how to feel about Eleanor’s relationship with Max.  Apparently, she only recently split from Vane, so they can’t have been together long.  And can someone truly be together when one party is paying for the company of the other?  I do believe Max loves Eleanor, but I don’t really believe it’s fully reciprocated.

Silver is seriously so smart, both with his misdirection on the beach and with his memorizing the contents of the page.

Max is also so smart, making the evaluator inspect every single pearl.

Flint:  “I never much liked your father; too caught up in appearances.”  LOL, okay, James.

Silver:  “Do you have a candlestick or…perhaps a heavy shoe? Idelle:  *pulls out sword*

I think that might be our first hint that background prostitutes are also real people with lives and intelligence (and not just Max as the token Special Prostitute).  Also, hello Idelle!  I didn’t realize you were a part of the show since the beginning!

It’s only episode two and we already have lovers being torn apart by their own choices.  Friendly reminder that this show is a tragedy  This is one of my favorite things, though, that relationships are rarely broken because of outside influence or lack of interest, but because of fundamentally different worldviews and goals.  Far more nuanced and interesting!

Honestly, what even is Jack’s hair?

Ninja!Flint makes his first appearance when he goes to the house of a Mysterious Woman and collapses.  He’s so tired!  If I hadn’t already fallen in love with him before, I would now.  Nothing quite reaches my Female Id like a strong man showing weakness.

Season 3, Episode 5: “Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame”

Maddie joins Troy in search of the group responsible for killing Travis. Nick and Jeremiah get to know each other while Alicia and Jake get acquainted in a different way. Strand and Daniel go to the hotel to search for Ofelia.

A lot of good things happened in this episode but it’s become more apparent that our characters are settling down. Only time will tell if this is a good for Fear, considering we’re used to watching everyone travel from place to place. As it stands, tensions are beginning to rise as it seems that the Clarks’ new home might be in danger. But most of the episode focused on life on the ranch.

Character Commentary

Maddie & Troy

Troy’s mission to find missing community members is the only part of the episode that added to the overall plot. On their excursion, Maddie was able to prove her combat abilities but they weren’t enough to defend against a rival group from revealing itself. We’ve yet to learn all the details but the rival group is lead by a young Native-American man claiming that the land that the ranch occupies belongs to him.

This sounds like something Jeremiah has been dealing with since before the apocalypse, but this is now Maddie’s fight since this group is responsible for killing Travis and they threaten her family’s new home.

Nick & Jeremiah

Nick struggles with deciding to either stay with his family or leave with Luciana. While trying to earn his keep, Nick bonds with Jeremiah as he reminisces about family, the ranch, and they have a discussion about the “beauty” of guns.

It was strange having such a normal conversation, but it also managed to reaffirm the idea that in this new world, it’s not necessarily “Us versus them [walkers],” but other people. By the end of the episode, Luciana sneaks away and leaves the ranch to go back to Mexico. Will Nick go after her?

Alicia & Jake

Aside from establishing a romance between these two, I feel like their interactions served the purpose of discussing the value of art in this new world, specifically poetry and Charles Bukowski (hence the title of the episode).

Strand & Salazar

Strand perpetuates his lie about Ofelia by taking Daniel back to the hotel. Their interactions are hostile but things escalate when they return to the hotel only to discover that it’s been overrun with walkers. Daniel deliberately gets the attention of a horde of walkers to finally get the truth out of Strand and decides to leave him for dead.

“Let’s see how you get out of this one!”

As resourceful as Strand is, can he fend for himself? Will Daniel return to the dam or continue to search for his daughter?

This episode certainly slowed things down and if I were to guess, this might be the trend for the next few episodes. Hopefully we get to see more action and fewer discussions about life, but who knows? Perhaps Fear can manage to make it more interesting than the regular Walking Dead series.

Season 3, Episode 4: “100″

Daniel Salazar lives! One of Fear the Walking Dead’s best characters returns as this episode retraces his steps after having survived the fire he started at Thomas Abigail’s compound last season.

After my disbelief of Travis’ death in the second episode of this season, I mistook Daniel Salazar’s appearance in the previous episode as Strand hallucinating in prison. Daniel Salazar is alive and well, and unsurprisingly, in a position of power among Dante’s organization.

This was easily one of Fear’s best episodes. It focused solely on Daniel and was primarily in Spanish. We watched a man whom we know to be capable in the apocalypse be vulnerable and in dire need of assistance.

I mentioned in a previous review that having Daniel Salazar around was too convenient for the other characters since he was so resourceful, and I accepted his apparent death since his character didn’t have much of a personal journey at the time. But with his return it seems we’re exploring a new element to him: penance.

Character Commentary

Daniel Salazar

Since he was introduced there was always a darkness to the humble, yet intimidating barber -- a mysterious past he was ashamed of, which he hid away from his daughter Ofelia. In season 1 we witnessed his proficiency with guns and defending himself and later we watched his ability to calmly interrogate a soldier. He had always possessed a dark wisdom that he would often share with Maddie and Travis, and in this episode we learn more about his dark past.

After finding out that Daniel was originally from El Salvador, Dante was able to pick up on his history in the Salvadorian Civil War as part of a death squad called “Sombra Negra” (Black Shadow). This certainly explains his skills, the guilt he possesses, and his composure as the world around him falls apart.

The episode is entitled “100″ which refers to the number of people Daniel Salazar has killed (though thanks to poor editing it only looks like he’s killed 99 people). This number now includes Dante, who was shaping up to be a major antagonist against Strand. What will happen to the dam now that Daniel seems to be in power? And what of Ofelia?

What excites me most about this season of Fear is that these characters are bound to reunite, but how? Daniel and Strand are still in Mexico while the Clarks are north of the border. Will Daniel believe Strand’s claim that Ofelia is still alive? And is she still alive? In any case, Fear the Walking Dead has been knocking it out of the park every week this season. Let’s enjoy the ride while it lasts.

Season 2, Episode 20: “In Words, Drown I”

An undercover operation has Zapata breaking out of prison with an inmate with ties to Sandstorm. Patterson’s paranoia is affecting her work, and Kurt finds out that Roman killed Emma Shaw.

A good episode since it was set up well. The previous episode left us with a helluva misdirect when it ended with Zapata’s sudden arrest. We were left to assume it had something to do with her misguided attempt to protect Reade, but as it turns out, this was part of the team’s plan to get more intel on Sandstorm.

Of course, the writers didn’t give us this information right away. The episode began with Zapata being registered into the prison’s system and walking into the cell blocks for the first time. We watched worriedly as Zapata got into fights, defending a woman named Devon (played by Ronda Rousey).

The team’s plan was for Zapata to get close to Devon, who was arrested for illegally transporting weapons (for Sandstorm). Not only that, but it turns out her boyfriend is a familiar face--Parker, a member of Sandstorm who’s appeared throughout the season.

After breaking out of prison, it was pretty naive for Zapata to assume that Parker wouldn’t recognize her when she and Devon met up with him. All this leads to a shoot out where the FBI manages to successfully capture Devon and Parker.

The Truth Comes Out

With some encouragement from Roman, Jane decides to be honest with Kurt and tell him that Roman is responsible for the death of Emma Shaw. Surprisingly the fallout only included Kurt taking back his dinner invite and a tense moment between Kurt and Roman. Needless to say but Kurt feels betrayed and has seemingly dealt with his anger; but you can’t say the same for Roman.

While Jane was helping him put on a bandage, Roman had a sudden flashback of Jane injecting him, thus erasing his memory. The episodes ends with Roman trying to attack his sister with a knife.

It’s been a long time coming but the consequences of Jane lying to Roman at the very beginning of this season are finally upon us. Has Jane inadvertently created someone more dangerous than who her brother used to be? There are only a few episodes left of the season and they’re sure to set the stage for season 3 of Blindspot.

Notes

FOX’s Prison Break has been resurrected and picks up 7 years after the original story. After receiving word that his brother Michael Scofield is still alive, Lincoln Burrows sets out to find him. When Lincoln finally discovers his whereabouts, he is shocked to learn that Michael has been imprisoned in a Middle Eastern prison as a war criminal.

The surviving members of the Fox River 8 are back! But the question is:

Should You Watch It?

If you have never seen an episode of Prison Break before, you should not watch the new season. Even though it’s been 7 years since its supposed finale, this is not a new show trying to appeal to new audiences --this is Season 5 of Prison Break.

Now, if you managed to watch the entirety of the series all those years ago, or even if you only stuck around for a couple of seasons, you should totally give the new season a shot. Seeing these characters interact again makes it feel like not that much time has passed, and the fact that these actors have aged wonderfully only contributes to the familiarity and nostalgia.

To add to the nostalgia-factor, the new premise feels like classic Prison Break, especially considering that Michael has once again been put in prison. And no season of Prison Break is complete without its big mystery, which obviously revolves around how and why Michael Scofield is still alive.

Where Are They Now?

Theodore Bagwell AKA T-Bag

Following the cryptic opening with a voice-over from Michael, the first character we reunite with is T-Bag, who is just as “charming” as ever. He’s the first to be tipped off about Michael’s whereabouts, all while receiving a gift from a mysterious benefactor, who funds an experimental procedure that gives him a fully functioning prosthetic hand. Is this mysterious benefactor tied to Michael? Probably.

Lincoln Burrows

Without Michael acting as his moral compass, Linc lives in Chicago and has returned to a life of petty thievery. When he receives the news from T-Bag, Lincoln visits Sara and tells her that the father of her child may still be alive. When an attempt on his life confirms his suspicions, Lincoln sets out to find his brother.

Sara Tancredi-Scofield

Since Michael’s death, Sara has remarried and lives in Ithaca, New York with her husband Jacob and her son, Mike. Since learning the news about Michael, her life as well as her loved ones are threatened by an assassin who fled before police arrived.

Though she gets a lot of screen time, Sara’s role in the season has yet to be established after 2 episodes. Michael, genius that he is, manages to get word to her that she should go into hiding to protect their son.

Benjamin Miles Franklin AKA C-Note

After learning Michael’s whereabouts, Lincoln seeks out an old ally who happens to be part of an organization that helps the peace efforts in the Middle East. Enter C-Note, who has converted to Islam and speaks a little Arabic. Although his character is now a plot device, it’s still nice seeing him and having him around, assisting Lincoln on his crusade.

Fernando Sucre

Sucre has very little screen time but his introduction to the season was a memorable one. With only 2 scenes, you’re reminded of his loyalty to Michael and we’re left to believe that he’ll play an important role later on.

Michael Scofield

Aside from what I’ve mentioned, there isn’t much more to say about Michael. Lincoln is very much the main character now but in the second episode we get a glimpse of Michael’s life and his efforts to escape another prison. New allies and new tattoos leave us with more questions than answers.

Final Thoughts

I like it. When I heard that Prison Break was coming back after 8 years, I, like many other fans, was skeptical. In this age of reboots and “requels,” I saw this as a cash-grab for FOX to appeal to old and new viewers. But after seeing the first two episodes I welcome Prison Break’s return.

This new season of Prison Break only caters to returning fans and isn’t at all friendly to new viewers. Despite the 8-year gap, you really have to know these characters to appreciate this new entry.

One thing I realized after watching the first episode was that I missed these characters. I had forgotten about Michael’s brilliance and Lincoln’s and Sara’s dedication to him. I was pleasantly reminded of Prison Break’s ability to set up a mystery and leave you intrigued.

Season 2, Episode 16: “Evil Did I Dwell, Lewd I Did Live”

Nas survives the attempt on her life and, with Patterson’s help, manages to decrypt the USB drive provided by her former Sandstorm informant. For the first time, Nas’ informant wants money in exchange for information, which left him vulnerable to a sting operation. The ambush was successful and Nas’ informant was revealed to be Cade. Cade reluctantly agrees to help the FBI in exchange for his money and freedom, which brings them one step closer to crippling Shepherd and her operation.

The plot made leaps and bounds in this episode, which was a much needed improvement since the previous one was so disappointing. No drawn-out tattoo adventure this week and the B-plot between Reade and Zapata actually managed to keep me interested.

Another Mole?

Cade leverages his information and actually gets the FBI to agree to giving him millions of dollars in unmarked bills and his freedom. Unfortunately when Kurt, Jane and company act on his intel, Shepherd appeared to be one step ahead and managed to allude the team once again. But how?

Patterson caught onto her head trauma not being a symptom of PTSD but rather a side effect of Sandstorm’s scheming. She realizes that while kidnapped and unconscious, Borden and Shepherd managed to plant a tiny bug in one of her teeth.

The idea is a bit of a stretch, but it shows off how far Shepherd is willing to go for her cause. If there was a team member you would want to keep tabs on, it would definitely be Patterson, if not FBI Assistant Director Weller. Patterson informs everyone and the team sets up a trap with Cade’s assistance.

Patterson VS Borden

Using the bug to their advantage, the trap the FBI sets successfully corners 4 Sandstorm agents, but one of them manages to kill the other 3 then himself. Of course, Borden suspects the trap and tries to escape until he comes face-to-face with Patterson.

Much like his subordinates, Borden was trained to take his own life rather than being captured and he does so with a grenade.

-What does this mean for Patterson? Is this closure for her? Or does her refusal to receive anesthetic during her tooth extraction tell us something else?

Cade

With Cade’s return we find out a great deal more about him. For instance, Cade and Markos were lovers, and the reason why Cade tried to kill Jane was because he wanted revenge against Oscar. Cade seemed more cooperative knowing that Jane was the one who killed Oscar (and I’m sure the money and freedom incentive helped too).

We didn’t find out anything more about Sandstorm, but we did get some more insight on Remy and Roman’s relationship. Roman was on Remy’s leash. As a foot soldier, Cade didn’t know much about Sandstorm’s grand plan. Remy wasn’t happy with Roman when he almost shared details about the mysterious Phase 2 with Cade, and Cade wasn’t afraid of calling Roman out on his obedience.

It would have been nice for Cade to join in on the FBI’s crusade to stop Shepherd, but unfortunately, Blindspot can’t have guests for the more than a couple of episodes (unless they’re Rich Dotcom).

Random Drug Screening

Zapata is finally part of Reade’s adventure with cocaine. When the two are chosen randomly for the FBI’s drug screening, Reade tells his best friend about his new habit.

Although Reade tested negative, his story takes an interesting turn when Zapata visits Kurt at home, when Reade refused to tell him. Will Kurt react like Reade’s boss or reach out like his friend?

FX’s Legion gives us a glimpse into David Haller’s psyche. Between the hallucinations and the voices in his head, David grew up being told he was just a paranoid schizophrenic. In reality David is an incredibly dangerous mutant, who struggles to control his powers and stay safe from the people who seek to take advantage of his abilities.

This isn’t your usual comic book-adaptation. In fact, I went into this series knowing very little about it and kept doubting whether or not this show was really based on a comic book, let alone set in the same world as the X-Men. With that kind of premise, it’s easy for one to expect your typical underdog tale where they must rise up from oppression to defeat evil, but as you watch the first episode, you have no idea where it’s all going.

Knowing nothing about Legion, you wouldn’t suspect that this was set in a world of mutants with superhuman abilities. None of that is in the forefront of this show, and that is one of many elements that makes Legion so engaging.

Not Your Average Pilot

Where typical pilots do their best to cram in as much information possible to sell itself to networks and viewers, Legion takes it slow. You’re introduced to David with a montage of him growing up, set to soothing music. From infancy to adolescence and into adulthood, you watch as a normal, wholesome childhood evolves into teen delinquency and chaos. The montage ends as David prepares to hang himself with an extension cord, but is interrupted with a transition to a visit from his sister, while he is a patient at Clockworks Psychiatric Hospital.

From there you begin to lose your grasp on what the show is about and where it’s going. David is constantly tormented by loud whispers, unpleasant memories, and a being that haunts him, whom he refers to as “the devil with the yellow eyes.” Between the flashbacks, the show also takes a nonlinear approach to storytelling, which can confuse you--but it’s the good kind of confusion, the kind that keeps you intrigued and glued to the screen.

Legion is one of the most visually stunning shows on television

Legion does its best to give viewers a glimpse into David’s psychosis with the use of colorful lighting and playful photography work, paired with a unique soundtrack. There is little-to-no consistency between each setting. Much like the story, the variations of camera work and lighting gets you to wonder what crazy thing you’ll see next. If for nothing else, you should watch Legion for the sake of watching its visually stimulating first chapter.

Beyond the First Chapter

A television series’ second episode is usually indicative of how the show will progress. It’s no surprise that the second episode would tone things down, but the glimpse into David’s mind is taken into a more literal sense. Curious about what I mean? Perhaps you should check it out yourself, but the second episode’s biggest departure is that the series’ overall plot is front and center. That said, it still manages to play with visuals and maintain the intrigue of discovering new things about David’s past and present.

Should you watch it?

If you have no interest in comic book-adaptations or the basic premise of the show, you won’t regret giving the first episode a watch. Just to witness Legion’s visual spectacle and the way its story unfolds is a treat, since there’s nothing else on TV quite like it.

The jury’s still out on whether or not this show’s story will deliver but at the rate it’s going, Legion might be 2017′s most unique television series.