A Murder at the End of the World: Family Secrets
November 28, 2023 2:54 PM - Season 1, Episode 4 - Subscribe
There's a killer on the loose and nowhere to run with a storm closing in. Darby breaks out of lockdown and discovers the retreat may not be what she thought it was.
A Murder at the End of the World Recap: Venus Fly Trap [Vulture / Archive]
posted by ellieBOA at 12:39 AM on November 29, 2023
posted by ellieBOA at 12:39 AM on November 29, 2023
Oh man, this is really starting to click for me. Murder mystery (which my partner loves) crossed with a deft satire of the tech world is a mix that I’m always going to fall for, and this is definitely taking a more skeptical view of the industry than, say, DEVS, which I also loved.
And, yeah, it’s deliberately paced, but the visuals have been very strong (the walker suits! The snowmobile against the glacier!) and it makes sure to hit its marks (achoo!). Particularly loved that I was about to explain Vi vs EMacs to my partner but the show took a minute to get there, in universe. It’s a little weird that neither Darby and Sian realize that automated, self-organizing constructor robots is exactly the kind of thing that would provoke schemes, counter-conspiracies and murder, but, well, we got a story to tell here and history has plenty of people that missed the obvious too.
posted by thecaddy at 5:02 AM on November 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
And, yeah, it’s deliberately paced, but the visuals have been very strong (the walker suits! The snowmobile against the glacier!) and it makes sure to hit its marks (achoo!). Particularly loved that I was about to explain Vi vs EMacs to my partner but the show took a minute to get there, in universe. It’s a little weird that neither Darby and Sian realize that automated, self-organizing constructor robots is exactly the kind of thing that would provoke schemes, counter-conspiracies and murder, but, well, we got a story to tell here and history has plenty of people that missed the obvious too.
posted by thecaddy at 5:02 AM on November 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'm generally enjoying the show, but....why in the name of CHRIST would you design an airtight environmental suit so if the built-in computer gets hacked, the helmet might stay locked on and unable to be removed even with power tools? Why would you not build in a manual release?
I'm beginning to think Clive Owen's character is more of an Elon Musk than, say, a Steve Wozniak.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 10:53 AM on November 29, 2023 [3 favorites]
I'm beginning to think Clive Owen's character is more of an Elon Musk than, say, a Steve Wozniak.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 10:53 AM on November 29, 2023 [3 favorites]
it makes sure to hit its marks (achoo!)
Can’t believe that’s a real syndrome (more the name tbh)!
posted by ellieBOA at 12:03 PM on November 29, 2023
Can’t believe that’s a real syndrome (more the name tbh)!
posted by ellieBOA at 12:03 PM on November 29, 2023
Can’t believe that’s a real syndrome (more the name tbh)!
I totally have this and felt so vindicated and validated when I learned 20-something years ago that a photic sneeze reflex was a real thing, because it seemed like nobody I'd ever met (including family) seemed to believe it. (I'd usually say I was allergic to the sun.) But I'd never heard it called "ACHOO Syndrome" until this episode and had to look that up.
It's handy sometimes, if I feel the need to sneeze for some other reason I can look at a lightbulb or even wave a flashlight over my (closed, even!) eyes to trigger a sneeze. It's usually a single, generally dry, sneeze unless I also happen to be sick or congested or whatever.
posted by Pryde at 10:12 AM on December 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
I totally have this and felt so vindicated and validated when I learned 20-something years ago that a photic sneeze reflex was a real thing, because it seemed like nobody I'd ever met (including family) seemed to believe it. (I'd usually say I was allergic to the sun.) But I'd never heard it called "ACHOO Syndrome" until this episode and had to look that up.
It's handy sometimes, if I feel the need to sneeze for some other reason I can look at a lightbulb or even wave a flashlight over my (closed, even!) eyes to trigger a sneeze. It's usually a single, generally dry, sneeze unless I also happen to be sick or congested or whatever.
posted by Pryde at 10:12 AM on December 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
huh. when i was growing up, everyone seemed to know that if you had a sneeze "backing up", to look at the sun - so you wouldn't get a sharp sinus pain, just an achoo. WHEN DID THIS COMMON CURE BECOME LOST KNOWLEDGE? WHAT ARE WE TEACHING THE CHILDREN???
heh
posted by lapolla at 4:18 AM on December 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
heh
posted by lapolla at 4:18 AM on December 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
Nice to get the explanation for her iPod.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 8:56 PM on January 10
posted by vibratory manner of working at 8:56 PM on January 10
I was thinking about the suit. So it's supplying oxygen from a tank, right? Shouldn't that be a vulnerable point? Puncture the tube connecting the tank to the helmet, or swap out the depleted tank for a fresh one? I have to imagine that any possible design has either a swappable tank, or a tank that has some opening to facilitate refilling it.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 2:15 AM on January 11
posted by vibratory manner of working at 2:15 AM on January 11
I'm just catching up on the show, but I'm loving the deliberate pacing too, and the visuals. And I also thought the helmet thing was 'sus,' as my 7-year-old son puts it.
Just a minor grump about the writing for what I assume will be an important plot point: I find it difficult to believe that world-famous astronaut/pilot/propulsion systems expert Sian Cruise would be such a ridiculously bad driver as to do all that braking and steering and gunning the engine over patches of ice. Pilots know a thing or two about friction and inertia, even if crappy drivers (and some writers) don't.
posted by vitia at 11:27 PM on January 23
Just a minor grump about the writing for what I assume will be an important plot point: I find it difficult to believe that world-famous astronaut/pilot/propulsion systems expert Sian Cruise would be such a ridiculously bad driver as to do all that braking and steering and gunning the engine over patches of ice. Pilots know a thing or two about friction and inertia, even if crappy drivers (and some writers) don't.
posted by vitia at 11:27 PM on January 23
I wish I liked this a bit better than I do, since it's clear my family isn't going to stop watching it.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:38 PM on February 2
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:38 PM on February 2
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posted by ellieBOA at 2:55 PM on November 28, 2023 [1 favorite]