Fear the Walking Dead: Ouroboros
April 25, 2016 1:52 PM - Season 2, Episode 3 - Subscribe
A day on the beach with the kids!
So, in our latest installment, the theme seems to be trust.
* Daniel doesn't trust Madison to help Ofelia, or even know there's an issue.
* Strand wants nothing to do with new people, down to cutting Alex and Jake off in a literal sense.
* Madison extends trust: she decides to let Strand make the plan, and Daniel watch her children.
* Travis decides to trust Madison even though she's got nothin', and he puts himself in harm's way to fix the boat despite Strand's poor treatment of him.
More after someone else talks: I think maybe everyone was busy watching Game of Thrones in this timeslot. (Having caught both as of today, I'd say that was probably a good call.)
AV Club Review
So, in our latest installment, the theme seems to be trust.
* Daniel doesn't trust Madison to help Ofelia, or even know there's an issue.
* Strand wants nothing to do with new people, down to cutting Alex and Jake off in a literal sense.
* Madison extends trust: she decides to let Strand make the plan, and Daniel watch her children.
* Travis decides to trust Madison even though she's got nothin', and he puts himself in harm's way to fix the boat despite Strand's poor treatment of him.
More after someone else talks: I think maybe everyone was busy watching Game of Thrones in this timeslot. (Having caught both as of today, I'd say that was probably a good call.)
AV Club Review
Hahaha. See, this is why I posted. I'm always very curious what my fellow Mefites are thinking about pop culture stuff. :)
To sort of answer your question, I watch and read a lot of stuff I think is dumb or problematic or usually both because I'm a writer. There's a fantastic bit on Game of Thrones where Tyrion talks about all the ink spilled on great men, but none on morons, so he went and watched his idiot cousin crush bugs awhile. "Kong! Kong!" *makes smashing motion*
I've been doing that for years, since before I did this professionally. Like, I made a point to know as much as I could stand about Twilight. Before that, it was Anita Blake and other, darker things. It'll keep me watching Walking Dead shows until the ratings drop. But I am specifically working to understand why this is popular, and what parts of that I can use for my own ends without feeling dirty - I often don't enjoy it at all, even in a hate-watching sense. (My hate-watching preferences used to be well-documented.)
posted by mordax at 2:06 PM on April 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
To sort of answer your question, I watch and read a lot of stuff I think is dumb or problematic or usually both because I'm a writer. There's a fantastic bit on Game of Thrones where Tyrion talks about all the ink spilled on great men, but none on morons, so he went and watched his idiot cousin crush bugs awhile. "Kong! Kong!" *makes smashing motion*
I've been doing that for years, since before I did this professionally. Like, I made a point to know as much as I could stand about Twilight. Before that, it was Anita Blake and other, darker things. It'll keep me watching Walking Dead shows until the ratings drop. But I am specifically working to understand why this is popular, and what parts of that I can use for my own ends without feeling dirty - I often don't enjoy it at all, even in a hate-watching sense. (My hate-watching preferences used to be well-documented.)
posted by mordax at 2:06 PM on April 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
But...IS it popular? I'm having trouble telling with the media machine acting like it is.
posted by agregoli at 2:21 PM on April 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by agregoli at 2:21 PM on April 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
A quick and lazy Googling suggests it's doing far better than it should. Link I found.
posted by mordax at 2:25 PM on April 25, 2016
posted by mordax at 2:25 PM on April 25, 2016
I thought this was generally better in that it had a coherent story with conflicts and character development.
Travis degunking the engine was pretty cool.
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 5:51 PM on April 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
Travis degunking the engine was pretty cool.
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 5:51 PM on April 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
I thought this was generally better in that it had a coherent story with conflicts and character development.
Travis degunking the engine was pretty cool.
Yeah, I think we're finally on pretty solid ground here. (Ironically.) I think you can make an argument that the show didn't deserve as much time to get to this point as it got, and you can definitely make an argument that the show should have been about something else, but I think it's settled into a rhythm of perfectly-watchable popcorn TV. I think contemporary lovers of serialised drama are to a large extent just spoiled for riches. In any other era, this would be the best show on TV. Imagine if it were airing against Lost and a dozen CSI spin-offs, for instance.
Anyway, Strand's sudden decision to give Maddy the finger and cut off Alex and Jake was a pretty bold move. I think he understands that "it's my goddamned boat" is not leverage any more, which is why he went along with Maddy's idea to tow them in the first place. But to defy that compromise so openly implies that he's found another source of leverage. Did the guy on the other side of the phone call him back? Did he tell Maddy about the house just so he could withhold its exact location unless the rest of the gang agrees to do as he says?
I also dug the crab-walker gag, though Nick tripping and falling into the gully was pretty lazy.
posted by tobascodagama at 6:13 PM on April 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Travis degunking the engine was pretty cool.
Yeah, I think we're finally on pretty solid ground here. (Ironically.) I think you can make an argument that the show didn't deserve as much time to get to this point as it got, and you can definitely make an argument that the show should have been about something else, but I think it's settled into a rhythm of perfectly-watchable popcorn TV. I think contemporary lovers of serialised drama are to a large extent just spoiled for riches. In any other era, this would be the best show on TV. Imagine if it were airing against Lost and a dozen CSI spin-offs, for instance.
Anyway, Strand's sudden decision to give Maddy the finger and cut off Alex and Jake was a pretty bold move. I think he understands that "it's my goddamned boat" is not leverage any more, which is why he went along with Maddy's idea to tow them in the first place. But to defy that compromise so openly implies that he's found another source of leverage. Did the guy on the other side of the phone call him back? Did he tell Maddy about the house just so he could withhold its exact location unless the rest of the gang agrees to do as he says?
I also dug the crab-walker gag, though Nick tripping and falling into the gully was pretty lazy.
posted by tobascodagama at 6:13 PM on April 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
People whined a lot less than they usually do, and they killed zombies, both of which put it above an average episode of either show.
posted by codacorolla at 8:07 PM on April 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by codacorolla at 8:07 PM on April 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Oh blurgh. Just blurgh. I'm desperately trying to hate watch ONLY to keep up with the fanfare commentary.... I can't even stomach that.... Episode 2. I'm so sad and disappointed about this show. It had so much promise. Sigh....
posted by pearlybob at 8:09 PM on April 25, 2016
posted by pearlybob at 8:09 PM on April 25, 2016
I'm with tobascodagama: this is not quite the show I wanted or expected, and the first season was largely a flop, but I think it might finally be finding its sea legs (heh). I am cautiously optimistic.
If they're smart, they'll bring this ocean voyage to a close soon, to keep things moving along. They did say that Baja was "close", so...
Shooty McGunboat is still behind them somewhere. Has anyone thought about, like, how they're going to deal with the people on that boat after they get to Baja? Is anyone curious to know why this mysterious boat has been chasing them for days?
(Does marine radar even have that kind of range? Wouldn't the radar horizon be pretty much the same as the visible horizon?)
posted by escape from the potato planet at 8:18 PM on April 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
If they're smart, they'll bring this ocean voyage to a close soon, to keep things moving along. They did say that Baja was "close", so...
Shooty McGunboat is still behind them somewhere. Has anyone thought about, like, how they're going to deal with the people on that boat after they get to Baja? Is anyone curious to know why this mysterious boat has been chasing them for days?
(Does marine radar even have that kind of range? Wouldn't the radar horizon be pretty much the same as the visible horizon?)
posted by escape from the potato planet at 8:18 PM on April 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Where'd the crabs go? They were my favorite characters of the episode.
Also, (maybe not the best place to ask but I'm not sure there is a better place so...) I've recently been navel-gazing about the increased gore/violence on cable TV and wondering if the smart mefites have considered a cause? Also is there a line, and have any shows crossed it yet?
Between this episode bashing a living guy's head in while he is consciously watching and his spine is sticking out his back, GOT, Daredevil (esp. Punisher), TWD, etc. I'm wondering if it's because special effects have just improved, or its a conscious upping the ante, or maybe it reflects a current fascination because of recent news cycles (mass shootings, ISIS, etc)? Personally I'd prefer if shows dialed it back a couple notches, but I'm wondering if I'm in the minority here.?..
posted by p3t3 at 11:37 PM on April 25, 2016
Also, (maybe not the best place to ask but I'm not sure there is a better place so...) I've recently been navel-gazing about the increased gore/violence on cable TV and wondering if the smart mefites have considered a cause? Also is there a line, and have any shows crossed it yet?
Between this episode bashing a living guy's head in while he is consciously watching and his spine is sticking out his back, GOT, Daredevil (esp. Punisher), TWD, etc. I'm wondering if it's because special effects have just improved, or its a conscious upping the ante, or maybe it reflects a current fascination because of recent news cycles (mass shootings, ISIS, etc)? Personally I'd prefer if shows dialed it back a couple notches, but I'm wondering if I'm in the minority here.?..
posted by p3t3 at 11:37 PM on April 25, 2016
Maybe the next spin-off can be just about the crabs, with guest appearances from vultures and ravens.
posted by tobascodagama at 10:52 AM on April 26, 2016
posted by tobascodagama at 10:52 AM on April 26, 2016
So, they're drifting at sea for weeks, but just happen to wash up near the rest of the wreckage from their plane? Or is it a different plane?
posted by larrybob at 5:23 PM on April 26, 2016
posted by larrybob at 5:23 PM on April 26, 2016
So was that the end of the plane people? Not having killed the lady, you're leaving them open to come back... some how. If that's the last we see of those characters, then that was a massive, wet fart of a story arc. Even by the meager standards of TWD writers.
posted by codacorolla at 5:28 PM on April 26, 2016
posted by codacorolla at 5:28 PM on April 26, 2016
More plothole problems with the timeframe of Flight 462 and FTWD.
posted by larrybob at 5:34 PM on April 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by larrybob at 5:34 PM on April 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Disclaimer: I'm a budding hate-watcher of this show.
Re: the crabs feasting on the zombie in the hole: if crabs eat zombie flesh, I'd think that means that all arthropods eat zombie flesh. If bugs eat zombies I'd imagine that insect populations would explode and that much of the z population would be consumed, no?
Did this bum anyone else out?
posted by alrightokay at 11:22 AM on April 27, 2016 [4 favorites]
Re: the crabs feasting on the zombie in the hole: if crabs eat zombie flesh, I'd think that means that all arthropods eat zombie flesh. If bugs eat zombies I'd imagine that insect populations would explode and that much of the z population would be consumed, no?
Did this bum anyone else out?
posted by alrightokay at 11:22 AM on April 27, 2016 [4 favorites]
Since it's an everybody-who-dies variant of zombism, there will always be zombies as long as there are humans. Our heroes, ironically, are perpetuating the undead plague by continuing to survive and procreate.
posted by tobascodagama at 12:13 PM on April 27, 2016
posted by tobascodagama at 12:13 PM on April 27, 2016
The room erupts in uproarious laughter at a character saying of Strand: "We should trust him."
Also, Chris deserves to die. Because of the stupid.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:49 AM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Also, Chris deserves to die. Because of the stupid.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:49 AM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by agregoli at 1:55 PM on April 25, 2016