Colony: 98 seconds

January 24, 2017 9:36 AM - Season 1, Episode 3

Katie takes part in her first Resistance operation and experiences mixed results. Bram develops some connections. Will advances his investigation, unknowingly putting himself in jeopardy that Katie will have to mitigate.
posted by nubs (10 comments total)

Really liked this one; I appreciate them giving a bit of focus outside Will and Katie onto Bram and showing us how the average kid might be dealing with things - he's resisting, but not in the large capital R way of the Resistance, at least for now.

The underground radio broadcast really evokes WWII undergrounds, and also really brought to the fore how much technology has disappeared since the Arrival - no cell phones, no internet, few cars, etc. Which helps make the show work; if the characters had modern technology, some of the plots wouldn't work as well in terms of the struggle to get information to the right people at the right times. It also heightens the importance of the "Rolodex" and makes it clear that some modern tech still exists, but is obviously tightly controlled.

The fact that Bram now knows a way out of the Bloc is really interesting, as is the fact that (a) apparently no one is out there and (b) Katie got beer from SF and bourbon from Kentucky, so it would seem that there are still enclaves out there, but perhaps not much in between them anymore.

The raid was interesting, and kind of sloppy from my perspective; certainly they should have known they might attract a crowd of civvies, and been prepared for that. But it also makes it clear to Katie and the audience how ruthless the Resistance is prepared to be; Katie didn't see what happened to the other cell at the end of the last episode, so now everyone is clear on the stakes and the willingness of the Resistance to protect itself.

The Tonk seems destined to become a speakeasy type of place, where both Resistance and Occupation forces might find themselves.
posted by nubs at 9:44 AM on January 24, 2017 [1 favorite]

This is hard to discuss, having seen the whole season already. :P

But, yeah, the stuff with the kids is an interesting angle. It's just kids being kids, on the one hand, but because "kids being kids" tends to mean shrugging off all attempts at control, kids end up being de factor resistance.

It also reminds me of something from Finch by Jeff VanDerMeer: "Everyone's a collaborator. Everyone's a rebel." Which might as well be the tagline for this show.
posted by tobascodagama at 10:50 AM on January 24, 2017 [1 favorite]

Part of me is tempted to just binge the whole thing and then post a "season" thread. But I'm enjoying capturing my thoughts after each episode.
posted by nubs at 11:54 AM on January 24, 2017

I get it! And I feel like a lot of other people gave it a miss when it was airing, so I'm sure the individual episode threads will be useful for them.
posted by tobascodagama at 12:08 PM on January 24, 2017

Sure, season 1 was last year, but it's still pretty naive about surveillance. However I'm not surprised if Men in Black showed up at someone's door and told them to keep it 1978.

Do like the procedural/spy-counterspy-with-a-twist thing.

Holy shit Carl Weathers must have made a good impression with hollywood/showbiz (cf Arrested Development). Or did he disappear on purpose/blew through his earnings/running out of cash now?

That said, he's not terrible but not particularly good or anything.
posted by porpoise at 8:56 PM on January 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

I actually think he's a good fit for the particular role he's playing here. Though I keep expecting him to give Will some hot tips on how to get the most bang for your buck out of the Olive Garden's salad bar or something.
posted by tobascodagama at 5:48 AM on January 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

You've got a good point, tobasco - upon reconsideration, Weathers does inject much needed 'energy' to the cast (and some meta-levity).
posted by porpoise at 7:35 AM on January 26, 2017

I keep waiting for the training montage, where he takes Will out running on the beach.
posted by nubs at 7:57 AM on January 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

Agreed, Carl Weathers manages to inject some grim levity in this hold-your-breath-we're-all-fucked version of Los Angeles.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 7:30 PM on January 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

I get that a huge portion of the narrative tension relies on Katie not telling Will about her role in the resistance, but I can't help thinking that if she just told him the damage he was causing he'd slow down. Not like he'd turn her in.
posted by col_pogo at 10:30 PM on May 20, 2017