Tales from the Loop: Parallel

April 27, 2020 9:11 AM - Season 1, Episode 6

A man travels to an unknown world in search of love.

A touching portrayal of longing and an inability to undertake risk - the fear and reticence of the outsider.

posted by jazon (4 comments total)

In many ways, I felt that this was the, maybe not riskiest, but most expansive? of the show’s episodes, and that the dual performance from Ato Essandoh was the strongest lead performance in the run if the show (although Rebecca Hall gave a strong performance throughout). I am not terribly surprised to see that IMDB rates this as the weakest episode of the series. I’m not sure it was the strongest, but I do feel it had the strongest lead performances.

Each Gaddis was a distinct individual, one more withdrawn and defensive due to experiences of isolation and loneliness, and one more openhearted due to having had a more organically fulfilling set of experiences based on interaction. The more brittle man came from a timeline with at least one blues artist overlap with our own, and there is probably something to be unpacked from that.
posted by mwhybark at 11:40 PM on April 27, 2020 [2 favorites]

I agree this one was the riskiest - it focused on a character we only saw in passing mostly and barely connected to the main characters. But it also expanded the world of the Loop quite a bit and shows that it has impacts beyond and beyond. Gaddis was a bit of a sacrifice character - I assume he's never heard from again - but our brief time with him gives a glimpse there is so much more to explore. I really liked the hole in the earth bit as well, was it related? It is a sign of something else?

I like how it reflects the conversation he had about the plover migrating all the way to the arctic to find a mate. Nice parallels in story and plot. I'm glad he found happiness.
posted by jazon at 7:41 AM on April 28, 2020 [3 favorites]

Two birders hear a call they don’t recognize and don’t immediately try to find the bird? I mean, it’s one thing to imagine how the hover tractor can be effective when it is literally not touching the ground it is meant to till, but some things are simply impossible to believe. Jeez.
posted by snofoam at 6:02 PM on May 1, 2020 [1 favorite]

This episode is the San Junipero of this series.
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 4:57 PM on May 3, 2020 [1 favorite]