The Peripheral: What About Bob? Show Only
November 13, 2022 10:23 PM - Season 1, Episode 5 - Subscribe
Flynne's life is threatened again. (Another day, another hitman.)
And she knows kung-fu. I worry about that nice young sherriff.
And she knows kung-fu. I worry about that nice young sherriff.
This show is going off the rails, and not in the best way. It was nice to see Adelind Horan play a meatier role.
Who pulled the Irishman out of the overturned police SUV? Those boots could be Corbell's, or they could be Jasper's.
One thing that perhaps a better-written show would do is, after showing just how much of a screw-up Irishman made in not counting on small-town cohesion, is Nuland and AI-Daniel sewing up the Fishers by taking into account small-town cohesion, coercing Billy, Jasper, Connor, Dee Dee, Tommy, Corbell et al into doing something they can live with that the Fishers... won't.
So far we've seen Nuland being cruel and reacting to threats internal and external. I don't think she could become the head of the RI merely by reacting to a post-jackpot reality, and setting up a Red Wedding-style bloodbath would make her a Big Bad worth watching. But, like I said, that might be a better-written show playing in some other stub.
posted by infinitewindow at 8:22 AM on November 14, 2022 [3 favorites]
Who pulled the Irishman out of the overturned police SUV? Those boots could be Corbell's, or they could be Jasper's.
One thing that perhaps a better-written show would do is, after showing just how much of a screw-up Irishman made in not counting on small-town cohesion, is Nuland and AI-Daniel sewing up the Fishers by taking into account small-town cohesion, coercing Billy, Jasper, Connor, Dee Dee, Tommy, Corbell et al into doing something they can live with that the Fishers... won't.
So far we've seen Nuland being cruel and reacting to threats internal and external. I don't think she could become the head of the RI merely by reacting to a post-jackpot reality, and setting up a Red Wedding-style bloodbath would make her a Big Bad worth watching. But, like I said, that might be a better-written show playing in some other stub.
posted by infinitewindow at 8:22 AM on November 14, 2022 [3 favorites]
While not the strongest episode, I love Ned Dennehy. I can't explain it but there is just something about him that he brings to each character, like this one, that makes it unique. I mean retired hit man blackmailed into service by a threat to his family is a common movie trope, but his performance still engaged me. The fight sequence between Flynne and Nuland reminded me of the fight sequences in Person of Interest with Root. Now I need to go rewatch that show.
posted by miss-lapin at 10:00 AM on November 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by miss-lapin at 10:00 AM on November 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
The fights were good in this one but the plot logic weak. I was particularly puzzled that Flynne could stroll into RI, kill Nuland's peripheral, and just saunter out. I mean, what happened to the front desk lady?
posted by mono blanco at 8:31 PM on November 14, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by mono blanco at 8:31 PM on November 14, 2022 [7 favorites]
All through this episode, I kept asking myself “Was this in the book? Was that in the book?” Admittedly, I haven’t read the book in awhile but, man, nothing in this episode was familiar. Can anyone who has read the book more recently remind me if any of this episode was in the book?
Irishman sauntering up to Flynne and Burton’s jeep, quite obviously holding something in his hand that isn’t a tool, and Burton doesn’t react even remotely defensively? The guy who is quick to draw his weapon in every other remotely suspicious scenario? And he doesn’t respond to Flynne’s telling him twice to shoot the guy? That’s not in-character at all, or indicative of how much tv-adaptation-stub-Burton no longer trusts his sister’s instincts.
Also...All that inference from the Irishman about how the deputy was now a loose end, and they let him live through the car crash? Sloppy.
Was Flynnebot’s fight with Nulandbot necessary? And, yeah, how she just waltzed out of there untouched was just dumb.
Overall, a short, seemingly inconsequential, and more off-the-rails-than-usual, episode. At least we finally get Lowbeer this week. Can’t wait to see how they fuck-up what was probably my favorite character in the book.
Yep. This episode pushed me solidly over the hate-watch line. Godammit.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:49 AM on November 15, 2022 [6 favorites]
Irishman sauntering up to Flynne and Burton’s jeep, quite obviously holding something in his hand that isn’t a tool, and Burton doesn’t react even remotely defensively? The guy who is quick to draw his weapon in every other remotely suspicious scenario? And he doesn’t respond to Flynne’s telling him twice to shoot the guy? That’s not in-character at all, or indicative of how much tv-adaptation-stub-Burton no longer trusts his sister’s instincts.
Also...All that inference from the Irishman about how the deputy was now a loose end, and they let him live through the car crash? Sloppy.
Was Flynnebot’s fight with Nulandbot necessary? And, yeah, how she just waltzed out of there untouched was just dumb.
Overall, a short, seemingly inconsequential, and more off-the-rails-than-usual, episode. At least we finally get Lowbeer this week. Can’t wait to see how they fuck-up what was probably my favorite character in the book.
Yep. This episode pushed me solidly over the hate-watch line. Godammit.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:49 AM on November 15, 2022 [6 favorites]
That’s not in-character at all, or indicative of how much tv-adaptation-stub-Burton no longer trusts his sister’s instincts.
I definitely took this as lazy writing not just for Burton but for the Irishman. Not how I would hope a skilled hitman would act. He had to imagine if someone goes to such lengths to get him to do a job, he should not underestimate the target.
posted by miss-lapin at 11:08 AM on November 15, 2022 [2 favorites]
I definitely took this as lazy writing not just for Burton but for the Irishman. Not how I would hope a skilled hitman would act. He had to imagine if someone goes to such lengths to get him to do a job, he should not underestimate the target.
posted by miss-lapin at 11:08 AM on November 15, 2022 [2 favorites]
The irishman's remarkable John Wick style murder skills in the bowling alley set high expectations for him which immediately fizzled out. Was he wearing future tech body armor too, by the way? Two close up shotgun blasts to normal body armor and you've got broken ribs if not bruised lungs and heart. Add getting rolled in an SUV without your seatbelt on and I'd say he needs the ICU stat. Despite that, I suppose we'll be seeing more from Bob The Butcher in the future, after a plot-magic accelleration of the 6 weeks of convalesence he probably needs before he can move around without pure agony.
I'm still into this show for the overall vibe of it, but it's going to have to get its plotting tightened up if it wants to be more than a mood.
posted by dis_integration at 3:19 PM on November 15, 2022
I'm still into this show for the overall vibe of it, but it's going to have to get its plotting tightened up if it wants to be more than a mood.
posted by dis_integration at 3:19 PM on November 15, 2022
I thought it would be hilarious if Dr Nuland wasn't in a peripheral, and that was just a double-bluff to mess with Flynne's head. And since Flynne just gets really impatient when people try to double-bluff her, Nuland wound up actually dead.
That would have been great.
posted by Mogur at 3:40 PM on November 15, 2022 [4 favorites]
That would have been great.
posted by Mogur at 3:40 PM on November 15, 2022 [4 favorites]
The irishman's remarkable John Wick style murder skills in the bowling alley set high expectations for him which immediately fizzled out.
The hip background music during that scene evoked a Tarantino vibe for me. I still can’t figure out wtf that scene was even for. Who was the dude at the bar with him? What was their beef? It was like a whole other show got dropped into this one. And his coded phone call to his daughter was also a truly weird thing to drop in. That’s a ton of production to spend on a secondary character.
posted by Thorzdad at 7:38 PM on November 15, 2022 [4 favorites]
The hip background music during that scene evoked a Tarantino vibe for me. I still can’t figure out wtf that scene was even for. Who was the dude at the bar with him? What was their beef? It was like a whole other show got dropped into this one. And his coded phone call to his daughter was also a truly weird thing to drop in. That’s a ton of production to spend on a secondary character.
posted by Thorzdad at 7:38 PM on November 15, 2022 [4 favorites]
It's like the showrunners watched the "Pickle Rick" episode of Rick & Morty, didn't realize the Jaguar character was a satirical amalgam of clichés, and thought he was just what their own show needed.
posted by tovarisch at 8:33 PM on November 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by tovarisch at 8:33 PM on November 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
Thorzdad asked: Can anyone who has read the book more recently remind me if any of this episode was in the book? Maybe someone in the books included thread?
Appreciate people referencing John Wick, having watched the first one of those with my hands over my eyes, and none of the subsequent films. (Honestly, I'm waiting for a sequel that's 2 hours of Wick volunteering at a dog shelter!) Anyway this show is getting a little too violent for my tastes. But not being a gamer, maybe I just don't get the appeal.
posted by Coaticass at 2:02 AM on November 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
Appreciate people referencing John Wick, having watched the first one of those with my hands over my eyes, and none of the subsequent films. (Honestly, I'm waiting for a sequel that's 2 hours of Wick volunteering at a dog shelter!) Anyway this show is getting a little too violent for my tastes. But not being a gamer, maybe I just don't get the appeal.
posted by Coaticass at 2:02 AM on November 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
Who was the dude at the bar with him? What was their beef?
The dude at the bar was an old associate who the Irishman figured out had tipped off the Voice on the Phone about the Irishman's daughter and where to find her thus putting her in danger. So he went there to kill the dude and apparently his sons and other associates.
posted by miss-lapin at 7:50 AM on November 16, 2022
The dude at the bar was an old associate who the Irishman figured out had tipped off the Voice on the Phone about the Irishman's daughter and where to find her thus putting her in danger. So he went there to kill the dude and apparently his sons and other associates.
posted by miss-lapin at 7:50 AM on November 16, 2022
Can anyone who has read the book more recently remind me if any of this episode was in the book?
Discussed in the with books version.
posted by Candleman at 4:08 PM on November 16, 2022
Discussed in the with books version.
posted by Candleman at 4:08 PM on November 16, 2022
Brief conversation with my friend while watching this episode:
"oh clive russell just showed up in the peripheral. one of those actors I always like to see!"
"aaand he's dead"
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 7:03 PM on November 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
"oh clive russell just showed up in the peripheral. one of those actors I always like to see!"
"aaand he's dead"
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 7:03 PM on November 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
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posted by Coaticass at 10:29 PM on November 13, 2022 [3 favorites]