The Peripheral: The Doodad   Show Only 
November 26, 2022 3:12 PM - Season 1, Episode 7 - Subscribe

Flynne, Burton and Conner meet with Lowbeer and are put to the test. Meanwhile, Ella’s life is in danger, and Tommy deals with the Sheriff and Corbell Pickett his own way.
posted by infinitewindow (12 comments total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
I am not a costume design guy, but I would watch an entire eight-hour season of a show that was nothing but Dr. Nuland and Detective Inspector Lowbeer verbally joust in resplendent outfits.
posted by infinitewindow at 3:13 PM on November 26, 2022 [17 favorites]


There's a fair bit in this show, like Burton and Connor in this episode, that is super annoying video game fan service or something. The rest of the show is delicious. If I could get an edit that removes that superfluous bullshit that would be so perf.
posted by mcstayinskool at 5:32 PM on November 26, 2022 [2 favorites]


Well I didn't see the sheriff and assassin-guy getting offed so quickly. I'm guessing Pickett's still alive; we've seen that the doodad isn't lethal unless you're up close, personal, and hit a few times. Still very much liking it, and as someone said in an earlier thread, I am also ready for a full season of The Lowbeer Mysteries on Masterpiece Theater.

I was surprised to see the Inspector so affected by Nuland's visit after having been established as a somewhat terrifying and deeply powerful individual, at least as far as the klepts are concerned.

We're still having great fun with this, and I'm wondering if this means that the other book(s) in the Jackpot trilogy will be adapted (number 3 is due out soon, I think).
posted by jquinby at 5:39 PM on November 26, 2022 [4 favorites]


I was surprised to see the Inspector so affected by Nuland's visit...

Same here. Her reactions to Nuland certainly didn’t fit the personality established with everyone else. And the whole aside of her once having a daughter (and modeled her assistant on her) seemed unnecessary to the story.

The whole “fight to the top of the tower” thing was just silly.

At least we now know specifically what Flynne has that Nuland wants.

I’m still drawing a blank as to what purpose OldAssassinDude served.
posted by Thorzdad at 7:45 PM on November 26, 2022 [3 favorites]


I’m still drawing a blank as to what purpose OldAssassinDude served.

Me too! Bob never really had anything to do with the plot except he was threatening the heroes and I guess that was the end of him.

If Old Man Whitey Corbel Pickett is dead too I'm going to be really pissed because that character has yet to have a real point in the story...

I liked the Lowbeer stuff and I liked Conner's reaction to being killed by Beatrice. "I'm gonna marry her." "Who?" "That robot lady!"

Sometimes I feel like some sci-fi scenes are written by 10-year-old boys, and the "each floor has 6 more robot ninjas than the last" fight was definitely one of those. Lowbeer's trying to gather information, right? Why test their fighting skills? That might lead to something but I'm skeptical.

Flynn's mom was very calm in a tough situation and I felt like she almost could have convinced Bob that killing himself was the best option.

I was going to recommend this show to my wife back around episode 2 and I decided it might be "a bit too murdery." This episode: a bit too stabby.
posted by mmoncur at 8:18 PM on November 26, 2022 [5 favorites]


Bob's kinfework was great, like a demo session almost - flowing from one technique into the next into the next into the next... Reminded me of like a Silat demo I saw once. Which leads me to wonder what kind of tech Reese was sporting to manage to maintain consciousness with all those holes in his body making maintaining blood pressure pretty tricky. I also liked that the gang learned their lesson with Bob finally - he got THREE in the head to make sure there's no next time.

Like there's this weird contrast in the stakes between the two stories : the wacky kids in Kentucky getting mixed up in local drama vs. world reaching implications of the super secret RI tech getting out into the world.. I suppose it could be intentional. They better explain Reese's coagulation tech in the next episode tho.
posted by some loser at 6:55 AM on November 27, 2022 [3 favorites]


I think Lev found a tool that the RI had created and left lying around (Burton and his squad, now plus Flynn and the boys at Forever Fab), and Lowbeer delightedly appropriated said tool for use against the klept. She’s powerful, but quite isolated and alone; we never do actually see anyone else from the Met, do we? So a squad capable of independent action might be a big deal for Lowbeer. And it’s reasonable to assume that her threat model and the powers of her position are tuned against the klept; Nuland and the RI as a straight-up adversary might indeed be a bit of a worrisome turn for Lowbeer.
posted by sixswitch at 6:55 AM on November 27, 2022 [4 favorites]


"At least we now know specifically what Flynne has that Nuland wants."

We know what she told Lowbeer, anyway.

In this hypothetical Masterpiece Theater show, can we have an ep with Lowbeer on a sleeper train to Budapest?
posted by Horkus at 11:30 AM on November 27, 2022 [4 favorites]


~At least we now know specifically what Flynne has that Nuland wants."
~We know what she told Lowbeer, anyway.


Ash also explained it to Lev after he threatened to slice Ossian’s throat.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:37 PM on November 27, 2022 [1 favorite]


Inspector Lowbeer strides energetically along the cliffs of Dover.
"Is there any point to which you would draw my attention?" inquired Beatrice.
"To the curious incident of the coy in the timeline," replied Lowbeer.
"But the coy did nothing in the timeline," stated Beatrice.
"That was the curious incident," remarked Lowbeer.
posted by SPrintF at 2:44 PM on November 27, 2022 [4 favorites]


Ugh the fight to the top of the tower. Everybody's a near-perfectly matched ninja/mma fighter in all of these types of shows/movies; those scenes are always so boring. I blame the Jason Bourne franchise (which I otherwise adore).
posted by mabelstreet at 10:27 PM on November 28, 2022 [4 favorites]


Yeah, the “Now - FIGHT!” scenes are … dumb. Beatrice didn’t need to explain anything, just tell them it’s a fight to the top and at the top, a surprise! Then have Connor and Burton fight, together - demonstrating their utility as a ‘paired set of fighters - successfully and etc

It’s kinda a let down - so much of this story was/is compelling (enough) : the ‘squad’ getting together to fight Bob was cool - always the demonstrations (show, not tell) are compelling.

the sheriff was pretty terrific, his whole, country-bumpkin camouflage and when it slipped was great. I was kinda sad to see him go and his betrayal not more fully explored.

Lowbeer could have him as an opponent. Hmmmmm
posted by From Bklyn at 12:13 AM on November 29, 2022 [2 favorites]


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