ars PARADOXICA: 04: Bullet
August 15, 2016 4:56 AM - Subscribe
Tragedy leads to innovation; innovation leads to tragedy.
I really liked this one. Nice and self-contained. Until the end, which I think messed it all up. Why not just leave the time-loop of Barlowe's wife shooting him? Making Whickman shoot Barlowe for some as-yet-unstated reason seemed like a tacked-on forced advancing of the story.
posted by Etrigan at 7:39 AM on August 16, 2016
posted by Etrigan at 7:39 AM on August 16, 2016
Yeah, it felt a bit Lost-like; here's a nice little story with a resolution that works if you don't stare at it too hard... but wait, it's actually opening up another, deeper mystery!
Normally I'd love that sort of thing, but I don't know these writers well enough to trust that they know exactly where they're going with this, and will actually provide some resolution within reasonable time. Still though, I think they way they did it is consistent with the way that time travel works in their universe; the fact that they're sticking to my #1 rule for good sci-fi ("establish the rules by which your universe works, then stick to them") makes me hopeful that it's part of a wider logic, not just plot gimmickry.
Aside from that, I agree it was a fun episode. Nicely paced, and funnier than the last one or two. "It's time to put on my Big Scientist Goggles and try this sucker out" is definitely going to enter my lexicon, if I can engineer a situation where it works :).
I'm still really enjoying Sally as a character: she's a bit self-absorbed and socially clumsy, but hearing her make nerdy jokes and start geeking out about stuff is really sweet, and she manages to stay basically likeable for all her flaws.
posted by metaBugs at 5:37 AM on August 24, 2016
Normally I'd love that sort of thing, but I don't know these writers well enough to trust that they know exactly where they're going with this, and will actually provide some resolution within reasonable time. Still though, I think they way they did it is consistent with the way that time travel works in their universe; the fact that they're sticking to my #1 rule for good sci-fi ("establish the rules by which your universe works, then stick to them") makes me hopeful that it's part of a wider logic, not just plot gimmickry.
Aside from that, I agree it was a fun episode. Nicely paced, and funnier than the last one or two. "It's time to put on my Big Scientist Goggles and try this sucker out" is definitely going to enter my lexicon, if I can engineer a situation where it works :).
I'm still really enjoying Sally as a character: she's a bit self-absorbed and socially clumsy, but hearing her make nerdy jokes and start geeking out about stuff is really sweet, and she manages to stay basically likeable for all her flaws.
posted by metaBugs at 5:37 AM on August 24, 2016
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posted by metaBugs at 4:57 AM on August 15, 2016 [1 favorite]