Sense8: You Want a War?
May 7, 2017 6:17 PM - Season 2, Episode 11 - Subscribe
At the gala, Sun braces for a showdown with her brother. Soon a dire new threat sends the Sensates scrambling to save another member of the cluster. (Season finale)
*Joong-ki gives his speech at the gala. Sun approaches with a knife, but Woojin arrives with warrant for his arrest, and gives him the choice of coming quietly or being cuffed in view of the party and reporters. Joong-ki shoots him, shouting that Sun is there before seeing that she actually is there. He runs and a gunfight ensues.
*The chase leads to the garage, Kala takes out the remaining gunmen by shooting holes in a gas tank and igniting the gas leak with a lighter.
*Joong-ki tries to drive out but Bug closes the garage gate and Nomi tells him to confess.
*Sun approaches and shoots at the car, he crashes through the gate, and Capheus/Sun steal a motorcycle and pursue.
*Joong-ki evades a roadblock by driving through an outdoor market. Wolfgang stabs a rebar through the window into the steering wheel, causing the car to flip and Joong-ki to be ejected. Sun stalks him with the rebar, reflecting on his crimes and her heart, and ultimately lets him live and allows the police to take her. Tae Park, the Finance Minister, arrives and spirits Joong-ki away.
*The cluster breaks Sun out of the police van by hacking the traffic lights and getting the van t-boned. Puck arrives on a motorcycle and completes the getaway.
*Amanita proposes to Nomi and Nomi proposes right back at her.
*Capheus awakes to 4 new sensate visitors who saw him at the rally.
*Rajan returns home. He is alarmed by Ajay's having left a gift at the apartment (though it appears innocuous after all), and confesses that he's been cooperating in an investigation of political corruption, but that it is becoming too dangerous and asks Kala to go to his secret Paris apartment to be safe.
*Sun and Riley watch the news about the gala back at the 'love hotel', while Puck pervs at them. Woojin is in critical care.
*Sun, Riley, and Will try to get more information from Puck, but someone appears to him and tells him he needs to go on blockers 24/7. Puck says he's been quarantined, because the Cannibal is hunting the cluster.
*Kala and Wolfgang pack their bags, and confess their love. But then Lila visits Wolfgang, and BPO storms in to taser him to the ground, and Whispers enters and looks him in the eyes.
*Kala frantically visits all the cluster. Will says he has a plan ready, and just needs lots more blockers.
*Whispers begins torturing Wolfgang; using the "tracer" that Angelica developed, he can follow the pain to the other members of the cluster, who all collapse in the shared pain. He identifies Kala first.
*Everyone flies to London.
*Whispers visits Will in the interrogation room and makes his Evil Speech of Evil, but is shocked to discover that Will is actually physically there in the room and using psi-blockers. Will can't see Jonas, but tells him he needs to pick a side, then knocks Whispers out.
*Jonas starts to call BPO and warn them about the danger to the Parliament facility, but Sun, Nomi, Amanita, and Capheus arrive at his door and knock him out.
*Will, with Riley, Lito, and Kala kidnap Whispers, then are joined by the rest of the cluster with kidnapped Jonas, and the war has begun.
*Cliffhangered again!
*Joong-ki gives his speech at the gala. Sun approaches with a knife, but Woojin arrives with warrant for his arrest, and gives him the choice of coming quietly or being cuffed in view of the party and reporters. Joong-ki shoots him, shouting that Sun is there before seeing that she actually is there. He runs and a gunfight ensues.
*The chase leads to the garage, Kala takes out the remaining gunmen by shooting holes in a gas tank and igniting the gas leak with a lighter.
*Joong-ki tries to drive out but Bug closes the garage gate and Nomi tells him to confess.
*Sun approaches and shoots at the car, he crashes through the gate, and Capheus/Sun steal a motorcycle and pursue.
*Joong-ki evades a roadblock by driving through an outdoor market. Wolfgang stabs a rebar through the window into the steering wheel, causing the car to flip and Joong-ki to be ejected. Sun stalks him with the rebar, reflecting on his crimes and her heart, and ultimately lets him live and allows the police to take her. Tae Park, the Finance Minister, arrives and spirits Joong-ki away.
*The cluster breaks Sun out of the police van by hacking the traffic lights and getting the van t-boned. Puck arrives on a motorcycle and completes the getaway.
*Amanita proposes to Nomi and Nomi proposes right back at her.
*Capheus awakes to 4 new sensate visitors who saw him at the rally.
*Rajan returns home. He is alarmed by Ajay's having left a gift at the apartment (though it appears innocuous after all), and confesses that he's been cooperating in an investigation of political corruption, but that it is becoming too dangerous and asks Kala to go to his secret Paris apartment to be safe.
*Sun and Riley watch the news about the gala back at the 'love hotel', while Puck pervs at them. Woojin is in critical care.
*Sun, Riley, and Will try to get more information from Puck, but someone appears to him and tells him he needs to go on blockers 24/7. Puck says he's been quarantined, because the Cannibal is hunting the cluster.
*Kala and Wolfgang pack their bags, and confess their love. But then Lila visits Wolfgang, and BPO storms in to taser him to the ground, and Whispers enters and looks him in the eyes.
*Kala frantically visits all the cluster. Will says he has a plan ready, and just needs lots more blockers.
*Whispers begins torturing Wolfgang; using the "tracer" that Angelica developed, he can follow the pain to the other members of the cluster, who all collapse in the shared pain. He identifies Kala first.
*Everyone flies to London.
*Whispers visits Will in the interrogation room and makes his Evil Speech of Evil, but is shocked to discover that Will is actually physically there in the room and using psi-blockers. Will can't see Jonas, but tells him he needs to pick a side, then knocks Whispers out.
*Jonas starts to call BPO and warn them about the danger to the Parliament facility, but Sun, Nomi, Amanita, and Capheus arrive at his door and knock him out.
*Will, with Riley, Lito, and Kala kidnap Whispers, then are joined by the rest of the cluster with kidnapped Jonas, and the war has begun.
*Cliffhangered again!
I had so much fun binging this all weekend.
It's another cliffhanger, but again they left us having grabbed a bit of hope, even if it'll be impossible to hang onto for long. I like that.
I loved every time a minor character commented on Lito's movies, and then we got to see Lito overhear and react. Makes me laugh every time. I also love when he actually gets a turn to help the others. But Andy Dick is ugh and the Hollywood movie storyline got off to a tiresome start. I hope that gets more interesting next year -- surely there's a massive Hollywood sensate conspiracy to stumble upon.
In season 3, how about we let Sun wear some clothes?
I was initially confused although entertained as they introduced more and more sensates from other characters who could link with a member of "our" cluster. I guess I missed the explanation for how sensates typically (non-maliciously) discover a non-sibling sensate. They just try to dip into interesting people's heads, hoping for a random success?
posted by katieinshoes at 7:22 PM on May 7, 2017
It's another cliffhanger, but again they left us having grabbed a bit of hope, even if it'll be impossible to hang onto for long. I like that.
I loved every time a minor character commented on Lito's movies, and then we got to see Lito overhear and react. Makes me laugh every time. I also love when he actually gets a turn to help the others. But Andy Dick is ugh and the Hollywood movie storyline got off to a tiresome start. I hope that gets more interesting next year -- surely there's a massive Hollywood sensate conspiracy to stumble upon.
In season 3, how about we let Sun wear some clothes?
I was initially confused although entertained as they introduced more and more sensates from other characters who could link with a member of "our" cluster. I guess I missed the explanation for how sensates typically (non-maliciously) discover a non-sibling sensate. They just try to dip into interesting people's heads, hoping for a random success?
posted by katieinshoes at 7:22 PM on May 7, 2017
"Are you serious? My sister's a fucking Terminator??" LOL! It's part of what I love about this show is that sometimes it stops taking itself seriously.
posted by dnash at 8:57 PM on May 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by dnash at 8:57 PM on May 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
But Andy Dick is ugh and the Hollywood movie storyline got off to a tiresome start.
Andy Dick is the worst, seriously bad idea there. Knocked me out of the show. "WTF? Andy fucking Dick? What were they thinking??" Lito trying to star in a real Hollywood gay romance movie is a good idea, though. I like Cheyenne Jackson, who plays the co-star, though we have little idea what his character is here yet.
posted by dnash at 9:01 PM on May 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Andy Dick is the worst, seriously bad idea there. Knocked me out of the show. "WTF? Andy fucking Dick? What were they thinking??" Lito trying to star in a real Hollywood gay romance movie is a good idea, though. I like Cheyenne Jackson, who plays the co-star, though we have little idea what his character is here yet.
posted by dnash at 9:01 PM on May 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
I binged it yesterday and it was fun. I don't know that I have much more to say about it, though. I like, as before, the message and the optimism. The new Capheus has about 1/10th the charm of old Capheus and the show is the worse for it.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 10:13 PM on May 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 10:13 PM on May 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
The more I think about the last sequences, the more badly rushed it feels. They ALL fly to London? Think how long it takes to do that from every corner of the world. And how did Capheus and Lito explain the sudden urgency, since they've not been open to others in their lives about being sensate. Kala at least was already supposed to be headed to Paris.
How did Will find the room? And how is the mental visiting experience so intense that Whispers did not immediately realize there was another person (Will) in the room?
I mean, I like the general gist of the plan, and I like the table turning of kidnapping Whispers, but it just feels kind of tacked on at the last moment to me. Could've been written better, I think.
posted by dnash at 11:11 AM on May 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
How did Will find the room? And how is the mental visiting experience so intense that Whispers did not immediately realize there was another person (Will) in the room?
I mean, I like the general gist of the plan, and I like the table turning of kidnapping Whispers, but it just feels kind of tacked on at the last moment to me. Could've been written better, I think.
posted by dnash at 11:11 AM on May 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
That last sequence was rushed, but honestly, I'm fine with logistics stuff being handwaved. I don't especially need to know how Capheus got a flight, or how Lito convinced Hernando and Dani, at least not right now. The show can come back to those points in the third season opener. I do think that sequence could have used a more explicit tell on how much time passed before they all got to London, because as it was shown, it was confusing. It must have taken at least a day and a half or two to get them all in London and putting their plan in motion, but the way it was edited together with Wolfgang being tortured, it seemed like an implausible few hours. I guess that might be to better get across the chaos, but eh, it didn't work for me that well.
I'm a little annoyed about the cliffhanger? There was just enough closure there for me though, in that there's a plan, the cluster is all together, and there are a lot of places to go from there. I think if you're going to do a cliffhanger, you should do one that opens up storytelling possibilities, not one that closes them off, or that leaves the audience with nothing but ????
Anyway, I really liked this season as a whole. Though I feel like I need a supercut that strings together the BPO plotline for me. I find it hard to keep a mental hold on all the plot threads of that. But whatever, I'll be honest, I don't watch for the plot, I watch for the cluster, and the building of their relationships with each other was great this season.
posted by yasaman at 12:57 PM on May 8, 2017
I'm a little annoyed about the cliffhanger? There was just enough closure there for me though, in that there's a plan, the cluster is all together, and there are a lot of places to go from there. I think if you're going to do a cliffhanger, you should do one that opens up storytelling possibilities, not one that closes them off, or that leaves the audience with nothing but ????
Anyway, I really liked this season as a whole. Though I feel like I need a supercut that strings together the BPO plotline for me. I find it hard to keep a mental hold on all the plot threads of that. But whatever, I'll be honest, I don't watch for the plot, I watch for the cluster, and the building of their relationships with each other was great this season.
posted by yasaman at 12:57 PM on May 8, 2017
How did Will find the room?
This is a guess but I think he already knew where it was and how to access because he stole all of Whispers' files and key cards from his safe in his mansion. Will had this plan ready to go.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:22 AM on May 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
This is a guess but I think he already knew where it was and how to access because he stole all of Whispers' files and key cards from his safe in his mansion. Will had this plan ready to go.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:22 AM on May 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
I more wondered how creepy drug guy happened to be in Korea...
posted by Karmakaze at 5:51 AM on May 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Karmakaze at 5:51 AM on May 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
And how did he recognize Sun? He's never met her, only Riley. And when you're visiting a sensate, you can't see who's visiting them, right? Unless you're visiting them both?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:06 AM on May 9, 2017
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:06 AM on May 9, 2017
Andy Dick
So I've been flicking through these threads to get a good overview of everything as my partner and I need a new series to binge and, hey, this is already two seasons in, great starting point, but with this, I guess we're going to have to keep looking.
posted by turbid dahlia at 8:38 PM on May 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
So I've been flicking through these threads to get a good overview of everything as my partner and I need a new series to binge and, hey, this is already two seasons in, great starting point, but with this, I guess we're going to have to keep looking.
posted by turbid dahlia at 8:38 PM on May 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Oh, I wouldn't let his presence put you off. He only pops up in like the last two eps of season two, and as a very small part. I would say go ahead and watch season one and see if you like it.
posted by dnash at 8:18 AM on May 10, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by dnash at 8:18 AM on May 10, 2017 [4 favorites]
Yeah, Andy Dick has maybe 10 minutes of screen time, and its possible that they were typecasting that the character is a 'Hollywood creepster' by having him played by such a real-life scumbag. (Or not. But, you should give season 1 a chance, at least--though it's a shame you've robbed yourself of so many of the surprises by reading these threads.)
posted by oh yeah! at 8:34 AM on May 10, 2017
posted by oh yeah! at 8:34 AM on May 10, 2017
Binged through the season last week. It remains enjoyable trash with some moments of absolute beauty. I actually quite liked the ending but agree they could have got a lot more tension/interest out of it by taking more time.
The Andy Dick thing is especially grating because one thing I enjoy and find interesting about this series is the presentation of queer characters and relationships. Like finding out a character was raised in a poly commune without it being called out as weird.
It's also interesting to see such an unabashed paean to globalist culture given the political climate in many places has turned against this. Although it does actually highlight some unhealthy things about that culture by glossing over them.
Another fraught aspect is its attitude to violence. It wants to be (as part of the liberal ascetic) anti-violence as you see in Van Damme calming the rioters and Sun's internal dialogue. But on the other hand it's completely bound by action movie logic which sees the protagonists mowing down people without repercussion or remorse.
Also I would love love to watch a similar indie drama series where are all the sensates are roofing contractors, mid level service workers and subsistence farmers without the conspiracy plot or John Woo lens.
posted by Erberus at 8:51 AM on May 10, 2017 [6 favorites]
The Andy Dick thing is especially grating because one thing I enjoy and find interesting about this series is the presentation of queer characters and relationships. Like finding out a character was raised in a poly commune without it being called out as weird.
It's also interesting to see such an unabashed paean to globalist culture given the political climate in many places has turned against this. Although it does actually highlight some unhealthy things about that culture by glossing over them.
Another fraught aspect is its attitude to violence. It wants to be (as part of the liberal ascetic) anti-violence as you see in Van Damme calming the rioters and Sun's internal dialogue. But on the other hand it's completely bound by action movie logic which sees the protagonists mowing down people without repercussion or remorse.
Also I would love love to watch a similar indie drama series where are all the sensates are roofing contractors, mid level service workers and subsistence farmers without the conspiracy plot or John Woo lens.
posted by Erberus at 8:51 AM on May 10, 2017 [6 favorites]
The Andy Dick thing is especially grating because one thing I enjoy and find interesting about this series is the presentation of queer characters and relationships.
They do have kind of a pervy blind spot sometimes (thinking of the scene last season when Nomi and Amanita were all "But why doesn't everyone think this is hot?" about the Lito/Hernando pictures). And Hollywood itself has a problem with young men being sexually exploited/abused by the more famous & powerful (didn't a bunch of guys go public about Bryan Singer being a rapist?). So I wasn't sure what we were meant to think about the party scene--was it "look how gay-positive the Hollywood movie biz is compared to the Mexican movie biz Lito just got blacklisted from!"? Or was it "look at how creepy Andy Dick is, putting his house party waiters in shirtless uniforms, having Lito strip in front of everyone", etc.
posted by oh yeah! at 9:15 AM on May 10, 2017
They do have kind of a pervy blind spot sometimes (thinking of the scene last season when Nomi and Amanita were all "But why doesn't everyone think this is hot?" about the Lito/Hernando pictures). And Hollywood itself has a problem with young men being sexually exploited/abused by the more famous & powerful (didn't a bunch of guys go public about Bryan Singer being a rapist?). So I wasn't sure what we were meant to think about the party scene--was it "look how gay-positive the Hollywood movie biz is compared to the Mexican movie biz Lito just got blacklisted from!"? Or was it "look at how creepy Andy Dick is, putting his house party waiters in shirtless uniforms, having Lito strip in front of everyone", etc.
posted by oh yeah! at 9:15 AM on May 10, 2017
I guess I missed the explanation for how sensates typically (non-maliciously) discover a non-sibling sensate. They just try to dip into interesting people's heads, hoping for a random success?
If you can visit someone after eye contact, then you know they're a sensate, as explained by Jonas in season 1. I don't remember a clear explanation of how you know you can visit someone, but I have the impression that you feel something. Or, for those that are less in control of themselves, you almost instinctively visit.
It seems important that both at Riley's DJ set and Capheus' speech, they are the focus of attention, and make eye contact with so many people, they may not notice anything. But people in the crowd are paying attention to them and can initiate the connection.
posted by mountmccabe at 2:53 PM on May 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
If you can visit someone after eye contact, then you know they're a sensate, as explained by Jonas in season 1. I don't remember a clear explanation of how you know you can visit someone, but I have the impression that you feel something. Or, for those that are less in control of themselves, you almost instinctively visit.
It seems important that both at Riley's DJ set and Capheus' speech, they are the focus of attention, and make eye contact with so many people, they may not notice anything. But people in the crowd are paying attention to them and can initiate the connection.
posted by mountmccabe at 2:53 PM on May 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'm still kind of amazed that the ending went as quick as it did. This show takes SO much time on everything - which is one thing I love about it! - that it was really able to catch me by surprise with the Will in the room reveal. And I expect Whispers, especially being rushed around, had gotten as lazy about visiting Will as we had. We got to feel the same surprise. I really expected them going to BPO would be pushed to the next season, but I'm glad they didn't spend a lot of air time on travel logistics. There may be some interesting moments such as almost everyone meeting in person, but this show loves flashbacks so much they could easily have some of that in the next season.
It was also not entirely clear, especially with how quick everything was, that they had not rescued Wolfgang. But that was also exciting redirection, and fitting with the other story lines (If Capheus backed down against his opponent, the latter would be more powerful. Sun didn't kill Joong-Ki so he walked away and she was arrested. Wolfgang did well in the fight against Lila, but she got away and gave him up to Whispers). They were primed to feel the need to stop Whispers.
posted by mountmccabe at 3:09 PM on May 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
It was also not entirely clear, especially with how quick everything was, that they had not rescued Wolfgang. But that was also exciting redirection, and fitting with the other story lines (If Capheus backed down against his opponent, the latter would be more powerful. Sun didn't kill Joong-Ki so he walked away and she was arrested. Wolfgang did well in the fight against Lila, but she got away and gave him up to Whispers). They were primed to feel the need to stop Whispers.
posted by mountmccabe at 3:09 PM on May 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
I hate to post something that sounds this stupid, but the finale made no fucking sense to me at all. How did Will know where to go? How did he get in the room? How did n one notice him? Why, if they could grab both Jonas (how did they find his home address? The theory about Will getting all this from Whispers' safe makes no sense at all--passports and ID cards don't provide home addresses or business addresses) Whispers/Cannibal, did they leave Wolfgang behind? And frankly, the explanation for why Whispers even gives a shit about the Sense8 clusters, let alone wanting to cause them all horrible pain and then kill them, makes less than no sense. None of the explanations provided by the show have been clear, or logical, or carried any continuity.
If anyone can explain this season to me like I haven't watched it but I want to know all of the main plot points and have them make sense, I will be very impressed.
P.S. fuck Andy Dick.
posted by tzikeh at 10:05 PM on May 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
If anyone can explain this season to me like I haven't watched it but I want to know all of the main plot points and have them make sense, I will be very impressed.
P.S. fuck Andy Dick.
posted by tzikeh at 10:05 PM on May 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
The theory about Will getting all this from Whispers' safe makes no sense at all--passports and ID cards don't provide home addresses or business addresses
There was a folder in there that wasn't just ID papers. I can buy that whatever Will got from the safe + Nomi, Amanita, and Bug's detective work could get Will all the locations. The impression I got was that Will and the others had a plan forming before Wolfgang was taken, and that they just stepped it up and made their move earlier than expected because of Wolfgang being captured. It was all pretty messily done though, I had the overwhelming feeling that the last ten or so minutes of the episode was like that part in a Leverage episode where the grift comes together, only without all the little scenes showing how it came together. I assume in the next season, we'll immediately see how they did it and they'll recover Wolfgang. At least, I sure hope so.
Also, Whispers' motivation is weaponizing the sensates. I forget what episode it was, but there's that scene where he's performed his zombification process on some poor sensate in front of a bunch of people, and he makes the zombified guy get up and kill one of the BPO redshirts. Before he succeeded at this process, he was just capturing assorted sensates and experimenting on them (i.e. Sarah Patrell). He's your classic mad scientist. He's only torturing Wolfgang to get the locations of the rest of the cluster out of him.
I don't know, I find it weirdly difficult to focus on the BPO metaplot, I'm way more interested in the individual characters' plots and their interactions with each other, but that's what I've gleaned about what Whispers is up to.
posted by yasaman at 4:41 PM on May 13, 2017 [3 favorites]
There was a folder in there that wasn't just ID papers. I can buy that whatever Will got from the safe + Nomi, Amanita, and Bug's detective work could get Will all the locations. The impression I got was that Will and the others had a plan forming before Wolfgang was taken, and that they just stepped it up and made their move earlier than expected because of Wolfgang being captured. It was all pretty messily done though, I had the overwhelming feeling that the last ten or so minutes of the episode was like that part in a Leverage episode where the grift comes together, only without all the little scenes showing how it came together. I assume in the next season, we'll immediately see how they did it and they'll recover Wolfgang. At least, I sure hope so.
Also, Whispers' motivation is weaponizing the sensates. I forget what episode it was, but there's that scene where he's performed his zombification process on some poor sensate in front of a bunch of people, and he makes the zombified guy get up and kill one of the BPO redshirts. Before he succeeded at this process, he was just capturing assorted sensates and experimenting on them (i.e. Sarah Patrell). He's your classic mad scientist. He's only torturing Wolfgang to get the locations of the rest of the cluster out of him.
I don't know, I find it weirdly difficult to focus on the BPO metaplot, I'm way more interested in the individual characters' plots and their interactions with each other, but that's what I've gleaned about what Whispers is up to.
posted by yasaman at 4:41 PM on May 13, 2017 [3 favorites]
Overall I really enjoyed the second season, though I agree the finale felt pretty rushed. I'm also assuming that they'll spend the first episode of season 3 unpacking it. There's a lot of questions that we can't answer based on the information we've gotten, but nothing seems terribly inconsistent. The only thing that bothers me is that Whispers couldn't tell that Will was in the room. Unless they have some explanation for that, it sort of breaks the logic that they've developed so far.
I found myself surprisingly interested in the BPO storyline. In the first season I couldn't care less (and somehow BPO seems like an awkward acronym to me), and I wasn't looking forward to the inevitable expansion of that storyline, but I like how it's gone. I also enjoyed the slow introduction of new clusters in this season and the development of that mythology - I think my favourite scene this season was the whole Archipelago game of psychic telephone.
The new Capheus slowly grew on me as well. I'm hoping that when they make the next season with hopefully less chaos behind the scenes that the results will be less rough around the edges. This is the only show that I'm actually invested in these days, and it has the capacity to come together beautifully into moments and scenes and even messages that I think are important. Although it was hard not to roll my eyes at the whole "you're defined by the system or you defy it". A little bit of subtlety and leaving things unsaid wouldn't hold the show back.
posted by Alex404 at 9:23 PM on May 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
I found myself surprisingly interested in the BPO storyline. In the first season I couldn't care less (and somehow BPO seems like an awkward acronym to me), and I wasn't looking forward to the inevitable expansion of that storyline, but I like how it's gone. I also enjoyed the slow introduction of new clusters in this season and the development of that mythology - I think my favourite scene this season was the whole Archipelago game of psychic telephone.
The new Capheus slowly grew on me as well. I'm hoping that when they make the next season with hopefully less chaos behind the scenes that the results will be less rough around the edges. This is the only show that I'm actually invested in these days, and it has the capacity to come together beautifully into moments and scenes and even messages that I think are important. Although it was hard not to roll my eyes at the whole "you're defined by the system or you defy it". A little bit of subtlety and leaving things unsaid wouldn't hold the show back.
posted by Alex404 at 9:23 PM on May 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
Just stumbled upon this Lito fan-art which may be my favorite - just click, I don't want to spoil the joke
(also love this gifset and this one a lot)
posted by oh yeah! at 6:30 PM on May 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
(also love this gifset and this one a lot)
posted by oh yeah! at 6:30 PM on May 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
that seems like quite a way to discover sense8s in a cluster if you can project physical trauma onto all of them by torturing one of them
posted by kokaku at 11:06 AM on May 31, 2017
posted by kokaku at 11:06 AM on May 31, 2017
Only one source right now, but it looks like Sense8 may have been cancelled.
I'm incredibly upset.
posted by angeline at 10:45 AM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'm incredibly upset.
posted by angeline at 10:45 AM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
Ugh, fine, I choose to believe they crush their enemies and live happily ever after and no one can tell me anything different then.
posted by rewil at 11:10 AM on June 1, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by rewil at 11:10 AM on June 1, 2017 [3 favorites]
It certainly helps explain why the ending felt so rushed. At least we got to see Whispers get punched in the face.
posted by Alex404 at 11:26 AM on June 1, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Alex404 at 11:26 AM on June 1, 2017 [2 favorites]
Not just might. It's dead. I'm very sad.
posted by sparkletone at 11:30 AM on June 1, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by sparkletone at 11:30 AM on June 1, 2017 [3 favorites]
Were the Matrix movies good for nothing? Don't the Wachowskis and JMS have enough cash to bankroll this out of pocket? Bummed that we won't get to see the resolution and where they wanted to take these characters.
posted by kokaku at 11:38 AM on June 1, 2017
posted by kokaku at 11:38 AM on June 1, 2017
Kickstarter time!
posted by matildaben at 5:36 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by matildaben at 5:36 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
I am so sad about this being cancelled. If there's a kickstarter, I will happily throw in.
posted by bile and syntax at 7:13 PM on June 1, 2017
posted by bile and syntax at 7:13 PM on June 1, 2017
Netflix's statements make me so angrily disgusted. The Sense8 story is "coming to an end"? Ok, fine, then give us an ending. Reed Hastings wants a higher cancellation rate as proof that they're trying new things? That's what pilot season is for - if Netflix wants to throw a million things at the wall to see which ones stick, then, fine, commission a bunch of movies as backdoor pilots and see which ones are hits before you move to series. But finish the damn stories, that's what I thought I could rely on Netflix to do, not randomly cancel things and leave the audience hanging like a broadcast network. (And the fact that they're canceling this but renewing the suicide-glamorizing "13 Reasons"?)
But I'm also disappointed/angry at the Wachowskis & jms for sticking with the cliffhanger-ending format this season, if they didn't know that S3 was confirmed. And I have no hope that if they were given money for a 2-hour special to wrap things up that they could do it. How long has it been since the Wachowskis were able to tell a succinct story in movie format? The glory of Sense8 was that there was room for all the meandering character stuff amidst all the plot/action stuff.
Ugh.
posted by oh yeah! at 5:44 AM on June 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
But I'm also disappointed/angry at the Wachowskis & jms for sticking with the cliffhanger-ending format this season, if they didn't know that S3 was confirmed. And I have no hope that if they were given money for a 2-hour special to wrap things up that they could do it. How long has it been since the Wachowskis were able to tell a succinct story in movie format? The glory of Sense8 was that there was room for all the meandering character stuff amidst all the plot/action stuff.
Ugh.
posted by oh yeah! at 5:44 AM on June 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
For people who want to at least make their sadness known to Netflix, here is the link to request titles or movies. I asked for Sense8 season 3, a Sense8 movie, and a Sense8 miniseries to wrap things up.
posted by bile and syntax at 8:06 AM on June 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by bile and syntax at 8:06 AM on June 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
Reed Hastings wants a higher cancellation rate as proof that they're trying new things?
Yeah, I do not understand this thought process at all. Seems like a high cancellation rate means you're wasting money making a lot of crap. This show seemed to be a known success, even though Netflix refuses to release numbers to prove or disprove that. A major benefit of streaming services like this ought to be that even if a show doesn't have the kind of mainstream popularity of old school network TV, it should be able to survive with a smaller audience.
I can imagine they may have decided that the viewer rate wasn't enough to pay for the exorbitant cost of multi-continent filming with a large cast. But it sure seems like the show had enough followers to allow for some proper wrap up of the story, instead of just dropping it. Like, give them one more short season, or a final movie or two. Hopefully Lana Wachowski is manning the phones as we speak trying to line up funding for such an endeavor, even without Netflix's participation. "Firefly" got its "Serenity" movie after all, and whatever the box office was or wasn't for that, I know the fans deeply appreciate it.
posted by dnash at 8:53 AM on June 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I do not understand this thought process at all. Seems like a high cancellation rate means you're wasting money making a lot of crap. This show seemed to be a known success, even though Netflix refuses to release numbers to prove or disprove that. A major benefit of streaming services like this ought to be that even if a show doesn't have the kind of mainstream popularity of old school network TV, it should be able to survive with a smaller audience.
I can imagine they may have decided that the viewer rate wasn't enough to pay for the exorbitant cost of multi-continent filming with a large cast. But it sure seems like the show had enough followers to allow for some proper wrap up of the story, instead of just dropping it. Like, give them one more short season, or a final movie or two. Hopefully Lana Wachowski is manning the phones as we speak trying to line up funding for such an endeavor, even without Netflix's participation. "Firefly" got its "Serenity" movie after all, and whatever the box office was or wasn't for that, I know the fans deeply appreciate it.
posted by dnash at 8:53 AM on June 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
"Death doesn't let you say goodbye. 2 hour finale episode in the works."
The outcry worked!!
posted by dnash at 11:54 AM on June 29, 2017 [5 favorites]
The outcry worked!!
posted by dnash at 11:54 AM on June 29, 2017 [5 favorites]
WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!
posted by mountmccabe at 12:00 PM on June 29, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by mountmccabe at 12:00 PM on June 29, 2017 [1 favorite]
Awesome news! Let's go find out what happens to Wolfgang, indeed.
posted by Coaticass at 2:50 PM on June 29, 2017
posted by Coaticass at 2:50 PM on June 29, 2017
Yay. I literally just watched the last episode and came to read this thread. Was kind of bummed to see the first comments from everyone who didn't know that it was cancelled, then made it to the bottom to find out about next year's special that was just announced today. Whiplash!
posted by snofoam at 6:07 PM on June 29, 2017
posted by snofoam at 6:07 PM on June 29, 2017
Also, here's one vote for sensates are all, fuck it, and exterminate the human race.
posted by snofoam at 6:09 PM on June 29, 2017
posted by snofoam at 6:09 PM on June 29, 2017
I! AM! SO! STOKED!
I'd been dragging myself through a last mopey, sentimental re-watch before cancelling Netflix, this came through in the nick of time.
posted by angeline at 3:27 PM on June 30, 2017
I'd been dragging myself through a last mopey, sentimental re-watch before cancelling Netflix, this came through in the nick of time.
posted by angeline at 3:27 PM on June 30, 2017
Well, I'm still pessimistic about how much of the story can be resolved in only 2 hours, but something is certainly a vast improvement on nothing, and it's heartening to know that Netflix can sometimes be swayed from extreme boneheadedness. At the very least, Wolfgang will be rescued, so, add my yay! to the chorus.
posted by oh yeah! at 4:03 PM on July 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by oh yeah! at 4:03 PM on July 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
TBH I'd be pretty happy with just two hours of 4 Non Blondes karaoke with breaks for dancing and partying. Sort of like the trailer announcement, but longer.
posted by mountmccabe at 5:03 PM on July 1, 2017
posted by mountmccabe at 5:03 PM on July 1, 2017
I just finished this last night, weeks late. I had the benefit of watching season 2 after knowing it was cancelled, so this whole time I've been looking for endings, expecting a wrap-up. Which they sort of delivered? The "ha ha, I'm here in reality!" thing with Will was (I think) intended to be the big ending, and the reason it didn't make any sense is they had to cram it in fast at the last minute. At least that's how it looked to me, the writers trying to keep options open but expecting cancellation. So I'm of mixed minds about a two hour finale.
Honestly I didn't like this season nearly as much as the first season. For me this show had the same problem Heroes did. Season 1 was super fun because it was all about discovery. Who are these people? What are their powers? The joy of finding out about themselves and each other. A bit of danger. But just like in Heroes, that was mostly done at the end of Season 1. Now we know who they are and they have Adventures. It's just a totally different kind of show. I think Sense8 handled the transition better than Heroes did, but it still fell a bit flat.
My favorite part of this show are the parts that play as farce. Not satire, not comedy, but actual farce. Mostly Lito's story, but little bits elsewhere. We don't get much farce on TV these days.
posted by Nelson at 7:55 AM on August 2, 2017
Honestly I didn't like this season nearly as much as the first season. For me this show had the same problem Heroes did. Season 1 was super fun because it was all about discovery. Who are these people? What are their powers? The joy of finding out about themselves and each other. A bit of danger. But just like in Heroes, that was mostly done at the end of Season 1. Now we know who they are and they have Adventures. It's just a totally different kind of show. I think Sense8 handled the transition better than Heroes did, but it still fell a bit flat.
My favorite part of this show are the parts that play as farce. Not satire, not comedy, but actual farce. Mostly Lito's story, but little bits elsewhere. We don't get much farce on TV these days.
posted by Nelson at 7:55 AM on August 2, 2017
I just finished today. Netflix had a note saying final season in 2018. So maybe more than a 2 hour finale?
posted by LizBoBiz at 11:43 AM on August 13, 2017
posted by LizBoBiz at 11:43 AM on August 13, 2017
Lana Wachowski, some crew, and I think at least one of the actors were spotted at Chicago's North Halsted Market Days festival on Saturday. Unclear if any filming happened but I think it might have, sort of like when they filmed at Sao Paulo Pride for season 2.
(I was working at SideTrack for the weekend and know the managers who walked them in the back instead of the line out front.)
posted by dnash at 8:24 AM on August 14, 2017
(I was working at SideTrack for the weekend and know the managers who walked them in the back instead of the line out front.)
posted by dnash at 8:24 AM on August 14, 2017
I second "why is Sun fighting in her underwear?" WTF with that?
I also watched it hoping for closure--poor Wolfie missing the group uniting. Heck, poor us missing the group uniting.
Puck certainly did come out of nowhere. Did enjoy Sun breaking his digits, though.
I think the sensates trigger each other if they're around other sensates without blockers on, basically.
Why anyone would hire Andy Dick to do anything (including clean toilets) I will never understand, but he can certainly do douchebag character well (then again, coulda cast anyone else).
I always enjoy Kala fighting wars with science. Am disappointed we will never find out what crime her husband's up to or to see her and Wolfie banging in Paris.
I still can't figure out if Jonas is alive or dead or not or why the hell dead Angelica still pops up constantly.
I am wondering how they will wrap this up in 2 hours. Probably in a way similar to Serenity/Farscape, I'm guessing.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:16 PM on August 30, 2017
I also watched it hoping for closure--poor Wolfie missing the group uniting. Heck, poor us missing the group uniting.
Puck certainly did come out of nowhere. Did enjoy Sun breaking his digits, though.
I think the sensates trigger each other if they're around other sensates without blockers on, basically.
Why anyone would hire Andy Dick to do anything (including clean toilets) I will never understand, but he can certainly do douchebag character well (then again, coulda cast anyone else).
I always enjoy Kala fighting wars with science. Am disappointed we will never find out what crime her husband's up to or to see her and Wolfie banging in Paris.
I still can't figure out if Jonas is alive or dead or not or why the hell dead Angelica still pops up constantly.
I am wondering how they will wrap this up in 2 hours. Probably in a way similar to Serenity/Farscape, I'm guessing.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:16 PM on August 30, 2017
From Aleksandar Hemon at the New Yorker, one of the Sense8 writers, a nice little article about the process of writing for season 2 of Sense8, and a little update on the status of the finale:
posted by yasaman at 11:10 AM on September 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
The resurrection of “Sense8” was as joyous as its cancellation was painful. Since David and I were already all keyed up, we suspended work on the New Project, adopted a slogan—“The Pit Don’t Quit”—and set out to write a script. We cleared the metal boards and put up new cards featuring the characters of “Sense8.” Working twelve to fourteen hours a day, six days a week, we turned out pages full of ideas that would vanish into the Pit only to emerge reformed. Within a week, we had the plot outlined; within three, we had a hundred-and-sixty-page writers’ cut of the script, which we celebrated by going out to dance all night. We spent the following week cutting the script down to some hundred and thirty pages that could go out to the producers, the assistant director, and the location scouts, all of whom were eager to start preparing the shoot, the dates for which were quickly set. The production team’s reactions and suggestions resulted in another, shorter draft—the reading version—which went out to actors. The final version of the script would be created in preparation for and during the shoot, and shaped by all the people involved in production.So looks like things are well under way for that two-hour finale!
posted by yasaman at 11:10 AM on September 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
Very late to the party, having binge-watched both seasons. Netflix was keen to tell me that the third and final season is coming 2018 but didn't make it clear that it's not a full season. Still, I will take whatever I can get.
Sneak peek of the finale. I have to say, knowing there are so many fans of the show warms my heart.
posted by Athanassiel at 4:59 PM on January 28, 2018 [3 favorites]
Sneak peek of the finale. I have to say, knowing there are so many fans of the show warms my heart.
posted by Athanassiel at 4:59 PM on January 28, 2018 [3 favorites]
So this was quite the cliffhanger! (he says, as he already watched the finale)
I didn't feel the rush of them all going to London; as soon as Wolfgang was taken, I wanted them all to immediately just come to his rescue, so I think having the background of Will and Riley making the plans to attack and just setting it off because of Wolfie worked. I thought it was clear in my binging that Will basically was hunting Whispers the entire time, and especially motivated by Whispers going to see his father. And Whispers all but told him that their base was in the parliament building, and then Will had all the access he needed from the safe. The failure here was on Whispers' arrogance.
I loved it when he was like "OMG YOU'RE ACTUALLY HERE!" and then POW in the face.
But what I wanted was for them all to take a beat and realize they're mostly all there physically together for the first time!
I was also questioning why Sun is fighting in underwear again. But with the amount of nudity in this show, it almost felt like not that big of a deal, almost. At least we also got hot men in thongs on the beach and at gay pride.
posted by numaner at 5:22 PM on July 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
I didn't feel the rush of them all going to London; as soon as Wolfgang was taken, I wanted them all to immediately just come to his rescue, so I think having the background of Will and Riley making the plans to attack and just setting it off because of Wolfie worked. I thought it was clear in my binging that Will basically was hunting Whispers the entire time, and especially motivated by Whispers going to see his father. And Whispers all but told him that their base was in the parliament building, and then Will had all the access he needed from the safe. The failure here was on Whispers' arrogance.
I loved it when he was like "OMG YOU'RE ACTUALLY HERE!" and then POW in the face.
But what I wanted was for them all to take a beat and realize they're mostly all there physically together for the first time!
I was also questioning why Sun is fighting in underwear again. But with the amount of nudity in this show, it almost felt like not that big of a deal, almost. At least we also got hot men in thongs on the beach and at gay pride.
posted by numaner at 5:22 PM on July 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'm going to try and write up the finale later, since that's going to take a bit of time!
posted by numaner at 5:22 PM on July 19, 2018
posted by numaner at 5:22 PM on July 19, 2018
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Ah well. Overall, I don't think this was as good as the first season, the plotty stuff required a lot more suspension of disbelief, and in the end we're pretty much back where we started at the beginning of the season. There were good bits here and there though, I'll have to go back and give it a slower re-watch at some point.
posted by oh yeah! at 6:32 PM on May 7, 2017