I’d been waiting for your FAM thoughts since I saw the finale back when the screener dropped several weeks ago. Aside from the excellent use of Chekhov’s gun, I definitely agree across the board. I’ve been harping for the last couple seasons that they haven’t done enough to seed future generations of characters and I’m very wary about what happens in S5 now that they’ve essentially backed themselves into a corner in terms of characters remaining.
The writers haven’t proven they can create new compelling characters from whole cloth each season, so I honestly don’t know where the show can go from here - and the last thing we need is 80 year old Ed still throwing around his weight in space.
As great as this episode of Fargo was, I found the ending to be pretty annoying. When a smart, competent character does something really dumb to service a story element it just sets my teeth on edge.
Going down in that grave hole was pretty dumb, Dot is trapping herself somewhere she can't escape if she's discovered and, as Roy figures out, it's a pretty obvious hiding spot. But not taking the rifle with her down the hole makes no sense at all. As she was climbing down, my wife yelled at the TV, "Take the gun!"
And the whole thing was there just so she could be saved by Munch and have that moment with him. It's a lazy bit of construction in an otherwise excellent season of television.
What I appreciated about that moment with the tether wasn't her "victory" over Palmer, but her/the show's decision to spare the company man rather than let him get incinerated in the burn (which is what I expected to happen). Seeing Palmer at the end of the tether so close to annihilation, accompanied by the show's gorgeous score, definitely made my heart swell -- not because I had a particular connection with either of those characters, but because of the symbolic weight that image carried in the context of the broader tensions and conflicts this season. It was an unexpected moment of mercy and I found it quite moving.
While not perfect, I actually really enjoyed the FAM finale - for me it struck the landing and did a great job drawing together themes of ethical compromise and trying to resist the mercenary nature of state actors (when seemingly mercenary individuals give up their own selfishness). Maybe you are right that Ed is purely selfish, or seeking legacy, but around him there is the hope of a new society, not one bound to the trillion dollar aspirations of governments and ruling cliques - something very foundational and familial. Even for Dev it is something more esoteric and dreamlike that he pursues - and I think the show made a good choice to show him acting almost as an uncle too.
The show hasn't done such a good job with newer characters, I agree, who exist more as sketches - it also strangely often seems to drop Kelly (who alongside Aleida should be better defined) at key moments (what was her reaction to Ed's plan, what about her robots, etc?). However, I found Miles a warm secondary lead this season (I'd say he wasn't purely selfish, but focused on his family and recovering a sense of decency he had lost by almost losing everything he valued at the start of the season by being threatened with divorce and endless joblessness).
Also I empathised very much with the below decks crew, and it reminded of an interview I heard earlier this year during the strike. David Weddle or Bradley Thompson was interviewed by BBC Radio 4 about their role as a union captain or rep - I can help but feel the path to the strikes played a role when writing this season last year, or makes a strange echo?
Just finished the FAM finale and I agree there was too many shortcuts (is it a Chekovs gun hour 10 into a 10 hour season, where did that transmitter come from?) underdeveloped characters (never mind miles why is Sam literally risking her life for this?) and that truly cheap fake off and unearned emotional moment I can’t deny I still enjoyed it.
As for Echo, it didn’t aim high but still came across as the most competent thing marvel have made in years
FAM finale definitely had issues, but for me they were mostly the faults of the last few episodes coming home to roost, rather than new mistakes. Kelly has been completely disregarded and sidelined pretty much since season 2, but it feels particularly insulting now when she's one of the last recurring characters and doesn't even get a line of dialogue in the finale, let alone having her life on Mars plot tie whatsoever into the plot. The same thing happened in season 3, where she was made an idiot who apparently doesn't understand protection despite being a NASA astronaut, but the show was such a mess then that it was a bit lower on the list. Similarly, other than angry Ed marching out to dish out Danny's reckoning, I felt like the season 3 finale was largely just as bad as that season. Mission control completely failed to feel vital with the time delay, pregnant Kelly was such a ridiculous plot turn that it was completely obvious that they'd get her out successfully, and, of course, the general Danny Stevens issues.
Season 4 was still probably worse than 1 and 2. I felt it at the time, but especially in hindsight, dropping the martian strike plot in favor of the asteroid heist feels like a mistake. As you mentioned, we mostly just want Ed and Dev to succeed because it means more show about space exploration, rather than because they're doing the right thing. Murky ethics, especially with spiteful old man Ed of this season and delusional tech billionaire Dev, isn't an inherent issue, but they never really delved into it (Kelly found out last episode; she would have been a good way to prove the ethic of doing this and the up and downsides). Also, more than any year past, it feels like we're stuck waiting for the season 5 news reel to actually understand what happened. I don't think the show would have every heist member arrested but especially for Sam it's hard to see why they wouldn't. If Dev's leverage is really enough to stop that, it would have been good to explain or even hi t at a bit, probably when Sam decides with apparently no hesitation to do the EVA that guarantees revealing her involvement.
Also, as disorganized as Miles leading the workers down was, comparing it to January 6th feels more than a little unfair. The martian workers were lied to, exploited, and most recently tortured by the CIA. Violence may still not be the right response, but they're hardly bitter that their strongman of choice doesn't get to be king.
I'm hopeful Miles and Sam will stick around and get more development next season. They're definitely thin characters right now, but there's at least something to build on there. FAM is no stranger to pure set up, like Aleida in seasons 1 and 2, or Kelly and (ugh) Danny in the same seasons. Considering how important they were to the plot here, Miles and Sam really should have been fleshed out more *this* season, but I don't think it's too late to give them more in the future.
Re Fargo, does Munch actually plan to pursue Dot later? I thought that his actions and dialogue indicated only that he saved Dot because Roy’s men weren’t fighting fairly.
I know there’s a suspension of disbelief required to watch FAM, Pam getting into the North Korean astronaut suit and out to do the sabotage in two minutes flat broke me. I’ll won’t be watching season five.
Couldn't agree more Perestroika was a mess. The whole 'steel the asteroid' storyline was ludicrous to begin with. What did they think would happen after they stole it? They'd all be going to jail for a VERY long time (or worse depending on the country). Speaking of which, why was Irena arrested? Why would any viewers support the theft? Why would anyone root for Miles, an obnoxious unscrupulous thief? And on ...
And correspondingly, if its hypothesis is correct, always assume that when a show has a second season better than the first, that it’s all downhill from there. For All Mankind seems sadly likely to follow that trajectory. (Scandal is another one I’d put in the same category.)
I know you said SubStack makes no money off of you, but there's a big blue "Pledge your support" button at the end of your emails and also in the upper right corner of the web version that kinda undermines that statement. I know you're not accepting money now, but it makes it look like you're considering it, even though you're not.
The Curse finale...bonkers. Definitely a bold choice. I'm still thinking about it, that's for sure. Can't say much else.
For All Mankind, yep, it's definitely up there with the likes of Mr. Robot, The Handmaid's Tale, Homeland and The Walking Dead as having that one season that sparked but could never regain the magic. This might just be me, but I feel like maybe Apple told the showrunners a fifth season wasn't guaranteed. I say this because there was a lack of deaths, which I found surprising considering Ed and Dani should both be dead by the time the 2010's roll around, so I can't see any way for them to come back that won't be baffling. And also it's an expensive show that doesn't have the following of say Stranger Things but more-so of Halt and Catch Fire. But it's a messy show with solid enough merits to keep watching.
Fargo, I'll be honest, the first time Noah Hawley had the chance to write non-white cops, he made them side characters. Dot is an interesting protagonist, don't get me wrong, but it's something I think should be noted. Still, I do prefer this installment over 3 and 4. Also, is it me or is Noah Hawley spoofing Yellowstone with Roy Tillman's character?
Couldn't agree more Perestroika was a mess. The whole 'steel the asteroid' storyline was ludicrous to begin with. What did they think would happen after they stole it? They'd all be going to jail for a VERY long time (or worse depending on the country). Speaking of which, why was Irena arrested? Why would any viewers support the theft? Why would anyone root for Miles, an obnoxious unscrupulous thief? And on ...
I enjoyed Echo, but it should've been a movie much like most of the Disney+ shows (Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, Secret Invasion, TF&TWS; even though I liked former two a lot). I only felt WandaVision, Loki, & She-Hulk were the only ones that distinctly benefit in a tv format.
Only three live-action series left on the books (Agatha, Daredevil, Ironheart) with Wonder Man seemingly scrapped. It'll be interesting what the new era after this will look like.
I’d been waiting for your FAM thoughts since I saw the finale back when the screener dropped several weeks ago. Aside from the excellent use of Chekhov’s gun, I definitely agree across the board. I’ve been harping for the last couple seasons that they haven’t done enough to seed future generations of characters and I’m very wary about what happens in S5 now that they’ve essentially backed themselves into a corner in terms of characters remaining.
The writers haven’t proven they can create new compelling characters from whole cloth each season, so I honestly don’t know where the show can go from here - and the last thing we need is 80 year old Ed still throwing around his weight in space.
As great as this episode of Fargo was, I found the ending to be pretty annoying. When a smart, competent character does something really dumb to service a story element it just sets my teeth on edge.
Going down in that grave hole was pretty dumb, Dot is trapping herself somewhere she can't escape if she's discovered and, as Roy figures out, it's a pretty obvious hiding spot. But not taking the rifle with her down the hole makes no sense at all. As she was climbing down, my wife yelled at the TV, "Take the gun!"
And the whole thing was there just so she could be saved by Munch and have that moment with him. It's a lazy bit of construction in an otherwise excellent season of television.
Fargo has always been good at music drops and Whipping Post made for a great ending.
But the YMCA drop was maybe the most delicious one yet. Really appreciate Hawley not pulling any punches.
What I appreciated about that moment with the tether wasn't her "victory" over Palmer, but her/the show's decision to spare the company man rather than let him get incinerated in the burn (which is what I expected to happen). Seeing Palmer at the end of the tether so close to annihilation, accompanied by the show's gorgeous score, definitely made my heart swell -- not because I had a particular connection with either of those characters, but because of the symbolic weight that image carried in the context of the broader tensions and conflicts this season. It was an unexpected moment of mercy and I found it quite moving.
While not perfect, I actually really enjoyed the FAM finale - for me it struck the landing and did a great job drawing together themes of ethical compromise and trying to resist the mercenary nature of state actors (when seemingly mercenary individuals give up their own selfishness). Maybe you are right that Ed is purely selfish, or seeking legacy, but around him there is the hope of a new society, not one bound to the trillion dollar aspirations of governments and ruling cliques - something very foundational and familial. Even for Dev it is something more esoteric and dreamlike that he pursues - and I think the show made a good choice to show him acting almost as an uncle too.
The show hasn't done such a good job with newer characters, I agree, who exist more as sketches - it also strangely often seems to drop Kelly (who alongside Aleida should be better defined) at key moments (what was her reaction to Ed's plan, what about her robots, etc?). However, I found Miles a warm secondary lead this season (I'd say he wasn't purely selfish, but focused on his family and recovering a sense of decency he had lost by almost losing everything he valued at the start of the season by being threatened with divorce and endless joblessness).
Also I empathised very much with the below decks crew, and it reminded of an interview I heard earlier this year during the strike. David Weddle or Bradley Thompson was interviewed by BBC Radio 4 about their role as a union captain or rep - I can help but feel the path to the strikes played a role when writing this season last year, or makes a strange echo?
Just finished the FAM finale and I agree there was too many shortcuts (is it a Chekovs gun hour 10 into a 10 hour season, where did that transmitter come from?) underdeveloped characters (never mind miles why is Sam literally risking her life for this?) and that truly cheap fake off and unearned emotional moment I can’t deny I still enjoyed it.
As for Echo, it didn’t aim high but still came across as the most competent thing marvel have made in years
FAM finale definitely had issues, but for me they were mostly the faults of the last few episodes coming home to roost, rather than new mistakes. Kelly has been completely disregarded and sidelined pretty much since season 2, but it feels particularly insulting now when she's one of the last recurring characters and doesn't even get a line of dialogue in the finale, let alone having her life on Mars plot tie whatsoever into the plot. The same thing happened in season 3, where she was made an idiot who apparently doesn't understand protection despite being a NASA astronaut, but the show was such a mess then that it was a bit lower on the list. Similarly, other than angry Ed marching out to dish out Danny's reckoning, I felt like the season 3 finale was largely just as bad as that season. Mission control completely failed to feel vital with the time delay, pregnant Kelly was such a ridiculous plot turn that it was completely obvious that they'd get her out successfully, and, of course, the general Danny Stevens issues.
Season 4 was still probably worse than 1 and 2. I felt it at the time, but especially in hindsight, dropping the martian strike plot in favor of the asteroid heist feels like a mistake. As you mentioned, we mostly just want Ed and Dev to succeed because it means more show about space exploration, rather than because they're doing the right thing. Murky ethics, especially with spiteful old man Ed of this season and delusional tech billionaire Dev, isn't an inherent issue, but they never really delved into it (Kelly found out last episode; she would have been a good way to prove the ethic of doing this and the up and downsides). Also, more than any year past, it feels like we're stuck waiting for the season 5 news reel to actually understand what happened. I don't think the show would have every heist member arrested but especially for Sam it's hard to see why they wouldn't. If Dev's leverage is really enough to stop that, it would have been good to explain or even hi t at a bit, probably when Sam decides with apparently no hesitation to do the EVA that guarantees revealing her involvement.
Also, as disorganized as Miles leading the workers down was, comparing it to January 6th feels more than a little unfair. The martian workers were lied to, exploited, and most recently tortured by the CIA. Violence may still not be the right response, but they're hardly bitter that their strongman of choice doesn't get to be king.
I'm hopeful Miles and Sam will stick around and get more development next season. They're definitely thin characters right now, but there's at least something to build on there. FAM is no stranger to pure set up, like Aleida in seasons 1 and 2, or Kelly and (ugh) Danny in the same seasons. Considering how important they were to the plot here, Miles and Sam really should have been fleshed out more *this* season, but I don't think it's too late to give them more in the future.
Re Fargo, does Munch actually plan to pursue Dot later? I thought that his actions and dialogue indicated only that he saved Dot because Roy’s men weren’t fighting fairly.
I know there’s a suspension of disbelief required to watch FAM, Pam getting into the North Korean astronaut suit and out to do the sabotage in two minutes flat broke me. I’ll won’t be watching season five.
Couldn't agree more Perestroika was a mess. The whole 'steel the asteroid' storyline was ludicrous to begin with. What did they think would happen after they stole it? They'd all be going to jail for a VERY long time (or worse depending on the country). Speaking of which, why was Irena arrested? Why would any viewers support the theft? Why would anyone root for Miles, an obnoxious unscrupulous thief? And on ...
When it comes to second seasons of shows, I always think of this article. https://www.vulture.com/2018/04/tv-hypothesis-season-2-is-every-shows-best-or-worst-season.html
And correspondingly, if its hypothesis is correct, always assume that when a show has a second season better than the first, that it’s all downhill from there. For All Mankind seems sadly likely to follow that trajectory. (Scandal is another one I’d put in the same category.)
I know you said SubStack makes no money off of you, but there's a big blue "Pledge your support" button at the end of your emails and also in the upper right corner of the web version that kinda undermines that statement. I know you're not accepting money now, but it makes it look like you're considering it, even though you're not.
The Curse finale...bonkers. Definitely a bold choice. I'm still thinking about it, that's for sure. Can't say much else.
For All Mankind, yep, it's definitely up there with the likes of Mr. Robot, The Handmaid's Tale, Homeland and The Walking Dead as having that one season that sparked but could never regain the magic. This might just be me, but I feel like maybe Apple told the showrunners a fifth season wasn't guaranteed. I say this because there was a lack of deaths, which I found surprising considering Ed and Dani should both be dead by the time the 2010's roll around, so I can't see any way for them to come back that won't be baffling. And also it's an expensive show that doesn't have the following of say Stranger Things but more-so of Halt and Catch Fire. But it's a messy show with solid enough merits to keep watching.
Fargo, I'll be honest, the first time Noah Hawley had the chance to write non-white cops, he made them side characters. Dot is an interesting protagonist, don't get me wrong, but it's something I think should be noted. Still, I do prefer this installment over 3 and 4. Also, is it me or is Noah Hawley spoofing Yellowstone with Roy Tillman's character?
Couldn't agree more Perestroika was a mess. The whole 'steel the asteroid' storyline was ludicrous to begin with. What did they think would happen after they stole it? They'd all be going to jail for a VERY long time (or worse depending on the country). Speaking of which, why was Irena arrested? Why would any viewers support the theft? Why would anyone root for Miles, an obnoxious unscrupulous thief? And on ...
I enjoyed Echo, but it should've been a movie much like most of the Disney+ shows (Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, Secret Invasion, TF&TWS; even though I liked former two a lot). I only felt WandaVision, Loki, & She-Hulk were the only ones that distinctly benefit in a tv format.
Only three live-action series left on the books (Agatha, Daredevil, Ironheart) with Wonder Man seemingly scrapped. It'll be interesting what the new era after this will look like.
I too am staying on Substack, despite the handful of unpleasant people some journalist found. Whew!