phoenics

Girl - I am pretty sure Far Away Husband will eventually no longer be of this world because whew. Thony and Arman are smoking hot onscreen together. Plus - I LOVE Adan Canto.

I think it's because being a doctor and knowing about the chemistry of things like blood, etc, makes her a better "cleaning up a crime scene" cleaner than a regular cleaner would be. When she initially convinced Arman to let her clean up the scene, she talked about using the right chemicals to break down the blood so it would be undetectable by police, etc... a regular cleaning person wouldn't have that kind of knowledge. The other reason it's important is that she came to the US on a visa that she was able to get in part because she IS a doctor. That gave her connections and put her higher on the list to get that initial visa (that has now run out because the first donor backed out and they're waiting on a new donor or this experimental program). It explains how she got to the US. It also might be social commentary on the way the US immigration system picks and chooses.

My gaaaaaawwwwwwwdddddd thaaaaattt draaaaaaaagggggggggeeeddd. I liked Aneesha at first but her kids are sooooo whiny I kept wanting her to duck tape their mouths closed. Her son really annoys me. Trevante was the only one displaying the rage and fear this situation calls for - though he needs some more cuss words. Aneesha going on the adventure and then suddenly remembering she has a family made me hate her for an entire episode until she killed that thing. The old wife in the house panicking and acting all nuts? I wanted to push her right into the alien and I felt nothing when she died. Jamila and the seizure kid are the most interesting to me but if he wakes up will he be alien controlled then? Mitsuki started off so well but she became a bit of a Mary Sue in the end, knowing more than EVERYONE - which was annoying. And her complete selfishness over Hinata when she knew it was one person vs billions? I get it but god she was annoying. How did she think they were gonna get Hinata back (I still don’t believe it was actually her) with no infrastructure? Unless the show moves away from this boring small individual character study format I won’t be back. I don’t care about their tiny problems when the world is literally ending and none of them seem to care about stopping the aliens - except the seizure kid and his friend. This whole lord of the flies, panic and fall apart and be MORE selfish is so annoying. The only ones who seemed to care about anything other than themselves were jamila and seizure kid (what’s his name)? Did I mention I can’t stand Luke? Oh and no way is Ahmed dead. That would be too much like right. Cool space ship at the end. It feels like this was a remote control invasion with infantry sacrificed to prepare for the real aliens? I will say the infantry aliens were terrifying. But this moves too slowly to watch on a weekly basis.

They aren't well established. For non-book readers they are just what we've seen this season. Maybe the writers will delve more deeply into Rand in S2? Also - I really don't want to know anything more than what we've seen this season. I don't want to know who Rand is in the books yet. I don't want to know anything about that. I get it's hard - but it's frustrating to have book fans telling non-book fans our reading of the characters is wrong because of the book knowledge you have. I feel those complaints really should stay in the book threads, sorry, because they are in a way spoiling. Telling us Rand is the protagonist and hero is technically spoiling us - because until the character earns that on the show, he's ... not the hero or protagonist yet in this rendition. That being said - I think there is room for all of these characters to have their moment in the sun and to get fleshed out deeply. I don't think a tv show will make it long solely focused on just Rand. I think the show has set it up that ALL of them are deeply important - even if Rand is the dragon. I'm here for that story, sorry if others aren't. And if/when Rand earns that top dog spot, I'll be down for that story too. For now, I have my faves.

I think the issue is up until now, they still haven't shown Rand's power. He still pales in comparison to the 2 bursts of power we've seen from Nynaeve. Even the way the story framed those two bursts make NYNAEVE look more like the protagonist than Rand. I'm definitely way more interested in her journey than his. I wanna see her become an Aes Sedai and I want to see what's going on with Egwene, Mat and Perrin too. Rand? Meh. I was shocked when he was revealed to be the dragon - I literally didn't believe it and thought a twist had to be coming. I wonder if this is because Rand is inexperienced and hasn't come into command of his immense power or what. Not!HaydenChristiansen hasn't done much to excite me - but I'm sure he could if the writing helped him a little.

Been doing another rewatch and just noticed that Padan Fain (that's his name, right?) had the dagger Mat had. How does he have the same dagger? Were duplicates made? Because didn't Lan/Moraine dispose of the one Mat had? Also - what does "focal points of the wheel" mean? Like - spokes of the wheel? Or just incredibly important to the wheel's pattern? The wheel is the thing that spins out the pattern, right? Or does it just spin the yarn?

I don't feel like this show presents Rand as the main protagonist - that's the thing. I was surprised when I saw the screentime play out that he was as up there as he was. His presence on the show has felt so non-protagon-ish to me?

I'm not disappointed I'm just confused as a non-book reader. The episode felt fragmented in so many places and the whole Rand and Dark One part was so completely confusing. Is Ishmael the Dark One? Are they separate? What does it mean this was the first battle? I'm SO confused. Not enough to stop watching - I still love this show so so much and I'm invested. I had to watch the episode twice to understand what I saw and while I sort of get what Padan Fain or whoever was saying, I don't believe him - or I believe TDO has hoodwinked all the DarkFriends to think that's his goal when really it's to wipe everyone out. But I don't really understand what anything means for S2 though - especially not the tidal wave part? Wha - ? It was cool seeing Wakanda in the beginning though. The part with the women channelling to defeat the Trolloc Army was awesome - in one shot you could see how much of the light Nynaeve and Egwene were able to pull. And it was cool to see how channelling can burn you out if you draw too much. I honestly felt more from Egwene when Nynaeve 'died' than at any time with Rand. And that whole thing with Rand having to choose the right path - I get WHY he had to overcome that but him coming to recognize that just felt like - wait - I'm applauding him for realizing he can't force Egwene to be a happy homemaker? Coupled with the disappointment that he really IS the dragon - this conflict he's dealing with felt inherently ... dated. Like a protagonist realizing this in the 80s makes sense but in 2021 I guess I expect my protagonists to already BE where Rand eventually landed, but not after a whole ass season of him whining like a little b!tch constantly about Egwene not centering her life around him. So yay he finally caught up but .... also meh. I'm hoping being the Dragon is much more of a curse than a blessing so that maybe we will get some layers to Rand so he's less bland... maybe this Hayden Christiansen doppelganger will play a descent to the dark side better in this series than in the Star Wars one. Lan and Nynaeve continue to be the gift that keeps on giving - loved EVERY BIT of them. That chemistry is just ... wow. Off the charts. I love angst and they give it to me in spades. Loved Lan's comment - he's going to both love and hate the man who Nynaeve choses as her Warder when she becomes an Aes Sedai. And then she finally tells him how she tracked them - or tracked Moraine and then shows him how so he can find Moraine. So so good. Honestly Nynaeve seems to have had the biggest arc all season - you can see where she started and where she landed over the course of the season. It comes across so much more strongly than Rand's arc. The show really did Lan and Nynaeve right and based on the show socials, they know it. Is there significance to her being unable to hear the wind though? What does that mean? Egwene can still hear it. I have no idea what's coming in S2 but I'm here for it.

It was the first episode when they’d had an argument about how she didn’t come to the pub for Egwene’s celebration or to her trial before that. It was clear there was tension between them over something to do with Egwene. Then later they are in bed together and Perrin says “I love you” to Laila and she responds “I know”. That was the first inkling I got that there was something going on but after Perrin accidentally kills Laila (felt so bad for him) I forgot about it and was mostly watching Perrin and willing him not to fall into a pit of despair.

Just to be clear - when I said the ship came out of nowhere I meant in general on the show. I saw sparks between them the moment she tried to kill him in the woods and he was so shocked and after he disarmed her and was holding onto her from behind he goes “oooohhhh you tried to kill me!”. I saw the sparks right then. My point was more so about the whole show - when I picked the show up to watch I had no clue this ship was a possibility and I was surprised at how fast I started shipping them. The show dropped every romantic trope it could find on them - totally agree with you there. Sorry my comment wasn’t clear.

Maybe that's why I kept thinking the reveal about Rand was unearned? Because it just felt so ... the norm? After NyNaeve's moment where I was truly SHOCKED, the Rand moment just paled. I have thoughts about Moraine too but it's from what I've heard about her in the books and her prominence there so I'll go to the spoiler thread or if there is a race thread here to discuss her being centered on the show.

We watched and had the exact same reactions. I have not read the books so I'm still looking at everything with wonder and amazement - I have no idea where anything is going but I'm enjoying the ride. I also felt the Rand reveal was totally unearned - I was left scratching my head like - are you sure he's the dragon? I don't believe it at all. I keep thinking they all are. Maybe there is something about his species (?) that clouds things due to his relationships with the others? And Lan/Nynaeve - whew - that ship came out of nowhere to me and grabbed on tight. Love them. It is nice watching Nynaeve soften around Lan. And Rand/Egwene/Perrin - le sigh. I don't get this at all. That felt like whiplash. And it definitely complicates what happened in the first episode. If I was him I'd be even more eaten with guilt over that - but at the same time - until he and Egwene were off on their own, I saw nothing from him to her. Not a thing. And even then it just felt platonic? So Rand's jealousy just felt overblown. But then again, his reactions to Egwene have always felt whiny and overblown - the show just hasn't spent enough time explaining why he's so clingy to her. Both Rand and Nynaeve are far more wary of Moraine than the others and it feels like the show didn't really delve into why enough.

This - the writing really seems to have left far more breadcrumbs pointing to all of them being the dragon vs just one of them. So I'm still not sure Rand is really the dragon. Plus the reveal felt shaky and uncertain. Were the writers thinking they'd made it super clear that Rand is the dragon or no?

This was super informative - thanks - explains how Thawne is now a living paradox, which I didn't grasp before.

I just realized something. The show HAD to eventually bring Eobard back for one really important reason - to finally connect with the Pilot. I weep at what a much more capable writers' room could have accomplished with this but I just realized they (poorly) explained why a flash removed Barry from the house the night his mother died. That must have been THIS Barry after he reached Mach 20 in this episode. Eobard tells Barry that the reason Barry is disappearing is because he killed Barry as a child - which led to Eobard being able to take on the mantle of the Flash. Big glaring pothole though is that means Barry should be dead - so all of Team Flash knowing he's Barry Allen seems like a plothole? Maybe they don't think the Barry Allen Iris and Joe knew before that night is the same one they see now as Reverse Flash? Man - this could have been so much better if they had shown Barry running at Mach 20 to go back to save himself like they showed in the pilot. The problem is they didn't make it clear that Barry was running all the way back to when he was a child so he could save himself from Thawne - but that the result would be that his mother would die instead. What a missed opportunity. We wasted ALL that time on Chellegra - when we could have seen Barry have to go back to save himself, knowing full well he'd be making the choice yet again to let his mother die.

Hahaha! Oh wow - I did NOT notice that. Let me go look.

I'm with you. This was the best Flash episode in like FOREVER. At least 2 seasons - basically since Eric W took over. I was stressed a LOT during this episode and I know RF is overused but he's terrifying for a reason - because he hits Barry emotionally in a way no one else can (except maybe Hunter) - but I kept worrying Barry wouldn't be able to overcome this - and even if he did that RF would live to fight another day and wreak havoc. In the back of my mind is a comic story with RF where he does the unthinkable and that fear was a low current for me this whole episode. I'm still mad at Cecile for her actions last week though - even though that's been erased now - but naw my hatred remains, lol. Chester and Allegra took up too much time for me - I wished we got more WestThawne scenes. And I felt Alex and Ryan propping Chellegra up was a waste. I truly enjoyed Damien Dahrk - that was SO good and that actor (forgot his name) is SO compelling. I loved every scene he was in and I even loved his pep talk to Barry - that was so well done - like you, I can't tell if it was just written so much better or if he delivered it so well it just worked. And of course - WestAllen - finally this show did right by them. I knew when Thawne told Iris to shoot Barry, she'd know in her spirit something wasn't right and she did! And Thawne getting out that shocked and weak "Iris ..." when she shot him was GOLD. I admit I have to laugh at Tom Cavenaugh finally getting the WestThawne pairing he's been advocating for for years! LOL. Apparently he said in an interview somewhere that he played all of the Wells and RF instances around Iris like Eobard has a crush on her. Not sure he's done that from the beginning but it made me chuckle. Anyway - loved all of this and the scream of frustration I let out when Barry was in the middle of expressing his feelings to Iris before he ran off and maybe died and Eobard showed up - aaaarrrgh... but then Barry went right on with his speech... then Iris heard him when he was in the Speed Force... and we gat the WestAllen montage ... awwww. And I felt that speedhug at the end too - though - what is up with EVERY couple on this show getting to kiss except WestAllen? We haven't seen them kiss since before the pandemic! Right? But still for me a great episode. The stakes were insane, the drama was high - Alex and Ryan kicking Barry's @ss was epic, lol. Oh - also LOVED Iris getting a friend in Ryan - the two are friends in real life and that definitely seeped through onscreen - great chemistry. Loved them soo much. I hope we get to see more of that friendship as we go. Iris needs real friends. Not people who report to her at work - true friends. Because given how Chester and Caitlin joined up with Cecile after she attacked Iris last week, those folks ain't loyal. Honestly they've been proving that season after season. So - a few nitpicky points - but loved this episode in a way I haven't in soooo long. Finally a big buildup to a climax that doesn't wimp out like in the last couple of seasons.

OMG that was HER?!?! Wow - that is an awesome actress and I'm SO glad she's on the reboot. Also - she literally hasn't aged at all. Damn.

I agree with this - the show needs some actual villains and they need to let Julien be ruthless with her ish. They keep trying to make her the nice girl but she just comes off as directionless. And even Max has completely lost his edge. Aki and Audrey are boring - Audrey is like Blair but bumbing, stupid and childish. Aki is just dull as dishwater. Max WAS amazing but now he's just as dull as Aki and Audrey are. The show is afraid to let anyone be fully bad. Except some of the adults. ETA: Why can't Jordan just change the passwords and the 2nd factor? Does everyone have to do it simultaneously like some kind of nuclear launch where multiple keys have to be turned at the same time?

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who got whiplash at Obie's back and forth. The whole plot was just weird. Because Julian couldn't tell him she loved him when she had all kinds of hell raining down on her, Obie got pissy and took his "love" and went home? Ugh - just when I was almost starting to like him again. The writers irritate me - it's like they just wanted an episode with everyone yelling at Julian, so they made everyone fuss her out for THEIR choices to shield her from her dad's drama a few eps back and then Obie himself breaks her heart AGAIN because she needed some time and couldn't say she loved him back when he sprung it on her. Obie is SO selfish. And this episode made no sense. I'm glad Julien decided she was wrong for the plot with Grace - but I don't get wtf that was at the end. Julien's gonna go scorched earth sending tips to GG but GG won't know which ones are true? Like wtf? Then after GG goes off like a dirty bomb, destroying everyone, Julien will destroy GG? I don't get it. Though I am looking forward to seeing Julien vs Monet next season. That's a rivalry on par with Serena vs Blair. It's just too bad they aren't really friends. With Max, Audrey and Aki, I feel kinda warmed but also extremely bored. Their happy little threesome triangle relationship feels like an after school special and I can't figure out why. LOVE Monet's mom - OMG I stan the hell out of her. I hope she gets oodles of screentime next year. If Julien emerges from this with some purpose, direction, and ruthlessness, then I'm all for it. I'm tired of her letting everyone else run her life - her instincts are better when she's left to her own devices instead of listening to the two devils on her shoulder (monet and luna).

Easy - you write for them and take care of them. Especially on a show that is supposed to be about THEM, not the damn batfamily. It's pretty clear these showrunners and writers think no characters are as good as batfamily characters, but they're wrong and they're also showing why DC is headed into the toilet with that mentality. The Avengers were no where near as popular in the general public as the X-Men characters (and def not more known than the Justice League characters) until Marvel decided to truly focus on them. They gave them amazing stories centered on THEM and didn't fall back on crutches like DC constantly does with Batman. Sadly the success of Arrow (basically a batman ripoff) just gave these producers more incentive and license to do this again and again. That's pathetic and will eventually destroy DC properties because they'll just run Batman into the ground. Hell, I'm sick of him and his batfam and I love Bats. If this show would actually write for the Titans, then BB could easily compete with Jason or NIghtwing or Batman. Because the show would write an arc to make us care. That's what good writers do. I HATE the batfamily drama and hope this is the last season dominated by it. Give me TITANS. Damn.

I wonder if Kory's visions are related to the woman Kom possessed? That feels too simple - it's something else. Kom is clearly using Connor to drain his powers or something - her powers coalescing under the bed was spooky tho. Then Kory went into a trance again... what is going on? Her vision was in a theater of a blank play with Crown in the title and then her vision leads her to circle some shop with Crown in the title... so this is about the throne of Tamaran? Connor/Kom was hot tho ... Was the water leak in Babs office symbolic of the poor Gotham infrastructure or was that meant to show the police have been compromised by the poison? Hate that Crane tricked Kory so easily. Why didn't Connor take Tim to the hospital? Could've used more Gar. Why is Dick hallucinating again? Really solid episode.

Even though I felt sorry for Dawn last week, I too was relieved to see her go this week. And I too noticed how she tried to convince Dick to come be with her in Paris. Like - Hank just literally got blown up - partially due to HER actions - and now she's macking on Dick and trying to convince him to come live with her in Paris? Whew lawd - they wrote her into the ground, lmao. About Kory and the therapist - I don't trust him either. I thought he was just a one off last week but now ... I dunno. He's also creepy as hell - trying to treat and mack on her at the same time. Pick a lane, Therapist. With Blackfire - I just wonder what her motives are. No way do I buy she's just here to be a whiny sibling. Please oh please oh please let this be happening! Please let this show be heading for a Tamaranean invasion!! Ooh now I just had a wild thought - Now I can't stop thinking about that spoiler.

Dawn has always come from money. She and her mother had a tumultuous relationship where the mother was pressuring/forcing Dawn to live a socialite existence with a lot of control, etc.. stifling her. I think there was also something with Dawn's dad who was abusive or something and how the mother accepted that just to hold onto money? I can't fully remember but yeah - Dawn's family has MONEY money.

I'm way late on commenting here about this episode but WOW. This ep broke my heart - I really thought they were gonna save Hank, even though I knew the actor got another show and even though they practically telegraphed him dying. I just had an irrational hope I guess that they would manage to save him. Wow. And like others, Hawk and Dove weren't my faves - but I defintely liked Hank way more than Dawn so I was really devastated to see him die. Like - screaming at the tv in a loud "Nooooooo!" and then sitting in complete silence at the aftermath. And I couldn't even blame Dawn - she must have been so desperate to save him and didn't think they would but man if she'd just waited 5 seconds Connor would have been able to get there and disarm it. What a DIABOLICAL plan by Jason gaaaddddayum - poor Dawn. She wasn't my fave (way too hypocritical and self-righteous on top of it for me) but sheesh I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Wow. Poor poor Dawn. That just sucks. I'd been hoping for a spin-off for Hawk and Dove ... not this? Poor Dawn realizing what happened and that she detonated the bomb ... FFS that was awful. Connor standing there in the flames and aftermath of the explosion gave me Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice vibes from when the capital explosion happened and Superman was standing in the middle of it all after the bomb went off. Krypto walking out all somber and sad really made me emotional for some reason. I don't know why that part made me lose it.