Pike Ludwell

I am puzzled by Roland's starting the fight with the bikers in the bar. Some are saying he did it to punish himself for his guilt in killing Harris James. If that were the case, he should have let them beat him up a bit and be done with it. He started the fight, fought back like a madman, kept it going when he could have ended it, and caused severe injury, if not permanent damage, to several people. He was the bad guy there and I don't see how it could have alleviated his guilt. It added to his "crimes".

Seems like they wanted to leave some things uncertain and for there to be room for people to draw a variety of conclusions. Was the jungle scene at the very end an allusion to an Owl Creek sort of thing? i.e., that the whole thing was stuff going on in Hays' head as he was dying. It was a weak idea because we didn't see Hays shot or anything. But still it's possible for people to go in that direction, and the writer might have thrown that in just for that reason. Did Hays realize he had found the girl at that moment on the porch with his family? What was Hays' son going to do with the note with the address? Like song or poetry writers, I think this writer likes to open up ideas for people to think about rather than drive a precise point.

I was just relieved to see that finally SOMEONE in a TV show, knowing they were in danger, actually made sure to have guns handy to deal with it. I was concerned till I saw him set that first trap, and right then I was like: "right on"!! Of course, now his house is blown up, so maybe that was a bit much.

I know. I didn't say she was. As to the boy .. we don't know. We do know that their torture of he guy was illegal and based on minimal evidence, and very heavy-handed police behavior. He could have been the wrong guy or the right guy, but the evidence was absolutely minimal. That is my main point.

He wasn't the killer of the Purcell girl -- he was not that particular culprit.

Actually I take back the insinuation of them supporting the cultural direction I indicated. As I think about it more, the two detectives had been acting like total jerks to everyone they interviewed. That was their style. In fact they even wrongly beat up that white guy, who was the wrong guy, who had done time for being a predator. So when they take their heavy-handed style into the interview with the dead eyed black man, we see him and his neighbors **erroneously** conclude it was racism or some similar wrong, and overreact and resort to violence. So we see it was too complicated for a kneejerk reaction, like the crowd had.

They are stepping up the "race" aspects in the show, I suppose to fit in with today's BLM ideology and make the show "relevant". I do think that the racial situation at that trailer court where they were interviewing that African American with the bad eye was a bit off. The cops were too heavy handed - as these two usually are -- but within reason, and it led to the black guy way overreacting, assuming racism, and the crowd overreacting in the same way, and becoming riotous. Then the detectives guilt or whatever kicked in and they decided not to prosecute anyone for stupidly breaking their windshield. Funny racial thinking in the writing, I think - other times too.

I think the guy imitated Tucker Carlson well in terms of voice and some mannerisms. But the writing was really way to kind to him. He actually came across better than in real life. I remember how they destroyed Joe and Mika ... and then this complimentary thing on Tucker?

When I see people discussing Lt. Yaphit as if it is a serious character ... well, I grimace.

One of the hilarious aspects of this show is the exaggerated goofy traditions, thoughts and characteristics of the aliens -- and the appearance of the aliens as well. Yes Star Trek and TNG had aliens with odd rules. But this goes further - into hilarious satire. E.g. the idea that Bortus' people urinate once a year and make a sacred ceremony out of it. Or they divorce by killing the partner. The peoples in this episode being insanely ruled by very simple minded astrology beliefs. So many other examples. And last week we saw the Krill justifying their attacks with some simple minded thing along the lines "we believed the planet was our sacred right, by the great God, "Avis". The inhabitants did not conform to our thinking that it was our sacred right, so they had to be destroyed." Absolutely hilarious stuff.

"All the world is birthday cake" seems a reference to the Beatles song "It's All Too Much". Is Seth a Beatles fan?

I'm watching for the first time (on Hulu). I just watched the above episode, and I think the show is deteriorating a little, starting around this ep. The judge's reasoning in that case was horrendous, but I think the writers thought it was heroic and good. Bad writing I think. Alan's affection for that comical man who killed his mother and a neighbor with a skillet seems out of character. The dress Sally Heep was wearing when talking to Brad, near the end was unbuttoned and very revealing, which is fine with me -- I wish women dressed like that wear I have worked. But it seemed strange to show so much to a guy she should hate for what he said. There were other problems too. I just have a feeling the show is on a downward spiral where things make less sense than they used to, but I will see.

I would like to see Yaphit (that blob of a creature) return. Perhaps there could be an episode focusing on Dr Finn and him trying to have a relationship. (Maybe she realized, after the pheromone episode last season that they have things in common.) Dr. Finn is having difficulty and is feeling very guilty about not being able to like him because of his physical characteristics. They go to a counselor to try to work out the diversity issues. It could be hilarious.

He wasn't stalking. He wanted to get some info, got the info, and then disappeared! BTW< I just watched The Shield, and his reaction when he first saw reminded me of Dutch's reaction when he saw Sofer (his crush) with Mackey: : "You've got to be shi..ing me."

I'm seeing complaints that there was not enough dramatic plot to this episode. To me this show isn't about science fictioney dramatic, exciting plots. It's about the characters and the interplay with each other and technology, and the satire of it all. I see satire all over the place on this show , some of which is sort of subtle, and am constantly laughing out loud. This was one of my favorite episodes of the whole series. You could tell the writer(s) had time to think through a lot of great ideas.

I wish that people, including Seth McFarland, would stop pretending this is a serious drama. It is light comedy for the most part and that is what makes it enjoyable. Please show ... do not try to get too serious with these characters and this premise. There is nothing wrong with comedy.

I think it was inside joke, sort of slap in the face to the Homeland writers -- saying their president was too wimpy. LOL

We learned in Homeland a prez cannot avoid the 25th amendment by firing cabinet members!! The supreme court in Homeland ruled that prez could not fire just 4 or 5, much less the entire cabinet!! But here it's like she tears up the letter, fires them all immediately, and all is hunky dory even though she had demonstrably been acting like a certifiable nut case for weeks.

Thought so. How about this line from Vanessa at the wedding when the incriminating video of Fisk has been released: "You'll handle it, Wilson, like you handle everything. Show them that none of it matters."

The way the writers are portraying Fisk. Very Interesting. “I know that most of you find this difficult to accept. That’s only because you’ve been manipulated, poisoned into believing the news media’s fake story that I am evil, that I am a criminal. Quite the opposite is true. Because I challenge the system, because I’ve told the truth and tried to make this city a better place, the people in power decided to tear me down. To tear me down with false allegations. They sent someone to frame me. Daredevil. The killer who’s now showing his true colors, who has tried to murder people in newspaper offices and churches, attacking our sacred institutions. Believe me. Daredevil is our true public enemy.” Portraying Fisk as Trump-like? I know politics isn't allowed here, but I say this in terms of a non-handicapped analysis of the show - I think the writers are drawing parallels to our modern situation.

I'm not super eager to see Fisk return. I think it's time to go in a new direction. Matt's thinking was flawed in not killing him. He was thinking too much and being a little too clever by half. It would have been self defense and defense of his friends. His catholicism and foggy persuaded him he couldn't live with himself if he did so? He'd be a new person he couldn't live with? Yet in the course of the series he's killed or maimed countless people in his fights. Why is immediate self defense so different from defending oneself and friends from rather certain future attacks from an extremely powerful foe? I'm not heavily into Marvel, but is it one of Marvel's things for its heroes to be constantly obsessing and overthinking on morality, so that is what led the writers to go that rather forced route? Also, the idea that a morbidly obese out of shape old guy like Fisk is such an incredible fighter defies credulity. I loved it when he punched a brick wall as hard as he could, basically said ouch, and continued fighting as if all was fine. You really have to suspend disbelief in a major way at these fight scenes. I just focus on the stunt performance, the gags, and the general artistry behind the whole setup, and then I can enjoy the insanity of it all.

Gotta love these writers. I am interested in themes of battling corrupt leaders. Karen's speech hit the nail on the head: "We have all been lied to. We've been manipulated by a sociopath who doesn't care about the truth or about who he hurts or about anyone but himself." I love themes of such leaders being destroyed.

Chuck wasn't just tolerating Jimmy in the sequence - he seemed to truly like him and was very caring - unlike the flashback this season to the mailroom where Chuck showed flashes of annoyance, and the Rebecca scene as well which you mention. Much of Chuck's expressions to Jimmy last season seemed like there was never a true liking of Jimmy ("I never gave much thought about you", etc.) - at best just a reluctant tolerance. So a scene showing genuine caring for him seemed strange.

The karaoke sequence seemed surprising to me. I had thought Chuck showed hostility to Jimmy back then -- he didn't think Jimmy was worthy of being a lawyer from the very beginning. So all the kumbaya and caring seemed out of character.

I hated the opening. They had limited time to deal with a lot of things, and this was wasted time. At least come up with a better song for the karaoke than that piece of junk. And what about the Gene situation we saw in episode 1? They could have followed up on that.