smartymarty

The book did not have Anna delivering a tape (there was no tape), and yes, her getting into the ceiling was absurd. Also, Alexander had someone dressed like him on a train to Finland to lead authorities off the track. My memory is that Alex and Anna lived in rural Russia after their escape, Alex never wanting to leave "his country." I was disappointed that they changed this ending, particularly too that they made it ambiguous whether he and Anna were successful -- Sophia's voice-over can be interpreted as her wishful thinking rather than what happened (we also never see how Alexander leaves the hotel). I thought that the phones ringing was not only a signal that Sophia had succeeded, but a distraction so that he could leave undetected. These issues notwithstanding, I thought the series was quite good, quite faithful to the book, and enjoyable despite that I'd read the book.

That might well be it. As I posted in episode 1, there's something smarmy about it. At this point, I'm watching for Josh Charles.

Didn't care for Imogen's smarmy trying to be friends with Adilah. If Adilah is in fact a major ISIS commander, she would see right through that.

But I can't tell WHY they finish so fast compared to the other teams. Why were they faster on the cacao (other than getting there first)? Why is everything so easy for them? I realize some say it's communication, but that of course doesn't explain when only one is doing a task. I would admire them as a "super" team if I only could see why they are so superior. As it is, I also find them boring. No personality, especially compared to the other teams. Rod and Leticia joke around, the military guys talk about their families and their friendship, and, well, I won't get into Vinny and Amber, but at least there is something to talk about there.

I like this idea. I agree with others that, allowed or not, it's not interesting to watch. I don't mind the occasional cooperation at one task, but not the "wait for everyone before we leave," and certainly not the boxing out. Didn't we have one season where 4-5 teams aligned against one? It became really mean. I've played bubble ball. Weight is very important. My friend and I, neither more than 110 pounds, could get a 10 yard running start to drive into another player, and we'd just bounce off of them. So Rod had a great advantage in that the other players likely could not push him over, or not as easily as many of the women. Thank goodness the players eventually let those lighter players score. Remember though, that the GPS generation has no navigational skills to begin with. Angie is old enough to have had to read off maps, but possibly, like me (I'm older than her) still doesn't do to well with it (I usually think I need to turn right when it's left). So Danny may just have better navigational skills than others, though not perfect.

My husband kept saying "obviously the corners have to be pieces with curves." Nobody listened to that, either.

Yes, just ask Richard Hatch, Survivor season 1. From Wikipedia: Hatch was convicted also on January 25, 2006, by jury with two counts of attempted tax evasion and one count of signing a fraudulent tax return for not paying taxes on about $1.4 million: his past Survivor winnings, his $321,000 earnings as a co-host of a Boston radio show, and $28,000 rental property.[36][37][38] According to investigation, he hired two different accountants in 2001 and 2002 to prepare his tax returns that would have reflected his Survivor winnings. Rather than file either return, he filed a return that did not reflect the winnings.[39] He pleaded guilty to two of those counts before the conviction.[40] He served 51-month sentence in federal prison, particularly Federal Correctional Institution, Morgantown,[1] and his release was under three-year supervision.[37]

I thought they read the clue as seeing "each team member" had to pick up a set of balloons. Therefore both should have carried 3 sets, one of each color.

My strategy in picking a team to go all the way this time was to look at the size of the backpacks. The smaller, the more organized and understanding of the rigors of the race. We'll see if my theory pans out.

Really needed to see this episode to become interested after the first episode. Almost want to re-watch E1 to remind me what happened. Kind of hate flashbacks for this reason -- no reason to remember much from the first episode without the context of the second. I'm having no problem with NK's appearance, other than occasional amazement at how tall she is compared to a co-star. Curious why Hilary is cold to her.

Or that the pollution had to be in everyone's drinking water for the lab to obtain it. Couldn't they have found a way to collect the runoff before it reached the drinking water? I wasn't necessarily disappointed with the season, giving up on the mystery though fairly soon and just enjoying Jodie Foster's acting and the scenery. During the last episode, however, I did comment that I did not care whether any of the characters lived. It had just gone on too long.

And why was it assumed that if the Ukrainian daughter had gone exploring through the vents, that she had absolutely seen the murder? She could have been anywhere on the boat, or even not in the vents at that time. Isn't Rufus the only one who knows that Imogene smashed the watch and deleted the security footage? If so, then why didn't the Interpol lady gasp when Leila said she saw Imogene doing that from the bar cart? And what about the link between Leila and whoever got the governor to order drinks to that cabin? And all those people climbed down the stairs into the bowels of the ship? Does anyone work down there? Seems to be empty, therefore maybe the family could have spread out a bit. I'd think that the parents would have kept their daughter from exploring considering their supposed dire situation. Just watching now to find out who did it, while enjoying clothing and ship porn.

The show made a point of pointing out that the only time a VP was picked from the opposing party was Lincoln picking Johnson "and you know how that turned out" was the rejoinder (Johnson was impeached).

Completely missed the "stealing from them" part. I'm guessing then that is how he got her to help him with the investigation?

Well, I detected Frankenstein, not necessarily Phil Hartman's rendition. The monster who must be taught how to be civilized, and also who is kind to the little girl.