Sandman

What was going on with Jack's accent? It seemed to fade in and out an awful lot. (Evil. Probably.)

Statement of EEEVIL. Yes.

I thought that was me! I agree that Steinfeld is absolutely perfectly cast -- like Hayley Atwell-level ideal. Also me too. The slight break that Kate managed to put in her voice was the touch of genius. Hiring Vera Farmiga was my first clue. But having Eleanor's first appearance in the show's present day be in that billowing crimson shift just screams "Hello, I am a SUPERVILLAINESS, and Agatha Harkness is totally my suburban bestie!" (Run, Kate!) Also: Is Armand VII the great-great grandson of Armand III, or do the Dusquesnes have more than one Armand per generation, like George Foreman and his four sons named George (enumerated II through V)?

They were going to call her Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Dixon, but it didn't fit on the charm bracelet? Just a guess.

I bet the writers turn theirs off faster when writing it.

Heh. “Er, new brain, who dis?”

Seriously, show?! Eddie has a Meet Cute with Anna? No. NO. Oy gevalt.

I think you're correct: I kept thinking Rina must be short for "Retaliation" (okay, it sounded better in my head...). She's being increasingly shown as dangerously self-seeking and unprincipled. Unfortunately, Jubal's "thinking with the wrong head" as noted upthread makes me lose respect for him. Can he really be this blind to her machinations? Isobel has her own flaws, but, man, do I want to see her spike Rina's guns!

My memory of the book is faulty here, but I have the nagging sense that the role of the Shadout Mapes and the importance of the crysknife are both reduced significantly in the movie. The test of honour (or at the least test of understanding of Fremen culture) that the Shadout Mapes puts Jessica to is only hinted at, it seemed to me. On the other hand, the full extent of Dr. Yueh's treachery is vividly portrayed. (I almost wrote " ... was made much clearer in Villeneuve's movie than in Lynch's version," until I realized that a list of Stuff Much Clearer in the Villeneuve Version Than In Lynch's would keep me here all day.)

That might be the most faithful aspect -- the book is seriously dark -- I would even say I found it joyless. There are a very few "tug-at-the-heartstrings" moments. It's clear in the book that Jessica loves the Duke (and defies her training and her orders from her Bene Gesserit superiors for that reason), and he her, but Herbert really only sketches in the relationships between the Atreides family, as I recall. I don't remember the reader getting much from the Duke's point of view in the way that both Paul and Jessica are viewpoint characters. It's years since I read the book, though. I thought Oscar Isaac and Jason Momoa both brought real and necessary warmth to their roles, as did Josh Brolin. I agree with the comment upthread that Rebecca Ferguson was the MVP, except that I found Jessica was overtly fearful in the movie in ways I don't think she would show outwardly in the book (but ya gotta get the Litany Against Fear in there somehow!) Chalamet did fine, I think, but the really heavy lifting is yet to come for him, I'd say. I found the movie a fully immersive experience -- I saw in the theatre tonight -- and both visually and musically it's very compelling. I'm not sure I agree with observations I have seen elsewhere that it's ponderous and slow. It's a long-ass movie, but I thought it moved through its business quite briskly, what with someone basically trying to kill Paul every, what? Six and a half minutes or so? I can't decide if I like the way this movie rendered the Voice or not. It's slightly less clunky than the Lynch version, but I always think of the Voice as being more subtle and insidious than the way it's been represented in any adaptation so far. I mostly liked the gom jabbar scene. I thought Chalamet rose to that occasion admirably. I found myself wondering if the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam realized that she'd made a lifelong enemy in that moment. But I agree with @Jan Spears that Rampling commands the screen pretty effortlessly.

I feel like this should be printed out and posted in the writers' room. Or maybe I'll wear it around, as a big sash. Because nothing says "parental commitment" like abandoning your traumatized child to get a fresh start in a new country! I did like Eddie and Sophie's honest conversation. I actually like the cast a lot more than the writing, including Lizzy Greene. I think Sophie's right to pissed at the (putative) adults in her life. I get why they went with the six-month gap, but time jumps are the worst kind of narrative crutch, lazy and overused. It feels like the writers just skipped over a passel of difficult transitions or scenes they didn't know how to write their way through. How long Famous But Bland Hockey Dude Whose Name I Have Not Learned and Suddenly Stalked Maggie have been dating isn't even that big an issue for me; they went out right away, or they didn't, and now they're "officially" together? Fine, okay. But for Maggie to go from one ooky letter from a fan who doesn't really get the concept of boundaries to "You now have a stalker. Proceed to freak out." seems ... oddly accelerated. "Only" stalking your busted-ass old car is not healthier, Gary, you big doofus! I do kind of feel sad for Gary since he's lost basically everyone he loves, even if he brought most or all of this mess on himself. Sometimes he can be the most empathetic, least self-involved (if not precisely mature) one in the group, and other times it's "Hey, Mom, why does Uncle Gary make such hilariously bad life decisions?" all the way down. (Was cancelling the minder app supposed to be a sign of maturity? It didn't really read that way to me.)

Am I the only fan who has absolutely NO interest in Howard the Duck? I mean: zero, zip, nosiree, nada, niente, bubkes, zilch... you get the idea. I just do not get the appeal. The one Marvel property I wish would be excised from the movie uni- or multi-verse. (Well, Howard and Emma Frost, really.)

Hm. Good point. (I, on the other hand, barely remembered Col. Tommy Lee Jones Guy's name. So, good call by you.)

If I think too hard about Bonehead Black's history I break out in hives.

Well, she did attend Peggy's funeral, no? Am I forgetting a line indicating that she had no idea who the service was for? I'm increasingly mpressed with the commenter who noted a few episodes ago how much more clearly visible the Watcher was becoming (at least to us, at that point). Clearly that person was onto something. Rather than being just the framing device-slash-omniscient narrator, it turns out that Uatu was the through-line character of the whole story. I thought that was a nice touch. I feel your pain.

What in the world possessed her to wear that? ... I'll, uh, show myself out now.

Darling Julie has never once made a decision she couldn't shift blame for.

You could practically hear the director yelling "PIVOT!" It's all so formulaic I could puke. I want to like the actress playing Shanice -- Shanice started out as the (possibly) nightmare diva, and she's added a nice little layer or two. For that matter, I want the show to do right by Rachel Nicholls and Erin Karpluk, two actresses whose work I've enjoyed on other shows. But perhaps that's the key: on other shows. I can't trust this bunch to give them parts to play that aren't fundamentally cringeworthy. Please don't try to make me hate Erin Karpluk, show! It'll be bad for you. Don't even get me started on Gary's Incrimination Hat of Doom.

Agreed. Peregrym's "Yikes!" face was priceless.

It might actually be de rigueur now.

Is it me, or is Rina just sort of … objectively terrible? Her idea of leadership is to constantly remind Isobel "let's all try to get along, but you work for me, remember!" in the most flagrantly passive-aggressive way possible. I mean, Isobel can be cold and calculating, but I can't believe Rina doesn't have knives out for her all over the federal bureaus. (Bureaux?)

I agree that it would be very destructive to Casey's character, for exactly the reasons you give. I didn't know the kids in season 2 had been played by brothers -- interesting.

I know Casey and Heather didn't sleep together (originally). And it might be coincidence, or that I'm imagining more of a resemblance between the actors than was meant. But I wouldn't put it past Wolf & Co.

Is the show going to retcon that Casey and Heather Darden actually slept together? I was struck by the resemblance between Grown-Up Griffin and Jesse Spencer, and wondered if it was just accidental, or not. (Nice to see Casey happy enough to laugh joyously and hug Griffin, I'll give them that.)

Hey, give Darcy a break! You think it's easy to carry around a million little anvils, just waiting for the perfect moment to drop them on Gary's stupid ass? Except now it appears that Christopher was holding the greater share of the stupid. Interesting promo: I never knew that "Gary ... continues to distance himself from anything involving Peter" could be read as "Gary gets retconned into a semi-reprieve distancing him from his criminally stupid behaviour involving Peter."