S05.E08: Famous Last Words

[tennisgurl]

What an emotional hour, I thought this was a really strong outing, and a very interesting way to adapt this story. I wasn't sure about the silent movie as a way to show the hanging and Rogers memories of it, but I think it actually worked out really well. I would have liked to see more of everyone's reactions as they happened (especially Jamie) but I think it really worked as a way to show how Roger was processing this horrible trauma. Roger really liked silent films back in the 20th century, and he is trying to process while keeping a sort of distance from the event until he can really deal with it, so its easier to remember it as a movie, and not something that actually happened to him. I have seen a lot of silent films, and I often find them to be quite haunting. Not only in a "I am watching people who were alive a hundred years ago oh my God" kind of way, but there are a lot of classic horror films from that era, and with the black and white and the lack of sound and the often not crystal film quality, I often find silent films to be rather otherworldly, which made the whole sequence even more unsettling to me. It worked really well for me.

Plus, you know, silent film. Roger cant talk. Heh.  

Young Ian! Its so great to see him again, even if he is clearly in a bad way. Plus, Rollo is back, and a super giant good boy now! Matching him and Roger up as a way to deal with both of their issues and suicidal ideation was a really great idea, especially after establishing the rapport between Roger and the young people in his class back in the 20th century. Loved him kicking the suicide pan away from him and the whole confrontation, the actors were seriously bringing it. 

I know that people love to bash Sophie's acting, and while she is certainly not the strongest of all the major players (probably the last of) I think she is usually pretty solid, and I thought she was quite good here. I really liked the whole bit with the paper airplanes and I thought she was quite good when she was begging Roger to engage with her. I found her attitude with Roger (its been three months dude! Get over it!) to be frequently hard to deal with, but understandable, especially considering Bree is from 1970. Something I always find interesting is that, while Claire, Roger, and Bree are from close to modern day, especially compared to everyone in colonial America, they are still from several decades in the past, and things have changed even from that time. PTSD, while not unknown (be it called shell shock of a thousand yard stare) but people weren't really sure how to deal with it or what it really meant, so I can cut her some slack. She was clearly really trying to be supportive, even in such a heartbreaking and confusing situation. 

In such a heavy episode, thank God we had Marsali around to lighten the mood a few times! 

Also, Sophie has got a lovely voice!

[sas616]

On 4/12/2020 at 11:27 PM, nodorothyparker said:

Ian's in a lot of emotional pain, so I can see how it might bug that Jamie was so determinedly treating him like he always had, like nothing had changed when that so clearly wasn't the case.  Jamie wasn't really doing anything wrong there, rather he seemed to be trying his level best to envelop Ian back into daily family life as quickly as possible. But it seemed at points like it was really grating at Ian to be called "lad" when he's no longer the lad Jamie knew.  I'll admit that it was interesting how easily accepting of each other Ian and Roger immediately were given where their relationship left off.

On rewatch, I'm left once again wondering why John Grey is hanging around for seemingly random scenes.  Fraser's Ridge and Alamance aren't conveniently located close to anything but John's just dropping by now?  It feels like the show is trying to keep the character and the actor on the canvas but doesn't really know what to do with either beyond answer the question nobody was asking of where the astrolabe came from rather than do the book scene to remind that Jamie has another child out there.

I wondered the same thing about Lord John...and Jocasta for that matter.   But then I read the script for the episode and saw what discussions/scenes were cut.  Each character had a bit more than what we saw.  And there was a really nice scene between Jamie and Bree.   Sometimes I wonder if the editors know what they are doing.  

[areca]

What is going on with Sophie Skelton and David Berry?  Anything?  The chemistry between them could have lit the props on fire.  There was no Bree and LJG in that scene at all.

[Night Cheese]

10 hours ago, areca said:

What is going on with Sophie Skelton and David Berry?  Anything?  The chemistry between them could have lit the props on fire.  There was no Bree and LJG in that scene at all.

Indeed! I remember thinking during the astrolabe scene, "are they going to kiss now?" I definitely felt like there was some sexual tension in that scene and wondering where it was coming from.

[WatchrTina]

I am SO enjoying my binge re-watch in the run-up to the new episode.  I had almost forgotten this plot line -- Ian and Roger, both emotionally wounded, struggling to find a way to live in their new circumstances.  Such a nice, quiet, character-driven contrast to the non-stop action of the battle episode that preceded it.