S01.E04: Now You See Me

[FAU]

And yet while it may be questionable how to proceed with it on a show, it may actually be one of the few realistic things in this whole setup.  Not the affair and the book writing and the mom who also happens to be a cop, and all that bullcrap, but the whole idea that couples put through a child abduction often have their marriages turn to crap.  It's yet another example of how the ideas behind the show aren't bad, it's just the execution that's questionable. 

 

Again, I don't rate the current status quo as anything that's unfix-able.  The long-range plan of the show doesn't even really necessitate having the family stay together.  Alexis Denisof is only third billed, so part of me wonders if this has always been there as a back door to get him off the show once he serves a purpose (bonding Elizabeth and Carter through mutually screwing them both over).  And yes, that's super-soap-operay.  He could be shuffled to off-screen-land and only brought back later as a guest star to stir things up again.  So the divorced parents thing might be on purpose, not something they'll have to magically overcome to keep the show the same.  Shows like this like to fuck with the status quo--they don't WANT to keep it the same.  And that's why this is more of a soap than a drama, I guess. I think that's the key here to being able to bear this.  If you came in expecting a realistic drama, then you're screwed.  If you came in thinking "hey, it's on MTV, it's probably going to be some kind of teen/family soap" (I'd expect this even more on ABC Family, but MTV is usually in that area too), then I doubt it seems like it's as much of a total wash.

 

And that's a contradiction, praising it for having realistic elements at the same time as not being realistic at all.

 

The execution is awful, but that in turn undermines the good ideas this show might've had, which is the problem.

 

Soaps are usually more melodramatic/ridiculous in nature and tone than this, but this series does come close, it's just that it uses many of the cliches/contrivances that soap operas do.

 

As for the status quo, nothing has really changed and usually shows like this will throw drama at them only for it to not matter in a couple episodes (or in this case, in the same episode like Carter's fight with Bird).

[Kromm]

 

And that's a contradiction, praising it for having realistic elements at the same time as not being realistic at all.

Once again I'm stymied. Do you really consider the mild statements I made "praise" for the show?  

 

I commented that this one element is a realistic one in a sea of unrealistic ones.  I said that it's probably one of the few core ideas that seems to prove the ideas behind the show aren't all bad (which is hardly over-praising the show, because it's more of a statement about what the show isn't doing than what it is). 

 

Later I talked about expectations of the show being based on it being a soap-y execution, not on it being a more realistic drama.  Unless you think "not a total wash" and "being able to bear this" somehow count as praise, that section didn't pile it on either.

 

At best anything I said was of the "damning with faint" variety of praise.  Talking about unrealized potential is not over-praising something.  Nor is admitting a different set of expectations for certain genres.

Edited July 26, 2014 by Kromm

[FAU]

 

Later I talked about expectations of the show being based on it being a soap-y execution, not on it being a more realistic drama.  Unless you think "not a total wash" and "being able to bear this" somehow count as praise, that section didn't pile it on either.

At best anything I said was of the "damning with faint" variety of praise.  Talking about unrealized potential is not over-praising something.  Nor is admitting a different set of expectations for certain genres.

 

It depends on what expectations you're talking about especially when the "at least it wasn't as bad" or "at least it didn't do this or that" excuses start flying out.

 

Lots of shows wastes their potential unfortunately, it's just a shame for all of them with all things considering.

[Cranberry]

I agree that the parents don't have to stay together, especially not once the book is finished. I think that David is staying with Elizabeth now mostly because her quest to hunt Lori down and make her pay is juicy material for the book, and he needs a front row seat for that. (Plus there's the fact that he doesn't have any money of his own at the moment and that he wants constant access to the kids and to look like the "good cop" as compared to his wife, which is easier when they're involved in the same conversations.)

 

As for Lori and Carter, I'm kind of expecting that Lori will finally get all set up to escape with Carter, Carter will either hesitate or flat-out say no, and that will somehow lead to Lori getting arrested, making Carter feel guilty and possibly causing her to pull away from the family again.

 

What's with this stuff with Bird's rape (if that's what she was alluding to)? It seems a little early to be giving side characters story lines. Better her in the spotlight than Gabe, though -- I don't like him at all.

[In2You]

What other family soaps has MTV done? That's not their style. I wouldnt call this a soap either. A melodrama definitely but not a soap opera. If it was a soap opera the writing would have alot more emotion in it and the pace would be slower to actually develop the characters. Pling up on contrived drama doesn't make this a soap opera. Plenty of shows pile up on unnecessary drama.

 

Since they couldn't even say the word rape in this episode I have no doubt that whatever that story is it will be handled badly. Under the makeshift tent sheet during a 2 minute conversation that ended up interrupted was not the place for that reveal.

[candall]

 

 

As for Lori and Carter, I'm kind of expecting that Lori will finally get all set up to escape with Carter, Carter will either hesitate or flat-out say no, and that will somehow lead to Lori getting arrested, making Carter feel guilty and possibly causing her to pull away from the family again.

Carterguilt will soon need its own byline in the credits.  At first, Carter was able to maintain that laser beam focus on "my mom," but now she's relaxing, making new friends, excited about her new ride.  When she finds out Lori's been lurking around the edges all this time, she'll feel guilty.  And it looks like Lori isn't about to switch gears and give her the "go and be happy, my beloved child, I'll be fine" speech.

 

In the "We Are Two" parent-child family, there's extra potential for guilt built right in.  Even normal stuff, like falling in love or going off to college, can generate guilt if the parent doesn't step up and let it all be okay.

[Cranberry]

If it was a soap opera the writing would have alot more emotion in it and the pace would be slower to actually develop the characters.

 

Yeah, I think the fast pace is my biggest complaint about the show. I can deal with character and backstory inconsistency at the beginning of a series; I'd rather they rework things than keep Elizabeth as a total wet blanket and have Taylor hating Carter for "stealing" boys from her, for example. But I feel like the writers think the target audience for this show has absolutely no attention span and so they're rushing past (or completely skipping) important things like Carter settling in and asking about her early childhood.

 

I have other (smaller) complaints, too, but I agree with @Kromm that all of those things can be corrected, as we're still early in the series. But this can't be -- once they skip over Carter bonding with her siblings (and getting used to being a twin!) or her new friends grilling her about her past, it's done; they can't go back.

[Kromm]

I'm not saying that they WILL be corrected, I was just noting that we haven't seen anything yet which CAN'T be. They certainly were working in an Internet comment/review free zone and produced these all months ago, so it would have come down to some attack of common sense back then.  We shall see.  TV writers and showrunners rarely have much sense even on far better shows than this.

 

While they clearly had a plan for faux-Mom to make sure we knew she's nuts, and while another set of issues with the show are just solved by time passing (like the boy drama being too soon), they have to get on the stick soon with shoring up Elizabeth's character. The moments we've seen between her and Max were a good start though.  The issue with Elizabeth being so intimately involved with catching Lori HAS to be addressed.  It's ridiculous.  We have an episode "at work" coming up with Elizabeth and if they don't do it then it will probably be a good sign they never intend to.

[tveyeonyou]

Using the childhood kidnapping of the protagonist as a McGuffin isn't working.

http://previously.tv/finding-carter/finding-carters-mother-of-a-credibility-problem/"> Read the story

 

"What, Lori is Dawn Summers, and monks let Carter think that's who she'd always called "Mom"?"

I couldn't help it, I read that line and laughed so hard my tea hit the screen.

My love for all things Buffy is not confined to BTVS, it kinda kills me that Alexis Denisof is being so wasted on this show.

[Kromm]

My love for all things Buffy is not confined to BTVS, it kinda kills me that Alexis Denisof is being so wasted on this show.

I don't think he's been wasted in the traditional sense (for me that term usually means "underutilized").  His character has a decent amount to do on the show (at least so far), and has some reasonable impact on the plot.  If he's being wasted I'd say it's more in line with "I wish he was on a better show".

[FAU]

Yeah, I think the fast pace is my biggest complaint about the show. I can deal with character and backstory inconsistency at the beginning of a series; I'd rather they rework things than keep Elizabeth as a total wet blanket and have Taylor hating Carter for "stealing" boys from her, for example. But I feel like the writers think the target audience for this show has absolutely no attention span and so they're rushing past (or completely skipping) important things like Carter settling in and asking about her early childhood.

 

I have other (smaller) complaints, too, but I agree with @Kromm that all of those things can be corrected, as we're still early in the series. But this can't be -- once they skip over Carter bonding with her siblings (and getting used to being a twin!) or her new friends grilling her about her past, it's done; they can't go back.

 

They're brushing past important parts of the story that should've been more of a focus considering the premise.

I don't think he's been wasted in the traditional sense (for me that term usually means "underutilized").  His character has a decent amount to do on the show (at least so far), and has some reasonable impact on the plot.  If he's being wasted I'd say it's more in line with "I wish he was on a better show".

 

I do wish he was on a better show though, so in a way, wasted would be right.

[rubyred]

I had this weird thought that Bird's attacker is going to turn out to be Gabe. Mr. Nice Guy Stalker.

[RachelKM]

I had this weird thought that Bird's attacker is going to turn out to be Gabe. Mr. Nice Guy Stalker.

Oh crap.  Now that is in my head.  He already made me uncomfortable with his It's Gonna Be Me weirdness.  

[FAU]

I had this weird thought that Bird's attacker is going to turn out to be Gabe. Mr. Nice Guy Stalker.

 

I thought about that and then remember that this show still needs its forced, pointless love triangle/love interest for this series.

[Aliasscape]

I had this weird thought that Bird's attacker is going to turn out to be Gabe. Mr. Nice Guy Stalker.

Perhaps brought about by me mentioning it on the previous page?

 

They can still have their love triangle and only hint that's he a rapist in the season finale but no one will know but the audience, blah blah blah.

[rubyred]

 

Perhaps brought about by me mentioning it on the previous page?

No, actually I thought it while watching -- independent thought! Sorry to deny you the shout-out. The previous page was too caught up in "Boards on Boards" for me to do more than skim- now I'm missing that rule, *sniff*. #getoffmylawn

[Aliasscape]

No, actually I thought it while watching -- independent thought! Sorry to deny you the shout-out. The previous page was too caught up in "Boards on Boards" for me to do more than skim- now I'm missing that rule, *sniff*. #getoffmylawn

Ha, not worried about the shoutout. Just thought maybe you'd skimmed past it and not realized that might be why you might have had that thought. If you hadn't read it though of course it just goes to show that Gabe gave off that vibe to us both so more of the chance to go places with it.

[FAU]

Perhaps brought about by me mentioning it on the previous page?

 

They can still have their love triangle and only hint that's he a rapist in the season finale but no one will know but the audience, blah blah blah.

 

Possibly, so far this show is just trudging through cliches and barely anything else.

[molly100234]

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/170/539/204/bring-back-finding-carter-for-season-3/