S03.E01: Tailfin

[ohjoy]

Ben heads on an international mission with Vance to seek a clue that may finally unlock the mystery of Flight 828. An intense calling leads newlyweds Michaela and Zeke on an adventure of their own. Saanvi attempts to forget her past sins.

Aired 4/1/2021

[shapeshifter]

I'm tempted to rewatch just so I can note all the unintended humorous moments.
Josh Dallas still looks great on camera. That is the show's only ace in the hole, IMO, unless Daryl Edwards (Vance) is given a bigger role.

[jabRI]

I'm just not sure where this season is going.  I want to like it, but it's hard.  So now they think they might be dead and resurrected?? No interest in the 3 drug dealers, wherever that is headed.  Cal is a little too all-knowing for me.  Just felt a little flat to me for a season opener.

[tv echo]

Honestly, this show feels like the producers came up with this great premise for a genre/mystery series but now don't know how to solve the Flight 828 mystery in a coherent way.

[shapeshifter]

27 minutes ago, jabRI said:

I'm just not sure where this season is going.  I want to like it, but it's hard.  So now they think they might be dead and resurrected?? No interest in the 3 drug dealers, wherever that is headed.  Cal is a little too all-knowing for me.  Just felt a little flat to me for a season opener.

Resurrection may be one theory for them to consider, but a bleed-through from an alternate universe seems more scientific.  
But then this show has never preferred science-y terms. I mean, “calling” is an unnecessarily unscientific term. 
Now I’m imagining pre-season-one writers arguing about whether “calling them hallucinations” was a bad idea until someone teased out the word “calling” from the repeated arguments, and they were too tired to start arguing about another term, and so they went with calling them callings. 

I wonder if they did the religious nuts scenario to try to clarify that these callings are not those callings. 
Sheesh. 

[chlban]

I am still interested, and the ending was definitely interesting to me. I know it's popular to hate on shows in these forums, but I have enjoyed this show and still do. It hasn't turned into Lost quite yet, but we need at least some answers this season to ensure it doesn't.  Considering the shortage of interesting shows on Network TV, and that "Evil" still doesn't have a return date, I'm in for the season.

Edited April 2, 2021 by chlban

[jabRI]

I agree, I am definitely going to watch, I just hope that they move some things along and we get 'some' answers.

[chocolatetruffle]

I agree, I'm also all in for the season. I loved the pacing of the episode, the tailfin reveal, and the new characters (Angelina, the Majors daughter) have promise. I'm an actor and I was really curious to see how they adapted filming for covid distancing protocols since it was shot in NYC during the worst of the pandemic, and on first watch I felt it was well done.

[snarkylady]

4 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Now I’m imagining pre-season-one writers arguing about whether “calling them hallucinations” was a bad idea until someone teased out the word “calling” from the repeated arguments, and they were too tired to start arguing about another term, and so they went with calling them callings.

as good an explanation as any I could come up with

[KaveDweller]

Cal seems to have aged a lot in 3 months.

I'm not sure I like the idea that they all died and were resurrected. I prefer them having gone through some kind of wormhole.

Michaela and Ben were acting like that was their first time back on a plane, but obviously they both had flown to get to their respective destinations. 

[tennisgurl]

Despite all of my problems with the show and the increasing feeling that this shows mysteries and answers are being decided via dartboard, I am actually glad to see this show back. It looks like we are actually starting to get some answers with the tail appearing, although I am very suspicious of red herrings. I think them all being dead and ghosts or angels or resurrected are something is kind of lame, it sounds almost too obvious, so I am actually glad they brought it up now. If its brought up now, we still have time for a better twist. Alternate dimensions or wormholes seems like my favorite guesses, but I am open to other ideas. Frozen in time? Mad science? Aliens? Alien ghosts? 

Josh Dallas is such a handsome man, he looks great in the sun. He looks great everywhere of course, but the last few seasons have been rather dreary in cinematography, the bright sun kissed outside just makes him look even better. 

Cal has sure grown a lot.

Edited April 2, 2021 by tennisgurl

[cameron]

And Mikalia's eyebrows still looks like Groucho Marx's .

 

 

[ottoDbusdriver]

Seriously, the nonsense about the 3 shadows is back.  FFS !!
I'm curious how come those bodies didn't decompose in the lake or were even mildly bloated -- unless they were hit by dark lightning at some point (remember the dark lightning ?).

I found that conversation between Ben and Vance in the back of the truck to be funny -- they were driving down the highway at a good clip, and you could hear their voices and the truck noise but no wind noise whatsoever.

Saanvi needs to pull her shit together -- she murdered the Major, get over it already.  The Major was evil.  I bet the Major's daughter didn't know her mom was off doing evil shit when she went away for 3 or 4 roses at a time. #worstcommunicationmethodever

 

[Maverick]

Yes, the 3 shadow guys were hot but lighting (the previouslies showed it hitting the lake when they fell in and the divers saying the couldn't find the bodies).  

 Why didn't Ben question what happened to the wreckage not the plane after it exploded on the tarmac?   Maybe it was dumped there and that's what they found.  

 I don't think that's the Major's daughter.  The DoD sent her in to find out what happened to her or continue her work or both.  

[jabRI]

I am conflicted about the major. I mean, sure she reads 'evil' on this show, but from another perspective you have people coming back 5(?) years later oblivious to what happened to them, I mean this has to be investigated.  Could it have been done in a more caring, humane way? Sure, but it's not like the government (of any country) would have just said, 'huh, that's interesting'.  Just food for thought on how this could have been done differently.

[ams1001]

On 4/2/2021 at 9:10 AM, tv echo said:

Honestly, this show feels like the producers came up with this great premise for a genre/mystery series but now don't know how to solve the Flight 828 mystery in a coherent way.

I debated if I wanted to watch or not. I'm still just intrigued enough, I guess. Definitely did not win the "which show would I rather watch in real time" debate, though.

Did we know Ben speaks Spanish?

So what was these guys' plan for their piece of the plane, anyway? And how did they drag it back and get it into this warehouse without anyone noticing?

"Dad's bringing someone home..." "Are you sure about that, honey?" You'd think she'd have learned not to question these things by now.

If you're gonna ask to use the bathroom as a ruse to slip out and sneak around the house, maybe don't leave the door open, detective?

 

19 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

Cal seems to have aged a lot in 3 months.

The dangers of working with young kids. You never know how fast they're going to grow...throw in a big break in filming...maybe he's just catching up to his missing five years.

[snarkylady]

19 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Cal has sure grown a lot.

I think he looks a lot healthier than he used to.  Whether that's due to a growth spurt or stage make-up I don't know but I am happy to see this. 

[CCTC]

Cal looked healthier and seemed toned done a bit.  He still had all of his specialness, but acted more naturally and did not annoy me.

I know it is not a great show, but I enjoy some of the old school TV/B movie drama and acting, and thought it was a pretty decent episode. Was not expecting Major's daughter and the revelation that she seemed to be a caring parent (if all is that it appears on the surface.

I know they are finishing filming the finale now.  I wonder if it does not get renewed if they have any sort of plans to do a wrap up to close the story.  I suspect the year absence did not help it and it is kind of a bubble show.  I meant to watch this life and got the time messed up, so did with what I do with most TV and watched it on Hulu.  This did make me realize how little network TV I watch now, especially live.  I am guessing ratings across most network shows have declined the last few years.

On a superficial note, Josh did not look bad in that summer shirt and those khakis.   I know they like to put him in those sweaters - but it was a nice alternative look for him.

Edited April 3, 2021 by CCTC

[Camera One]

There's apparently a 6-season plan, but the ratings were down (down 15% in viewership and 25% in key 18-49 demo compared to Season 2 premiere, and down 2.4% in viewership and 4.4% in demos from last season's average).  Hopefully, people will be watching it on-demand.

This premiere wasn't bad.  Of course, it's still this show so it would be laughable, but I still like most of the characters.

The dialogue is just atrocious though.  "You're going to grow ancient with me."  Yikes.

I don't see how random-lady-locked-in-her-basement-by-her-parents is going to be important in any way.   Cal telling her, "I've been waiting for you" was a tad creepy.

I liked how the kids consulted Ben's files to look up that missing passenger.

Why didn't Vance find out who worked on that boat and follow them around?  Surely, they could easily have found that warehouse that way.  Especially when there's conveniently open door that the random kid walked right through.

I like Vance, but his whole "With the tail fin, we may be on the cusp of finding out what happened" is a real stretch.  How does finding the tail fin help at all?

Finding a piece of a tail fin doesn't mean an airplane is "resurrected", Ben.  Since the airplane was never alive in the first place.

Ben was killing me when he kept delaying Vance and looking back instead of getting on the plane.  Thank goodness those tanks pursuing him were so slow, I guess.

Why is Grace being such a wet blanket?  The poor girl just arrived and she goes "I'm not sure we can give her what she needs".  

Not too keen on the Major's daughter and the re-surfacing of the 3 shadows in the lake.  

Edited April 3, 2021 by Camera One

[preeya]

19 hours ago, Camera One said:

I don't see how random-lady-locked-in-her-basement-by-her-parents is going to be important in any way.   Cal telling her, "I've been waiting for you" was a tad creepy.

I recognized her, and found out that lady/girl (Angelina) locked in the basement is Holly Taylor.  She played the daughter, Paige Jennings in "The Americans."

Edited April 4, 2021 by preeya

[shapeshifter]

5 hours ago, CCTC said:

On a superficial note, Josh did not look bad in that summer shirt and those khakis.   I know they like to put him in those sweaters - but it was a nice alternative look for him.

Sure, Josh Dallas looks good in American clothes in Cuba. But seriously? A hat on his blonde hair at least if he’s not trying to attract attention? He was so white. I wasn’t sure if I should cringe or laugh. 

[Camera One]

2 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

He was so white. I wasn’t sure if I should cringe or laugh. 

It adds to his "I'm actually dead" look.

[Tachi Rocinante]

On 4/2/2021 at 9:10 AM, tv echo said:

Honestly, this show feels like the producers came up with this great premise for a genre/mystery series but now don't know how to solve the Flight 828 mystery in a coherent way.

Just like Lindelhof and Cuse with Lost.  I will go to my grave believing they were pissed that everyone figured out it was limbo from the very beginning, so they dicked around for five years.

I'm in the "military testing opened a wormhole/alternate universe" camp.  That would also explain Zeke.

[Camera One]

3 hours ago, Tachi Rocinante said:

Just like Lindelhof and Cuse with Lost.  I will go to my grave believing they were pissed that everyone figured out it was limbo from the very beginning, so they dicked around for five years.

Lindelof and Cuse were not involved in the very conception of Lost and they did not expect Lost to last more than one season.  They have acknowledged as much, they don't claim to know where the show was going from the beginning and they were make up storylines a season or two ahead.

Whereas "Manifest" has one creator and showrunner and he has stated for years he had a six-season plan.  So if anything, we should be expecting more out of this show, except, to me, they've delivered less than "Lost" with just two seasons and half the number of episodes.

Edited April 4, 2021 by Camera One

[preeya]

1 hour ago, Camera One said:

Lindelof and Cuse were not involved in the very conception of Lost and they did not expect Lost to last more than one season.  They have acknowledged as much, they don't claim to know where the show was going from the beginning and they were make up storylines a season or two ahead.

Lindelof was involved, based on this:  "LOST was created by Jeffrey Lieber, J. J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelof, who share story writing credits for the pilot episode, which Abrams directed. Throughout the show's run, Lindelof and Carlton Cuse served as show-runners and head writers, working together with many other executive producers and writers."

Edited April 4, 2021 by preeya

[Camera One]

25 minutes ago, preeya said:

Lindelof was involved, based on this:  "LOST was created by Jeffrey Lieber, J. J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelof

Yes, sorry, I was being unclear.  I meant he didn't create the original idea.  Jeffrey Lieber did, and then J.J. was supposed to make it work, and Damon came in after J.J.

Whereas Jeff Rake came up with the idea of "Manifest" himself, so it's his "baby" from the start.

[Camera One]

19 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

I find it hard to believe that Ben and Vance and the other dude couldn't come up with something to cover the tail of the plane as they were making a break for the plane.  That tail stuck out like a soar thumb.

It was truly the worst "undercover" mission ever. 

Also less-than-impressive: That super-secret broom closet lab right beside the door to the patient room that Saanvi walks in and out of to offer lollipops while civilians are next door.  You open the door a little too wide, and anyone in the hall would see that secret agent at his workstation.

Grace couldn't have called to get an update?  She had to fake a medical check-up with Cal?  Or was that just convenient timing.

Edited April 4, 2021 by Camera One

[Madding crowd]

Cal is taller, Zeke is skinnier and Ben has taller hair. I’m happy this is back especially since a lot of shows are ending and I’m willing to see where it goes.