S01.E02: Book II: Psalms

[jewel21]

Quote

An unsettling omen washes ashore in the wake of the storm. Later, when the locals gather for a potluck, tragedy strikes — and a miracle occurs.

Airdate: 09/24/2021

[krankydoodle]

I figured the dog was doomed after what happened to the cats but wasn't expecting it to die so soon, or that its dying in such a horrible way would be shown onscreen. Ugh.

So they shrug off hordes of cats showing up on a beach with no clear cause of death, but act pretty quickly to test a dog for poisoning? Not to say they should've ignored the latter, but given that the cats may have been a sign of a potential public health issue, why didn't they get them looked at too? But I have a lot of questions, like why has no one in this supposedly close-knit community bothered to check on Monsignor Pruett. BTW, is that a younger actor in old age makeup? Even Annabeth Gish's mom looks a bit off to me.

This episode was kind of boring, but I'm interested enough in finding out what Hamish Linklater's deal is to keep going.

Edited September 24, 2021 by krankydoodle

[ferjy]

I liked the episode. They’re developing the characters well. 

 

On 9/24/2021 at 5:04 PM, krankydoodle said:

is that a younger actor in old age makeup?

Yes, it certainly is, with many of them. I’m thinking they’re going to show the actors in their actual age in flashbacks? 

 

 

Edited September 25, 2021 by ferjy

[krankydoodle]

Ha, yeah, I finally put my glasses on to watch this and realized how much makeup some of the actors are wearing. I don't think it looks great and I'm sad that the show isn't really working for me. I'm glad other people are enjoying it, though, and hope it does well because I really like a lot of Mike Flanagan's other work and want him to be able to keep making stuff.

[Lady Calypso]

On 9/24/2021 at 5:04 PM, krankydoodle said:

BTW, is that a younger actor in old age makeup? Even Annabeth Gish's mom looks a bit off to me.

All of the elderly characters are played by actors much, much younger. The mother of Annabeth Gish's character is being played by a 29 year old actress. And I have zero idea why.

I could barely get through the opening scene. Once again, hate dead animals, especially when they're being used in this fashion. It bothers me and I don't even know if I can finish the series if dead animals is a trope being used. 

And I didn't really enjoy the end scene. As soon as it happened, I groaned because I have a pretty good idea where the show is going with that "miracle" happening.

And I still hate most of these characters, except for Riley. I guess Erin's alright, for the most part, and the Father is fine. But everyone else annoys me to some degree. 

[KarenX]

I don’t know if it was in episode 1 or 2 but Riley’s mother pricked her finger sewing and realized she saw better WITHOUT glasses. That girl walked. Now Father Mystery has hand delivered a mass right to Poorly Made Up Demented Mother.

SPECULATION but obviously they are healing from their ills and won’t want to give their good health back even if it means accepting a demon in their midst. SPECULATION I also think some body invasion thing is going on which is why people keep seeing Pruitt. Clearly his body was invaded while in the Holy Land and also why show a Muslim character if we aren’t going to have some version of the Crusades Redux?

I don’t know where this is going but pieces are clearly in place.

I really wish my kitty would come inside.

I am definitely watching the rest of these.

WTF that was Henry Thomas?

[tennisgurl]

When I watched this last night, I had to grab my cats and give them some intense cuddles (to ones glee and ones confusion) I am not alright with these dead animals. The religious horror I can get behind but dead dogs and cats I cannot. 

So my guess is that the reason behind the old person makeup is that older people will all start to get younger, the parents, the elderly mom with dementia, and it also might be connected to Father Paul's miracle, some kind of power that can cure ills and make people younger or more healthy. Its probably some kind of dark pact with Satan or some such thing, but it would be interesting if they went another direction and Father Paul actually isn't evil and does think that he is spreading Gods healing power and something else evil has started to hijack his miracles. 

Also, the priest from the Catholic school where I went as a kid was named Father Paul, which makes this both funnier and creepier. 

[bosawks]

I thought it was interesting that the cats were killed by whatever the monster(s) end up being but it looks highly likely like the dog was killed by a human (eff you, Bev).

So, they are already equating the two.  Interesting. 

[Sakura12]

I loves Hill House, and yes even the ending. Bly Manor was okay. So I decided to check this out. 

I'm assuming the older townsfolk are going to start getting younger, that is why they cast younger actors in older roles. Since Father Paul can heal spinal injuries. Is he working with some kind of demonic force and is it in the Monsignor. 

Enough with the dead animals though. My dog was sleeping on my lap and I scared her by hugging her when Pike was dying. 

 

[HelloooKitty]

Ok, it’s too late for me to binge another episode, but I’m 99% sure I’ve figured out what the deal with the priest is now. 
I have some idea how things would move forward from there, but don’t know the end game yet. 

[Cheezwiz]

On 9/30/2021 at 8:20 AM, tennisgurl said:

it also might be connected to Father Paul's miracle, some kind of power that can cure ills and make people younger or more healthy. Its probably some kind of dark pact with Satan or some such thing, but it would be interesting if they went another direction and Father Paul actually isn't evil and does think that he is spreading Gods healing power and something else evil has started to hijack his miracles. 

That would be a good twist - I'm hoping it's something like that, because I actually like the Father Paul character, but I suspect there's some sort of demonic pact thing happening. I'm thinking back to the trunk in the first episode - is that what Father Paul transported himself in? Reminds me of 'Salem's Lot.

There are some jarring things in the show so far - to me, the fishing village screams "Hollywood set designer's idea of a fishing village". I also had a problem with the sets in The Haunting (they didn't look sufficiently aged for an old haunted house) and they're bugging me in this show as well -everything looks simultaneously Disneyfied and overly neglected. While some houses would be weathered by the elements, surely some would have a lick of paint. The population (even for a supposedly tiny island) seems much too sparse, and the aging makeup is obvious and poorly done.

I thought the giant mastiff was going to play into the story a bit further along and was sad to see him come to such an awful end. The actor playing his town-drunk human is really selling it, and I felt genuinely sad for him when he was weeping over his lost pet.

However, I do like the actors and am intrigued enough with the storyline to keep watching (I'm a sucker for anything Stephen King-ish, and this seems to be the most Stephen King miniseries not by Stephen King ever).

Looks like the drug-dealer dude is the winged thing's first human victim. Trying to decide if I want to binge more episodes or if I want to dole them out more slowly.

Edited October 3, 2021 by Cheezwiz

[natyxg]

I want to like this show because I do like the characters, specially Erin, and there are some good ideas there, but I find it so slow so far. Also, I imagine there's a reason for it, but there has never been a single time when a younger actor has looked convincing as an old person. Not a single time when it hasn't looked cringy/horrible/ridiculous, and this show is no exception.

Sidenote: I appreciate how the guy behind this show seems to always throw a lesbian in there. 😂 Keep it up, Mike.

[millennium]

It never occurs to me to look beyond the makeup.  I take the characters at face value (no pun intended).   When you go to a play, many actors are in makeup, often a younger person playing an older person.  You don't ask why, you just go along for the ride.   I'm okay with that.   If there's some reason further down the line, we'll find out then.

Anyway, this show feels like "Storm of the Century Meets the Mothman Prophecies." (I have always regretted Stephen King never did Storm of the Century as a novel -- it has a real Shirley Jackson vibe).   Some good eerie beats.  Mothman witnesses often claimed to see him peering in their window (sometimes when the window was 7 feet off the ground).  This flying creature ain't got nothing on Bev, though.  She's a monster.   Some of the actors are very good.  Father Paul, Riley, Erin, Bev, Joe ... to me, the human interactions are far more interesting than the mystery (which in some ways is a distraction).   Having been raised and schooled Catholic from first grade through college, I find the Catholic aspects of the story very authentic.   I was taught by nuns, Christian brothers, Dominicans friars, Jesuit priests ... and it's all coming back. (Bev would have been the ultimate nun)