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S02.E14: Cat and Mouse

jewel21

By jewel21
in Resident Alien

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dwmarch

dwmarch

(edited)

Big geography flub in this episode. As I have noted before, almost everything in downtown Patience happens within a single block with the clinic and the 59 at Roberts St, the Sheriff's office/town hall being on First Avenue and the odd shot of Gatacre St (for example, the gym that Kate and D'arcy go to). The show pretty much follows the layout of the town with regards to where all these buildings are in actual relation to each other. But this week they tried to pull a fast one. When the alien tracker is chasing Harry, the chase starts on Roberts St, at the diner which is located just down from the 59. Harry is chased half a block down First Avenue towards Gatacre St and goes into the alley beside Plantitude (a vegan restaurant that you can see the signage for in the background sometimes). Harry goes into the back entrance of the 59 which should be impossible because that's where he started from! He's a block over from the 59 and we watched him walk there.

Also, the only time First Avenue is ever that busy is during the Light Up. I don't know why Ben is complaining about the town needing more tourists, that street was bustling!

We did finally get a good shot of the diner and I am going to have to take a look for it the next time I am in Ladysmith. I thought the diner was in the telephone exchange building but looking on Google Street View I see there is just a parking lot there.

The song at the end of the episode is "One Fine Day" by David Byrne and Brian Eno.

Edited by dwmarch
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AnimeMania

AnimeMania

A good episode, I loved HarryAlien giving the finger to the Alien Tracker as he flees down the street. Too much D'arcy, Sheriff, and Mr. and Mrs. Mayor, cut their scenes in half and I think the problems would be fixed. You would think that if the Mayor was smart, that he would want to hear what the plans were to stop the resort from being built. I enjoy Judy Cooper, she is one of my favorites and Asta's not my biological father was an MVP as well.

NUP_196825_00841.jpg

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possibilities

possibilities

I wish they wouldn't keep making Liv into a sad sack. I like her, and they seem to be making really unnecessary turns to make her seem pathetic. She's smart, she's kind, she's good at her job. Why is it a thing to constantly be showing people treating her badly? Wouldn't it be more interesting to have her engaged in something more heroic? There are lots of ways they could go with it-- they made her an actual detective and then decided to not have her involved at all with any of the various mysteries, except as recipient of everybody's disrespect. 

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Zaffy

Zaffy

So an Alien race plans to destroy Earth, an alien baby falls into the hands of the MIB, an Alien Tracker is after our hero,  but we spend more time about the Resort debate and the mayor, Darcey' issues etc etc. 
But I have to say what I find even more annoying than the Mayor, is the juvenile philosophy about humans lives, actions, psychology, and whatever Harry narrates all the time in heavy doses.

iMonrey

iMonrey

Refresh my memory: why is the alien tracker able to see aliens like Max? Has this been explained?

Speaking of Max, we are seeing significantly less of him and Sahar this season. Not that I'm complaining, but it's interesting and I wonder if the producers decided there was just too much of them or if the actors are just less available.  

Quote

So an Alien race plans to destroy Earth, an alien baby falls into the hands of the MIB, an Alien Tracker is after our hero,  but we spend more time about the Resort debate and the mayor, Darcey' issues etc etc. 

It remains the main problem with the show, IMO. It's like there are two entirely different shows blended together and they don't mix well. I don't care about D'Arcy and her drug problems or Asta and her bio mother or Ben and the resort. When they move away from the alien stories I get very bored.

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juno

juno

12 minutes ago, possibilities said:

It's weird, because you'd think it would be fairly easy to include all the characters/actors in the plots about aliens. Why are they choosing not to do that? 

I have seen this before on shows that are based on a "gimmick"- the gimmick on this show is an alien that comes to earth. Eventually the stories based solely on an alien coming to earth can dry up pretty quickly so I think what the producers are trying to do is build enough stories around an alien coming to earth so they don't have to rely on this gimmick to solely create stories. The hope is that the Asta, Mayor, D'arcy stories can move the show so much that they don't have to solely depend on Harry to carry the show (a bit like Northern Exposure).

The problem with this is unless the storylines not involving Harry work out, it will be the Harry character doing the heavy lifting and the show will sink.

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possibilities

possibilities

I get that they don't want to depend exclusively on Harry, but they could have the other characters interacting with the other alien plots. I mean... they have at least three different types of aliens on the show. Liv is even consciously seeking others who have encountered them. Why are they not making use of the device, since they built the show on it? 

The mayor/resort/marriage stuff and the D'Arcy/drugs/BS story could be linked somehow, as well.

They could bring an alien experiencer convention to Patience, and there could be conflict between the people who want more tourism but not that kind, the people who want the resort, and people who think all of it is crazy and want peace and environmental protection. 

I don't know if that's the best idea either, since I don't really like the whole conflict-is-what-drives-all stories mentality, but if they're going to have conflict, why not make it related to the core premise of the show?

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Zaffy

Zaffy

7 hours ago, juno said:

The problem with this is unless the storylines not involving Harry work out, it will be the Harry character doing the heavy lifting and the show will sink.

Imho, the show is sinking anyway.
it seems more like if the writers didn't know what to write next, so they started involving more the side characters to fill in the scripts. Problem is none of them had any potential to start with. 

And yes the "gimmick" was the Alien trying to adjust to Earth, not the lives of the ppl of a small town. As someone already mentioned, it is like two different shows. However, people "signed in" for the Alien. If you cannot support your main "gimmick" then your show has failed.

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possibilities

possibilities

D'Arcy could see an alien and think it's a drug hallucination. Or the drugs could enable her to see them, and that could open up a whole other story.

The original premise was that Harry was supposed to kill everyone but he changed his mind. Now they have some people trying to kill Harry, and some other aliens trying to kill all the humans. It's convoluted, but if that's what they want to do, why aren't they making use of it, to have more of the characters involved? 

How many episodes do we get this season? Even with a 22 ep season, we'd be more than halfway through and they've barely even shown us anything at all from the government agency, or developed the alien baby at all. It's like they give us two seconds of passing adrenaline and then linger over D'Arcy acting stupid to her boyfriend and Ben/Kate fighting and the sheriff being rude to the deputy.

Did they change writing staff in between seasons? Did they not plan out the stories?

They have all the bones but the pacing and intention seem seriously unfocused.

Or if they liked the adjustment thing, they could still use that. Harry is more adjusted to humans, but they could still do more with that. They could show the other aliens being in conflict. Or more humans finding out about aliens and the crazy stuff that spawns-- some fascination, some aversion, some just silly. There are all kinds of things they could do but they aren't doing any of them.

The baby alien revealing its true identity to the government agent was a start. But they waited a really long time to do it. Why? Was it really more fun to watch the baby alien running around the woods and crossing the road? 

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redpencil

redpencil

(edited)

I don't mind the other storylines as much as some do (though I definitely prefer some of them over others), but I definitely feel like it's time to bring at least one more person into the fold of knowing Harry is an alien. Not everyone at once of course, but at least someone. It makes the storylines too separate when so few people are in the know or even really peripherally involved in the alien storyline (and a couple of them are kids). Terry O'Quinn being around more would help, but they need at least one more of the regulars to find out. I'd vote for Liv to start.

Edited by redpencil
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cardigirl

cardigirl

5 hours ago, possibilities said:

I'm really hung up on how they keep kicking the deputy. Meanwhile, D'Arcy who is a trainwreck has a really great guy devoted to her and Asta is her ride or die, and I don't get it. Why do they hate Liv? Is it because she's competent and not a trainwreck? Is that not allowed to be loved?

Excellent questions. It seems Liv gets a win, once or twice a season and then she is back to being unappreciated and unloved. I don't like it. 

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Skooma

Skooma

(edited)
On 9/17/2022 at 11:45 AM, iMonrey said:

Refresh my memory: why is the alien tracker able to see aliens like Max? Has this been explained?  ...

On 9/17/2022 at 1:59 PM, redpencil said:

I think just that he's part of the tiny percentage of humans who can see them, like Max.

At the alien convention it was explained Alien Tracker Guy has an implant in his neck from his close encounter with the Grays when his wife/baby were abducted.  It allows him to see who is an alien which has allowed him over the years to become "Alien Tracker Guy." Harry was going to cut it out because he needed alien metal to fix his ship but ATG pleaded he not take it or he would never be able to find the aliens that abducted his wife/son.  Harry told him it was too late for that but relented and left the alien implant in his neck.  At least that is my memory of that episode.

Edited by Skooma
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Ilovepie

Ilovepie

On 9/15/2022 at 6:50 AM, Harvey said:

Okay, can someone explain why did we spend a whole of 5 seconds on the alien baby plot but so much time on the resort? No one actually cares about this resort.

On 9/15/2022 at 9:18 AM, MrPissyPuppy said:

A little bit of the Mayor and his wife go a very very long way.  

This!!!! Good lord, I really hope the writers/producers see comments like this somewhere - nobody wants all of these side plots, and nobody, and I mean nobody, cares about the mayor and his wife!

Also, why is Rita from Reservation Dogs suddenly part of the inner circle of ladies? Was she there the entire time and I am just now noticing because I started watching Reservation Dogs, or did they just add her and pretend she was always there in their friend group? Also, do I even care? There are already too many people and side plots on this stupid show......

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Skooma

Skooma

(edited)
2 hours ago, Ilovepie said:

This!!!! Good lord, I really hope the writers/producers see comments like this somewhere - nobody wants all of these side plots, and nobody, and I mean nobody, cares about the mayor and his wife!  ...

Yeah I totally agree.  They and D'arcy the druggie (booze and pills) basket case are ruining this show.  I made a list of characters I like to see on screen in descending order.  I bet others have too and I'd love to see theirs:

1. Harry - obviously the #1 character in the show.  Best actor.  Most interesting.  Can't get enough of him.

2. Deputy Liv - I think it was a mistake to make Asta Harry's sidekick in this show instead of Liv.  Why?  Liv is the ONLY one in the town pre-Harry that had any interest in aliens due to her childhood experience.  And if she knew who Harry was she would be over the moon with excitement about it.  She would have so much trouble NOT telling people and would try so hard to help Harry while oftentimes making things go crazy worse.  But Asta is the Hollywood pretty one and Liv looks like most everybody you see in real life so no chance to see her as the sidekick because that is how Hollywood is.

3. The Kids - though both can get over the top and Sahar was getting annoying until "baby" got abducted they still are more interesting than all the adults in the town save Deputy Liv.

4. Alien Tracker Guy and the General (Colonel? forget her rank).  - Both are part of the main plot line and both have compelling backstories because even though both are now dangers to Harry they should all be natural allies versus the Grays.  And Alien Baby /  Goliath may soften the General in future episodes.  Also both are interesting.  (Maybe throw in Air Force Officer Guy forced to work with the General if he was fleshed out more).

5. Sheriff Mike - at least part of the time when he seems like a real character and not the over the top buffoon the writers started with.  Writers have to tone him down.  Quit dumping on Liv one moment and building her up the next.  Writers turned him into some sort of yo-yo character that changes from scene to scene.  Make him his better self.

6. The Fathers - Asta's and Sheriff Mike's.  Both seem well grounded and almost wise.

7. Asta - why so low?  She is usually really fine when with Harry and part of the main story line except when she is off lecturing him endlessly on how great human emotions are.  But I can't stand the biological daughter story line angst.  And when with D'arcy she almost sinks to the boredom snooze level that is D'arcy.  Free Asta from these two and she would rank higher.

8. Snarky Nurse - the younger nurse at the clinic.  Probably would rank her higher if she was more in the story.

9. Judy - I guess by default at this point.  But only because ever once in a while she has a funny line.

10. Jay - the sad sack biological daughter of Asta.  I don't care about her story.  Period.  I want quirky aliens, not soap opera stuff.

11. D'arcy - was a big toss-up between her and the mayor and wife for last place but I guess she is less bad only because there is only one of her and two of them.  Also writing team, why did you go out of your way to make so many women characters in this show always sad and full of, again to overuse the word, angst?

12. Mayor Ben and his wife (Kate? Kayla?) - worst "couple" on a TV show in living memory.  Please, Grays, abduct them and never let them return.  (Also take D'arcy).  Writers then can hand wave a way Max can go live with Harry.

Edited by Skooma
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Ilovepie

Ilovepie

@Skooma, here's my list:

1. Harry

2. Asta - for better or worse, she's been his sidekick from the beginning, and I do like them together when she's not moping or doing stupid stuff with D'arcy.

3 Kids, but more like they were season 1. Since then Sahar has become obnoxious and rude to Max, and Max has become too dumb sometimes. Let Max be smarter and Sahar a little less like a mini adult, and I like their frenemy vibe with Harry.

4. Mayor and Sheriff and Liv. But I think it's time for them to know about Harry.

5. D'arcy and Judy Cooter Pooper Cooper. A little goes a long way. Neither need their own plots.

6. Snarky Nurse and Asta's Dad. Just to round out the town a little, and be people harry interacts with at work and his favorite place to eat.

7. Alien guy that Linda Hamilton shot then recruited and Terry O'Quinn.

8. Everyone else - special guests barely seen or eliminated, including Mayor's wife. I loathe her and the mayor is much more palatable when he's interacting with literally anybody except her. And as much as I like Linda Hamilton, her character is way too over the top crazy. I couldn't care less about Jay.

I would love to see more aliens and less alien trackers, or maybe a love interest for Harry - I loved when Alex Borstein was on, even though Harry was just using her. It would be hilarious to see him navigating romance for real, much like his friendship with Asta.

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seacliffsal

seacliffsal

I just watched this episode which tells me how uninterested I really am in the show.  I agree with pretty much all of the comments above and am sad that a show I really, really, liked has devolved into the nothingness it seems to be.

So, in a show in which there is an alien and his "friends," as well as an alien tracker, a government agency trying to find aliens, an alien baby, alien conventions, and a deputy who encountered aliens (or at least show their ship), instead of focusing on these various plot lines the writers have decided to give us a bickering couple fighting over a resort (oh, and by the way, it's an INJUNCTION that is issued by a judge to stop an action; a restraining order is to keep people away from each other), a former skier who has addiction issues and poor communication with her boyfriend, a woman who gave up her baby for adoption but is now trying to inject herself more into the girl's life, and other undeveloped and uninteresting stories.

It seems like the original plot of an alien adjusting to life on earth is now the subplot and the other, less interesting, plots are the main focus.  And, I don't care about the stories that the writers seem to really, really want to push forward.

Other shows built around a "gimmick" that carried their stories for more than one season:

Gilligan's Island

Bewitched, I dream of Jeannie

Mr. Ed

Psych

Monk

The Fugitive

My Favorite Martian

Etc.

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