S01.E01: She Was Provisional

[MomHasCooties]

I was totally confused throughout the whole episode.  But when the little girl killed the cat, I turned it off and cancelled the season pass.  Bummer, I'd been looking forward to this show.

[ottoDbusdriver]

I was totally confused throughout the whole episode.  But when the little girl killed the cat, I turned it off and cancelled the season pass.  Bummer, I'd been looking forward to this show.

 

I watched the whole episode and I'm right with you @MomHasCooties about the confusion.  It's a real mess, and murdering the cat for no apparent reason was a turn off (do the intruders not like cats that much -- she could have just shooed it away ?)

 

What's the deal with the number 9 ?  It popped up all over the place with no explanation of the significance.  Are they trying to be 'Lost', but couldn't afford to use 6 numbers so they just went with one (9) ?

 

Was Amy (Mira Sorvino's character) supposed to be the teenager that committed suicide in the tub at the start of the episode ?  Was the note to Gary Fischer (the one in the 1990 yearbook) that the teenager wrote a letter to the same Gary Fischer that visited Jack (Amy's husband) 20+ years later ?  

 

When Jack called that law firm, asked for Amy and was put through to the receptionist for a guy ?  WTF ?

And that's after he called that other number on Amy's phone and heard nothing but recorded music.  And after finding Amy's calendar schedule remarkably blank after the day she left.

 

With the references to immortality, infrasonics, hosts -- are they invaders from another planet ?  Are they immortal lifeforms from Earth ?  The ghosts of screenwriters past who wrote shitty scripts like this ?

 

Based on the whole pupil dilation nonsense, Richard, Amy and Madison are all hosts.  How did Madison get infected with a whatever-it-is ?  Why did Madison complain about being woken up too early to Richard ? And why is she so keen about karmic payback -- is she going to wake up Richard too early as payback ?

 

Is Robert Forster part of the cast or was his participation only in that one scene ?  Because I like him, and if the only reason he was in the promos was to troll for an audience that just sucks.  What was the point of the 45 RPM record adapter -- is that the symbol that activates the intruder in a body, much like the sand dollar did for Madison ?

 

James Frain does spooky well, but what was the whole point to killing that mother and son ?  Or killing the paranoid conspiracy nut (was he getting to close to the truth) ?

 

I guess they are setting things up the big mystery of whatever these intruders are -- but it's WAY too confusing to maintain interest even after one episode.

 

And in the preview, they have Madison (the 9 year old) threatening a security guard -- pulling the old "you'll regret it if I don't get my way" nonsense. Give me a break.

[ShadowHunter]

As a pet owner I understand the feelings about the cat but I think the reason it happened was the one who killed the cat was the other soul in her body. I think the names of the other soul in Madison's body is Marcus. 

 

I agree so many questions and I hope they answer them as the series goes on. 

 

It was interesting how James Frain character Richard killed so many people but killing a 9 year girl seems to be his line in the sand. 

[Cobb Salad]

I'm confused too but I hope it'll clear up soon since it appears there are only 8 episodes. Despite the confusion the time passed quickly for me.

I'm not sure what to think of the 'old soul' possession of the 9 year old girl. Yeah, her threatening the security guard (who was only doing his job) next week looks ridiculous. If they have her doing something like what she did to the cat again it's going to wear thin fast.

With her and the others how were the hosts determined? Based on the likelihood they wouldn't be discovered or found until it was time? Were these people dying or running from something? To me it sounds like they're all from Earth.

The 2nd episode is posted on the BBC America site - I'm debating whether or not to watch or wait until Saturday.

[mjc570]

I agree that this episode was somewhat confusing - I didn't read the book upon which the series was based, but I also assume that these characters (Donna, Madison) were hosting the members of the secret society for a predetermined period - ie, perhaps the 9 is 9 years that Marcus gets to be in Madison.   Or something.

 

Two comments:
(1)  I liked seeing John Simm, but it would have been so awesome if his previous investigative experience had been in Manchester in the 1970s. 

 

(2)  Any time someone is asked, "Who else knows about your research?" - the answer is NEVER "no one." 

[Endeavour]

I don't have any strong opinions one way or the other about the ep. Lots of questions and set up. I'm going to continue to watch to see where it goes. I didn't realize there were only 8 episodes.

Any time someone is asked, "Who else knows about your research?" - the answer is NEVER "no one."

 

Right? For all the the effort he was putting into keeping his identity and location a secret, he turned out to be rather gullible. I did think it was funny when Richard walked into his camper/van (or whatever that was) and asked "What, no I want to believe poster?"

[Whimsy]

Mysteries unfold as Amy heads to Seattle on business and vanishes; Jack goes to Seattle only to uncover more unanswered questions about Amy's whereabouts; an old friend visits Jack and asks for his help. Meanwhile, nine-year-old Madison starts behaving erratically after seeing a stranger on the beach. An assassin desperately tries to stop his secret from leaking.

 

 

Here's your episode 1 topic.  It may be easier to discuss individual episodes here and, if you're behind in viewing, you don't have to worry about being accidentally spoiled. 

[millennium]

I don't know ... they seem to be purposely dragging out the obvious.    It's not like this "dormant soul in an unsuspecting body" thing hasn't been done before.

 

Beautifully filmed, but otherwise ,,, meh.   I expected better from Morgan.   Then again, we're down a Wong.