S01.E02: And Here... You Must Listen

[Ms Lark]

I had mixed feelings about the Pilot, but Comcast has the 2nd ep up On Demand (it's labeled "Intruders PRE", go figure). Which covers the girl, John Simm, and a few more things.  The Pilot had to cover a lot of territory and wound up a big, hard to track mishmash. The 2nd Ep smooths things out a little more. After I watched that, I went back and re-watched the Pilot, which I wasn't going to do, and things made more sense. Even if you don't have On Demand, give the 2nd ep a chance next week before you chuck it! Love John Simm and James Frain and now looking forward to the rest of the series.

Edited August 25, 2014 by GenL
Remove spoiler tag

[Cobb Salad]

I know John Simm only from Doctor Who as the Master - nice to see him in a different type of role. I'm in it for the 8 (as advertised) episodes because I'm an X-Files fan from years ago.

[morakot]

It definitely required attention. I know I had to rewind several times to see what I had missed because I was working on a complicated stitch or had to let the cat in. I'm okay with a pilot being full of questions -- I have trust that they are going to answer them right now. It's only when we're 3 or 4 seasons in (Pretty Little Liars) and we only have more questions that I get upset.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Saw the 2nd episode online -- while little answers are given, even more bigger questions are raised.  The girl playing Madison/Marcus needs more acting lessons.

[Latverian Diplomat]

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?"

The showrunner is Glen Morgan, who with his then writing partner James Wong wrote many of the better X Files episodes. So, it's a little meta humor.

 

I liked it well enough to keep watching. Though stuff with Amy and the cat and Amy begging for her life was hard to take, I suspect there will be more scenes like that before it's all over. FWIW, the actress did sell those scenes, that's one reason why they are so troubling. I'm wondering if Robert Forster's character in the beginning was also "Marcus". If so, we won't see Forster again.

Edited August 25, 2014 by Latverian Diplomat

[Whimsy]

I know John Simm only from Doctor Who as the Master - nice to see him in a different type of role. I'm in it for the 8 (as advertised) episodes because I'm an X-Files fan from years ago.

You should check out the original Life on Mars. He was excellent in that as well.

The pilot confused me. Ms Lark makes me think there's hope, though, so I'll watch the next episode and then decide.

[Happytobehere]

I am giving this my usual three episode trial run. I have the "She Was Provisional" saved because I think this is the type of show where the piece won't piece together for a while but when you go back and re-watch, things that made you go "huh, l" will make sense and assist you in piecing things together.

[roomtorome]

Boy, they have done a bad job setting up whatever this is - I knew nothing about what this was about and still really don't but mooched around a bit online and got some clues; they just began their storytelling in the least effective way (to me, anyway) - if they were good at writing this, they would have given more flesh to these bones without giving away the whole thing but as it is, it was - well, a mess.

 

I'll give it one more episode because I like some of the actors and I do think the filming is lovely but, come on, a few actual hints of what's going on may well have roped me in but, as it is, I'll tune in once more just because there's not much else on this time of year - not a good reason.

[mjc570]

I have to agree that this is REALLY confusing - I've watched both episodes now (thanks for he heads up about PRE being Episode #2) and I'm not really impressed.  I picked up from the beginning that there was intrabody sharing going on - but by now I would have expected to know who/how etc.  It seems that with only 8 episodes there needs to be some quick exposition - and some action beside Madison being threatening and James Frain killing people.

 

I'm also confused by the flashbackforwards or whatever they are.  In episode 2 - was that a dream John Simm was having about Amy?  If so, why was she speaking (I assume) Russian?

[ottoDbusdriver]

I'm also confused by the flashbackforwards or whatever they are.  In episode 2 - was that a dream John Simm was having about Amy?  If so, why was she speaking (I assume) Russian?

 

I think that scene was definitely a flashback from before Amy disappeared. I think that the spirit/ghost/alien can easily take over the host while they are asleep.  And there was a line mentioned by Jack (John Simm) about something Amy said while she was sleep walking -- that she was a member of the Czar's Royal Guard from the late 1800s (which might explain why she was speaking Russian).

 

So whatever these things are, they are old -- or as Shepherd said, immortal.

[henripootel]

It definitely required attention.

I paid attention, some parts twice.  Still felt like I was watching a two-hour episode with half the scenes missing, the ones which showed what the hell links all these things together.  I got the 'old ones are body-snatching' thing but little else.  Kinda keeping a lot of balls in the air watching this - best land a few, Mr. Morgan.

[Endeavour]

I paid attention, some parts twice.  Still felt like I was watching a two-hour episode with half the scenes missing, the ones which showed what the hell links all these things together.  I got the 'old ones are body-snatching' thing but little else.  Kinda keeping a lot of balls in the air watching this - best land a few, Mr. Morgan.

I haven't watched the second ep yet. It seems to me that they were definitely trying to raise a lot of questions and get everyone to come back to watch for the answers but may have gone a bit too far for some viewers. As it's only 8 eps, I think I'll end up watching them all unless it's absolutely terrible at some point.

[Cobb Salad]

I watched the first episode again then the second. There are some vague answers but more questions. I'm in it for all of the episodes unless like Endeavour says it gets terrible.

There are several birthdays in the first episode. Wonder if that is an indicator of the 'birth' of the other soul. Then the little girl who just turned 9 does that birthday have any tie in with the cards with 9 on them?

Regarding the 2nd episode, I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it yet but regarding the 9 year old traveling on her own there are a couple of adults who should have asked a few more questions.

[Automne]

Saw the 2nd episode online -- while little answers are given, even more bigger questions are raised.  The girl playing Madison/Marcus needs more acting lessons.

 

God, yes. One promo had the girl giving a monologue before panning to a dead body in a bathtub and giving what I assume will be her catchphrase: "What goes around, comes around." It was just BAD. There are way more talented child actors out there.

[seamusk]

 God, yes. One promo had the girl giving a monologue before panning to a dead body in a bathtub and giving what I assume will be her catchphrase: "What goes around, comes around." It was just BAD. There are way more talented child actors out there.

Yeesh that's bad.  Though, in her defense, try doing that bit yourself.  I don't think there is an easy way to make that bit of dialogue sound good.

Edited August 28, 2014 by seamusk

[seamusk]

I was home sick and watched both episodes today.  Definitely confusing but I enjoyed it and I think i'm in for at least the season.  They are establishing this interesting mythos and while there is a lot of mystery around it, they aren't exactly being cagey about it.  It's pretty clear what the basic premise is.  Which I think is good.

 

The one thing that sort of bothered me, and I realize it's a random thing to pick on, was the cabbie over hearing all of that detail about her former life.  I mean, why was she just telling her life story in the cab in the first place?  And mentioning exact years?  That's bizarre and strikes me as a forced plot point to get her husband to follow the trail more quickly. I'm sure there are plenty of other things I can nitpick, but i'm pretty comfortable with the fact that television is rarely, if ever, perfect so that stuff doesn't bother me mostly.

 

Anyhow, I think it's a good show, or at least has that kind of promise.  I'm gonna be a bit tapped out once the fall season starts so we'll see how far i get.

[Endeavour]

I mean, why was she just telling her life story in the cab in the first place? And mentioning exact years?

Good point. I watched the 2nd ep last night and, while I was tired and a bit preoccupied, I didn't pick up on that.

The show isn't impressing me, but I'm sticking around to see where it goes and hope it gets better along the way.

[indeed]

OK, so "FBI guy" couldn't kill the girl because she was still just a girl and not Marcus awakened yet? Why does he want to kill these immortals, but protect the group in general? Why did the wife disappear on her ex-cop husband? Why didn't he report it? Does she want him to be suspicious because her boss didn't help matters. The guy was weird about that wonderful car not being brought back in a timely fashion. Is everybody except the cabbie and his real FBI friend in on it? Am I the only one who likes John Simm with his accent better?

Edited September 1, 2014 by indeed

[Amelie06]

This show is quickly losing my interest. The only thing we know about James Frain's character is that he murders a fuckton of people. I'm already bored with this aspect of his character. How can this be the only thing he really does? Use your words! The little girl that won't stop acting like a badass is so unintentionally amusing to me. I get that she has been taken over by some dude, but has he taken an adequate look in the mirror? He should really stop trying to intimidate people.

 

I find their presentation of the basic plot to be confusing. The only character I really identify with is John Simms, because he doesn't know what the fuck is happening.

[Dowel Jones]

I did get a bit of a kick out of Madison's outburst and her emphatic "ASSHOLE" to the overly officious clerk.  You know you've always wanted to do that, admit it.

[Cobb Salad]

The little girl that won't stop acting like a badass is so unintentionally amusing to me. I get that she has been taken over by some dude, but has he taken an adequate look in the mirror? He should really stop trying to intimidate people.

 

I find their presentation of the basic plot to be confusing. The only character I really identify with is John Simms, because he doesn't know what the fuck is happening.

He seems to know then looses his cool. I guess he really wants to get to Seattle enough to "break character". Then waiving all that money around. Would someone really accept a few hundred dollars from a kid for a ride over a state line? He's doing a good job leaving a trail so he can be found before before getting to his destination or is he that confident/cocky? Why doesn't the James Frain character just go there to confront him or is Frain not part of the group there?

I find the story with John Sim more compelling because he's experiencing this from an audience standpoint. What I like is he's an ex-cop and the nature of the job is to ask questions and read people.

[seamusk]

I was just thinking about this and gender dynamics. This show is almost entirely male.  Even the female characters are primarily men in female bodies. This fascinates me. So, if you are a tsar secret service top, I imagine you are quite the alpha male. Now you reside in a woman's body.  Is this his first female body? I would imagine that living some lives as a man, and some lives as a woman, would greatly influence your approach to all kinds of things in life.  It certainly should alter your view of gender politics I would think.  We haven't gotten to know that character yet, but hopefully we do. They may not approach it with that kind of fine filter, but there is a lot of potential there if the writers choose to tap into it.

 

Along the same vein, Marcus in a 9-year old girl's body is interesting. I think part of what makes her acting seem off is that there is nothing natural about who Marcus is and the body that he is in. That's a hard thing to act for an adult, let alone a child actor. Seems like Marcus is going to be a rather singular personality. Hopefully we get some grey there.  

 

What a hideous crime though. Taking someone's body away from them. I don't think we'll get it, but I really think it'd be interesting to follow the family of the little girl whose body Marcus took. It doesn't have to be as emo as the Killing season 1 and 2, but I really think it adds to the depth of the story to see that there is not just one victim, but a family of victims. 

[Cobb Salad]

Seamusk, I was wondering about the gender thing too. We don't know yet how old this secret society is yet and how many hosts these people have had. I wonder how the hosts (Madison, Amy, etc.) were chosen and if they were just convenient when it was time. I think there's some connection between the Frain character and Madison's parents that we haven't seen yet. Amy's boss looks suspect too.

Stargate had a similar thing with the G'ould and Tokra, some stayed with the same gender when changing hosts and others did not. I guess here the idea of living on is more important than whatever gender one is during a particular lifetime.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Stargate had a similar thing with the G'ould and Tokra, some stayed with the same gender when changing hosts and others did not. I guess here the idea of living on is more important than whatever gender one is during a particular lifetime.

 

Don't forget the Trill on ST:TNG and ST:DS9 -- they switched between hosts of different genders as well.

[maraleia]

Maybe I'm watching too many of these kinds of shows but I'm having a hard time connecting with this one. I guess I've reached a point where if I don't know the characters names and how they are connected to the plot by the second episode then why am I watching and that's happening with this show. It's the reason why I stopped watching The Strain and Turn.

[jennifda]

I liked the part when Jack asked the cabbie why the guys were chasing HIM and the cabbie gave him the perfect wtf look. Seriously, with everything going in, why would he think the cabbie was the one they were interested in?

Looks to me like Frain was the with the guy in the very beginning "awakening" the souls and has now broken away. It appears he is tracking the members and waking them, only to end them. He didn't initially kill the girl because she was not responding to the object (sand dollar), so maybe he thought the process had not worked on her.

The show's premise reminded me of Being John Malcovich.

[ganesh]

I'm no stranger to genre television, but the first episode was a little much for the first episode of a tv show. I was like, 'ok, dial it down a notch.' 

 

I find the story with John Simm more compelling because he's experiencing this from an audience standpoint.

 

I think the show should be from this pov for that reason. Because then they don't really have to explain a lot and we can figure it out as he does. I don't think it's really necessary to know what Frain is actually about until Simm crosses paths with him, so I don't think we need that much time with him. Since, obviously they will, and Simm will have uncovered it by that time. 

 

I liked the part when Jack asked the cabbie why the guys were chasing HIM and the cabbie gave him the perfect wtf look.

 

This was actually great. The cabbie said, 'fuck you, I'm out.' And just left. 

 

I'm glad to see MS actually having an interesting role than the drivel she had to work with on Falling Skies. 

[Whimsy]

Jack desperately tries to find Amy in Seattle but her movements offer more questions than answers; Madison finds herself in a train station with a ticket to Seattle, an envelope of cash, and a mysterious key. An act of humanity has serious consequences for Richard.

 

 

[millennium]

Are we supposed to be horrified by the idea of Marcus in a little girl's body?  Because I'm not.   Marcus makes cliche threats and calls strangers douchebags.   Oh, and drowns cats.   Whoopie.   Isn't there one of those in every junior high across America?    Where can they go with this?   Episode 7 of Intruders - Marcus Gets a Training Bra

[millennium]

The showrunner is Glen Morgan, who with his then writing partner James Wong wrote many of the better X Files episodes.

 

Eduardo Sanchez is involved in this too, and I have to ask -- just how fucking far can that guy cruise on the fumes of The Blair Witch Project?   He has produced nothing but garbage since then (and I was never impressed with Blair Witch either).