S01.E07: In the Fires of Dead Stars

[AnimeMania]

Jason and Amanda visit a breathtaking world. To hide the truth from Daniela, Jason2 takes desperate action.

Premiere Date: June 12, 2024     Apple TV+    

[ottoDbusdriver]

Jason finally makes it home on his last ampule -- only to find Jason2 living in his house.

The world where Amanda stayed seemed pretty cool -- they had cold fusion, sleek trains, soaring buildings, edible cups, etc.

 

[iMonrey]

Quote

The world where Amanda stayed seemed pretty cool -- they had cold fusion, sleek trains, soaring buildings, edible cups, etc.

And seemingly never have to pay for anything. They've never explained about the money issue. Jason and Amanda have been staying in hotels and eating in restaurants and bars. I'm pretty sure Evil Jason didn't leave Good Jason with his wallet, and Amanda didn't seem all that prepared either. How are they paying for any of this?

I don't understand how the box works, either. It can't just be there in every universe. Don't other people notice it and wonder what the hell it is? I know other people can see it, because Evil Jason had a crew come and box it up last episode. What about the one in the middle of the freeway? Do people in that world just think it's supposed to be there and drive around it? The ones that seem to be out in the open, you'd think at some point large crowds would gather, and perhaps a news crew. 

It would make more sense if the box was just a manifestation that only the travelers could see, because it works the same way the drug does with the corridor - by constructing something the brain hasn't evolved enough to understand. 

I thought maybe the idealized Chicago Amanda stayed in was the same one Evil Jason trapped Ryan in, and they would run into him. That would have actually worked out pretty well. I also thought Evil Jason was going to kill Fake Ryan and leave his body to be found. Won't there be a lot of confusion when Fake Ryan wakes up and doesn't know anyone, or his life? Plus he can identify Jason as the person who he met at the bar. 

Is it me or is the whole story sort of falling apart?

[marinw]

8 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Is it me or is the whole story sort of falling apart?

Yes. I did enjoy this episode. Happy for Amanda that she found a place she should like. I would be happy with any universe with great public transportation.

This is where I get off. My Apple + subscription just jumped from $89 to $129 a year CDN! Subscribed to Disney instead. I will sign up for Apple once a new season of For All Mankind, Silo or Foundation drops.

[BetyBee]

19 hours ago, iMonrey said:

And seemingly never have to pay for anything. They've never explained about the money issue. Jason and Amanda have been staying in hotels and eating in restaurants and bars. I'm pretty sure Evil Jason didn't leave Good Jason with his wallet, and Amanda didn't seem all that prepared either. How are they paying for any of this?

I don't understand how the box works, either. It can't just be there in every universe. Don't other people notice it and wonder what the hell it is? I know other people can see it, because Evil Jason had a crew come and box it up last episode. What about the one in the middle of the freeway? Do people in that world just think it's supposed to be there and drive around it? The ones that seem to be out in the open, you'd think at some point large crowds would gather, and perhaps a news crew. 

It would make more sense if the box was just a manifestation that only the travelers could see, because it works the same way the drug does with the corridor - by constructing something the brain hasn't evolved enough to understand. 

I thought maybe the idealized Chicago Amanda stayed in was the same one Evil Jason trapped Ryan in, and they would run into him. That would have actually worked out pretty well. I also thought Evil Jason was going to kill Fake Ryan and leave his body to be found. Won't there be a lot of confusion when Fake Ryan wakes up and doesn't know anyone, or his life? Plus he can identify Jason as the person who he met at the bar. 

Is it me or is the whole story sort of falling apart?

When I finished this episode, I foolishly thought that Evil Jason and Original Jason are going to have a stand off in the coming episodes. Boy, am I a dope! Reading here and listening to a couple of podcasts, I learned that the Jason who has the splint on his pinky is yet another Jason and there are likely more. I guess I should have read the book in order for the series to make sense. Instead, I'm losing interest. Multi-verse travel is interesting, but to me, I can't care as much about the supposed protagonist when he becomes so diluted. 

[Haleth]

20 hours ago, iMonrey said:

How are they paying for any of this?

I kept wondering that too.  That's a great credit card that works across multiple universes.

In the book 

Spoiler

didn't Amanda just disappear?  Jason never knew what happened to her?  No fawncy dinner and teary goodbye?

 

[Hanahope]

Could make a tv show about Jason2 multi-verse traveling all over the place and switching people between verses to theoretically make their lives better.

how is garage Ryan going to ever replace Pavia winning chemist Ryan?  Seriously.  It’s getting dumb.

at least Jason 1 got lucky that J2 broke the box open.  

[catherinejane]

Yes I also assumed evil Jason would kill garage ryan /fake an overdose.

I hoped Amanda would stay in the nice world but she had those 2 ampules so maybe not. Though there is nothing for her in nice Jason’s world. 
 

the box in futuristic world was just in the middle of a park so wound be spotted. It’s very confusing how it works.

And I had no ideas that splint finger man was a Jason3! That’s just too confusing!(did nice Jason have 2 boys, 1 who died and then saw other son in last but 1 world where a girl twin died? (But then why would he not be freaked out by being called Charlie if girl Charlie died many years ago) 

[iMonrey]

19 hours ago, catherinejane said:

did nice Jason have 2 boys, 1 who died and then saw other son in last but 1 world where a girl twin died? (But then why would he not be freaked out by being called Charlie if girl Charlie died many years ago) 

I got the impression both Charlie and Max were alive in that world, and that Jason and Daniela had a third child who died, and they transplanted her heart into Max. This is what caused the friction between Max and his father in that world - resentment that the daughter died while Max - seemingly lazy and a disappointment in his father's eyes - got to live instead.

[iMonrey]

I forgot to comment on the scene where Jason has finally made it home and is running down the streets. As he passes the movie theater, the top movie listed on the marquee is "It's A Wonderful Life." It couldn't have been more of an homage - I half expected Jason to yell out "Merry Christmas movie house!"

[Haleth]

6 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I forgot to comment on the scene where Jason has finally made it home and is running down the streets. As he passes the movie theater, the top movie listed on the marquee is "It's A Wonderful Life." It couldn't have been more of an homage - I half expected Jason to yell out "Merry Christmas movie house!"

I thought that too!

My daughter used to live near the real Village Tap in Roscoe Village, not Lincoln Square. She’s offended they usurped the name of their local pub. 

[Anela]

9 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I forgot to comment on the scene where Jason has finally made it home and is running down the streets. As he passes the movie theater, the top movie listed on the marquee is "It's A Wonderful Life." It couldn't have been more of an homage - I half expected Jason to yell out "Merry Christmas movie house!"

I didn't see that, but I was thinking it was like the movie. He gets to see how life without him (specifically himself) is for his family and friends. 

[BetyBee]

In episode 6 some (like me!) were puzzled about which Jason was flirting (unsuccessfully) with blonde Daniela in the gallery. I was thinking about it last night and I wonder if that was Jason 3 (who "now" has a splint on his pinky finger) or perhaps another Jason, since we now know that there are more. That would explain why he was doing such a poor job of flirting. He may have been new to the game of trying to get back to his old life. It just didn't seem like something original Jason would have been doing at that point. 

[Anela]

Could Jason 3 be the one that Daniela and her son were afraid of, in that one life where she called the police? 

[Morrissey]

On 6/17/2024 at 1:05 PM, BetyBee said:

In episode 6 some (like me!) were puzzled about which Jason was flirting (unsuccessfully) with blonde Daniela in the gallery. I was thinking about it last night and I wonder if that was Jason 3 (who "now" has a splint on his pinky finger) or perhaps another Jason, since we now know that there are more. That would explain why he was doing such a poor job of flirting. He may have been new to the game of trying to get back to his old life. It just didn't seem like something original Jason would have been doing at that point. 

I thought good Jason visited blonde Daniela. I would have to rewatch the episode, but I'm fairly certain that he had a cut on his nose. 

[Morrissey]

I'm a sucker for anything multiverse, dystopian future, time travel sci-fi related, but at this point, I keep watching for the female characters. 

 

But the way the story has been unfolding I fear that instead of some clever and unexpected wrap up, there will be some kind of battle showdown between good Jason and evil Jason with a possible hostage situation. 

 

 

[Paloma]

On 6/12/2024 at 11:13 AM, iMonrey said:

I don't understand how the box works, either. It can't just be there in every universe. Don't other people notice it and wonder what the hell it is? I know other people can see it, because Evil Jason had a crew come and box it up last episode. What about the one in the middle of the freeway? Do people in that world just think it's supposed to be there and drive around it? The ones that seem to be out in the open, you'd think at some point large crowds would gather, and perhaps a news crew. 

It would make more sense if the box was just a manifestation that only the travelers could see, because it works the same way the drug does with the corridor - by constructing something the brain hasn't evolved enough to understand. 

I commented about this on the previous episode thread. I think the box is just a manifestation that only the travelers can see, like the corridor. I made the same point about crowds and media gathering if the box was actually visible to the outside world. 

I didn't realize there was a third Jason in this episode. It was confusing enough when there were 2 Jasons dressed the same going to the gun store. Why were they dressed the same?

The story has kept my interest so far, but I'm afraid they won't stick the landing. 

[greycoupon]

I also have been wondering how Jason and Amanda have been paying for stuff. Restaurants, hotel rooms, new clothes...in future!world I guess Amanda could access credit via retina scan or some tech but most of these worlds have been like our worlds.  Gigantic plot hole here.  I read the book years ago and can't remember if this was addressed. 

Also, Sliders was my second favorite show back in the 90s.