S04.E05: How To Fly an Airplane

[AnimeMania]

Kristen, David, and Ben travel to the Vatican with a possible relic from Jesus' cross. Back in New York, the Bouchard girls face increasingly strange and sinister incidents in the house.

Premiere Date: June 20, 2024       Paramount+     

[NeenerNeener]

Sorry, writers, I'm not watching the credits twice. I'll take the haunting.

With Sheryl taking over the care  of the little devil baby Leland may have delegated himself out of a job.

Edited June 21 by NeenerNeener

[Anela]

I don’t like that she told the girls that he is their brother.  It’s not her place, but it wasn’t in the first place, when they stole Kristen’s egg.  

[SeanBug]

Is it me or shouldn't the gang have noticed from the get go that there appeared to be sigils on the lid of that case? 

Wasn't the whole point of Sheryl and Leland kidnapping Andy to get him out of the way? He's out of the way (writing and starring in Colin from Accounts), so why does she still feel the need to fuck with the family? 

This episode seemed a little off to me, like two people wrote it and they didn't compare notes.  The new priest said the Vatican wanted to talk to the gang, but then they bring them in thru the back door, down a tunnel and then say "Thanks, Bye", when they find out the wood doesn't fit the cross.  So why take the case and wood back?  So they could have an almost crash on the plane? And Holy Water melts the case? 

The craziness in the crash pad was really distracting.  And why in God's name is there still  a huge hole in the wall of their basement??  It's been there since S1. FFS fix the damn hole! 

Maybe it was just me and the heat dome of Hell not letting me think straight. 

That is one ugly fake baby. "Doesn't he look like you guys (the daughters)?"   No.  He doesn't. At all. 

Edited June 20 by SeanBug

[Anela]

It felt off to me, too. 

[SeanBug]

19 minutes ago, Anela said:

It felt off to me, too. 

Good, I'm glad it wasn't just me. 

Like they just ended scenes abruptly, and why would bats be in the hole?

I did like the grief demon showing up when Kristen was in the bathroom crying.  But I thought they'd have him show frustration that she got up and left before he could start his little ritual. 

OMG I just remembered I heard a story that heat like we're having makes you....wait for it...LOSE YOUR WORDS!!  

Edited June 20 by SeanBug

[Affogato]

1 hour ago, SeanBug said:

Good, I'm glad it wasn't just me. 

I did like the grief demon showing up when Kristen was in the bathroom crying.  But I thought they'd have him show frustration that she got up and left before he could start his little ritual. 

 

They did. It threw up its hands. 

Edited June 20 by Affogato
Pronouns

[SeanBug]

2 minutes ago, Affogato said:

They did. It threw up its hands. 

I thought I noticed something.

I need to sit down and re watch. I was up and down pausing it every 15 minutes I was moving a sprinkler around. 

Thx!!

[NeenerNeener]

6 hours ago, Anela said:

I don’t like that she told the girls that he is their brother.  It’s not her place, but it wasn’t in the first place, when they stole Kristen’s egg.  

Remember, Grandma bats for team Evil.

[Affogato]

4 hours ago, SeanBug said:

Is it me or shouldn't the gang have noticed from the get go that there appeared to be sigils on the lid of that case? 

Wasn't the whole point of Sheryl and Leland kidnapping Andy to get him out of the way? He's out of the way (writing and starring in Colin from Accounts), so why does she still feel the need to fuck with the family? 

This episode seemed a little off to me, like two people wrote it and they didn't compare notes.  The new priest said the Vatican wanted to talk to the gang, but then they bring them in thru the back door, down a tunnel and then say "Thanks, Bye", when they find out the wood doesn't fit the cross.  So why take the case and wood back?  So they could have an almost crash on the plane? And Holy Water melts the case? 

The craziness in the crash pad was really distracting.  And why in God's name is there still  a huge hole in the wall of their basement??  It's been there since S1. FFS fix the damn hole! 

Maybe it was just me and the heat dome of Hell not letting me think straight. 

That is one ugly fake baby. "Doesn't he look like you guys (the daughters)?"   No.  He doesn't. At all. 

Were the sigils there before the demonic activation in the plane?

i assume that the idea is that the vatican is old and has many tunnels, boltholes and hiding places for its treasures, dating from times of persecution. 
 

Since the relic was evil either it was sent back to America with blessed water so the group could either destroy it or die trying (because of the little know medieval prophecy involving evil destroyed over the ocean where only angels may tread) or something equally fishy. I mistrust the new priest and think Boeing is probably a DH subsidiary (explains some things). Maybe it ended abruptly because next week is a followup. 

Edited June 21 by Affogato

[Chaos Theory]

Did anyone watch the credits a second time.

 

interesting case.   Flying to Rome with a reported piece of the true cross Jesus was crucified on.   Only to realize it was the box it contained being a demonic sign of a great evil aleady in NY.      
 

the girls got to meet baby bro.  It was really kinda sweet.  Even if little baby bro is the anti-Christ and from the stolen embryo of mom.    

[Dani-Ellie]

"Bob the Built Builder" is the exact kind of wacky I expect from this show. As is Kristen singing a song about various sex acts in the presence of priests who may or may not understand English. It also amused me far more than it probably should have.

I also got a good laugh out of Ben teasing Kristen that she's much more Catholic than she pretends she is when she was fascinated and a little giddy at seeing the remains of the Cross.

 

5 hours ago, SeanBug said:

Wasn't the whole point of Sheryl and Leland kidnapping Andy to get him out of the way? He's out of the way (writing and starring in Colin from Accounts), so why does she still feel the need to fuck with the family? 

If I recall correctly, Sheryl is still trying to deliver Kristen to her bosses. Getting Kristen to meet Baby Antichrist and now telling the girls that Baby Antichrist is their brother is part of that somehow. (I also kind of caught my breath at the pride on her face when Lexis realized the baby just wanted to be held. Lexis is the one they've been trying to turn so, yeah, let's not have her bond so much with Brother Antichrist, plzkthx.)

That said, the girls were breaking my heart with their questions to Kristen when they were driving back from dropping Andy off. And when Lila was asking what it was called when you only have one parent. As far as I'm concerned, Andy can't die, if only because I don't want these sweet kids to have to lose their dad.

I also would not be opposed to a spinoff of the Bouchard girls just doing their Bouchard-girl thing. They're among my favorite kids on TV and I love when they get their own stories like this.

[Snazzy Daisy]

“Haunting of the Midnight Mass club” - a nice shoutout to Mike Flanagan. 👍🏻

This is a disappointing and disjointed episode for me. They spend too much times on the girls, the blackout and the bats but the important narrative only comes at the end - Sheryl dropping a bombshell on the girls about Baby T.

Am actually looking forward to the Vatican’s storyline, hoping it’s gonna be about David and his new ability. So disappointed to find out that the trip to Rome is only about returning a (fake) Christian relic to Vatican’s basement. They are just the guinea pigs. The trio doesn’t even get to meet up with the Vatican higher-ups. It’s an uninspiring storyline that they have to spice it up with the ghost pilot story. 😣

Does that demonic Bulgarian relic (the box) have any significant value to the soon-to-happen catastrophic event??!

 

[Annber03]

1 hour ago, Dani-Ellie said:

"Bob the Built Builder" is the exact kind of wacky I expect from this show. As is Kristen singing a song about various sex acts in the presence of priests who may or may not understand English. It also amused me far more than it probably should have.

I also got a good laugh out of Ben teasing Kristen that she's much more Catholic than she pretends she is when she was fascinated and a little giddy at seeing the remains of the Cross.

I laughed os hard at Kristen's song in the car XD. I don't know what was funnier about that, her singing or Ben just casually snapping his fingers, LOL. 

I would totally watch "Bob the Built Builder". My question is how did Lynn manage to find that video :p? 

And yeah, I liked Ben teasing Kristen about that, too. I get her curiosity, though - I'm not Catholic, let alone religious, but I'd still be fascinated by that whole thing. I also liked Kristen's reaction to Ben's comments about the plane crashing early on. 

Quote

If I recall correctly, Sheryl is still trying to deliver Kristen to her bosses. Getting Kristen to meet Baby Antichrist and now telling the girls that Baby Antichrist is their brother is part of that somehow. (I also kind of caught my breath at the pride on her face when Lexis realized the baby just wanted to be held. Lexis is the one they've been trying to turn so, yeah, let's not have her bond so much with Brother Antichrist, plzkthx.)

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah, I couldn't help noticing how quickly Lexis took to the baby, either. Eek. 

I definitely get the sense that one way or another, events conspired to make it so Sheryl was literally the only one who could show up to help the girls during the blackout. Either Sherly and/or Leland orchestrated it somehow, or the whole weird thing with the cross was some kind of supernatural catalyst to ensure that Kristen would be out of the house, far away from her daughters, and tne tree would fall on the babysitter's mom's house, calling her away, and the neighbor woudn't be reachable for some reason. It's just so very convenient that Sheryl was the only one the girls could reach in that moment. 

But man, that end line. Will be interesting to see what the girls do with that knowledge, and what else Sheryl tells them about how Timothy is their brother. And when Kristen finds out about all of this, with Sheryl visiting her girls and telling them about Timothy? Hoo, boy. 

Quote

That said, the girls were breaking my heart with their questions to Kristen when they were driving back from dropping Andy off. And when Lila was asking what it was called when you only have one parent. As far as I'm concerned, Andy can't die, if only because I don't want these sweet kids to have to lose their dad.

I also would not be opposed to a spinoff of the Bouchard girls just doing their Bouchard-girl thing. They're among my favorite kids on TV and I love when they get their own stories like this.

My thoughts exactly. When they were like, "We're not little anymore" to Kristen, I was sitting here like, "No. No, you are not." Kristen can't hide things from them anymore, they're going to find out all this weird, creepy stuff eventually, one way or another. 

I like the girls, too. They're fun. And I like how they work together and look out for each other in their own ways. 

I personally liked this episode, myself - the stuff with the ghost captain was creepy (especially when he showed up right near David on the plane), and I would've actually liked them to delve more into that, maybe interview other flight attendants who might've had their own expeirences with the ghost captain. And to find out more what happened to the poor woman who did see him - it looked like they concluded hers was a psychological issue, but I would've liked to learn more about what might've led her to do this, even if it was because of a psychological break. 

I also would've liked to see more of them in Rome, but maybe they'll get another trip back there before the show wraps up? 

[giovannif7]

1 hour ago, Annber03 said:

I laughed os hard at Kristen's song in the car XD. I don't know what was funnier about that, her singing or Ben just casually snapping his fingers, LOL. 

(snip)

Why am I not surprised that Kristen and Ben are Hair fans... especially when it comes to making representatives of the church hierarchy squirm. 😘

 

[Annber03]

I did not know that was from Hair (never seen the musical, though I've certainly heard about it)! 

Ha. That makes it even funnier. 

[phalange]

Oh hey, it’s the grief demon again. 

Good thing Andy can’t have his phone. Makes it harder for Leland to get to him.

Kristen singing in limo in front of the priests was great. And if I got sent to Rome then didn’t get to do anything fun and touristy I’d be disappointed, too.

Gotta hand it to this show, David seeing the ghost pilot on the plane jump scared me a couple times. 

I’m willing to bet that the girls don’t say anything to Kristen about Sheryl coming over or about the baby. They’ll keep it a secret since Sheryl asked them to. It’s gross that she’s fine with manipulating her own granddaughters and getting them to keep things from Kristen. Lexis bonding with the baby is probably part of her plan. 

[Anela]

The girls have sabotaged Leland before. Maybe they will be the ones to save the day.  

[NeenerNeener]

9 hours ago, Dani-Ellie said:

(I also kind of caught my breath at the pride on her face when Lexis realized the baby just wanted to be held. Lexis is the one they've been trying to turn so, yeah, let's not have her bond so much with Brother Antichrist, plzkthx.)

IIRC Lexis was conceived through IVF at the evil fertility clinic, and that's when the evil fertility clinic got the egg that produced baby anti-Christ as well. So maybe she's been somehow programmed to serve him. Wasn't she the one opening the door to the killer after everyone went to sleep during season 1 or 2?

[SeanBug]

I thought that song sounded familiar...   Funny that Kristen would have it memorized.  

I think there was just too much going on in this episode that we couldn't focus on the A plot, the case and the fake cross wood. 

We have bats in the house, ghost pilot, evil flying across the ocean, flight attendant attacked by Evil, bad exorcism, and why is everyone from the Vatican such an asshole? 

What is up with  Kristen's attorney babysitting the girls?  And then leaving to take care of a mother who is in a nursing home, where there are attendants and doctors and nurses.  Those girls are by themselves ALL THE TIME.  They can't make it one night alone?  FFS Kristen goes out to bars in the middle of the night and leaves Lynn in charge. 

Also, and not to get too realistic, but I have had experience with being exposed to rabies and having to get the shots, and nurses told me the number one carriers are bats. Their teeth are so small you don't even know you were bit.  It's much scarier to have to worry about rabies killing you then getting locked out of your house in a storm and calling your batshit (pardon the pun) crazy evil Grandmother. 

I trust the Kings that they'll follow up with this story line and explain some stuff later. 

[Madding crowd]

I thought Kristen was rude to be singing that song in front of the priests. No one is forcing her to work with the church and she knew this was a work assignment. I know I’m an outlier here but I think Cheryl and her association with Leland is the weakest plot. It was Ok when they were first dating but now they seem to veer between her doing really bad things and somehow still caring about her daughter and grandkids. It’s like they don’t want her to be all out bad but the things she did to Kristen and Andy are unforgivable.

[Affogato]

1 hour ago, Madding crowd said:

I thought Kristen was rude to be singing that song in front of the priests. No one is forcing her to work with the church and she knew this was a work assignment. I know I’m an outlier here but I think Cheryl and her association with Leland is the weakest plot. It was Ok when they were first dating but now they seem to veer between her doing really bad things and somehow still caring about her daughter and grandkids. It’s like they don’t want her to be all out bad but the things she did to Kristen and Andy are unforgivable.

If nothing rlse this was really bad workplace behavior. 

[kwnyc]

WHY didn't they call Sister Andrea? 

Also noted that Jasmine mentioned that Kristen had girlfriends in the past...

Cheryl is random chaos evil, and ultimately, I don't think she cares about anyone but herself.

I also totally called the reluc was supposed to be from the True Cross. As someone once said, there are enough pieces of the True Cross to rebuild the Ark.

 

 

 

[snoopypez]

Finally someone else mentions the truly important part of the episode: Kristen had girlfriends!! We love a bisexual Kristen!! 🥰

But in other news, the end part on the plane was seriously creepy to me, for various reasons. Kristen singing was hilarious, Ben was amazing as always, David's reactions about Kristen singing was hilarious, the girls remain adorable and great, I still worry about Andy, and...

Sheryl. Hey. Hey, Sheryl, come here. Maybe if you missed your granddaughters so much and so sweetly, maaaaybe you should maaaybe think about, I dunno, getting rid of Leland FOR FOREVER since he plotted to have your youngest one horribly murdered! Perhaps?? Yeah??

Man, I wonder what explanation she has for the kids about the baby being their brother. They're either gonna think their mom cheated (and...hid a pregnancy?), their dad cheated I guess??, or if Leland gets mentioned...yikes. They don't like Leland (because they're smart). 

[Mari]

On 6/20/2024 at 10:30 AM, Anela said:

I don’t like that she told the girls that he is their brother.  It’s not her place, but it wasn’t in the first place, when they stole Kristen’s egg.  

It was extra evil and selfish.  It purposely drives a wedge between them and their mother, and the girls are getting older, but the situation is unusual and complicated enough that even if they understood the circumstances, they are likely not emotionally prepared for it.  And that's not even including the Baby AC and Leland angle.

Plus, didn't Kristin change the locks?  How did Sheryl get them in--call a locksmith?  Would a locksmith require proof Sheryl lived there, or would the girls living there be proof enough?

 

On 6/20/2024 at 3:03 PM, SeanBug said:

Like they just ended scenes abruptly, and why would bats be in the hole?

The only thing I can think of is the hole is connected to something outside.  It has to be a tunnel, because they need to get out and eat somehow.  Which, extra gross, creepy, and worrisome.  Because that hole could be tiny or a Leland size access.

[WAnglais1]

I have re-watched the series over the last week. There was so much time between the seasons I totally forgot stuff. Also, I'm old. 

In S3 Grace told Kristen that Lexis was in danger. We also got the news she was being groomed to take over one of the most powerful sigils, and the head of that group was being sought out before he or she died. The body could be disposed of before Lexis cannibalized it. 

I guess that's another way AC!Baby was happy to have Lexis hold him.

I really thought Sheryl was going to have a redemption arc. She was going to bring Leland and DF down and save the family. Now, not so much. 

This did feel like a filler episode. I love these three main characters so much and would love it to have the show continue. As long as there is an ending and no hanging plot threads I'll be happy.

[ferjy]

On 6/20/2024 at 5:09 PM, Affogato said:

They did. It threw up its hands. 

Loved that. 😄 Poor demon. 

 

[ferjy]

On 6/20/2024 at 8:40 PM, Chaos Theory said:

Did anyone watch the credits a second time.

I never watch them even a first time. Guess I’m doomed. 

 

[steph369]

 

On 6/21/2024 at 11:48 AM, Madding crowd said:

I thought Kristen was rude to be singing that song in front of the priests.

She started singing it because they claimed not to speak English.  Bit of a retaliation. And the humor was in the “Hair” connection. 

Edited June 24 by steph369

[jmnf19]

On 6/21/2024 at 9:32 AM, SeanBug said:

And then leaving to take care of a mother who is in a nursing home, where there are attendants and doctors and nurses. 

You may have to have had a relative in a nursing home to know, but they call you ALL THE TIME, at every little thing, and expect you to come promptly to take care of matters. We finally took my mother out to come live with us (luckily we were able to manage it, with some outside help). Less bother and she got more personalized and loving care. 

[Affogato]

1 hour ago, steph369 said:

She started singing it because they claimed not to speak English.  Bit of a retaliation. And the humor was in the “Hair” connection. 

This was not me, it was ‘Madding crowd’.

I said it was poor workplace behavior. With that level of immaturity Kristen would not be able to hold a job, and it may be funny but it is wildly unrealistic in that way.  Unless there is a payoff later, which there may be in this show. It may be funny, but it is a red flag. 

[steph369]

2 hours ago, Affogato said:

This was not me, it was ‘Madding crowd’.

I said it was poor workplace behavior. With that level of immaturity Kristen would not be able to hold a job, and it may be funny but it is wildly unrealistic in that way.  Unless there is a payoff later, which there may be in this show. It may be funny, but it is a red flag. 

Yeah, sorry. Seems when you quote from within a quote it doesn’t pick up the original post. I’ve fixed it now. 

You never know, about a payoff, but in my opinion, that is reading too much into it, rather that it was meant to merely be a bit of levity with a nod to Hair and that Kristin has watched it. They’ve always thrown in humorous bits that wouldn’t work in real life. The show is far from realistic! 😃

[Affogato]

15 minutes ago, steph369 said:

Yeah, sorry. Seems when you quote from within a quote it doesn’t pick up the original post. I’ve fixed it now. 

You never know, about a payoff, but in my opinion, that is reading too much into it, rather that it was meant to merely be a bit of levity with a nod to Hair and that Kristin has watched it. They’ve always thrown in humorous bits that wouldn’t work in real life. The show is far from realistic! 😃

You may be right. Although what makes a show about fundamentalist Catholism good, in my opinion, is a strong and solid base of normality. 

[steph369]

2 minutes ago, Affogato said:

You may be right. Although what makes a show about fundamentalist Catholism good, in my opinion, is a strong and solid base of normality. 

True. But I don’t think this show has ever been that. It’s always been somewhat quirky. Probably what keeps me coming back! 

[Dani-Ellie]

This is a show that has a demon literally burrowing a hole through a dude (a hole that only certain people can see), throwing out organs, and filling said hole with rocks. Said demon was also lured out of said hole by mini marshmallows. Oh, and Ben's sleep paralysis demon has a retainer. I think realistic and normality went out the window a long time ago.

[ferjy]

11 hours ago, steph369 said:

a nod to Hair and that Kristin has watched it

 

On 6/21/2024 at 9:32 AM, SeanBug said:

Funny that Kristen would have it memorized.  

She’s clearly watched it on a loop (while guzzling canned Margaritas)! 

 

[ferjy]

On 6/23/2024 at 5:22 PM, WAnglais1 said:

I really thought Sheryl was going to have a redemption arc. She was going to bring Leland and DF down and save the family. Now, not so much. 

I thought right from the start that it was all an act with her, to get Leland et al. I’m so disappointed in how her arc is turning out. And they seem so wishy washy about it. One minute she is loving grandma, the next, evil grandma steps in. Maybe she’s got (or the writers have!) split personality disorder. 

 

[SeanBug]

On 6/24/2024 at 8:47 AM, jmnf19 said:

You may have to have had a relative in a nursing home to know, but they call you ALL THE TIME, at every little thing, and expect you to come promptly to take care of matters. We finally took my mother out to come live with us (luckily we were able to manage it, with some outside help). Less bother and she got more personalized and loving care. 

Oh, I agree with you that they call ALL THE TIME.   The home my father was in wanted me to come sit up with him all night because he kept getting up in the middle of the night.  Like the nurse and attendants standing around at the desk right outside his room couldn't get him back in bed. We finally had a consultant talk to them. 

  I can understand Jasmine having to leave but why ask her in the first place.  It's never been established that she and Kristen are that close. 

[StarBrand]

I'm sorry, I laughed out loud when Kristen starting singing the song from "Hair".

I'm wondering how much longer Kristen will keep it together. It was really said how she tried to reassure the kids that Dad would be OK, then immediately fell apart when alone at home. They know he's not OK. Children are smart. They know when parents are feeding them bullshit.

Edited June 27 by StarBrand

[Scout Finch]

On 6/20/2024 at 6:11 PM, Dani-Ellie said:

I also got a good laugh out of Ben teasing Kristen that she's much more Catholic than she pretends she is when she was fascinated and a little giddy at seeing the remains of the Cross.

Although I was baptized Catholic, my mother only expected me to go to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. After she suffered through a strict Catholic school education it was not at all important to her to raise me with a religious upbringing and we both ultimately ended up as definitive lapsed Catholics. Still, after all these decades if there's something with even a non-denominational religious component like someone saying grace at a meal, I'm always compelled to make a discreet sign of the cross. Also, I like to think that there's nothing that can't be conquered with just Holy Water and a crucifix!

[SoMuchTV]

On 6/21/2024 at 9:32 AM, SeanBug said:

And then leaving to take care of a mother who is in a nursing home, where there are attendants and doctors and nurses.  

 

On 6/24/2024 at 8:47 AM, jmnf19 said:

You may have to have had a relative in a nursing home to know, but they call you ALL THE TIME, at every little thing, and expect you to come promptly to take care of matters. We finally took my mother out to come live with us (luckily we were able to manage it, with some outside help). Less bother and she got more personalized and loving care. 

Late to this, and a minor point I suppose, but they said the mom was in assisted living, not a nursing home. So even more likely that they would be calling the next of kin or family contact for stuff like that.