S01.E09: Entanglement

[AnimeMania]

(Season Finale)

The Dessens’ world comes crashing down.

Premiere Date: June 26, 2024     Apple TV+    

[ribboninthesky1]

I'm learning that some series are better binged, and this was one for me.  I suspect watching weekly might have tested my patience. 

As it stands, I enjoyed this.  Joel Edgerton's subtle performance really shined in this one, especially as original recipe Jason in contrast to his alternates.  I didn't understand what he was doing in the diner with the cigar at first, but it was a clever way (albeit risky) to get to Daniela. Jennifer Connelly didn't have much to do, but I still appreciated what she did with Daniela.  

I found Jason2's about-face too much of a deus ex machina, as was the family going into the box with no interference, but I just went with it. Also, that all of the Jason spinoffs got to that Chicago around the same time had me chuckling.

I hope the lost Bailey found her way to a safe world. Amanda looked happy, and I couldn't tell if the woman she met at the end was that world's Bailey.  I assume the Ryan who showed up was the one tricked and abandoned by Jason2. And the poor Ryan who was yanked out of his world by Jason2 was presumably committed?

I was never sure what happened to evil Leighton - last I remember, he was limping around in the box.  Guess he's dead?  The other Leighton that we saw seemed to have the time of his life. 

Interesting exploration of choices, regret, love, despair, obsession, family. For me, the "science" was shaky, but I imagine it's better written in the book (I've not read it).

[BetyBee]

I was puzzled by the sky in Prime Jason and Daniela's original universe. I kept seeing 2 lights (sun rising or moon setting) in the sky. There were also 2 orbs shining when they were driving in the car, escaping the vacation mansion. Maybe that was to show that it wasn't meant to be our universe. I haven't rewatched yet. Maybe it's nothing. 

[iMonrey]

I found the ending to be somewhat unsatisfying, but I'm hard pressed to think how how it could have been better. I rightly guessed it would involve going back into the box, but I thought maybe there was some way of undoing all those other Jasons. As it is, Jason Prime managed to get away with Daniela and Charlie, but left behind a shit ton of Jasons in that world. I have no idea how they're going to deal with that. 

I'd be interested to know if this is how it ended in the book (anyone who's read it please message or put in spoiler tags). It almost seemed like it was left open for a second season with Jason & family walking into the unknown, and Ryan finding Amanda. 

[cdnalor]

So if Jason1 and family tried multiple doors to get to their new world, could that mean that there will be versions of Daniela and Charlie split off who changed their minds and went back to the original world?  Those other Jasons will be so happy!

[Anela]

I’m picturing all of those Jasons on a reality show.  
 

Jason had something tied around his finger when he held Daniela’s hand. Was it the wrong Jason? 

[cdnalor]

4 minutes ago, Anela said:

I’m picturing all of those Jasons on a reality show.  
 

Jason had something tied around his finger when he held Daniela’s hand. Was it the wrong Jason? 

I think it was to replace the wedding ring that the other Jason took and then returned at the end.  

[FishyJoe]

Seems like the formula could be recreated by another Jason, so there are worlds that a version of Jason1 & family would be found by other Jasons. There is nowhere safe and at the same time there are many safe worlds. 

[iMonrey]

I don't get what they were trying to do with Ryan at the end. It appeared he made a new batch of the formula used in the ampoules and then went and found Amanda for some reason. Which would mean he was either abandoned by Jason in the same world Amanda chose to make her home, or else went back into the box and searched various worlds until he found her. But . . . how would Ryan even know who Amanda was, and what did he need her for? To find his way back home? His and Jason's home isn't her home and she and Jason never found it while they were still together. Maybe he just thinks she knows more than she does.

[BetyBee]

I think he must have seen the pic of his Jason with Amanda somehow. A little investigation would show Ryan that the insurance agent Jason of that world wasn't the one in the picture. If he had access to a lab, he must be doing fairly well in that world. 

[Hanahope]

Yeah no idea why Ryan was looking for an Amanda he never knew.  And seriously what is going to happen to all those Jason’s without a way to find another world.  It’s not like they could all live in this one.  Just too ridiculous at the end.  
 

[Hanahope]

The more i thought about the last episode, the more ridiculous it became.  How many people have gone through the box?  So how many hundreds of copies are there of Amanda, Jason2, Blair, Leighton, and the other two volunteers we don't even know?  If every time the person in the box "chose" to walk through one door, another copy was created that "chose" to walk through another door, then there could be thousands of copies out there.  sure, a large number will die, but what of those that don't?  that end up on a world and no more ampoules, and suddenly they are dopplegangers to someone already living there.  

While I understand the "logic" and "science" behind that idea, I think the story needed to ignore that and make a different choice on the ending.  

[Anela]

7 hours ago, Hanahope said:

The more i thought about the last episode, the more ridiculous it became.  How many people have gone through the box?  So how many hundreds of copies are there of Amanda, Jason2, Blair, Leighton, and the other two volunteers we don't even know?  If every time the person in the box "chose" to walk through one door, another copy was created that "chose" to walk through another door, then there could be thousands of copies out there.  sure, a large number will die, but what of those that don't?  that end up on a world and no more ampoules, and suddenly they are dopplegangers to someone already living there.  

While I understand the "logic" and "science" behind that idea, I think the story needed to ignore that and make a different choice on the ending.  

And now Daniela and their son. 

[Paloma]

On 6/25/2024 at 11:42 PM, ribboninthesky1 said:

I hope the lost Bailey found her way to a safe world. Amanda looked happy, and I couldn't tell if the woman she met at the end was that world's Bailey.

You mean Blair, not Bailey, right? The woman Amanda was with definitely was not Blair--if anything, she looked like another Amanda. The Amanda from that world had gone missing 2 years before, so it probably was someone else, but she did resemble her.

On 6/25/2024 at 11:42 PM, ribboninthesky1 said:

I'm learning that some series are better binged, and this was one for me.  I suspect watching weekly might have tested my patience. 

I agree with your whole post, including this point. My husband and I binged it in 4 nights and probably appreciated it more that way since the tension was kept up. Plus we were able to remember what happened in previous episodes.

Sci-fi is one of our favorite genres but we are often disappointed by shows that have a great concept but poor execution. We were not at all disappointed by this show, though we would have liked answers to some questions--especially what will happen to all the Jasons in this world. 

On 6/26/2024 at 8:58 PM, cdnalor said:

On 6/26/2024 at 8:51 PM, Anela said:

I’m picturing all of those Jasons on a reality show.  
 

Jason had something tied around his finger when he held Daniela’s hand. Was it the wrong Jason? 

I think it was to replace the wedding ring that the other Jason took and then returned at the end.  

Yes, it was a rubber band to replace the wedding ring. Original Jason put that on in an early episode (after he escaped Evil Jason's world, I think). I didn't notice that he still had the rubber band on in the scene of them holding hands, but my husband did--he said that Jason had both the rubber band and the wedding ring on the same finger.

Of course, another version of original Jason might have thought of putting a rubber band on the ring finger, so there's no guarantee that the one that ended up with Daniela and Charlie was the right one (Jason Prime if you prefer). Still, I want a happy family ending so I choose to believe that the rubber band indicated he was the right one.

 

[ribboninthesky1]

On 7/9/2024 at 7:42 PM, Paloma said:

You mean Blair, not Bailey, right? The woman Amanda was with definitely was not Blair--if anything, she looked like another Amanda. The Amanda from that world had gone missing 2 years before, so it probably was someone else, but she did resemble her.

Yes, thank you, I meant Blair! 

[tkc]

Anyone else think of this? 😄

[justmehere]

Late watching this. I mostly enjoyed it. It was intriguing in the beginning, a little slow in the middle, and then so tense, I almost couldn't wait for it to end. I'd like to think that Abandoned Ryan is in the same world as Amanda. Felt so sorry for Mechanic Ryan as well. Also hope Blair found her ideal place and wonder where Rich Leighton decided to stay when he ran out of ampoules.

I do have the same questions others have mentioned re: all the "leftover" Jasons and other multiples. And I kept wondering why no one ran into each other in the corridor - although since it's infinite, maybe the transition from the box isn't to the same spot.

I felt OK with Jason 2's turnaround. He was so single-minded, always, in choosing career over a family, and what he wanted when he regretted that choice, that he never thought of consequences. So when he did learn about all the damage he caused, well, he does have some of Jason Prime in him, so he's not totally without feeling. He just was far too late in caring and had to have it beaten into him. (Still would like to know how he was so precise with finding his original world and his stolen one multiple times... how many trips did he make to achieve that finesse?)

I did like a couple of nods to It's a Wonderful Life that I noticed (and probably missed some):

When Jason Prime finally gets back to his world and is running down the street - it's not snowing like in the movie - but he goes into the bar and asks the bartender (was his name Nick, here?) if he knows him. (Which also fits sideways with the world where the bartender doesn't know him, like when George is erased.) Also, "It's a Wonderful Life" was on the movie marquee as Jason ran down the street.

And then, at one point he comes downstairs in his house and the whatever-it's-called - bannister topper thing - comes off in his hand, like it does for George Bailey, which angers him at first and then delights him when he gets back to his life. 

Anyway - I know it kind of left a couple openings for additional story, but I hope they don't do it. It seems like it could easily get too far out of control with multiples and mix ups and all that. The openings make sense in themselves due to the nature of that world/those worlds and the people being the basically the same in all of them, but I don't need to see it.