S03.E01: Shatter

[AnimeMania]

Boyd feels the town slipping away from him as the weather grows colder and the residents more desperate.

Premiere Date:      September 22, 2024      MGM+     9pm

[chrisrose]

I understand Kenny had to be away for plot contrivance purposes...in order to leave his mom less protected (plus he would've been able to stop that group who stormed into their house stealing food) ...but I really hated the, well, plot contrivance!

Like, did we see Kenny and Jim bonding in the past and I've just forgotten? I don't really understand why Kenny felt the need to go off with Jim. Call me heartless to Jim's loss of Tabitha, but if I were Kenny, I'd be like...well, you can risk leaving your kids orphans if you want, but I'm needed back "home" to take care of my mom and maintain law/order/peace. Leaving the children and elderly behind and expecting Boyd to take care of everyone with basically no help (no offense to Victor who's been very helpful but still)... just... pisses me off.

I wish the writers had found some other way to keep Kenny occupied if they *really* needed to kill his mom. Which I wish they hadn't done as she was one of the more likeable characters on this show... I don't really care about most of them.

I especially hate it when TV deaths feel more infuriating and... "this could've been easily prevented!" ...as opposed to feeling inevitable. Yeah yeah, I know death in real life is often senseless. But it's fiction. I'd rather not be irritated and questioning the writers' decisions. 'Cause then I'm not even as moved by the characters' deaths as I should be.

I mean... whyyyy weren't they keeping a talisman on the barn door to protect the animals all this time? Sheesh.

[babyrambo]

This show seems to have massively grown in popularity (not here though) since season 2 and given the premise I get why, but as it goes on, the drama feels like mystery for mystery’s sake rather than anything relevant or purposeful.

On 9/24/2024 at 11:46 AM, chrisrose said:

I especially hate it when TV deaths feel more infuriating and... "this could've been easily prevented!" ...as opposed to feeling inevitable. Yeah yeah, I know death in real life is often senseless. But it's fiction. I'd rather not be irritated and questioning the writers' decisions. 'Cause then I'm not even as moved by the characters' deaths as I should be.

I mean... whyyyy weren't they keeping a talisman on the barn door to protect the animals all this time? Sheesh.

Same. I guess since the monsters haven’t previously messed with the animals no one thought to put a talisman on the door. But having so many at people out at night to save the animals felt super contrived. Yes food is important but they were all so blasé about their safety and personally nothing short of being dragged out of my home would’ve brought me out at night.  

I also felt like Boyd’s acting during Tian Chen’s death was more distracting than sad. Not sure if it was the lines or just the framing of that scene but I didn’t buy it at all. 

I know they’re in an untenable situation and people act strangely to survive, but a lot of the characters decisions are so silly and obviously set up to move the story forward and the plot contrivances stood a lot during this episode (Jim & Kenny, but also Tabitha—that entire sequence with Victor’s dad was a slog when it should’ve been revelatory and exciting).

The writing’s never been great but the mystery made up for that and now it feels like they’re dragging things out just because. 

[PurpleTentacle]

The animals are their only source of food. So what do they do? Station two guards with them at all times, to make sure nobody takes them? Put them and the guards in the barn with a talisman at night?

Nope! Just let them roam free to be killed by monsters.

These dumbasses are getting dumber by the episode...

[PurpleTentacle]

On 10/3/2024 at 8:51 PM, babyrambo said:

Same. I guess since the monsters haven’t previously messed with the animals no one thought to put a talisman on the door.

But even if you don't consider the monsters. The animals are your only food and people already tried to take them. So you station two armed people with them at all times. That also means at night. Which means you put them in the barn, with the two guards at night and hang a talisman.

If this were real people making real decisions, none of this would have happened.

This show has always been relied on massive idiot-plots, but I didn't think we'd have one in episode one of the season already...

[kn51]

So help me understand...is the premise the monsters are somehow aware how dire the food situation is now and finally said "Welp fellow ghosts and ghouls, we've been leaving the animals alone for some reason.  But now, let's put the screws to these clowns."