S01.E03: The Fountain Of Youth

[Tara Ariano]

Henry and Jo investigate a series of deaths that were caused by an expensive anti-aging potion.

[Big Bad Wolf]

Cell phone calls on the subway get cut off by closing doors? Really?

[dubbel zout]

Not in most NYC subways. One of the "improvements" is cell service in most cars at most times. But with all the noise, it's hard to keep a conversation going, so many people do stop talking shortly after the doors close.

Edited September 30, 2014 by dubbel zout

[HalcyonDays]

Decent episode. I like the growing relationship between Jo and Henry. The assistant in the morgue (I don't know his name) I always feel so bad for him. He desperately wants friends, interaction and people are so rude to him. Abe and Henry's relationship is awesome, but I couldn't help but think that the conversations they have had about Henry dying, are conversations that should have happened decades ago. I know it's for the viewer, but seems a bit out of place.

 

And what is this? A female police detective who wears flats? Sacrilege!

 

I like the show - it's good fluffy fun.

[rereader2]

Not in most NYC subways. One of the "improvements" is cell service in most cars at most times. But with all the noise, it's hard to keep a conversation going, so many people do stop talking shortly after the doors close.

 

Really? I can't get signal at all in most of the stations, aside from the elevated platforms (and in trains on elevated tracks). But then, I have a stupid phone.

[derryth]

At least two very positive things:

 

1) Henry didn't die in this episode. He's a little physically reckless, but not over the top.

 

2) Creepy immortal didn't call.

 

Nice connection with the 1906 flashback. Back then people weren't so obsessed with youth because many were denied the privilege of growing old. I know that women dying in childbirth and high infant mortality figures into the stats, but at the start of the twentieth century, wasn't the average lifespan around forty?

 

Fake Doctor Gardner was so dense, did Ukrainian girl really need to have bodies stolen? She could have come up with an easer substitute. OTOH, judging by first murder victim's abs, maybe the crap really worked before it at you brain. And eating infected tissue is an excellent way to catch a prion disease. BTW, what happened to dumped woman. The last we saw of her was at the party in the Hamptons where she was all confused and NOT drinking. Kind of left that one hanging. 

 

Loved Henry's reaction when Abe hit the extreme skateboard track, but there's no way Abe could pull that off.

 

Abe is right; Henry needs someone to take care of him; perhaps Jo or Luke in future years. John on New Amsterdam had this all figured out. He's had scores of children over the centuries, and took them into his confidence once they were old enough to understand. Not only did they help him create his new identities, they helped him search for his true love. Maybe Henry can't have children; he could have been sterile all along, or he became so when he became immortal. Or maybe he's just afraid to create another person to love and lose. 

 

 

[shapeshifter]

I'm liking the show, but never watched New Amsterdam. It looks like Heroes was on opposite it: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007%E2%80%9308_United_States_network_television_schedule

Was Henry's scientist friend who died of TB supposed to be his lover? I only ask because they seemed to deliberately focus the camera on the friend squeezing Henry's shoulder more than once--like they were trying to telegraph something.

Edited October 1, 2014 by shapeshifter

[Trini]

I'm happy that Henry didn't die yet again, but this show just isn't holding my interest.

 

I do wonder if Abe has his own family?

[Tippi Blevins]

This reminded me, sort of, of that X Files episode where everyone in this little town stayed young by eating people, and went nuts from a prion disease. The moral of these stories is don't eat people's brains. I mean, don't eat people at all, if you can help it.

 

I'm glad Henry doesn't die in every episode, but it wouldn't hurt them to find other reasons to strip him...

[pcta]

I'm continuing to love this program. And that should be enough to insure its cancellation mid season. There is an essential kindness and caring to this program which I find very enjoyable. Questions of the meaning of life but done with actual concern for the other characters. It's not that I don't like edgy but I need both edge and gentleness to keep going.

[bourbon]

I like this show.  I like that I can turn off my brain and enjoy the fluff and pretty people.  One thing is bothering me...Henry, an upper crusty Englishman, raised Abraham from infancy.  They've lived all over the world, presumably.  So, why does he have the speech pattern, accent, and slang ("a little nosh") of a Jewish New Yorker?  I know Abraham is ethnically European-Jewish, but the patois isn't genetic.

[iMonrey]

 

I know that women dying in childbirth and high infant mortality figures into the stats, but at the start of the twentieth century, wasn't the average lifespan around forty?

 

As you said, a high infant mortality rate is what skews the numbers. It's not that most people only lived to be around 40, it's that because so many died in childhood or in childbirth the average number goes down. People who lived past thirty had almost as good a chance to live into old age as they do now.

 

 

I do wonder if Abe has his own family?

 

If you mean his biological family I'm assuming they were all killed in the Holocaust, which is how he came to be adopted by Henry. I'm still not clear on what kind of relationship Henry had with the nurse (?) who handed the baby over to him in the pilot episode - it seemed like they were involved, he tried to break it off with her at one point but she refused to let him go, and they haven't explored it beyond that point unless I missed something.

 

The best thing about this show is the relationship between Abe and Henry IMO. It's really quite poignant for such a fantasy-based type of show. I liked that Abe had more to do this episode than sit around in the antique shop or pick Henry up and bring him clothes. He was trying to help out with the case and got caught up in the excitement, and Henry's reaction to finding him with the police officer and ordering the officer to keep him where he was was very much a paternal thing to do. "Keep my kid out of the way! This is dangerous!" 

[DrLar]

Has Henry ever called Abe "son"? if not why not? instead Abe seems to be the father figure in this show... yeah he looks older but he really isn't

 

I also haven't seen the police detective asking Henry about Abe, like if he's her father, uncle, etc..

 

Yum bbrraaaaiinns!

[theatremouse]

Cell phone calls on the subway get cut off by closing doors? Really?

Even if the signal didn't die at that point, I kept wondering why he kept calling, and not texting. I mean, on the one hand, if they're hammering home the "he's not young" angle, it makes sense. On the other hand, apparently SMS needs less signal than voice, so if he had low reception, a text would be more likely to go through.

 

 

Henry, an upper crusty Englishman, raised Abraham from infancy.  They've lived all over the world, presumably.  So, why does he have the speech pattern, accent, and slang ("a little nosh") of a Jewish New Yorker?

Based on some of the other flashbacks, I got the impression Henry and wife had basically been in NY since after war, possibly Henry was before too, given some of his mentions of how the city looked in certain years? I think? So, I've been assuming they did not live all over the world, that that was part of the cover story, but possibly they were actually in New York quite a bit? So that explains Abe's New Yorkishness to me.

 

 

Has Henry ever called Abe "son"? if not why not? instead Abe seems to be the father figure in this show... yeah he looks older but he really isn't

Not that I recall. As for why not, I'm assuming they figure they get better emotional tension out of it (plus minor mystery aspect) by showing us all the paternal subtext without him saying it directly. That said, Abe called himself "a doctor's son" in this episode. So, Henry hasn't called him "son" but he basically called himself Henry's son. Unless there's going to be something mysterious they reveal later wherein that remark is not a reference to Henry.

Edited October 1, 2014 by theatremouse

[KaveDweller]

Was Henry's scientist friend who died of TB supposed to be his lover? I only ask because they seemed to deliberately focus the camera on the friend squeezing Henry's shoulder more than once--like they were trying to telegraph something.

 

I wondered the same thing.

 

Has Henry ever called Abe "son"? if not why not? instead Abe seems to be the father figure in this show... yeah he looks older but he really isn't

 

Some people just don't use terms like that.  Plus, I would think he would try not to do it in order to not look weird if anyone overhears.

[Trini]

If you mean his biological family I'm assuming they were all killed in the Holocaust, which is how he came to be adopted by Henry.

Actually I meant, has Abe ever been married? Does he have his own children/grandchildren?

[shapeshifter]

I also haven't seen the police detective asking Henry about Abe, like if he's her father, uncle, etc..

In this episode someone said, "It's your roommate" or "It's my roommate" when they were calling each other. Does anyone recall who said it?

[KaveDweller]

Actually I meant, has Abe ever been married? Does he have his own children/grandchildren?

 

It doesn't appear so, because you think it would have come up.  It looks like next week we'll get to see someone Henry knew in the past (who is now old).  I think that will be interesting because there have to be lots of people he has had connections with that ended eventually, because even if they knew his secret, they'll age and he won't.

 

In this episode someone said, "It's your roommate" or "It's my roommate" when they were calling each other. Does anyone recall who said it?

 

I think it was Jo or some other cop that said his roommate was on the phone.  Abe himself said "I'm Henry Whatever's roommate" when he was calling in to say he saw the doctor.

[HalcyonDays]

I'm still not clear on what kind of relationship Henry had with the nurse (?) who handed the baby over to him in the pilot episode.

 

The nurse was Abigail, his future wife. Again, I assumed they met in wartime and got together and then adopted/raised Abe.

 

I think it was Jo or some other cop that said his roommate was on the phone.  Abe himself said "I'm Henry Whatever's roommate" when he was calling in to say he saw the doctor.

 

For some reason I was under the impression that Abe said this, because Abe can't say " my father", and then reversing roles (claiming Henry's the son, Abe's the father) is probably just weird for them.

[theatremouse]

Plus it's probably easier to have to fake only one paper trail: Henry's, rather than both of them. So if Abe can just be Abe and have his real identity, it's easier to not have to present a familial relationship with Henry that could be debunked. Hence easier to not say they're related.

[KaveDweller]

For some reason I was under the impression that Abe said this, because Abe can't say " my father", and then reversing roles (claiming Henry's the son, Abe's the father) is probably just weird for them.

 

Oh, yeah, I think it's totally logical that they would claim to just be roommates.  But that also seems a little sad for them.

[Cherry Cola]

Really liked it. I like the lab assistant. He brings the comedy to Henry's seriousness.

I love the relationship between Abe and Henry.

[attica]

what happened to dumped woman.

 

I know! I thought we'd see her again in some state of dead or other.

 

I get the fun of the reveal of the buff bod on the old dude, but taking Soylent Greycells (or whatever they called it) and not getting a younger-looking face out of the deal strikes me as a...bad deal.

 

I didn't hear anybody mention Mad Cow disease, which is a prion thing, and arguably the most recognizable version of the problem to a general audience. Did I miss it, or was it absent? I mean, Mad Cow jokes kinda write themselves; I wouldn't pass on the opportunity if I were in the writers' room. 

[Tippi Blevins]

I didn't hear anybody mention Mad Cow disease, which is a prion thing, and arguably the most recognizable version of the problem to a general audience. Did I miss it, or was it absent? 

 

I don't think anybody mentioned it. I thought Henry said something about beef protein, but I can't recall now for certain.

 

I'm trying to decide if I would find it creepy that some guy instantly analyzed my marital status to such a degree as Henry did that "Aterna" client, or would I just think, "Whatever, he looks like Ioan Gruffudd, let him analyze away."

[ladyrott]

Not a bad episode, but the "doctor" on the video repeating "Do you want to live forever" while Henry stood there was a bit overdone, IMO.  Am still loving Abe and Henry's relationship, though.  Loved when Abe was trying to act like a cop and they were like "YOU are not on official ANYTHING".  LOL

[attica]

I also liked the grace note of the uniformed cop calmly telling Abe "Please don't call me a moron, sir."  (Perhaps some RL cops could take a lesson in how to deal with an excitable citizen...)

[caprice]

Yeah, this show's getting a Season Pass on my TiVo.

Abe and Henry's relationship is awesome, but I couldn't help but think that the conversations they have had about Henry dying, are conversations that should have happened decades ago. I know it's for the viewer, but seems a bit out of place..

I'm sure they've had similar conversations in the past, but with the immediacy of the particular case paired with Henry's research into his own "deaths," I can't imagine it didn't stir a few things up for Abe again.

 

Loved Henry's reaction when Abe hit the extreme skateboard track, but there's no way Abe could pull that off.

 

Abe is right; Henry needs someone to take care of him; perhaps Jo or Luke in future years. John on New Amsterdam had this all figured out. He's had scores of children over the centuries, and took them into his confidence once they were old enough to understand. Not only did they help him create his new identities, they helped him search for his true love. Maybe Henry can't have children; he could have been sterile all along, or he became so when he became immortal. Or maybe he's just afraid to create another person to love and lose. 

We're... what? Three episodes in? This was the hour that sold me on the relationship between Henry and Abe. Gruffudd and Hirsch have a great chemistry and it was a thing of beauty to watch Henry's absolute fear at the idea that Abe might have taken some of the Eterna dissolve into that blend of relief and contrition when Abe said that he was afraid of what would happen to Henry when he was alone.

 

Now, follow that up with Henry's, "No, you're not!" when Abe wanted to be part of the "official police business," and the fear/joy at the skate park. These two will keep me coming back.

 

I'm glad Henry doesn't die in every episode, but it wouldn't hurt them to find other reasons to strip him...

THIS! I vote this too!

[Surrealist]

I'm continuing to love this program. And that should be enough to insure its cancellation mid season. There is an essential kindness and caring to this program which I find very enjoyable. Questions of the meaning of life but done with actual concern for the other characters. It's not that I don't like edgy but I need both edge and gentleness to keep going.

 

I'm enjoying this program as well. The writers didn't rely as heavily on the voiceover in this episode. Well, aside from the intro and Henry's end thoughts. I don't mind those, actually.

 

My favorite part of the show is the relationship between Henry and Abe. When Abe told Henry that he explored the drug as a way to stay alive, in order to take care of him, that made me a little sad. Maybe I'm just a sap for certain fantasy shows?

 

I, too, feel bad for Lucas. He wants to make a connection with someone, but every character treats him like crap. That said I like him. Hopefully the others will start to treat him well sooner rather than later.

Edited October 2, 2014 by Surrealist

[LeGrandElephant]

I'm trying to decide if I would find it creepy that some guy instantly analyzed my marital status to such a degree as Henry did that "Aterna" client, or would I just think, "Whatever, he looks like Ioan Gruffudd, let him analyze away."

My only complaint about the show so far is that he's 200 years old and hasn't yet figured out that thst Sherlock Holmes bit annoys and weirds people out.

[henripootel]

My only complaint about the show so far is that he's 200 years old and hasn't yet figured out that thst Sherlock Holmes bit annoys and weirds people out.

See, I can't get past the notion that Henry knows perfectly well that this is off-putting but does it because he wants everyone to know how clever he is.  I'm okay with that as a personality feature but I too woulda thought he was way, way past this after 200 years.  Be more interesting if he used his long experience to guide people to 'discover' what he wanted them to, and it took a while for folks to realize he does this.  Alas, that'd be too subtle and less 'Sherlock' then they apparently want Henry to be.

 

I dunno, I was hoping to like this show more than I do.  For example, the scene where Henry's friend died of TB - I know they really wanted that to be touching, showing the weight and poignancy of death to someone who can't die.  I was waiting for that feeling to arrive and it ... didn't.   There's much of a good show here but also a blandness I find disappointing.

Edited October 3, 2014 by henripootel

[Oscirus]

Not in most NYC subways. One of the "improvements" is cell service in most cars at most times. But with all the noise, it's hard to keep a conversation going, so many people do stop talking shortly after the doors close.

 

If you're in a tunnel, you're not getting reception. The only way you might be successful is if when the train stops the car you're in happens to be by a turnstile that has steps that go outside. Other then that I doubt you're getting reception.

 

If I shut off my brain, I really don't mind this show. I still wish  that they'd stretch out their mysteries a bit more because this one also felt rushed. But, no shows perfect, so I'll deal with it for now.

[ABay]

The Sherlock Holmes act annoys but it doesn't annoy me as much as Henry's apparent inability to express depth of emotion. If I can concentrate on the pretty and the accent, and everyone else on the show, all is well. But the minute I notice IG's acting, it falls apart. He seems so inappropriately enthusiastic about everything, all his notes are top notes...I'm not sure how to articulate it. He remains the weak link of the show for me, in terms of acting.

Edited October 4, 2014 by ABay

[zxy556575]

He seems so inappropriately enthusiastic about everything, all his notes are top notes...I'm not sure how to articulate it. He remains the weak link of the show for me, in terms of acting.

 

I'm not familiar with the actor from anything I remember and don't find him all that attractive, so I'd just call it plain over-acting. The faces he pulled when pretending to watch Abe skateboard were ridiculous.

[BooBear]

He seems so inappropriately enthusiastic about everything, all his notes are top notes...I'm not sure how to articulate it. He remains the weak link of the show for me, in terms of acting.

Here but I seem to remember when he was on ringer he was as glum as could be.  So far it is working for me but I am not sure about going forward. What I like about the show is its breezy air and I agree about the kindness and gentleness.  I am, however, going to have to have Jo work with someone else from time to time. They are kind of like their own partner team.

[shapeshifter]

If you're in a tunnel, you're not getting reception. The only way you might be successful is if when the train stops the car you're in happens to be by a turnstile that has steps that go outside. Other then that I doubt you're getting reception.

I have a daughter who has lived in Manhattan since 2001. We have never been able to maintain a cell phone connection beyond the half way point of the steps going below ground to the train. I guess Henry and Abe don't use AT&T or T Mobile.

[xtwheeler]

I couldn't agree more about Henry being "over the top" and too enthusiastic. I find myself watching with a semi-serious case of second-hand embarrassment for him. He's like know-it-all Golden Retriever.  I'm seeing very little of Sherlock's "I'm brilliant, and awkward, and I know both of those things."  I just find Henry a little MUCH. But Judd Hirsch? Yes, please. I would have him play my dad on TV if I could (or real life). He's seems like a true mensch.

[topanga]

I'm loving the show--I've watched the first 3 episodes online because of people's recommendations on other PreviouslyTV boards. Thanks, guys. But I now have a Season Pass on my TiVo.

 

The only thing I didn't like about this episode is my one big contention with the entire show. Detective Hernandez isn't solving crimes--she only stands around and takes notes while Henry overwhelms us with his brilliance. I get that Henry is intelligent and knows about death and poisons and medicine, and that's fine. I like the actor and the character. But why is Jo being portrayed as a "technically quite hot" police officer who can't solve a homicide without Henry? She made Detective for a reason, but I haven't seen any of her intelligence and deductive skills on display in the 3 episodes I've watched so far.

[dargosmydaddy]

 

Detective Hernandez

I think it's Martinez...

[tribeca]

I think the female detective  is still hurting from her husband's death & just sort of going through the motions.   IMHO kind of like that after 200 years Henry still finds living enthusiastic.   In one episode Abe said Henry had not really been living in a long time.

  My dad is around the same age as Abe if Dad had done that stunt on the skateboard I would have been a mess LOL

[Tippi Blevins]

  My dad is around the same age as Abe if Dad had done that stunt on the skateboard I would have been a mess LOL

 

I would have suggested something a bit less ambitious, like... skydiving. 

[topanga]

 

 

Detective Hernandez

I think it's Martinez...

Dang it. The one time I don't double-check IMDB before posting...

[Guest]

All I've seen Gruffud in before was Ringer and he was very somber, as someone mentioned, so the enthusiasm here doesn't bother me.  

 

Though I agree, he's very Sherlock-like with a little Mentalist and Pushing Daisies thrown in.  

 

Abe having such a different accent does sort of bother me but I'd rather that than them force either actor into an unnatural accent, too.  

 

Hirsch looks fabulous for his age, wow.  

 

I've tried 4-5 new shows and turn them off 5-10 minutes in, so this might be my only 'survivor' so far.  

[roctavia]

See, I can't get past the notion that Henry knows perfectly well that this is off-putting but does it because he wants everyone to know how clever he is.  I'm okay with that as a personality feature but I too woulda thought he was way, way past this after 200 years.  Be more interesting if he used his long experience to guide people to 'discover' what he wanted them to, and it took a while for folks to realize he does this.  Alas, that'd be too subtle and less 'Sherlock' then they apparently want Henry to be.

 

I dunno, I was hoping to like this show more than I do.  For example, the scene where Henry's friend died of TB - I know they really wanted that to be touching, showing the weight and poignancy of death to someone who can't die.  I was waiting for that feeling to arrive and it ... didn't.   There's much of a good show here but also a blandness I find disappointing.

 

I'm hoping that stuff will sort of settle in over the next few episodes... I can cut them a little slack in trying to find the right balance for immortal know it all... and don't mind that things are a bit heavy handed in the beginning. But, I can see towards the end of the season that it will be more irritating if it doesn't smooth out a little.

 

As for the scene with the friend dying.. i was too distracted by the color filter making the sick guy look almost black and white with his sickness while henry looked normal. I suppose it could have just been make up, but on my TV it definitely looked like post filming  color manipulation and it just didn't work...

[Guest]

He was very gray.  I figured it was makeup, since that's probably cheaper than CGI.  

 

I kind of expected them to call it consumption but I guess it was tuberculosis after 1880 or so.  What year was that around, anyway?  

[henripootel]

What year was that around, anyway?

 

I think it was 1906.  Close enough in time that this period should have looked more like The Knick.  If you've not watched that show, the tone in this one seemed more like a happy disney version, even with the TB and dead friend.  Must say I found this distracting, and it contributed to my general unhappiness with the rather facile tone here.  These guys have some deep waters to swim through; death, loneliness that only an immortal can understand, the trap that true immortality (with no possibly of actually dying) really is.  And yet what we get is a bowl of nice procedural fluff with flashbacks to a past that Fievel Mousekewitz would feel comfortable in.  Disappointing.  

Edited October 6, 2014 by henripootel

[Athena]

Another OK episode. Like others, I am glad that Henry didn't die again, there was no creepy immortal phone call, and even better, no Abigail. The actress' fake English accent pulls me out of the scene every time.

 

I'm really warming up to Lucas. Aww.

 

The cop/procedural aspect still bores me. At least the grumpy partner cop wasn't in this episode.

 

Re: Ioan's acting. I understand the criticism that he looks very eager and earnest. Ioan was known for this in his earlier roles such as Horatio Hornblower. It was endearing and it makes him younger than he is. I think they keep him with stubble to make him look older. I've seen the actor in a lot of things, and I don't think he's shown his range at all. He's not the best actor ever either, but he can be incredibly charismatic. I think he can do even better on this show, but it depends on the material too.

 

Prions are scary shit.

[lucindabelle]

Henry and Abigail wrre married. Abe refers to her as mom. Last episode henry was looking at her picture speculating that she could still be alive but in her 90s.

I loved Henry's expression when Abe went down the skateboard because it was parental fear. Sold.

And yes this show has a lot of heart.

Did not think henry and the guy were lovers. I squeeze the arms of my close friends all to he time. N affectionate gesture from one man to a close friend doesn't scream sex to me.

[rho]

I believe this guy is immortal before I believe someone gets reception on the subway. So far that's the most unrealistic part of this show

Edited October 9, 2014 by rho

[paramitch]

I'm a bit divided on this show. I can't stand the procedural aspect and find it completely boring, and those parts not terribly well written (most of the time, they just serve to make Henry appear unobservant and mistake-prone (simply so they can keep going back to the body and going, "Hey! Another discovery I overlooked the first time!").

But what I do like, and even love, are the characters. I like Henry -- Ioan is as beautiful as ever, and his boyish enthusiasm combines with his nihilism/ennui to make for a really interesting character for me. And I adore his relationship with Abe, and for me that is the heart of the show -- the father/son switcheroo aspect of their relationship -- and I found Henry's panic that Abe had taken the drug believable and moving. I also like the cop -- she's age-appropriate, she isn't in spike heels, and her mourning for her loss adds richness to her character that we don't always get. (I like the symmetry too -- she can't get over death and Henry can't get it for himself.) Even the lonely ME continuously seeking for connection is an aspect I'm interested in, and one that fits nicely with what the other characters are struggling with.

 

I guess I almost wish the show would just dump the stupid police/procedural aspect and instead be about Henry attempting to solve/resolve his immortality while navigating his relationships, the modern world, and maybe a bigger-picture mystery. But for what it is, I find myself liking it and caring about the characters anyway (and I'm a sucker for Judd Hirsch).

 

There is an essential kindness and caring to this program which I find very enjoyable. Questions of the meaning of life but done with actual concern for the other characters. It's not that I don't like edgy but I need both edge and gentleness to keep going.

 

Great description of what I think is the show's strength -- there's a sweet, essential humanity thus far that I really like (and that is unusual for these types of procedurals, which tend to be kind of cold or even ghoulish at heart).

 

The best thing about this show is the relationship between Abe and Henry IMO. It's really quite poignant for such a fantasy-based type of show. I liked that Abe had more to do this episode than sit around in the antique shop or pick Henry up and bring him clothes. He was trying to help out with the case and got caught up in the excitement, and Henry's reaction to finding him with the police officer and ordering the officer to keep him where he was was very much a paternal thing to do. "Keep my kid out of the way! This is dangerous!" 

 

I loved this too, and I will be so pleased if Abe continues to be an active part of the show and not just (as with so many shows) "and now here's the part where we check in with Henry's old-man son for 5 minutes so that someone can say something that moves the plot forward..."

 

Oh, yeah, I think it's totally logical that they would claim to just be roommates.  But that also seems a little sad for them.

I think it's sad too. I also think it doesn't work so I'm curious how it will be treated going forward. The cop for instance must know -- it's very very obvious to me -- that the two men are family.

 

I didn't hear anybody mention Mad Cow disease, which is a prion thing, and arguably the most recognizable version of the problem to a general audience. Did I miss it, or was it absent? I mean, Mad Cow jokes kinda write themselves; I wouldn't pass on the opportunity if I were in the writers' room. 

I immediately thought of this and was surprised that nobody joked about it. I find it terrifying and remember freaking out after going to France and there was a minor Mad Cow scare not long after, and I was trembling in my boots. It's just such an awful thing.

 

I am, however, going to have to have Jo work with someone else from time to time. They are kind of like their own partner team.

 

I thought the captain kind of gave her carte blanche on that in the second episode though, stating that they're an unorthodox team but as long as she keeps clearing cases, it's cool with her.

 

I couldn't agree more about Henry being "over the top" and too enthusiastic. I find myself watching with a semi-serious case of second-hand embarrassment for him. He's like know-it-all Golden Retriever.  I'm seeing very little of Sherlock's "I'm brilliant, and awkward, and I know both of those things."

 

I like the enthusiastic aspects to Henry -- it definitely feels like a deliberate choice by Ioan, and to me it gives the character an innocence, a sense of joy, that for me is kind of sweet and watchable, and that's genuinely different from the visible contempt both Sherlocks, for instance, have for people (much as I love them, mind you). I almost wonder if it's due to his constant rebirth -- regardless, for me it's a nice paradox -- it's like the boyish enthusiasm is the part of him he keeps trying to kill, but it won't go away. I like that about him thus far. 

 

She made Detective for a reason, but I haven't seen any of her intelligence and deductive skills on display in the 3 episodes I've watched so far.

 

She's had a few nice moments, and I actually thought the scene in this one where she appeared to be schmoozing the doctor (but was gathering evidence and then gave Henry the little sly smile) was cute and clever.

 

I think it was 1906.  Close enough in time that this period should have looked more like The Knick.  If you've not watched that show, the tone in this one seemed more like a happy disney version, even with the TB and dead friend.  Must say I found this distracting, and it contributed to my general unhappiness with the rather facile tone here.  These guys have some deep waters to swim through; death, loneliness that only an immortal can understand, the trap that true immortality (with no possibly of actually dying) really is.  And yet what we get is a bowl of nice procedural fluff with flashbacks to a past that Fievel Mousekewitz would feel comfortable in.  Disappointing.  

Hee on Fievel! I don't mind the production design thus far -- I agree that it's very clean and shiny, but to me that glowy quality seems to be TV shorthand for "long, long ago." There are definitely dumbed-down aspects that I'm not thrilled about (honestly, most of the procedural aspects), but the show's deep waters are what I'm liking about it thus far, even if they are sometimes navigated awkwardly.

 

I've seen the actor in a lot of things, and I don't think he's shown his range at all. He's not the best actor ever either, but he can be incredibly charismatic. I think he can do even better on this show, but it depends on the material too.

I have a soft spot for Ioan from his "Hornblower" days, but I also think he can be superb in the right roles (his "Great Expectations" is still my favorite Pip of them all). To me, his joyful, boyish character choices with Henry work because they are directly opposed to the moments we see the anguished father and frustrated fuddy-duddy in there -- and they honestly add a sweetness and a brightness to the show that keeps me watching thus far. I'm so glad he didn't go with the "rude, brooding" thing so many actors default to in these roles. (It's been done and done and done.)

[topanga]

 

I guess I almost wish the show would just dump the stupid police/procedural aspect and instead be about Henry attempting to solve/resolve his immortality while navigating his relationships, the modern world, and maybe a bigger-picture mystery. But for what it is, I find myself liking it and caring about the characters anyway (and I'm a sucker for Judd Hirsch).

I agree that the characters and Henry's immortality are the more compelling aspects of the show. But the procedural aspect gives the show its weekly plot. If all Henry did each week was investigate his immortality and hang out with Abe and learn how to use his smart phone, I think I'd start to lose interest.