S01.E14: Forget Me Nots

[paigow]

MONDAY: E15

 

Team Scorpion try to jog the memory of an injured former Secret Service agent who is their only hope of preventing weapons of mass destruction from being launched at a secret U.S. nuclear silo. Meanwhile, Paige is torn when Drew suggests that moving to Maine might be better for Ralph.

Edited January 19, 2015 by paigow

[paigow]

CBS did not follow their own listings....

[shapeshifter]

Were we supposed to laugh uproariously when the train stopped inches from the nuke detonator? I did.

[Jlina]

Inches?  I could swear it was touching it!  LOL 

 

So the missiles could be computerized to launch but only an actual button press would launch them?  Ummm, yeah, suspending disbelief.

 

The SS agent's story was a nice twist; showing my age but straight out of "Flowers for Algernon" plot line. 

 

Tired already of the Drew push pull and Ralph story line.  Amazed at how old that got so quickly.

[paigow]

It would have been cooler if: Gallo - hanging on to the electromagnet - was lowered in front of the train to retrieve the football.

How loud were cellphone buttons 16 years ago? Doctors & nurses yelling, machinery sounds, ambient noise....truly WTF hall of fame.

Lucky that bad guy is not a "low talker"

[kaygeeret]

Yeah, this episode really pushed the whole suspension of disbelief a bit beyond the bounds.

The thing is the actual team of geniuses is so damn cute and charming that I keep making this must see tv.

The plots are cartoonish and unbelievable, but the team themselves and their clear investment in Ralph and making his childhood better and happier than theirs is charming and loving. The actors on the team are perfectly chosen and charismatic each in their own way.

I could do w/o the whole Walter/Page "love drama", to say nothing of the biological dad, but I guess we are stuck with it.

[shapeshifter]

...I could do w/o the whole Walter/Page "love drama"...

Likely the writers are taking advantage of the chemistry between the two real-life dating actors while it lasts.

[bros402]

I was laughing quite a bit at "destroying" the football with a sledgehammer.

 

That thing is built to withstand much much stronger attacks than that of a sledgehammer.

 

Also, it weighs something like 50 pounds.

 

I imagine that would make it quite difficult to lob over a fence like that.

[Beach Party]

Ralph's character seems more like a sweet little boy than a genius.  The writers need to have Ralph say more intelligent lines other than "cool."

Edited January 20, 2015 by Beach Party

[P2C2E]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that the US government never assumes that something must have just become lost. They would move heaven and earth ( perhaps literally) to make sure they know exactly what happened to it.

[Xantar]

Was that David James Elliott from JAG playing the SS agent?

 

I rolled my eyes hard when they showed his girlfriend (or had they even actually dated?) at the hospital. She waited around 16 years for him? He must have baked really good cookies for her or something.

 

The thing about this show is the cast is charming and the plots are fun. Yes, they are cartoonish, but they are so over the top and obviously cartoonish that I can roll with it. I just wish they'd stop with the "Inspired by the real life of Walter O'Brien" stuff. This show would work just as well if the main character's name was something completely different and there was no claims to any real life resemblance. Because the fact is I'm sure the actual Walter O'Brien is nothing like the one on this show (they certainly don't look very much alike). Let this show just be a fluffy fantasy without any pretense to real life.

[AnnaRose]

I rolled my eyes hard when they showed his girlfriend (or had they even actually dated?) at the hospital. She waited around 16 years for him? He must have baked really good cookies for her or something.

 

The thing about this show is the cast is charming and the plots are fun. Yes, they are cartoonish, but they are so over the top and obviously cartoonish that I can roll with it. I just wish they'd stop with the "Inspired by the real life of Walter O'Brien" stuff. This show would work just as well if the main character's name was something completely different and there was no claims to any real life resemblance. Because the fact is I'm sure the actual Walter O'Brien is nothing like the one on this show (they certainly don't look very much alike). Let this show just be a fluffy fantasy without any pretense to real life.

 

I totally agree with you.  After reading the links provided in the media thread about the real Walter O'Brien, I have to fast-forward through the intro because it annoys me so much.  The real Walter O'Brien makes me dislike the fictional version to some degree, too... whereas he wouldn't bother me if he wasn't supposed to be based on this real person who seems to be a real piece of work from what I've read.

Edited January 20, 2015 by AnnaRose

[Calamity Jane]

Where I live (West Coast), the football game ate up the first 30 minutes or so of the hour, and my DVR therefore only recorded about 30 minutes.  Can't quite decide if I'm glad or sad because I really did not like the steamy dreamy stuff with Paige.  

[Driad]

 

 

 

 

I'm sure the actual Walter O'Brien is nothing like the one on this show (they certainly don't look very much alike). Let this show just be a fluffy fantasy without any pretense to real life.

 

I posted comments similar to this in the Small Talk thread, which might be a more findable place than an episode thread.  Not that this show gets a lot of comments.

 

[HurricaneVal]

Yep, that was Harmon Rabb himself, David James Elliott as the SS agent.  He still is looking good!  I always wondered what happened to him after JAG ended, I had a huge crush on him back in the day.  It looks like he's worked off and on, nothing big, and nothing that's really been on my radar.  Maybe his residuals from the JAG reruns keep him financially secure?

 

I'm actually kind of surprised that he hasn't turned up as a recurring guest star on any of the NCIS flavors.  The Admiral Chegwidden character showed up in his post-navy career as a high powered defense attorney representing Gibbs, and it was a fine, fine trip down memory lane.  I would think bringing Rabb back as either a JAG judge or maybe even SecNav would be a natural, considering the NCIS dynasty was spun off from JAG to begin with.  It was very nice to see him, at any rate, and he was well cast in the role.

 

I'm not buying the whole "supercharged" Agent Gallo thing.  That was a little too cartoony for me, but I love cartoony, so I'll just roll with it.  And Sylvester is only 22?  Wow.  I had him pegged at late 20s at least.

[thuganomics85]

Yeah, granted I pretty much accepted that this show is as unrealistic as all get out, but even I was laughing at almost everything having to do with the nuclear launch code stuff, and them juicing Gallo and suddenly making him a superhero (or, better, a Terminator!)  And, of course, it ends up that the secret service guy's former flame is not only found, but it looks like she's able to just drop everything and go back to him, despite the 16 years.  And, she was really pretty too, so she must have just forgone dating, because I find it hard to believe someone else wouldn't have entered her life during those years.

 

I know that both Walt and Happy were just saying it because they didn't want Paige to go, but I was getting a bit "Hey now!" over them shitting on Portland.  It seems like a lovely place, guys.  Sure, according to Grimm, every other person over there is actually secretly a Wesen from Fairy Tales, but it's not that bad!  Plus, thanks to Leverage, we know Portland is safely in the hands of a group of former criminals, who now use their methods to help the downtrodden and disenfranchised.  Ralph might actually get along with Parker and Hardinson! (not sure about Eliot though.  Guy is kind of intense.)

 

Despite all that, I still kind of enjoy the show.  The cast is making it work somehow.  I'm almost at the point of watching this live over Sleepy Hollow, because this show has somehow become more enjoyable, even if it's almost as unrealistic, despite lacking demons, time traveling Brits in trench-coats, and headless horsemen.

Edited January 20, 2015 by thuganomics85

[DrScottie]

 

The SS agent's story was a nice twist; showing my age but straight out of "Flowers for Algernon" plot line.

 

I thought the same thing. The show itself shares that same issue that Charlie had when he was "blessed/cursed" with hyper-intelligence. He couldn't relate to anybody he knew anymore. 

 

Also, the treatment eventually wore off and left him worse than when he started and eventually killed him. I don't think the show's going that route. 

Edited January 20, 2015 by DrScottie

[Kanner]

I find myself smiling a lot when I watch this show. I agree a lot the the plots are silly but it is still fun.

Dont know anything about missle silos but couldn't something mechanically be done at the site to make the rockets non functional?

[shapeshifter]

...I know that both Walt and Happy were just saying it because they didn't want Paige to go, but I was getting a bit "Hey now!" over them shitting on Portland....

I was wondering why they were using "it's cold" as a negative point (in comparison to Chicago, Portland OR is balmy) until at the end, when Walter was saying nice things about Portland, I'm pretty sure it turned out they meant Portland ME.

I find myself smiling a lot when I watch this show. I agree a lot the the plots are silly but it is still fun.

Dont know anything about missle silos but couldn't something mechanically be done at the site to make the rockets non functional?

Don't even think about it! Just keep smiling. ;>) Edited January 20, 2015 by shapeshifter

[paigow]

I find myself smiling a lot when I watch this show. I agree a lot the the plots are silly but it is still fun.

Dont know anything about missle silos but couldn't something mechanically be done at the site to make the rockets non functional?

Undoubtedly, if Team Scorpion was on-site, there would have been one of those "unscrew the magic panel and rewire the guidance system" scenes.

[theatremouse]

shitting on Portland.  It seems like a lovely place, guys.  Sure, according to Grimm

Why have I been under the impression this whole time they were talking about Portland, ME? I really thought I heard someone say "Maine"?

Also LA apparently has zero private schools for gifted children that might be willing to throw a scholarship at a child genius. Those don't exist. Nope. Never.

Also (I know I know, why do I bother), does this show not have a basic sense of google-level research when they name drop a medical condition? I know the Raynaud's thing can be a bit different from person to person, but the extra-funny preposterous bit was they made the joke about blue-like-a-pen-exploded and that is seriously what badguy's hand looked like. The fakest fake fakery makeup I have ever seen. Looked like he just poked one finger into a vat of ink and pulled it straight out. I'm not a doctor; I just have it, but I was not aware it was possible for someone to only have it in one digit such that the 16 year old memory and Toby's ice bucket trick to verify the guy would line up in a single finger turning blue both times. Unless Toby managed to make only some small part of his hands ice cold, and somehow managed to have that extra coldness only effectively touching that guy's one finger...I have never seen Raynaud's impact someone so extremely and in only one spot. A: the fingertips are the farther extremity so they should be bluest. His finger was pretty uniformly blue. B: his other fingers should have been at least somewhat blue, even if the one were bluer than the others. Either his hand was cold or it wasn't. It should only look that extreme if the bad guy were literally icing one finger. The whole "guy with a blue finger" thing made SO much more sense for the three seconds they were looking for someone with a broken finger.

Although I guess if MS requires constant hospitalization when one still has basic mobility, why would I expect the concept of how circulation works to apply to the plot of this show.

ETA: It's the Sea Dogs Drew was trying out for, right? So that is Maine. Also why Walter said "3000 miles" instead of "1000". I thought I was going nuts for a second.

Edited January 21, 2015 by theatremouse

[thuganomics85]

Ah, must have not heard the Maine part.  Still, it's not biggie, since I really think Walt would have found some way to insult any town they'd possibly move to.  I just got a kick out of how desperate he was.  Walt clearly doesn't want Paige and Ralph to go anywhere, despite acting like he doesn't care.

[Reishe]

I should know better, but...

 

the Football is like the most important object in the possession of the US government. If any of the Secret Service agents was still standing, he would have stuck to the downed agent like a great big sticky thing, and taken custody of the Football the minute agent whatshisname was relieved of it (or more likely, even sooner, as agent whatshisname was no longer capable of actively guarding it). And if by chance all of the agents were down, then the hospital would have dispatched at least five of its own security staff to take custody until they could get it back in the hands of the Secret Service, for very basic cover-your-ass reasons.

Okay, back to our regular suspension of disbelief.

[Texasmom1970]

Happy and her one liners are getting to be my favorite character/parts of the show.

[bros402]

I find myself smiling a lot when I watch this show. I agree a lot the the plots are silly but it is still fun.

Dont know anything about missle silos but couldn't something mechanically be done at the site to make the rockets non functional?

 

I'm pretty sure missile silos aren't connected to the internet.

 

But let's just assume the way the football in the 90s was never upgraded or modified or forced into obsolence in any way in this universe as a result of one of the footballs going missing.

 

I should know better, but...

 

the Football is like the most important object in the possession of the US government. If any of the Secret Service agents was still standing, he would have stuck to the downed agent like a great big sticky thing, and taken custody of the Football the minute agent whatshisname was relieved of it (or more likely, even sooner, as agent whatshisname was no longer capable of actively guarding it). And if by chance all of the agents were down, then the hospital would have dispatched at least five of its own security staff to take custody until they could get it back in the hands of the Secret Service, for very basic cover-your-ass reasons.

Okay, back to our regular suspension of disbelief.

 

The Football is actually attached to a member of the Armed Forces, who secures it to their wrist with an incredibly durable security cord - most likely harder to get through than handcuffs.

[CoyoteBlue]

the Football is like the most important object in the possession of the US government. If any of the Secret Service agents was still standing, he would have stuck to the downed agent like a great big sticky thing, and taken custody of the Football the minute agent whatshisname was relieved of it (or more likely, even sooner, as agent whatshisname was no longer capable of actively guarding it). 

 

Isn't that what happened? For some reason, I got the impression that Mr. BlueFinger was a government agent as well - just a corrupt one.

[AnnaRose]

I'm pretty sure missile silos aren't connected to the internet.

 

But let's just assume the way the football in the 90s was never upgraded or modified or forced into obsolence in any way in this universe as a result of one of the footballs going missing.

 

I really couldn't get past that, and thought the whole thing was pretty stupid.   The football went missing and they never changed the system so if someone used the football it wouldn't work anymore?  Really?  In sixteen years?

 

Also, I wasn't paying very close attention to how there was supposed to be an unstoppable launch... but couldn't they just kill the power to whatever was initiating the launch or otherwise make it nonfuctional onsite.   I have a hard time buying there was no other simpler solution.

 

And the cellphone number beeps being so loud, from so far away, over all the other noise?   So silly.

 

I did like the twist that Agent Gallo's youthful heorics were not due to the neurological electro-stimulation though. 

[shapeshifter]

I really couldn't get past that, and thought the whole thing was pretty stupid.   The football went missing and they never changed the system so if someone used the football it wouldn't work anymore?  Really?  In sixteen years?...

Sheesh! At the rate of technology change and lack of backwards compatibility at that time: No way would that "football" have been able to set off even a smoke alarm. Sixteen frickin' years ago? That's 1999. Frickin' pre-Y2K! Windows 98 technology at best. I have photo files from that year that couldn't be opened after 2001.

How does CBS manage to sell this stuff?

[bros402]

Also, I wasn't paying very close attention to how there was supposed to be an unstoppable launch... but couldn't they just kill the power to whatever was initiating the launch or otherwise make it nonfuctional onsite.   I have a hard time buying there was no other simpler solution.

 

That's pretty much the only believable part - because if a silo were to somehow get an order to launch, it is virtually impossible to stop it unless the code is issued to stop it.

 

Buuut, the nuclear football can't even fire a nuclear weapon without the code of the day being entered AND the approval of the Secretary of Defense (or a surviving designee). Then every code is verified (Everyone has a code, even the individual silos) and THEN the military command calls the silos, the orders are given and then verified again.

 

Now if this had involved nuclear subs in some way - they could've played around a bit with that, as they are rather... isolated by design. I remember reading once that during the Cold War, one of the ways that British nuclear submarines were instructed to detect if the British Government was still intact was by tuning into a specific BBC Radio station - I remember there were reports of their subs going on nuclear alert in like 2002 because the station was off the air for 15 minutes straight. Also, the Brits have letters in the safes of the control room of the submarine that only the commanding officer has access to, which is written by the Prime Minister on the first day of their term, which provide instructions to the submarine commander in the event of the UK falling. I believe the four options that the Prime Minister could instruct them to do were: Retaliate, Don't Retaliate, Use your own judgment, and place the vessel under the command of an allied nation if one still exists.

 

Now a crisis on a nuclear submarine would make a fun episode - and since everything nuclear submarines are incredibly classified still, they have a lot of artistic license.

[theatremouse]

At this point I have to think they're intentionally being preposterous every episode.

[paigow]

Now a crisis on a nuclear submarine would make a fun episode - and since everything nuclear submarines are incredibly classified still, they have a lot of artistic license.

Dust off the Crimson Tide floppy diskette and run Search & Replace.

[Kromm]

At this point I have to think they're intentionally being preposterous every episode.

[theatremouse]

To elaborate slightly on my previous remark... it seems to me of course there's a certain level of preposterousness we expect, because they're going for Action!Show! So I expect and have no problem somewhat ignoring things like explosion silliness, or car speed or airplane stoppage or improbably successful beat-em-ups, etc.

But it seems like with other non-action elements, they seem to fixate on, let's say, one somewhat esoteric fact one of the Scorpion team might know or use to crack a case. So they've got the one esoteric whatever and then any or all other means of basic google-level research about anything else they might yammer on about is out the window. Which leads me to believe they're not even trying to make sense. It's almost as though they might have had a concern about being called out on certain little details, and thus decided to give up on all details. No rules apply.

[shapeshifter]

...Which leads me to believe they're not even trying to make sense. It's almost as though they might have had a concern about being called out on certain little details, and thus decided to give up on all details. No rules apply.

Yes. I wonder if it also has to do with the writers' and the target audience's perceived lack of knowledge of mathematics, physics, statistics, etc.

This makes me think fictional Walter, Toby, and Sylvester are all aspects of the original Walter--not because he says so in the video, but because of the way he communicates. He looks like Sylvester, he's awkward like show Walter, and he totally played the interviewer psychologically like Toby.

[Kromm]

Yes. I wonder if it also has to do with the writers' and the target audience's perceived lack of knowledge of mathematics, physics, statistics, etc.

This makes me think fictional Walter, Toby, and Sylvester are all aspects of the original Walter--not because he says so in the video, but because of the way he communicates. He looks like Sylvester, he's awkward like show Walter, and he totally played the interviewer psychologically like Toby.

Real Walter O'Brien I don't really know what to make of.  He's playing on the legend of him being the 4th smartest person ever, but I aside from the obvious physical stuff, his personality isn't really that accurate a match with show Walter.  I mean what you're saying is awkward, I see as part of his act.  And he's got all kinds of weird affectations the show Walter I think would call nonsense. He wears flashy jewelry and clothes for example--something I can only see fictional Walter attributing to vanity and not making sense in any logical way.  He's certainly compromised himself a million ways from Sunday with the chickenshit version of science and totally lack of logical plots on this show--not that he's got much direct responsibility but even indirectly it's hilarious that the 4th smartest IQ ever recorded has cooperated on probably the 4th dumbest show on TV (maybe not ever, but at least the 4th dumbest currently on TV).  I suppose ultimately he's smart enough to know you only live once, so you might as well make some money out of your first (and only) time around.

[bros402]

Dust off the Crimson Tide floppy diskette and run Search & Replace.

 

Sounds like a good time. Would be more enjoyable than this odd episode.

[possibilities]

One second, if the case gets smashed, it causes a launch. Moments later, they're smashing it with a mallet.

 

I honestly thought they would shoot the guy holding the case, instead of letting him throw it over the fence.

 

Sometimes I feel bad for the actors, shouting with great urgency the most ridiculous lines. It's not even like the show comes across as being campy. It's a cartoon masquerading as a drama.

 

And yet I watch. I really can't explain it.

[Actionmage]

Watched the rerun of this episode tonight with the husband. Last Fall, he worked a different schedule and missed this.

 

He kept wondering why the nuclear warheads weren't removed ( if the launch was imminent, but there was "down time" between launches) or why the electronics that are supposedly hooked-up to the missiles simply unhooked. (If I remember his quote, something along the " if there are lines that tell the missile to launch..." then a look like it wasn't that hard to see where he was going.)  I get the TV reason- less tension- but it makes these geniuses and the US military seem like chumps.