Fortitude - General Discussion

[alias1]

Well, so that's it.  Yuri is who knows how far down trapped with a multitude of mammoths.  Eric didn't say anything about that.  He was too busy reconciling with his wife.  I feel like we missed an episode.  Suddenly Elena is infected, Carrie never is, and Jason is sort of infected but shoots himself.  Still not sure why he attacked Natalie.  Dan shoots Elena but she survives? Richard Dormer was brilliant in this episode as he has been all along.  

 

I never could make sense of the black guy.  Who was he and why was he helping the Russian.  Although I thought it was pretty funny when he just got on the snowmobile and took off. 

 

There will be a season Two?  I can't imagine it.

[Arynm]

Wow! So that happened. Did they burn most of the town to the ground? If they didn't they should have.Can't wait for next season, I have no idea where they are going to go. I think I missed where Elena got sick, but she was smart enough to handcuff herself to the bed. What happened to the guy in the closet?

[mjc570]

Wow, what happened? How did Elena get infected? She must be the smartest person in Fortitude, since on her own she apparently made the connection between getting sick and going on a rampage. What was that scene with Dan in the beginning? Did they just burn Ronnie alive? After watching that, I have more questions than before.

I've very much enjoyed watching this show and appreciate that there wasn't a lot of expository hand-holding. But that was ridiculous.

I guess the next season is going to be Dan, Hildur, Elena and Marcus?

[DeeJayKay]

Well, I doubt if Ronnie was alive anymore, since there were wasps buzzing in the house.  And how is burning the house going to prevent wasps from escaping?  And why drag the mammoth outside?  I'd think they'd burn the shed, too.

 

And Yuri drilled a hole to a mammoth graveyard.  This cannot be good.

 

I think Fortitude needs an exterminator.  Actually, what with flamethrowers, perfect hospital rooms for every eventuality, and miraculously developing a test for infection, why don't they have a handy exterminator?

 

I was distracted ... did the little girl live, or do we know?

[TVForever]

I'm wondering about the little girl too. That was a horrifying scene, watching Elena attack her. Goodness. But I hope that if Elena could survive a gunshot to the chest(!), maybe the girl could survive being bashed in the head and stabbed in the stomach?

 

So it seems that after 12 episodes of what now feels like red herrings everywhere, this was a show about the dangers of mixing the past (30000 years into the past), with the present. Kind of like Jurassic Park, but with amazing scenery. I was a little young for Twin Peaks, but I imagine that the fans of that strange show must have felt like I'm feeling now. I am so full of questions and WTH?? this morning, but I'll be all right.

 

I'm trying to imagine what a season 2 would look like, but I'm so sad it won't include Stanley Tucci. One of my favorite actors.

[Zaffy]

Well, overall I really enjoyed the series.  I loved that at the beginning I expected to watch a crime story and episode by episode it evolved to such a different show.
 

The finale was a bit rushed and had a few stupid scenes, especially the one in the hospital with Vincent blowing up the wasps.

 

I am glad it was renewed, the (remaining) cast is still stellar. I will miss DCI Morton though..

 

As for season 2, it seems it will continue from where season 1 ended, or at least a few weeks after. http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-04-09/fortitude-series-two-will-pick-up-seven-weeks-on-with-those-who-are-left-standing

[alias1]

Well, with Stanley Tucci gone, will London send someone (just as interesting, I hope) to investigate this crazy town? 

 

Zaffy, thanks for the article.  What isn't really clear to me is why Liam was infected (and Carrie never was) and Liam was able to get rid of that goo so he was no longer infected but was left weird and unresponsive. But his story is over, so, oh well.

 

Since it sounds like Frank will be staying Fortitude, I hope Markus kills him in season two.  I can't stand Frank.

 

I'm  glad we'll still have Dan.  I really didn't care that much about Eric and Hildur.  Maybe they will become more interesting in season two. 

[Zaffy]

  What isn't really clear to me is why Liam was infected (and Carrie never was) and Liam was able to get rid of that goo so he was no longer infected but was left weird and unresponsive. But his story is over, so, oh well.  

I can only speculate that when the hosts get rid of their goo they are larvae free. However they remain messed up, I guess that happens from  whatever  chemical the larvae had released in their brains to make them gut another human and puke on them. The fact they remember what they did is one more reason to be in a (permanent?) state of shock. It would be very interesting if Elena survives, to see if there is a way for her to go back to normal.

[dgpolo]

Well! that happened. I thought it was a bad idea to give Vincent (?) (still not sure of everyones names) mouth to mouth when he might be infected with larvae. And was there something going from his mouth to hers (Hildur?) there in that scene? it looked like breath at least was passing between them. Markus did burn Shelley's body right? so that possible infection site is neutralized? Elena got infected from being in the house with Ronnie? or his body?. Does Carrie have a natural resistance? since she was in the house too and also was exposed when Liam was.

I'm also glad that someone, finally! pointed out what a bad idea it was to build a hotel on a glacier that moves!

[MorbidPet]

I'm gonna be frank - that was crap. Crap. Crap. Crap.

And the promo last week made it seem just awesome but... no. They should've wrapped this show up in an amazing finale & walked away knowing they'd created a strange but brilliant show. Now I predict disaster, if they will have any viewers at all cause in my circle of tv-friends I'm the only one who will be watching (I'm a sucker for doom, I always go down with the ship) & from what I read on forums this was not a hit finale.

Too bad cause I've really enjoyed this show up until they killed my baby Tucci, then I got really pissed but I broke my word & kept watching even though I said I wouldn't - oh c'mon it's not often my name is used on a TV show, but twice now in a short period, thank you The Good Wife ;)

[Texasmom1970]

Well at least the show was consistent. I am still as confused and torn on whether I liked or hated it just like I was the entire season!

[raven]

It was a decent finale, but I was a little disappointed after the last few episodes were so kick ass. 

 

Sooo...Markus is just going to continue to live next door to the guy who pulled out his fingernail and almost drilled his head?  With no repercussions?  I also didn't care for Markus's "people are the true evil" speech. Yeah, yeah, heard it all before.  The blow up of the hospital room was dramatic and all but how did Vincent survive?  Why did Dan and Natalie just stand there while it blew (though neither were really injured)?  How does Fortitude have all of these glass hospital rooms and then a perfectly set up, sterile burn victim enviroment?  It was nice that Vincent survived and was apparently not wasp infected, but I wondered about those things.

 

I did like that Dan and the governor jumped right into action once it was determined what was happening, rather than just nattering around about it.  I think there would have been more impact if Elena actually died though.  I guess she got stung by one of the Ronnie incubated wasps from the closet.

 

Oh, I had to LOL at Frank's big speech to an obviously sick Elena at the sheriff's office.  He didn't even notice that she was pale and sweating!

 

Overall I really enjoyed this and will be in for a S2.

Edited April 13, 2015 by raven

[Netfoot]

Disappointing finale to a disappointing series.  There were some highlight moments, but not enough to make me return for S2.

 

Un-following...

[thegreathoo]

Goodness, what an episode! 

[goodbyeglittergirl]

I just finished season 1 and man, that was brutal. I watched initially b/c of Eccelston and so I felt like I was sold a false bill of goods when he was killed off! Tucci was wonderful, though, and I enjoyed much of the acting. I spent a lot of time confused, and after reading the threads tonight from each episode, I see I wasn't the only one! That is a comfort b/c I thought perhaps I was losing my mind. :-)

 

I don't know if I'll be back for season 2. It was so freaking brutal and grim. I don't know if I can take more of that, no matter how wonderful the performances! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jonjo O'Neill, who played Cieran (sp?), and I'm tempted to watch just for him as I hope he will take on a bigger role, but I just don't know if I can take it!

[purist]

Some of the questions (including why Liam wasn't infected but was mentally messed up) are answered in this article.

[numbnut]

Aaaand.... I'm out. I stumbled across this show and tried to hang on (with Tucci's help), but it's just too slow, vague and confusing.

[iggysaurus]

I know I'm posting many months after the last comment here (which always seems to happen with these obscure shows, because I only catch them when they're on Amazon or Netflix many months later) -- but I just wanted to say I'm so mad at Dan for not saving Morton! Yes, Morton said not to move him, and seemed resigned to dying, but that doesn't mean Dan had to go along with it.  As a police officer or any kind of public servant (or even just a decent person!), your duty is to save a life if it's even remotely possible.  Possible exception: when the person is terminally ill and you know they really want to die and get it over with (i.e., someone like Henry) -- but that clearly wasn't the case here. Morton was a totally healthy, sane person, who was only saying not to move him because he was out of his mind on morphine and pain. Dan should've known better. And even worse, when he told Hildur about this, she didn't even question why he didn't at least try to urgently air lift Morton, which would've been the proper thing for a sheriff to do. 

[Portia]

I enjoyed the switch from the scientific investigation to a scene you might expect to see in a horror flick with the bugs flying out of the doctor's mouth. I can't help thinking that we have seen a scene like that in a horror movie but just can't recall which one at the moment.

I'm not sure if this is what the OP was thinking of, but there's a similar effect in The Green Mile when John Coffey sucks the cancer out of Patricia Clarkson's character.

[molshoop]

Can someone currently watching the show tell me how Elena got infected. 

Can someone currently watching the show tell me how Elena got infected. 

[purist]

 

Can someone currently watching the show tell me how Elena got infected.

 

Apparently it happened when she was at the statue that was seen in the background when they burnt the mammoth? I read that somewhere.

[molshoop]

Thank you Purist

[Valny]

I just watched the first ep on Amazon and am definitely intrigued. I had to skip most of these comments when I saw someone say it was a double episode, so I've only seen up to Eccleston's murder.(no way I remembered anyone's name afterwards)

So many characters and intertwining storylines thrown at you for an opener, but it's not like I haven't been in this scenario before.

I too was surprised Eccleston was killed off right off the bat, there's something about the actor that makes him a little mysterious  ...so I didn't want to see him gone so damn quickly.. especially after talking to that lady governor(?) and pissing her off about the discovery of animal/creature remains. 

 

Looking forward to Stanley Tucci's appearance, I had thought he'd be in the first ep, so I was waiting.

The lead police guy, something is a little off... got weird vibes from him.

The locale makes me cold just looking at all the ice and snow... it's pretty yet scary in all it's barren-ness.  You couldn't pay me enough to live in that part of the world. I know they film in Iceland... but where is it supposed to be? I was watched a little special feature they had on Amazon, I thought they said Scandinavia but I don't think I heard that right.

Anyway, off to read the recap....

Edited February 21, 2016 by Valny

[spaceghostess]

 

 

Looking forward to Stanley Tucci's appearance, I had thought he'd be in the first ep, so I was waiting.

The lead police guy, something is a little off... got weird vibes from him.

The locale makes me cold just looking at all the ice and snow... it's pretty yet scary in all it's barren-ness. 

Valny, I also recently started this one and am already at episode 8 because I LOVE it. Watching it on Amazon Prime, so nothing's cut (or at least I don't think so?).

 

The stark beauty of Iceland and the stark beauty of The Tooch are my favorite things about Fortitude, but really, all the actors are excellent and the atmosphere is muy creepy. Really digging the opening credits, too. I commented to my husband that this feels like a mashup of Fargo, True Detective, and Twin Peaks. But, a little more than halfway through, I hope they ease up on the Twin Peaks-ian story beats, because yes, I want it to be as twisted and fucked-up as possible (no disappointment on that front so far), but I also want it to play out as a legit mystery. We shall see.

 

Oh, and while I'd already seen the writing on the wall for what would happen in episode 7, Fortitude gets an honorable mention for capping off an event that didn't particularly surprise me with a moment of gross horror that most definitely did, i.e. "They wouldn't, would they? Aw, hell--they did!"

[atomationage]

I gave up on the series after the gore in this one, and I blocked most of that out. 

[atomationage]

I'm always glad to see Michael Gambon, who, besides a million other things, played an American mobster in the HBO series Luck. 

Aaron McCusker was in Dexter, but is better known as Jamie Maguire in many seasons of Shameless.

Jessica Gunning is in Jericho, and was in a series called What Remains, starring David Threlfall, also from every season of Shameless. 

Richard Dormer was in GOT, and I not only didn't recognize him from there, but I couldn't believe that he wasn't a native of that island.

Edited March 18, 2016 by atomationage

[Valny]

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee you guys, bugs!!!  I watch a LOT of gross stuff but bugs nesting in people is just so ew for me.  EW!

.  

 

 

 

 

 

I am the same way! I can handle most gross out stuff(not puking though) but creepy crawly bugs I can not deal. I was wincing all through that scene.

 

I only found this show about a month ago, I am digging it so much. I have one more ep to go, and damn it I don't want it to end! I really want to watch the finale, but I don't...ya know what I mean? 

As soon as Pettigrew walked into the rowdy bar, I thought uh oh, he's going to assault Elena somehow.  He just had that look. He was so gross. I was hoping she'd kick him in the nuts when he had her on the bed.

Really liked getting the backstory of the whole Dan/Pettigrew thing.  Man, that was brutal.

So this show is renewed for a second season?

Edited March 23, 2016 by Valny

[marys1000]

I binged 1-6 and then 7-10 last night (Mar 2016).  I went to bed thinking.  The finale twist is that this is a penal colony for the criminally insane right? Eve the police dept runs like some private dictators stasi.  I've never seen so many people make so many self centered or just plain bad f'ed up decisions in my life. If this is what people are really like when no one is looking

I must be an alien. 

Edited March 28, 2016 by marys1000

[marys1000]

How long did Dan wait before heading out?  Looked like hours.  And no chopper for someone shot on a glacer in subzero temps.

I don't think he ever meant to save him. 

[marys1000]

 

I did like that Dan and the governor jumped right into action once it was determined what was happening, rather than just nattering around about it. 

 

 

 

Only because it didn't involve other people, politics or money lthat might negatively impact them, like all the other seriously bad decisions (often decisions to do very little) they made all along the way.

Markus is def right of course. 

[raven]

Dennis Quaid, Parminder Nagra (The Blacklist), Michelle Fairley (Resurrection, Game Of Thrones), Robert Sheehan (Misfits), and Ken Stott (The Missing) in for second season

Richard Dormer and quite a few of the first season are back as well.  I'll be watching.

[Archery]

Dear Pettigrew,

I would have done the same to you.

Sincerely,

Archery

[GinnyMars]

Knock knock! I'm still trying to decide if I should watch this. Hope it's okay to post here!

How would you describe the show ? Sidereel has it as a "drama", Wikipedia calls it a "psychological thriller" and Metacritic says: "Genre(s): Drama, Horror, Suspense". Is it scary ? I can't watch horror...

For reference, I decided against watching Stranger Things because I thought that'd be too scary for me. The most "stressful" thing I watch is probably The Fall, and the most violent... Game of Thrones? Although I spoiled myself on purpose about a certain scene involving a skull and looked away from the screen when I knew it was coming...

Fortitude looks very interesting though! What do you guys think, should I give it a try?

Edited December 25, 2016 by GinnyMars

[joelene]

3 hours ago, GinnyMars said:

Knock knock! I'm still trying to decide if I should watch this. Hope it's okay to post here!

How would you describe the show ? Sidereel has it as a "drama", Wikipedia calls it a "psychological thriller" and Metacritic says: "Genre(s): Drama, Horror, Suspense". Is it scary ? I can't watch horror...

For reference, I decided against watching Stranger Things because I thought that'd be too scary for me. The most "stressful" thing I watch is probably The Fall, and the most violent... Game of Thrones? Although I spoiled myself on purpose about a certain scene involving a skull and looked away from the screen when I knew it was coming...

Fortitude looks very interesting though! What do you guys think, should I give it a try?

That's a tough one. Psychological thriller is probably a better general description for it than "drama" or "horror", but there are relationship drama aspects inbedded in it as well as some horror elements. But as far as I can remember there's really only one "holy shit!" moment concerning a graphic event. I suppose it depends on what scares you as well, since horror is so broad and what scares you is so subjective. I'd classify it as a mystery suspense drama, maybe? It's very much a mood piece, and I loved the hell out of it (I also love The Fall and Game of Thrones, for reference). I would not call it stressful, but then few shows give me stress, personally. I say definitely give it a go for a couple of episodes and if you like it keep going! I don't remember which episode has the "scary scene" but I can look it up so you're prepared :). It's in the late half of the season, at least. Also, it's not really a show you can watch and fiddle with you phone at the same time. There's lots of names and characters being thrown around and it can be hard to follow, but it's worth it. You can always read the threads here after you've watched the episode  

ETA: Scary gore scene is episode 6 if you count the first two episodes as one (they aired together), episode 7 if separate. 

Edited December 25, 2016 by joelene

[TVForever]

This was one of the strangest shows I've ever seen. Ever. And I can't wait for Season 2. Anyone know who picked it up (RIP, Pivot)?

[raven]

Shoot, that's a good question.   I found this teaser trailer and it says it will air in January.  I hope we can watch.  This trailer says "Pivot" but I know Pivot is no more.  The show is affiliated with Sky Atlantic.

[GinnyMars]

Thanks a lot, Joelene! I think I'll give it a try, and maybe I'll join you guys back here for season 2!

[ApathyMonger]

The entire second season is now up On Demand in the UK, but still has no US broadcaster. Here's a thread for people who want to talk about it.

[mjc570]

I'm in the US, and would love to see it. 

[ApathyMonger]

5 hours ago, mjc570 said:

I'm in the US, and would love to see it. 

The first season is on Amazon Prime so, even without Pivot, they might pick up S2.

[Valny]

On ‎12‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 5:56 PM, TVForever said:

This was one of the strangest shows I've ever seen. Ever. And I can't wait for Season 2. Anyone know who picked it up (RIP, Pivot)?

Amazon!

[joelene]

Oh my god did they just kill 

Spoiler

Hildur

?!?

I gotta say I'm quite confused as to what the hell is going on but I'm really digging it all the same.

[HollyG]

Not sure we're supposed to be talking about this yet since it hasn't aired in the US yet, but I skipped ahead and am watching on a streaming site. No idea when it will be shown through legal channels here in the US. 

But anyway..... I'm up to episode 7 and I'm confused about a few things. If you have any insight give me a shout.

[molshoop]

I'm watching it on a streaming site too.  If you don't download it (making a copy) you aren't doing anything illegal.

That's not my opinion, it is the actual law, so don't feel guilty.

The show is even weirder and more gruesome than last season, and I haven't decided if I'm going to continue with it.

It's like The Walking Dead meets Twin Peaks x 10. 

[Arynm]

Should be airing on Amazon starting April 14.

I can't wait!

[Valny]

Arynm- is that info in print somewhere?  Great news!

[raven]

I found this where it has it listed as starting April 14.  yay!

http://www.tvguide.com/news/whats-coming-to-amazon-april-2017/

[Valny]

Season 2 trailer that is also on Amazon. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Dennis Quaid discusses Fortitude on Build:

[raven]

2 episodes in and there's cannibalism (albeit not in the present), beheading, animal mutilation and animal guts in an autopsy and yet the scariest thing is Parminder Nagra's Dr. Khatri keeping Elena in a comatose state for some purpose!  Creeepy.

Along with Natalie saving one of the S1 wasps (and not telling Vincent) after she and Vincent dropped tons of ice on the mammoth grave, I'm not loving the scientists this time around.

Not sure why the bigwigs in Oslo replaced Hildur, even though she released the boat fuel.   I mean, who the hell wants to be Governor of Fortitude?  No one, is my guess.

So is the Ingrid the worst cop ever?  Obnoxious young guy is her brother but he was swinging an AXE in grocery store and doesn't even get a couple of nights in jail?  And why do Fortitude police just randomly pick up stuff in a suspect's house?  I don't mean the brother's belt, all that other stuff.  Never mind Petra taking a swig out of the flask without knowing what's in it.

This season feels differently, less gritty or something than S1.  Maybe I'll be the only one watching!