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S01.E18: Once Bitten, Twice Die


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Team Scorpion facilitates secret peace talks to prevent World War III, when a conflict in Eastern Europe threatens to escalate.

Of course they do.

Hey, I snark because I love you, you goofy show, you.

Well, at least this show is miles ahead of that CSI Cyber pilot.

  • Love 5
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OMG, Sylvester doing the one-leg prop on the chair was hilarious.  I'm still laughing.

 

This show is the perfect antidote to a crappy day - not quite Psych levels of fun, but so silly, unbelievable and goofy.

  • Love 6
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OMG! That was bad,

Walter falls into a lit of poisonous snakes and all of the employees and students etc magically disappear, leaving Happy to save him.

Page is taking a course in history and suddenly becomes an expert in the exact three countries involved in the dispute.

Let's not even discuss taking some poor guys Taco truck and using the salad spinner as a centrifuge!

  • Love 6
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Well, if I ever decide that I miss the old Saturday morning cartoons I know I can get my fix from Scorpion.  This show has passed preposterous and is moving toward ludicrous.

  • Love 4
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I thought Page said she had known about the mission involving these countries, and that was why she chose them as the subject of her paper. 

 

Overall, though, this show would be barely less ludicrous if the characters could fly.  I *really* wish they would get rid of the intro, because it implies that the show has something to do with the real world.

  • Love 3
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Aww, I love this silliness.  Amazing Walter didn't get bitten by any other snakes he fell on. 

 

That....kiss.  Fabulous.

 

Sylvester posing....Amazingly Hilarious.

 

Paige, uh well there is that.

 

Loved Cabe and his badass fanboy self.

  • Love 5
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I thought Walter already knew Cabe had used his creation (meant to airdrop food and supplies) for bombing Iraq buildings.     

 

A fast moving centrifuge was needed.  I thought they'd manipulate the CD drive on a computer.  Mine spins so fast when a CD is inserted that it sounds like it's getting airborne. But using a salad spinner is more MacGyver-esque.

  • Love 2
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I thought Walter already knew Cabe had used his creation (meant to airdrop food and supplies) for bombing Iraq buildings.     

 

A fast moving centrifuge was needed.  I thought they'd manipulate the CD drive on a computer.  Mine spins so fast when a CD is inserted that it sounds like it's getting airborne. But using a salad spinner is more MacGyver-esque.

 

A CD/DVD/BD-ROM drive would be a better solution - with a few mechanical tweaks, that I am sure Happy could do, they can hit 80k RPM - not for very long, but probably long enough to separate out the antivenin.

 

Also, this episode was probably the worst in a while. Paige was bad at the beginning with her magically knowing everything about these three countries in a course on European History - when it would most likely be covered in a course on either Eastern Europe or Post-Soviet Eastern Europe. By the end of the episode, Paige was somehow even more insufferable than the time she sang in that one episode. I don't know HOW they managed to accomplish that, but they did. It's magical.

  • Love 3
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I thought Walter already knew Cabe had used his creation (meant to airdrop food and supplies) for bombing Iraq buildings....

Assuming the writers haven't forgotten that, I'm guessing the reveal is that Cabe knew from the beginning, and possibly directed the use of Walter's programming for that purpose. IIRC, Cabe claimed to Walter that he didn't initially know they would use Walter's work for purposes of killing and destroying.

But, yeah, I was expecting Cabe to tell the bureaucrat that Walter already knew, but instead he launched into threats that pointed to a multi-episode arc that I'm not sure I want to see. It sounds worse than a cheating spouse triangle plot.

Edited by shapeshifter
  • Love 3
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so that was awful - I liked this show, sure suspension of disbelief was required but it was fun and engaging and I was ok with that - this episode was just tragic. For the first time I fast-forwarded it (and more than half of it). Loved Sylvester and the pose but seriously folks the rest of the snakes will escape when you smash the glass front of the cabinet! And will probably chase the food supply that you also smashed open. Insta-expert Paige? NO, just no, also where is her son while she is doing night school study and whisking off through the countryside to meet the leaders of three foreign countries?

  • Love 3
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The minute the diplomats started arguing I said to Mr Washables "Everything will be okay if only Katherine McPhee sings to them" and thought it was a decent snark -- right up until Katherine McPhee actually started singing.  At least, I assume that was her voice singing the lullaby because she's in the show and it's the law.

  • Love 1
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I am willing to swallow a lot of silliness for the sake of this show including lots of defying the laws of physics. I'm ok with using a salad spinner as a centrifuge because that's just fun. I'm even ok with Paige turning out to randomly have knowledge of the countries involved. But the problem is this episode made everybody else into utter morons in order to make Team Scorpion look good. The experienced diplomat apparently didn't know basic Belarussian history (wouldn't she have at least gotten a briefing in preparation for high level talks where World War III was on the line?). The doctor was panicky and still tried to inject the patient with adrenaline after being told that he might have been poisoned with snake venom. The Homeland guy didn't think to try sending some of the marines to a lab to get antivenom. The heads of state were fooled by fake news broadcasts into signing a peace treaty. I mean, come on!

 

Cabe playing the ultra-cool action hero is never going to get old, though.

 

ETA: Also, that ferret was darn cute. I laughed when Paige hesitated to let the little guy get injected because on some level I was thinking the same thing.

Edited by Xantar
  • Love 5
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 The heads of state were fooled by fake news broadcasts into signing a peace treaty. I mean, come on!

I know!!  The leaders had participated in the green screening technology at the start of the summit.  Then Toby had conned security a second time with an image of him at the gate.

 

Might have been better for the leaders to have known the newscast was fake, but have it open their eyes to the imminent possibility of world war.

  • Love 1
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Has this show been renewed for another season?   I've only watched three episodes and it's really pretty bad.  The plots are unbelieveable, casting a bit odd....I can't warm up to anybody.  I'll give it another watch or two, I don't know why....

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The minute the diplomats started arguing I said to Mr Washables "Everything will be okay if only Katherine McPhee sings to them" and thought it was a decent snark -- right up until Katherine McPhee actually started singing.  At least, I assume that was her voice singing the lullaby because she's in the show and it's the law.

Hah! I'm pretty sure it wasn't her singing because it wasn't a language in McPhee's repertoire, but I was still cringing with anticipation that she was going to start singing it in English.

I hate to ask this, but wouldn't the herpetarium have had the antivenom on hand?  Maybe try asking next time?  I enjoy this show, but honestly!

I know! *sigh*

...Cabe playing the ultra-cool action hero is never going to get old, though....

I just hope the writers don't forget this one truth.
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Might have been better for the leaders to have known the newscast was fake, but have it open their eyes to the imminent possibility of world war.

 

I thought they said that's what happened...the world leaders knew it was fake, but had perspective.  Though they seemed very prone to a change in heart if that were the case.

 

 

I am willing to swallow a lot of silliness for the sake of this show including lots of defying the laws of physics.

 

...physics, biology, computer science; basically every law except Brannigan's Law.

 

 

The experienced diplomat apparently didn't know basic Belarussian history (wouldn't she have at least gotten a briefing in preparation for high level talks where World War III was on the line?).

 

Probably because she only had a few days or weeks to prepare for a worsening geopolitical situation that was her entire job, but Paige needed it for a paper for night-school credit.  I'd have rather seen the State Department person skim the paper, and say something like "It's good, but out of date, because when I was in Belarus last week, they..."

 

I liked how Cabe knew how to escape because of a Western he'd seen, and how this whole show is an odd mix of the very serious and the very cartoon.  Life can be like that.

  • Love 4
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I was embarrassed for Paige when she handed the state department lady the report.  My god that was awful.

 

Please show stay away from diplomatic situations.  That was just horrible.  Maybe it's because I just finished watching House of Cards and there was so much drama / security / protocol around the Russian visit but this was beyond my ability to suspend disbelief.

 

Yeah, the reptile sanctuary we visited last summer prides itself on running a non profit anti-venin bank.  A phone call might have been in order.

 

That kiss was the only thing that convinced me this show wasn't written for/by a 7 year old.

  • Love 2
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...That kiss was the only thing that convinced me this show wasn't written for/by a 7 year old.

Actually, since the kiss was just a kiss, it wouldn't disturb a G rating. But I like young children's books, so...

I was pleasantly surprised that the woman on the diplomatic team decided to support Paige's culture reasearch rather than being sterotypically too proud, even though a bit of this would've made it so much better:

...I'd have rather seen the State Department person skim the paper, and say something like "It's good, but out of date, because when I was in Belarus last week, they...".

  • Love 1
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Belarusian born and raised...

OMG I can't believe what they did to my country's history, and even language (however few phrases they used).

At least in Forever they used an imaginary country...

 

Did they try to "pretend solve" Russian-Ukranian crisis? What's next? Eliminating a terrorist group SARAH?

Edited by vavera4ka
  • Love 2
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Has this show been renewed for another season?   I've only watched three episodes and it's really pretty bad.  The plots are unbelieveable, casting a bit odd....I can't warm up to anybody.  I'll give it another watch or two, I don't know why....

 

It's been renewed, the ratings are great. 

 

I don't understand the casting of Paige at all or even keeping her. The shows premise is better with just the 4 genius's, but them now trying to force Paige as a sudden history buff because of 1 class and make the others look clueless is just silly. 

  • Love 2
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so that was awful - I liked this show, sure suspension of disbelief was required but it was fun and engaging and I was ok with that - this episode was just tragic. For the first time I fast-forwarded it (and more than half of it). Loved Sylvester and the pose but seriously folks the rest of the snakes will escape when you smash the glass front of the cabinet! And will probably chase the food supply that you also smashed open. Insta-expert Paige? NO, just no, also where is her son while she is doing night school study and whisking off through the countryside to meet the leaders of three foreign countries?

 

I think it was implied that the place they were at was in California - as they were lent a Senator's home for the meeting.

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Lithuanian born and raised...
I agree... One of the most insulting thing was that the name of Lithuanian "president" wasn't even lithuanian - it was a russan name....
They tried to use few words but I didn't understand them at first... The only thing they've got right was the song, but that song isn't popular in Lithuania and it's definately not a lullaby that anyone sings here...

  • Love 1
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Lithuanian here.

 

I like this show but this episode come on did any one even do a slightest bit of research of the conterys you are talking about?

A. Names of Lithuanian and Latvian presidents are an insult pure and simple (Belarus is actually the only slavic contery of the 3 and even that one didnt sound quite right)....

B. Lithuania and Latvia are members of both NATO and EU we have no borders between us (you can go from one contery to the other without border control just like any other EU contery) so talking about border isues between the 2 is just silly (nor did we ever have any isues eather), besides that Belarus and Lithuania relations are fine too even tho they are not a part of EU, trade and other buisness between our conterys is fine, nor do we have any isues about teritory eather.

C. Snakes.... just... of all the... WE DON'T HAVE SNAKES :D well we kind of do but its like 2 speacies niether of them particulary dangerous, 1 thow grows up to 80cm long isnt poisonous and people keep it as a pet sometimes, ant the other is even smaller and even thow it is (kind of) poisonous its bite is no more than a painfull nusence, its like steping on a LEGO painfull but not life thretening :D

D. Customs, Lithuania and Latvia have some similar ones (none of the ones u mentioned where depicted correctly) and Belarus again is a Slavic not Baltic contery so its customs are quite different from the other 2. 

  • Love 2
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Maybe the writers should have read Paige's report. ;p

LOL.  I know the show doesn't do itself any favors by pretending to be kinda/sorta/somewhat serious, I just ignore that and look at it as full on alternate universe or cartoon or something.  It's like Scooby-Doo with geniuses.

 

Next they'll send them to check out the face on Mars, or rescue a group stranded on Everest.

 

 

Cabe playing the ultra-cool action hero is never going to get old, though.

Yes, they need to always do this.

Edited by raven
  • Love 2
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Lithuanian born and raised...

I agree... One of the most insulting thing was that the name of Lithuanian "president" wasn't even lithuanian - it was a russan name....

They tried to use few words but I didn't understand them at first... The only thing they've got right was the song, but that song isn't popular in Lithuania and it's definately not a lullaby that anyone sings here...

Given that the writers frequently disregard SCIENTIFIC facts in a show about geniuses, it is not surprising that there are so many cultural inaccuracies.

  • Love 2
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I thought Walter's comment about the only four courses worth studying are "math and science, and science and math" was not only obnoxiously arrogant, but arrogantly obnoxious. (See what I did there?) If not for English classes, he wouldn't be able to insult everyone else and their low IQ. *rolls eyes*

 

If there's not one already, there should be a topic in the "Everything Else TV" section where natives/residents of non-U.S. parts of the world can tell us how much TV shows get wrong. 'cause you just know the fact checkers are told that "no one cares" if the show gets stuff wrong.

 

It's also true for education. So many shows get things with regards to Education wrong.

 

Especially Special Education. It is painful.

  • Love 1
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It's been renewed, the ratings are great. 

 

 

LOL.  I know the show doesn't do itself any favors by pretending to be kinda/sorta/somewhat serious, I just ignore that and look at it as full on alternate universe or cartoon or something.  It's like Scooby-Doo with geniuses.

We were talking about this at breakfast this morning. Why would a show so overtly silly be doing well in the ratings? I think it's because right now there's a distinct lack of light and fluffy drama on tv (there is some, but not much). I like more serious shows, sure, but sometimes I just want to be entertained. For me, that's characters I can root for having adventures or interacting with friends and family. Would I prefer something with better writing? Yes. Would I prefer something without Walter? Heck, yeah. But in a land of blind men, the one-eyed man is king, so in a season overburdened with reality shows, heavy procedurals and psychodramas, the badly written and executed fluffy Island of the Misfit Geniuses is a ratings darling.

Edited by Reishe
  • Love 5
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I also find the show entertaining enough to stick with it, but as each episode gets less believable, I get more irritated. I think I would be less irritated if they dropped the narrated intro. Or changed the "based on the life of Walter O'Brien" statement to "loosely inspired by the life of Walter O'Brien." Has anyone visited the real Scorpion's web site? It appears that they focus on computer solutions, not MacGyvering and A-Teaming solutions. So, yeah, implying that these guys and their ensuing hijinks are inspired by RL Walter and his RL team? Takes me out of it.

 

Yeah - everyone knows that when they say something is inspired by xxxxx, it is heavy with the artistic license. See: most war movies

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Just caught up with this episode, and, man, even on the normal Scorpion scale, this was some silliness.  The idea that Team Scorpion would be on a diplomatic mission alone, is very preposterous to me.  Then you add Walt/Paige/Happy stealing a taco truck, Walt letting himself get bitten by a snake to find the right venom, Cabe in a shoot-out on a western set, and then them chasing after a ferret with the cure in it, and it's almost a full-blown Saturday Morning cartoon.

 

I wonder if "Ferret Buller" is going to stay or not.  I mean, this is CBS, and it's not like animal mascots are new to their procedurals (Bear on Person of Interest, Clyde on Elementary.)  

  • Love 3
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Just caught up with this episode, and, man, even on the normal Scorpion scale, this was some silliness.  The idea that Team Scorpion would be on a diplomatic mission alone, is very preposterous to me.  Then you add Walt/Paige/Happy stealing a taco truck, Walt letting himself get bitten by a snake to find the right venom, Cabe in a shoot-out on a western set, and then them chasing after a ferret with the cure in it, and it's almost a full-blown Saturday Morning cartoon.

 

I wonder if "Ferret Buller" is going to stay or not.  I mean, this is CBS, and it's not like animal mascots are new to their procedurals (Bear on Person of Interest, Clyde on Elementary.)  

 

Like I could understand Walter and Sylvester and maybe Happy being there to set up the magical green screens that cannot be noticed.

 

But there was no reason for Paige or Toby to be there.

 

Imagine if they decided to split up the cast for an episode, not for any ~drama~ reasons, just have an A plot and a B plot - might lead to something *gasp* interesting.

 

As long as the pairing isn't Walter/Paige or Happy/Toby. I'd be fine with Sylvester/Walter's Sister, but that's already been done. Something less explored, like Walter/Toby, or Happy/Paige.

 

Or Ralph/Happy play around with mechanical engineering.

  • Love 1
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This show is completely ridiculous and illogical and unbelievable, and I have been eating it up!  That said, this episode just seemed off or not as good for some reason - can't put my finger on it.  Maybe it's because I usually feel that in some way the show normally gives us this tongue in cheek, self mockery feeling, but this week it seemed like it was trying to take itself way too seriously.  I want more of Walter and Paige downloading stuff from an airplane mid-takeoff from a speeding car!!

  • Love 1
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I like more serious shows, sure, but sometimes I just want to be entertained.

Totally agree.  I enjoy this show, although I am not surprised that they got the cultural stuff totally wrong.

 

Paige and her book report, omg.  The second hand embarrassment I felt for her was very strong.  I was cringing!

 

LOVED the kiss!  Finally!

 

Sylvester continues to be my favorite.  I laughed my ass off at his pose with the leg on the chair.  Totally natural!

  • Love 1
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Cripes, I could sputter for pages, but it boils down to this series is a Marty Stu fanfic, serving the ego of the real WO, right down to the hotness of the show WO.  The contract he signed with CBS must be incredibly indulgent, because the underlying arc of this series is that even though The Bunch Of Schmucks Working Out Of A Garage Screw Up Social Skills Like Grokking Fundamental Human Behavior Every Single Episode, Only The BOS Can Save The Day.  Alas, If Only The World Was Smart Enough To Hire These Consultants To Fix Every Problem.

 

Ranting aside, I hope this episode was an outlier.  I like the characters, I like the actors,  I like Cabe getting to use his favorite movie to such advantage.  I even like the way it made me flash back to Terminator 2 (a movie I only saw once, but RP killed that part), and to Wag The Dog (a movie I've never seen, and didn't need to because just about every relevant clip to the story arc was aired in the promotional interviews).  And it's usually better then this.  I like Cabe and Happy and Toby and Sylvester, and even Meghan.  Paige is just there, Ralph is never there enough, and Walter apparently stopped learning a long time ago, because he keeps making the same super-geek social mistakes, and the lessons don't stick.

 

Oh Show, I wish I knew how to quit you.

Edited by kassygreene
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