American Odyssey - General Discussion

[formerlyfreedom]

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from American Odyssey.

[TheRabbi]

It's amazing how in every single movie and TV show of all time, whenever someone needs to pull a computer password ouf of their ass, they will always somehow magically come up with it on the second or third try.

 

I'm halfway through the episode now.  Debating if I want to continue.  I did kind of like the pilot, but I just have a feeling this is going to turn into a really terrible government conspiracy show.  I prefer Anna Friel's escape quest/storyline.

[hilaryvm]

I am strongly debating giving up on this show.  The first episode wasn't great, but it at least had some interest.  Now it all just seems so predictable.  I quite like Anna Friel, and I'm interested to see how she'll make it out (since I'm certain they're not going to kill her off).  Otherwise, the rest of it just seems like every other conspiracy thriller I've read/watched.

[mjc570]

Yeah, me too,  I'm wondering how long I'm going to watch this.  It's not poorly made, and I like Anna Friel, but the government conspiracy is  just too realistic for me to take it as entertainment.  And, no, my name is not Bob Offer, but I do believe that governments (including the US) engage in all kinds of behind the scenes behavior that I would really prefer not to know about.  So watching something that just feeds into my paranoia just isn't fun.

[Kat]

Even though it had a lot of cliche elements, I found the second episode even more engaging than the pilot. I'm in for as long as NBC wants to give it to me. I love "The Fatch" and Ana Friel enough that I'm entertained.

[Boundary]

Coincidences everywhere. What an annoying way to tell a story.

[junemeatcleaver]

This show is so boring, I couldn't make it past the first episode.  Anna Friel deserves better, or at least something that lasts longer than two seasons.

[paperplate]

Surprised that no one is watching this. I've enjoyed it so far. although most of the situations are implausible I like the overall idea. It kind of reminds me of the seasons of 24 that sucked - some things were completely ridiculous and would not happen but it was fun to laugh at.

I guess the only thing that kind of annoys me is that Odelle hasn't at least spoken to a family member given as many times she's gotten a hold of a phone. If you have a hint that the government hasn't got your back or worse tried to kill you wouldn't call family first or even second? Wouldn't you also call a cell phone and not a land line in case someone isn't home?

[Boundary]

Nobody's watching for a good reason. How is this show on network television? How did these writers convince anyone of their "talents"? Hint: Heroes and The Following, even though Heroes' first season was good. Mr Eko is the luckiest mercenary in the world, twice now he's confiscated Odelle's videos, twice in this episode people who should have killed him have mysteriously not done so (which military commander doesn't carry his own gun?), numerous times now he's somehow found Odelle's trail, including in a crowded street where every woman was covered up. 

 

Odelle has accessed so many phones and computers now I've lost sympathy for her situation, just record yourself and put the video online, the people after you know you're alive and your general whereabouts anyway. I do, however, like her friendship with Aslam, mainly because of the performances but the obstacles put in front of them are ridiculous and unnatural - the wrong people just keep bumping into them "coincidentally". If that's not atrocious writing I don't know what is.

 

But the award for stupidity goes to Harrison. This guy leads an anarchist movement, really? I'm not going to go into a whole list of stupid things, misjudgements and simply the carelessness of someone whose M.O. should be paranoia. In any one of these conversations with the head honchos he's failed to press record? And his father was a renowned journalist? Please. And his utter lack of suspicion of Ruby is beyond comprehensible. But guess what, plot armour to the rescue, she's in love with him even though she never hesitated killing his father, and we never saw a hint of what he's done to deserve these affections. Square that circle. And how does she manage to find him when he's drunk out of his mind wandering around aimlessly? Is she as tech savvy as Bob, whose app tells him not only exactly where Harrison is but the apartment number as well? Wish Find My iPhone was that accurate. At least Bob seems to be the only logical character in this mess of a show.

 

One of the symptoms of a creatively deficient show is how characters are malleable depending on "plot" needs. Peter suddenly moves from a public-prosecutor-at-heart crusader to making deals with the devil because his family was threatened. Didn't he say right at the beginning he'll stop as soon as his family's safety was compromised? Which happened a few weeks ago but he chose to plough ahead instead. A witness was run down in front of him (they missed Peter of course) and his family was attacked and a spy sent to seduce his daughter but he chose to plough ahead still. He keeps on digging further and yet, just like Harrison, plot armour protects him because these guys kill everyone without hesitating except the protagonists. How convenient. But when that plot requires him to suddenly lose his marbles, oh well ... Also don't you just know he (just like Odelle) has not made copies of the usb stick? Isn't there a cliche this show will ignore?

 

The only character that doesn't make me want to throw something at the tv is Odelle's daughter, Suzanne. Her optimism is infectious but the combination of her age and her relative smarts is a source of relief. I just hope she maintains the suspicion towards a nice stranger who showed up just after she told "them" she has proof her mother is alive. By the way, no surprises that the woman was a baddie - didn't even need bad writing to telegraph that one. It would have been a surprise if she'd been just a nice lady. By the way, again, was she just hiding in the bookstore waiting for Suzanne to wander in? Or was she following them hoping to somehow ensnare her from her father, which ps. was bound to "coincidentally" happen? Does she also have the same radar (or app) that Ruby has?

 

Before I finish my rant, I'd like to say I rather like most of the actors in this: Peter Facinelli, Anna Friel, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Allison Mack and Orla Brady deserve a lot better writing than this dreck. Why am I watching? Well, I somehow think it might be an experiment, there's lots of well-made tv out there, but "how bad can this one get?" has something to do with it. Pretty soon the hate watching will stop being fun though. No one will read this, rightly, but in case the creators of this show checked this site out, I just wanted to leave some feedback, if the ratings weren't enough.

Edited May 25, 2015 by Boundary

[Free]

 

Odelle has accessed so many phones and computers now I've lost sympathy for her situation, just record yourself and put the video online, the people after you know you're alive and your general whereabouts anyway. I do, however, like her friendship with Aslam, mainly because of the performances but the obstacles put in front of them are ridiculous and unnatural - the wrong people just keep bumping into them "coincidentally". If that's not atrocious writing I don't know what is.

 

Wasn't the whole point of the 'odyssey' was giving the main character real obstacles to actually prevent them from returning home, instead of straight up character stupidity episode after episode.  Seriously, they tried to make a long running series of having the main character running around, being chased, captured/escaping, etc. because that's what this series boils down to.

[bentley]

Collectively, this may be the most stupid cast of characters ever assembled in one show. I hate them all.

[Free]

Collectively, this may be the most stupid cast of characters ever assembled in one show. I hate them all.

 

Must be related to the brain dead people of Chester's Mill.

 

As for the show itself, I feel like it's stuck on repeat and we're watching basically the same thing with each of the main characters and storylines, but that's just how it feels because of how repetitive it is.  Odelle gets in trouble/escape/gets a ride/etc, Odelle's husband constantly denies everything, while the daughter is still trying to find her, Harrison is completely oblivious to everything still even though he's been put in danger so many times, etc.

[Dowel Jones]

I'd like to know how Suzanne got so naive, or at least how her dad let her get that way.  After the second visit to the bookstore I think I would have been far more direct with the spy lady.  What's your name?  Do you work here at the bookstore?  Where do you work?   Why are you here, anyway?  This because (although we the audience have the advantage of seeing everyone) he should have some modicum of paranoia after everything has happened to him and his family.  How did the general know that the ring was fake?  I don't recall anyone mentioning it outside the family, except between SpyLady and Suzanne.  Maybe I missed something. 

 

And Odelle.  You're in a region that hates strong women, hates Europeans, and especially hates the American military.  Would it behoove you to be just a bit more suspicious of those around you?

[Boundary]

Did Ruby just leave her sniper gun on the roof? Cause, it's not like the police would investigate an assassination. Maybe the omnipresent baddies are ever ready for a clean up/cover up whilst girlfriend is getting laid. And hey Harrison, this reporter friend of yours doesn't even seem remotely interested in the biggest scoop of her career. Even after getting a heads up from Bob, you're still not suspicious of this girl who always bumps into you with impeccable timing.

 

I'd like to know how Suzanne got so naive, or at least how her dad let her get that way.  After the second visit to the bookstore I think I would have been far more direct with the spy lady.  What's your name?  Do you work here at the bookstore?  Where do you work?   Why are you here, anyway?  This because (although we the audience have the advantage of seeing everyone) he should have some modicum of paranoia after everything has happened to him and his family.  How did the general know that the ring was fake?  I don't recall anyone mentioning it outside the family, except between SpyLady and Suzanne.  Maybe I missed something. 

 

I'm going to have to take back my 'Suzanne has smarts' comment because that was so bizarre. The show now wants her to be stupid, so now she is. When she glared at the general I was sure she was putting 2 and 2 together and I was about to say, "finally a character does something remotely logical" but no, she was angry that the spy lady is the only one that gets her. Oh well. At least Peter had the sense not to run headlong onto the front of the mosque. Little mercies, I guess.

 

 

Collectively, this may be the most stupid cast of characters ever assembled in one show. I hate them all.

 

 

If a show depends on the leads (all of them) being so dumb, then you have to wonder if the writers themselves even sat down to debate their own plots.

[Free]

 

If a show depends on the leads (all of them) being so dumb, then you have to wonder if the writers themselves even sat down to debate their own plots.

 

Probably not as this show feels like it's going around in circles.

 

In essense, the 'conspiracy' involves exploiting characters who were already dirt stupid to begin with.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Free

[Dowel Jones]

Well, another round.  At least Mr. Eko's luck finally ran out.  Unless they just happen to have a medevac copter on standby, or maybe a trauma room in one those hovels nearby. 

[Free]

Well, another round.  At least Mr. Eko's luck finally ran out.  Unless they just happen to have a medevac copter on standby, or maybe a trauma room in one those hovels nearby. 

 

You never know until the next episode comes.  :P.

 

I honestly don't know why they thought this would work as a long running series when it's already struggling as it is.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Free

[Boundary]

So who's got her this time? I'm getting dizzy with all this going in circles.

[Free]

So who's got her this time? I'm getting dizzy with all this going in circles.

 

I honestly don't know and I even forgot that this character, Odumb wanted to go home at this point.  Let's not even start up on this whole laughable attempt of a conspiracy.

Edited June 9, 2015 by Free

[Norma Desmond]

This show is horrible. Horrible. 13 episodes of Odelle escaping/being captured/escaping  ad eternum? Seriously? WHO THOUGHT THAT COULD WORK?? The conspiracy angle? Dumb! Ruby the killer barbie? It's cliche after cliche. It's just so so stupid.

[Dr Epi]

OMG this is so bad.  And it is a pity because I like the actress from Pushing Daisies. But the writing and the plotting is just so horrible.  Why wouldn't they arrest Peter if he calls the security detail ahead of time to let them know of an impending attack?  That must mean that he had been in contact with Yusuf, a fugitive.  They should have arrested him.  And why is Greek Prime Minister Lady flying to NYC a few days before her election? A booty call with Peter? And why is Harrison paranoid of everyone except sexy journalist lady whom he knows has lied about almost everything? And why do people keep letting Odelle get captured, escape, and get captured again? And why….

 

I just can't. I have to assume that there will be a happy ending for Odelle at the end. And Peter will be vindicated (maybe). And Suzanne will get her mommy back.  

 

Pity because they wasted some gorgeous locations in Morocco- great architecture and art  and carvings and vistas and fabric (standing in for Mali where it is too dangerous to film).  

[Free]

This show is horrible. Horrible. 13 episodes of Odelle escaping/being captured/escaping  ad eternum? Seriously? WHO THOUGHT THAT COULD WORK?? The conspiracy angle? Dumb! Ruby the killer barbie? It's cliche after cliche. It's just so so stupid.

 

Exactly, they're already struggling with the episodes they already have, let alone any thought into trying to make this into a long running series.

 

ETA: Speaking of which, the new episode wastes time on Odelle getting captured and tortured again, this time with desert hallucinations.  Remember not to check the body that's covered up and just snatch the dog tags away especially since Odelle already survived before.

 

Seriously, I feel like I'm watching the same thing each episode with very little variation at all, it's going around and round in circles.  Once again Peter is storming into an office and gets nowhere like he did in the pilot and still under some kind of suspicion.  Harrison continues being a moron, even turning his back on her so she can point a gun at him and this is after he suspects her but the cheesy 'fall in love' cliche plot device kicked in and now he's back to square one like before she came in.

Edited June 15, 2015 by Free

[Dowel Jones]

I'm not sure in what time of year the series is set, but in my part of the country, 6am in the winter is not full sunlight.  Granted, the East got some late snowstorms, but still...

 

Here's the unfortunate deal with overlarge conspiracies.  Even if Odelle manages to get her story out, the likely result will be somewhere along the lines of "What?  A large military contractor is running amok in the Middle East and killed several US soldiers, and it's running a shadow government in the US too?  That's terrible!  And how did Caitlyn Jenner get those big boobs, anyway?"

 

The shaman is the only sane one in the bunch.  "Now you are dead, and you can begin to live again".  I don't think it was necessary to hold her under water until the boy got there, just to prove a point, though.  She needs to pick up her family and move to some nice coastal area and run a B&B for the rest of her life.

[Free]

 

She needs to pick up her family and move to some nice coastal area and run a B&B for the rest of her life.

 

Shouldn't be too hard if she's competent enough to go through with it.  Look how easy it was to fake her death and not have her actual body be checked by those people.

[dcinmb]

At first, I was tuning in to see when somebody would finally kill Mr. Eko. Now I'm just watching to see if Odelle and Luc are going to get together. (I know she was supposedly happily married but she and Luc have boatloads of chemistry and it's not like her husband seems all that bothered about her being "dead." Besides, he'll have his widow/er support group friend to console him.)

[Free]

At first, I was tuning in to see when somebody would finally kill Mr. Eko. Now I'm just watching to see if Odelle and Luc are going to get together. (I know she was supposedly happily married but she and Luc have boatloads of chemistry and it's not like her husband seems all that bothered about her being "dead." Besides, he'll have his widow/er support group friend to console him.)

 

Might as well, he just doesn't seem to care at all.

[Norma Desmond]

 

At first, I was tuning in to see when somebody would finally kill Mr. Eko. Now I'm just watching to see if Odelle and Luc are going to get together.

I came here to post the exact same thing. The only thing I still care about in this stupid show is Odelle and hot Luke hooking up. Damn, he is foiiine.

I thought there was no way this was going to happen other than in my imagination or fanfic but why would the ghost of his dead girlfriend say to Odelle that she knew Odelle wanted Luke?

Anyway, this show is still stupid. Only 2 episodes left, thank Gawd.

[Boundary]

I must be stupid, why didn't I get it before? This show is a parody. Looked at that way, it could funnier than Veep.

Ruby: "It started out that way but it became more."

[Norma Desmond]

Ninja Barbie is probably the most stupid character in a show full of them. Good riddance, you walking cliche.

[Free]

I must be stupid, why didn't I get it before? This show is a parody. Looked at that way, it could funnier than Veep.

Ruby: "It started out that way but it became more."

 

You're not, this show certainly is.

[Dr Epi]

I cannot believe that NBC allowed money to be spent on this and that there was a showrunner, who is probably a member of SAG, in charge of this craptastic mess. 

 

The writing is horrendous, the direction if like watching student (5th grade students) films, and the acting is melodramatic. 

 

Why did Ruby choose death by cop?  Because she really fell in love with Harrison?  Not even Harrison's mother would chose to die to protect him.

 

Why did Osela man think that he could just walk into a village in Mali, with a gun, and get whatever it is he wanted?  Especially when every child and dog in the village seemed to have a gun?  

 

Why did Voodoo many save Odelle when he wanted her to die (or so he said)?  Did he just get paid off by hot foreign legion guy?

 

Why doesn't Peter Fascinelli (or whatever his name is) tell the truth to his wife about what is going on?  Since when has it ever worked on TV or in real life to tell your spouse "you just have to trust me?"  Never. So don't put this in the script.

 

I have no idea what Societele or the company that Peter was working for has to do with the Greek Primeminister. 

 

Why was there no continuity when Odelle was tied up in the sun and being force-fed the mud?  In one second she would have mud on her face, in the next she would not, and in the following second she would again.  Don't they pay editors or continuity people to make sure this does not happen?

 

Agreed, no where on the East Coast is it bright light at 6am and still have lots of snow on the streets.

 

I thought I was hate watching The Bachelorette.  Now with American Odyssey I now know what really hate watching it.  Thanks AO. I never knew the depths of my emotion re: TV.  

 

Only 2 more hours.  Deep breaths. I can get through this.

 

(Nad before someone tells me to give up on this series, which I really should, I just can't quit it. Got to know how the writers finish this off. Besides, there needs to be something that tides me over before Big Brother…)

[Free]

 

Why did Ruby choose death by cop?  Because she really fell in love with Harrison?  Not even Harrison's mother would chose to die to protect him.

 

Because she suddenly 'fell in love' with this guy she only recently just met and suddenly it's way too serious to the point where she wanted to get herself killed off for no reason like a complete moron she is.  XD.

 

 

Why doesn't Peter Fascinelli (or whatever his name is) tell the truth to his wife about what is going on?  Since when has it ever worked on TV or in real life to tell your spouse "you just have to trust me?"  Never. So don't put this in the script.

 

Not to mention, he's been doing the same thing over and over again since the pilot.

[Boundary]

I cannot believe that NBC allowed money to be spent on this and that there was a showrunner, who is probably a member of SAG, in charge of this craptastic mess. 

 

 

Surely SAG must be able to revoke their membership for bring their organization into disrepute. Just joking, being tied to this show must be punishment enough. I'm going to hate-watch this thing to the end too, just to see exactly what they had in mind. But it's going to be hard. Peter Fascinelli and Anna Friel's reputations don't deserve this.

[Norma Desmond]

We're probably the only 15 people watching this dreck.

[Pippin]

I continue to watch only because Connor Trinneer has a recurring role.

 

In my opinion, he's one of the best actors on TV and it's criminal how underused he is.

 

I sent a tweet to the producers concerning his role to suggest they stop with the gardening shears already (he's been edited out of a couple of episodes).  A lot of Connor's fans are watching just for him.

 

If they get renewed for Season 2 (if they only do 13 episodes/year, they could stretch the series out) they should bump him up to a regular cast member.

 

And the rest of the characters should start eating more fish -- I've heard it's brain food.

[Free]

Surely SAG must be able to revoke their membership for bring their organization into disrepute. Just joking, being tied to this show must be punishment enough. I'm going to hate-watch this thing to the end too, just to see exactly what they had in mind. But it's going to be hard. Peter Fascinelli and Anna Friel's reputations don't deserve this.

 

Seeing as this is almost over, I'm not sure what they had in mind or how they were going to make this a long running series, let alone 13 episodes so far, which it didn't need to be.  Odelle could've already gotten home in 1 or 2 episodes instead of being dragged out for 13, they went through the same Odelle is alive affecting everyone that they did in the pilot before the pointless faking her death which got rendered pointless in the very next episode.

Edited June 22, 2015 by Free

[Dowel Jones]

Well, for awhile it looked like Odelle and Luc were going to have a good time at the Hu Thehella U beach party until French girl just ruins her day.  And no kissykissy  for you, Luc! 

 

What's the deal with the scratches on Peter's arm?  Are they infected?  Major plot complication coming?

[Norma Desmond]

So, it took them "only" 11 episodes of bullshitting to finally deliver. That was GOOD.

I can't get over hot Luc and Odelle kissing ahhhhh.

I kind of don't understand that plotline, why build it up and have them confessing feelings and all only to go nowhere.

Harrison obviously is gonna get ill from the nasty scratches he stupidly won't treat.

Can't wait for the finale.

[TimetoShine]

I have to admit that I've watched every episode (albeit not closely) and I have no idea what this show is about. 

 

I did, however, almost enjoy this latest episode (but only the Odelle, et al, scenes).

[Free]

I have to admit that I've watched every episode (albeit not closely) and I have no idea what this show is about.

 

I think even the writers are struggling with that as the show has been going around in circles until recently with Odelle's return which could've already been done in the 1st 2 episodes.

[Dr Epi]

I have to admit that I've watched every episode (albeit not closely) and I have no idea what this show is about. 

I am with you.  Finally got around to last week's episode and I am still not sure what the connection was between the Greek Prime Minister, Peter, and the Terrorist (that whole thing seems to have gone away), why Harrison is such an idiot and threatening people when now he knows they could pick him off, and why Odelle didn't at least have a one night stand with very hot, French Foreign Legion man.  That is the biggest plot hole of them all!

[Free]

Well, it ended the same way it started, nowhere.  Not this so called conspiracy, not Odelle's so called odyssey that only involved her running around and getting captured, etc.  Odelle reunites with her family and then is on the run again, the conspiracy is exposed only not anymore since Odelle is branded a traitor, someone else gets run over just like in the pilot, we get more Ruby bs melodrama that makes no sense whatsoever ("It's your fault she called the cops and got herself killed because she fell in love and all that nonsense", etc.

Edited June 29, 2015 by Free

[Dr Epi]

Wait, so Harrison killed Ruby but they called it in self-defense? That the whole cop thing was just an imaginary story he told himself to feel better? That he pulled the trigger after they fought and she scratched his wrist?

 

If so, then why did the cops let him go in the previous episode?

 

And what was that where he thought he was going to get set up as the killer of his father, when he "saw" the feds get out of the car at the cemetery at Ruby's grave?  Was that also part of his hallucinations?

 

NY Times has all of this information yet Odelle is still labeled as a terrorist?

 

And as if the NY Times reporter's name would not be on the watch list for immigration, especially after she writes an article with a main informant, Odelle, that the government is calling a traitor?

 

The plot holes, the plot holes.  The horror, the horror.

[rwlevin]

I kept thinking that Harrison most likely has leukemia due to the scratches on his arm that refused to heal. Yes, this is what I think about when watching a popcorn drama.

 

If I were Odelle,I'd totally leave the wet blanket husband (who was totally flirting with the fiancé lady) for Luc. He may be a drug dealer, but he risked everything to save her butt.

[Norma Desmond]

why Odelle didn't at least have a one night stand with very hot, French Foreign Legion man.  That is the biggest plot hole of them all!

Seriously.

 

Plot holes and all, I ended up kinda liking this travesty (Stockholm syndrome?). I hope it gets renewed so I can at least watch hot foreign legion guy again.

[TimetoShine]

Canceled, which was why I decided to not watch the end.

 

I'm going to believe that Odelle made it back to the US, told her story and did whatever she set out to do (I have no idea what that was) while adopting the kid. (She and her husband also realized that they were no longer in love but Luc decided to move to the U.S. so Odelle and Luc get married and co-parent her daughter with Odelle's ex-husband...)

 

The rest of the story... I have no idea what was happening, so I don't care how it. ends.

I'm happy with that.

Edited July 1, 2015 by corinne

[Free]

 

The rest of the story... I have no idea what was happening, so I don't care how it. ends.

I'm happy with that.

 

You got the first part right, but your post is better than how it ended.

[North of Eden]

So A slam is the new Behrooz from 24 whose fate will forever be unresolved. Her running out on him was a really crappy thing to do.

Edited July 1, 2015 by North of Eden

[Free]

So A slam is the new Behrooz from 24 whose fate will forever be unresolved. Her running out on him was a really crappy thing to do.

 

Yup, and it wasn't even for actual closure either, it was just so they could try to contrive yet another Odelle on the run bs again so nothing important actually happened: there's still an ongoing conspiracy, Odelle is still in the same situation only in a different location this time around, and all the other characters are doing the exact same thing they were doing in the pilot.

[Boundary]

At least we reconfirmed how hot Orla Brady is. And that I am a free person again.