S01.E02: Don't Discuss Your Life Before

[EverCat]

Interesting observations.

 

So far for me this show has been quirky and bizarre - but still entertaining.  I'm going to keep watching.  I like the contrast between reality and abnormality - like an alternate reality scenario.  

[mertensia]

I will never understand why, in weird situations like this, the protagonist just doesn't play along. Me, I'd be booking dates with the psychologist ASAP while wondering why my dream seemed so real. Then snooping on the sly.

[jhlipton]

I thought Beverly was supposed to have removed her chip at some point in the past and kept it in her pocket to keep from being discovered, or at least that seemed to be what she indicated to Burke.  I thought I saw Burke tape his microchip to the undersurface of the table at Kate's.  

 

I missed that -- thanks

 

I will never understand why, in weird situations like this, the protagonist just doesn't play along. Me, I'd be booking dates with the psychologist ASAP while wondering why my dream seemed so real. Then snooping on the sly.

 

Except the psychologist wants to "drain your brain fluid", which, no, I ain't letting no scalpel near my brain!

[mertensia]

Well still. Antagonizing everyone and blundering around like a bull in a China shop leads to everyone in town trying to recreate The Lottery with you as the stonee. Instead of being all "Carla Gugino's character! You're ancient!! "You can be all "say, do you have a niece?" And go from there.

[theatremouse]

Isn't Melissa Leo the voice at the "FBI switchboard"? That lady's voice is pretty distinctive.

I think the show wanted us to assume that, but I thought FBI switchboard lady sounded like Kelly Bishop. I'm probably wrong.

[alias1]

I thought Beverly was supposed to have removed her chip at some point in the past and kept it in her pocket to keep from being discovered, or at least that seemed to be what she indicated to Burke.  I thought I saw Burke tape his microchip to the undersurface of the table at Kate's.  

Well, that makes more sense, that Beverly already had her chip out.  I was wondering how she was going to get that chip out in someone's bathroom without blood everywhere.  I did see Ethan tape his chip to the underside of the table, and I thought that was one of the dumbest things he's done so far.  In fact, the whole plan to leave their chips where they can't get at them again was really dumb.

 

I'm beginning to think this is some sort of sort of virtual reality training exercise to make him a smarter agent and he will have to keep doing it until he gets better at outsmarting the enemy.

[ottoDbusdriver]

I'm beginning to think this is some sort of sort of virtual reality training exercise to make him a smarter agent and he will have to keep doing it until he gets better at outsmarting the enemy.

 

Along the lines of a show like 'Harsh Realm', maybe.

Edited May 23, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[slothgirl]

I'm not sure I'm misunderstanding what you meant, but the house where the body was still sitting and the house where the widow lived were two different houses. So the house that was in disrepair was presumably just a body dump site, and could've been in disrepair for who knows how long or who knows what reasons. It wasn't in disrepair because dead dude was dead in there, I don't think. So it doesn't matter how recently he died as relates to the disrepair of the house where Ethan found the body.

You misunderstood me. I know it is a different house. My gripe is that Wayward Pines doesn't seem like the kind of place that would have abandoned houses falling into disrepair over a long period of time, with no one doing anything about it. It's too Stepford Wives fake idylic for that. Leaving it to rot would have to be intentional, not just casual circumstances.

[Canada]

Anyone figured out the 10-16-28 reference yet, that the guy in the bar referred to after knocking out Matt Dillon?  A search of it brings up references to Matthew 10-16-28 in the bible, but I cant figure out if it's relevant or not.

[SonofaBiscuit]

I'm intrigued right now, but this feels like one of those shows that is going to end in a very unsatisfying way.

 

I wonder how in the world Ethan avoids having his throat slit in the middle of town after last episode's events.  Is he going to pretend that he was trying to stop Beverly (which doesn't make sense since he ditched his chip and ran), or maybe he has to agree to have the procedure that Nurse Melissa Leo discussed with him?  Hmm.  

 

Can't say that I'm a fan of Terrence Howard's "acting" in this.  The way that he recites all of his lines with a shaky voice is a bit irritating.  I've seen him in other things, and he's never bothered me, so I don't know what's going on.  Juliette Lewis was a bit over the top, too, when she was walking with Matt Dillon to go have dinner at Reed Diamond's house.  She was supposed to be nervous and terrified, and she looked like she was going to laugh!

[Happytobehere]

I don't believe that Beverly is actually dead, because I never trusted her or belived that she was truly helping Ethan. Something seemed off about her and I don't just men she looked to be on the verge of cracking. I mean that her appearances and support have been a little too convenient for me.

Terrance Howard is awful in this role. I just can't tell whether is is his skill level or something intentional because it plays in to the larger story. I do think there is something peculiar anout his always eating ice cream. Is the ice cream supposed to be a clue guiding us to what is really happening.

I like the fact that Ethan is not the most likable of guys. That smacks of real ness.

[dr pepper]

So is Ethan no. 6?

 

Obviously.

Along the lines of a show like 'Harsh Realm', maybe.

 

Another intriguing premise that just petered out.

[jhlipton]

According to the credits, the Voice of Marcy is Lusia Strus.
 
As far as the town size and make-up, Here's the map

 
Here's the overhead from the beginning of the episode

 
And here they are side by side:


That looks somewhat smaller than my hometown of Sebastopol, population 7500. Not a huge place.

 

I noticed the awkward way Kate picked up the phone at the toy store, and this time where Sheriff Pope wears his gun.

Edited May 24, 2015 by jhlipton

[Guest]

 

• Everyone calls Ethan "Mr. Burke", despite the fact he hasn't met most of them before

I wanted him to start saying, "It's AGENT Burke!"  

 

 

Well, I stayed up until 3 a.m. reading the book, because I'm impatient.  

I'm torn between reading it instead or watching it and reading it both.  (Speaking of which, I missed The Slap so I'm reading it now.  Is it worth a watch, too?)

 

That was a weird way to slice a throat, wasn't it? from the side instead of the old "regular" across the neck and be more graphic.. but I suspect it is just enough to make them think she's dead... since time is irrelevant here I think those are the wife and kid taken.. we know they are heading that way and will probably be grabbed on the road.

I was glad they went for the 'nick the jugular' thing instead of the grosser, literal throat cutting.  Though in reality her neck would've been spurting and she would've taken some moments to die.  I'll take the sanitized version, though.

 

Well, that makes more sense, that Beverly already had her chip out.  I was wondering how she was going to get that chip out in someone's bathroom without blood everywhere.  I did see Ethan tape his chip to the underside of the table, and I thought that was one of the dumbest things he's done so far.  In fact, the whole plan to leave their chips where they can't get at them again was really dumb.

 

I'm beginning to think this is some sort of sort of virtual reality training exercise to make him a smarter agent and he will have to keep doing it until he gets better at outsmarting the enemy.

I really didn't understand why they'd leave their chips at that house. 

 

According to the credits, the Voice of Marcy is Lusia Strus.

 

As far as the town size and make-up, Here's the map

 

Here's the overhead from the beginning of the episode

 

And here they are side by side:

That looks somewhat smaller than my hometown of Sebastopol, population 7500. Not a huge place.

 

I noticed the awkward way Kate picked up the phone at the toy store, and this time where Sheriff Pope wears his gun.

I paused on the map to read it during the show.  I'm a little confused by "train truck?". 

 

It was kind of funny how he found the pack so easily.  That tree looked phony, like the cell towers designed to look like trees.  I'm guessing it was intentional.  The branches were so straight and there so many.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Speaking of which, I missed The Slap so I'm reading it now.  Is it worth a watch, too?

 

That would be no.  It's basically a 2-hour movie of the week that has been padded out to 8 hours of episodes with a lot of meaningless filler.

 

ETA: Just to clarify, I was referring to the US version.

Edited May 24, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[slothgirl]

Wow, that map looks just like a face!

 

Especially the lips

Edited May 24, 2015 by slothgirl

[SlackerInc]

Like probably most of us, I'm pretty jaded by years of experience with TV, and not easily spooked.  But that scene when all the phones started ringing really got to me!

 

I know exactly what show you are talking about Lorimac. It was called Persons Unknown.  I really liked that one, too bad it didn't come back for a second season.  It's streaming on Netflix too.

 

I watched every episode of that show, but it was one of a series of puzzle shows that didn't resolve satisfactorily.  (I also watched every episode of Siberia in 2013, ugh...and let's not even start with LOST.)  Yet I keep coming back!  Shame on you, shame on me, won't get fooled again, LOL.

 

Agreed, I really hope it's self contained and not dragged out into next season.

 

This is actually what convinced me to overcome my aforementioned reservations that came out of being burned so many times.  The showrunner was interviewed on NPR or a podcast I was listening to the other day, and he swore up and down that although it could be conceivably possible to make a second season, this season is self-contained, and "everything" will be explained by the end.  All answers will be given, etc.  He even said something like "I'm a viewer too, and I don't like to be burned".  If he just pulls the same old shit after all of those protestations, I say we start handing out the torches and pitchforks!  LOL

 

Another thing that makes no sense... why would the male bar guy even bother to deny that Beverly works there? She obviously does. OTHER townspeople are shown interacting with her there. Other people interact with her on the street. Pretending she doesn't exist is just a weird mind%*#$.

 

On the one hand they're trying to convince our (unfortunately unlikable) hero that it's just a normal town and then they go out of their way to show that it isn't. They desperately want him to agree he needs medical help and give him every reason not to trust the medical professional he's had the most contact with.

 

What's their motivation for all this contradiction? Breaking him down? Because that worked SO well with the previous SS agent that stumbled across WPs?

 

These are all good questions.  I'll be impressed if there are solid explanations given later (though a semi-solid one, I suppose, is just to convince him to get the surgery?) but I'm not holding my breath.  I think it's possible that the larger elements of the mystery will be explained satisfactorily, but little details won't add up.  There is a kind of grammar of these mindfuck shows and movies, that almost always include the trope of the protagonist asking after someone, and getting the puzzled reply that so-and-so doesn't exist, doesn't work here, etc.  To disorient and entertain the audience, they are just going to throw a bunch of weird shit at us that probably won't totally add up at the end.  I'm willing to live with that if the broader narrative makes some sense.

 

Like, if you want him to know the rules, and follow the rules, why did they wait for him to see the signs on the walls about not talking about your former life, and why go along with him and let him keep talking as if he's an agent? It's weird that sometimes they're sort of humoring Burke but not telling him anything and trying to keep him in the dark about absolutely everything, and in other circumstances they're like, duh you're in a restricted society, just STFU and play by the rules on these little plaques. Or maybe that's also part of breaking him is keeping it totally disorienting.

 

Right, the "keeping it totally disorienting" is I think what we've got to hang our lantern on (or whatever the trope is).  Because, yeah, at times (like claiming the forensics people were coming and so on) they seem like they are trying to convince him everything is normal, as though he is in fact going to leave at some point and they want him to go back to where he came from none the wiser as to the Secret Nefarious Goings-On.  But then to have those signs on the plaques and let him see those, that is clearly in major contradiction to that whole vibe.

 

(Speaking of which, I missed The Slap so I'm reading it now.  Is it worth a watch, too?)

 

I have not read the book, but I have watched five episodes of the Australian miniseries (available on Netflix), and one (ep. 2) of the American remake.  I think the Aussie version is really good, and I'm looking forward to finishing it.  The one episode of the U.S. version I saw jibed with the reviews I've seen: not good.

[alias1]

Wow, that map looks just like a face!

 

Especially the lips

That's exactly what I thought when I saw the screen capture.  And to my eyes (which are not good, admittedly) the map and the overhead shot of the town don't even look alike.

[Guest]

I have not read the book, but I have watched five episodes of the Australian miniseries (available on Netflix), and one (ep. 2) of the American remake.  I think the Aussie version is really good, and I'm looking forward to finishing it.  The one episode of the U.S. version I saw jibed with the reviews I've seen: not good.

Oh perfect.  Aussie version it is.  I learned from Broadchurch/Gracepoint-- stick to the original.  

[Dowel Jones]

One other thing about the map. If memory serves, it showed a river on the edge.  If I were escaping an enclosed location, I would certainly opt for the current in the river over walking though the forest.  The river has to flow somewhere, unlike the road that goes in a circle, at least in a logical universe.

[Free]

 

This is actually what convinced me to overcome my aforementioned reservations that came out of being burned so many times.  The showrunner was interviewed on NPR or a podcast I was listening to the other day, and he swore up and down that although it could be conceivably possible to make a second season, this season is self-contained, and "everything" will be explained by the end.  All answers will be given, etc.  He even said something like "I'm a viewer too, and I don't like to be burned".  If he just pulls the same old shit after all of those protestations, I say we start handing out the torches and pitchforks!  LOL

 

I know, that sounds promising, I was just worried that they might change their minds.  I've seen plenty of limited series that have been stretched/dragged out and I didn't want a repeat of that.

[Guest]

The river could run through a grate that's not passable.  I'd definitely check it out, though.  They could also have snipers set up 24/7 at all passable locations.  

[SoSueMe]

queenanne said:

Isn't Melissa Leo the voice at the "FBI switchboard"? That lady's voice is pretty distinctive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I mostly remember her from Homicide Life On The Street and it seems like she had an entirely different accent on that show. was it supposed to be a Baltimore accent maybe?

She's doing creepy pretty well here.

[jhlipton]

It was kind of funny how he found the pack so easily.  That tree looked phony, like the cell towers designed to look like trees.  I'm guessing it was intentional.  The branches were so straight and there so many.

 

And when he got the pack, he never looked inside, even back at his hotel room.  "It shows a pack. I got the pack.  Objective acheived!"

 

That's exactly what I thought when I saw the screen capture.  And to my eyes (which are not good, admittedly) the map and the overhead shot of the town don't even look alike.

 

The map was drawn by an amateur, not a professional cartographer.  So I expect there to be major differences.  Here's the side-by-side with how I think they line up.  (NOTE: The overhead shows only a portion of the drawn map.)

queenanne said:

Isn't Melissa Leo the voice at the "FBI switchboard"? That lady's voice is pretty distinctive.

 

According to the credits, the Voice of Marcy is Lusia Strus.

[Jel]

Well, I don't know if this is anything or not, but when Burke remembers his affair with Kate, her hair is very short, and now it's past shoulder-length, which, at sixth inches of growth per year (on average), would take about three years by my reckoning.  But didn't he last see her about five weeks ago?

 

We do not know when they ended the affair, but it seems pretty fresh for the wife and son.  

 

Is she wearing a wig? Or is time really messed up there?

[riverheightsnancy]

So, does "X" mark the spot? What do the Xs mean? 

[theatremouse]

Is she wearing a wig? Or is time really messed up there?

I'm torn (and I think it's on purpose on the show's part). On the one hand, they seem to be intentionally trying to establish something is funky with time, either with the place, or for some of the characters, for reasons unknown. So there's that possibility right there.

On the other hand, Kate's hair in the flashback looks very much like a wig to me. Of course, this could be because it is a television show and probably is a wig in the scene (but is not a wig in the universe of the show), or it could be because she was a special agent and maybe was undercover at some point and wearing a wig in the universe of the show. (I have no idea if secret service would ever have undercover operations and I think enough is funky in the show universe what's true in reality doesn't really help rule anything out or in.) But it was a very conspicuous wig to me, enough so that it made me wonder whether we were supposed to notice it, and not just, ya know, sorry costume/makeup/wig people, didn't mean to call ya out. </shrug>

And on the other other hand, she could be wearing a longer-haired wig in "present" day part of the show.

Or his flashbacky memory of the short hair is from some important moment, and not necessarily what she looked like the last time she saw him, just what she looked like at some time in the past that he can't seem to stop thinking about.

[slothgirl]

These are all good questions.  I'll be impressed if there are solid explanations given later (though a semi-solid one, I suppose, is just to convince him to get the surgery?)

If they want him to have the surgery, they need to stop sending in a nurse that would make me distrust her to even change my bedpan without $&@)'ing me over!

 

There's nothing about the hospital of the limited staff he's encountered that would make him agree to let them do ANYTHING to him.

[Guest]

So, does "X" mark the spot? What do the Xs mean? 

I figured the X's meant he tried to escape there and it's not possible.

 

Well, I don't know if this is anything or not, but when Burke remembers his affair with Kate, her hair is very short, and now it's past shoulder-length, which, at sixth inches of growth per year (on average), would take about three years by my reckoning.  But didn't he last see her about five weeks ago?

 

We do not know when they ended the affair, but it seems pretty fresh for the wife and son.  

 

Is she wearing a wig? Or is time really messed up there?

Didn't she also look a decade or so older, too?  

 

I actually thought it might've been two actresses so I checked IMDB.  Unrelated and could be a mistake but Juliette Lewis

is billed there as being in all 10 episodes.  

[jhlipton]

So, does "X" mark the spot? What do the Xs mean? 

 

 

I figured the X's meant he tried to escape there and it's not possible.

 

That's what I thought, too.  It looks like the junction where the wall meets the mountain is "promising" but further along is "too steep".

[Jel]

Didn't she also look a decade or so older, too?  

Now that you mention it, I remember thinking that her face looked like it had the old soft focus lens on in the flashback. So yes, she does look older in Wayward Pines.

 

Color me nerdy, but I am liking this show a lot.  Also, whoever said that Matt Dillon (the god of my teenage idolatry) looks like a lurching Frankenstein was spot on. 

Edited May 25, 2015 by Jel

[johntfs]

I'm intrigued right now, but this feels like one of those shows that is going to end in a very unsatisfying way.

 

I wonder how in the world Ethan avoids having his throat slit in the middle of town after last episode's events.  Is he going to pretend that he was trying to stop Beverly (which doesn't make sense since he ditched his chip and ran), or maybe he has to agree to have the procedure that Nurse Melissa Leo discussed with him?  Hmm.  

 

Can't say that I'm a fan of Terrence Howard's "acting" in this.  The way that he recites all of his lines with a shaky voice is a bit irritating.  I've seen him in other things, and he's never bothered me, so I don't know what's going on.  Juliette Lewis was a bit over the top, too, when she was walking with Matt Dillon to go have dinner at Reed Diamond's house.  She was supposed to be nervous and terrified, and she looked like she was going to laugh!

 

The way the town is played seems to vary greatly.  At first it seemed to come off as a kind of evil Eureka with the idea that the sheriff and the rest of the rulers of the place were just trying to keep Dillon in the dark until they could get rid of him with him being none the wiser.  Then came the "you can't ever leave" bit plus "the rules."

 

I really hope there's a reasonable explanation for how Ethan doesn't get murdered that isn't some variation of "because he's the main character."

[SlackerInc]

If they want him to have the surgery, they need to stop sending in a nurse that would make me distrust her to even change my bedpan without $&@)'ing me over!

 

LOL, yeah.  The "doctor" does pretty well: he almost had our guy convinced until the nurse came in and ruined it.  But this is part of the inconsistency of the show (more about that in my reply to johntfs) that kinda bugs: earlier, they didn't seem to much care that he was vehemently stating his non-consent to surgery.  They had him cuffed and forcibly sedated.  Then when Beverly was helping him escape, the nurse was chasing him down, threatening him with a horribly traumatic experience.  But now he has to be cajoled, and is free to leave if that doesn't work??

 

Now that you mention it, I remember thinking that her face looked like it had the old soft focus lens on in the flashback. So yes, she does look older in Wayward Pines.

 

Yes, and Burke made a comment that implied she looked a lot older, to which she responded something to the effect of "everyone gets older".  The implication was that for her, many years had passed (18, was it?); his astonishment revolves around the fact that for him, it's only been a few weeks.

 

They definitely used the soft focus lens, along with (presumably) various makeup tricks (a la Better Call Saul) to make her look a lot younger in the flashback.  I think they may be actually aging Gugino a bit in the "present day" (given that Gugino herself is 43, and I don't think the "soft focus" version is supposed to be 25--more like thirtyish), which is brave of her to agree to, considering the shaky position in Hollywood for female actors over 40.

 

The way the town is played seems to vary greatly.  At first it seemed to come off as a kind of evil Eureka with the idea that the sheriff and the rest of the rulers of the place were just trying to keep Dillon in the dark until they could get rid of him with him being none the wiser.  Then came the "you can't ever leave" bit plus "the rules."

 

I really hope there's a reasonable explanation for how Ethan doesn't get murdered that isn't some variation of "because he's the main character."

 

Yeah, agreed.  I find the show surprisingly enjoyable, given that these questions stick in my craw.  As you say, they seem to be straddling a line between two different kinds of narratives.  Initially, it seemed like the one where they not only are going to let him leave, but want him to do so as soon as possible, and for him to be on his way without him catching on to the Shadowy Secrets in the Dark Underbelly of the town.  If it were that kind of narrative, they'd be constantly ushering him out of town but he'd keep coming back out of a dogged persistence and desire to accomplish his mission.  Then at some point, they might decide he needed to be eliminated.

 

And we have various props that could fit into that narrative as well: Computers that don't work.  Newsstands that just happen not to have any papers.  Phones that seem to connect with the outside world (but don't really).  Cash registers that accept and dispense money (fake though it is--speaking of which, wouldn't it have been easy enough for them to use real, albeit old, cash?).  But all that is undermined by having the "rules" posted by the door in every shop.  Clearly they don't have any random, casual visitors; so what's the point of all the halfhearted subterfuge?

 

And yes: we'll see in the next episode that, presumably, he won't meet the same fate as Beverly and his partner (Miller?); and at some point, hopefully there will be an explanation for that beyond "he's the main character".

 

Some random observations/questions:

 

--Why did Kate give him that hint about his partner's widow?  She acted like she needed to say it in an elliptical way, thus cueing us in the audience to see this as her genuine attempt to help him out while slightly subverting the "party line".

 

--Why was the barista so thrown off/confused by the possibility that there could be a Kate in town with a last name she hadn't heard?  It wasn't just "huh, that's weird" but "OMG, my whole sense of reality is collapsing".  Could it be that this is a sort of Truman Show situation, but with multiple "Trumans", although they are still the minority?  If so, what does she make of the signs with the rules on them?

 

--Anyone else notice in the execution scene, some in the crowd were cheering, while some were looking pained?  I suppose it's possible that this could be intended to simply be an illustration of how people's personalities differ in their responses to public executions; but I couldn't help but think we were meant to take more from it than that.  Maybe the more pained ones were the "Trumans"?  (In which case Beverly might not even be dead!)

Edited May 25, 2015 by SlackerInc

[Mrs OldManBalls]

Anyone else notice in the execution scene, some in the crowd were cheering, while some were looking pained?  I suppose it's possible that this could be intended to simply be an illustration of how people's personalities differ in their responses to public executions; but I couldn't help but think we were meant to take more from it than that.  Maybe the more pained ones were the "Trumans"?  (In which case Beverly might not even be dead!)

 

I noticed, but I'm not sure how to interpret it. This show makes me anxious and paranoid. 

[jhlipton]

--Anyone else notice in the execution scene, some in the crowd were cheering, while some were looking pained?  I suppose it's possible that this could be intended to simply be an illustration of how people's personalities differ in their responses to public executions; but I couldn't help but think we were meant to take more from it than that.  Maybe the more pained ones were the "Trumans"?  (In which case Beverly might not even be dead!)

 

Kate, the nurse and a kid (late teens to early twenties) who I don't recall seeing before -- those are the ones that stuck out for me.

[SlackerInc]

Those were the ones who stuck out as being pained?  I don't remember seeing the nurse, but she seemed so sadistic before, so that surprises me.  I recall the sheriff's receptionist cringing, for sure.

[Mreid]

So sad we lost Beverly already in the second episode :( I kind of wish I had read the book so I'd know why all of these people are so creepy

[designing1]

Maybe this has an element of Groundhog Day to it, with repeating elements (see all the conflicting timeframes, even among the residents) and we haven't really lost her. (Not really a spoiler, and I think it's already been posted in this thread, but just in case...>>>>)

IMDB has her listed for all 10 episodes.

Edited May 27, 2015 by designing1

[iMonrey]

 

Is the ice cream supposed to be a clue guiding us to what is really happening.

 

I think it's nothing more than a "quirky character trait" that we're supposed to find intriguing or at least amusing, like how Special Agent Dale Cooper was about pie in Twin Peaks. I haven't read the book so I don't know if this character trait is from the book but I am seeing a lot of rip-offs from other similar-genre shows, like opening up on Matt Dillon's eyeball the same way Lost began with Matthew Fox's.

[Gregg247]

I think the arial view of the town is an upside down version of the drawn map.  The road into the forest on the bottom left in the arial view matches the loop road to the right of town on the drawn map.  If you look at the 2 maps that way, they match up pretty well.

[used to read books]

Since he can't phone anyone, why doesn't he try to mail a letter? You see mailboxes everywhere; there must be a Post Office. Return address: C/O Creepy Hotel, Wayward Pines ID

[alias1]

I doubt they really have a mail service.  Nothing works in this town.  The money is even fake.  So are the crickets.  

 

I have a question for anyone who has read the books.  Is the sheriff just like the character on the show?  Does he have this ice cream fetish?  I'm not asking for a spoiler, just if the character is the same in the book.

Edited May 27, 2015 by SierraMist

[SonofaBiscuit]

The ice cream scene this week was just weird.  I erased the episode off of my DVR, so I can't go back and check, but the Sheriff said something about his ice cream cone as he was eating it and then tried to make it relate back to Matt Dillon's situation, and it just made no sense whatsoever.  I remember thinking wtf is that supposed to mean?

 

Since he can't phone anyone, why doesn't he try to mail a letter? You see mailboxes everywhere; there must be a Post Office. Return address: C/O Creepy Hotel, Wayward Pines ID

 

My guess is that the Sheriff has the postal service locked down tight as well. It wouldn't surprise me if somebody is tasked with reading all of the mail.  You try to mention your old life in any correspondence, and you end up with an appointment to have your throat slit on the town square.  Or maybe your letter just ends up "Returned to Sender", but I don't see any way that any correspondence makes it out of Wayward Pines.  And if a letter did somehow make it out, with the apparent time difference of the outside world, how long would it take that letter to arrive at it's destination? Hmm, lots of questions about this weird show.

Edited May 27, 2015 by SonofaBiscuit

[ottoDbusdriver]

The ice cream scene this week was just weird.  I erased the episode off of my DVR, so I can't go back and check, but the Sheriff said something about his ice cream cone as he was eating it and then tried to make it relate back to Matt Dillon's situation, and it just made no sense whatsoever.  I remember thinking wtf is that supposed to mean?

 

Pope: "Find any suspects Mr. Burke.  Because I found one, this ice cream cone here, it's been up to no good.  Like somebody else in this room."

 

The even weirder thing is that the receptionist looks oddly at Pope after he says this almost as if Pope is talking about her.

[Guest]

I have a question for anyone who has read the books.  Is the sheriff just like the character on the show?  Does he have this ice cream fetish?  I'm not asking for a spoiler, just if the character is the same in the book.

There was no ice cream in the book.  He was also physically different and didn't wear his gun like a strap-on dildo.  Garden variety sadistic asshole sheriff, pretty much.  I guess they needed someone a little more Twin Peaks style odd for the show.  

[theatremouse]

I don't know what put this in my head, but I got this vibe about the ice cream cone like it were maybe...sort of...a twist on the old-school image of say, the authority figure smoking? Maybe a cigar? But instead, of sitting there, punctuating his statements with a drag, or blowing smoke rings, or putting it out in an ashtray or whatever, he punctuates the conversation by eating an ice cream cone. And I sort of figured it was an intentionally bizarre, or kind of...dream-like substitution, again, meant to make Burke and/or us feel disoriented.

And I can't decide, even if all of the above is true, is it intentional in the sense of the show trying to be weird and disorienting in that way to the audience; or is it the character or town (or whatever Wayward Pines is) trying to be weird and disorienting in that way to Burke, ie part of "breaking" him.

Edited May 28, 2015 by theatremouse

[jhlipton]

Those were the ones who stuck out as being pained?  I don't remember seeing the nurse, but she seemed so sadistic before, so that surprises me.  I recall the sheriff's receptionist cringing, for sure.

 

Dang it.  I knew it was the nurse or the receptionist and made a guess.  That'll larn me!

 

I think the arial view of the town is an upside down version of the drawn map.  The road into the forest on the bottom left in the arial view matches the loop road to the right of town on the drawn map.  If you look at the 2 maps that way, they match up pretty well.

 

I'll flip the overhead when I get home and repost.

[Jel]

Why are there no crickets in Wayward Pines anyway? It can't be a hologram because why wouldn't they just hologram the crickets in as part of the program (YES, I watched Star Trek TNG)

 

Like really, under what scenario would they need fake crickets? Biodome? Nope, Virtual reality? No, sir.  Toxicity, okay, but then why is everyone else alive?

Edited May 28, 2015 by Jel

[KDeFlane]

Agreed that the aerial view of the town matches the hand-drawn map if it is held upside down.  The hospital is likely the tallest building which would match the black rectangle near the "park".  I wonder why the tracks are marked as a question ("Train Track?" and not 'truck', just an sloppy letter 'a') as if Evans found those tracks in the woods but is questioning their true purpose.

 

The show is making it very difficult for me to make my own map of the buildings on Main Street.  Every time I get a view out the window of one building looking across the street, I've made a note of it, but this has given me a list of contradictions. Either they are rearranging the signs to mess with Ethan's head (and my own mind) or the continuity staff is going for the essence of what is visible rather than spacial accuracy.

 

I also went back to episode one and confirmed that none of those framed signs for "The Rules" is visible in the locations where they are located in episode two.  I'm OK with that (for now).

 

If this place is inside a strange space-time vortex, perhaps the lifespan of crickets would give away their secret location. But I did see a dog on a street scene, and pets would age at the same rate as people and crickets, so it seems futile to simulate nature.

 

Oh, and I wanted to add an observation from the sheriff's reception area.  There is a chalkboard on the wall by the front door.  In ep.01 it says "BE Quiet.", and in the 2nd ep it has a list of flavors:  Strawberry, Chocolate Chip, Vanilla, Butterscotch.  Just those four, no Rum Raisin. 

Edited May 28, 2015 by KDeFlane

[ottoDbusdriver]

Oh, and I wanted to add an observation from the sheriff's reception area.  There is a chalkboard on the wall by the front door.  In ep.01 it says "BE Quiet.", and in the 2nd ep it has a list of flavors:  Strawberry, Chocolate Chip, Vanilla, Butterscotch.  Just those four, no Rum Raisin.

 

Nice catch @KDeFlane -- I didn't notice the difference between the first and second episodes.