S01.E04: One Of Our Senior Realtors Has Chosen To Retire

[Tara Ariano]

Ethan is appointed to a leadership role in Wayward Pines and his first act, according to Nurse Pam, should be to call a reckoning for Peter McCall for his treasonous act of graffiti on Main Street. Meanwhile, Ben receives private tutoring from Megan Fisher on his first day of school; and Theresa is offered a job as a real-estate agent.

[elzin]

What the fuck was that? I'm going to have nightmares tonight.

 

Farewell, Uncle Andy. :(

[Primetimer]

Who's secretly the highest honcho in Wayward Pines: Pam, the rule-loving nurse, or Megan, the school teacher/hypnotist with a love for slappin' palms?

Read the story

[ottoDbusdriver]

The Latin phrase on the Wayward Pines academy crest is 'Ab Origine' -- which translates to 'By Origin'.  What the hell does that mean ?  And how many schools deliver clothes for a new student in the middle of the night ?  And the school crest curiously has the Greek letter Omega superimposed on Alpha -- the end and the beginning ?  The crest is eight-sided which kind of reminds me of the Dharma Initiative logo.  Just saying.  Considering WP isn't all that big, there seem to be a lot of kids at WP Academy.

 

How did the Arlene the receptionist discover that Pope was 'retired' and that Ethan was the new sheriff -- with sufficient heads up to get a cake baked and decorated for him and pick it up first thing in the morning.  And get a newspaper printed with the headline "Sheriff Pope Retires" -- a newspaper that hasn't published in at least two weeks no less.  Even curiouser is that the 2nd story above the fold is about what a big hit Brazilian coffee is at the local coffee shop.  And all by 8am, because after Ethan discovers the vault in the floor and shows Arlene her file, it is only 8:20am according to the clock on the wall.  Why do they have clocks but no calendars -- that's what Peter told Ethan ?

 

The insurgent propaganda was "in a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act" spray-painted above the barber shop.  So how did nurse Pam know to citizen's arrest Peter, let alone got help to do it ?  I didn't realize that spray-painting graffiti was one of the rules (or maybe it's one of the 'unwritten rules' -- where are those posted ?).  I'm still confused as to why the new arrivals aren't immediately made aware of these obey-or-die rules -- because you would think that a lot of newcomers would be reckoned for breaking the rules within the first day or so.  But then according to Nurse Pam, this was Peter's 3rd strike -- who keeps track of the strikes ?  The Sheriff ?  Nurse Pam ? I think this is also the first time that we (the viewers) have heard the voice on the other end of the phone.

 

I guess Chevy isn't a sponsor -- since the letters GMC on the grill of the pickup truck on the main street had been altered (though at least it had Idaho plates).

 

Numbers on Peter McCall's folder -- 1002-4001, 8104-7110
Arlene Moran's folder -- 3991-2280, 0204-4010
And what is with the weird bar code under the name on the inside page of each person's folder ?
Who measures a person's weight to 5 significant figures -- Brad Fisher's weight was listed at 150.12 lbs ?  While Marlene was just listed as 105 lbs.

 

The chalkboard near Arlene's desk has been wiped clean of ice cream flavors.

 

Mrs. Fisher needs to lay off the high fives -- it's annoying and comes off as trying a little TOO hard to be cool.  And is she brainwashing Ben -- or is Ben just playing along ?

 

So Pam managed to leave Wayward Pines in 2001 and "involuntarily recruit" Peter McCall -- and she managed to age overnight as described by Peter.  Peter says he has only been in WP 8 or 9 winters, so he probably thinks it's only 2010.  So, accidents aren't the only way into WP.

 

Amy is so obviously a plant to monitor Ben.  Amy tips her hand when talking about the guy playing the piano on the radio -- Ben asks if the piano player grew up here, and Amy says no, he's 40.  Which means that WP hasn't been around all that long.  I like how she dodged Ben's "what's on the other side of the fence" question by kissing him -- classic distraction/misdirection.

 

I'm kind of curious why buffalo burgers are all the rage at the BeerGarden.  And why the Mayor warned Ethan about the WPA shaping minds and to be careful about Ben.  Are the kids running the place ?

 

How did Nurse Pam know that Peter McCall killed himself at the fence ? And is she the new sheriff since she referred to WP as "my town", just like Pope did, and took a seat at the Sheriff's desk ?  Because she seems to have a lot more pull around town than just being a registered nurse (as she was keen to point out to Ethan).

 

Ethan whips out a rope and grappling hook and manages to climb to the top of a rock face, and one of the creatures is lingering nearby behind a tree -- almost as if it was waiting for him.  Or are there just so many of them outside the fence that they are literally everywhere ?  And if there is no fence atop the rocks, what is keeping the creatures out ?  What's the point of having a fence if it doesn't go ALL THE WAY AROUND the town ?

 

Dr. Jenkins checking out his new species of pine trees in the dark seems odd.  The fact that he is checking out "my latest species" -- does that mean the the white creatures outside the fence are also a species creation of his ?  Since he seems to be one of the few people that can leave WP and return and might be involved in something like that.

 

And the preview for next week looks completely bonkers -- so many different things briefly shown.  Will need to watch the preview again.

Edited June 5, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[Laurie4H]

Good point about the kids running it. There was a creepy shot of some of the kids in the window when Ben arrived at school. This might not mean much but Ethan, Kate, and Peter all had affairs and ended up in Wayward Pines.

[TexasChic]

I have no idea what's going on, but so far I like it. I really enjoy reading everyone's posts that point out all the little details I definitely missed - thanks!

So was Andy the realtor that 'chose to retire'?

[ottoDbusdriver]

So was Andy the realtor that 'chose to retire'?

 

Yep -- in the previous episode, he was the guy that entered Beverly's house with the cleaning crew, getting it ready for the Burkes, and after Ethan showed himself, he let Ethan go without saying anything.

Edited June 5, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[SimoneS]

I am really enjoying this. I understand Ethan willing to take the risk and climbing over the fence, but he should have killed Pam before he left. She is a sadist and seems to be the most dangerous of the lot.

 

That school is soooo children of the corn. I totally expect Ben to be brainwashed, but maybe he will have too much of his parents' determination and will reject the conditioning.

[Valny]

I have no idea what's going on, but so far I like it. I really enjoy reading everyone's posts that point out all the little details I definitely missed - thanks!

Me too! I'm not one to figure things out in shows like these, I'm just in for the ride...and hopefully it doesn't disappoint me when it ends.  

 

I laughed out loud at Arlene's line:  "What  a ice creaming-eating bastard!"

Those metal folders that Ethan found where kind of cool looking. Never seen metal folders used before.

 

So next week looks like we will find out the mystery of Wayward Pines.  I had heard on a podcast that episode five is where they spill it...and next week is ep#5!

[alias1]

I really liked this episode.  (Maybe it was because overacting Terrence Howard wasn't in it.)  I am enjoying Nurse Pam, though, and she certainly looked comfortable sitting at the Sheriff's desk. The creature peeking around the corner at Ethan looked like a human, not an animal.

 

Thanks, Otto, for pointing out all the little details.   

[Valny]

The creature peeking around the corner at Ethan looked like a human, not an animal.

 

Did that happen at the very end because I nodded off near the end, so I think I missed that.

[thuganomics85]

Saw that both Juliette Lewis and Terrence Howard were no longer in the credits, so I guess they really are done for.  And I also noticed that Toby Jones now gets the special "and" billing.  Go Toby Jones!  I still want to know what Dr. Jenkins has to do with this entire thing.  I still remember him meeting Ethan's FBI friend in the pilot, so he can travel outside of the wall.  

 

This was probably the most I liked Ethan.  I like him "playing along", but basically being a sarcastic ass and practically trolling the residents of Wayward Pine.  In particular, I burst out laughing at his “I love it here. The mountains, the pine trees, the look of fear in everyone’s eyes" line.  Matt Dillon is better at being a wiseass, I think.  But now Ethan is climbing up the cliff, to try and get help.  And some weird bald thing was looking at him.  Great, can't wait to see what this is.  I really hope it's Gollum!

 

So... Hope Davis is here at Wayward Academy's teacher, and is totally trying to brainwash those kids, right?  She sure seemed to be up to something.  They sure do bring the crazy here on this show.  I really want a scene between her and Pam in the future.

 

RIP, Justin Kirk.  At least you went out on your own terms, buddy!

 

Theresa and Ben are going along and pretending to fit in.  Although in Ben's case, it seems like he might already be buying the brainwash.  And the pretty girl sure helps.  Oh, Ben.  Being stuck in a town surrounded by an electric fence and possibly guarded by creatures, can't compare to getting a girlfriend!

 

Already enjoy Pam as the main antagonist now.  The scene between Ethan/Pam in the diner was way more entertaining then any of the stuff involving Ethan and Pope.  Although, I was bummed that when Ethan was snooping around the office, he didn't fine a hidden freezer full of his magical ice cream.

[ottoDbusdriver]

The creature peeking around the corner at Ethan looked like a human, not an animal.

Did that happen at the very end because I nodded off near the end, so I think I missed that.

 

Just as Ethan reached the top of the cliff, a white-skinned humanoid creature peered at Ethan from behind a tree.  It looked similar to the creature that stole Pope's body.

[pezgirl7]

The creature peeking around the corner at Ethan looked like a human, not an animal.

I thought it looked like a bald, shirtless humanoid, which made me think of... aliens! I kind of hope it's not aliens, maybe it's a hairless futuristic human. We've been losing body hair over time, so maybe in the distant future, we will evolve to no longer have any hair.

 

I thought the thing that took Pope's body looked and acted more like an animal. I don't think it's the same thing as what was behind the tree.

 

I really hope the buffalo burgers aren't made from anything gross, like humans.

Edited June 5, 2015 by pezgirl7

[Free]

So was Andy the realtor that 'chose to retire'?

 

Yes, so the title itself is kind of a spoiler for the episode.

[memememe76]

Really enjoying the show. I also enjoy seeing Hope Davis in a slightly different role. I have no clue what is going to happen, just enjoying the ride and looking forward to seeing which famous person dies next.

[Latverian Diplomat]

I thought it looked like a bald, shirtless humanoid, which made me think of... aliens!

 

...

 

I really hope the buffalo burgers aren't made from anything gross, like humans.

Smeagol, is that you? He would be a famous guest star.

 

So far, this show is better than to deserve this joke, but:

"Wait, these aren't buffalo burgers..." pause for drama sting "they're bison burgers."

 

Ben seems to be living up to the teenage boy reputation for being easily brainwashed.

[threebluestars]

I feel like Matt Dillon's natural operating place is one of sarcasm, so I was LOVING the snarky lines Ethan was throwing out.

 

And book Pam was creepy psycho, but Melissa Leo just amps Pam up to psychopathic nightmare. She is fantastic and horrible all at the same time lol.

[Maximum Taco]

Why do they have clocks but no calendars -- that's what Peter told Ethan ?

 

So Pam managed to leave Wayward Pines in 2001 and "involuntarily recruit" Peter McCall -- and she managed to age overnight as described by Peter.  Peter says he has only been in WP 8 or 9 winters, so he probably thinks it's only 2010.  So, accidents aren't the only way into WP.

 

Dr. Jenkins checking out his new species of pine trees in the dark seems odd.  The fact that he is checking out "my latest species" -- does that mean the the white creatures outside the fence are also a species creation of his ?  Since he seems to be one of the few people that can leave WP and return and might be involved in something like that.

 

Clocks are necessary for day-to-day business. People get up, people go to sleep, stores open and close, school starts and ends. You need to know the time for these things. If everyday is the same though (as it seems in WP) there's really no need for a calendar.

 

Do we know that Jenkins has left WP? I don't think it's been proven. Sure he talks to Ethan's boss about taking Ethan, but he doesn't need to be in the town to talk about it. He could just be giving the orders from outside, and then at a certain point he entered the town. We are left to assume that he's entering and leaving because the scenes are ordered that way, but we've already seen characters who think it's 2001 or 2010, so we can't really trust anyone's perceptions of time, not even Ethan. It could actually be 2083 or 2200, and in that case the scenes that happen in the outside world are happening in 2014, but the scenes that happen inside Wayward Pines could be happening at any time in the future.

 

It's the only way I can think to explain away the rapid aging is some manner of cryostasis. For example Peter says Pam aged overnight, but what if it wasn't overnight? What if he was just ignorant to the passage of time? What if both of them were frozen in 2001, Pam was defrosted some time later, then many years passed and then Peter was defrosted? To him it would seem as if she aged overnight.

 

This is the same way we can look at Ethan. If Jenkins had Ethan frozen I think that conversation between Ethan's boss and Jenkins still makes sense. So Jenkins has him frozen, then Jenkins enters WP (or even has himself frozen and later defrosted) and then Ethan is defrosted. Pope would also have to do the same thing, since he confronted Theresa and Ben outside of WP.

 

Ugh I'm confused. This is worse than a time travel paradox.

[Tabasco Cat]

Was Justin Kirk's plan suicide by reckoning?

[jhlipton]

Was Justin Kirk's plan suicide by reckoning?

 

I reckon!

 

I loved Ethan's "Imma catch the true criminals -- ohai Pam -- and bring them to justice!"  Not much she could say to that!

[Dowel Jones]

That's okay, Peter, don't feel bad.  I might have stopped in that same hotel bar once or twice in my life too.

 

So, when they're all in the Beer Garden (What a lively spot!) and Mrs. ShrinkMayor said "We don't make the rules", I was crying out to Ethan to say "Well, then, who does?"  I think he should arbitrarily arrest Pam on some flimflam charge, such as moving his desk ornaments around, and submit her to a reckoning the next day.  Just to see her, and the town's, reaction.

 

The thing that is starting to tweak me a bit, as it did so outrageously in Lost, is that none of our protagonists ever, ever seems to follow up on some information they gain.  Hidden files?  Okay, let's go ask the receptionist where she lives.  The rules?  Why?  What's on the other side of the fence?  Liplock.  Okay, that last one is legitimate.  But it just seems that Ethan & family are starting to fit right in.

[JenE4]

It's the only way I can think to explain away the rapid aging is some manner of cryostasis. For example Peter says Pam aged overnight, but what if it wasn't overnight? What if he was just ignorant to the passage of time? What if both of them were frozen in 2001, Pam was defrosted some time later, then many years passed and then Peter was defrosted? To him it would seem as if she aged overnight.

Yet, she aged TOO much for that. She went from a young woman presumably in her twenties to a woman in her seventies, or 60ish in 2001. But we know WP hasn't been around for 40 years, which seemed like a detail dropped in specifically to dispute such a nurse Pam age math mystery, lol. But also Kate disappeared 5 weeks ago in outside time and aged 12 years, so that also indicates rapid aging/time progression. However, this time doesn't affect everyone. And the kid, Ben, doesn't seem to be going through puberty overnight, for example. So I think the doctor performs different hybreeding experiments on them when they arrive in WP. That might be why they don't have calendars because it is a different year for everyone. Beverly's time was slowed way down and thought only a year had passed, rather than 16 years. Kate went through rapid time of 12 years in 5 weeks. The guy from this week somehow managed to mostly work against the time by counting winters. No one else noticed the seasons passing? Interesting.

I thought Ethan becoming sherif was endgame and that's why he was special to TPTB that saw something I'm him. So I'm surprised that he's sherif already. So now I'm thinking that the person in charge who brought him there realizes their experimental town went too far and Ethan was brought there because he's special enough to help the town recognize the truth and wake up from the hypnotic spell of the town. Interesting that the mayor also seems to be helping Ethan toward that end. He sure doesn't seem too pleased with his wife hypnotizing the children, so I guess they're forced to marry specific people too, like Kate and Bill who suddenly had spouses? (Oh and back to my first point Bill was also there 5 weeks and managed to have a baby so it's actual passage of time that's different, not just perception...unless the baby was rapid development too--another hybrid experiment?)

Another reason why I think the Burkes were brought in to take down the town is Ben's new friend. The teacher made it clear that the kids aren't allowed in the classroom until they've been sufficiently brain washed (e.g., Ben doesn't remember where he lives), so 1) how does this girl know that WP hasn't been around for long and 2) is talking about the walls and animals? There's no way the town would allow all this without a reckoning unless the person in charge is allowing it.

Edited June 5, 2015 by JenE4

[AndySmith]

I wonder who else from Mildred Pierce (the HBO miniseries) will turn up. Maybe Guy Pierce or Evan Rachel Wood? It could be a reunion!

Edited June 5, 2015 by AndySmith

[Jel]

 So now I'm thinking that the person in charge who brought him there realizes their experimental town went too far and Ethan was brought there because he's special enough to help the town recognize the truth and wake up from the hypnotic spell of the town. 

Yes, it seems Ethan and his special skills are important. Btw was the fact that the realtor was also cheating on his wife in some way relevant? 

 

It struck me as odd that in one day Ben didn't know where he lived. That's some fast acting brainwashing!

[Shermie]

The lack of asking questions bothers me in these types of shows. I can accept all sorts of nuttiness as long as people respond like real people. As in, why doesn't Ethan ask the crucial question - "Why?"

Why are we being held here? Why are the rules so strict? Why can't we go home? Why can't we talk about our old lives? Why is the timeline and aging so weird? Why don't you just tell us what's going on?

Never mind who is in charge and how do you feel about executions (and these are valid questions) , but the main question is why. Once you have that answer, everything else could make sense.

[theatremouse]

On the other hand, based on the responses he's gotten so far, it sort of seems like it's pointless to ask since nobody really answers. I'm surprised he keeps asking any direct questions. Although it was a little better in this one in that he seems to be sort of seeking out people he thinks might be not the docile rule-followers everyone appears to be. So I thought he was asking sort of useless questions no one would answer to get a feel who he might get more out of, ie the mayor. Compared to earlier episodes where he just blustered around town directly asking, this made more sense to me. I mean, everyone's clearly terrified with the threat of sudden execution, it makes sense people would just be all STFU and follow the rules and don't get me killed.

How did the Arlene the receptionist discover that Pope was 'retired' and that Ethan was the new sheriff -- with sufficient heads up to get a cake baked and decorated for him and pick it up first thing in the morning.  And get a newspaper printed with the headline "Sheriff Pope Retires" -- a newspaper that hasn't published in at least two weeks no less.

I assume she found out the same way Ethan finds out most things recently. Got a little card in the mail in the middle of the night. Or she got a phone call telling her to get a cake. Newspaper guy probably got a card or a call telling him to do a story and a new edition. That they don't publish regularly said to me they only do when there's "news" and whether or not there is "news" is probably determined by the phone call/mail sending people.

[walnutqueen]

I am pleasantly befuddled, and trying desperately to ignore the time stuff, because it makes my brain HURT!

 

I just want Ethan to take Nurse Pam down - HARD.  If his wife and son could take down the high-fiving hypnotist, too, I'd be a happy WPer.  :-)

 

A girl can dream, eh?

[Latverian Diplomat]

Clocks are necessary for day-to-day business. People get up, people go to sleep, stores open and close, school starts and ends. You need to know the time for these things. If everyday is the same though (as it seems in WP) there's really no need for a calendar.

 

 

Do they have weekends? Holidays? Seasons?

 

ETA: And how would you make an appointment more than one or two days in advance?

 

It would be funny (to me at least) if they had one of those universal calendars of thirteen 28-day months that gets proposed from time to time, because then you can't tell the year from which date falls on which day of the week. You could name the months after pine tree species. :-)

 

I also wonder how one small town keeps an old-timey artisanal toy shop in business? But I guess that's pretty low on the mysteries-to-be-solved priority list. :-)

Edited June 5, 2015 by Latverian Diplomat

[izabella]

That school is soooo children of the corn. I totally expect Ben to be brainwashed, but maybe he will have too much of his parents' determination and will reject the conditioning.

 

Ben was already predisposed not to trust his father, and he's got a pretty girl leading him now, so I don't expect him to put up much resistance.  He doesn't listen to his mother, either.  It seems he has already forgotten almost getting killed by Pope.

[SoothingDave]

It's the only way I can think to explain away the rapid aging is some manner of cryostasis. For example Peter says Pam aged overnight, but what if it wasn't overnight? What if he was just ignorant to the passage of time? What if both of them were frozen in 2001, Pam was defrosted some time later, then many years passed and then Peter was defrosted? To him it would seem as if she aged overnight.

 

This is the same way we can look at Ethan. If Jenkins had Ethan frozen I think that conversation between Ethan's boss and Jenkins still makes sense. So Jenkins has him frozen, then Jenkins enters WP (or even has himself frozen and later defrosted) and then Ethan is defrosted. Pope would also have to do the same thing, since he confronted Theresa and Ben outside of WP.

 

 

That's my theory, too.  People are being kept in some sort of suspended animation for different periods of time.  That's how Kate is 12 years older.  And Beverly thinks its 2001.  Also, why there are no calendars.  No need to confuse people.

 

I think Ben is just playing along, not really being brainwashed.  But that's good enough for a town like WP.  As long as everyone plays along, it doesn't matter what people really think.  That's the essence of totalitarianism.  

 

Also, that is what schools are about as well.  Get to minds of the young and it doesn't matter what the present generation thinks.  

 

"Give me four years to teach the children and the seed i have sown will never be uprooted" - Lenin

[Maximum Taco]

Do they have weekends? Holidays? Seasons?

 

ETA: And how would you make an appointment more than one or two days in advance?

 

It would be funny (to me at least) if they had one of those universal calendars of thirteen 28-day months that gets proposed from time to time, because then you can't tell the year from which date falls on which day of the week. You could name the months after pine tree species. :-)

 

I also wonder how one small town keeps an old-timey artisanal toy shop in business? But I guess that's pretty low on the mysteries-to-be-solved priority list. :-)

 

I was wondering about the first one as well. I'm waiting for a line from Ben, maybe next episode about how he's been going to school for 6 days in a row or something. They clearly have seasons though because Peter was counting winters, and the hypno-teacher (ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNO-TEACHER!) says that every summer the school hosts a battle of the bands.

 

No idea about the appointments, but maybe it's not necessary to make appointments more than a day in advance? It's a small town, it probably wouldn't be difficult to call the day before and get an appointment for something. It probably wouldn't be difficult to drop in the day of and still be seen.

 

ETA: And for stuff like bi-annual/annual checkups they could just use the seasons "see me next winter/spring/summer/fall"

Edited June 5, 2015 by Maximum Taco

[SoothingDave]

No idea about the appointments, but maybe it's not necessary to make appointments more than a day in advance? It's a small town, it probably wouldn't be difficult to call the day before and get an appointment for something. It probably wouldn't be difficult to drop in the day of and still be seen.

 

But you do have to wonder if the town dentist used to be a plumber or something.  

[ottoDbusdriver]

I also wonder how one small town keeps an old-timey artisanal toy shop in business? But I guess that's pretty low on the mysteries-to-be-solved priority list. :-)

 

I don't think making money is the priority, more so giving them something to do to pass the time.

 

and the hypno-teacher (ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNO-TEACHER!) says that every summer the school hosts a battle of the bands.

 

Love a good Futurama reference.

[SimoneS]

On the other hand, based on the responses he's gotten so far, it sort of seems like it's pointless to ask since nobody really answers. I'm surprised he keeps asking any direct questions. Although it was a little better in this one in that he seems to be sort of seeking out people he thinks might be not the docile rule-followers everyone appears to be. So I thought he was asking sort of useless questions no one would answer to get a feel who he might get more out of, ie the mayor. Compared to earlier episodes where he just blustered around town directly asking, this made more sense to me. I mean, everyone's clearly terrified with the threat of sudden execution, it makes sense people would just be all STFU and follow the rules and don't get me killed.

 

Exactly. Ethan has tried over and over to get people to tell him what is really going. He has asked directly and no one answers because they are terrified. But also, it is clear based on his surreptitious conversations with Beverly, Kate, and Peter that most of the residents have no clue what is behind the strange events that are impacting their lives. If they were not under constant surveillance and the threat of brutal deaths, I am sure that they could put their heads together and come up with one or two plausible theories, but they cannot so Ethan is either going to have to escape or he is going to have investigate with one or two trustworthy allies. 

Edited June 5, 2015 by SimoneS

[iMonrey]

I was impressed that the show was moving along at a nice clip in the previous episode but this one felt like a bit of a set-back and a lot of things started annoying me again. To wit:

 

 

I think he should arbitrarily arrest Pam on some flimflam charge, such as moving his desk ornaments around, and submit her to a reckoning the next day.  Just to see her, and the town's, reaction.

 

This. Now that Pope is dead and gone and Ethan has inexplicably been appointed Sheriff, why not use that authority to - at the very least - force the hand of whoever is running this thing? Why let Nurse Pam continue to throw her weight around and be so smug? Arrest her ass and see what happens. It doesn't look like anybody would try to stop him.

 

Also, last week they established that the Sheriff's car has a garage door opener that opens the gate in the fence. Why not go back and open it again and see what's out there in the daylight? Why does he need to climb the rock if he can just open the door?

 

Regardless of what's going on here, it's outrageous that anyone expects Ethan to just carry out an execution on the say-so of an anonymous voice on the telephone. This is less "spooky" and "mysterious" than it is idiotic. They know this guy's a loose cannon and isn't down with playing this game, what makes them think he'd do this? Why appoint him Sheriff at all?

 

There are also too many work-arounds in avoiding being overheard like turning on faucets and music boxes. And if Kate is willing to go off-line to hash it out with Theresa why not explain what the ever-loving fuck is going on in this crazy town? This is just dumb and frustrating.

 

At least next week shows some promise but at this point they're going to have to come up with something awfully good to explain all the crap that doesn't make any sense.

[SoothingDave]

I don't think making money is the priority, more so giving them something to do to pass the time.

 

 

Agreed.  It's for the facade of normalcy. Plus, they're just passing the same counterfeit bills around the town.  It's a completely closed system.  I imagine that the needs of the citizens get met one way or another.  

[Gregg247]

I don't think Ben was brainwashed when he was asked where he lived.  I think he was actually confused; do they still live in Seattle or is WP their new home?  Ethan and his wife are talking through everything, but they're not including Ben in any of these discussions, which I think is a huge mistake.  He should be considered an ally, not just their son, and he needs the same information his parents have been compiling.  It's not like he's 5 years old or something.

 

I think a lot of what's been said about freezing/thawing people out at different times may be correct.  It could be the 24th century by now for all we know.  This whole puzzle of a town is so intriguing!  I love it!

[Dowel Jones]

It's a completely closed system.  I imagine that the needs of the citizens get met one way or another.

 

Which would take quite a bit of manipulation on some level.  Somehow the imports from the real world have to be paid for (ice cream is expensive!), and unless the citizens revert to their ubiquitous "Don't ask questions, and just answer the phone when it rings" mantra, someone with a modicum of economic education would would have to wonder why this closed system is still functioning. 

[Jel]

Real side issue here, but those file folders Ethan dug out looked ultra modern and kinda space-agey. With alien font.

[djsunyc]

i am now fully convinced that every scene we've seen that takes place outside of wayward pines is in the past.  we are led to believe that his wife and kid were looking for ethan days after he disappeared but b/c of all the time discrpencies (in terms of age), i don't think that's the case.  the non-wayward pine scenes are flashbacks.  therefore pope or the doctor, when seen outside of pines, happened years ago.  i don't think they can come and go - i think they're stuck there just like everyone else.

 

and the doc talking "species" makes me think the creature watching ethan is a form of species he created or has evolved.

 

i'm not a fan of the kid and i didn't like how ethan comes home to his wife without nary a mention that their kid left and they have no idea where he is.  the mom was just sitting at home doing nothing.

Edited June 5, 2015 by djsunyc

[alias1]

I thought it looked like a bald, shirtless humanoid, which made me think of... aliens! I kind of hope it's not aliens, maybe it's a hairless futuristic human. We've been losing body hair over time, so maybe in the distant future, we will evolve to no longer have any hair.

 

I thought the thing that took Pope's body looked and acted more like an animal. I don't think it's the same thing as what was behind the tree.

 

I really hope the buffalo burgers aren't made from anything gross, like humans.

I was wondering about the buffalo burgers, too.  The way they mentioned them seemed too significant to be meaningless.

 

It was too dark on my TV to actually see the creature that took Pope, but I agree that it didn't look like this humanoid (or whatever) to me

[SoothingDave]

Which would take quite a bit of manipulation on some level.  Somehow the imports from the real world have to be paid for (ice cream is expensive!), and unless the citizens revert to their ubiquitous "Don't ask questions, and just answer the phone when it rings" mantra, someone with a modicum of economic education would would have to wonder why this closed system is still functioning. 

 

Yes, whoever the entity is that is running the town gets supplies from outside of it.  We saw the big warehouse.  

 

I meant that the actual cash supply of WP would seemingly be fixed.  No one is bringing cash to town.  No one from town is spending it out of town.  That's why it doesn't matter that they use counterfeit bills.  The bills are really incidental.  It's a lesson in monetary theory in a way.

 

I wonder if the people who do have stores in town (there must be a food market of some sort, there is the Biergarten as well) operate under the illusion that they are buying things from legitimate suppliers in other towns.  Do they call these suppliers and TPTB have people on the phone pretending to be the dairy in Boise or the Budweiser distributor or the like?  Or do they just not ask questions when the trucks show up with supplies?

[Song of Roland]

I was wondering about the buffalo burgers, too.  The way they mentioned them seemed too significant to be meaningless

 

Not only that- there was some discussion about Kate's steak, and earlier, somebody (mayor's wife?) asked Mrs. Burke if she 'could eat' meat.

 

I've been wondering why they use throat-slitting as execution? Is it really scarier to the populace than blowing somebody's brains out with a gun? Have guns been used, at all? Pope had a gun safe, it looked like, but I don't think he or anyone else has actually fired a gun, right?

 

Also, why were those files so carefully hidden? What was in them that required hiding? Does it really matter that Pope's sexretary was born in NJ in 1960?

[ottoDbusdriver]

Pope had a gun safe, it looked like, but I don't think he or anyone else has actually fired a gun, right?

 

Pope's pistol was used once -- when Ethan shot and killed Pope.

[pezgirl7]

Also, there was a scene of Pope firing a rifle out by the mountain ridge. I now wonder if what he was shooting at were creatures similar to the one that carried his body off.

[GoMocs]

First, I am new here, been reading for awhile, but never registered nor posted. Glad to be here.

 

My question is this gate we keep going back to on a dirt road......

 

Is there a real road with some kind of gate that the people have driving INTO Wayward Pines on? Why hasn't Ethan taken the sheriff's vehicle after he killed him and drove down every road trying to find another way out?

 

With respect to the "creature" on the top of the clift, my immediate thought was it was similar to the creatures in the movie Avatar.

[Jel]

Welcome GoMocs!  Good to have you join us :)

[Chaos Theory]

I knew I recognized HypnoTeach from somewhere. As someone who actually liked Alliegence mostly because of the mother role I am glad to see Hope Davis in something like this. Who am I kidding I like batshit crazy and I am looking forward to her bringing it.

Edited June 5, 2015 by Chaos Theory

[FishyJoe]

I don't know who's more crazy, the townspeople or Burke's family. The son kills a man then is like 'whatever' dad the next day. The wife has the chance to ask anything and is more concerned about her husband's cheating than being trapped in a town full of lunatics.