S02.E01: Change Scenario

[HalcyonDays]

Episode synopsis: In the season 2 premiere, six months after her life unraveled and dark secrets were revealed, Molly is confined to a psychiatric hospital when she learns of bizarre deaths that sound eerily similar to those she witnessed in space. When she escapes to investigate, she crosses paths with JD Richter, a determined cop who just signed on to the case.

 

[Enero]

I didn't realize the show was returning tonight. I just happened upon it by accident.

Anyway, I enjoyed all the hotness in this episode first Gorin, then Philip Blake, then Jeffrey Dean Morgan. And was that Greg Vaughn (ex-Lucky General Hospital) playing Molly’s fantasy guy in her sex dream?

With all the technology this age has I'm surprised that when Molly stole the orderly’s car it didn't have voice recognition and didn't question her not being the owner of the car.

I liked the pacing of this episode, they quickly wrapped up what happened last season, killed off John (which I expected since I read that the actor was leaving the show) and jumped right into the new plot.

So who killed Molly’s alien son?

I didn't understand why the people who picked up the boy were both so focused on the phone call. One of them could've taken care of the screaming baby while the other made the call.

I officially hate Julie. She stole Ethan and looks like she was ultimately responsible for getting John killed. Does she even care about her part in the latter? I’m sure her actions are strongly fueled by her desire to control and be recognized for HER work, but I think a bigger part of her actions are fueled by John’s rejection.

So I guess with Yasomoto failing to obtain the spores that would prolong his life he ran out of time and killed over?

This was actually better than I thought it would be considering where the show left off last season. I'm curious enough to stick around for a few episodes to see where they might be going with this. I will miss John. I did enjoy the interactions and chemistry between him, Molly and Ethan.

Nitpick - I can understand Molly having bigger fish to fry if there is indeed an alien invasion at hand, but had she given any thought to seeing or getting Ethan back?mi know she had her fantasy reality about spending time with him, but he did not inspire her escape and she didn't have one thought about him when she did get out. Hopefully this will change in future episodes.

Edited July 2, 2015 by Enero

[ottoDbusdriver]

So, the Offspring transferred his consciousness into Baby Justin ?  Really ?

 

There's a whole lot of retconning going on.  The general who was also the best man at John/Molly's wedding -- who was never mentioned in all of Season 1.  John/Julie's affair.  Not even a mention of Yasumoto (I know the actor is off the show, but at least a mention by John would have been nice).

 

I'm curious how they got Ethan out of the cloud if they don't know how he uploaded himself to the cloud in the first place.  Also, how does he have wireless control of that Taser on the guard's leg ?

 

Now we have the gov't seizing Ethan for blowing up the space flight control room -- all because his batteries reached 98.6 degrees -- because he's a security risk.  Sure, why not ?  If that was the case, why did they even bother to let John rebuild him ?

 

In her grab for power, Julie manages to get the military to off John so she can run the lab and build military combat versions of Ethan.  All while keeping Ethan for herself.  Ethan seems to be a little pissed about that.

 

And the Offspring is apparently reproducing -- as a baby, how is he impregnating all these women that are dying by something erupting from their stomachs ? Was no one else around when these events happened to witness what occurred ?  Turns out that 6 months after transferring to the baby, the Offspring is fully matured and banging women he picks up in bars.  Did he kill baby Justin's parents too ?

 

I know news feeds are fast in the future, but if the murder only occurred 47 minutes before Richter was notified -- that means it was on Dave's cell phone before that.  And the cops had already cleared the scene -- do they not have CSIs in the future ?

 

Restwell -- really ?  And the orderlies are banging the patients and it seems to be the accepted norm.  Because Dave's partner didn't seem at all surprised that Dave was playing grabass with Molly.

 

ETA: I'm glad that Molly hit Julie in the head with a shovel at John's funeral -- if anyone deserved that it was Julie.  Not only for banging John while Molly was in space, but also for the shenanigans with Odin that allowed him access to Ethan and ended up destroying Ethan and the spaceflight control center.  How come the military aren't going after Odin for booby-trapping Ethan ?

 

ETA2:  To correct Thor to Odin -- I knew Julie's Luddite terrorist boyfriend was named after a Norse god, I just got them mixed up.

Edited July 2, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[Rhetorica]

Good reboot. I like Badass Molly. She and JD have more chemistry already than she and John ever had. I'm glad John's gone, even though his death was horrific. The character was boring; his best storyline was tonight and his affair with Julie. I know large necklaces are in now but Julie's headcap necklaces are too much. I liked the alien better as a little boy but he does grow fast. So I assume he'll burn himself out fast too, like large stars. I'm in for the next few episodes. Looks like conspiracies and mysteries await.

[thuganomics85]

I already don't trust Tobias, because come one: it's David Morrissey.  After The Walking Dead, he will always be The Governor and The Governor was the worst!

 

Knew Goran Visnjic was leaving, but I'm surprised he just got flat-out killed.  I'm guessing that had something to do with Julia's phone call.  She's really become a full-blown crazy woman now, huh?  I always knew she had an obsession with Ethan, but I don't remember her being that gaga over John himself.  Either way, now she's got Ethan.  This season better end with Molly beating the shit out of her.

 

Jeffery Dean Morgan is now here as some kind of lone cop, who plays by his own rules and you know he's retro, since he drives a jeep, and not one of those fancy future cars (then again, after what happened to John, he might be on to something.)  Actually, the entire method over how John gets his cases kind of reminds me of Killjoys on SyFy, and how they do something similar.  Either way, he was amusing, and at least brings some amusement to the precedings.

 

Molly's alien baby is now grown up, and possibly hitting single bars to kill women?  Oh, alien baby.  That is so not cool.

 

Sucks that Enver Gjokaj's character didn't survive, but he's got Agent Cater now, so he's fine.

 

Still feel the same like I did with the first season: it's thankfully way better then Under the Dome, but I still feel like it could even be better, but something is holding it back, and I quite can't figure it out.

Edited July 2, 2015 by thuganomics85

[Sandman]

I'm presuming that Molly and John Woods' ever-so-good friend General Toby is in it up to his brass. They're not giving David Morrissey a walk-on.

 

Miss Gummer is rapidly approaching Crazy Cyborg Lady territory. Are she and Charlie working for the government now? Nice principles there, Jules.

 

Still not sure how Ethan zapped the MP through his body armour (?) I guess the body upgrade comes with a few new superpowers? That's handy.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Molly's alien baby is now grown up, and possibly hitting single bars to kill women?  Oh, alien baby.  That is so not cool.

 

And is very similar to one of the main plot points in 'Species 2'.

[Free]

Still feel the same like I did with the first show: it's thankfully way better then Under the Dome, but I still feel like it could even be better, but something is holding it back, and I quite can't figure it out.

 

ITA, it's lacking something.  Unlike UtD, where the writers never cared and just threw bs after bs.

[HalcyonDays]

Okay, I'm not reading any of the comments before I post mine.....Okay, what the hell. John now cheats on Molly?? Based on his behaviour in season 1, he is the last person to cheat. And we all knew Julie was into John, but this was strange. Total retcon.

 

 Male Objectivation # 1: Goran Visjnic....yum with the stubble....

Male Objectivation # 2: Jeffrey Dean Morgan. That stubble and those dimples make me weak, but seeing you in Texas Rising two weeks ago, in a barely there low slung linen pants...well now.; Seriously - dude's hot. And I like his character.

 

They destroyed Julie though - she was not like this - she did not want corporate power. John would not have cheated on Molly. This is pure retcon, but the episode did interest me, so I guess I will stick around.

[Sandman]

In her grab for power, Julia manages to get the military to off John so she can run the lab so she can build military combat versions of Ethan.  All while keeping Ethan for herself.  Ethan seems to be a little pissed about that.

 

Yeah -- Julie's also in classic Evil Stepmother mode, at this point. No wonder the little guy's pissed.

[LittleIggy]

I love the little boy playing Ethan. He is so adorable. I'll miss Goran V. Sad they trashed his character in the process. Wish they had included the scene of Molly going after Julie with a shovel.

[shapeshifter]

So I guess I'm the only one who always saw John as Julie's end game? But then I always seem to be the first to notice other people's significant others cheating.

I'm just not sure what she meant on the phone by, "I've made a terrible mistake." Was it assuming John would be okay with knowing her evil plan? And, if so, is having him killed at a train crossing in a robo car possessed by Hal the computer from 2001 Space Odyssey somehow not another terrible mistake? Well, at least it's consistent from my point of view in which Julie was always cray cray.

Speaking of crazy, my favorite bit was Molly smashing rapey guy's car windshield. I guess they had to make him rapey or else the fandom would be complaining Molly was rapey if she had initiated the seduction to escape--which she still kind of did, but then they made him rapey later--like it was an added scene to make Molly a saint.

[Sandman]

Maybe they're saving a flashback for late-run ratings spike? Lord knows I could watch Julie take a shovel to the kisser. Or Molly could hold onto the one she scooped from JD's Jeep of Rebellion and have another go. I must admit I like pissed off Molly better than confused, passive Molly of the first season. Even if she is falling into the classic trap of being right but still managing to sound like a paranoid nutjob.

 

ETA: I think "John Woods" was always Miss Gummer's crazy endgame; but I think the first season made it seem that her attachment to him was more one-sided. The fact that they actually had an affair while Molly was off-planet (and incidentally getting space-pregnant) seems to be new information, not all that well supported by the first season.

Edited July 2, 2015 by Sandman

[Such A Flirt]

It's like they scrapped most of Season 1. Very convenient to get rid of Goran, his boss, the alien kid, the guy from "Dollhouse"...

 

Where's Gordon? At least Charlie's still there, but more pathetic than nerdy hot. And Julie is nuts.

 

Not liking the new dude at all. Is he the ghost guy from "Grey's Anatomy"? Looks like him. And The Governor? Still creepy as ever, but not in a good way.

[shapeshifter]

ETA: I think "John Woods" was always Miss Gummer's crazy endgame; but I think the first season made it seem that her attachment to him was more one-sided. The fact that they actually had an affair while Molly was off-planet (and incidentally getting space-pregnant) seems to be new information, not all that well supported by the first season.

I thought the "year in space" was a second trip she made to save the world from the alien at the end of the first season. No?

[Actionmage]

ETA: I'm glad that Molly hit Julie in the head with a shovel at John's funeral -- if anyone deserved that it was Julie.  Not only for banging John while Molly was in space, but also for the shenanigans with Thor that allowed him access to Ethan and ended up destroying Ethan and the spaceflight control center.  How come the military aren't going after Thor for booby-trapping Ethan ?

 

Yeah, this. How is Julie not on the hot seat, as opposed to the seeming catbird seat, wrt The Military? She's the one that freaking allowed access to Ethan and Odin was the dude who turned him into a time bomb!  Just because you own a can of AquaNet and a Zippo, that doesn't mean you're a bomber, so the Gov'ment needs to back the eff up and let Molly go. Only, she's so hacked off, that Molly is going to be looking to do something, even if she is helping save people's lives as well. The faceless bastards that stole her son  and Julie had best give Ethan back to minimize the shovel-ing that will be unleashed and with reason.

 

Yeah -- Julie's also in classic Evil Stepmother mode, at this point.

 

I would have thought that last season, but this season, Julie reads (to me) as if she's the surrogate who carries the baby to term. Julie feels a very obvious possessiveness of "John Woods" and Ethan. If it wasn't made crystal clear, it was tonight: Julie doesn't think that Molly is worthy of raising Ethan. (Or staying married to "John". ITA that the cheating seems to be badly retconned for 'going forward' purposes.)

 

The good thing in this, though, is that Ethan seems more tired and disbelieving of Julie now.  After a couple of kidnappings and spending sometime as part of the freaking world wide web, Ethan seems to not be panicking and playing this mostly calm. I think he is buying time ( as much as a child-like intelligence can understand the concept) and looking for a good time to break away. Unless Julie has booby-trapped him. Which, currently, I believe she would do.

 

As for "John Woods" and Alien Baby, I don't believe either is most sincerely dead.  Yes, Goren is unavailable for this season, but that doesn't mean he isn't on ice- literally or figuratively- and he was able to survive the train racing toward him. IA with those upthread who believe that Alien Son has just matured really fast again. I also agree with giving the side-eye to anything Gen. The Governor says. Sorry, not sorry, David Morrissey. *g*

 

What make me sadder is that the screening for nurses/aides in mental health hospitals is as generally shitty as it is now.  We can make a boybot that can upload himself to the Cloud, but we can't ensure that people aren't entitled, rapey shitheads. 1 step forward, 2 back, I guess.

 

Jeffery Dean Morgan being hot and...talking? I can deal.  Not thrilled with the "why are all the cool chicks insane" refrain, but if he appropropriately action-y and otherwise cool and funny, I will chalk it up to the writers trying to hammer out the character's voice.

 

Where's Gordon? At least Charlie's still there,

 

Charlie's seeming like he's still his S1 self, though I hope he keeps up the needling of Julie. Just enough, because it seems that Julie is a narc and you will disappear if you displease her enough. Gordon, though? I thought his fate was vague in the finale. If not ( negative outcome), I still want Matthew Perry to have a couple of episodes as Gord's brother and for him to get revenge for his brother and be able to help Molly. If not (positive outcome), I hope he will pop up like the crewcut, MIB fairy godfather that he is to Molly and bail her out of whatever corner she's painted into this season.

 

Hopefully, if this is decent, the show can circle back to the Yatsumoto/ Renee the Luddite Terrorist (tm a brilliant poster from S1) and delve into the mining and Magic Life-Prolonging Gunk. That ironically kills if not processed just right. With Alien Son exchanging lines that sound suspiciously like the Luddite Terrorists, it might still get looked at, but without Yatsumoto's POV.  

 

I'm in and ready for the next episode!

[wayne67]

So the government decides it is a good idea to kidnap the first semi sentient robot child who had managed to help stave off an alien invasion and survive a bomb by uploading himself into the internet and try and teach him to kill people or use his sentience as a template for battle bots. Really ?

Do they not realise that teaching robots to kill humans is the first step towards creating SkyNet. If the robots decide to murder the humans I'm on their side... The humans in the show aren't endearing at all.

[shrewd.buddha]

There's a whole lot of retconning going on.  

Honestly? The only thing that comes to mind when I watch this show is : "Dang, Halle Berry really, really, really needs a new agent - or to quit trusting her own instincts when choosing projects."

 

The whole tone of the show has changed, In summary :

Season one : "Molly, you in danger girl." (from 'Ghost')

Season two : "Go on with your bad self Molly girl!" 

 

I doubt I will watch much more. The fact that they are trying to turn this into the X-Files - and not very gracefully - just reveals how little any of the writing or story matters. Just let Halle do some improv, or better yet -- put Halle in a totally new scenario each week. 

...Or do what  they did in that movie where she played 20 different characters - Cloud Atlas.

Edited July 2, 2015 by shrewd.buddha

[Free]

Okay, I'm not reading any of the comments before I post mine.....Okay, what the hell. John now cheats on Molly?? Based on his behaviour in season 1, he is the last person to cheat. And we all knew Julie was into John, but this was strange. Total retcon.

 

 Male Objectivation # 1: Goran Visjnic....yum with the stubble....

Male Objectivation # 2: Jeffrey Dean Morgan. That stubble and those dimples make me weak, but seeing you in Texas Rising two weeks ago, in a barely there low slung linen pants...well now.; Seriously - dude's hot. And I like his character.

 

They destroyed Julie though - she was not like this - she did not want corporate power. John would not have cheated on Molly. This is pure retcon, but the episode did interest me, so I guess I will stick around.

 

I guess the title, "Change Scenarios" was fitting after all.

[ottoDbusdriver]

I'm still not quite sure if Richter is a police detective, a bounty hunter, or something in between.  Because detectives don't get paid by the case, nor do they have the option to pass on a case if the dollar amount doesn't interest them.  And since there really wasn't a suspect in the crime to go after or pick up the trail, and he wasn't there to get Molly, why would he have been called in the first place ?  The whole scenario just doesn't make sense.

 

Obviously, the police removed the body and cleared the scene at that house (in record time no less) and left the virtual police tape to close off the scene.   But when the virtual police tape was broken by Molly and an alert went out, somehow the police didn't show up but the orderlies from Restwell were dispatched.  And since Richter was already on his way to that house, he wasn't notified to go there by Molly's break-in.  In fact, the police never even bothered to show up at all.

 

ETA: I guess with Yasumoto gone, I guess that means that Annie Wersching's character is gone as well -- and her connection to Odin's terrorist group.

 

What the hell happened to Kern ?  To Odin ? To Alan Sparks ? To Sam ? To Sean Glass ?

Edited July 2, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[HalcyonDays]

I guess the title, "Change Scenarios" was fitting after all.

 

I know, eh? When I created the thread, that's the first thing I thought - that the show changed it's entire scenario and plot and purpose completely. Appropriate title.

 

What the hell happened to Kern ?  To Odin ? To Alan Sparks ? To Sam ? To Sean Glass ?

 

No one mentioned this yet, but there was a brief mention of Sam, and Molly saying something like she couldn't be trusted or had betrayed Molly or something. Again, total retcon - Sam was helping Molly as much as she could last season, even though she was threatened by the powers that be. I doubt we'll be seeing Cameron Manheim back either.

[SonofaBiscuit]

I have a tough time with this show because...well, I think that Halle Berry is fairly awful.  Some of the really cringe-y dialogue doesn't help, but ooh boy, no bueno.  That being said, I'm probably going to stick around because yum! Jeffrey Dean Morgan is one fine man.  /shallow.

[ottoDbusdriver]

I like Jeffrey Dean Morgan's voice -- it really suits his character here.  

[mage-girl]

This episode was pretty good! I had low expectations after last season. It wasn't a bad show, it was reasonably watchable, and thank God it was so much better than Under the Dome. :-P

 

Now it's back, and something's changed. Maybe they're trying to streamline the plot? As was mentioned up-thread, a lot of supporting characters seem to be missing. Things felt rather cluttered last season, perhaps they're tightening the focus.

 

I will not miss John; I personally did not think he and Molly had good chemistry. No doubt he's a good actor, just not as Molly's husband. And killing him off cuts the amount of time Molly has to debate whether she misses him (they were married) or it's just as well he's gone (he frickin' cheated on her). She doesn't seem to be doing much debating so far however. Probably happened off-screen.

 

I called Julie and John being involved last season. I know, it's easy to say that NOW, but seriously. Didn't fully trust either of them. 

 

Found myself talking to/yelling at the characters. Is it because I'm more invested? "Molly... Molly, DON'T... Aw, crap."

 

OMG, Jeffrey Dean Morgan. He gets better with age. I remember him more for Denny Duquette (Grey's Anatomy) than John Winchester (Supernatural). Like Denny, he's funny and charming on Extant, too. Hope he sticks around. :-) 

[Actionmage]

The whole tone of the show has changed, In summary :

Season one : "Molly, you in danger girl." (from 'Ghost')

Season two : "Go on with your bad self Molly girl!"

 

 

I respectfully disagree.  First: Molly was in danger and kick ass in S1; she dealt with the alien mind-fuck better than most of the folks who encountered aliens. ( Suicides, paranoia, babies ripping them up from the inside.)

 

Second: Molly's still in danger, while still being kickass. She lied to a Senate committee about the presence of aliens on the planet and she was effectively put somewhere to be kept quiet. If she hadn't broken the media embargo (just for her, as far as we know), Molly would still be in the dark about what tale the Government is spinning ( or not) about What Happened Last Summer.  Molly Woods lives Fox Mulder's life without the FBI backing, but with the certain knowledge that there are aliens and they are here.

 

I hope that Charlie "accidentally" finds Ethan and smuggles him out.  Also, that Julie has no idea who does the deed.  (Yes, Julie was hit harder in the retcon, but she was all-but-openly trying to steal "John Woods" in front of Molly's face. She never had someone teach  her about boundaries and respecting them.)

 

Is Bedroom Woman still going to be waiting for JD by the end of the season, or is she a mole? She did hear about his job and how he gets  gigs. Also, that they are supposed to be private/ not for just any J. Schmoe to listen in on.  (Just because it sounded like an infodump? Doesn't mean it can't be used against the characters later, right?)

[greenbean]

I enjoyed it, but the show feels like one big missed opportunity.

 

I knew John was a goner, so I'm most annoyed that they aged alien!son into an adult. Yeah okay, he ages differently, but still, they didn't have to give him that growth burst. I liked him as a kid.

 

I'm going to miss John. I like him and the science that he brings. I liked the chemistry he had with Molly. It wasn't sentimental, it was strained but they were committed and in love. That's fine by me, it seemed more mature than what tv often offers. I'm not liking the cheating retcon.

 

JD,  like him, but he's a little cliched. I see they want more of an action type guy for male lead, but I liked that Molly and John were academic types thrust into action thriller roles. I was hoping that John would pull out gadgets and stuff. Go all MacGyver on the show and we'd get some cool science, but now we have a straight up action lead. Look, he even has a kickass car!

 

Well I wanted to see John mod his auto-car and give it tricks and weapons. There was potential to put him and Molly on a journey, give them character arcs were they develop their action skills. (Which is what was happening with Molly.) These are clever people, I wanted to see them use their knowledge to figure shit out and thwart the authorities. I wanted more science!

 

At least Ethan is still on the show, he's my favourite character. I'm still worried about how he's going to fit in now that John is gone and it seems Molly is going to be off with JD.

Edited July 2, 2015 by greenbean

[Donny Ketchum]

Damn.  Camryn Manheim wasn't even in this episode, and they still managed to trash Sam in addition to the trashing they did of John.  Shame, writers.  Shame.

[Sandman]

I'm still not quite sure if Richter is a police detective, a bounty hunter, or something in between.  Because detectives don't get paid by the case, nor do they have the option to pass on a case if the dollar amount doesn't interest them.  And since there really wasn't a suspect in the crime to go after or pick up the trail, and he wasn't there to get Molly, why would he have been called in the first place ?  The whole scenario just doesn't make sense.

 

...

 

What the hell happened to Kern ?  To Odin ? To Alan Sparks ? To Sam ? To Sean Glass ?

 

I've forgotten what Richter called his job, but I had the distinct impression that police forces in the Beige-y-First Century have been privatized, at least partially, and he's a contractor / officer-for-hire. The city offers bids to agents per crime, and they work the crime scene independently. Richter did tell Molly that she was trespassing on "his" crime scene. I don't think the police failed to arrive when Molly crossed the holo-tape: I think the police -- in the form of Richter, that is -- were already there.

 

I honestly can't remember -- didn't Kern and Alan Sparks both get killed before the end of the first season?

Edited July 3, 2015 by Sandman

[Happytobehere]

I liked the episode, much improved over last season.

I love Goren but he and Halle had zero chemistry. In two scenes we saw more chemistry with JDM and HB than we saw all last season between GV and HB. I said last year that they undoubtedly cast GV without screen testing him with HB and it showed. He is a solid actor, but he and HB didn't work as a couple. I just wish that the show didn't feel the need to scuzzy him up to pave the way for a new relationship. Just have him die and do the same ff time jump to Molly institutionalized. Julie would have still worked as the villain because she was a part of stealing Ethan and getting John killed, because yeah she is Glenn Close boil a bunny cray-cray. Something about Meryl's daughter is very off-putting, I think so in every role I see her in.

I love Camryn Manheim, so I am disappointed that she appears to have been phased out of the show. I would have loved her to return as the one person Molly could rely upon with the weakness of her brother that was used to make her betray Molly last season.

[Sandman]

I thought the "year in space" was a second trip she made to save the world from the alien at the end of the first season. No?

The original mission was eleven months, but I saw no indication that the return trip to save the world was that long.

[Blue Plastic]

Well, that was more interesting than I thought it would be.  Definitely a different feel and focus from last season but I don't mind terribly.  Especially won't miss all the "my baby, my baby, my baby" type stuff.  Something I don't get - are the "bursting pregnancies" all supposed to be coming from the rapidly aged Offspring only, or are they also coming from the spores that got released from the Seraphim?  I'm so confused about that and what happened with the Offspring and the couple's baby.

 

"Molly and John" may not have had much chemistry but now I'm stuck with "Denny" on my screen.  Just great.  That's how I'll always think of him.  No matter what else he stars in, he'll always be Denny to me and that will always make me think of the fantastically annoying Izzy.  *gag*  Why couldn't they have gotten Gordon (Not! Chandler) back instead?  C'mon, Show!  Why so mean?  I actually really liked Gordon.

 

I'm glad Ethan is still there and I hope they continue to use him.

 

The affair with Julie I definitely see as a retcon.  It was obvious in season 1 that Julie had feelings for John and saw herself as Ethan's rightful mother but I never saw any indication that John had ever reciprocated Julie's feelings.  The show always played it that he was oblivious to Julie's crap.

[Actionmage]

The original mission was eleven months,

 

Brought over  from the Media thread :

 

I can't get past the "13 months totally alone".

 

The writers felt the need to put such a fine point on how Molly was not only alone but also how AlienBaby Marcus couldn't have been  "John Woods' " kid. Also, IA that the second trip, the one to save the world, was definitely shorter.  At the hearing Molly was at in the beginning of the episode, it was stated that showtime has been a year from the incidents we saw last season, in the finale.

 

Also within that timeframe, Ethan was kidnapped by the government, then kidnapped by Julie, John lost his position, and supposedly died by train "accident". Also, supposedly within a couple of months of the S1 finale, Alien Son supposedly died.  Also? Julie was a bitch and came to John's funeral. ( If you are clearly trying to steal someone's husband, and the wife knows it, it's a dick move to do what Julie did. Wait until Molly left, damn.

 

I'm so confused about that and what happened with the Offspring and the couple's baby.

 

I'm not certain, but I read it as: baby's crying- Alien Son distracts with the light show, seizures happen, seeming death.  Since the baby seemed okay, generally, I think nothing happened. Then I remember that I think I saw something on the baby ( something on hir neck or in hir eyes) glow very briefly. I remember wondering if  the infant was a foundling/ made it's way into The System.  Sometimes a crying baby is just a crying baby. Other times? They are acceptable substitutes for tornado sirens.   IA with the posters who are disappointed that Alien Son had a growth spurt.  His actor had so much fun acting stuff potiential to come, but they aged him.  They could have aged him later in the season, right?  (I know-- not enough time for the story they want to tell. Wev.)

[bluebonnet]

I've only just been able to watch this episode.  Holy retcon.  It's like they reimagined the entire series over the hiatus.  Not sure what to think.

 

I guess my lasting thought is wondering why on earth Ethan is still with Julie since he can apparently incapacitate her quite easily by just zapping her robotic legs.  And since he can do all that and even upload himself into the cloud...they really screwed up because of course I'm scratching my brain to figure out why he didn't escape and then go break Molly out of psychiatric hospital.

 

It's hard to determine if I want to stick with this show when they've basically rearranged all of the furniture right out of the gate.  Having Ethan be able to break into space control and then not even able to escape horrible Julie isn't looking so good.  

Edited July 6, 2015 by bluebonnet

[Sandman]

I'm pretty sure that was my mistake upthread in saying the original mission was eleven months; I knew it wasn't a year exactly. I should have said thirteen months. Sorry about that.

[ribboninthesky1]

I love Camryn Manheim, so I am disappointed that she appears to have been phased out of the show. I would have loved her to return as the one person Molly could rely upon with the weakness of her brother that was used to make her betray Molly last season.

 

Yes, and it was foul the way Molly insulted Sam.  Fine, don't have her on the show, but why end it like that? 

 

All in all, this episode was more interesting than I expected.  I will not miss John - beyond said lack of chemistry, I thought he was a general asshole. I am not a Jeffrey Dean Morgan fan (he's looking rather gaunt anyway), but I'll have to deal. At least his character has a sense of humor. I welcome Greg Vaughan back though, if the show is so inclined! 

 

I'm also disappointed that Enver Gjokai (Sean) is no longer on the show.  But at least he's working elsewhere. 

 

With all of the casting changes, I fail to understand why Julie is still on this show.  Unless Molly has another showdown against her with a shovel.  I approve of this, writers, if you're reading this.   

Edited July 6, 2015 by ribboninthesky1

[jhlipton]

With all of the casting changes, I fail to understand why Julie is still on this show.  Unless Molly has another showdown against her with a shovel.  I approve of this, writers, if you're reading this.   

 

I tend to avoid bad-mouthing actresses, since they are usually held to a much higher standard then men, but ugh.  As Dorothy Parker said of Katherine Hepburn, "She runs the gamut of emotions all the way from A to B".  Her scenes with Ethan are typical of this.

[SlackerInc]

They destroyed Julie though - she was not like this - she did not want corporate power. John would not have cheated on Molly. This is pure retcon, but the episode did interest me, so I guess I will stick around.

 

I feel the same, except that I consider the affair within reasonable retcon parameters.  The idea of Julie wanting military-industrial power, being patriotic, etc.?  No way.  She was basically the opposite of that.  But as you say, the episode was surprisingly interesting despite the retcons, so I'm in.

 

And one of the big reasons it did grab me was Jeffrey Dean Morgan.  I had actually never seen him in anything before, so he was totally new to me and quite enjoyable.  I thought the privatization of police detective work was really clever, both the general notion and the details of how it worked.  This continues a theme from last season, in which the space agency had been privatized.

[QueerGirrl]

What I wanted to see was Molly losing control.  Public drunk and disorderly; burning up half the house and chasing that knucklehead around with a shovel!  I would have watched the hell outta that!