S03.E04: Dead Air

[thewhiteowl]

 

Nolan and Amanda are captured while excavating a buried weapons cache; Berlin investigates a Votanis Collective bombing in the heart of Defiance and sees an opportunity to get revenge on Irisa; Stahma's clandestine relationship with the mysterious Omec leader T'evgin takes a turn.

 



 

[SimoneS]

So obsessive Pottinger is back and turned out to be man who raped Amanda all these years before. I wonder if they will bring back Gale Harold as Connor Lang since they went through the trouble of doing that portrait of him. I am glad that the vet/doctor survived. At least, they wrapped up the Pottinger storyline.

 

Berlin leaves Irisa to die. Can't say that I blame her.

Edited June 27, 2015 by SimoneS

[thuganomics85]

I couldn't remember if they had confirmed if Pottinger was the rapist or not last season, but I certainly suspected it.  So, his return and that reveal was no surprise. Glad that Amanda finished him, even if she caused a singularity bomb to blow up the replacement weapons.  It happens!  I do hope former vet/doctor guy sticks around.  He and Yewll could be hilarious together.

 

So, Datak and Stahma pretty much blow up the arc, even before the opening credits.  That was quick!  As an added bonus, Rahm gets a holographic image of him in Defiance all "Y'all got no weapons anymore.  Stay with the humans and you are screwed!" about it, so that's probably going to cause problems, especially Amanda tried to hide it from the town (never a good idea.)  Rahm's next assignment is for them to kill the head Omec guy, after finding about them and their ship.  So, Stahma tried to take the "seduce him and then poison him" approach, but of course, the poison doesn't work.  Really, I thought that was kind of daft of her.  It's obvious the Omecs are in another league compared to the other species.  She should have known there was a chance that wouldn't work.  Lucky for her, he seems to be less pissed about it, and more turned on.  Or he's just really understanding about doing what it takes to protect your child.

 

Looks like those holes in Nolan and Irisa's heads, are really messing them up.  At least Nolan spazzed out in front of Amanda.  Irisa on the other hand, crashes around Berlin, who seems content to just let her die.  Worst timing ever for Irisa.

[BungalowSummer]

Connor Lang is dead, murdered by Datak Tarr after Lang witnessed Datak groveling for his life with an Irathient.

At least Pottinger's Last Hurrah was spectacular: Beatle Biomen, luxury bunker complete with priceless Old Earth art, gourmet food and wine, state-of-the-art screening room, creepy stalker mementos and personal weapon of mass destruction. Sadly, we're also told that Pottinger killed Viceroy Mercado. One nut job killed by an even bigger nut job.

I'm still sick of Berlin's "Tommmeeeee!" vendetta against Irisa.

Meanwhile, I don't yet see an obvious trigger for Nolan and Irisa's seizures. Maybe the vet will survive and work with Doc Yewll to save them.

T'evgin is awesome. I think Stahma will really have to work for this one.

Edited June 27, 2015 by BungalowSummer

[BooksRule]

I remember watching some other show a while back that had a character 'wired' to a bomb that would explode if he died, but I can't remember what show.  ('Bones', maybe?)

 

I can't believe they actually blew up the Arch.

 

I kind of liked George. I'll miss him.

[mustbekarma]

 

 Rahm's next assignment is for them to kill the head Omec guy, after finding about them and their ship.  So, Stahma tried to take the "seduce him and then poison him" approach, but of course, the poison doesn't work.  Really, I thought that was kind of daft of her.  It's obvious the Omecs are in another league compared to the other species.  She should have known there was a chance that wouldn't work.  Lucky for her, he seems to be less pissed about it, and more turned on.  Or he's just really understanding about doing what it takes to protect your child.

 

Looks like those holes in Nolan and Irisa's heads, are really messing them up.  At least Nolan spazzed out in front of Amanda.  Irisa on the other hand, crashes around Berlin, who seems content to just let her die.  Worst timing ever for Irisa.

 

I think the Purple People Eater did respect the fact that Stahma was willing to do whatever it takes to protect her child. He was certainly ready to lay waste to the town to protect his daughter. During the lovemaking scene I was waiting for him to take a bite out of Stahma, especially after she stabbed him with the poison syringe. I believe Stahma is planning an alliance with him as a Plan B to save Alak. I still wonder if the Purple People Eater is just playing Stahma and the pancakes were a ruse to fatten her up.

 

I want somebody to kill Berlin already. Irisa was possessed by the AI of an ark ship. It wasn't Irisa trying to kill everyone. Normally, I'd be sympathetic to Berlin's situation. The man she loved was murdered. I just find Berlin so annoying I just don't care so much about that Sue Sylvester.

Edited June 27, 2015 by mustbekarma

[GenieinTX]

They blew up the Arch!!??  Kevin Muphy even tweeted something about what happened to the arch being called a McCauley.  Dude is tearing the place up this season.  Maybe they suspect it's the last season so let's burn down the house.

 

He was also very proud of the MA rating they got with the sex scene.  That was almost scary.  I thought he was going to eat Stahma. 

[Chaos Theory]

Ok I can admit when I am wrong. I didn't think Pottinget was the one who raped Amands. It seemed too coincidental to me. Turns out not a councidence. Thought the scene played out really well with the flashlight, mask, secret stash of tapes and Pottingers obsession with Amanda's ex.

I liked the scenes with Stahma and the Omec they were fun.

[Shanna Marie]

Okay, so now we have Pottinger closure, and appropriate to the character, though I'm going to miss him. I enjoyed the combination of charming and creepy, with a side of total nutjob and a dash of damaged. I don't know if it's the writing or the acting, but he was utterly compelling, while Rahm utterly bores me. I guess if they had to get rid of the character, he might as well go out with a bang. Literally.

 

I'm glad they saved the vet and I wouldn't mind him sticking around. I wish they could have also brought George with them.

[BungalowSummer]

I'm glad they saved the vet and I wouldn't mind him sticking around. I wish they could have also brought George with them.

I agree. One could say that Pottinger's most enduring relationships were with Biomen who had tender, protective feelings for him.

It also saddened me that the Old World DNA, art and heritage were destroyed by Pottinger's bomb. The McCawleys, Old St. Louis, the Arch... Bit by bit, the writers are destroying the remnants of the human and natural history of Earth. It's depressing.

[susan vance]

I'm hoping that Berlin's reaction was a misdirect and she's going to get the doc to help Irisa. I think a lot of her anger at Irisa stems from the fact that deep down, she knows that Tommy loved Irisa in a way that he never loved Berlin. I was glad to see Irisa stand up for herself against Berlin in their argument.

Pottinger was a great character, so compelling and somehow human in spite of his tremendously twisted behavior.One thing I loved about his character was how freely he acknowledged that he was screwed up - he knew he was profoundly broken but took too much pleasure in it to ever try to redeem himself. I thought they set up the reveal of him as Amanda's attacker well-and I loved that he never admitted it, weasel that he was.

I didn't love the premiere and was really upset by the loss of the MacCawleys, so I was a little worried about the show, but last week's episode and especially this week's both feel like the show I love.

Also, Stahma admitting that she thinks Alak is lost to them was a great character moment for me, underscoring just how clear-sighted and ruthless she is.

[ramble]

I've always had a soft spot for the Biomen so killing off the Beatles was disappointing. This episode was too Amanda-centric for me. She bores me on so many levels.

I loved the interaction of Stahma & Papa Purple People Eater. They play off each other well. I'm intrigued where they'll go together. When Stahma was telling Datak about possibly writing Alak off I could almost hear her thinking that Baby Bear would be her new project.

I'm over Berlin & the Tommy drama. It makes me wish the character would disappear. I used to mildly enjoy her. I did wonder if the vet is the new Tommy.

[GaT]

The Amanda/Nolan part of this episode felt like filler just to finally get rid of Pottinger, and that's another human that's gone.

 

It also saddened me that the Old World DNA, art and heritage were destroyed by Pottinger's bomb. The McCawleys, Old St. Louis, the Arch... Bit by bit, the writers are destroying the remnants of the human and natural history of Earth. It's depressing.

They're getting rid of everything human & it annoys me.

[wayne67]

Did it annoy anyone else when the vet referenced the singularity bomb being a wormhole ?

 

Good work Amanda not only did you destroy all the weapons you came for and murdered 5 people essentially in cold blood you didn't even extract an actual confession. *sigh* I miss early season Amanda where she was capable and managed to do stuff though I suppose she is a good kneecapper.

[Chaos Theory]

Amanda has always been my favorite character so I loved a Amanda-centric episode. I have loved her three season downward spiral from optimistic mayor to season two drug addicted madam to season three barely hanging on to her sanity and town...,a mayor. Then again I have always liked Julie Benz. I think she is an incredibly underrated actress.

[Quilt Fairy]

I liked the scenes with Stahma and the Omec they were fun

They were hot.

[SimoneS]

I like Amanda also. I was glad that she got to find out the truth about Pottinger. She did not know that he was wired to explode so he is to blame for blowing up the weapons not her.

I have no problem with Berlin's anger towards Irisa. Yes, it is tad irrational, but it is good to see someone mourn Tommy.

I had forgotten that Datak murdered Connor. Another reason to dislike the Tarrs.

[ottoDbusdriver]

I had to laugh when Pottinger turned down the lights and fired up the Spandau Ballet.

[jhlipton]

I remember watching some other show a while back that had a character 'wired' to a bomb that would explode if he died, but I can't remember what show.  ('Bones', maybe?)

 

Bomber with a "dead man switch" is a pretty common trope these days.  Here's the TV Tropes entry: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DeadManSwitch

 

I like Amanda also. I was glad that she got to find out the truth about Pottinger. She did not know that he was wired to explode so he is to blame for blowing up the weapons not her.

 

I think Nolan told her just before she shot Pottenger.  My thought at the time was that she cared soooooooooooooooo much for Defiance, but cared for revenge more.

[wayne67]

I like Amanda also. I was glad that she got to find out the truth about Pottinger. She did not know that he was wired to explode so he is to blame for blowing up the weapons not her.

 

I'm fairly sure Pottinger told her that if she shot him they'd all blow up so she shot him and said "guess not" (paraphrasing) and shot him some more without asking any more questions about it until she had pumped him with enough bullets to kill him. He told her, she didn't care, the place blew up. I'd say it was both their faults , his for setting it up and hers for ignoring Pottinger's warnings and ignoring Nolan.

[BooksRule]

Bomber with a "dead man switch" is a pretty common trope these days.  Here's the TV Tropes entry: http://tvtropes.org/...n/DeadManSwitch

 

Thanks!  After reading the list, it was an episode of 'Lost' that I was thinking of when I saw the scene on 'Defiance'.

[Chicago Redshirt]

I wonder when they will get around to showing what the Omec in fact eat, or rather, how they eat people. T'evgin (Papa Purple People Eater) went to the market looking for "sugar bread" and made pancakes that I assume ultimately were for both him and Stahma. 

 

I did kind of like Stahma's "I've got to sleep with him and then kill him...for science!" Was she planning to do that with Daughter Omec too?

 

Speaking of which, Daughter Omec has been MIA for a few eps now. Wonder what she's up to?

 

Has Berlin been demoted now that Nolan and Irisa are back? Can she get another note to her character beyond "TOMMY!" and "Me Hate Irisa!"?

 

Seems to me it would have been smarter to just let Nolan go with his roller full of weapons or to straight up kill him than to reveal you're a bad guy and give him opportunities to escape. But then of course, we wouldn't have a show.

[raven]

 

Can she get another note to her character beyond "TOMMY!" and "Me Hate Irisa!"?

It's pretty tiresome.  I didn't mind Berlin last season, but if this is all there is to her this time around, she can go away.

 

So the whole trip for weapons was a waste.  Pottinger was probably Amanda's rapist and now he's dead, the weapons and old Earth remnants gone.  What did that prove?  I know some were looking for closure there, but it wasn't a particularly interesting sequence.

 

Not surprising that Papa Omec didn't die and saw through Stahma's plan; would have been a wasted character otherwise.  Based on their history, I find Stahma's and Datak's behavior not very believable, that they just go along with whatever Rahm wants.  I'm probably a broken record about that, but each episode it becomes a bit more unbelievable to me.  At last Stahma brought it up this time, that Rahm will kill Alak regardless of what they do.

 

Execept for whatever residual effects Nolan and Irisa are feeling, this episode was kind of pointless for me.   The vet could be an interesting character, hopefully he isn't killed off next week.

[Chaos Theory]

Its funny I am a BIG FAN of the Tarrs.  They have always been one of the most entertaining things about this show.  They make great villains.  The dangerous thing about villains though is that eventually they go to far and I think for me the Tarrs finally have.  Ironically it wasn't with killing Kenya or the McCawley's its with any of their random treachery.  Its with the bombing of the arch and the destruction of the guns.  That is a bridge to far for me.   The Tarr's have been entertaining Villians but I think it is time that one or both of them meet their end this season.   If both of them survive I will be disappointed unless the show does some major fancy footwork because I think finally they have gone too far.

[HeySandyStrange]

I have a love/hate relationship with the Tarrs, personally. They are fascinating and entertaining (particularly Stahma) but they also can be Gary/Mary Stuish (particularly Stahma). So far they have gotten off easy in the grand scheme of things, because everyone around them is either dumber, weaker, or too moral to take revenge on them. Which is why I'm curious to see where the daddy Omec/Stahma thing is going. He definitely can go toe to toe with the Tarrs at their bests, and I think he could potentially be as cold-blooded as them as well. I can see the manipulation of daddy Omec and being lackey's for Rahm blowing up in their faces.

Edited June 28, 2015 by HeySandyStrange

[jhlipton]

It's pretty tiresome.  I didn't mind Berlin last season, but if this is all there is to her this time around, she can go away.

 

So the whole trip for weapons was a waste.  Pottinger was probably Amanda's rapist and now he's dead, the weapons and old Earth remnants gone.  What did that prove?  I know some were looking for closure there, but it wasn't a particularly interesting sequence.

 

I agree with all of this.  The "filed trip" was bleh.  It's not like Nolan or Amanda were in any danger.  

 

I liked the Tarrs when they were being duplicitous for their own ends, but Stahma bowing her head, kowtowing and [ugh] giggling is not fun.  It's not the Stahma I've come to know and enjoy. 

[raven]

 

So far they have gotten off easy in the grand scheme of things, because everyone around them is either dumber, weaker, or too moral to take revenge on them.

 

I agree, at least about Stahma.  Datak has at least lost his crime lord position, been beaten up and imprisoned.  Stahma has killed quite a few people and gotten away with it.

 

I like them together and though Stahma is a fun character, I prefer Datak and his sense of humor.  I hope he doesn't get pushed aside too much with what I assume will be an upcoming Stahma/Omec alliance. 

 

I was looking forward to more McCawley/Tarr interactions, since we're not going to get that I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the Tarrs won't take over the show, Sylar-fashion.  I don't think so, Defiance generally works its ensemble pretty well, but with all the killing off of charcters I wonder what's going to happen.

Edited June 29, 2015 by raven

[maczero]

Goodbye Pottinger.  I'm going to miss your convoluted plot creating, peeping tom, stalking, rapist ass.  Speaking of convoluted plots, I wish Amanda would've learned about some of the other crazy ass things he did to get into her knickers.  

 

While on the subject of Pottinger, I still can't buy he would have willingly left Amanda.  Didn't he manage to have sex with her at the end of last season?  Any guy who has shrine and video library dedicated to a woman, isn't going to leave her because his superiors tell it's time to move on.

 

Datak must feel completely emasculated now.  There was a time when he would've throttled Stahma for even looking at another man.  Now she tells him she's going to fuck another dude and he pretty much nods and accepts it.  

Edited July 1, 2015 by maczero

[bluebonnet]

So I thought I sort of enjoyed this show, at least enough to pay attention.  Then I found myself wondering who the hell Pottinger is.  I have zero memory of him.  I went back and read a wiki summary of him and it's still a total loss.  I have no freaking clue.  For a second I thought maybe I missed a season without realizing, but nope, I remember a whole bunch of other stuff.  So weird.  

[Clanstarling]

I'm fairly sure Pottinger told her that if she shot him they'd all blow up so she shot him and said "guess not" (paraphrasing) and shot him some more without asking any more questions about it until she had pumped him with enough bullets to kill him. He told her, she didn't care, the place blew up. I'd say it was both their faults , his for setting it up and hers for ignoring Pottinger's warnings and ignoring Nolan.

IIRC, she shot him and they didn't blow up (it was killing him that would do it). Plus, who in the world would believe anything that came out of his mouth?

 

My take on Nolan's warning and Amanda's shot was that it was just a second too late - she didn't have time to process it before pulling the trigger.

 

 

 

I liked the Tarrs when they were being duplicitous for their own ends, but Stahma bowing her head, kowtowing and [ugh] giggling is not fun.  It's not the Stahma I've come to know and enjoy. 

I've always seen that behavior as a disguise, to use the preconceptions of Casti femininity as a weapon, using the biases of others against them. So that doesn't bother me - in fact, to me it telegraphs that she's going into serious scheming mode.

[CoderLady]

I've always seen that behavior as a disguise, to use the preconceptions of Casti femininity as a weapon, using the biases of others against them. So that doesn't bother me - in fact, to me it telegraphs that she's going into serious scheming mode.

 

Animated screensaver mode then, while processing in the background. Cool.

Edited June 29, 2015 by CoderLady

[Emily Thrace]

They're getting rid of everything human & it annoys me.

I actually think it deliberate their burning down the old world to make room for a new one.

 

We also got a new human minority character this week. From the ten minute I watched him during that Degrassi episode this kid is already a better actor than Tommy ever was so I think we can call that a win.  It does make me worry about Doc Yewell I do hope this kid isn't a replacement doctor.

[Clanstarling]

I actually think it deliberate their burning down the old world to make room for a new one.

 

We also got a new human minority character this week. From the ten minute I watched him during that Degrassi episode this kid is already a better actor than Tommy ever was so I think we can call that a win.  It does make me worry about Doc Yewell I do hope this kid isn't a replacement doctor.

I think the fact that he was a veterinarian and is now a "doctor" working on Votans (and humans), there could be great tension and humor between him and Yewell. At least I'm hoping for that

 

I'm giving the show some time to develop the new realty - after all, they did resolve the Pottinger questions we've been complaining about (and Mercado too, albeit in an aside you could easily miss).

 

Edited to say I have great respect for veterinarians, whose training is comparable to doctors', but who have to learn about and work on multiple species who can't tell them what's wrong. So those quotes were more in the mindset of what Yewell and others might think.

Edited June 30, 2015 by clanstarling

[HeySandyStrange]

 

I think the fact that he was a veterinarian and is now a "doctor" working on Votans (and humans), there could be great tension and humor between him and Yewell. At least I'm hoping for that

 

If the new doc does end up spending some time in Defiance and opening his own practice (or sharing one with Ywell) it will be interesting to see who will start using him instead of Ywell. Not only could it lead to some great comedy, but social commentary about their world. Would he steal away Ywell's human patients, who might prefer another human to a Votan? Or does he have a better bedside manner then Doc Ywell? Or will everyone look down on him because of the veterinarian part? I'm curious to see were they will go with him.