S01.E03: The Silence Of The Cicadas

[Tara Ariano]

Jackson flies to Japan with Abraham to recover the rest of his father's research involving animals; Jamie convinces Mitch to join her when she shows a Louisiana senator their findings on the abnormal behavior of the zoo lions; a shadowy intelligence agent recruits Chloe in Paris; and a death-row inmate escapes from a Mississippi prison during a vicious wolf invasion.

[ottoDbusdriver]

a death-row inmate escapes from a Mississippi prison during a vicious wolf invasion.

 

I'm dying to see how a pack of wolves manages to get onto the Green Mile, kill all the guards, and get the cell doors open -- don't prisons (especially maximum security prisons that house death-row inmates) have things like multiple fence lines that not only keep inmates in but would keep wolves out, as well as guard towers with snipers.

 

Maybe one of the wolves has been working as a civilian contractor in the prison and has been smuggling in power tools in frozen meat. </snark>

[shapeshifter]

What would "silent cicadas" have to do with wolves and convicts and senators oh my?

And no way are cicadas silent unless they're dead. Hmmm....maybe something to do with Evil Corps' Pollution Plot?

[Bruinsfan]

I think wolves could likely chew holes in chain link fences if they had a compelling reason to do so - they can crack herd animal femurs in their jaws. That wouldn't work on cellblock bars though.

 

Perhaps they opted for the time-honored tradition of dressing up like Grandma?

[shapeshifter]

I think wolves could likely chew holes in chain link fences if they had a compelling reason to do so - they can crack herd animal femurs in their jaws. That wouldn't work on cellblock bars though.

 

Perhaps they opted for the time-honored tradition of dressing up like Grandma?

Ooo! I sure hope so.

[Netfoot]

What would "silent cicadas" have to do with wolves and convicts and senators oh my?

And no way are cicadas silent unless they're dead. Hmmm....maybe something to do with Evil Corps' Pollution Plot?

 

Cicadas traditionally fall silent when danger approaches.  As the enemy sneaks up on the camp, the defenders are alerted by the unexpected silence.

[slothgirl]

Cicadas traditionally fall silent when danger approaches.  As the enemy sneaks up on the camp, the defenders are alerted by the unexpected silence.

Cicadas must not think me very dangerous then, because I've had them land right on me without ever stopping their noise.

 

Crickets on the other hand definitely fall silent when anything approaches, which makes the sudden lack of cricket sounds really creepy if you haven't moved. It also makes them impossible to find when they get in the house.

[ParadoxLost]

So I liked the part when the show said 'ah F$#% it, I'm sick of this assemble the team crap' and the French guy manages to get from the US to Japan instantaneously.

 

Also, calling it now.  The wolves have control over the death row killer or he's infected with the virus / mutation or whatever.

Edited July 15, 2015 by ParadoxLost

[alias1]

Well, I loved Billy Burke telling the senator why he had such a massive moosehead,

[ParadoxLost]

I forgot..  In a world where animals attack, this is our only hope

 

 

 

[shapeshifter]

Well, I loved Billy Burke telling the senator why he had such a massive moosehead,

I am loving Billy Burke in this role. It makes me wonder what he could bring to Sharknado. And I bet he could so eat up and spit out Nic Pizzolatto's prose on True Detective that all the super stars over there are struggling with this season.

So did the cicadas get silent because the radiation killed them? If so, that might explain how they're going to side step the possiblity of mosquitos who are mad about Deet infecting us all with an especially virulent HIV strain. I mean, maybe the animals need a catalyst to make them go psycho, and the catalyst can either be radiation or Radien's toxic pesticide, but both would kill the bugs before they could attack.

The death row guy could so out-Manson the guy on Aquarius.

[ParadoxLost]

I actually didn't catch anything about cicadas?  Did they actually reference them in the show or just the title? 

Edited July 15, 2015 by ParadoxLost

[Free]

 

The death row guy could so out-Manson the guy on Aquarius.

 

He actually was more menacing.

 

 

Did they actually reference them in the show or just the title?

 

Seems to be just the title, which is animal/pun related.

[slothgirl]

The cheese is so thick, I could have made my lasagna with just the noodles and tomato sauce tonight, but I love this show anyway. It's just SO bad in a guilty-pleasure ridiculous-summer-indulgence-to-guffaw-over kind of way.

 

I was so hoping that BB would insist on leaving reporter girl behind. Why on earth he decided to require her inclusion, I've no idea. She annoys me to no end. When he said "On one condition..." I really thought maybe the condition was that she couldn't go. Except I knew they weren't going to do that.

 

As long as humans have mastered instantaneous transportation, we have nothing to fear from animals. Even with all their trickery, I can't see them getting to Tokyo as fast as we apparently can.

 

Was that prison walk enclosure really surrounded by razor wire everywhere except the gate wall, which was not only free of obstruction above, but LOWER than the surrounding fence? I could have been over that in 2 minutes, tops. I looked more carefully at the final shot of it, and it really looked like there was nothing to stop anyone from just climbing over the top right above the gate.

[ottoDbusdriver]

So, is there a red eye flight from Paris to Slovenia ?  When were all the bodies found and processed and the local coroner knew to notify secret-agent guy ?

 

How did that wolf get inside fence outside the warden's office in the first place ?  Wouldn't the guards have noticed that ?

 

Bats.  Thousands of bats.  Flying in daylight.  5000 ft. in the air.  How about no ?  And the plane crashes from the bats on the way to an island off Fukushima.  Sure, why not ?

 

Let's give up on CPR after about 30 seconds of trying ?  Really ?  Smell ya later Jackson's stepmom.

 

Jamie somehow finagles Mitch to join her on a flight to New Orleans to visit some Senator she knows is supportive of her fight with Reiden Global -- and stops off on the way to visit her mom's grave because she thinks that Reiden Global killed her mom.  But the Senator has given up the fight despite the new "evidence" from Mitch.

 

Line of the episode

Mitch: "Senator -- I did my grad school thesis on the inverse proportionality of taxidermied wall mounts to their owner's penis size. My condolences to your wife."

 

WTF with the eyeless horses ?  The horses had the 'defiant pupil' so Jackson's dad cut their eyes out.

 

How in the fuckity fuck did secret agent guy know that Mitch was in that bar in New Orleans ?  And then shows up in Japan to rescue Abe and Jackson mere hours later, just in time when the radiation level spikes ?  And he dragged Chloe, Mitch and Jamie with him to Japan.

 

That wolf attack on the prison was so ridiculous.  Are we supposed to conclude that the wolves planned to attack the inmate in the kitchen knowing that it would cause a fire and open all the cell doors ?

[blackwing]

So many deaths. And yet none of them happen to be the irritating reporter lady with the flinty voice. Whyyyyyyyyyyy. Whyyyyy. Can't stand her. Just because she's in the credits doesn't mean she has to live, right? I'm thinking back to movies like "Deep Blie Sea" in which everyone except two people die. Why can't she be on the buffet?

French guy has instant teleporting powers. From France to Slovenia to New Orleans to Tokyo. He seems so sinister, maybe he is behind it all.

What a waste of Tamlyn Tomita. How come she has to die, and yet we still are saddled with Irritating Flinty Voiced Reporter Lady? I demand answers.

[Bruinsfan]

When they were showing the flashback to last week I was thinking "Why can't they make Jackson's mom a major part of the story? Her actress is WAY more watchable than the petulant child reporter." Then they introduce and kill a Tamlyn Tomita character in about five minutes of screentime. The people behind this show have no clue whatsoever.

[DEM]

I hereby join the chorus of "Tamlyn Tomita: WTF was that?!"

 

I'm trying to decide which was more laughable: Sinister French Dude's teleportation powers or that prison break.  What kind of maximum security prison was that? What did the first guard who opened the gate think he was going to accomplish? Was he going to shoo the wolf away?

 

Nancy Drew doesn't seem to understand the concept of 'evidence'.  They don't have journalistic evidence of a link between Radeon and the lions, let alone scientific evidence.

 

After much talk about the degree of urgency due to the level of radiation on the island, Oz and Abraham proceed to... watch home movies and take trips down memory lane. Rather than pack as much important-looking stuff into bags as they could, Abraham apparently thought he could find The Answer right on top of the piles. At least Oz took a few photos of the cave drawings on the wall.

 

This show is so goofy. By the time we got to the end and Chloe of the Silly Shoes made her grand, perfectly-timed entrance, I was all groaned out.

Edited July 15, 2015 by DEM

[slothgirl]

I hereby join the chorus of "Tamlyn Tomita: WTF was that?!"

Add me to the chorus. I thought sure they'd be able to revive her since she was a name actress.

Edited July 15, 2015 by slothgirl

[Netfoot]

Inverse proportionality of taxidermy wallmounts to their owners penis size?  Hah!  He couldn't have done the thesis on pickup truck sizes instead?

[thuganomics85]

Man, Prison Break would have gone in a much different direction if Michael Schofield had a bunch of wolf friends.  I'm assuming that whole prison break is because this new guy apparently killed a bunch of hunters, so he's on the wolves good list.  I really want to know if the animals want all humans gone or if they will form allies.  I mean, for example, would they be cool with PETA folks?  Or do they even find them too preachy and annoying?  So many questions!

 

Anyway, the whole wolf prison break was the best.  By best, I mean I was laughing at how ridiculous the entire thing was and all the hilarious shots (some of the cutaways between the panicking guards/prisoners and the wolves growing just cracked me up for some reason).  But, what can I say?  It was so damn entertaining.  Dumb, but entertaining.

 

So, Tamlyn Tonita shows up as Jackson's stepmom (that he never even knew about), and it already more interesting then Jaime, only to get killed off in five minutes.  Boo!  Fuck you, bats!  Anyway, after the bat attack (goddamn Batman.  I'm sure he's to blame!), Jackson and Abe do find the rest of the drives (I think), but I could barely pay attention between the blind horses and every single damn time someone said "defiant pupil."  I swear, that bit is just killing me.  I don't know why I find it hilarious, but I do.  Favorite moment was when Abe said it dramatically, before cutting to commercial break.  Gold star to Nonso Anozie for the effort, at least.

 

Meanwhile, Mitch somehow lets Jaime convince him to go to New Orleans to convince a Senator friend of hers to pursue their new theory.  This, of course, blows up in her face.  The show tries its hardest to make Jaime sympathetic with her dead mommy story, but I ain't biting, show.  Only reason her scenes weren't a complete bust were because Mitch/Billy Burke single-handily saved them by being awesome.  Seriously, Burke is killing it.  I somehow see both Mitch and Burke in this performance.  Anytime Mitch gives a look where he seems to be thinking "This is stupid, but it's not like I got anything better to do", I can also see Billy being like "This is stupid, but I really could be in something much, much worse."

 

But, hey, in the end, it all leads to something.  Turns out Bearded Dude who approached Chloe last week, can somehow just jump around all over the planet in record fashion (he must have a teleporter or is a Time Lord.  I will not accept any other options), so he's now recruited all the regulars (although, I do get a kick out of that it seems like the only reason Jaime is here is because Mitch felt bad for her).  They are working for some character played by Carl Lumbly (Dixon from Alias!  What I would give for Victor Garber to show up and just have him and Burke trade barbs over the stupidity), who believes that the animals are gearing up for war!  Sounds fun!  Except that he apparently is making Chole the default leader.  Eh, at least it wasn't Jaime...

 

Favorite set-up was the obvious one about Abe dramatically saying that he "doesn't talk about his past."  So, of course, this means Abe has some dirty, dirty secrets!  Too late, man! I already know!  You use to be one of the big dogs in Qarth, until you tried to betray the Mother of Dragons.  Oh, sorry, wrong show!

 

I swear, I know this show is stupid, but there is something about it that just keeps me so highly entertained.  I'm certainly not hard on it like I am with Under the Dome.  I guess it's because it at least has something resemble a coherent plot, while I feel like Dome is really just throwing crap at the wall and seeing what sticks.  Granted, this is only the third episode, so they could easily crash and burn soon, but this at least is amusing me greatly.

Edited July 15, 2015 by thuganomics85

[ketchuplover]

I didn't notice the eyeless horses :(   Where's Dr.Doolittle when you need him?

[shapeshifter]

As soon as the bat swarm appeared, I said to myself, "I wonder if pilots in Japan know about Sully Sullenberger landing the plane in the Hudson, and, if they do, has this pilot studied his technique?" Apparently not.

My first job out of college was as a property claims adjuster.  My territory was a very rural area in the South.  Literally every house that I went to inspect had multiple deer mounts on the wall.  I can attest that Billy Burke's comment about the size of the mount being proportional to the owner's manhood was spot on.

You mean that was an oft-repeated saying? Or is this based on more up-close-and-personal, anecdotal observations?

...I somehow see both Mitch and Burke in this performance.  Anytime Mitch gives a look where he seems to be thinking "This is stupid, but it's not like I got anything better to do", I can also see Billy being like "This is stupid, but I really could be in something much, much worse."

I know! And it's great to watch!

 

...I swear, I know this show is stupid, but there is something about it that just keeps me so highly entertained.  I'm certainly not hard on it like I am with Under the Dome.  I guess it's because it at least has something resemble a coherent plot, while I feel like Dome is really just throwing crap at the wall and seeing what sticks.  Granted, this is only the third episode, so they could easily crash and burn soon, but this at least is amusing me greatly.

I'm actually still wearing my imaginary UtDA chip--haven't seen an episode since early last season--but I find myself making this exact comparison each episode of Zoo. But really, without Billy Burke's obvious amusement at being paid to be so campy, I doubt I'd still be watching Zoo either.

[monakane]

 

Was that prison walk enclosure really surrounded by razor wire everywhere except the gate wall, which was not only free of obstruction above, but LOWER than the surrounding fence? I could have been over that in 2 minutes, tops. I looked more carefully at the final shot of it, and it really looked like there was nothing to stop anyone from just climbing over the top right above the gate.

 

I noticed the fence.  I'm old and arthritic and I could have made it over that fence.  The whole prison break story was so damn hilarious.  #teamwolf

[MissLucas]

Bat-attack, finger chewing horses, French Time Lord (best explanation yet) and a second attack by apex predators on people armed with guns and not a single shot was fired! What's not to love about this show?

Also - the repeated zooming in and out on lonely wolf sentry* reminded me of Ninja kitty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG6iF7fPzkU

 

*btw. I live in an area where the wolf is making a somewhat unwelcome return and I can assure you a lonely wolf standing around in daylight for hours would not have gone unnoticed but maybe things are different in Mississippi?

Edited July 15, 2015 by MissLucas

[ottoDbusdriver]

Billy Burke has to be thinking that "Hey, I was on Revolution and those travel shenanigans were ridiculous when we walked everywhere, but this show appears to have transporters with damn near instantaneous world-wide travel .  Sure, that's believable."

I do like Mitch Morgan -- crusty, gruff, jaded, snarky -- he's awesome.

 

So, in addition to developing hive-mind world-wide communication skills like the lions, are the wolves all-knowing and all-seeing now as well ?  I still astounded how that wolf got inside the fence, let alone how did that wolf know that that particular death-row inmate was in that prison -- and he coincidentally is an ally to the wolves since he killed hunters ?

 

Turns out Bearded Dude who approached Chloe last week, can somehow just jump around all over the planet in record fashion (he must have a teleporter or is a Time Lord.  I will not accept any other options)

 

Mystery Man has an actual name now -- Gaspald Alves.

 

Was that prison walk enclosure really surrounded by razor wire everywhere except the gate wall, which was not only free of obstruction above, but LOWER than the surrounding fence?

 

Budget cuts ? But the more ridiculous thing is that the razor wire topped the fence on both sides of that run all the way back to the building.  And then for the guard to leave him attended for good measure was even stupider.

 

Did anyone else notice the flag re-arrangement outside the prison ?  When the warden escorts out the wife of the victim there are 3 flag poles -- US flag, Mississippi flag and a 3rd dark flag.  When the scene switches, the US flag and Mississippi flags have switched poles.  And then when the wolf attacks, there are no flags at all on the poles outside the prison.

 

With all the incidents of animal attack behavior that Gaspald listed, I'm thinking its definitely not all Reiden Global's fault.

• Horses in Japan
• Bats in Japan
• Lions in Botswana
• Lions in LA
• Cats in LA
• Dogs in Slovenia
• Wolves in Mississippi
• Rhinos in Sumatra
• Brown Bears in Germany

[wayne67]

I liked that we got a bit more scope for the threat. There are more animal related deaths happening around the world and there are several species in play.

 

Unfortunately I'm still annoyed by the fact that we never really see the animals actually do anything lethal. Is it too much to ask for one Direwolf like throat ripping scene in a zooapocalypse story? *sigh*

 

Also a penis size joke ? *eye roll*

 

Maybe now that the team has assembled, we might find out some kind of explanation for the animals turning on humans at this particular moment. Did radiation effect one animal and it started spreading from there ? Is it the MegaGlobalCorp (I still can't retain that company's name) fault for cost cutting measures ?

 

I'm left wondering if those cats have forsaken their plan to kill those children at the day camp or whether they were just doing recon for a later mission.

 

I'm hoping we get some species with fingers involved in the conflict so they can open doors for their animal brethren. Or rats. Rats number about 8 million in Paris apparently outnumbering humans by 4. A plague of rats could be more interesting than these referenced serial/mass murders.

[Neurochick]

Man, Prison Break would have gone in a much different direction if Michael Schofield had a bunch of wolf friends.  I'm assuming that whole prison break is because this new guy apparently killed a bunch of hunters, so he's on the wolves good list.  I really want to know if the animals want all humans gone or if they will form allies.  I mean, for example, would they be cool with PETA folks?  Or do they even find them too preachy and annoying?  So many questions!

 

 

I thought that Charles Manson 2.0 was going to start howling at the end.  But the wolf looked at him like, "shit, that dude's crazy."  

 

Bats flying in the daytime?  How's that possible?   Aren't they blinded in the daylight, and that's why they're out at night?

 

Why did the wolves even bother going to the prison, as opposed to going to a mall or somewhere?  To release Manson 2.0?  Why were the guards running?  They have GUNS and I don't think the wolves are immortal or something, I mean this isn't "Twilight."

 

So the dogs want to learn how to become killers?  BTW, if all of this is because of a pesticide, or radiation,why aren't humans acting crazy?  I mean we're all mammals, and yes, the answer is ALWAYS radiation.  Like in those 1950's movies where they thought radiation made things grow.

 

Eyes are the windows of the soul?  Yeah, but sight isn't the primary sense of lions or cats, it's smell. 

Edited July 15, 2015 by Neurochick

[Ohwell]

This shit is so stupid and I am loving every minute of it.

[willow2tree]

I see that Billie Burke brought the instantaneous transporter over with him from Revolution.  They could make it anywhere in incredibly short order there, too.  I think Billie is having more fun here than he did on Revolution, but I bet he is missing his best bud Bass.  Bring on David Lyon!  Surely the name Lyon counts for something in this giggle fest...

[MissLucas]

 

Bats flying in the daytime?  How's that possible?   Aren't they blinded in the daylight, and that's why they're out at night?

Ah but radiation/Reiden Group pesticides/whatever change animals' perception - whatever that means. So the defiant pupil makes them see in daylight - or something.

[LydiaMoon1]

What a waste of Tamlyn Tomita. How come she has to die, and yet we still are saddled with Irritating Flinty Voiced Reporter Lady?

So much truth.

 

Well, I loved Billy Burke telling the senator why he had such a massive moosehead,

I thought that insult was dickish and unneccessary.  All that congressman did was acknowledge that he'd been out-fought by a deep-pocketed agribusiness conglomerate.  There was no reason to attack him, especially when all he and that idiot reporter had was their flimsy conclusions and untested hypotheses about the lion's food. In fact, I find Billy Burke's character AND that silly reporter to be deeply unlikeable.

 

With all the incidents of animal attack behavior that Gaspald listed, I'm thinking its definitely not all Reiden Global's fault.

    Horses in Japan

    Bats in Japan

    Lions in Botswana

    Lions in LA

    Cats in LA

    Dogs in Slovenia

    Wolves in Mississippi

    Rhinos in Sumatra

    Brown Bears in Germany

Exactly.

Edited July 15, 2015 by LydiaMoon1

[JTMacc99]

Also, calling it now.  The wolves have control over the death row killer or he's infected with the virus / mutation or whatever.

I can't be the only person who noticed he had the eye thing going on.  For sure in his left eye he had the drippy black streaks that we saw in the lions.

Ah but radiation/Reiden Group pesticides/whatever change animals' perception - whatever that means. So the defiant pupil makes them see in daylight - or something.

Bats can't see very well night or day; they are echolocation all the way.

 

The power of the defiant pupil obviously isn't related to the power of eyesight for any particular species.  That would just be crazy talk.

Edited July 15, 2015 by JTMacc99

[Sandman]

I'd like to join the "WTF? Tamlyn Tomita's only on the show for five minutes?" support group, please. Just put Bess Armstrong and Minako and Gaspard the French Timelord in charge of things, and they'll sort the world out, kamikaze bat squadrons or no. ("Gaspard Alves," by the way, is absolutely the name of a French person who was born on Gallifrey.)

I still find James Wolk charming, in spite of the gooey cheese this show is drowning him in, and I think casting him as the son of Crazy Michael Steadman is kind of genius, actually.

So why is Carl Lumbly setting Chloé up so transparently to be in conflict with the others ("Frenchie here is the Boss Of You!")

[JTMacc99]

I'm left wondering if those cats have forsaken their plan to kill those children at the day camp or whether they were just doing recon for a later mission.

I assume the cats from episode 1 are just going to show up in a tree in Belgium, which is in line with my understanding of how travel works on this show.

Edited July 15, 2015 by JTMacc99

[walnutqueen]

Unfair Wolves!

 

Manson Wannabe/Dr. Dolittle!

 

Radiation!

 

Cheeze and Jocularity!

[Pippin]

Haven't seen the episode yet (will have to catch it online) but I don't mind being semi-spoiled; plus the comments here are just as entertaining as the show itself.

 

My first job out of college was as a property claims adjuster.  My territory was a very rural area in the South.  Literally every house that I went to inspect had multiple deer mounts on the wall.  I can attest that Billy Burke's comment about the size of the mount being proportional to the owner's manhood was spot on.

 

 

Well, the Natives in Northern Ontario (where I grew up) have a saying:  "The smaller the dick, the bigger the gun."  For whatever it's worth.

[maczero]

Man, Prison Break would have gone in a much different direction if Michael Schofield had a bunch of wolf friends.  I'm assuming that whole prison break is because this new guy apparently killed a bunch of hunters, so he's on the wolves good list.  I really want to know if the animals want all humans gone or if they will form allies.  I mean, for example, would they be cool with PETA folks?  Or do they even find them too preachy and annoying?  So many questions!

Hee!  I love animals but I'm all for seeing animal rights activists being mauled as well.  

 

 

Anyway, the whole wolf prison break was the best.  By best, I mean I was laughing at how ridiculous the entire thing was and all the hilarious shots (some of the cutaways between the panicking guards/prisoners and the wolves growing just cracked me up for some reason).  But, what can I say?  It was so damn entertaining.  Dumb, but entertaining.

I really want to give the show the benefit of the doubt but those prison guards running in terror was just pathetic.  I'm going to assume they were unarmed.  BTW does anyone know if it's standard practice for interior guards not to carry firearms?

Unfortunately I'm still annoyed by the fact that we never really see the animals actually do anything lethal. Is it too much to ask for one Direwolf like throat ripping scene in a zooapocalypse story? *sigh*

 

Well, we did see the attack on the warden.  I remember you bringing this up before and I think this may have to do with real world constraints.  Perhaps certain animals are just too unpredictable to work closely with humans.  For instance, the multiple lion attack might have been to risky to film.  There's always CGI or practical effects but I guess some suit probably felt it wasn't worth the expense.

 

So much truth.

 

I thought that insult was dickish and unneccessary.  All that congressman did was acknowledge that he'd been out-fought by a deep-pocketed agribusiness conglomerate.  There was no reason to attack him, especially when all he and that idiot reporter had was their flimsy conclusions and untested hypotheses about the lion's food. In fact, I find Billy Burke's character AND that silly reporter to be deeply unlikeable.

 

Exactly.

Mitch had a problem with the guy the moment he saw the moose head so I believe that was the primary motivation for the insult.  As someone who's not a fan of sport hunting, I was willing to let the insult slide.

[JTMacc99]

Well, the Natives in Northern Ontario (where I grew up) have a saying:  "The smaller the dick, the bigger the gun."  For whatever it's worth.

I have no guns. What does that imply?

 

Sorry. Sorry. This show has a strange effect on me. I think I have a defiant nostril that makes me type stupid shit on the internet.

[Neurochick]

What I don't get is that we saw Abe and Oz running to catch a helicopter and the next thing they're sitting in a board room with the rest of the gang.  Where did the rest of them come from?  And where were they sitting?  Why is Charles Manson infected by the "defiant pupil" if it only affects animals?  Did he bang one of the wolves or something?  

[MissLucas]

 

The power of the defiant pupil obviously isn't related to the power of eyesight for any particular species.  That would just be crazy talk.

Tell that to the guy who blinded horses to make them stop chewing on human fingers!

[Bruinsfan]

Why is Charles Manson infected by the "defiant pupil" if it only affects animals?  Did he bang one of the wolves or something?  

If something is affecting various other mammal species all across the globe I see no reason why it wouldn't affect humans as well. Our more complex brains and self-awareness might present a barrier to being linked in a hive intelligence (though honestly I'd expect the opposite to be true given our social nature and ability to organize in/identify with large groups), but it seems likely at least some people would join in.

[shapeshifter]

Why did the wolves even bother going to the prison, as opposed to going to a mall or somewhere?  To release Manson 2.0?...

Well, he's tuned into the wolf hive mind, and he's got opposable thumbs, so...

[Neurochick]

If something is affecting various other mammal species all across the globe I see no reason why it wouldn't affect humans as well. Our more complex brains and self-awareness might present a barrier to being linked in a hive intelligence (though honestly I'd expect the opposite to be true given our social nature and ability to organize in/identify with large groups), but it seems likely at least some people would join in.

 

I have wondered why humans weren't affected before.  Actually it should be a lot MORE humans, not just Manson 2.0.

 

Also, Abe said something like, "that's why I don't tell anybody about my past."  So, what's in Abe's past?  Other than  being Dracula's lawyer.  

Edited July 15, 2015 by Neurochick

[Primetimer]

Tara and Dave raise some pertinent questions about animal self-interest and human priorities.

Read the story

[JTMacc99]

What I don't get is that we saw Abe and Oz running to catch a helicopter and the next thing they're sitting in a board room with the rest of the gang.  Where did the rest of them come from?  And where were they sitting?

Heh.

 

I tried to put a big picture spin on it but had a little trouble making sense of what I was thinking.

 

In the story arc, this is the episode where we assemble the crack team of specialists we will follow for the rest of the season. We've all seen this done many times in TV and Movies.  It took only about 15 minutes of screen time to get the band back together in the Blues Brothers, and a lot of that was musical numbers. (Awesome musical numbers with Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles by the way.)  So I was okay with this show making it snappy, but I had the same reaction as you did when suddenly they're all in a room together.  That was just a little TOO abrupt.  At least throw me a bone and show somebody traveling to imply the passing of time.

[Trini]

I just got into watching this, and I think I'll stick around for the summer ridiculousness.

 

So I guess the set-up portion of the show is done now? Team assembled!

 

And like everyone else: wolf prison attack -- SO DUMB. I guess if it's that easy for wolves to overrun a maximum security facility, they all deserve to get mauled.

[Free]

 

I guess if it's that easy for wolves to overrun a maximum security facility, they all deserve to get mauled.

 

Go animals, get these idiots.

[Netfoot]

Bats can't see very well night or day; they are echolocation all the way.

 

The power of the defiant pupil obviously isn't related to the power of eyesight for any particular species.  That would just be crazy talk.

 

Obviously, the Defiant Tympanic Membrane works the same way?

 

I assume the cats from episode 1 are just going to show up in a tree in Belgium, which is in line with my understanding of how travel works on this show.

 

No, because thought transference is the animals magic ability, and teleportation is our magic ability.

[MissLucas]

Since one should never ignore villains monologuing I went back to check what Manson Wannabe (okay Evan Lee Hartley) was mumbling to his victim's widow. Here's the piece I guess will be relevant to the big plot:

I wasn't always like this, lusting, craving. We played God and we paid a horrible price. I was out there looking for the cure in the (mumble mumble) woods.

So he worked for Reiden Global, something went wrong in the lab and he got the defiant pupil as well? No idea why he was looking for a cure in the woods though.