S02.E12: Dam Breakthrough

[Artsda]

On Christmas Eve, Team Scorpion must prevent a catastrophe when torrential rains create a large crack in a dam, threatening to wipe out an entire town in its wake.

That was some really bad SGI graphics for the underwater freezing and the big wave.

Liked Walter calling him and Sly brothers, but shouldn't have Sly be the one to be given the ashes?

That Emergency Alert was a joke, when is an alert ever written like that? "Trust us?" LOL I would think the alert system was hacked and I wouldn't have taken off the lights.

Edited December 15, 2015 by Artsda

[Maverick]

But Paige wrote it.  You can't resist the Paige...even via text!  Paige, the woman who--while other people were literally risking life and limb to fix the dam--spent her time accessing a video of the Christmas parade.  If you ever watched Captain Planet, Paige is totally the kid with the Heart power ring.

[ramble]

I loved the helium sing along with Happy, Gabe & Toby. Yet again this stupid little show made me cry. It's so ridiculous but somehow I'm invested. Sylvester talking about how he had no regrets with Megan was touching. The rocket ship of ashes to the stars was sweet even though it was unbelievable. I have become adept at hand waving a huge percentage of this show & somehow I'm okay with that.

[Noirprncess]

I laughed a little when the dam "wall" moved while Gabe was repairing it.  You can see the wall move slightly during the close up.  I agree that the CGI was terrible.

 

But him rappelling down the face was equally funny considering they used what looked like common rope on the wench.  

 

How did Gabe get his car back since they used the car battery for their homemade "snake".  Also, given the amount of debris in the water - wouldn't they have a series of filters along with sensors to alert them to clean out the "clean out" areas in place to prevent pressure build up from debris?  I mean, the dam is largely unoccupied over the day/night.

 

Glad to see Happy and Doc making a little progress.

[bros402]

So, uh, that bomb they made.... can season 3 be Scorpion becoming supervillains?

 

With how dumb everyone else in the universe is, Walter would conquer the US inside of a week.

[threebluestars]

I couldn't stop laughing during the Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer song lol.

[possibilities]

Sylvester not having regrets was nice, but from my own experience with grief, it's not just about regrets, but also about missing the person and dealing with them just not being there anymore. So I appreciated his happiness, but it seemed as strange to me as it did to Happy when he told her, and it never really did stop seeming strange. Maybe I'm just a bad griever.

 

I was impressed that the show had Happy just ask Toby for a kiss, and not have her suddenly throw all her reservations away and just go nuts. I know they are milking the UST because that's what TV does, but at the same time, I think it was a surprising faithfulness to character for a show that generally throws all realism out the window in favor for big moments.

 

Ditto the continuity in having them keep the ferret from a previous caper.

 

Cabe is fun.

 

Walter's friend leaving the second his own trauma was resolved looks even worse this week, when you remember that Walter was in the middle of a major trauma of his own and see this week that Walter really needed a friend.

[shapeshifter]

Glad to see Happy and Doc making a little progress.

How did I miss "Happy and Doc"?? Paige is obviously Snow White.

Sylvester not having regrets was nice, but from my own experience with grief, it's not just about regrets, but also about missing the person and dealing with them just not being there anymore. So I appreciated his happiness, but it seemed as strange to me as it did to Happy when he told her, and it never really did stop seeming strange. Maybe I'm just a bad griever.

No, the writers (or director or or actor whoever made that choice)--just not very good.

And yet I cried again--but probably because of recent death in my family.

Toby had more corny puns than I could count, which the actor did not seem to appreciate.

Elyse Gable again seemed to be auditioning for a better straight drama show. Hope he gets it.

Edited December 15, 2015 by shapeshifter

[Free]

But Paige wrote it.  You can't resist the Paige...even via text!  Paige, the woman who--while other people were literally risking life and limb to fix the dam--spent her time accessing a video of the Christmas parade.  If you ever watched Captain Planet, Paige is totally the kid with the Heart power ring.

 

Oh she is.

 

So, uh, that bomb they made.... can season 3 be Scorpion becoming supervillains?

With how dumb everyone else in the universe is, Walter would conquer the US inside of a week.

 

They could, especially with Walter's breakdown being the motivator.

[Mecca]

Walter...I was going to use that 15 million for my sisters research, but she's dead now and it isn't like anyone else may be going through the same situation and would really benefit from said money/research.  sigh  I thought for sure Walter was going to donate the money to help others who had his sister's illness.  Silly me, I should have known his closure by shooting her ashes into the sky via implausable rocket was more important. 

 

I will say the resolution to him talking to himself was better than my initial thought which was he was talking to his sisters ghost the whole time like in A Christmas Carol. lol

Edited December 15, 2015 by Mecca

[CoyoteBlue]

I couldn't stop laughing during the Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer song lol.

I was surprised that none of them could carry a tune, though, Unless that was some cover version of the song I've never heard of, they weren't even in the ballpark of the melody. :)

 

ETA:

 

Walter...I was going to use that 15 million for my sisters research, but she's dead now and it isn't like anyone else may be going through the same situation and would really benefit from said money/research.  sigh  I thought for sure Walter was going to donate the money to help others who had his sister's illness.  Silly me, I should have known his closure by shooting her ashes into the sky via implausable rocket was more important.

 

Did he have to turn in the rocket or just present it for inspection? It sounded like the committee wanted to follow up promptly. Could he not just have them inspect it, get the money and THEN shoot Megan into space? Win-win?

Edited December 15, 2015 by CoyoteBlue

[LGGirl]

The more I watch this show, the more I feel Paige is a useless , boring character.

[possibilities]

Did he have to turn in the rocket or just present it for inspection?

I think he had to turn in the rocket. Cabe asked him before the launch whether he was really willing to give up the $15 million. Also, I think the voice mail from the committee said they wanted to visit to see that his rocket matched the specs he submitted to the contest. He couldn't have been in the running for the prize if he hadn't already turned in the specs for their consideration.

 

Walter erased a voice mail that was meant for Paige (from her ex, wishing her a Merry Xmas). Not cool, Walter.

[CoyoteBlue]

I think he had to turn in the rocket. Cabe asked him before the launch whether he was really willing to give up the $15 million. Also, I think the voice mail from the committee said they wanted to visit to see that his rocket matched the specs he submitted to the contest. He couldn't have been in the running for the prize if he hadn't already turned in the specs for their consideration.

Well, I meant, unless he had to turn it over to them to keep, he could just have them drop in (which I thought that was what the lady was trying to arrange), inspect it to make sure it does what he said it would and give him the prize. Then he could launch it. Once launched, I assume it's never coming down.

[possibilities]

CoyoteBlue, that makes sense. I guess the show thought it would be more dramatic to have him give up the prize, but you're right that it's ridiculous. This show is crazy, on so many levels.

[shapeshifter]

CoyoteBlue, that makes sense. I guess the show thought it would be more dramatic to have him give up the prize, but you're right that it's ridiculous. This show is crazy, on so many levels.

Which would be okay, it's just not always crazy about the right things.

Having him turn down $15 mil. without any explanation (like Walter saying, "...and that means it will go to this genius kid from the ghetto...") just made me think the writers must be way better off than I am, and I have a full time job.

[bros402]

Wonder if that bomb would be considered a WMD?

[Artsda]

The more I watch this show, the more I feel Paige is a useless , boring character.

ITA and it's like the more useless we see her as the more they try to force her as the most needed one even when it makes no sense. Like with the ridiculous emergency alert. Instead of something normal like "This is the Emergency Alert System. Turn off electric exterior and interior lighting." We got a sappy trust us, we're human, compassionate plea when that's not how the EAS works.

Edited December 16, 2015 by Artsda

[theatremouse]

Well, I meant, unless he had to turn it over to them to keep, he could just have them drop in (which I thought that was what the lady was trying to arrange), inspect it to make sure it does what he said it would and give him the prize. Then he could launch it. Once launched, I assume it's never coming down.

I didn't get the impression the $15M prize was "you completed this project, here's money for your accomplishment". I thought it was more like...this is what he's doing with his rocket and he's gotten far enough with it to prove to them it's a viable thing. So even though he really wanted the money to fund his Megan research, I thought he did still actually have to do additional work with the rocket afterward. Perhaps he had plans that he wouldn't need the bulk of the money to do that (or maybe his ego's just huge enough he assumed he'd be able to complete that super-fast and not need so much cash). But I didn't get the impression this was like a McArthur where the prize is no strings attached do whatever you want with it. I thought he was supposed to continue working and perhaps even show some results down the line. They wanted to review the rocket to be sure it was what he said it was to give him the prize, but that doesn't mean the wouldn't ever need to look at it ever again after that.

This is a fake prize, right? I mean, I know there is a prize of the same name, but I don't think it pays out anywhere near the amount the show presented, so I don't think we know the rules of the prize itself. Or did Walter say something earlier that means for sure the money is his to do with as he likes?

What also confused me was first it seemed like he wanted to fund research to actually cure the disease (which was preposterous since as far as we know he's computer guy not medical guy.) But he is ego enough to assume he can always figure out any problem. Then it seemed to switch and he wasn't trying to cure the disease, he was trying to find any actual means of downloading her personality into a computer. Now maybe what they were going for there was "he has devolved into madness with grief". It was unclear to me because the writing is so preposterous anyway whether we were supposed to buy that as something he could just whip up in 6 months, or if it was supposed to indicate he'd cracked. On the other hand given his area of expertise, that endeavor made more sense for thim to try. So, when we look at him using the rocket to spread the ashes (throwaway "Favor from the FAA" my ass, Cabe.) if that was Walter saying he wasn't going to try to continue his android-sister quest, well, good, fine. Get closure instead with your rocket whatevers. But if he were planning on using that money to do medical research himself, perhaps he realized he probably would not succeed, and it's probably not enough money to cure a disease anyway, then that's good too that he let it go to someone else who'd presumably win and continue whatever mechanical science stuff they would do with the winnings, which was the point of the prize anyway. The angle of "helping other people's sisters with the same disease" immediately came to mind to me in the moment we saw him throw it away, but now I think unless he were going to donate that money to researchers actually in that field, he wasn't really going to help any other patients anyway. Not with what he seemed to have in mind.

Edited December 19, 2015 by theatremouse

[piedmontgirl]

I try not to overthink the plotlines and just classify this show the same as "Arrow", "Flash", "Supergirl"; not really believable but still entertaining. Of course I was a fan of MacGyver, long ago, and still like the episode where he sealed a sulfuric acid leak with a chocolate bar.

[possibilities]

piedmontgirl, I think you are right, it's just that my nitpick reflex won't shut up sometimes, even if I know it's just a reflex and not really needed.

[sigmaforce86]

I try not to overthink the plotlines and just classify this show the same as "Arrow", "Flash", "Supergirl"; not really believable but still entertaining. Of course I was a fan of MacGyver, long ago, and still like the episode where he sealed a sulfuric acid leak with a chocolate bar.

My go to description is A-Team meets McGyver.

[paigow]

My go to description is A-Team meets McGyver.

Except Hannibal & MacGyver did not incessantly mention their respective IQ scores to friends, enemies and innocent bystanders...

[paigow]

Of course I was a fan of MacGyver, long ago, and still like the episode where he sealed a sulfuric acid leak with a chocolate bar.

You made me google this ... http://macgyver.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_problems_solved_by_MacGyver

 

MacGyver plugs a sulfuric acid leak with chocolate. He states that chocolate contains sucrose and glucose. The acid reacts with the sugars to form elemental carbon and a thick gummy residue (proved to be correct on Mythbusters)

[possibilities]

Except [A-Team] & MacGyver did not incessantly mention their respective IQ scores to friends, enemies and innocent bystanders...

OK, so: MacGuyver & A-Team & Big Bang Theory?

[calipiano81]

Walter erased a voice mail that was meant for Paige (from her ex, wishing her a Merry Xmas). Not cool, Walter.

Though, why does Drew often leave messages for Paige on Scorpion's phone and not on Paige's own cell phone?

[Free]

Except Hannibal & MacGyver did not incessantly mention their respective IQ scores to friends, enemies and innocent bystanders...

 

Only 'geniuses' do that.

[lh25]

I loved the helium sing along with Happy, Gabe & Toby. Yet again this stupid little show made me cry. It's so ridiculous but somehow I'm invested. Sylvester talking about how he had no regrets with Megan was touching. The rocket ship of ashes to the stars was sweet even though it was unbelievable. I have become adept at hand waving a huge percentage of this show & somehow I'm okay with that.

 

Exactly how we approach the show.  I tell myself it's a live-action comic book, and watch for moments like the singing.  I LOVED how first Cabe, then Happy walked up with a rather disgusted look at the others, then joined right in.  I also like Ferret Bueller, and Sly is one of my favorite characters in a long time. 

[Big Mother]

So an entire town is in danger of being flooded by a dam, their two roads out of the town are blocked, and a team of five geniuses are going to try to save them all with a bunch of half baked hair brained schemes that kills almost half the team.

 

Cool alternate episode description, no?

 

Now I'm going to make an extremely obscure reference, and if even one person on this thread gets it,  you get a medal. "Chicken... dam(n)!"

[Actionmage]

Question for those in the know: How realistic is it for a town in the path of a river, though with a dam,  to only have two roads leading out? It wasn't as if the entirety of the town was walled in by the hills/mountains. I'm just curious, as it seemed like a major contrivance in order to add more "suspense" to the hour.

[thuganomics85]

Tsunami Bomb.  I'm with Toby in that I can't believe I just said/typed that.  What would they think of, next?  And, yeah, Tsunami Bomb sounds like something I could totally seeing in a comic book series, as an origin series for a villain.  If this was an actual superhero show, I would totally have not been surprised if someone ended up getting caught in the blast, and gets powers.

 

Hey, the ferret is back!  Is this the first time they called him Ferret Buller?  Can't remember.  Either way, the return was mainly to have Walt finally break down and admit that he misses Megan.  I guess that's good.  But while him talking to himself before then was weird, he still seemed to be good at his job, so I thought it was weird that Toby and the rest were acting like it was effecting how he works, when it wasn't.  Emotionally, sure, it wasn't healthy, but Toby was saying something about how he needed to quit and bring his "A-game", but he still seemed to be doing that, with the only difference being that everyone can actually hear his thought process.

 

Toby, Cabe, and Happy messing around with the helium was funny and random enough, that I almost wondered if all of that was ad-libbed by Robert Patrick, Eddie Kay Thomas, and Jayden Wong.  Doubt it, because a lot had to be done and it isn't something that can be done on the spot, but I still wonder if maybe it was at least suggested by the actors.

[bros402]

Tsunami Bomb.  I'm with Toby in that I can't believe I just said/typed that.  What would they think of, next?  And, yeah, Tsunami Bomb sounds like something I could totally seeing in a comic book series, as an origin series for a villain.  If this was an actual superhero show, I would totally have not been surprised if someone ended up getting caught in the blast, and gets powers.

 

Hey, the ferret is back!  Is this the first time they called him Ferret Buller?  Can't remember.  Either way, the return was mainly to have Walt finally break down and admit that he misses Megan.  I guess that's good.  But while him talking to himself before then was weird, he still seemed to be good at his job, so I thought it was weird that Toby and the rest were acting like it was effecting how he works, when it wasn't.  Emotionally, sure, it wasn't healthy, but Toby was saying something about how he needed to quit and bring his "A-game", but he still seemed to be doing that, with the only difference being that everyone can actually hear his thought process.

 

Toby, Cabe, and Happy messing around with the helium was funny and random enough, that I almost wondered if all of that was ad-libbed by Robert Patrick, Eddie Kay Thomas, and Jayden Wong.  Doubt it, because a lot had to be done and it isn't something that can be done on the spot, but I still wonder if maybe it was at least suggested by the actors.

 

Jayden could've decided to join in on the scene - though she looked like she almost ruined the take at the last second with her cracking up

[possibilities]

To me, "tsunami bomb" sounds like a cocktail.

[madfortv]

I got so tired of the constant solving of one problem followed by another one with a time limit to resolve that I started to think of this as one of the worst episodes. Then the episode was redeemed and I ended up enjoying it. I like the humorous asides. I wish the sister could have been a regular as I really liked her character. One thing I enjoy about the show is how they bring back recurrent characters / animals (ferret).

 

I don't try to second guess the solutions which probably helps my enjoyment of the show. I like the romances as long as they don't go too far into will they or won't they get together. That is not why I watch shows and I dislike that plot artifact (a lot).

 

I didn't mind Walter deleting Drew's message.  Why didn't Drew call Paige's phone? He said he had already spoken to Ralph. He isn't around much and then calls a place of business to leave his regards for the holidays!  Forget that!  Did he send Ralph a gift or just call him? Walter deleted the message for a different reason than I would have deleted it. I would be very annoyed at personal messages that could be sent through a normal medium coming in on my work phone. It could be telling though if Drew doesn't have Paige's cell phone number but I doubt that as Paige sometimes comments that Ralph is with Drew.  Only the writers can answer these questions and I'm so cynical about writers these days, that whatever answers they give today will change at the whim of the writing of the next script.

[Big Mother]

I'm finding it interesting that we've never seen the inside of anyone's living quarters. I wish the show would go away for a change from that cavernous garage so we can see how these people live. (aside from the very brief view of Paige's apartment in the season finale last year)

[shapeshifter]

I'm finding it interesting that we've never seen the inside of anyone's living quarters. I wish the show would go away for a change from that cavernous garage so we can see how these people live.

This post makes me realize that this show is in part derivative of The Office. Heh.

[theatremouse]

I got so tired of the constant solving of one problem followed by another one with a time limit to resolve that I started to think of this as one of the worst episodes.

Because this show is basically a video game.