S02.E13: White Out

[shapeshifter]

The members of Team Scorpion brave subzero temperatures in Antarctica to save a United States Special Forces unit; Toby risks his life to save Happy.

So it's that kind of white out.

Just noticed this listed for tonight on Zap2it and then checked thetvdb.com.

[Big Mother]

The CBS app didnt say "new" on this episode so I didnt tune in initially. Missed part of it but got the gist. Normally. I have a long list of gripes and eyerolls about how unrealistic the plotline is. This time I only have two gripes: 1) NO WAY ON EARTH would a team of people be sent down to Antartica without backup crews and people who are experienced with the terrain. And they werent wearing proper gear. Also, it takes about 30 hours to fly to Antartica. But since I didn't watch the first 15 minutes and therefore dont know what the initial backstory is, I'll watch that tomorrow I guess, maybe by then I'll have my answer. 2) Getting naked in the sleeping bag in -41 temps will keep them alive? Makes sense in 'theory' but I doubt it's true in reality. They'd be frostbitten in nanoseconds.

 

other than that, heartwarming episode, for Tob/Happy, and Ralph!!!

[thuganomics85]

I must really set a low bar for this show, because I was just impressed the show resisted some dumb way to have Paige accompany the other four to Antartica.  I was totally wondering what excuse they were going pull ("Walt needs help to negotiate with the penguins!"), but they actually wisely just had her stay back with Sly and Ralph, and work things from there.  Good job, show!

 

Granted, everything else about this episode was preposterous as always, from the amazing fast travel (just have someone either invent a teleporter.  Or the ability to fly.  At this point, I'd accept anything.), to them not automatically freezing to death, to the magical science that Walt pulls out of his ass as always.  I was expecting the whole coffee bet to end up being that Cabe secretly smuggled some all along, and that was how they were going to magically warm up and save the day.

 

Still, I find myself strangely charmed by Toby/Happy.  A lot of it is so silly, but... I don't know.  The actors make it work somehow.  Not sure what is happening with me.

 

The snowball fight at the end was fun, until they cut to Cabe throwing one, and I realized that I would totally be terrified if Robert Patrick was hurling snowballs at me.  Granted, Robert Patrick can make the simplest, safest activity, look menacing.

[Driad]

Are we keeping a list of the writers' qualifications? If so, we can add "have never experienced anything colder than room temperature." For one thing, Happy should have had goggles and scarves to cover her face. Yes, viewers could have figured out who she was.

Some scientists who worked in Antarctica have T shirts that say "Ski Antarctica -- 6 inches of powder on 10,000 feet of base."

[shapeshifter]

Having lived in cold climates nearly all my life, and having slept in a sleeping bag without heat from ages 19-25, the part that bothered me the most was their exposed heads. Exposed ears. Exposed noses. Exposed tops of heads. Yeah, I know. It's like those space suit masks that are lit inside the face area. Still. I would have had Happy and Toby in the bag with their heads covered. Then Cabe & Walter would peel back the bag and find them alive.

[Noirprncess]

I agree shapeshifter , those loose fitting hoods with no hats and so much exposed skin kept taking me out of the scenes. Really fake looking.

Yeah, not sure about this script. I do like the thawing of Happy's personality.

[Sandman]

Are we keeping a list of the writers' qualifications? If so, we can add "have never experienced anything colder than room temperature."

 

In Burbank.

 

All that exposed skin was giving me the willies. But Toby and Happy are so gosh-darned cute! The whole show is so shameless about pushing emotional buttons, but the cast shares a nifty chemistry in spite of the "Sooper Jeanyus" inanities.

 

Also: Your friendly neighbourhood Homeland handler is the T-1000, and Peri Gilpin is the badass? Uh, check your data, Paige. I mean, I love Peri Gilpin, but c'mon!

Edited January 5, 2016 by Sandman

[Artsda]

There's no way Happy and Toby with no scarves or anything on their face could come out of that just fine. No frost bite, no hypothermia, no lost nerve damage? 

 

When Toby said to Walter, that wouldn't he do the same for Paige, I wished Walter would have said no.

 

No surprise Sylvester left back at base again. 

Edited January 5, 2016 by Artsda

[shapeshifter]

Dear Burbank writers,

When there's a sub-zero Fahrenheit wind sneaking in the crack of a window in a heated bedroom, we still sleep with our hoodies up or our toques on.

[Free]

Getting naked in the sleeping bag in -41 temps will keep them alive? Makes sense in 'theory' but I doubt it's true in reality. They'd be frostbitten in nanoseconds.

 

It would've made more sense if they were just soaking wet, not freezing cold.

 

Are we keeping a list of the writers' qualifications? If so, we can add "have never experienced anything colder than room temperature." For one thing, Happy should have had goggles and scarves to cover her face. Yes, viewers could have figured out who she was.

 

Their only qualifications is watching Maguyver episodes and action flicks to base episodes around.

[CoyoteBlue]

Yeah, I know it's the Hollywood standard - actors' faces have to be seen, even if doing so is stupid in the story's context - but having lived through similar weather last winter (without the blizzard), I can verify that we were four layers thick, hand warmers in the boots and gloves, and I had a balaclava under my tightly-cinched parka hood, minimum. As Happy and Toby's situations got worse, they just kept PEELING OFF LAYERS. Holy crap. Also, if you have a metric shitload of chemical heat packs, MAYBE BRING THEM ALONG in the first place. Happy was actually better off out of the wind, really. That wind chill will kill ya quick.Maybe if she'd been the one to pack a sleeping bag instead of that stupid book, she could have fared better.

[bros402]

Their faces being shown was just bugging me the entire episode.

 

At least be like "Oh look, Walter invented face warming gel so we don't need masks!"

[shapeshifter]

Their faces being shown was just bugging me the entire episode.

 

At least be like "Oh look, Walter invented face warming gel so we don't need masks!"

I love this idea, but it would have meant that we wouldn't have seen the makeup artist's excellent work on Happy. She really did look frozen to death.

[sigmaforce86]

 I was expecting the whole coffee bet to end up being that Cabe secretly smuggled some all along, and that was how they were going to magically warm up and save the day.

 

Can you write for the show?  That secret coffee idea would have been perfect and fits with the plot, they should have used it.

 

The only thing I can forgive is the exposed heads and shoulders in the sleeping bag - and only because it's a documented fact that hypothermic people will feel false warmth (mostly in arms and legs) and start undressing.  So you could assume that's how far gone Toby was and why he didn't think to cover their heads - of course that's also one of the end stages and should mean they'd either die or take a lot longer to warm up and recover. 

 

Other than that found this episode a little boring - a little to much walking back and forth to the hut (was it three round trips total) and wandering around in the snow.  Did like Toby and Happy and really liked how they used Ralph, he was smart and helpful without being annoying

[MizArk]

The only way I can watch this show without my head exploding is to ignore the "plots" and concentrate on the characters. I just like them all so much -- with the exception of Ralph, who has surpassed Wesley Crusher in annoying-jeanyus-kid IMO. Hubs and I commented last night that it's like watching The A Team -- you just don't even try to believe any of this could really happen, but it's mostly fun to mock-watch. We're calling it "The Straight-A Team" now.

[Big Mother]

Ok, now that I saw the first 10 minutes I get the backstory. They werent supposed to walk in the snow, etc. But still, a guide well versed with the terrain should have stayed with them.

 

The part that bugs me? A flight from LA to Antarctica is minimum 18 hours. The sun wouldve risen in Darfur way before then. And planes don't land in these kinds of blizzards - remember the research scientist who had to do her own biopsy and chemotherapy when she got cancer on the base, because planes only land at certain times of year? yeah.

Whatever :D

 

and of course, the exposed skin. i wear a scarf on my face when the temperature is in the teens, never mind -40...

[possibilities]

When Paige said she'd learned the knots because she knew Walter wouldn't want to, I thought they showed us Ralph hearing that and his face falling in disappointment. I kept waiting for that to be a plot point about how Walter Disappointed The Kid, but they left it at Ralph being upset about the less kid-like reason of the soldiers (he thought) not making it. Likewise, I thought they were telegraphing Cabe having a heart attack in the snow, and that never happened either. With this show, I know the "science" will be ridiculous, but I am still surprised when they pull back from some of the character drama they tease with.

 

I actually had hypothermia a few yeas ago and there were plenty of ridiculous elements to the story they told, but after all the crazy BS they've tried to sell on this show, I've stopped expecting it to make that kind of sense.

[Sandman]

Maybe Walter could just invent those life-support belts the crew of the Enterprise wore on Star Trek: The Animated Series.

Oh, and a transporter beam. How hard can that be, really? (Heisenberg? Pfff.)

[Driad]

Or just build sufficiently advanced robots, so they wouldn't have had to go out at all.

[edhopper]

If Walt had kept the rocket, they could have gotten there faster.

What bugged me is there was a group of scientist down there, very smart people no doubt, who could not be given instructions on the programming. But it seems there is no area of knowledge the team is not well versed in.

At this point we should just sit back and enjoy the ride each week as they get in and out of trouble.

It's the 60s Batman show with the bottomless Utility Belt.

[MDL]

 

Having lived in cold climates nearly all my life, and having slept in a sleeping bag without heat from ages 19-25, the part that bothered me the most was their exposed heads. Exposed ears. Exposed noses. Exposed tops of heads. Yeah, I know. It's like those space suit masks that are lit inside the face area. Still. I would have had Happy and Toby in the bag with their heads covered. Then Cabe & Walter would peel back the bag and find them alive.

Agree completely about the exposed heads in the cold. Another part that bothered me about that scene was it look like their other warm gear (jackets, hoods, snow pants, etc.) were strewn about the crevasse floor. Wouldn't it have made more sense to pile them on top of the sleeping bag, to provide more insulation?

[Actionmage]

Also: Your friendly neighbourhood Homeland handler is the T-1000, and Peri Gilpin is the badass? Uh, check your data, Paige. I mean, I love Peri Gilpin, but c'mon!

 

Yeah, but to be fair, T-1000's gears were being frozen while Agent Roz was able to do some light blackmailing to get  two rescues enacted. That woman Knows Things. (Also, I gotta wonder who this Congressman is that his wife getting upset over a cat lost a year ago would make him do a Right Thing.  Dumbass and lazy.)

 

No surprise Sylvester left back at base again.

 

 

I have been a bit happy at that, actually. While Sylvester is getting better with interacting with people in general, having to come up with reasons for a grown man who hates confrontation to go into likely dangerous situations seemed close to knocking out B.A. on the A-Team. It would get tiresome. Plus, Sylvester does go out in the field. I think he doesn't need to every episode. He went to the college in the episode before the Christmas episode. Sylvester isn't a hermit, but he is like Paige- not out for every mission.

 

but it would have meant that we wouldn't have seen the makeup artist's excellent work on Happy. She really did look frozen to death.

 

 

Yes, congratulations on the team that made Jayden and Eddie look so far gone. I kept having to remind myself that it was fake, that no one was going to let the actors get anywhere near that cold. So between the inexplicable skin exposure and the great make-up I wasn't paying much attention to the dialogue, such as there was. Happy and Toby are still sweet, though. 

 

We're calling it "The Straight-A Team" now.

 

 

Ha! Great name.

 

The part that bugs me? A flight from LA to Antarctica is minimum 18 hours. The sun would've risen in Darfur way before then.

 

I know; I decided to not think about the math and just roll with the story, yet the story kept making me try and think about the math. Flying to the global South will not get you to a hard-to-access place faster. Why not send Walter &team-designed drones with a piggy-backed military gps to Darfur? The team are regular citizens, so not military, thereby minimizing a potential political hot potato. Right? (I possibly am not, as Homeland pays Scorpion's bills, but blahblahblah contractor fishcakes.)

 

 

I was expecting the whole coffee bet to end up being that Cabe secretly smuggled some all along, and that was how they were going to magically warm up and save the day.

 

 

At least be like "Oh look, Walter invented face warming gel so we don't need masks!"

 

 

I love both those ideas. They are certainly no worse than the regular insanity on display ( leaving armed, known criminals armed- yep, still angry over that).

 

When Paige said she'd learned the knots because she knew Walter wouldn't want to, I thought they showed us Ralph hearing that and his face falling in disappointment. I kept waiting for that to be a plot point about how Walter Disappointed The Kid, but they left it at Ralph being upset about the less kid-like reason of the soldiers (he thought) not making it. Likewise, I thought they were telegraphing Cabe having a heart attack in the snow, and that never happened either. With this show, I know the "science" will be ridiculous, but I am still surprised when they pull back from some of the character drama they tease with.

 

 

I was waiting for Ralph to ask Paige to come to the meeting instead of Walter.  Paige, so eager to have a male figure in Ralph's life ( because Toby, Sly and Cabe don't count?), being blind to how much Ralph genuinely enjoys spending time with her would be an interesting note. It wouldn't mean he likes anyone less, just that he likes sharing activities with Paige.  Ralph and Walter share other things, but the scout thing he could share with her.

 

As to Ralph's being upset over the real possibility that a person he just met was dying because his team, Scorpion, couldn't pull off the miracle felt right. I see expecting Ralph to say something to Walter about the knots, in fact, I expected the party's split to happen because Walter tied the knots badly, but Cabe was assigned rope duty.  I guess someone somewhere doesn't want too much blowback on Walter claiming dumb things like knots are outdated and Velcro is better.

 

As to the Impending Cardio Event of Cabe's? It's barely been a minute since Megan died, so I'm okay with nothing happening this episode. I don't think Walter could handle something happening to Cabe this close to Megan's death, even if it was a survivable heart attack or stroke. I think there might be something closer to the season's end, but in the first ep back after Christmas? I'm glad hints were dropped and everyone had something to contribute.

 

I did think it was a bit cruel of Happy to read the guy who "stole" Toby's ex and use his quotes. I couldn't tell if she actually agreed with the sentiments or if she was just teasing Toby.  I also enjoyed getting another peek into Happy's past. 

[Julie23]

Like others here, the exposed skin bugged me, but without it, I would not have been able to admire the beautiful make up job that really did make everyone look like they were really, really cold. So there's that.

[DeLurker]

As to the Impending Cardio Event of Cabe's? It's barely been a minute since Megan died, so I'm okay with nothing happening this episode. I don't think Walter could handle something happening to Cabe this close to Megan's death, even if it was a survivable heart attack or stroke. I think there might be something closer to the season's end, but in the first ep back after Christmas? I'm glad hints were dropped and everyone had something to contribute.

 

I'm thinking season finale on that one, unless there is a spring sweeps week (I forget what there is and when).

[marketdoctor]

 

I'm thinking season finale on that one, unless there is a spring sweeps week (I forget what there is and when).

Usually to the degree there is one, it's February and May.  It's a less important concept than it used to be, because advertisers are getting more sophisticated, but May is usually big for "event TV" (and "try to get us another year" for some shows.)

[Turtle]

I can't stop my inexplicable love for this ridiculous show, but that may change if it turns in to "Happy's Life is in Danger!" show. Honestly, I'd prefer if the team were rarely in real danger- I enjoy the insanity of the over the top missions enough. I even enjoy the way the team interacts with each other most of the time.

[Reishe]

We need some sort of disclaimer code for the Scorpion forums--something that's shorthand for "Yes, I watch this show for numerous fluffy reasons, and I really do know better than to expect the laws of science/human nature/any kind of logic to apply, but I still wanted to remark on the absurdity of ..." Maybe IKSR, for "I know, Scorpion, Right?" Or "Bob."

 

Anyway, I was thinking about the whole theme of rescuing. Our team is sent in to rescue someone, things end up going pear-shaped and they end up in mortal danger. But then their handlers get on the phone and demand an extraction team to rescue the rescuers, without batting an eye over the potential danger to that team. And apparently there is never any danger to that team, because it's all a handwave and a helicopter ride and they're home, having a warm-fuzzy team moment. So this episode, where Paige and Peri were acting all self-righteous about sending a rescue squad, it kinda bugged. The "storm" outside was all over the map--sometimes life-threatening hurricane-force winds, sometimes light sprinkling of snow--but it was supposed to be blinding and scary. That's dangerous, no matter what kind of aircraft you're flying. And at some point you stop sending people into dangerous situations because the odds of success are so low and the risks of endangering the rescuers are so high. If they wanted to handwave, I would have much preferred a magical end to the storm so they could be lifted out without that particular drama.

[shapeshifter]

Tough choice, Reishe, but I'll go with IKSR for now.

I'm probably the only one here who kept flashing back to the Laura Ingalls Wilder/Rose Wilder Lane Little House on the Prairie series book, The Long Winter, in which Pa survives a North Dakota blizzard of similar proportions inside a snow bank, protected from the wind, for literally days on Christmas candy.

But there was no mention of the protection of the ice cavern/igloo into which Happy had fallen, was there? Too easy/not-enough-drama I guess. And no excuse for nakedness. Plus, no excuse for the awesome frozen-to-death makeup.

[DeLurker]

Tough choice, Reishe, but I'll go with IKSR for now.

I think we need the ? at the end.

[Scott]

 (Also, I gotta wonder who this Congressman is that his wife getting upset over a cat lost a year ago would make him do a Right Thing.)

 

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, actually.  (I'm somewhat embarrassed I was paying that much attention.)

Edited January 6, 2016 by Scott

[Jlina]

In the most quotable vernacular of Dr. Sheldon Cooper...."I can totally believe that's not butter."  ICTBTS I can totally believe that's Scorpion.

 

And, I agree the "Happy in Peril" show would not be fun.  Also the team members almost die theme is a bit much sometimes.  This episode wasn't fun, and that's what makes Scorpion, well, fun.  Boo

Edited January 7, 2016 by Jlina

[DeLurker]

Someone's life gets in jeopardy every week.  You'd think geniuses would figure out that they need another job.

[DrLar]

Well the naked in the bag thingy was to get those 2 even closer... 

 

South Pole? really? would have made more sense and time-wise if it was the North Pole... oh well..

[mostlylurking]

I know this show is completely corny and predictable but dammit I can't help but love it!  I think I may have given a little cheer and fist pump when the army guys were rescued.  And I'm not even embarrassed by that (although my boyfriend was).

 

Loved the Toby/Happy stuff.  Ralph is adorbs.  Even Paige was tolerable.

[Driad]

Since we know this show is basically a cartoon ... can someone recommend a cartoon scorpion we can use as a mascot?

Saturday Morning Laws of Physics for the win!

[Texasmom1970]

The reason I can enjoy this show is knowing I can not try to make sense of the impossible and just enjoy the ridiculous ride!

Toby and Happy are still my favorite part, glad to see some progress between them.

[Noirprncess]

I had to re watch this episode with DH. Why did the "souper jeanuses" tether Happy at the rear of the line knowing she was the lightest and easiest to succumb to the cold?. Wouldn't it make more sense to put her in front or the middle?. Either way they had a heavier man as anchor?

[theatremouse]

I had to re watch this episode with DH. Why did the "souper jeanuses" tether Happy at the rear of the line knowing she was the lightest and easiest to succumb to the cold?. Wouldn't it make more sense to put her in front or the middle?. Either way they had a heavier man as anchor?

Same reason no one had a face covering in freeze-instantly temps.

[jbrecken]

I really wanted Happy the engineer to build an igloo-like ice structure to survive in, and only partially because the song "Quinn the Eskimo" has been playing in my head ever since I saw her in a parka.

[Hanahope]

Agree that the best part of the show was Happy finally thawing out to Toby.  That and Fall Out Boy.

[HoneyBadgerJr]

Since we know this show is basically a cartoon ... can someone recommend a cartoon scorpion we can use as a mascot?

Saturday Morning Laws of Physics for the win!

I could draw one!

[shapeshifter]

I could draw one!

Go for it!

I just remembered that this season (2) of Orphan Black there was sort of a scorpion mascot who talked (if you need inspiration).

Now that y'all mention it, I can picture all of the characters as cartoons a la Scooby Doo (or first-gen Heroes).

[Sandman]

On the other hand, I think this was the first performance by Riley Smith (he was playing the soldier Ralph befriended, right?) where the character did not annoy me to the point of making me want to slap the face clean off his skull. ... Yay, Scorpion?

"Agent Roz," hee.

[HoneyBadgerJr]

[AnnaRose]

Haha!  That's awesome, HoneyBadgerJr!

[HoneyBadgerJr]

Thanks!!