S02.E16: Fractured

[MDL]

Was last night's episode new? Or are my TV listings wrong? Or Am I blind?

[Reishe]

It was definitely new, TPTB just haven't put up a thread yet. But we have one now!

 

I found it pretty annoying, even adjusted for Scorpion expectations.

 

The Bad:

*Toby and Walter's out-of-nowhere squabbling and the sitcom-y way it was handled, from start to finish, complete with Toby realizing the problem, confessing it to Walter and thus wrapping it up with a neat little bow. Added demerits for the "injury" which forced them to do that three-legged walk and then disappeared in the next scene.
*The constant captain-obvious narration of each danger: "if we don't get them out of there in 3 and a half minutes, the car will explode and they'll die!" "If we don't shut off the gas, it will blow up the city!" "We have to figure out a way to get them out of that car!" Ugh.

*When the rescuee in the car kept asking Sly if he trusted Ralph's plan to rescue them. "I trust him." How about saying "I work for a Homeland Security specialty squad, I understand the plan, we are working together and yes, it's the right thing to do."?

*First Gene Simmons, now Penn Jillette; I think the showrunners are deliberately lining up guest stars I dislike, but I don't understand why. No offense intended to those who are fans.

 

The Good:

*I liked Walter sharing that he's aware of his relationship limitations, and that he recognizes the value in relationships and is trying. First time I haven't been angry with him in a while, but then again, he didn't disparage anyone (except for the squabble with Toby, and that was garden-variety roommate sniping) or spout dismissive judgments about emotions, or feelings, or whatever.

*Gallo was awesome, as always.

*Toby and Happy. I know not everyone wants them together, and I respect that, but I adore Toby and I want him to be happy.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Reishe

[threebluestars]

I love the "mom always says I'm more of an indoor cat ... it bugs me sometimes" line that was a call back to the subway episode. First, I love the term indoor cat lol. Second, I like that Ralph has these conflicted feelings of how his mom thinks of him. I'm really warming up to the young actor a lot.

[UncleChuck]

It would scare the bejezzus out of me to live in their L.A.

I think I could handle the fires and floods and even the earthquakes...

But I want to hang my hat in a city that has at least a few employees at the Department of Power and Gas who might respond in an emergency by doing their job.

 

BTW...how does an earthquake set a car on fire?

[Big Mother]

How did paige suddenly, miraculously appear near the almost-electrified water in the span of seconds? is that water next to their garage headquarters?

 

Paige was deathly afraid of something happening to Pagie, but she risked her life by crawling across the tires to save a random stranger's life? She almost died.

 

When walter and Toby were making plans to save Koreatown I was screaming inside: MOVE OUT OF THE TUNNEL! THERE'S A GAS LEAK, GET OUT NOW!

Edited February 9, 2016 by Big Mother

[CoyoteBlue]

How did paige suddenly, miraculously appear near the almost-electrified water in the span of seconds? is that water next to their garage headquarters?

 

Yes, and that's where they got the tires from, iirc.

 

The fact that Sly and Ralph stopped to help one person who was not even in danger, just unable to leave her car? YOU ARE UNDER THE GUN TO SAVE AN ENTIRE CITY. GO! She'll keep! Also, once you waste all that time helping her, at least get the husband to do the insane driving to the station and then everyone can actually drive back, rather than make them WALK HOME. I just didn't get that at all.

[Free]

Was last night's episode new? Or are my TV listings wrong? Or Am I blind?

 

It was new.

[MDL]

Okay, now that I know it was in fact a new episode, and we have a thread – thanks TPBT.

 

Is it me, or did there seem to be more "running commentary" in this episode compared to other episodes? Or was it just more obnoxious?

 

A couple of observations in addition to those already posted:

I thought it was absurdly obvious from the time they both got hurt, that Toby and Walter would wind up doing the "three-legged race" bit.

What made me guess, during the last scene between Toby and Walter, that when Toby closed the door you would see that Happy was in his apartment?

Edited February 9, 2016 by MDL

[CoyoteBlue]

What made me guess, during the last scene between Toby and Walter, that when Toby closed the door you would see that Happy was in his apartment?

 

For a moment, I was afraid Toby was sabotaging himself and had some one-night stand in there and Happy would find out eventually and DRAMA! I prefer this outcome.

[Big Mother]

Yes, and that's where they got the tires from, iirc.

 

The fact that Sly and Ralph stopped to help one person who was not even in danger, just unable to leave her car? YOU ARE UNDER THE GUN TO SAVE AN ENTIRE CITY. GO! She'll keep! Also, once you waste all that time helping her, at least get the husband to do the insane driving to the station and then everyone can actually drive back, rather than make them WALK HOME. I just didn't get that at all.

 

I think the woman was in danger bc of aftershocks. she couldve rolled over.I

 

 I'm finding it hard to bleieve that all the phone systems and 911 were that unreachable for so long, esp in an earthquake-prone area, I'm sure they have contingency plans.

[MommaBee]

When I saw how Toby was holding the door (classic sit-com move) I knew she was in his apartment.  Is this the first we have seen it?  I did cue DDBee to turn from her homework and squee at the reveal.  The "Happy-est" he's ever been...

As for the episode - I said that they took every bad made-for-tv movie they showed in the 70's and 80's for plot ideas.  They only thing that was missing was a petting zoo and a wedding.



 

[theatremouse]

I'm getting "imminent death" fatigue with this show. I know part of the premise is all the impossible situations, but for once I'd like it to not be "we've done the calculations and have an approximately 24% chance of survival" et voila of course they survive because the show's not cancelled. It's not suspenseful or exciting to see how they figure out some of this shit that is really just dumb luck. I said last episode I think this show is a video game, and it's just reinforcing that even more. Even when they'd already established death and destruction everywhere they doubled down on more death and destruction in the same damn episode.

Hell, Walter's Ferrari escapade makes so much sense now. Of course he thinks he's invincible, they nearly die EVERY TIME. Why can't there be some major awesome genius requiring project they could have that isn't "we're all going to die right now" but is still interesting to watch them figure out? Come on! It must be possible!

I know. I know. I'm asking too much.

[Emily Thrace]

I love the "mom always says I'm more of an indoor cat ... it bugs me sometimes" line that was a call back to the subway episode. First, I love the term indoor cat lol. Second, I like that Ralph has these conflicted feelings of how his mom thinks of him. I'm really warming up to the young actor a lot.

What I liked about that moment is its not really about showing Paige in a bad light. In a lot of the other parent-child moments the show tend to blame the parents. Paige's "indoor cat" comment is actually her way of accepting Ralph and trying not make his quirks sound like a bad thing. Ralph just doesn't perceive it that.way. Its a rare to see a relationship that portrayed way.

 

I felt like I missed an episode with Walter and Toby's bickering and the resolution felt a little weak. Although I do like that those two tend to have conflict Its more realistic that way. Also Happy was at his apartment I was practically jumping up and down at that. Now we just need Walter and Paige to get together..

[bros402]

Sylvester is the best of the adults to pair with Ralph.

 

Him and Happy seem like a good combo after that

 

Then Cabe & Ralph

 

Toby and Paige are tied for Ralph pairing

 

then Walter all the way at the bottom

[possibilities]

The thing that really bothered me was Cabe's complaint about "pansies"-- I agree about over-protective parenting being a bad trend, but he didn't need to use such a charged word to tag the results.

 

I agree the Sylvester and Ralph show would be great.

 

I have accepted that the show is ridiculous, so I can't complain about it anymore. But then I didn't understand why they didn't ask the husband of the injured woman to drive-- maybe they just don't want anyone who's not "on the team" to get any credit, but it was distracting.

[theatremouse]

Let me remind you, dear theatremouse, that the show was created by Nick Santora. With a resume like his, it's a wonder they even bother to use actual math and science terminology at all.

I don't disagree, but the point I was trying to make there wasn't (for once) complaining about the math and/or science. I was moreso saying I'm sick of the "oh no: DEATH" plots. Like, the gas is already building up, they're already underground, flames flames on the side of my face city, and now there are fire ants too, just so they could do the thing with the honey in Toby's pocket. My problem isn't the science of whether those ants should be there in the first place, or how they got rid of them. My problem is that they're already About To Die for three other reasons and it's excessive to toss in yet another at that point. Every time they open a door, it's more death-math. It's like they're in a dungeon and the game timer is running down and they only have three arrows left, and oh no as soon as the door shut behind them 100 enemies fell from the ceiling and they still need to find the key to get into the room with the boss fight. That's what this sort of thing feels like. In a difficult video game, I might be amused, but to watch on TV it just makes me think oh come on.

I know who's behind the show. I know the standard's a lot lower than I want it to be. I know it'll never happen. But I want to see ONE episode of this show where whatever it is they're trying to make happen/prevent from happening does not at any point use "some of/all of the team might DIE RIGHT NOW" as an artificial crutch for raising the stakes.

Edited February 10, 2016 by theatremouse

[AnnaRose]

I don't disagree, but the point I was trying to make there wasn't (for once) complaining about the math and/or science. I was moreso saying I'm sick of the "oh no: DEATH" plots. Like, the gas is already building up, they're already underground, flames flames on the side of my face city, and now there are fire ants too, just so they could do the thing with the honey in Toby's pocket. My problem isn't the science of whether those ants should be there in the first place, or how they got rid of them. My problem is that they're already About To Die for three other reasons and it's excessive to toss in yet another at that point. Every time they open a door, it's most death-math. It's like they're in a dungeon and the game timer is running down and they only have three arrows left, and oh no as soon as the door shut behind them 100 enemies feel from the ceiling and they still need to find the key to get into the room with the boss fight. That's what this sort of thing feels like. In a difficult video game, I might be amused, but to watch on TV it just makes me think oh come on.

I know who's behind the show. I know the standard's a lot lower than I want it to be. I know it'll never happen. But I want to see ONE episode of this show where whatever it is they're trying to make happen/prevent from happening does not at any point use "some of/all of the team might DIE RIGHT NOW" as an artificial crutch for raising the stakes.

 

You've really captured what bugs me about this show so much.  The way they keep piling stuff on (and on and on) makes the show more laughable than suspenseful.

[Texasmom1970]

So glad to see Toby and Happy moving in a good direction. I like them together and could care less if Walter and Paige ever get together.

The actor who plays Toby looks so much more handsome in the last scene with Happy without that goofy hat he usually wears.

[Big Mother]

They can take a page out of LIMITLESS's scriptbook on how to write a suspenseful procedural in which you're rooting for the main characters, and being super smart and fast paced and colorful, without piling on more than you can chew. I love that show. It makes my heart race.

Oh - and as a huge Survivor fan I got a real kick out of Sylvester coming out of that portapotty with his shirt on his face saying that this should be a challenge on Survivor, pronouncing it Max Dawson-style.

[thuganomics85]

Didn't realize there was a new episode at first.  CBS scheduling is always weird.

 

So, it was Team Scorpion vs. another natural disaster, huh?  I'm pretty sure Sly said something about the quake originating from San Andreas, so I am totally choosing to believe that this show is in the same universe of the film San Andreas, were the city was leveled by a quake, and The Rock had to heroically save his family.  Both that and this aren't that much different, really.

 

For a second, I thought the whole Walt/Toby conflict was going to be because Toby still has leftover resentment from Walt almost getting him killed episodes ago, but that doesn't end up being the case.

 

I hope they don't go any kind of angst route with Toby/Happy.  Just let them work as a couple.  Especially since I'm sure we'll get plenty of that angst from the never ending saga that is Walt and Paige.

 

Sly and Ralph was silly, but fun.

 

I was afraid for that tower of tires, when Cabe charged at it.  Robert Patrick is an intense man!

[DaveA]

If there was such a thing as a preposterous barrier Scorpion would be traveling at Mach 15.

[Voice of Joy]

ITA, Texasmom1970.

 

I have reluctantly let go of any expectation that this show could ever actually happen, science wise, which allows me to just enjoy the Happy/Toby characters.  I also enjoy Sylvester.  

 

Walter and Paige - meh.  Too cliche, and I don't care about them as characters - his "lack of emotional connection" isn't presented in any believable way, and she's just too goody two shoes perfect.  She's the teacher you want to prank, and not in a good way.   Cabe grates on me like fingernails on a blackboard.

 

The point of my post was that I was delighted at the last scene...

[Free]

I'm sorry if my post came off as defending TPTB -- I totally agree with your comments. When the show was first being advertised, I thought, hey, here's a show (loosely) based on the life and capabilities of an actual person! Then I saw that Mr. Santora was involved and knew the show would stretch believability. I just didn't know that it would be stretched to the point of breaking and snapping back in our faces.

 

It's mostly just the names they used, anything else was inspired by action movies/tv shows trying to be Maguyver.