S01.E09: When You Have to Go There, They Have to Take You In

[CooperTV]

Pritchard and Duval team up to chase a serial killer. Meanwhile, Mary and Pritchard's bond grows stronger, but Otto wants to make sure she'll always be by his side; and Gracie tries to get to the bottom of Pritchard's identity.

 

Promo:

 

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Ichthyologists will record this show as truly legendary in their field of study.

 

I'll just mention one issue, which to be fair has been gestating for some time...Peng was introduced s the savviest daughter of the baddest ass Chinese crime lord ever known.  She was deeply feared and respected.   She did Duval a solid that one time out of a sense of long ago gratitude.  Now?  Well, it appears to be a tie between her and Mary for which female wants to more help this dude.  How much nicer can she possibly be?  She'll be that!  Just awful.  

 

OK.  I loved the snippet of sanity when Gracie went crazy when she learned that her Uncle was tight with MARY GOODWIN!!!!!!  OMG.  That lady is like the single most empowered woman in the USA, if not the world!  (Which she actually seemed to be).  For a few seconds, we got the enormity of Goodwin's everyday existence.  Unfortunately, the rest of the ep was about how Mary still had allll the time in the world to be with Jimmy, or at least try to be.

 

I also loved the Frankenstein's monster.   Really strong (pun intended).  Again, a real-world cost which would absolutely be  part of the whole Lazarus deal.  True tragedy.  Monstrous humanity who would think it perfectly fine to play with life as they do - Otto most definitely included.  Oh.  St. Mary of Goodwin, as well.  Anyway, good on the show for going there.  It's the finest thing its done and is likely to ever do.  The Alexa/George arc is a piece of it, too.  However, the starkness and potential violent agony as seen with Lin is pretty brave for a legacy network.

[Triskan]

Looking forward to Gracie getting the truth !

 

Otherwise, I really continue to appreciate this show... I've got the feeling that the more procedural aspects of it will fade away as time goes and longer / more interesting story arcs will take the forefront, so looking(lass..... sorry, that was lame) forward to that as well ! 

[Mrs OldManBalls]

Laughed at Jimmy's  testy "Why is everyone shocked that I know her?" when first Gracie and then Peng were all "OMG! Mary Goodwin? YOU KNOW HER?!?!"

 

I had an extra chuckle when Duval was trying to help Jimmy find a place, and Jimmy was taken aback by all the changes in neighbourhoods; we are dealing with the same things with the in-laws who want to downsize. 

 

 

Still loving the old man white shoes. Please don't change that detail show. 

[Free]

I've got the feeling that the more procedural aspects of it will fade away as time goes and longer / more interesting story arcs will take the forefront, so looking(lass..... sorry, that was lame) forward to that as well !

 

Too bad there's only 2 more episodes left on that front.

 

Looking forward to Gracie getting the truth !

 

She should soon based on the promo.

Edited March 12, 2016 by Free

[saber5055]

She did [Jimmy] a solid that one time out of a sense of long ago gratitude.  Now?  Well, it appears to be a tie between her and Mary for which female wants to more help this dude.  How much nicer can she possibly be?  She'll be that!  Just awful.

 

I'd stand in line to help Rob, I mean James, do anything he wants to do. I'd even shove both Peng and Mary to the floor so I would be Rob's (I mean James') first-in-line to go with him ... and do anything. *shallow*

 

Got a huge kick out of James needing the tank for his "rescue fish." Great jab at the stupid "rescue" animal trend. Thanks show.

 

Also laughed again at the old-man white shoes. They really glowed against his all-black outfit.

 

I thought this was a good episode, not so much crime-of-the-week and more interplay between the characters. I still think it's odd that Otto is okay with Connor effing his sister but not okay with James hanging out with her. Guy must be a virgin. (Well, I guess that's obvious based on his personality affliction.)

 

However, am I glad I don't live in Seattle, where it can go from bright daylight to pitch black in less than a blink of an eye. Didn't anyone else notice James and Duval went into the fun park in daylight, saw a "shadowy person," and it turned into darkest night as they set out to chase that guy? Geesh. I guess the film crew is union so they had to take a scheduled dinner break before finishing shooting that scene.

 

I also was secretly hoping the monster guy would rip Duval to shreds when he had the chance, although he did not bother me nearly so much this episode.

[Free]

I still think it's odd that Otto is okay with Connor effing his sister but not okay with James hanging out with her. Guy must be a virgin. (Well, I guess that's obvious based on his personality affliction.)

 

It's so that he can turn on him in the end, which it seems to be heading.

Edited March 12, 2016 by Free

[saber5055]

It's so that he can turn onn him in the end, which it seems to be heading.

I know. Still, I have a tendency to use real-life common sense and logic when watching tv shows, even when I know the writers are manipulating some situation to happen later in the season. I need to get over that personal involvement!

 

How will Otto get rid of James? Fill his tank with the wrong goo? There are so many ways. Although I hope Arthur is on Mary's side. (I'm on Team James/Mary.)

Edited March 12, 2016 by saber5055

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Otto needs to build a tank for the ratings.  .5 in the demo, 1.9 million viewers.  I saw in Variety that Dilshad has taken another job.  That doesn't necessarily mean she couldn't return to this role, though.

 

saber5055 - I am pretty sure that line would be longer than Arthur could calculate!

 

Yet...serious question for everyone...if you knew, as Mary did, that the object of your desire was a Lazarus, who was largely a re-creation of an old and dead person, would you really want to get with them?

 

Another question...just how long ago was it that Alexa was resurrected?  It has to be since Mary's cancer was determined to be terminal.  Didn't it seem like she had been Mary's executive assistant for a very long time, years, at least?    

[Free]

I know. Still, I have a tendency to use real-life common sense and logic when watching tv shows, even when I know the writers are manipulating some situation to happen later in the season. I need to get over that personal involvement!

 

I know, it just seems predictable from the set up alone.

 

Otto needs to build a tank for the ratings.  .5 in the demo, 1.9 million viewers.  I saw in Variety that Dilshad has taken another job.  That doesn't necessarily mean she couldn't return to this role, though.

 

While that's true, it seems like she's already moving on to the next project.

[Bruinsfan]

Mary's probably falling for Jimmy as a result of a combo of gratitude for saving her life, liking his personality after weeks of close contact, the rush of excitement and pride from helping solve crimes, and having functioning eyesight.

 

As to the matter of Otto's virginity, I'd imagine he got rid of it if he had any interest in doing so. Lots of people wouldn't let little things like autism and utter lack of common courtesy or human warmth keep them from cuddling up to a billionaire.

[saber5055]

Yet...serious question for everyone...if you knew, as Mary did, that the object of your desire was a Lazarus, who was largely a re-creation of an old and dead person, would you really want to get with them?

 

Well, there's that point that Bruinsfan made, that "having functioning eyesight" thing.

 

I'd be okay with getting with James if I were Mary, for the reasons others have given, plus "old people" have all that worldly experience and decades of knowledge, which make for a great partner. Someone who knows what to do and how to do it, plus all the catting around is (usually) behind. The old person knows and appreciates what a good relationship is. The problem is that old people LOOK old, so "Ewwww" for them being selected as a partner. But now that old Jimmy is hot James, he's the perfect package (no pun intended). The hesitation would be if he went back to being a cat-around like many in his now-age group.

 

All my favorite shows get cancelled, so I'm trying not to think about that. Thanks for the depressing news, Rhodes. NOT!

[Netfoot]

The problem is that old people LOOK old, so "Ewwww" for them being selected as a partner.

 

Hey!  I resemble that remark!

[Bruinsfan]

It's a fair cop, though. While people's tastes usually get more forgiving of a few wrinkles as they get older themselves, Mary is quite young. And beautiful. And a billionaire. Which puts her out of just about everyone's league, excepting maybe some unmarried European royals. I'd think more reservations might come into play because Jimmy still likes to get drunk and hang out with hookers and other seedy folk, and those flaws seem consistent throughout his life regardless of age.

 

Something I'd like to see more of is Jimmy acting like a grouchy old man—calling fortysomethings kiddo, playing checkers in the park with retirees, eating dinner at 4:30 to get the Early Bird Special. They had a bit of that early on with the conversation he had with that old guy in the hospital elevator, but seem to have since forgotten that the mind inside Rob Kazinsky's 32-year-old body is still supposed to be a 70-year-old's with all the habits and attitudes that entails. And the mutual attraction with Mary short-circuits something I would LOVE to see, Jimmy chasing after a middle-aged woman that he would perceive as decades younger than himself.

[piequinn35]

That answered our question how the assistant who is Alexa keeps her young self, she has her own tank :>

 

Sorry if I missed, did the realtor recognized Mary as Mary Goodwin? 

[saber5055]

Hey!  I resemble that remark!

Ha ha, so do I. I could use a good tank dunking.

 

Love your post, Bruins. You need to start writing for this show.

Sorry if I missed, did the realtor recognized Mary as Mary Goodwin?

I don't think so or she wouldn't have been all about "you two are a couple" and/or "oh, you two are getting divorced." She would have known. Plus she probably would jack up her commission if she knew she was renting to a bazillionaire.

Edited March 14, 2016 by saber5055

[blackwing]

OK, so Connor has his own regeneration process and tank.  It seems to have worked, since Alexa seems young and healthy.  I'm confused as to exactly why he needs Mary and Looking Glass then?  Is it because he can't recreate it?  Alexa said she stole everything from the computer, so what is the problem?  Why hasn't Alexa's husband been regenerated as well?

 

I'm unclear as to what Connor's endgame is.  Does he want to create this process so he can sell it and make billions off people who would be eager for this process?  Doesn't the fact that you need to dunk yourself into the "rescue fish tank" on a daily basis greatly hamper your enjoyment of life?  You could never travel anywhere.  I suppose maybe they envisioned that one day in the future there could be these quick recharge goop tanks all over the country that people could use, like a Tesla supercharging station.

 

What is Otto looking to get out of this process?  He kept saying once he had enough of James' blood then they wouldn't need him anymore.  Where does Otto expect him to go?  He needs to be in the goop each day.  Or I suppose that Otto would just as well prefer that James "die" again to get him out of Mary's life.  Is he trying to market a regenerative process, or is he only trying to market some health cures?

 

Otto is a jerk.  I don't think his autism is an excuse.  He might be autistic, but he sure seems very highly functioning to me.  You would think that he would want his sister to have a friend and to be happy.  I agree with the observation upthread that why is it OK for Mary to be with Connor but not James?   And I'm quite certain that Otto is aware that Mary has been with Connor.  He probably has video of it somewhere.

 

Since there are only a few episodes left, I can already picture the series finale.  Otto decides to work with Connor to sabotage Mary and his own company and gets Mary to sign a power of attorney that she thinks is routine paperwork.  Gracie finds out the truth about James  and runs away.  Connor seals James in an underground concrete chamber.  Mary's cancer comes back.  Otto locates James.  James finds Gracie.  James and Mary start treatment again.   Show ends with them together.

 

At least that's how I would write it.  I hope none of this cliffhanger limbo business.

[Netfoot]

OK, so Connor has his own regeneration process and tank.  It seems to have worked, since Alexa seems young and healthy.

 

No.  Otto made Alexa young again, but discovered her blood was unsuitable to assist Mary with her cancer cure.  Therefore, Alexa has to work with Connor in order to get a working tank.  

[blackwing]

No.  Otto made Alexa young again, but discovered her blood was unsuitable to assist Mary with her cancer cure.  Therefore, Alexa has to work with Connor in order to get a working tank.  

Oh, I missed that completely.  Isn't it a bit cruel of him to have youthened her but then because her blood wasn't good, to just throw her away?  Or does his autism give him a pass and he's just not expected to care?

 

Is Mary aware that Alexa was youthened by Otto?  I would assume not, because if she was, then I would think she would wonder how Alexa was staying alive, and find out that it is Connor, and therefore Alexa isn't particularly trustworthy since she could be a mole and steal secrets.  Which she did.

[Free]

What is Otto looking to get out of this process?  He kept saying once he had enough of James' blood then they wouldn't need him anymore.  Where does Otto expect him to go?  He needs to be in the goop each day.  Or I suppose that Otto would just as well prefer that James "die" again to get him out of Mary's life.  Is he trying to market a regenerative process, or is he only trying to market some health cures?

Otto is a jerk.  I don't think his autism is an excuse.  He might be autistic, but he sure seems very highly functioning to me.  You would think that he would want his sister to have a friend and to be happy.  I agree with the observation upthread that why is it OK for Mary to be with Connor but not James?   And I'm quite certain that Otto is aware that Mary has been with Connor.  He probably has video of it somewhere.

 

That's what makes him unlikable, James is the only one actually saving his sister's life and he's treating him like this when there are other dangerous people that James could be useful to protect him from.

[Netfoot]

Isn't it a bit cruel of him to have youthened her but then because her blood wasn't good, to just throw her away?

 

Yes, but as you said, "Otto is a jerk."

 

Is Mary aware that Alexa was youthened by Otto?

 

Like you, I assume not.  I am going to suppose that the young Alexa is not anyone that Otto or Mary recognize.  I don't know if Mary knew about Otto's first attempt with the tank.  Maybe, maybe not.  Obviously Otto knows, but perhaps he never bothered to look at the rejuvenated Alexa.  I can't believe that he would know it was her that now worked for Mary, and say nothing.

[Hanahope]

I have to assume that Otto was so focused on the work that he didn't bother looking at Alexa's face, so he doesn't recognize that she's one of his 'failed' Lazaruses.  I'm not surprised that Otto had some 'failed' tries, it would be quite the miracle for the first try to work perfectly.  Obviously, he assumed his failed tries just died, or maybe he had Connor clean things up, and Connor decided instead to keep the failures to try and engineer his own Lazarus, and when that hasn't worked, got Alexa to be a corporate spy. 

 

I also was under the impression that Alexa had been Mary's assistant for a very long time, like before she got cancer, so i too am a bit confused on the timeline.  Did Connor get Alexa a fake ID, because otherwise I think an HR person would be quite curious over a new employee's birthdate from 70+ years ago.

[SmithW6079]

You would think that [Otto] would want his sister to have a friend and to be happy. I agree with the observation upthread that why is it OK for Mary to be with Connor but not James? And I'm quite certain that Otto is aware that Mary has been with Connor.

Yes, certainly. If I recall, he took a certain pleasure in letting James know Mary was with Connor for a schtupping.

But Connor is just that -- a fuck buddy for Mary. She still belongs to Otto emotionally. James and Mary connect emotionally, and that represents a threat to Otto.

[Bruinsfan]

Love your post, Bruins. You need to start writing for this show.

If I wrote for this show it'd have to air on Starz or Showtime—Jimmy would be bare-ass naked every week.

 

Yes, but as you said, "Otto is a jerk."

I'd go further than "jerk" and say he's an actual monster. He carelessly discards people like used tissues once they are no longer needed to serve his purpose. And if he's the one responsible for Albert Lin, his work has resulted in multiple innocent people dying. Of course, that goes pretty well with the source material since Dr. Frankenstein was the *real* monster in Mary Shelley's novel.

[ramble]

(I'm on Team James/Mary.)

I'm on Team James in any fashion, my specific cheer is "Make the goo less opaque!" Then we can all enjoy enhanced tank viewing.

Add me to the list of those who view Otto as monstrous. His obsession with his sister is far beyond co-dependent.

[SmithW6079]

I admit, when I  saw the trailer for this episode, my first thought was, "They're going for monsters?!" and was disappointed, until I remembered that the main character used to be dead and was brought back to life, because I've been enjoying the episodes as procedurals.

 

I liked how we're starting to see more of the more "fantastic" elements -- Alexa also having died and been reborn, Albert Lin as an early failed example. They made the parallel of Dr. Frankenstein/Otto particularly strong in this episode.

[Free]

I liked how we're starting to see more of the more "fantastic" elements -- Alexa also having died and been reborn, Albert Lin as an early failed example. They made the parallel of Dr. Frankenstein/Otto particularly strong in this episode.

 

Me too, because up until this point, it's been super strong guy helps solve procedural crimes with barely much of a resemblance to the Frankenstein story since the pilot.