S01.E04: Eternity How Long

[Tara Ariano]

Abe and Richard struggle with British orders to dig up local gravestones. Meanwhile, Ben and Caleb conspire to get their intelligence to Gen. Washington.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

Here's what I wrote about the episode.

[Dagny]

I seriously need to find a way to get the CC going. This is driving me crazy. It's almost like trying to interpret mimes that do minimal gestures.  I did love the actress having a grand time playing cards to get the Rebel to turn.

 

I liked the long con the Major is playing,   I hope that Abe starts using his wife to start planting information now that he knows that she likes to gossip.

[HalcyonDays]

The dialogue for me was much easier to understand. Only one or two words I was like, "What?" They have much improved the pronunciations.

 

The show needs to introduce people more in their dialogue. It doesn't have to be a straight up "This is blah blah", but just a full name reference. Took me a long time to figure out the guy caught by John Andre is supposed to be General Charles Lee and it was only this episode that I knew the other guy is John Andre.

 

And for the life of me, I couldn't remember Hewitt's name. These are the characters I now figured out: Abraham Woodhull, Richard Woodhull (father), Anna Strong, Mary Woodhull (Abe's wife), Benjamin Tallmadge (Bluecoat cutie doing some spying and defying of orders), Caleb Brewster (Bearded Irish spy), General Hewitt (crazy/not so crazy Redcoat running Setauket), John Andre (Redcoat using actress for his own means), Charles Lee (Bluecoat held by John Andre). That's all I got so far.

 

Kinda feel sorry for Mary - is she ever the neglected wife, but was kinda skeeved out by her being all "let's have a baby" to Abe, after the whole brother Thomas conversation. Kinda creepy. Feel bad for her but the moment Abe told her about the tombstones, I knew she would blab. At least he knows now not to tell her anything, unless he wants it to not remain a secret.

 

I did like how Hewitt (Captain?, not sure) did play the town nicely. We do think he is crazy, but not really. He's just messing with everyone. Sad that Woodhull senior doesn't see that he himself is being manipulated also. Senior wants the power and the money from business with the Redcoats, but for some reason vacillates between self-serving to protecting the town. Hmm....

 

I am confused about Abe and his father's relationship. I expect by this point that Abe would just say "forget it" about trying to stay close to his father but he doesn't. Every week he's trying to get back in his father's good graces and I'm waiting for him to finally say "That's it, I'm done, I'm spying now", but nothing. Maybe the gravestones are finally going to put him over the edge.

 

And no Captain Simcoe....too bad.....

[attica]

Feel bad for her but the moment Abe told her about the tombstones, I knew she would blab.

 

See, now, I was certain Abe meant her to blab. Or at least counted on that she would. It was a quick way to get the villagers to object to the plan without having his hands on it, which would look disloyal. He was hoping the village's objections would dissuade Richard when his own did not.

[HalcyonDays]

See, now, I was certain Abe meant her to blab. Or at least counted on that she would. It was a quick way to get the villagers to object to the plan without having his hands on it, which would look disloyal. He was hoping the village's objections would dissuade Richard when his own did not.

 

That's the one thing about Abe that hasn't really been confirmed. I did initially think that he told his wife Mary, just so that she would blab. But the scene, when she's trying to get some intimacy from him, it seemed like he told her just as a salve for rejecting her. It came off sincere, him telling her, but I did think that it was also a plan.

 

Unfortunately, its not easy to discern when Abe's manipulating the situation or actually truly feels this way. His conversation with his father at the end too - he seemed genuinely like he wanted help his father make the right decision and appease the town. Of course, Senior screws that up, but there is a lot of sincerity. I don't see the times when Abe is manipulating things for the spy ring/his own reasons.

[Haleth]

Up until the last line of the episode I was calling bullshit on the headstone thing. If there is anything that is not lacking in that part of the country it's rocks. All the farmers around there would have piles of rocks to donate to protect the camp. But then the general said it was a mind game. Well, ok then.

[HalcyonDays]

Up until the last line of the episode I was calling bullshit on the headstone thing. If there is anything that is not lacking in that part of the country it's rocks. All the farmers around there would have piles of rocks to donate to protect the camp. But then the general said it was a mind game. Well, ok then.

 

I was thinking more like "You know, British Military - if you really want the town on your side, tearing up headstones is probably not the way to go about it." But the final line about the mind game - I loved that. Awesome. 

[ganesh]

The show is finally clicking with me. E1 was uneven with the pacing, but I like the concept. I usually stick around for about 5 episodes for a show anyway.

 

I still can't name the characters. I know Abe. And Burn Gorman because I like him in everything. Which is weird because I know all the characters on Game of Thrones and that has like a million people in it.

I really liked this episode because I knew Burn was playing a mindfuck. Just basing this type of show around that kind of concept was really interesting to me. I really hope those colonists can kick some redcoat ass!

 

The girl screaming from being tortured while playing cards and banging on the table injected a needed dose of humor. I think the show needs moments like this.

 

 

That's the one thing about Abe that hasn't really been confirmed. I did initially think that he told his wife Mary, just so that she would blab.

I was going back and forth on whether this was calculated. The actor makes Abe look kind of clueless a lot, which I suppose is directed since you don't want anyone to know your the sooperspy. But on the other hand, it's hard as a viewer to read when he's plotting things. 

[blackwing]

I am watching these for the first time as they are airing.  I am glad to read that others had had issues with the characters.  The only characters I know are Abe, his wife, the barmaid that is in the spy ring with him, and his dad (the judge?).  I'm embarrassed to say that I don't really even know who is on which side.  And if you take them out of their wigs and fancy uniforms, forget it.  No hope.

 

They referred to the guy getting whipped as Baker.  That was actually a name I recognised from an earlier episode, but I couldn't recall him or what he did.  All I know is that I really could have done without seeing his extremely hairy armpits in HD.

 

I hope this show gets better and easier to follow?

[ZoqFotPik]

 

The only characters I know are Abe, his wife, the barmaid that is in the spy ring with him, and his dad (the judge?).  I'm embarrassed to say that I don't really even know who is on which side.

Abe and the barmaid Anna Strong are on the Revolutionaries side, although Abe's commitment is tenuous at best. Abe's wife Mary is largely neutral. Abe's father is Richard the Judge and he is firmly on the side of the British.

 

 

They referred to the guy getting whipped as Baker.  That was actually a name I recognised from an earlier episode, but I couldn't recall him or what he did.  All I know is that I really could have done without seeing his extremely hairy armpits in HD.

Baker is an Ensign in the British army and is currently living with Abe and his wife. I don't recall if he was one of the soldiers being whipped, but the reason they were being whipped is because they were guarding the dock in the previous episode and failed to stop Caleb from escaping. Caleb is Abe's old friend and currently a  scout for Revolutionaries under the command of Ben Tallmadge. He is also the person who brought Abe into the service of the Revolutionaries and his point of contact. And just for the sake of completeness:

Ben Tallmadge is the leader of the Revolutionaries spy ring and also an old friend of Abe.

Major Hewlett is the commander of the British forces in Setauket.

Captain Simcoe is an British army officer under Hewlett and was captured by Tallmadge in the first episode.

John Andre is the commander of British intelligence based in New York.

Robert Rodgers is the commander of Robert's Rangers an irregular force of the British army. He is currently hunting Ben Tallmadge,

I think that covers every main character. 

Edited August 27, 2014 by ZoqFotPik

[green]

Excellent post above by ZoqFotPik.  Wish I had had a nice roster like that when I was watching the first time.  Very handy and helpful.

 

I'll just add Ben stands out as in easy to spot and remember cause he has the only blue regular army uniform among the major revolutionaries you've seen so far.  Conn. regular with the spiffy plumed metal helmet.  He, Caleb (rebel with beard) and our "main character" Abe are all from the same town of Setauket, Long Island a fairly short row boating away from the Conn. coastline.  They appear to have grown up together and are all about the same age.

 

Also should add British Captain Simcoe is worth following.  The actor is having a field day with this guy and I love the actor for it.  One of the reasons I kept watching the whole season.

 

And Robert Rodgers was quite famous throughout the colonies at the time of the revolution because he had gained a lot of fame as the leader of Rodgers' Rangers in the French and Indian War (first American special ops unit you might call them) more then a decade before.  The fact that he chose the British side deprived the rebels of a past "hero" but by this time he already had a serious drinking problem, giant ego and was more into the war for money and personal glory then any cause.

 

All these people I mentioned above except maybe Caleb (don't know about him) were for real human beings and not fictional characters.  Though it is historical fiction and can take some liberties -- apparently Abe's father in real history wasn't a tory but writers can't get away form their terrible and boring obsession for father-son conflicts alas -- it does bring a LOT of the real history as well. 

 

Also a real historical character ZoqFotPik mentioned above that I didn't mention here is British Major Andre in NY.  He is easy to spot cause his digs in NY are far superior to the more rustic ones in Setauket where the British soldiers are quartered in far more modest homes.

Edited August 27, 2014 by green

[Iboatedhere]

Caleb was real. His storyline in the show is fairly factual. So far.

[blackwing]

Fantastic, thanks so much to all of you, this is very helpful.  I remember Caleb (who I had called Beard Guy) escaping in the boat in the previous episode and didn't really follow what was going on.  I know Simcoe because of his unusually high voice.

 

The ones I now am not sure of are John Andre and Robert Rodgers.  Is Andre the guy that was caught with the "prostitute" who pretended she was being tortured?  Is Rodgers the guy I have been calling Funny Hat Guy?

[Iboatedhere]

Baker was one of the guys getting whipped. I think I only realized that when I rewatched it. He's so sweet and I felt bad for him.

 

John Andre is the one that was using Philomena, 'the prostitute' to get information out of Charles Lee. Andre is tall, good looking, has that fun braid in his hair.

 

Rodgers does have a funny hat. He's the big guy with the beard that speaks with a Scottish (I think) accent. Rodgers has been shown talking to Andre, I believe he reports to him. In the pilot Rodgers was the one that killed the dragoons that Ben was a part of.

 

Hope that helps. It does get easier to follow.

[larapu2000]

I'll just add Ben stands out as in easy to spot and remember cause he has the only blue regular army uniform among the major revolutionaries you've seen so far.

 

OR, Ben is the hot one.

[Iboatedhere]

OR, Ben is the hot one.

 

Haha! Yes.

[HalcyonDays]

I am watching these for the first time as they are airing.  I am glad to read that others had had issues with the characters.  The only characters I know are Abe, his wife, the barmaid that is in the spy ring with him, and his dad (the judge?).  I'm embarrassed to say that I don't really even know who is on which side.  And if you take them out of their wigs and fancy uniforms, forget it.  No hope.

I hope this show gets better and easier to follow?

 

I had the same problem too, blackwing, for the first few episodes. It's because the characters don't refer to each other initially by their full names, so you get lost as to who is who. They never properly introduced the name a character the first or second time they appear on screen.

 

But it will get easier to follow. And stick with it - its quite entertaining actually.

 

To expand a little:

 

Bearded guy who is buddies with Benjamin Tallmadge is Caleb Brewster - I'm adding his last name because he is sometimes referred to as such.

 

Here are the characters on TURN, via AMC. Its linked to John Andre, but you can see the rest of the characters on the right side. Hopefully that will help.

[green]

That was a really helpful link what with clear pictures of the characters and good but not really spoilerish descriptions in a nutshell.  Again, I could have used this at the beginning of the series.  Can't tell your players without a roster especially since they do a pretty poor job of introducing them to the audience as others have said.

 

Also thanks HalconDays for the info that Caleb was a real historical person too.  I find shows based on real people like this and Vikings (especially Vikings) so much more interesting cause there just seems more weight to them then pure fictional characters.  The fact that real people actually lived and did this stuff -- minus the need for "dramatic license" at times obviously -- just hits harder for me I guess.

Edited August 28, 2014 by green

[Kabota]

As long as we're talking about extras on the AMC site and Caleb -- don't miss the deleted scene from this episode. There are so few moments of levity in the show, but this is a good one. Along with the humor, it also shows camp life for the rough reality it was, and illustrates Caleb's resourcefulness. His personality, as depicted in the show, does seem really in line with what's out there and historically documented. I really enjoy his and Ben's friendship of opposites.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Kabota

[blackwing]

Yes, the link to the website is very helpful, thanks!