S05.E03: Escape from Altura

[ottoDbusdriver]

10K nearly loses everything as Panic and anti-Talker sentiments flare after an explosion derails the vote.

 

[51Muses]

Well, this was not a boring episode at all. My heart rate was just starting to calm down then it's ripped out and stomped on! Damn!

And everyone is separated again. Murphy is with his blends in Limbo. Red and TenK will join up in Pacifica with Doc, Citizen Z, George and Roberta. Sun Mei is in Altura.

Pandora is the resident evil puppet master. Her and Roman are just ... avert your eyes yucky. 

The Talkers are evolving into feral zombies, just lovely. I do like how the show is using past history. They must have one heck of a continuity checker.

I am so ready for Addy to show up. C'mon show! Maybe we'll see Kaya and little CZ in Pacifica. I need some happy moments, seriously.

Someone please remind me what TenK is now. Is he a blend? Or something else due to all the serum he drank a while back? 

[ottoDbusdriver]

Noooooo !!!!!  Not Sgt. Lily !!  At least she's not coming back as a Z.

And 10K is now missing his shooting hand, courtesy of Red.  Did that save him from becoming a Z ?  Did they stop the Z virus in time ?  Or did Murphy's bite innoculate 10K from Z bites.

Lt. Dante really was growing on me, and now he's gone too.

45 minutes ago, 51Muses said:

Pandora is the resident evil puppet master. Her and Roman are just ... avert your eyes yucky.  

I'm curious what Pandora's real goals are.

[51Muses]

1 minute ago, ottoDbusdriver said:

Noooooo !!!!!  Not Sgt. Lily !!  At least she's not coming back as a Z.

And 10K is now missing his shooting hand, courtesy of Red.  Did that save him from becoming a Z ?  Did they stop the Z virus in time ?  Or did Murphy's bite innoculate 10K from Z bites.

Lt. Dante really was growing on me, and now he's gone too.

I'm curious what Pandora's real goals are.

 

Sarge went out like a boss. I thought Murphy's bite just prevented 10K/blends from being bitten. I'm thinking the serum stuff that 10K was drinking like water did change his body chemistry. He was bitten multiple times I thought. I don't know if I can stand a rewatch. And wasn't that TenK's dominant shooting hand? I know I said previously that I wanted some character development for 10K but ... but not like this.

I hate myself for being curious about Pandora's back story. I didn't see her eating cookies. Is she a Zona reject that was experimented on? Or did she steal all the cookies for her and her henchman? What her goal is - I think it was getting rid of George and owning Altura with her in full charge behind Roman the figurehead. The election was just a convenient event to hang her plans on. Of course, her plans did not include the coming of Roberta and company. I remember her "goodbye" to Dante in the previous episode. Dante became suspicious and left. I suspect Pandora or her henchman set up the bomb. She and Roman were conveniently nowhere near the hall when the bomb went off. Ultimately, I think Pandora wants to control all the scattered settlements.

Lt. Dante is in the sneak peek for the next episode on the SyFy site. He's not completely gone. 

[ottoDbusdriver]

33 minutes ago, 51Muses said:

And wasn't that TenK's dominant shooting hand? I know I said previously that I wanted some character development for 10K but ... but not like this. 

Yep, that was 10K's shooting hand.

At least 10K doesn't have to decide between Sarge and Red anymore.

Sun Mei (to Murphy): "You look like Satan."
Murphy: "And I'm rocking it.  But still, it's rude to stare."

[Stargazer2893]

Amazing episode! !!

[Ohwell]

Poor Sarge.  And I'm sorry that 10k lost his hand.

I'm sick of Murphy running off to wherever. 

I never thought I'd be saying this because I've looked forward to this show every season, but now I think it's time to wrap things up.  Unless they bring back the zombie cheese wheel, this needs to be the last season.   Of course, if it is renewed I'll probably watch because it's been my Friday night guilty pleasure, but it's just not my fun zombie show anymore.  

[Evie]

I figured Sarge was doomed not just because Red is back but also George kind of filled her spot within the team. It was either dead, background or pointless triangle. Dead was probably the best option although I liked her a lot.

Not sure how I feel about 10K losing his hand. I'd like him to have a story, but he's 10K! That's his shooting hand. 

Overall, I'm enjoying this more than last season. 

Edited October 20, 2018 by Evie

[Joimiaroxeu]

You can taste the brains in every bite!

Quote

At least 10K doesn't have to decide between Sarge and Red anymore.

Heh, 10K has come so far. He went from being practically autistic to a guy juggling two women.

[Ohwell]

15 minutes ago, Evie said:

Overall, I'm enjoying this more than last season.

Well, there is that, I suppose.  Last season was, for me, painful to watch with Roberta's constant hallucinations or whatever they were.

[51Muses]

3 hours ago, Ohwell said:

Poor Sarge.  And I'm sorry that 10k lost his hand.

I'm sick of Murphy running off to wherever. 

I never thought I'd be saying this because I've looked forward to this show every season, but now I think it's time to wrap things up.  Unless they bring back the zombie cheese wheel, this needs to be the last season.   Of course, if it is renewed I'll probably watch because it's been my Friday night guilty pleasure, but it's just not my fun zombie show anymore.  

This is the show's final season per SyFy. The production team is moving on to Black Summer. Season 4 was a confusing mess. So glad they're back to fast, fun and eventful episodes with the surprise bits of drama and angst. The writing this season has been great.

I do think they are wrapping things up. The cheese wheel is making its way towards the far horizon as we speak. 

Murphy needs a 24/7 minder/babysitter surgically attached. To me, he's the show's incumbent, all purpose plot device. I didn't like the way he just exited Altura without thinking of the others but it was in character. Roberta needs to give him a good smack for that. 

2 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Heh, 10K has come so far. He went from being practically autistic to a guy juggling two women.

 

2 hours ago, Evie said:

I figured Sarge was doomed not just because Red is back but also George kind of filled her spot within the team. It was either dead, background or pointless triangle. Dead was probably the best option although I liked her a lot.

Not sure how I feel about 10K losing his hand. I'd like him to have a story, but he's 10K! That's his shooting hand. 

Overall, I'm enjoying this more than last season. 

And now 10K has got the biggest case of PTSD and overall trauma. No gun/slingshot hand. Bit again. No reliable wing mate (RIP Sarge). Is the count over? 

I suppose the Female Fighter role is kinda crowded - Roberta, Addy (she is returning), Sarge, George, Red. I would have rather lost Red. 

[Ohwell]

54 minutes ago, 51Muses said:

I would have rather lost Red. 

Me too.

[rmontro]

If this was more of a science fiction show, I'd think 10k would be getting a robot hand.  But they don't seem to have the technology.  I'm guessing his special blood chemistry will allow him to grow a new hand.

[10kfever]

Hmmm, I agree with much of what was said. This season is definitely better than last season. Thus far, it may be the best season yet! I, too, would prefer Sarge over Red, but at least she went out with all the courage we expect from her. Yep, two-faced woman and Zona escapee...bad guys! (Seriously, I'm hoping there will be a plot twist in here to prove it's actually someone else, otherwise it's just plain too obvious. Then again, we are talking Z Nation.) As for 10K's hand...Yep, his shooting hand, although he has appeared to be slightly ambidextrous, and I really think the serum he got from Sun Mei back in the Zona cave base DID cure him of the zombie virus. It was implied, because the process started with the "Murphy stay-human juice", was supported by Zs going after him, and later by the infection that nearly killed him. Big question is: did it prevent him from getting the virus again? Red was there through some of it, so I'm guessing she wasn't going to take the chance. I wonder how that will affect her relationship with 10K? Having the group dissolved again is a big mistake, I believe. Murphy off to do who knows what, Doc/Warren/Citizen Z off to Pacifica, 10K, Red, and Sun Mei back at Altura. I hope they all get back together soon and kick some major ass. Since 10K is my fave character, I also hope for a little angst from all. As for Black Summer, the writers have proven they can do the job when they're in the mood for it, but they've proven as fickle as a...sorry, words fail me. They dilly here, they dilly there, they never settle down long enough to really accomplish anything...children get bored so easily.

[ottoDbusdriver]

2 hours ago, rmontro said:

If this was more of a science fiction show, I'd think 10k would be getting a robot hand.  But they don't seem to have the technology.  I'm guessing his special blood chemistry will allow him to grow a new hand.

Now that would be cool.  10K has starfish-like regenerative powers.

[10kfever]

Okay, just had a brain storm...or maybe a brain fart. Since I firmly believe Season 5 has thus far been superior to the overall "flavor" of the first four seasons, I have to attribute this change to the two morons in charge having gone off to play with their newest "toy", Black Summer. So, the show is doing much better without them. Good, I hope it continues with this pattern. However, with the ratings dropping yet again for 5.2, we on this forum need to spread the word that ZN is better than ever and for everyone to come back and give it another chance. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could get the ratings to make it such a hit that SyFy couldn't think of canceling it? Oh, I can but dream...<sigh>

[jhlipton]

I would have MUCH rather lost Red than Lily, both looks-wise and acting-wise.  Oh well.

I can't believe that with allthis talk of 10K's "shooting hand", NOT ONE PERSON added [shakes uncontrollably]!!!

 

ETA: Grace Gilliam is starring in a new movie (The Lost Weekend), so she may have asked to be let go...

Edited October 21, 2018 by jhlipton

[Nashville]

2 hours ago, jhlipton said:

I would have MUCH rather lost Red than Lily, both looks-wise and acting-wise.  Oh well.

Same here.  Nothing against Red, but between her and Sarge I’d have taken Sarge every day of the week and twice on Sundays.  Sgt. Lily was the best Addy replacement since... well, Addy.

[Jordan61]

I never liked Sarge much myself but man that was a rough way to go out. With the episode description being "10k nearly loses everything" I knew he would be okay but I thought for sure both women were goners. I've been rewatching season 1 and, to me, the show is really missing the humor they had in earlier seasons.

[Ohwell]

13 hours ago, Jordan61 said:

I've been rewatching season 1 and, to me, the show is really missing the humor they had in earlier seasons.

I miss the humor, too.  

[wrlord]

Anyone else notice a zombie grab a firm handful of Sarge boob just before she went kablooey?

Also... come on. Estes is clearly neither hispanic nor straight. Why he's losing his mind over a woman sticking her tongue in his ear is beyond me. 

[BasilSeal]

I'm coming late to the party here having caught up from the start of season 4, but i have a few observations so far.

 

At the beginning of season 4, most of the characters are at the Marine camp waiting for the convoy to Newmerica to arrive. there's a clear indication that something odd is happening. There is supposedly some sort of unseen creature in the bushes, Ten K and Doc go off with the marines to find the convoy and they find the vehicles with no people, and all the supplies still there, like the people just disappeared, we go back the the camp and Sun Mei is shown waking up to find everyone gone, when the others get back, Sun Mei is gone too. they find the Red Shirt in the cupboard who is so terrified he's lost the power of speech and can't tell them what happened, then he disappears too.

 

Now we find the explanation is that the other marines turned up and took them to Newmerica, and they just went, they didn't say, wait for our friends who left a few hours ago. I find that in itself hard to believe particularly for red leaving ten K, but what was the point of all the other stuff about invisible monsters?

 

Could it be something is very odd about Newmerica, possibly connected to the other great unresolved plot detour of the last season where the team ended up in a real life version of a first person computer game, where unknown bad guys lock them in a building and get them to solve problems in a way that resembles different levels on a computer game.

Or did the show runners decide to take the plot in a different direction to what they had planned in season 4, and are just pretending that all that stuff about the invisible monster didn't happen because it suits their new plot, which seems to be a topical allegory about the dangers of identity politics.

skimming through the first the episode threads i can't see that anyone else has mentioned the apparent discrepancy with Red and Sun Mei being at altura like nothing had happened, is it just me? or am i right that this is a bit odd and doesn't fit with what happened when they disappeared?

[51Muses]

5 minutes ago, BasilSeal said:

At the beginning of season 4, most of the characters are at the Marine camp waiting for the convoy to Newmerica to arrive. there's a clear indication that something odd is happening. There is supposedly some sort of unseen creature in the bushes, Ten K and Doc go off with the marines to find the convoy and they find the vehicles with no people, and all the supplies still there, like the people just disappeared, we go back the the camp and Sun Mei is shown waking up to find everyone gone, when the others get back, Sun Mei is gone too. they find the Red Shirt in the cupboard who is so terrified he's lost the power of speech and can't tell them what happened, then he disappears too.

 

Now we find the explanation is that the other marines turned up and took them to Newmerica, and they just went, they didn't say, wait for our friends who left a few hours ago. I find that in itself hard to believe particularly for red leaving ten K, but what was the point of all the other stuff about invisible monsters?

 

Could it be something is very odd about Newmerica, possibly connected to the other great unresolved plot detour of the last season where the team ended up in a real life version of a first person computer game, where unknown bad guys lock them in a building and get them to solve problems in a way that resembles different levels on a computer game.

Or did the show runners decide to take the plot in a different direction to what they had planned in season 4, and are just pretending that all that stuff about the invisible monster didn't happen because it suits their new plot, which seems to be a topical allegory about the dangers of identity politics.

skimming through the first the episode threads i can't see that anyone else has mentioned the apparent discrepancy with Red and Sun Mei being at altura like nothing had happened, is it just me? or am i right that this is a bit odd and doesn't fit with what happened when they disappeared?

When SunMei explained what happened at the camp, her expression was a bit evasive I thought. Or at the least it seemed to me that she was watching what she said. Red was not shown saying anything specific about how she happened to be at the camp. My understanding of SunMei's explanation was she walked out of camp and then encountered the Marines. Based on online interviews with the show runners, they chose to be vague about details. Whether that is due to a desire to get themselves out of a plot corner in the easiest manner possible (let's ignore it and it will go away. Let's do this shiny new plot arc instead) or they are saving it up for a future plot line. With this show, it could go either way. I hope they do explain some part of it later. There was some kind of presence in the smoke/fog and there was a certain noise. It couldn't have been figments of the imagination. 

Aha! I'm not the only one thinking about the loose thread of the gamemasters in the maze.  Who knows if the maze was not a forerunner to the Altura setup or even Pandora's yet unknown motives. What a twist if Newmerica had an alternative end purpose.

[BasilSeal]

5 hours ago, 51Muses said:

When SunMei explained what happened at the camp, her expression was a bit evasive I thought. Or at the least it seemed to me that she was watching what she said. Red was not shown saying anything specific about how she happened to be at the camp. My understanding of SunMei's explanation was she walked out of camp and then encountered the Marines. Based on online interviews with the show runners, they chose to be vague about details. Whether that is due to a desire to get themselves out of a plot corner in the easiest manner possible (let's ignore it and it will go away. Let's do this shiny new plot arc instead) or they are saving it up for a future plot line. With this show, it could go either way. I hope they do explain some part of it later. There was some kind of presence in the smoke/fog and there was a certain noise. It couldn't have been figments of the imagination. 

Aha! I'm not the only one thinking about the loose thread of the gamemasters in the maze.  Who knows if the maze was not a forerunner to the Altura setup or even Pandora's yet unknown motives. What a twist if Newmerica had an alternative end purpose.

I wondered if they'd changed the story arc for this season after the Warren's dream arc was not well received last season, and whatever reason they had for the strange stuff at the camp is no no longer relevant to the new plot. From a Chekhov's Gun perspective, why have all that weird stuff on screen if there is no purpose to it or narrative pay off? i can't believe that red particularly would have simply upped sticks and left without Ten K after he'd been out on a mission for only a few hours.

In any other show i'd think there was more to this, there may well be yet, it could be that the whole Newmerica set up is some sort of extended scenario set up by the game masters, but with this show, it's also possible it's just shoddy writing, they've abandoned whatever plot arc that scene was setting up, and have simply not bothered to find a plausible explanation for what happened in the new plot arc.

the conflict between the talkers and humans is clearly an allegory of the dangers of identity politics, and a satire of the current political situation in the US today, it could be they decided to make the show more topical in this way, and binned a previous plot arc that was to have been set up by events at the camp.