S03.E03: #privacyplease.

[thewhiteowl]

A political attack on Kirkman puts privacy and transgender rights in the spotlight. Aaron weighs a major decision while Hannah and Eli track a bioterrorist.

[preeya]

Watched the first three episodes. Not sure how to comment on the reprieve, except to say it's different, very different. Therefore, comparisons to the "old style" seasons 1 & 2 don't seem fair.

Edited June 8, 2019 by preeya

[phoenics]

I mean - the show feels more grown up w.r.t. the social issues and sex.  But the intrigue and suspense is pretty much gone.

The writing is definitely better - but this is a brand new show.  They appear to be killing off a lot of what made me like the show and I'm struggling to figure out if I'm down to watch Passions + The West Wing when I signed up for 24/WW.  Hell, I'd have settled for Scandal/WW.

This is neither.

I do think the writing is far better - at what they are choosing to write.  I just - I was looking for something else more exciting.  I find myself being bored in these episodes and watching characters I care nothing about.

[QASteph]

I'm finding the episodes... not fictional enough?  Not sure if that is the way to phrase it but they are bringing in current real-life issues that don't necessarily fit into the narrative of the show.  I mean - in the last episode they had a 'man on the street' say "I don't like the way our current president talks about immigrants" (going from my very-imperfect memory) - within the show the current president is Kirkman and that comment makes NO SENSE.  I don't have anything against their use of real interviews, but use them more carefully!

I want my TV dramas to be internally consistent and also to provide something of an escape from normal life.

[notcreative enough]

I have to say if it wasnt for the hysterical campaign lady I dont know if I could still watch.

It's not a bad show it's just not the show that I want. I was hoping it would go back to season 1. 

I wish they would have at least mentioned what happened to the characters that they got rid of. Getting rid of the new characters from season 2 but I miss Mike and Chuck. 

Hannah is on an entirely different show. Its 3 episodes and she only was seen with one other major character and it was Emily of all people. At least last season she dealt with Aaron and was mildly tied into the show. I'm sure it will be relevant by the end of the season but I'm sure it won't have any kind of payoff.

[shapeshifter]

I still see very little difference between this season and the last—and that's not a good thing, IMO.

It looks to me like the NIH lady likely had the early stages of the CRISPR-engineered, smallpox-based virus, which she likely passed on to Aaron's gf, who will likely die of it. Aaron will contract it too, but Emily will nurse him back to health.

Do schools actually call parents when a girl gets her first period? Didn't Penny know what to do from sex ed or friends or Google?

Who is the schlubby COS's side piece?

Edited June 19, 2019 by shapeshifter

[chaifan]

I'm torn.  Taken totally separately, as if it were a new show, I like the White House portion of this show.  I'm liking the campaign plot line, I love the campaign director lady, I like the new social media guy, and I like Emily leaving the WH to work on the campaign.  Still love Kal Penn, and I actually like the plot line with his genetic daughter.  The Sasha plot is totally retcon, but it's started out ok, so I'll give it time.  For the most part, I think this part of the show is well written.  I could have done without the "Penny has her first period" plot, and if that's the only thing the writers could think of to give Sasha an excuse to hang around, then they're not trying. 

But...  what were they thinking of with the whole Hannah saves the world Part II, B plotline?  First, it's stupid.  Second, it has absolutely nothing to do with the A plotline.  Third, it's totally unnecessary - there was no reason whatsoever to bring back Hannah in any form.  If the producers were dead set on bringing back Hannah, give her Mike's old position.  My only theory is that Maggie Q has some serious dirt on the showrunner.

And I'd like to be totally on board with the theory posted above that the NIH lady has small pox, and has infected Aaron's girlfriend, who will infect Aaron, who will survive after the girlfriend dies a tragic death.  But...  how in the world do they get around the fact that the entire White House would have also been infected.  Or are we heading towards Designated Survivor Survivor?  Who will end up being President by the end of the season after everyone else has died? 

[shapeshifter]

14 minutes ago, chaifan said:

the entire White House would have also been infected.  Or are we heading towards Designated Survivor Survivor?  Who will end up being President by the end of the season after everyone else has died? 

Sounds good to me, except: Will the writers once again sweep under the rug of the Oval Office the real-life consequences of such an apocalyptic event?

Ah well, I have to admit to a little bit of behind the scenes genius WRT timing the release of the episodes to coincide with the barren season of TV scheduling.

[Sake614]

I could have lived s long and happy life without seeing the spot of blood on Penny’s sheet. And her school calling the WH? Really? Just give the kid a sanitary pad and call it a day. Surely there was s nurse that could talk to her about it if she didn’t know what to do? I feel like that whole thing was just to set up a comedic scene between Kiefer and Anthony Edwards.

[BK1978]

I just finished episode three and I fully agree there is not enough Maggie Q shit going on (that is what I labeled it).  I miss Maggie's storylines and the intrigue.  This whole smallpox thing is just not cutting it for me.  I need more Maggie Q shit!

Jamie Clayton is still a pretty bad actress.  She was bad on Hung and what little I watched of her on Sense8 she was bad on that as well.  Maybe I am just not good at seeing who is good at acting because she keeps on getting cast on various projects, but yeah I do think her acting stinks.