After a long hiatus, FlashForward has come back. Here is me and Roth’s review of the 2 part episode “Revelation Zero” where we discuss what is working and what isn’t in the show.
- Dennis
17 Responses to “FlashForward “Revelation Zero” Episodes 111-112 (VIDEO REVIEW)”
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I agree with you that Mark Benford as the main character just isn't cutting it. I think they need to focus more on him (which they did in tonight's episode "Blowback").
The stuff with Janice and her baby, the former window washer guy, Bryce trying is find the Japanese girl, Nicole seeing her murderer, Nicole's mom and her wall of pennies have nothing to do with the blackout investigation and are just fillers.
I think some of the side stories are important because they give the audience a peek into how drastically everyone's life would change if something like this really happened. If a global blackout and flashforward occurred in real life, the repercussions would be massive. The philosophical, psychological, and spiritual questions the event would raise would consume people. So, I do think it's important that the show explores those themes. To not explore them would be an injustice for a show that's supposed to be about a major world-changing event. I just don't like how much time they spend on those side stories because those characters haven't really captured my interest as much as the main storyline. To me, the investigation is much more interesting. The mystery surrounding the cause of the event, the organization that triggered it, their motives, the physics experiment that amplified it, etc., are all far more intriguing than whether or not Bryce is going to hook up with the Japanese girl or Nicole is going to be murdered.
I agree with you – I think it's important to explore those things – I just don't think the show has found a really compelling, way to do so…
Thanks!
Roth
Just saw Blowback after a crazy week – going to review it tonight – I think it has some elements going for it – but didn't engage me as much as the dominic monaghan storyline from last week did,
Thanks!
Roth
While I'm enjoying the overarching plot of Flashforward, the biggest problem I'm having is connecting with any of the characters. With the exception of Simon, they're all just kind of boring. As you mentioned, Mark is probably the best example of this. Although I liked him more this episode than in previous ones… I was very impressed with the grace he showed his wife after seeing him hugging Lloyd in that video. Man, I don't think I could have done that.
The other issue I'm still having is with the dialogue: again, just very dry, functional and boring (none of the cleverness of the dialogue in LOST for example). I'll still continue to watch, because I'm really enjoying the way the plot is unfolding, but it has the potential to be a truly great show if not for these problems.
And I just have to say that I DESPISE Lloyd! I just couldn't believe that after finding out he was with Olivia in his flashforward, he started trying to get even friendlier with her, saying all that crap about how they might be together in some parallel universe. And worse was the fact that Olivia, after doing everything she could to avoid Lloyd, just started responding to him out of the blue without any really good reason. If you know that your mere presence in someone's life could lead to their marriage being destroyed, then any decent guy would get as far away as he could, not try to insinuate himself even more.
But maybe that's just me.
Sorry, this is what I get for pausing periodically to post a comment.
I just have to say I totally agree about the "fate vs. freewill" dialogue from the windowasher. The great thing about LOST is that it has these themes but lets us figure them out for ourselves. I hate the way this show spoonfeeds this kind of thing to us, as if we're too stupid to figure it out. The same goes for them CONSTANTLY recapping what various people saw during their flashes. WE GET IT, PEOPLE!! 
Yes – absolutly, I would be way more into the show if they trusted themselves and us enough to grasp where they are going thematically without trying to ABC it to us all the time.
Thanks for commenting!
Roth
Even though Lloyd might end up inadvertently breaking up Mark's and Olivia's marriage, I still prefer him to Mark. I actually like Lloyd's character. He's much more sincere, and his actions seem rooted in a sense of good. He was a good enough person to come forward about possibly causing the blackout, even after Simon tried to persuade him not to. I don't think he's deliberately trying to get friendlier with Olivia or interfere with her marriage. I think both of them are just trying to make sense out of what they saw in their flashforwards. I think it's difficult for us to grasp the huge impact this global event would have on people, how much it would make them question everything they've ever known, and how it would throw them completely off balance. It's hard for us to empathize with them. That's something the writers need to work on, and seem to be trying to do more of (though they're not doing it in the best way….the window washer was a bad idea). Either way, I think Lloyd will turn out to be one of the truly good guys on the show. (And besides, it's Jack Davenport, and he's just plain awesome.
I don't hate Llyod, he has a likable personality though a bit wimpy sometimes. Mark's character bugs me more, he's always moaning and groaning like he has a stick up his butt.
Dennis
I got the impression the window washer's entire storyline and voiceover was added as a way to bring new viewers up to date as quickly as possible. I didn't like it. It seemed forced. I agree with @chadgeri that the spoonfeeding should end. A huge part of the fun of watching LOST is how the show prompts you to ponder the possibilities and the themes. The mystery is what makes it so interesting. I'd like to see the writers of FlashForward stop hand-holding and instead put a little trust in the intelligence of their audience.
That window washer guy is definitely there so he can explain the themes of the show to the viewer. It's sad that they have to do that without any subtlety and can't show it through the actual story or non-expository dialogue.
Dennis
Yes – to repeat what I said to Chad Geri above "I would be way more into the show if they trusted themselves and us enough to grasp where they are going thematically without trying to ABC it to us all the time."
Thanks!
Roth
I'm also really enjoying Dominic Monaghan as Simon. He's one of the highlights of the show. But, I agree with Roth about his last line of dialogue with Uncle Teddy being too repetitive and on-the-nose.
I don't like Mark Benford's character at all. His actions, reactions, and emotions don't come across as genuine. Nearly everything he does is completely over the top. Maybe Roth is right and Joseph Fiennes thinks "American" equals "a-hole".
I totally agree on Simon – I wish they had featured him more in last weeks ep "BlowBack"
Thanks!
Roth
I can deal with the window washer but "I'M FLOSSO. AND I'M A VILLAIN"? Sweet Jesus, no. Also, why the fudge didn't they use this super duper memory enhancing drug on Mark aaaaaaaaaaaages ago? Bloody amateurs.
Overall though, I'm still in. The second part was pretty much as good as anything in the first half of the season.
- saamFG
Yeah – I really wasn't crazy about the dialog for "Flosso" – poor use of Ricky Jay.
Thanks!
Roth