FlashForward

[murlough23]

Has anyone else checked this show out? I think it's pretty fascinating so far. It's definitely designed for the people who like to puzzle over mysteries in a show like Lost, without as much of a threat (at least yet) of leaving a bazillion mysteries unresolved for several seasons.

Basic premise, as I'm sure you've heard, is that on September 24, 2009 at 11 AM, every person in the entire world blacks out at the same time, all for 2 minutes 17 seconds. During that time, they all see a vision of their own future, showing them exactly what they'll be doing at the exact same time: at 10 PM on April 29, 2010. So far the fallout from the widespread destruction caused by pilots, drivers, etc. all passing out at once and the FBI's attempts to piece together who did this and what it means have been pretty fascinating.

But there's one wrinkle that's bugging me. People know the exact date/time that they flashed forward to, and the show's been sort of playing off of the idea of fate vs. freewill - now that we've seen this future, are we powerless to change it? Folks are aware of what they were thinking/feeling at that point in the future, far as I can tell. So since everyone's expecting those exact events to occur on April 29, wouldn't their consciousnesses be telling them at that time on April 29, this is where their flashforward starts? So in their flashforwards, they should have been aware that their flashforwards were going to happen, and expecting these events to happen instead of being surprised by them. I can only think about this for a few seconds before it starts giving me a headache, because then they'd be aware that they'd have the awareness of the awareness of their flashforwards, and it creates an infinite recursive loop where knowledge of the future keeps changing the future that is known.

But aside from that, fascinating show.

[enemy anemone]

I watched the pilot and plan to keep up with the show but haven't watched the latest episode yet.

[dgp11776]

I'm hooked.

[Aaron]

Much like most network television, it doesn't interest me that much. I will say that ABC knows how to get these kinds of shows and market the hell out of them.

[murlough23]

I will say that ABC knows how to get these kinds of shows and market the hell out of them.

It seems that's the only way to ensure a show's survival these days. You can make a good show or you can make a crap show, but either way, it's almost guaranteed to not produce the numbers you want if you don't market the hell out of it.

I just watched this week's episode and was very tantalized by the new clue involving the crows. Also, <superficial>Gina Torres and Gabrielle Union in the same episode? Hot damn!</superficial>

[dgp11776]

Two interesting tidbits:

1.  In the pilot episode, there was a billboard for Oceanic Airlines.
2.  Tonight's episode is called "The Black Swan."

[murlough23]

1.  In the pilot episode, there was a billboard for Oceanic Airlines.

There was also a bus ad for Desperate Housewives. I think it's just ABC trying to product place their other shows, and if you're gonna product place Lost, you do it with Easter eggs. I don't think there's meant to be any in-universe connection to Lost; they're just having a little fun with the viewers. Alias and even Chuck (which is on another network) have thrown out references to Oceanic Flight 815, and Alias even used "You All Everybody" as the music in one episode during a party scene.

2.  Tonight's episode is called "The Black Swan."

Thom Yorke thinks that's pretty messed up.

[Aaron]

Regarding product placement, I do recall an episode of Law & Order: SVU where a city bus had an advertisement for Heroes (back when it was going to premiere).

[murlough23]

Heh, that would be anathema to most shows now, even within the same networks. Heroes has earned itself a rather crappy reputation. I figure I've got to be one of the only people still watching it who still sort of cares what happens. Not that I expect it to make much sense. But it's entertaining.

Also on the subject of product placement, I saw a Wachovia bank in a movie that was made last year, and I was like, "Man, I hope they didn't pay for that placement".

Back to Flashforward... since "black swan" is a phrase used to denote a rare case that has perhaps never been observed, but that we can't assume will never happen just because all the swans we've seen are white. This is probably a reference to the person/people who were awake during the blackout, or to the assumption that such a blackout had never occurred before 2009.

The ending of last week's episode, with the dead crows in Somalia and the kid apparently being the only person in the vicinity still awake, had me on the edge of my seat. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite shows, and I hope it lasts long enough to generate a level of water-cooler discussion that is comparable to Lost, at least in its later "cult show" phase (since I don't think any show can pull 20 million+ ratings these days, what with the advent of alternative means to watch them after the fact).

[dgp11776]

I saw it's been ordered for the full season, so that's good. 

BTW, Fringe is also awesome.

[murlough23]

BTW, Fringe is also awesome.

The parallel universe story sounds intriguing (I heard about the Twin Towers ending of last season from my pastor, of all people), but Fringe grosses me out. I was never a fan of X-Files for the same reason.

[Aaron]

I hated X-files but have liked the two episodes of Fringe that I've seen.  One of the few sci-fi shows I like/tolerate.

[murlough23]

I hated X-files but have liked the two episodes of Fringe that I've seen.  One of the few sci-fi shows I like/tolerate.

I'm sure it's a fascinating show, if you don't have a wuss stomach like I do.

[Aaron]

I'm sure it's a fascinating show, if you don't have a wuss stomach like I do.

Well I do have a wuss stomach at times (a reason why I don't watch horror or gore), but I didn't find Fringe to be that bad.

[AldaForPresident]

If it weren't for The X-Files, shows like Fringe, Lost, and FlashForward wouldn't exist. (I don't like Fringe, but I love Lost and I'm still watching FlashForward even though I'm not sure how I feel about it. Has anyone else read the book?)

[murlough23]

If it weren't for The X-Files, shows like Fringe, Lost, and FlashForward wouldn't exist. (I don't like Fringe, but I love Lost and I'm still watching FlashForward even though I'm not sure how I feel about it. Has anyone else read the book?)

That's because X-Files had intricate stories, not because of its grossout/horror stuff. (Though that probably was an inspiration for Fringe. Lost only goes there occasionally, and Flashforward has so far only been mildly gross in the O.R., which you expect in a hospital setting.)

Great opening scene this week. There's no better soundtrack for the world falling asleep and the sudden onset of total mayhem than Bjork's "It's Oh So Quiet".

[AldaForPresident]

That's because X-Files had intricate stories, not because of its grossout/horror stuff.

I meant in terms of its mythology over nine seasons as opposed to the grosser stuff in it. (It's my favorite show of all-time, but I willingly admit The X-Files is super gross at times. I would never try to eat something while watching it.)

[murlough23]

I meant in terms of its mythology over nine seasons as opposed to the grosser stuff in it.

That's what I was trying to say. I respect it for that, but I couldn't watch it. I'll take my intricate stories without the gross stuff.

[worldofcm]

The gross out factor is one of the reasons I can't get caught up on Fringe - the only time I watch TV is when I'm eating dinner or lunch or something - and I can't bear to watch Fringe while I'm eating.