12 Monkeys, S03E07: Nurture
Jan. 28th, 2023 09:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
annavereStanding ovation. This one deserves volumes and I fell hard for so many things.
It starts with a Katarina monologue addressing the big subjects: God, time, the ethics of murder and baby Hitler (I should have known there would be a baby Hitler argument - are there any major time travel conceits and problems they haven't addressed?). Her monologue is mostly bullshit rationales, but that's a Katarina staple, and it sure sounds good. Kat, no matter how many times you try the "one life for seven billion" recipe, it never produces the cake you crave.
Her EMP device is a great idea, though.
Cassie has had sympathetic and interesting plotlines and good dynamics with various people but this is the episode where I fell head over heels for her, starting when she points out to Cole that once they succeed they will no longer be together. I'm a sucker for that kind of poignancy (actually I just realized I've liked them best as a couple when they've been apart).
Though why they all still believe the erasure theory when they've already altered the timeline and retained all the original memories thanks to the serum placing them outside of time, I don't know. Actually, why is it that when they change small things the new memories pop into their heads (Cole getting shot and stitched up, Cassie going to the museum) but when they delayed the plague by a couple years Katarina had no recollection of Eckland? Did I miss something?
Love the drinking scene between Deacon and Katarina in which she acknowledges how haunted she is and he reveals why he was such an effective leader - he's sharp, doesn't miss much, and he knows how group dynamics work. "You wanna pull people together, put them through hell. You wanna split people apart, give them a secret."
Deacon also asks after the mystery dog, who "comes and goes." Yeah, I'll bet he does.
Whitley gets to use the time machine! What does he think of this? Who knows! Actually, in general I think 12 Monkeys does a poor job of acknowledging anyone's reaction to being in another time - only Cole gets to make occasional comments about how weird things are. The rest of them just don a costume and get to work, which I find somewhat imaginatively lacking.
Between Jennifer successfully playing the vamp, Cole nicking the prototype on cue and Deacon calmly hotwiring a truck and telling them to buckle up, they seem to have perfected their heist technique. What hijinks could result, if only the group weren't imploding...
I dearly love broken Cole. He's so done with it all, and refusing Jennifer's best attempts to reach him. Also, her explanation for being terrified of Olivia is overdue. Death stare, indeed...
More falling for Cassie when she visits her mother. This taps into a very deep longing, too much so for me to want to talk about it. Brilliant scene, so emotionally loaded.
The divisions among the Guardians are interesting, and I must say I adore child Athan completely, no matter what kind of man he's revealed to become. Raised in the most atrocious atmosphere while dealing with the burden of being Primary and being indoctrinated by a cult and he still tries to argue for not committing mass murder. Also, he's super intelligent and well-spoken and has this fascinating connection to Jennifer, so yes, child Athan is a great character.
Katarina gets mean when she gets hurt. This is the enormous problem with secrets.
One thing I had hesitated to complain about in the run of recent episodes was the way Deacon was getting dangerously close to declawed, being so nice to Jennifer and so mild-mannered and reasonable, a far cry from the murderous bastard introduced back in 'Atari.' So his bursting in on Jennifer and the terrified civilians and proceeding to massacre them in seconds, and then being so completely unabashed in the face of her horrified reaction, was a timely reminder. "They were good!" "I'm not." Deacon storming a place will not hesitate to kill everybody. He has done this before. It was appalling and I commend the creators for frequently going there with the violence on this show. It rarely feels glorified and the deaths often feel pointless. Watching a group of emotionally broken killers try to make a better world is... messy.
Okay, the death of Magdalena definitely feels on the glorified, 'die bitch!' end of the scale, but a little of that is earned now and then, and it being Cassie to take her down with her own self-destruct button is ever so karmic and satisfying. Gotta say, the vest design is silly. Better hope no one ever bumps into you on the street or anything.
Of course Cole can't look his son in the eye and kill him. He couldn't do that to Ramse, or Ramse to not-Cassie, or Cole to Katarina during the time loop, and Deacon had to farm out the killing of possessed!Cassie. This is one of the keys ways they signify who matters to them (the other way is by asking to be shot).
Upon finding out about the origin of the Witness, Deacon looks disgusted and infuriated enough to shoot Cole and Athan both and then shockingly gets riddled with bullets from Cassie. This whole house raid is why I hate slow motion action (like what killed Elena) so much - when it happens in real time there's a disorienting effect that ratchets up the tension. I was genuinely wondering if Deacon had been killed.
Cole and Cassie suit up and disappear into time, with many apologies to what's left of the group, and it all ends with Deacon, arm in a sling, sitting up with Katarina, and there's something almost humorous about him being the only one of the group who hasn't betrayed her. The loss of Ramse has left my favorite character slot open and with this episode Deacon has officially won. Not that I have a type or anything.
Marvelous stuff. Took me ages to get my thoughts in order.
It starts with a Katarina monologue addressing the big subjects: God, time, the ethics of murder and baby Hitler (I should have known there would be a baby Hitler argument - are there any major time travel conceits and problems they haven't addressed?). Her monologue is mostly bullshit rationales, but that's a Katarina staple, and it sure sounds good. Kat, no matter how many times you try the "one life for seven billion" recipe, it never produces the cake you crave.
Her EMP device is a great idea, though.
Cassie has had sympathetic and interesting plotlines and good dynamics with various people but this is the episode where I fell head over heels for her, starting when she points out to Cole that once they succeed they will no longer be together. I'm a sucker for that kind of poignancy (actually I just realized I've liked them best as a couple when they've been apart).
Though why they all still believe the erasure theory when they've already altered the timeline and retained all the original memories thanks to the serum placing them outside of time, I don't know. Actually, why is it that when they change small things the new memories pop into their heads (Cole getting shot and stitched up, Cassie going to the museum) but when they delayed the plague by a couple years Katarina had no recollection of Eckland? Did I miss something?
Love the drinking scene between Deacon and Katarina in which she acknowledges how haunted she is and he reveals why he was such an effective leader - he's sharp, doesn't miss much, and he knows how group dynamics work. "You wanna pull people together, put them through hell. You wanna split people apart, give them a secret."
Deacon also asks after the mystery dog, who "comes and goes." Yeah, I'll bet he does.
Whitley gets to use the time machine! What does he think of this? Who knows! Actually, in general I think 12 Monkeys does a poor job of acknowledging anyone's reaction to being in another time - only Cole gets to make occasional comments about how weird things are. The rest of them just don a costume and get to work, which I find somewhat imaginatively lacking.
Between Jennifer successfully playing the vamp, Cole nicking the prototype on cue and Deacon calmly hotwiring a truck and telling them to buckle up, they seem to have perfected their heist technique. What hijinks could result, if only the group weren't imploding...
I dearly love broken Cole. He's so done with it all, and refusing Jennifer's best attempts to reach him. Also, her explanation for being terrified of Olivia is overdue. Death stare, indeed...
More falling for Cassie when she visits her mother. This taps into a very deep longing, too much so for me to want to talk about it. Brilliant scene, so emotionally loaded.
The divisions among the Guardians are interesting, and I must say I adore child Athan completely, no matter what kind of man he's revealed to become. Raised in the most atrocious atmosphere while dealing with the burden of being Primary and being indoctrinated by a cult and he still tries to argue for not committing mass murder. Also, he's super intelligent and well-spoken and has this fascinating connection to Jennifer, so yes, child Athan is a great character.
Katarina gets mean when she gets hurt. This is the enormous problem with secrets.
One thing I had hesitated to complain about in the run of recent episodes was the way Deacon was getting dangerously close to declawed, being so nice to Jennifer and so mild-mannered and reasonable, a far cry from the murderous bastard introduced back in 'Atari.' So his bursting in on Jennifer and the terrified civilians and proceeding to massacre them in seconds, and then being so completely unabashed in the face of her horrified reaction, was a timely reminder. "They were good!" "I'm not." Deacon storming a place will not hesitate to kill everybody. He has done this before. It was appalling and I commend the creators for frequently going there with the violence on this show. It rarely feels glorified and the deaths often feel pointless. Watching a group of emotionally broken killers try to make a better world is... messy.
Okay, the death of Magdalena definitely feels on the glorified, 'die bitch!' end of the scale, but a little of that is earned now and then, and it being Cassie to take her down with her own self-destruct button is ever so karmic and satisfying. Gotta say, the vest design is silly. Better hope no one ever bumps into you on the street or anything.
Of course Cole can't look his son in the eye and kill him. He couldn't do that to Ramse, or Ramse to not-Cassie, or Cole to Katarina during the time loop, and Deacon had to farm out the killing of possessed!Cassie. This is one of the keys ways they signify who matters to them (the other way is by asking to be shot).
Upon finding out about the origin of the Witness, Deacon looks disgusted and infuriated enough to shoot Cole and Athan both and then shockingly gets riddled with bullets from Cassie. This whole house raid is why I hate slow motion action (like what killed Elena) so much - when it happens in real time there's a disorienting effect that ratchets up the tension. I was genuinely wondering if Deacon had been killed.
Cole and Cassie suit up and disappear into time, with many apologies to what's left of the group, and it all ends with Deacon, arm in a sling, sitting up with Katarina, and there's something almost humorous about him being the only one of the group who hasn't betrayed her. The loss of Ramse has left my favorite character slot open and with this episode Deacon has officially won. Not that I have a type or anything.
Marvelous stuff. Took me ages to get my thoughts in order.
no subject
Date: 2023-01-29 02:57 am (UTC)I also love this episode. I'm so glad you did, too.
Whitley gets to use the time machine! What does he think of this? Who knows! Actually, in general I think 12 Monkeys does a poor job of acknowledging anyone's reaction to being in another time - only Cole gets to make occasional comments about how weird things are. The rest of them just don a costume and get to work, which I find somewhat imaginatively lacking.
You may recall, this is not insignifigantly why I dragged you into this show. :D I love a show that is forced into tight plotting! Also, I hate a show that is...yes.
no subject
Date: 2023-01-30 02:51 am (UTC)Thus the shows I most adore are generally the ones that survived (for a brief time) under terrible executive meddling instead of getting killed outright, because the same things which frustrate compel. A lot also depends on what the final episodes are like, because if too many emotional corners are cut, I'm left unsatisfied - and that appears to be good for my fannish inclinations.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-01 05:25 pm (UTC)