Two things about last night’s episode before we start gnawing on its meat. First, I love TV hostage situations. Mandi Bierly and I recently discussed the plotlines that will get us to watch any show, whether we tune in regularly or not, and a hostage situation is mine. I’m convinced I’m just trying to relive the heart-pounding greatness of when the 21 Jump Street crew was held captive in a high school. (Remember how Ioki fell through the ceiling while trying to rescue his buds commando-style, and Penholl was disguised as a pizza guy?) That’s one thing. The second is that when you get bad news (as I did yesterday)–and you’re so down-n-out that you just want to bury yourself in bed and never leave until the hearse drags your starved body away–there is nothing like pithy television-script truisms to lift you at least a quarter of the way up again. Of course I’m talking about Maya’s mantra, "It’s time to start living."
There isn’t much to say about last night, except that it was pretty exciting. And I always like to see Bill Irwin (the psych ward doctor, who deserves an Oscar nod for his turn in Rachel Getting Married) on screen. But there was something that disturbed me. The show is hinting at the fact that Sam is in a coma (the soap opera he sees has his "lookalike" in a coma, with Maya and Mom hovering around, the voices he hears seem to be talking to someone who is sleeping, the story of the hostage taker and his vegetable brother parallels that). That’s all fine and dandy. But think about it. If this is all in Sam’s head. If this is his dreamland. Does that mean he prefers having a racist, sexist, smart mouth boss (Gene) rather than being the boss himself (as in 2008), or that he’d rather have an obsequious blonde underling girlfriend (no-nuts Annie, played by Gretchen Mol, pictured) than a hottie dark-haired woman-of-the-world equal like Maya? I don’t like the thought of that. Sure, Annie’s cute and sweet. But I don’t want to think of her as anyone’s dream woman. Or else this is a pretty misogynist text. Chew on that.
Last night’s best line was a tie between Maya’s "It’s time for living" and Sam’s "You be the hooker, I’ll be the tool." (Which reminds me, why do they always like to show him dancing? And yes, his moonwalk is impressive.) And last night’s best song was "Tuesday’s Dead" by Cat Stevens, which played at the end of the hostage crisis and which I embedded after the jump. What are your thoughts on last night’s ep? Share ‘em below!
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While I agree that 2008’s version of Sam appears to be in a coma, I don’t agree that the 1973 happenings are all in his mind. Rather, I think his spirit has actually time-traveled back. Otherwise, if 1973 Sam had not visited and influenced the would-be copycat serial killer when he was a child and dissuaded him from that path, I think 2008 Maya would be dead, rather than at Sam’s bedside. I think that somehow Sam’s spirit has slipped the time/space continuum and been given the opportunity to avert some tragedies…
I giggled at nearly the entire opening sequence, downright guffawed at some of it! This ep propelled me from liking the show a whole lot to outright loving it. It seemed as if Sam kind of turned a corner, and is on his way to truly embracing his reality as he’s experiencing it, not longing as much for something that was. I’m very curious where they are going with the “is it really reality, is it in his head” plot line, but even without that it’s a highly entertaining show. It helps probably that I am JUST old enough to remember 1973 with some coherency, so it takes me back. Such fun.
I agree with MCM. I love how this episode played out. I am also just old enough to remember a bit of the 1973 stuff. I hope this doesn’t end up some “Dallas” dream like thing because it is so entertaining and fun to watch Sam. I like the chemistry between him and Annie (thank God the writers didn’t name her Sarah). This episodes has become one of my favorites so far. That wonderful opening scene had me wondering if Sam was dreaming again. I love Michael Imporeli(?) on this. I never watched Sopranos but saw him on Law & Order and thought he was great.
I loved last night’s episode. I wouldn’t be so quick to jump to conclusions as to what’s happening to Sam. I give a bit more credit to the writers who seem to be smart people. I also think that it makes better drama to have Sam with a love interest in 1973 than in 2008, given that we see him in 1973… So I’m staying tuned…
Does anyone remember the line about Tom Waites? Something about him being the patron saint of NYC bars? Loved that.
I like this show but fall asleep at least halfway through every week. I did a bad thing and looked up the spoilers from the BBC version. I wonder if this version will follow the same plot lines.
You guys may already know this, but this show is a re-make of a British show by the same name and, according to Wikapedia, seems to follow the British version pretty much in lock-step. The entry on Wikapedia tells how the story ends and what is really going on with Sam…well, sort of.
I haven’t seen last night’s episode yet, but overall I’m very much enjoying the show. Last week’s “hate crime” line was hilarious, we kept laughing every time they showed it in the previews.
“I’m convinced I’m just trying to relive the heart-pounding greatness of when the 21 Jump Street crew was held captive in a high school. (Remember how Ioki fell through the ceiling while trying to rescue his buds commando-style, and Penholl was disguised as a pizza guy?)” — LOL YES. Oh man, this makes me want to go back and watch that episode again. I always told myself that I didn’t like Penhall at all but secretly deep down he was my favorite, the big lunkhead. I loved Ioki too. AND JUDY’S EARRINGS.
Last night’s episode was the best one yet! I loved the soap opera scenes and the Tom Waits line…even today people don’t know who he is!!! Gene is growing on me..at first I was not liking him at all, but he is a big softy with an alcoholic mind. And the bad guy Michael was from one of my favorite but canceled shows ever, October Road!!! I loved him!
Those of us in New England, due to a Thursday night Pats game, , didn’t see the episode yet
My Tivo seems to think that it will be run in Boston at 1:05 AM tonight (Friday night/Saturday morning.)
My impression of the point of last night’s episode was that most of the audience and Sam was kind of thinking he is in coma, but what if he is actually a suffering from some sort of mental illness and is either a. imagining this and possibly about to wake up and do something bad in the real world in 2008 b. his memory of 2008 was a delusion and this is reality or c. he is very much like Jonny the catatonic guy and this is an effect of something going on the outside of his head. And I bet just as Sam really starts to buy that, the supernatural element will be introduced fully to the audience.
To Aubrey: If Sam’s dreaming (or hallucinating), he can’t choose what or who he’s dreaming about. Anyway, great episode. I don’t think the writers would be leading us, so early in the series, to think the answer is simply: Sam’s in a coma. There has to be more than that. I loved hearing Cat Stevens too.
Damn you, New England Patriots! I have to watch LOM online now, at least I know it’s good.
Two things – what were the lines the crazy girl was saying (the one who first claimed to be a reporter)? The end of her dialogue sounded like lines from a song. Also, Michael (the bomber) said at the end something “south of the slot”. South of the Slot is (I think) a short story by Jack London about a man living out of his element, not out of his time but out of his socio economic element. I really like this show!
I agree with Cardsgal down below. Even if Sam is really in a coma (and they’re certainly leading us to believe that), it doesn’t necessarily mean that 1973 is only a dream. I think Sam is somehow, someway truly in 1973. And I disagree that subconsciously Sam wants an “obsequious” girlfriend – he’s attracted to Annie because he sees her brain and guts and it drives him crazy that his colleagues won’t give her her due. Also, it was pretty clear that it was Maya who let Sam go, not other way around. Finally, and I know I’m going to get slammed for being “too PC” for saying this, but Aubry, did you really have to refer to the lobotomized brother as a “vegetable”? No matter what his mental state, the brother was still a person, not a piece of produce. It’s a pretty demeaning way to refer to another person, fictional or not.
(P.S. Whatever your bad news was, I hope everything turns out OK. Hang in there!)
I don’t think the 1973 world is all fake. Sure, he looks like he’s in a coma, but as another commentor said, I think it’s just his mind that traveled back. And I don’t get why you don’t like Annie. She’s really sweet and she is pretty cool. I like Maya too, but what can you do? I prefer Annie.
I SO agree with the recap. Annie and Sam have ZERO chemistry. Maya and Sam, in their little skits, have more chemistry than Annie and Sam does. I really really don’t want to see Sam hook up with Annie. I have seen the British version and that Annie and Sam had MAJOR chemistry. And I mean major! This Annie is boring, Sam has more chemistry with his neighbor than Annie.
I agree with wildecat. Annie is not obsequious, she’s a pioneer. Maya wouldn’t be a detective if Annie hadn’t paved the way for her. Annie has to put up with all the sexist garbage those idiots spew so she can have her shot at actually solving crimes. She’s tough and determined, and Gretchen Mol plays her very well.
i didn’t get to watch this episode yet because the patriots game was on (by the way, i love the pats and was sad they lost. but good game). anyway, was this a good episode? worth watching?
Find out for yourself on-line at ABC.com, L.O.M could use all the ratings points it can get, show seems to be doing OK ratings-wise, unfortunately doesn’t have such an appropriate lead in..I agree too bad the Pats lost, they cost me $$$! Oh well. Nothing like the stock market is costing me! Wasn’t there a massive Bear Market back in 1973 too? Wake up fast Sam we need to turn it around, STAT!
Bill Irwin 100% deserves an Oscar nod and I’m glad you said that.
I thought that Sam was in a coma, until this show. Now I’m wondering if Sam is suffering from schizophrea and is having a pscychotic episode. It sure seemed like the doctor in the psych ward was dropping that hint. So now the quesitonis, if he is schitizophrenic, is his body in 2008 and his mind in 73 or is it the opposite? And Annie rocks. It was women like her, that could take the crap, that paved the way for the rest.
Ok.. for the tekies out there… The amount of detail put into both finding and using ‘period’ devices and sets are amazing. However, the Polaroid SX-70 ‘Sonar’ camera used in the opening Birthday party scene wasn’t sold until 1978. Other than that, it was hard to find any real prop irregularities. The production team certainly have made some real attempts to capture the era.
I’m glad people are watching and enjoying this version. I have seen a couple of episodes, unfortunately I compare them too much with the BBC series — which is outstanding, btw — and cannot seem to get beyond the comparisons. I’m going to give it a miss from now on, but I encourage the fans to stick with it because the plot is really getting its legs now.
How is this a recap?
This is a recap? I guess I’m just completely spoiled by Doc Jensen. Also, I could swear I heard in the podcast that the writers made the decision that he was not in a coma, so that people couldn’t just look up the original and understand what was happening. Did anyone else hear that?
I know I’m not the only person with a toddler who recognized the psych doctor as Mr. Noodle from Elmo’s World!
Since when does a person control his own dreamworld? If Sam is in a coma, what makes you think he’s “consciously” creating this world? The world he “created” would be made up of bits and pieces of his subconscious he wouldn’t even be aware of. The characters connected to his past and present in such obscure ways even he couldn’t figure it out.
I love this show and refuse to watch the british version. First off the british version lasted what 14 or 16 episodes then it was over. I think ABC would like to see this thing last a couple of years so maybe they will go in a different dirction then the British version. If this show continues for a couple of years sooner or later some of the future things he talks about will start to come true. Then what happens? Are they all going to start believeing him. Hope the show lasts that long. One interesting wardrobe note: The next morning after the party, they all left the precinet house and went straight to the hostage situation. Now at the cop house Michael Imperioli’s character was seen wearing a tan suite as they were leaving. He shows up at the hostage situation with a black suite on while everyone else was wearing the same cloths. When did he have time to change?