Season 1, Episode 3: "Modern Times"
Apr 25, 2014 20:29:16 GMT -5
Arthur Dent, Pear, and 1 more like this
Post by MrsLangdonAlger on Apr 25, 2014 20:29:16 GMT -5
Just don't let all the technology lull you into thinking we're in modern times...watch yourself.
We open up this episode on a particularly dramatic note, seeing Hanna's family for the first time as they are interviewed for the news.
The focus then moves on to both Daniel and Amantha waking up to a sunny morning. One thing I've noticed on this viewing of the show is the use made of sunlight, and these scenes are no exception, with Daniel basking in the sun more than anyone has ever basked before. Daniel rejects his sister's offer to spend time together. It seems that after all that time spend alone, he wants some more alone time, but on his own terms. His own terms apparently include destroying innocent pillows.
There's a heartbreaking scene where we watch Daniel walk down the prison hallway to his cell, clearly holding in intense emotions about something. Kerwin prods him gently, asking what's going on, and this is how we learn that Daniel's father died of a heart attack. My first thought here was to wonder if Daniel blamed himself in some way. My second thought was that while the relationship between Daniel and Kerwin might not get a huge amount of screentime on the show compared to other relationships, it's incredibly formative to the narrative and tone of the show.
Back i the present, after his pillow destruction, he heads to what used to be his room to look around. At one point he finds the part of the room where his height was measured over the years, and has a dawning moment where he sees that he's grown since he was last in this room before being put away in prison and now. It's one of the rare times in the show we've seen him looking angry about what happened to him, compared to his otherwise strangely placid nature.
Daniel's reaction is to head up to the attic to look through his old things. The entire attic scene put together gives me the feeling that he needed to regress for a bit in order to deal with everything he was feeling. He seems to have found the joy he felt from the morning again until he finds a mix, presumably from Hanna, and listens to it. For anyone who may not have already known, the mix begins with Mazzy Star's "Into Dust":
We discover that Jared has been getting threats over text, mostly directed at Amantha. It is horrible to see how far the damage stretches into this family.
After attempting to spend time out drinking together, John and Amantha run into Hanna's little brother. Shaken, Amantha takes John to where Daniel and Hanna were found, with Hanna dead. I have to say, my main thought here is that I never did understand the idea of "save me from being sad" sex!
I haven't mentioned a lot about what goes on to characters other to Daniel in this episode. Obviously the show is fundamentally centered around his story and how it changed things for everyone, but in this episode I feel like his journey through the single day covered is the most important focus. Daniel spends a day on an emotional rollercoaster, trying to regain everything he lost out on and then finally, in tears, realizing it is all something he can never regain or capture again.
Episode Grade: A+
Side notes:
- I dislike the senator right dow to his dough-related sex puns and polka dot tie.
- Tawney studiosly ignoring Ted, Jr. with a clever use of the hair driver made me smile. Well done, Tawney!
- The music for this show often reminds me of Beasts of the Southern Wild, which in some ways seems stragely appropriate.
We open up this episode on a particularly dramatic note, seeing Hanna's family for the first time as they are interviewed for the news.
The focus then moves on to both Daniel and Amantha waking up to a sunny morning. One thing I've noticed on this viewing of the show is the use made of sunlight, and these scenes are no exception, with Daniel basking in the sun more than anyone has ever basked before. Daniel rejects his sister's offer to spend time together. It seems that after all that time spend alone, he wants some more alone time, but on his own terms. His own terms apparently include destroying innocent pillows.
There's a heartbreaking scene where we watch Daniel walk down the prison hallway to his cell, clearly holding in intense emotions about something. Kerwin prods him gently, asking what's going on, and this is how we learn that Daniel's father died of a heart attack. My first thought here was to wonder if Daniel blamed himself in some way. My second thought was that while the relationship between Daniel and Kerwin might not get a huge amount of screentime on the show compared to other relationships, it's incredibly formative to the narrative and tone of the show.
Back i the present, after his pillow destruction, he heads to what used to be his room to look around. At one point he finds the part of the room where his height was measured over the years, and has a dawning moment where he sees that he's grown since he was last in this room before being put away in prison and now. It's one of the rare times in the show we've seen him looking angry about what happened to him, compared to his otherwise strangely placid nature.
Daniel's reaction is to head up to the attic to look through his old things. The entire attic scene put together gives me the feeling that he needed to regress for a bit in order to deal with everything he was feeling. He seems to have found the joy he felt from the morning again until he finds a mix, presumably from Hanna, and listens to it. For anyone who may not have already known, the mix begins with Mazzy Star's "Into Dust":
We discover that Jared has been getting threats over text, mostly directed at Amantha. It is horrible to see how far the damage stretches into this family.
After attempting to spend time out drinking together, John and Amantha run into Hanna's little brother. Shaken, Amantha takes John to where Daniel and Hanna were found, with Hanna dead. I have to say, my main thought here is that I never did understand the idea of "save me from being sad" sex!
I haven't mentioned a lot about what goes on to characters other to Daniel in this episode. Obviously the show is fundamentally centered around his story and how it changed things for everyone, but in this episode I feel like his journey through the single day covered is the most important focus. Daniel spends a day on an emotional rollercoaster, trying to regain everything he lost out on and then finally, in tears, realizing it is all something he can never regain or capture again.
Episode Grade: A+
Side notes:
- I dislike the senator right dow to his dough-related sex puns and polka dot tie.
- Tawney studiosly ignoring Ted, Jr. with a clever use of the hair driver made me smile. Well done, Tawney!
- The music for this show often reminds me of Beasts of the Southern Wild, which in some ways seems stragely appropriate.
