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selenakThe Testaments 1.04: again, my only nitpick with this wasn't about the episode itself but solely source material related, as in, my favourite element of the source material is still not in it. As an episode buildng on the first three, it's tops, acting and script wise, continues to flesh out the two woman characters, heightens the stakes, and does, in fact, a better job with one of them than the book did. (I thought this in the first three eps as well.) I'm also intrigued by some of the chances due to what they could mean long term. I.e. still minimum Lydia content and hence no Lydia narrative voice, though this episode we got somethng touched on that is a very important theme in the Lydia narrated sections of the novel, to wit, the inter-Aunts-rivalries and alliances, specifically the hostility between Aunts Vidala and Lydia. (Though Vidala is far younger than I imagined her from the book.) But so far the show remains committed to the Agnes and Daisy povs - mostly Daisy this time, though Agnes does get two important scenes in her own pov that Daisy isn't privy to - the dance practice with Becca, and the scene with Becca's father the Dentist. Who was already creepy in a previous episode though not as much as he had been in the book, so I assumed they had toned it down, but no, this week, we get the full creepness - incidentally very well done in that we don't see it, there is no molestation porn, we're in Agnes' pov as she*'s going under when the Dentist uses an anaesthetic on her, and then, at the end of the episode when she's back in school and undresses, she realses her blouse has not been done up properly, and the full implkication of what has happened hits her. That's how you do suich a theme best. The violation is clear, we're in the pov of the victim, and it doesn't have to be reproduced on screen. Also, what makes it extra visceral, I think, is that you don't need to be in Gilead for such an experience to hit home. Sadly, there are all too many headlines about doctors and/or husbands doing jiust this.
Now, Becca earlier in the episode when Agnes has chipped her tooth says that her father will take good care of Agnes, which she certainly doesn't in the book, where, book spoiler, it's easy discernable that Becca herself was abused by her father. I supect this might not be the case for the tv show if they let her make this statement, and that Becca's issue with not wanting to get married might therefore be unrelated to already having had an abusive relationship (or general disdain for marriage in Gilead) but with her love for Agnes. In the novel, it's arguable whether or not she feels more than friendshp. (Especially since we're in Agnes' pov and Agnes was raised in a society which won't admit same sex relationships exist between "good" people.) But the show makes it really obvious.
(Not that Becca's father gets points for NOT molesting his daughter, of course. But methinks the show could have altered this to ensure Agnes won't confide in her friend.)
Meanwhile, as mentioned before, I really do think they've improved Daisy from the book - she's both better at being a spy while also her horror at what she sees for the first time goes deeper, the show uses her to jolt both accustumed and new viewers out of getting used to Gilead, and her reaction when faced with the reality of what she signed up for - wanting to get out - is very human. What I mean with "better spy than in the novel" in a show, not tell way is that this episode lets Daisy notice not just the grander things like the social structures but such useful details as where Commander Kyle got his chocolate from and what that implies. Since this bit isn't from the novel, either, I wonder whether we'll get a Kyle related subplot?
I like the way Daisy can be annoyed by Agnes and yet also starts to feel protective of her (hence the remark to Garth); again, very human.
It's interesting that the show goes out of its way not to show any Handmaids so far and only refers to them cryptically; in the book, they do get mentioned now and then, though Agnes doesn't know from the start one was her biological mother, she does find out in the course of the novel.
For All Mankind 5.04: In which we get introduced to a new cast member and learn an old acquaintance is on their way. Also: (some) answers about the latest dastardly scheme.
I hadn't counted on seeing Danielle again, so that was a lovely cameo while we were introduced to the grown up version of Avery, granddaughter of Gordo and Tracy, daughter of Danny Stevens, issue-ridden like the rest of the clan, but thankfully having Danielle to talk to and take advice from. Avery ends the episode being accepted into the space program, and I guess her existence answers my speculation whether with Aleida now on Mars we'll cut out Earth as a plot location entirely.
Kelly's and Aleida's reunion was touching and funny at the same time, and it's good that the two have each other, because I strongly suspect Aleida won't see Earth again any time soon, despite her children and husband being there, with what's about to explode. I'm also really curious as to whether or not Aleida knew about the automatisation scheme. On the one hand: as the current CEO of Helios, she pretty much has to, unless we're implying such a major, majory change of business policy could be prepared without her knowing about it, in which case she'd be a bad CEO. Now I would assume Dev as the Ur-CEO due to his old connections could manage to organize something like this without her knowing but Dev wants to build his self sustaining city on Mars as his grand legacy, and someone has to live there. Unless he wants it to be a luxury resort? I guess we'll find out next week whether both, one of them or neither knew about this. Either way, the scheme itself does make sense and continues the capitalism critique from last season, plus it really is an issue that will pretty much unite all the people currently on Mars against it and is ideal as a revolution trigger.
Alex was thoughtful enough to wait with going public until after the Sojourner had launched, so Kelly & Co. are on their way to Titan regardless of what happens on Mars; I'm willing to bet that there will be a crisis needing engineering help from mission control just when Mars is mid revolution, though.
Let's see, what else? Right: Aleiida recognizes Irina on the photo of the Kuragin delegation duie to arrive on Mars. Meaning Irina has survved the events from the s4 finale. And the news report mentions demonstrations and a growingly vocal independence movement in Ukraine, which reminded me that the Soviet Union still existing in this time doesn't mean all its internal problems in additon to the econmical ones have gone away. And since the last episode included the conversation between Governor Oleg and his superior about how the entire Soviet economy is depending on Iridium, I am pretty sure that once the Mars rebellion happens (therefore ending any Iridium delivery whatsoever for now), it will trigger several Soviet states going independent.
Now, Becca earlier in the episode when Agnes has chipped her tooth says that her father will take good care of Agnes, which she certainly doesn't in the book, where, book spoiler, it's easy discernable that Becca herself was abused by her father. I supect this might not be the case for the tv show if they let her make this statement, and that Becca's issue with not wanting to get married might therefore be unrelated to already having had an abusive relationship (or general disdain for marriage in Gilead) but with her love for Agnes. In the novel, it's arguable whether or not she feels more than friendshp. (Especially since we're in Agnes' pov and Agnes was raised in a society which won't admit same sex relationships exist between "good" people.) But the show makes it really obvious.
(Not that Becca's father gets points for NOT molesting his daughter, of course. But methinks the show could have altered this to ensure Agnes won't confide in her friend.)
Meanwhile, as mentioned before, I really do think they've improved Daisy from the book - she's both better at being a spy while also her horror at what she sees for the first time goes deeper, the show uses her to jolt both accustumed and new viewers out of getting used to Gilead, and her reaction when faced with the reality of what she signed up for - wanting to get out - is very human. What I mean with "better spy than in the novel" in a show, not tell way is that this episode lets Daisy notice not just the grander things like the social structures but such useful details as where Commander Kyle got his chocolate from and what that implies. Since this bit isn't from the novel, either, I wonder whether we'll get a Kyle related subplot?
I like the way Daisy can be annoyed by Agnes and yet also starts to feel protective of her (hence the remark to Garth); again, very human.
It's interesting that the show goes out of its way not to show any Handmaids so far and only refers to them cryptically; in the book, they do get mentioned now and then, though Agnes doesn't know from the start one was her biological mother, she does find out in the course of the novel.
For All Mankind 5.04: In which we get introduced to a new cast member and learn an old acquaintance is on their way. Also: (some) answers about the latest dastardly scheme.
I hadn't counted on seeing Danielle again, so that was a lovely cameo while we were introduced to the grown up version of Avery, granddaughter of Gordo and Tracy, daughter of Danny Stevens, issue-ridden like the rest of the clan, but thankfully having Danielle to talk to and take advice from. Avery ends the episode being accepted into the space program, and I guess her existence answers my speculation whether with Aleida now on Mars we'll cut out Earth as a plot location entirely.
Kelly's and Aleida's reunion was touching and funny at the same time, and it's good that the two have each other, because I strongly suspect Aleida won't see Earth again any time soon, despite her children and husband being there, with what's about to explode. I'm also really curious as to whether or not Aleida knew about the automatisation scheme. On the one hand: as the current CEO of Helios, she pretty much has to, unless we're implying such a major, majory change of business policy could be prepared without her knowing about it, in which case she'd be a bad CEO. Now I would assume Dev as the Ur-CEO due to his old connections could manage to organize something like this without her knowing but Dev wants to build his self sustaining city on Mars as his grand legacy, and someone has to live there. Unless he wants it to be a luxury resort? I guess we'll find out next week whether both, one of them or neither knew about this. Either way, the scheme itself does make sense and continues the capitalism critique from last season, plus it really is an issue that will pretty much unite all the people currently on Mars against it and is ideal as a revolution trigger.
Alex was thoughtful enough to wait with going public until after the Sojourner had launched, so Kelly & Co. are on their way to Titan regardless of what happens on Mars; I'm willing to bet that there will be a crisis needing engineering help from mission control just when Mars is mid revolution, though.
Let's see, what else? Right: Aleiida recognizes Irina on the photo of the Kuragin delegation duie to arrive on Mars. Meaning Irina has survved the events from the s4 finale. And the news report mentions demonstrations and a growingly vocal independence movement in Ukraine, which reminded me that the Soviet Union still existing in this time doesn't mean all its internal problems in additon to the econmical ones have gone away. And since the last episode included the conversation between Governor Oleg and his superior about how the entire Soviet economy is depending on Iridium, I am pretty sure that once the Mars rebellion happens (therefore ending any Iridium delivery whatsoever for now), it will trigger several Soviet states going independent.
