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- TV Series: V
- Episode: There Is No Normal Anymore
- Starring: Elizabeth Mitchell, Morris Chestnut, Joel Gretsch, Morena Baccarin, Alan Tudyk, Scott Wolf, Josh Blacker, Logan Huffman, Laura Vandervoort
- Written By: Scott Peters
- Directed By: Yves Simoneau
- Network: ABC
- Series:
V There Is No Normal Anymore Review
Review of V's Second Episode for ABC. By Joe Oesterle
November 12, 2009
V Review
© ABC/Bob Trate
Same Problem as Last Week.
If there was a common thread to last week’s complaints about the premiere episode of the re-imagined Sci-Fi cult classic “V,” it was there might have been too much information thrown at the audience in only 42 minutes of programming. It’s more than a fair criticism, though it’s easy to understand why the writers felt the need to speed up to the reptilian reveal only half way through the debut.
It’s certainly possible that more than half of the viewers to this modified-for-the terrorism-anxiety-angle version of the show were not aware that the Visitors would ultimately reveal themselves as lizards from outer space. The writers however were faced with a dilemma that didn’t exist in 1984 – the Internet. My guess is they figured half the audience was already clued in to that particular “gimmick” and a majority of the rest would find out through emails, YouTube, or Google. It made sense to me for them to not feel the need to build tension needlessly to an already fairly open secret.
So, What’s the Rush?
That said, last night’s installment was still paced a little too quickly for my liking. Sure there’s a big cast, and there are plenty of stories to tell, but if they plan on getting the audience invested in the characters, good guys and bad guys, they’re going to have to spend a little more than 3 minutes on a scene before jumping to the B-story, or the C-story or the H-story. Like I said, there’s a lot of stories here.
At times the jumping from character to character idea worked well, particularly in the scenes where Erica (Elizabeth Mitchell) and Father Jack (Joel Gretsch) were both being grilled by the FBI at the same time in separate places. Erica, an old hand at FBI tactics, was cool under pressure and stuck to her plan of trusting no one. The good priest on the other hand, was obviously not as comfortable lying to the authorities, and the cutting back and forth from scene to scene did exemplify two distinct character traits. The fact that neither one was completely convincing allowed we the audience to understand that at least this fictional version of the FBI is a formidable intelligence agency.
Most of the time however, there didn’t seem to be a reason for spending one and a half minutes of a human survivor being interrogated/tortured aboard the V spacecraft by imaginary snakes, (I guess that’s the V version of water boarding) only to drop that vignette too quickly and cut to 2 minutes of Ryan (Morris Chestnut) at the mechanic’s garage.
Anyone Else Hate that Kid as Much as I Do?
I’m not screaming outrage yet, because I realize they’re trying to establish a number of different personalities, but I will hold to my opinion if they keep up this style of information overload storytelling, it could come at the cost of character development.
The common thread to this week was paranoia. Erica is clearly not putting her trust in anyone but her newfound Jack, although I suspect her V-obsessed teenage son will ultimately compromise her position. And while I’m on the subject of her causelessly rebellious son Tyler – man is he unlikable – and dumb. His mom is an FBI agent. The first place regular mom’s look for stuff is under the mattress. My bet is FBI mom has already found and turned a blind eye to his porn and his pot. It’s doubtful she’ll be as cool with his V Peace Ambassador windbreaker. This Tyler kid is a stupid V-loving douche boy, and I hope he gets eaten before week 4.
And since I’m not ready to change the subject, I’m calling bullshit on the turn-your-back-on-the-guy-you’re-going-to-punch-in-the-face-then-punch-him-in-the-face move ol’ Tyler pulled at the anti-V demonstration rally. Fat Brandon and Tyler were outnumbered 3 to 2 by that guy and his pals, but they were outnumbered 100 to 2 when it came to the demonstrators.
Ever been by an angry demonstration? If there are 100 angry protestors, there are easily 65 of them waiting for someone to throw a fist at their side just to give them a reason to start bashing heads. Oh yeah, and Tyler would have lost one on one to that guy. Giant evil space traveling anthropomorphic reptiles are more believable than that Tyler dude decking that protestor and not getting jumped and severly beaten afterwards.
Ok, one more thing, and I’ll get off it. Those Peace Ambassadors remind me of Scientologists. Just saying.
Captain Kirk Wouldn’t Even Sex These Things Up
Now let’s get back to the paranoia. Ryan is also starting to feel he’s not safe and he’s endangering his human girlfriend each day he spends with her. On a personal note, I’m kind of surprised a V can find a human attractive. I mean sure, Anna is crazy hot in her “person” form, but I don’t think even V-Viagra is going to help me seal the deal when she peals off her fake epidermis covering and discloses to me that she is in reality a five foot six Komodo dragon. And the traditional Japanese garb that enhances the allure of female submission isn’t going to smooth over the fact that she’s literally cold-blooded, covered in scales and can lick her own eyeballs… ok, the eyeball licking might be a turn-on, but still, I’m not doing the nasty with her. My point is, wouldn’t they be just as repulsed at us as we would be with them? This Ryan is one freaky V.
Questions of the Week.
Hey, who wants to get back to the paranoia? It seems that’s the direction this show is heading, so let’s focus on some questions an already mistrusting, trained intelligence employee like Erica would have:
Who can you trust? At the moment precious few, but Erica lifted some documents, and will be starting up a human resistance soon enough.
Who’s a V? Maybe it’s too obvious, but I’m not trusting the older Catholic priest. He seems V-ish… but hey, I’m a former altar boy, and there’s plenty of other reasons to not trust an old priest.
Who’s a V-symp? Well we already know dickwad Tyler is, and I’m betting his buddy Brandon is going to pay for his friendship with his life.
Who’s a Human-symp? We’ve already met a few of them, but obviously there are more out there.
Who is unknowingly helping out the V cause? Again, Jonas Brother-reject Tyler and pal, but there will be more.
Who’s going to willingly betray humanity? It certainly seems that anchorman and Billy Bush clone Chad Decker is more than happy to sell out civilization for a few bumps in the ratings. I can’t help but think that the creators of this character had both Ryan Seacrest and Lost in Space’s Dr. Smith in mind when they came up with him.
Are we going to have to put up with that whiney prick Tyler all season, or is some V going to eat him already? Please eat him.
Did anyone else think that the television shot of Anna in the sky looked a little like a huge Biore skin cleaning commercial? Anyone?
I Liked It.
By the way, just in case it didn’t come across in my review, I liked this episode. This show has promise, but like it’s predecessor, I fear the public will tire of “V” well before the story has been told if they don’t spend more time on each character.
I hope they take a page from “LOST.” That show has an enormous cast, and while they certainly have a core of main players, there are weeks that go by and we don’t see or hear from Sawyer, Locke, Jack or Kate. Slow it down - we’re interested. We’re willing to let things unfold slowly. If things continue at this rapid rate, the entire storyline should be wrapped up by the middle of December.
“V” ya next week.
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Ok I have to get into this show....missed the first two episodes but I will Hulu them and catch up quickly!!!