more poi thought (spec for next week)

[lyssie]

(three posts in two days, I sort of miss those days)

so. I know the show is never ever ever going to do this, but.

One of the things I've really been noticing (I marathonned seasons one and two over the last week) is how they're doing a lot of... mirroring, I guess? With who people are and their skills and what they do.

The obvious parallel: Reese and Shaw, of course.

But there's also been a bit of Root and Finch (ok, also obvious). And Carter and Fusco.

And Carter and Reese, especially this last half-season.

Someone, somewhere, said the core of the series was a computer genius, a badass and a cop.

It doesn't matter if the badass and cop can be one and the same, though. Because there's still duplication. So you get rid of one (Carter, and Carter's connection with Finch and to Reese).

And then you set up the other connection: Shaw and Fusco (Fusco and Reese have long since abandoned their little connection, tbh). Shaw saves his kid, Fusco drives her around--some of that is a bit similar to early Carter-Reese interaction.

That just leaves our computer genius.

who is gay for the Machine

Um.

So, I'm forgetting my odd thought and prediction, which is: John Reese is a man with very little time left. His story has gone 360-degrees and he is back where he started (via flashbacks to New Rochelle, duh). There is nothing left to tell with him.

I know. They'll never actually kill a white male lead. But ngl. If they off Reese next week, I will be... pleased. Because it makes narrative sense. And it's tragic. And entertaining.

Comments

[lizardbeth-j.livejournal.com]

hm, I can see what you're saying, but I dont' really agree. HR isn't Reese's story, it's hers. She took it down, and all he has to do is clean up the last fucker she left behind. But if he gets killed doing that in the next episode, then her heroic sacrifice of taking that bullet for him was just a waste. Which granted is not uncommon on tv these days for gritty versimilitude or whatever, but on a practical level they're not going to kill another lead when it's only, what, ep 10? Maybe the end of the season - Root mentioned Harold had other boy scouts (and I do think Caviezel looks exhausted sometimes like the rigors of their schedule get to him) so he's probably not forever, but not so soon. (haha, watch me be wrong - that'd be hilarious)

But tbh, after reading the interviews and finding out that Taraji Henson was a short-timer anyway, I'm not all that upset. She could've stayed some more eps but they'd apparently been planning her exit since Feb so at least she and the PTB have all known for awhile. And sending her out at the close of her story with HR seems better than just taking a random bullet from some jerk or conspirator, or something in the overarching Machine plot. Terrible to say I guess, but it's what I'd do, so I can't really be too mad about it.

But anyway, it's very sad, and it's going to be hard for them to fill the hole she's leaving. :(

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

And sending her out at the close of her story with HR seems better than just taking a random bullet from some jerk or conspirator,

This is actually very true.

And despite my anger (and disappointment) at her being dead, I really cannot say it enough: the fact that she had such a great run, with so much complex plot and characterization moments is just amazing. And not just in this half-season. I've always felt they gave her a great depth and attention (moreso than Fusco, after his first couple eps and the occasional HR stuff).

That sort of thing is just too rare on tv for female characters, which is probably why her death is so disappointing.

The good news? It does mean I still have a great deal of hope for the continuing Root and Shaw story-lines. Both of them are more than caricatures, and while they may not last, at least they're there, on the screen.

(let's be honest, POI is nowhere near as anger-inducing as Haven, and I'm still watching that--Haven doesn't actually CARE about its female characters. POI may not either, but at least it gives them equal narrative weight in their own damned story-lines.)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

lol I've just said to settiai: "I'm still watching because I watch for Shaw & Root, but right now I would love them to just leave together for their own show written by other people."

Because as you said, some parallels are obvious, but I hadn't thought of Fusco going with them. So here we go, let's have a spin-off with Shaw, Root (being gay for the Machine and for Shaw, because she looks like she's into Shaw as well) and Fusco.

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

It's the scene at the end, where Shaw gets into his car. It's-ok, remember that episode where Reese climbs into the back of Carter's car and she says something about handcuffs? It felt very much like a call-back to that. Which was why I made that "they're setting up Shaw and Fusco to mirror Reese and Carter" (but not with the intense romance angle or whatever).

Honestly, I would totally watch the Root and Shaw do the Machine's bidding show. =D

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

Oh yeah, I can see the parallel in the car scenes.

[foenix.livejournal.com]

I think the *creators* would be okay with killing Reese. It's *clearly* there, from the first episode as something they would do, but CBS (or whomever the suits would be paying the bills) would NEVER go for it.

But yeah, I kinda wish they would. Even with Joss's death, I'm kinda put on that place of "anything can happen to anyone" in at LEAST way more than any other show has in a long time.

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

I think they would, too. It's just my frustration (well, ok, and Nolan's ill-thought-out comments about diversity and entertainment).

I also wonder whom else is on their "soon to have an end" list (Fusco hasn't had enough screen-presence, and I don't see how Shaw could be killed off this soon. Maybe Root?)