Red Dog

That's right. I'll continue to wonder how he got the gun on the plane (same with the father-pilot).

Wasn't the FBI fully aware of him being on the cruise, or at least made aware - the policeman specifically asked about the Caribbean so it was in the database (or at least presumably planted there)?

JuryDuty

I'm very much enjoying this show. The flashbacks are a bit too many, but as another poster said, they're really not that hard to follow. And unlike the flashbacks in LOST, everytime they jump to a flashback here, it's to reveal something about the current situation. (Such as the one guy gets commissioned to head up a task force...then the flashback shows he's one of them.)

Also loving how quickly they're answering questions and there don't seem to be a ton of nonsensical moments.

Though I'm still not convinced they have to be aliens. If they're from WAY in the future or something, that might account for a genetic change and how they arrived.

EDIT: I also like how they seemed to have answered exactly what "the Event" was in episode 2--the arrival of the aliens. I figured it would take all season to get there...

superfro

Exactly. Especially since I imagine a lot of folks are like me in trying to out think the show, or at least stay ahead of it. Obviously they're going to do this since they foreshadowed that. To have them essentially say "We were going to tell you that in a minute anyway." is kind of refreshing.

outcastja

I thought this episode was better than the pilot. However, my main problem I have with this show is that I don't care about any of these characters. So it doesn't matter to me when the show is answering all these questions. Also, I still don't like how they are handling the flashbacks, it's not hard to follow, but it's just annoying to me how they execute it. Did anybody think the soundtrack on this episode was very Lost-like?

whoopdido

Is it even possible to care about characters after the second episode?

I didn't give two shits about Jack Bauer and his stupid kidnapped family after the first couple episodes of 24, but I certainly grew to care about that character. I didn't even know what David Palmer's name was after the first couple episodes but I sure grew to care about him too.

To anybody that watched ER back in the day, did you care so much about Mark Green after only the second episode that you'd even fathom crying if/when he died?

The show is still establishing the characters. I don't think you're supposed to care about them yet because at this point we really don't know anything about them.

outcastja

You're right, care is probably the wrong word, I should say I'm not interested in any of the characters right now. Most shows I generally like, there's usually a couple of stand out people that I like from the beginning. For example, this new TV season, I already like the two leads in Undercovers, Nucky and Jimmy in Boardwalk Empire, the mom in Raising Hope, and Scott Cann's character in Hawaii 5-0.

Red Dog

I care about the guy who's life has been completely jerked around. I'm certainly interested in seeing what the story is behind the CIA/Intelligence chief/director. Same with the lead alien and the alien apparently behind the Event. Obviously the DB Sweeney and Taylor Cole characters.

Flave

I was thinking exactly this. Although I'm not ordinarily a big fan of time travel stories, I think I can deal with this kind of time travel story. Unlike Lost where our protagonists were travelling back in time and changing/not changing an already established story line, we have no idea what the future story line is here. We have no idea of the problems they're trying to fix or their motivations or the seemingly different groups who seem to have opposing views on how to proceed. And that's probably what this series will be about -- not the revealing of some big mysterious "Event" but the unravelling of a future story-line and how these travellers interact with our present.

I have to say, the guys behind this show are from the anti-Abrams/Darlton school of storytelling. And that makes them my kind of people.

[Puts on tin foil hat]FWIW, I think these guys have read up on UFO lore. UFOs started appearing in big numbers in the mid-forties and the term "flying saucer" was coined in 1947. Also, the Roswell incident occurred in 1947 very near the 509th Bomb Group's home base. The 509th was formed for one purpose -- to deliver atomic bombs. The planes that A-bombed Japan were of the 509th squadron. It is also believed by some in the community that UFOs are not in fact aliens but our future selves travelling back in time -- to a time before atomic bombs and genetic manipulation became common place. So I wonder if this is the framework from which this show's writers are working?[Removes tin foil hat]

TGM

fuck, my cover is blown!

Ky-Fi

I half-caught the premiere, but really sat down and watched this one. I liked it a lot---very interested in seeing where this goes.

Chew

Second episode lost 2 million viewers from the pilot.

TGM

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JuryDuty

I would expect viewership to go down from the premiere, especially the way the premiere jumped around. I think the real proof will be next week, to see if it stays about the same as this one.

I'll be ticked if yet another interesting show with a mystery gets canceled right after we all buy in.

aynrandgirl

My guess is they aren't aliens, they're Prey.

rw2516

They as much said so in the first episode when he visits Sofia at the Alaskan prison. He talks about letting the Russians in on whatever's going on and she says no.

superfro

Wasn't it also the strongest premier in the new NBC lineup? So it probably had the most to lose naturally.

Geofferson

It sure as heck was the most promoted premiere. Assuming it came with a hefty price tag.

Deftones

I actually liked the pilot better, but having said that, I think it's going pretty well so far. Already 2 episodes in and we've learned more than we ever did in Lost.

sleepyhead55

I liked this one a lot better than the pilot. I still think that some of the time jumping is unnecessary. It's interesting enough for me to keep watching. I think it'll survive assuming the ratings don't go totally into the tank, considering that NBC doesn't really have any other scripted hit shows.

Cardiff Giant11

Decent episode but I can't help but feel the show is just combining formulas from other successful shows (The Lost and 24 elements being the most obvious along with the 4400). I'll stay on board for a few more episodes though and see how it goes.

lisadoris

Enjoyed this episode too. The time-jumping doesn't bother me but maybe that's because I spent all summer watching The Good Guys which has the same non-linear storytelling. It's not the best show ever (but seriously it's only the second episode) but I'm interested enough in the storylines to keep watching.

djones6746

Not bad....not great. I still have not totally committed myself to this show...maybe next week will convince me.

Giantrobo

This latest ep had me riveted. I was really diggin' it.

TheKing

This show doesn't hide its influences. A plane crash being a major plot element? A government conspiracy being another? Flashbacks as a major storytelling device? But if you're going to a show like this, Lost and 24 are pretty good places to start looking for inspiration. Lost may not have fully delivered in the end, but it was one hell of a great ride getting there.

As for the ratings, NBC has to be jizzing their pants over the ratings so far. Like I said in the Lone Star thread, The Event killed Lone Star. It had nearly 3.5 million more viewers than Chuck did this week. It's doing that in a very tough time slot.

whoopdido

Correct me if I'm wrong, but just beating Chuck isn't anything to write home about. Hasn't Chuck's ratings been fairly unimpressive all along? Chuck always seems to be on the list of shows that are going to get axed.