ctyankee

Agreed. Parables are fine if you're 5 (or rather slow upstairs), but it's hard to invest in the show when it seems so preposterous. In Sci-Fi, if they tell you that the ship can move at light speed, yeah, you swallow and go with it. However, when you know trains run on tracks that need constant care and maintenance, that's a bridge too far. In reality, after the first last car uprising and they don't kill them all, it's a bit like a bad James Bond movie when they don't kill 007 immediately with a gun. Nope, they have to put him in a room with frickin' lasers strapped to sharks. The show must go on.

Abob Teff

If they threw the tailors off, there would be nobody to alter their suits and dresses.

Honestly, I think we’ll find out they “need” them to maintain order through some semblance of a class or hierarchy system. Elites aren’t elite if there is nobody below them. There has to be somebody to blame for problems. Kind of like how the Matrix had to have shitty parts for people to accept it.

Abob Teff

Probably a bit late with this warning ... but check your DVR.

Golf ran a half hour over, so my recording is going to cut off in the middle of the new episode tonight. Glad I just happened to check this and set it to record the next hour as well.

mwbmis

I went to watch it this afternoon. This is the one original program TNT is currently airing, and it gets screwed up by a time overrun. Reset it to record tomorrow night.

TGM

can we talk about the ridiculous science of it all... I mean, makes I guess for compelling drama, but can anybody explain to me how the moving train around the world was ever good and sustainable idea?

fujishig

I just got to this episode yesterday to find that it only taped half of it and there were no more airings. But thankfully it was still available on demand. I would have dropped it instantly if not for that, what a terrible decision (at least pad your schedule... a full half hour late?)

Also I still don't understand why more than one person has complained about the feasibility of the central concept. It's a sci fi concept that stands out. It's like going into a show like Supergirl and saying "there aren't any aliens and people can't fly, what's up with this show?" I fully support criticizing inconsistencies in the plot, but you have to suspend your disbelief for at least the central concept of the show.

ctyankee

And I don't understand how you don't understand the difference. Tell me there are aliens and I'm good. Tell me that the alien can fly and I'm good. Tell me that a space ship can fly at the speed of light and I'm good. Tell me that a train can go bombing through mountain passes for 7 years without track maintenance and I've got a problem. So ... what's the difference? We know how trains work. We know how avalanches work. That's the difference.

That said, the latest episode was pretty cool. Our femme fatale showed herself.

ctyankee

Abob Teff

Haven't watched this week's episode yet ...

My personal rule with sci-fi/fantasy is you get "one concession" from me. That includes tangents. When you start pulling new things out of thin air and asking me for concessions we are going to have a problem. For example: I have no issue with the perpetual motion train and the track maintenance -- I'm giving you that. I'll go with the concept. However, if you get into a bind in season 2 and try to tell me that the train can hover and get over obstacles that way, you blew it.

(Looking at you Walking Dead and Star Wars.)

The show runners write the rules early in the run and I hold them accountable. As a viewer, if you can't get past the initial conceit, then it probably isn't for you.

fujishig

Yeah, I guess I can understand having a hard time suspending disbelief when you know the science they're peddling is BS and it's set in present times. Like making up network protocols for a "hacker" to seem smart in a show or something. This, however, is a futuristic sci-fi train, so I consider it to run on magic sci-fi pixie dust. Agree with Abob Teff that they have to then keep it consistent in their own universe and not pull things out of their rear, but I can usually overlook the initial concept. Now when characters act inanely and plotlines get convoluted, complain away.

Josh-da-man

The obvious answer to the questions about the train and the tracks is that the train runs on a Galt Motor and the tracks are made of Rearden Metal.

And it also explains why the rich people at the front of the train treat everyone else like shit.

PhantomStranger

So what do people think is the deal with Jennifer Connelly's character? Was Wilfried always a charade, or did she fall into the role to maintain order?

Barth

I’m not a big fan of the show but that part of the story is what has me watching. I have a feeling its more that she fell into the role. We’ve seen she’s not the only one in on covering it up.

Abob Teff

Ok ... I had an issue. 1,001 cars long ...and that is who he happens to grab? It ended up serving no purpose, so why use that lazy trope?

Yes, that was unbelievable.

I think she actually created the train and bilked an old man into paying for it. Or she is his daughter.

barelypure

No bees and now no cows. What other food have they lost due to the extreme conditions. I guess the good news is there are still trees, ice covered but trees.
At 1 point it was mentioned to disconnect the tail. They really can't do that unless there is a side track. Otherwise when they come back around the tail would be on the tracks.
In S2 I wonder if we'll start to see parts warming up, like in the movie, where some want to get off the train. Their adventures could be S3.

fujishig

Haven't watched yesterday's episode, but I figured they would just plow through it like they do everything else, or set it loose after putting something on it to help derail it (without blowing up the track).

In the Graphic novel, which the movie is (kind of loosely) based on, there's stuff like a second train, but I think this tv series is more based on the movie which is it's own thing, so we'll see. I think you start to jump the shark once you get off the train unless that's the final moments of the show.

SmithsGuy

Some thoughts - think we saw a 2nd train in the "coming this season" trailer at end of Ep1?

One would assume they have multiples of
a) Cow cars
b) Locomotives - usually you'd have front, mid and potentially rear (but then the tailies could take it over?) but if the concession is to hand-wave the train itself, no worries

fujishig

Wilford was definitely real at some point, or she wouldn't bother with chopping up old financial reports to get his voice to say things, I would think. And I would also think if she were his daughter, that she'd be well known, but who knows?

Murder plot closed but there's whatever they're using the drawers for. Seems like the "missing frozen body" thing gets taken care of in this next episode so I'm curious if we fast forward through a lot of plot coming up. Interesting that Connelly's character was less concerned about a mutiny (from either side) and more about the secret of the drawers getting out... you'd think logically she'd be better off putting the girl on ice anyway because she has the loosest lips of anyone anyway.

fujishig

That was a very... convenient way to fix the problem, I guess. Also a gratuitous sex scene to pad the run time just like HBO but without being able to show anything. At least we kind of found out what the drawers are for (if she's telling the truth) and I think they finally answer the question of what they're going to do to boost their engineering count.

PhantomStranger

Anyone else find most of Snowpiercer's sex scenes randomly inserted without any sense of pacing or feel for the plot?

fujishig

That's exactly how I feel. I mean far be it from me to complain about a Connelly sex scene but man.

mugwump

When you're stuck on an overcrowded train you gotta grab some when you can even if it requires a pause in the story.

fujishig

I don't remember if they told us: they restrict the ability to have children (you have to win a lottery, etc.) but is that done on the male side or the female side as far as restrictions go? If it's the female side then I assume that's Andre's baby.

mugwump

I finally realized why I'm enjoying this show more than it perhaps merits. Since it's set on a train all of the action occurs in a tightly confined space so there are lots of close-ups and not nearly as many fast-cuts as most TV shows and movies these days. The camera can linger on an actor long enough for some actual acting to come through so the whole production is elevated above what one would expect given the admittedly nonsense premise.

eXcentris

This show is interesting enough that I keep watching it, but not interesting enough that I'd care if it was cancelled.

And it looks like I'm not the only one wondering about the lack of track maintenance, and about what the heck happened to Jennifer Connelly's boobs. Maybe Andre can investigate that next.

Barth

Jennifer Connelly has lost so much weight and boobs always seem to be the first thing that goes with that. She’s still very attractive, and basically the only reason I’m tuning in to this mediocre show, but I wish she would put some weight back on.