Flashforward

Manlove is my forte · 10 Nov 2009 at 12:19

Not sure what to make of last nights episode. To me it sort of feels like its broken a tenant of the series.

The flash forwards now seem like a "Here's what you could have won" rather than "here is whats going to happen".

It's a bit of a non-sense How could everyone in the whole world (except the bluehands and Demetri's missus who clearly was attending a funeral she just doesn't realise it) . Share parts of an interwoven vision, and then some yahoo be able to jump off a building and ruin the elegant vision?

Is the future set in stone or did everyone just happen to see a possible future (or the most probable future?) Well I guess I answered my own questions but I've got to ask is there a story arc or are the writers writing from week to week?

EddScott · 10 Nov 2009 at 12:45

My wife and I really like this and we felt the same with last nights episode. Unless theres some big reveal as to why the flashforwards are "optional" it does seem like the plot will focus on "who dunnit" and "Why they dunnit"

Also, one thing that struck me was when they went to the blue hand club. Surely you wouldn't let anyone in that pulled the trigger? As they knew they wouldn't die. If the blue hand people were the ones that didn't have a flashforward why did they all turn into S&M addicts? Sure those that did have flashforwards would be the ones to push bounderies because they know they will be alive for next April.

If Demetri's Mrs is at his funeral, why is she happy? They remember how they feel at the time.

Its the first episode that has made me question the plot. If it gets canned before the end I'll be plenty miffed!

borich_planner · 10 Nov 2009 at 13:19

If you think every car on the road in America would have crashed it would have taken weeks to clear all the smashed up cars etc. Still its only a TV show and its not bad!

Borich

Tombstone · 10 Nov 2009 at 16:38

EddScott said:
Also, one thing that struck me was when they went to the blue hand club. Surely you wouldn't let anyone in that pulled the trigger? As they knew they wouldn't die. If the blue hand people were the ones that didn't have a flashforward why did they all turn into S&M addicts? Sure those that did have flashforwards would be the ones to push bounderies because they know they will be alive for next April

More to the point, the guy who pulled the trigger said that his reason for doing it was that he knew he would be alive in 6 months so he knew that he couldnt die that night regardless of whether the gun was loaded or not.

Yet hours later he decides he will kill himself by throwing himself off a building...now surely if he was willing to "shoot" himself in the head "knowing" that he couldnt die...why would he hours later decide that he can kill himself by throwing himself off a building?? He would surely still be under the belief that he couldnt die because he knew he would be alive in 6 months.

whitecrook · 10 Nov 2009 at 18:37

The previous few posts highlight some of the absurdity of this program.

Cybermyk · 10 Nov 2009 at 19:51

I had to wonder at the mentality of the torture and death freaks, who the hell want's to die like that?

Did none of them stop to think they might have just been asleep during the flash forward rather than dead?

Manlove is my forte · 11 Nov 2009 at 11:25

Tombstone said:
More to the point, the guy who pulled the trigger said that his reason for doing it was that he knew he would be alive in 6 months so he knew that he couldnt die that night regardless of whether the gun was loaded or not.

Yet hours later he decides he will kill himself by throwing himself off a building...now surely if he was willing to "shoot" himself in the head "knowing" that he couldnt die...why would he hours later decide that he can kill himself by throwing himself off a building?? He would surely still be under the belief that he couldnt die because he knew he would be alive in 6 months.

He was hardly going to say "Frankly I don't give a damn if I live or not" Now was he.

BFCTom · 11 Nov 2009 at 11:29

At the end of the day, Flashforward is no where near as absurd as Lost and that did well didn't it?

People are too eager to nit pick, just switch off and watch. The show has got everyone asking questions and wanting to know whats going to happen next, I think it's good personally.

Tombstone · 11 Nov 2009 at 13:03

Manlove is my forte said:
He was hardly going to say "Frankly I don't give a damn if I live or not" Now was he.

Well my point was that if he is certain that he cant die by firing a gun at his head, why does he hours later think he can kill himself by jumping off a building. He should surely still be under the belief that he cant die and thus the belief that any attempt to kill himself is a futile and pointless as the earlier shooting himself in the head event.

jakeke · 11 Nov 2009 at 13:17

BFCTom said:
At the end of the day, Flashforward is no where near as absurd as Lost and that did well didn't it?

People are too eager to nit pick, just switch off and watch. The show has got everyone asking questions and wanting to know whats going to happen next, I think it's good personally.

It's no where near as good as Lost though (which I don't really like either, but at least it was done well)

My issue with this wasn't the poor storyline it was the general low standards of the entire production

Vonhelmet · 11 Nov 2009 at 13:45

Tombstone said:
Well my point was that if he is certain that he cant die by firing a gun at his head, why does he hours later think he can kill himself by jumping off a building. He should surely still be under the belief that he cant die and thus the belief that any attempt to kill himself is a futile and pointless as the earlier shooting himself in the head event.

He tried the Russian roulette thing because he didn't care if he lived or died. He only said that he believed he wouldn't die when he was questioned by his colleagues.

Vonhelmet · 11 Nov 2009 at 13:47

Manlove is my forte said:
Not sure what to make of last nights episode. To me it sort of feels like its broken a tenant of the series.

The flash forwards now seem like a "Here's what you could have won" rather than "here is whats going to happen".

It's a bit of a non-sense How could everyone in the whole world (except the bluehands and Demetri's missus who clearly was attending a funeral she just doesn't realise it) . Share parts of an interwoven vision, and then some yahoo be able to jump off a building and ruin the elegant vision?

Is the future set in stone or did everyone just happen to see a possible future (or the most probable future?) Well I guess I answered my own questions but I've got to ask is there a story arc or are the writers writing from week to week?

There has been nothing to indicate that the visions would come true. People have merely assumed that and have behaved accordingly. Laddo who jumped off a building has challenged that assumption and proven it to be faulty. The future was never set; it can be changed.

Tombstone · 11 Nov 2009 at 14:23

vonhelmet said:
He tried the Russian roulette thing because he didn't care if he lived or died. He only said that he believed he wouldn't die when he was questioned by his colleagues.

Do we know that for sure though or is it merely assumption. I mean I didnt see any indicators prior to that to suggest that he was someone who had the mindframe that he didnt care whether he lived or died, nor did I see any indicators that he was just saying that to his colleagues as an excuse as opposed to an actual belief that he wouldnt die.

The question now is, if the flash forwards can all be avoided, does that make them all somewhat meaningless to a degree. Take Demetri, he knows from his flash forwards that he will be murdered on..what was it, march 12th or something?. So...clearly all he has to do if he wants to live is quit the force right now and move away and live on a desert island by himself and hey presto...future avoided.

The main character can avoid the wifes future vision with the english guy if he just follows the english guy and then kills him. If he is dead he cant be sitting on the sofa for his wife. Seems simple enough to me. Likewise his own future vision where gunmen are chasing him in the building while he ponders over the case board..again, easy enough to avoid. Quit the force today, have nothing more to do with the case and move country. Voila..no case board, no gunmen, future avoided

Having said that, its usually the way of course for people to behave in a manner that continues a story...even if its the daftest of behaviour like the traditional going into the cellar/we have to go back for him/her type of behaviour in horror films

I am still enjoying Flash Forward as a switch brain off popcorn show, but nothing more deep than that.

Mr. Anderson · 11 Nov 2009 at 14:29

vonhelmet said:
There has been nothing to indicate that the visions would come true. People have merely assumed that and have behaved accordingly. Laddo who jumped off a building has challenged that assumption and proven it to be faulty. The future was never set; it can be changed.

Just knowing the future makes it different. Also the suicide is not the first example, the main guy threw the bracelet his daughters made into the fire.

I started watching Lost last Friday and I'm almost on to season 3, it is loads better than Flashforward, although it might just be that I am power watching it!

BFCTom · 11 Nov 2009 at 14:36

jakeke said:
It's no where near as good as Lost though (which I don't really like either, but at least it was done well)

My issue with this wasn't the poor storyline it was the general low standards of the entire production

I despise Lost, it's just too daft for me. At least with Flashforward it's a little more realistic and there's only really the flash forward itself that's surreal. The effects it has on people afterwards are totally believable and understandable.

Spose it's horses for courses and all that. It'd be boring if we all liked the same stuff

Tombstone · 11 Nov 2009 at 14:39

Mr. Anderson said:
Just knowing the future makes it different. Also the suicide is not the first example, the main guy threw the bracelet his daughters made into the fire.

Seemed a bit excessive to me that, throwing it into the fire. He could have simply worn it on the other arm and that would have been altering the future. You just know now that in an upcoming episode as a twist, she will notice he hasnt got the bracelet on, ask where it is..he will say it got lost and she will make him another one, thereby bringing him back on track for his vision. Could have avoided all that if he simply put it on the other arm

Mr. Anderson · 11 Nov 2009 at 14:45

Tombstone said:
Seemed a bit excessive to me that, throwing it into the fire. He could have simply worn it on the other arm and that would have been altering the future. You just know now that in an upcoming episode as a twist, she will notice he hasnt got the bracelet on, ask where it is..he will say it got lost and she will make him another one, thereby bringing him back on track for his vision. Could have avoided all that if he simply put it on the other arm

He could kill his daughter in Portugal?

Tombstone · 11 Nov 2009 at 14:58

Mr. Anderson said:
He could kill his daughter in Portugal?

That could work if she hasnt already made another bracelet by then, although perhaps a touch excessive to kill your daughter

Manlove is my forte · 11 Nov 2009 at 17:27

Tombstone said:
Do we know that for sure though or is it merely assumption. I mean I didnt see any indicators prior to that to suggest that he was someone who had the mindframe that he didnt care whether he lived or died, nor did I see any indicators that he was just saying that to his colleagues as an excuse as opposed to an actual belief that he wouldnt die.

I think that this was the given indicator that he did not want to live to cause the death of a mother of twins.

I think as his story arch unfolded and we found out his entire Flashforward it seems evident that he was living with the demon of having caused this death and that as a result he had no reservations with taking a risk that could potentially end his life and spare the womans (and his guilt).

Jamesdavid3 · 14 Nov 2009 at 13:56

Remember... They was only going to do 12 episodes before they make it to 22 or 24.

So these episodes leading upto Episode 12 might seem rushed as that was the ending they was going for until it got extended!