This week ’s Flashforward – “ Better Angels ” – had a gee - whiz start , a slam - bang finish , and a soggy eye . It was like Mark Benford served us a baloney sandwich on two slices of artisanal Tuscan focaccia .
“ Better Angels ” open with Demetri , Vogel , Simon , and Janis go to Somalia . Simon wants a gun , Vogel is n’t buying it . Simon opine , “ Going to Somalia without a artillery is like sound scuba diving without an oxygen tank . ” It ’s a cute little epigram – it ’s gracious of the writers to treat us with it from the get - go , as Simon drop the majority of the episode getting punch in the face .
The scuttle chronological succession is snazzy and exciting . The gang ’s imitation - Red Panda human-centred campaign snafu when Abdi – the well-disposed neighborhood warlord – establish up , kill the spokesperson , and kidnaps the CIA agents . The hoi polloi of Abdi ’s village disappeared after the 1991 blackout , and his deficiency of a strong role modeling has made him a bit of a misanthropist . After the gang nearly escape Abdi ( thanks to some cagey motility from Demetri and Vogel ) , the show then settles into its usual radiation pattern of head - scratching characterization and seesaw pacing .
What was Abdi ’s flashforward ? He visualise himself as the uniter of Somalia . Janis utilize the Mosiac website to win over him he ’ll move up to power via velvet revolution , quote Lincoln ’s first initiative reference ( the whole “ better angel ” spiel ) .
Abdi pass through an intact season ’s worth of character evolution in 60 minute . He begins as a gunslinger - tally strongman , transmute into a sympathetic friend of the agents , and is shot by Vogel after he key D. Gibbons executed his village . Why does Vogel dart him ? Abdi start smacking Simon around . Goddammit , Flashforward , why do you have to match two of the more interesting character against each other ?
In amount , here ’s what happened on the Somalia sashay :
1 . ) Abdi is introduced , act intriguing , and drop dead . His flashforward is nullified .
2 . ) Demetri may or may not have bang up Janis in a moment of sexy selflessness .
3 . ) At the sequence ’s rad cliffhanger , we get a line that D. Gibbons has left a message for Demetri via VHS from 1991 . Whoa .
4 . ) We learn that despite living in the vestige of the occult tower for years , Abdi never , ever inquire it . Yeahbuhwuh ?
5 . ) We con Vogel ’s flashforward . He is mouth with another agent in Mark ’s backyard and articulate , “ Mark Benford is dead . ” accidentally , Vogel ’s flashforward coincides with Charlie ’s flashforward . She also divulges that she overheard Lloyd saying D. Gibbons lied . But what exactly did he lie about ?
Back in the US , Mark resist to move to Denver with Olivia to foreclose his flashforward . He must prevent the 2nd memory loss ! Now that we love flashforwards can be prevented , could n’t Mark do something a little more mundane to prevent his future ? Like say , smash the mirror Lloyd write on in lip rouge ? Or take a vacation on April 29 ? Or trim his head ? To what extent does the butterfly burden of flashforward - reversing reaching ?
Abdi ’s expiry prevented the merger of Somalia and sham millions of other folks ’ flashforwards – could n’t Mark schedule a fumigation for April 29 and prevent the destruction of his marriage ? Or a parent - teacher league ? Or a colonoscopy ? Just get Olivia out of the planetary house , for cry out loud .
That ’s the problem with this series – if some flashforwards are dismissible , why are n’t all flashforwards dismissible ? Is there a grand cosmic bonce counter who determine which flashforwards are dismissible , or is it all just totally arbitrary ? Or – horror of horrors – are all flashforwards arbitrary ?
On a final note , Bryce is coughing up something fierce . At least give us the Keiko sports meeting - up , you cads .
Television
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