Third vote for Space: Above and Beyond, obviously. If you liked the "gritty war in space" aspects of BSG you'll enjoy it.
I think I'm going to take a little different approach... these are my *favorite* episodes but not necessarily the ones I think are the *best*.
Firefly: Shindig
TNG: Chain of Command I/II
Space: Above and Beyond: The Angriest Angel
Doctor Who: The Doctor's Wife
BSG: Exodus I/II
This is fun, do I have to do just five? #observationdeck
I don't normally do this, but... SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY. This is totally awesome. #observationdeck
Exactly... if the story ends when he wakes up then it's much less effective. Once he explores his experience, he (and we) can truly "get something out of it." #observationdeck
Perhaps, then, the point is to show that there is no way to change the "isolated" nature of that lifestyle. So it's not that they *don't* learn anything but that they *can't* change the way things are (e.g., Dean will always have to make his sacrifice). #observationdeck
Go Army! (sorry couldn't resist) #observationdeck
Well this will be a good experiment since I don't watch Supernatural so I'm going in blind. As I'm going through these I think I can make a generalization so I'll put it up front: if you can watch the episode before and after the one(s) in question, without realizing there was one in between, it's probably a "waste." The exception would be if you can learn something significant about one of the characters/world that carries outside of that self-contained episode.
1. Does he treat death/life differently afterwards? I assume the death was important/necessary for the "better" life that resulted from Dean letting it happen.
2. Reminds me of the Fringe ep "The Day We Died." In that case, what Peter sees leads to him making the choice that he does (even though he is the only one that remembers).
3. I'm guessing they are brothers? And they live a life as though they aren't, but it doesn't affect their brotherly relationship afterwards? That might qualify as a "waste."
4. Did this episode take place on the Titanic? (I want to say I saw the preview for this) If so, it might qualify under the "fun alternate universe" exception (if they played different characters or something) but if not, and it doesn't affect anything afterwards then what's the point? #observationdeck
I think it *has* to have some kind of effect on them in real life (I don't think I made that clear in my original post), I'm really trying to think of a good example, but if it feels "cheap" at the end then it's missing the key ingredient. #observationdeck
Yay, but like you said it has to "matter" to the main characters/universe. Groundhog Day is a great example because Phil comes out the other side (years/decades later) completely transformed. The Star Trek mirror universes are good because it shows the dangers of Starfleet's losing its morality (plus, they're fun to watch). Anything that's "it was just a dream" is frustrating because it doesn't matter. I can't think of a really good example but I think this is why a lot of people disliked the ending of Enterprise, because it cheapens the whole experience if it's just "oh we're watching a holodeck simulation." (That's a little meta but I hope you get the idea.) #observationdeck
Something tells me they'll show up again right in the middle of February sweeps... not that I'm complaining, I expect it will be pretty awesome. Perhaps there will be a few more cases that both Fringe teams will have to work together on so they'll be ready when DRJ comes back.
I just finished The City and the City and liked it a lot, I was actually thinking of picking up Embassytown next. #observationdeck
Thanks! The way the actors make each character different in subtle and no-so-subtle ways is the main reason I think it is such a travesty that none of them have been recognized/awarded for the work they're doing. #observationdeck
Yes! That makes it a lot clearer actually (maybe not), so that would mean we're watching the Blue and Redverse in the OrangeLine... and I think I've gone crosseyed. #observationdeck
Here's an interview with executive producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman, who refer to the Blue-verse as Peter's "home timeline."
The way I understand it (based on how the Observers talk about it, and some of the similar events that occurred), is that the two universes we are currently watching (so, Over Here and Over There in the Orangeverse) were identical to ours until Reiden Lake. When Peter went into the machine in the Blueverse and "erased himself" from history, he died in both timelines (from his disease Over Here, and Peter from Over There drowned in the lake when Walter brought him over).
However, the way that Peter is talking about Walter helping him "recalibrate" the Machine implies that he is operating under the assumption that he can get back to the Blue/Red verses by changing something in the Machine and then going back in. The way I see it though, if we assume that all points after Reiden Lake are zero day for the Orangeverse, if Peter "writes himself back into existence" via the Machine the Orangeverse would have to cease to exist. But if that's true, how can he even be there? I believe that everyone thinks that Peter is going back to a third universe, which is why they aren't worried about it.
tl;dr two universes in two timelines, if Peter goes back he goes to a different pair of universes so it doesn't affect the Orangeverse.
I thought that was to bluff? Oh, wait, that's to blaaaaaaithe. #observationdeck
Definitely... I'm glad they have been able to use her more this season.
Spoiler alert: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA OMFG
"Or just ignore it altogether other than to provide a link to Mr Plinkett."
This is the missing poll option that I was going to vote for.
Just finished Goliath by Scott Westerfeld. Enjoyable and a good way to end the series, IMO. Has anyone read his Uglies series and have any thoughts on it? I enjoyed the Leviathan trilogy so I might check it out.
Also, I gave Reamde the old college try (150+ pages) but I just couldn't get into it. I'm a Stephenson fan in general but this one just didn't pull me in. Am I the only one? Should I try picking it back up?
Came for S:AAB, leaving satisfied.
But seriously, this show was definitely ahead of its time and (obviously) one of my favorites. The linked article really says it all, but I loved the way the characters get developed through the course of the series.
