Pretender: Flyer

[kerravonsen]

Still sick, so have watched an episode of The Pretender.

How very Jarod, to describe test-piloting as "so cool". Well, it would be, for him.

So, we have the first appearance of the mysterious and sinister Mr. Raines. Interesting that at the end, even Miss Parker seems to be afraid of him. Mind you, power in the Center is doubtless tangled and murky.

Interesting that Jarod already knew ASL, but has now learned how to lip-read.

A lot of stereotypes in the bit parts: Californian airhead #1 (I had a Blair Sandburg flashback), California airhead #2 (the egg is a symbol), Hispanic bartender, conspiracy nut (though at least he got a bit more fleshing out and sympathy).

"Ignorance is no excuse for murder." That cuts a few ways: the Hiroshima guy himself, Jarod himself (his own ignorance of what the Center were using his abilities for) and possibly those involved in the Sabre chip failure who were ignorant, though I don't think there were any.

Is this the first time Jarod has enlisted the aid of an uninvolved party in the carrying out of his scenario? On previous occasions, he's enlisted the aid of the "weak spot" person; the person (and that's a pattern in the A story) who was reluctantly involved in the evil conspiracy and now regrets it. Though they don't always participate, sometimes the only thing they do is spill the beans, like what happened this time.

I liked that Jarod sycced the conspiracy-theory community on the Center through the Hiroshima guy.

Does anyone know what piece of music it was that Jarod was conducting at the end? It would be lovely if it was "The Magic Flute". I don't think he was doing that for a Pretend, I think he was just doing it for fun.

Comments

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

How very Jarod, to describe test-piloting as "so cool".

I loved him in that scene, really. He just does such great childlike delight. And he did make it look like fun. :)

Mind you, power in the Center is doubtless tangled and murky.

And it just gets more tangled and murkier as you go on... I've pretty much given up on understanding it and just accepted that the murkiness is all part of its sinister appeal. :)

[kerravonsen]

He just does such great childlike delight.
He does. And it's a mystery to me how he does it, because when I was screencapping the pilot, I got all disgruntled, because it felt to me, looking at the stills, that Jarod only had three expressions: happy, sad, and stern. And yet the strength of the acting is how he can jump from childlike delight to utter coldness and back again. 'Tis a puzzlement.

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

His acting really is amazing, and I firmly maintain that the quality of the acting in general helps this show be so much better than it frankly ought to be. :) And maybe he only has three expressions in the pilot, but as the show goes on, I think he manages to merge those three together in all kinds of subtle and effective combinations.

[kerravonsen]

Or it may be the difference between stills and motion: I've noticed, in drawing Cally, that her face is too long and narrow, and yet she looks much prettier "in life".

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's probably a big part of it, too. And a lot of acting is in change and motion.

[butterflykiki.livejournal.com]

So, we have the first appearance of the mysterious and sinister Mr. Raines. Interesting that at the end, even Miss Parker seems to be afraid of him. Mind you, power in the Center is doubtless tangled and murky.

Half the point of a future ep is getting her past that, I think. She's never afraid of him after that ep, but at this point, he does have a lot more power over her, at least mentally.

Is this the first time Jarod has enlisted the aid of an uninvolved party in the carrying out of his scenario? On previous occasions, he's enlisted the aid of the "weak spot" person; the person (and that's a pattern in the A story) who was reluctantly involved in the evil conspiracy and now regrets it. Though they don't always participate, sometimes the only thing they do is spill the beans, like what happened this time.

I think so? Although he does do it again, later.

And the Hiroshima guy is one of the 'quirky' people that first season abounds with; nearly every ep has Jarod meeting someone with a unique and bizarre viewpoint on life. Just to point out that 'crazy' is all in your angle of reflection, I think.

I don't think that last piece was Mozart-- I want to say Handel, but damn if I know for sure.