Skull and Bones

[Guest Kat]

I really liked this episode but was taken aback by the abrupt change in Peter Watts. Yes, I remember that he became adversarial but this was like too much all at once. I also wondered why Frank referred to Cheryl Andrews as a friend after she had tried to kill him in The Hand of St. Sebastian ep. Reading through the comments I see that there really is no answer for that--it's a plot hole.

[davidmarx2000]

Certainly a great Season 3 episode. I agree with all the comments about what was chilling/scary, and the fact the Cheryl Andrews story in this episode dug a huge plot hole. One my favorite parts in the episode is toward the end when Emma goes to the house of, I believe, Cheryl Andrews, and there's that famous Nazareth song, "Love Hurts" playing as she walks through the house. Of course, Peter Watts shows up and scares the crap out of everyone watching.

[Earthnut]

Wow, I forgot about the song "Love Hurts" playing, thanks for the reminder. Love the song.

Peter has a way about him that's scary without having to startle you. Put the two together and "yikes."

[seesthru]

Legion? Please elaborate!

The farmhouse in the name of Homer Petty, that Emma found on the eminent domain list. That name kept cropping up, was it a real person? She went to the house, saw that chamber of horrors whereupon Watts tears her a new one and scares her witless.

I'm with y'all in that this didn't make sense. Andrews did try to kill Frank, and then she turns up dead. I had to really stretch to make this work in my head.. Andrews turned on the group, or was one of the split of factions. Even though She tried to kill him, Frank uses the wording "friend" because of their former relationship in the group. And also, he is on a mission to expose the group, and in doing so, he must find out what happened to Andrews. Were I the writer I'd have woven the St Sebastian episode ending into the murder of Andrews, say, she was released because of the power of the group, and on her way home from Germany, thinking she had been forgiven, she was instead executed. . They faked the news headline, and bought the silence of her family. Given the power of the group over life and death apparently, it's possible.

Watts gets scared, because I think he is one of the Groups hit men. This is his dirty work they are uncovering. Except for Andrews, he'd have had the trust of all the other victims, he was good and pretending to side with the dissenters, then trying to herd them back into the fold. Anyway, They have their eyes on Emma, and must work the fast track on her to get her reined into the fold. They don't have time to seduce. Or did they? Her father was ill, who is to say they didn't do that? Then cured him. He knew about the group. Back on track.. they are in a hurry, and she comes on the little house of horrors and the burial site.... So they send Watts, she gets to the farm house and is appropriately horrified, then he pounces, and lets her know, threats will be eliminated. The site is bulldozed, and the group has bought the silence of the higher ups in the FBI. Wonder why they didn't recruit Baldwin? hahah!

[Frank Black Jr]

I remember when Frank said "she was a friend..." I thought: "what? she tried to kill u!" But...didn't she actually save Frank in one episode? (correct me if I am wrong). Anyway, this episode is one of my fav of Season 3. It was like a movie all along. Very complex shoots, great acting. And the tension between Emma and Peter was great. And how she started to understand why Frank reacted the way he did when the MG was near. And it showed Emma what happened to dissidents. Also I liked the way the MG turned into something awful in the name of good. That bipolar thought is very scary and interesting. And all the stories that indicates that they were behind of a lot of things that happened in the past: good or terrible was very clever because that gave the audience an idea of the magnitude and power that these people had. Maybe that amount of people that they killed was also made with that intention, to show the impunity and power that the MG had. And again, that idea of "this terror must be done to protect people" is still terrifying because we all know that it is real. People considered threats because of the way they think is still out there and for me, this is one the reasons why I think Mr Carter says that he still considers to bring back Millenniumm. Let´s hope the x-files works again...maybe his little brother could join it later :)

[seesthru]

I think that either Fran forgave her, maybe he thought that since she was against Peter she was on the good side after all and misunderstood him, or else the writers dropped the ball.

Skull and bones was a gripping episode. I didn't really care much for the weird guy writer part of the episode, not at first. Then I decided, that like Frank this guy had an ability. He was definitely not right in the head, but he had an ability to find puzzle pieces, and fit them together and decipher them. Yeah the farmhouse, the whole thing, scared the bejeezus out of me! Peter turned very dark. But, he already knew the group already knew they had Emma on a leash, and he could show her this evil side, because there wasn't going to be a problem later on with her.

[Jabbapop]

In seasons 1 and 2 the group's involvement in taking cases almost always seemed "exploratory." They took on cases which signaled a nefarious evil or apocalyptic flair and dove right in. In season 3 now it seems like all they're interested in doing is manipulating law enforcement to cover their trails. Granted, this is the furthest I've gotten so far, but I'd have liked to see an episode where Agent Hollis and Mr Black are investigating a case that Peter Watts shows up on because it happens to be truly, to quote Giebelhouse, "milleniumistic." (Speaking of which, it was nice seeing Giebs again in Teotwawki.) This shift of having the millenium group only show up to do something nefarious is a bit too sneering-villain thick. I'm not saying that I can't accept the sinister angle of the group; it's just that now they're only shown doing sinister things, and it can't be the case that now that's all they do. A group doesn't do a 180 in mission statement just because of a change in management. 

[Earthnut]

15 hours ago, Jabbapop said:

In seasons 1 and 2 the group's involvement in taking cases almost always seemed "exploratory." They took on cases which signaled a nefarious evil or apocalyptic flair and dove right in. In season 3 now it seems like all they're interested in doing is manipulating law enforcement to cover their trails. Granted, this is the furthest I've gotten so far, but I'd have liked to see an episode where Agent Hollis and Mr Black are investigating a case that Peter Watts shows up on because it happens to be truly, to quote Giebelhouse, "milleniumistic." (Speaking of which, it was nice seeing Giebs again in Teotwawki.) This shift of having the millenium group only show up to do something nefarious is a bit too sneering-villain thick. I'm not saying that I can't accept the sinister angle of the group; it's just that now they're only shown doing sinister things, and it can't be the case that now that's all they do. A group doesn't do a 180 in mission statement just because of a change in management. 

Your insights to the show amaze me.  I love the new, fresh outlook you are bringing to the forums.  It's giving us a lot to think about that I don't remember being addressed before.

To me, each season was good in its own way, and for that reason, it's hard, if not impossible, to compare them.  To the best of my knowledge, there is only one episode that fans didn't like, and it's Human Essence.  Probably because it was a personal episode about Agent Hollis and her sister's drug addiction.  A lot of people didn't think it related well to the show's basic theme.  But, to me, neither did some of the others, so I personally accept each episode by itself.  Again, the show had so many different producers, directors, writers, etc., it was obviously hard to keep things on the same track.  It went in many directions, but still one of the best shows ever.

[Jabbapop]

Thanks Earthnut! I realize I might have to check myself a bit... Sometimes I race here after watching an episode just to vent. :-p I find myself doing that a lot more in Season 3, but after wading through previous posts here I tend to cool off a bit... That being said, I'm with you on trying to appreciate each season for its unique approach. 

[Earthnut]

20 hours ago, Jabbapop said:

Thanks Earthnut! I realize I might have to check myself a bit... Sometimes I race here after watching an episode just to vent. :-p I find myself doing that a lot more in Season 3, but after wading through previous posts here I tend to cool off a bit... That being said, I'm with you on trying to appreciate each season for its unique approach. 

No need to check yourself, you want to say something, post it.  We love new eyes around here.  It's who we are.