Ill Boding Patterns–part 1
Bullet points are encapsulated scene analysis from the top of each act to the bottom. (each act is bookended by a commercial break)
1. The scene progression in the Teaser is VERY enlightening. As we know, it gives us the lens through which to view the rest of the episode. It sets up the relevant themes and as always, each scene is informed by and informs, those that come before and after. I’m gonna point that out a little more here than usual because, as I said, in this case it’s fascinating.
And since this was one of the least subtle eps of primetime tv I’ve see in a long time it’s not hard to spot the throughlines.
A hard hat may not be good enough to protect you from the anvils in this one. Fair warning.
BOING!!!!!!
2. Personally I loved Beowulf when I read it both in high school and in college. Yeppers, I was that kid. You’re shocked, aren’t you?
3. I was surprised (in a good way) when I saw they were casting someone to play Beowulf. I mean I figured they weren’t gonna get too deep into the weeds of the actual story, which frankly I don’t blame them for, it’s a little dense for primetime.
But Hrunting the enchanted sword and the overarching them of epic battle were perfect choices to use as illuminators of the current storyline(s)
Nice story choice!
4. The staging of the first part of the scene is spectacular. Lots of moving pieces. People. Noise. Flaming catapult rounds. Wooden spikes. Potential danger is everywhere and a battle is definitely afoot.
They do a very nice job of giving that time to unfold.
And though there are dozens of people going about their business, including a blacksmith, we only “meet” two of them. Beowulf and a poor, hapless foot solider looking for courage in a flask. (From here on out to be referred to a PHF)
Tag: I love these
Line by Line: A Study of Hook’s Dialogue in Every Episode – 2.06 Tallahassee pt 1
Continuing my examination of Killian’s dialogue, especially where it concerns prediction or foretelling of future events, being the voice of truth or reason in the face of direct opposition, or just having a greater awareness of events based on his enhanced perception and human insight. These are of course my own interpretations of his dialogue, I’m sure others have different thoughts and I might forget things.
I obviously have ALOT to say about this episode, and he has a lot of very important lines, so I’m splitting this into multiple parts:
2.06- Tallahassee pt 1
Hook: Well, your compass awaits. Shall we?
Hook is once again talking to Emma despite the group setting, and the wording is so deliberate. Your compass. Not our compass, not the compass, not the giant’s compass. Your compass.
This stands out to me for a few reasons. One, the compass is Emma’s, not only does she obtain it originally, but also ultimately.
Two, Hook has no problem immediately deferring to Emma. He recognizes she is in charge and has no ego when it comes to this. This is one of my personal favorite traits. For a pirate Captain who can at times be prone to vanity and who obviously values his reputation, he has no trouble compartmentalizing and stepping aside when necessary.
Three, Hook has no doubt that Emma is going to succeed. As far as he is concerned the compass is already hers they just have to go get it.
Hook: Because there aren’t any more beans. Whatever story you think you know, my dear, is most certainly wrong.
I guess we can call this a draw? He’s incorrect about the beans, several times over actually, but his comment regarding the stories applies pretty to much everything Emma (or the audience) knows with regards to these tales. He is being used to set up the “twist” of this and a future episode. Like most of the tales, what the audience knows and what actually happened are two very different things.
What I find amusing about this is that Hook will end up using more magic beans than any other character in the end. He’ll use 3 in this season alone.
Hook: Sounds like a lovely tale. But the truth’s a little bit more gruesome. The giants grew the beans, but, rather than use them for good, they used them to plunder all the lands. Jack, was a man who fought a terrible war, defeating all but one of the evil giants. The beans were destroyed by the giants as they died. If they couldn’t have their magic, then nobody could. It’s really very bad form.
I was originally going to skip the story about the Giants. We already established that Hook is going purely by what he’s heard, and the story itself is unreliable as confirmed by Tiny later in the episode, but when I read it again I changed my mind. This dialogue actually tells us a lot about him.
His retelling is brief but dramatic, he uses very colorful words: “gruesome”, “terrible war”, “evil”, and he even editorializes a bit.
I really like this extra detail that Hook actually enjoys the story. He gives a rather long winded explanation, valuing the theatre of the retelling, despite commenting on the wasting of time moments later, and demonstrating over and over through the course of the show he is actually a man who likes to get things done rather than standing around and chatting about them. Yet he takes a few minutes to tell a detailed story rather than just give them the facts at hand.
cshappybeginning 