Frequency

[J-Sun]

This is about the 2016 CW show. Anybody else catch it?

A general thought here. To be more specific is spoilery, so

Spoiler: for s01e01

The main problem I had was with the show's legs and with the time travel handling. On the latter, first: why does she remember both timelines regarding her father but doesn't know what happened to her mother in the new timeline? Also, why on earth would the fiancee from the other timeline be in the exact same restaurant with the exact same companions at the exact same time despite all else that must have changed? Even if the girlfriend was the daughter of the nurse he actually got, she would have had a different schedule and personality and so on and that dinner date would have been at least a little different. And on and on. I don't like the "thinking through" of the time travel. Worse, much like Timeless, this means that you can basically do anything. There's no limit to the amount of goofing around the writers can do if they want. But, going back to the "legs," there would seem to be a distinct limit, to me, of the number of times the protagonist can change the timeline and save some and kill others and hold it all in her head and go on through ep after ep... and to what end? I was thinking this could have made a great movie (and it is based on a movie, though one I haven't seen) but I have a hard time seeing it as an enduring show.

Also, 90s vibe or not, the music was terrible.

BUT. I thought the production values and look'n'feel of the show were excellent, the actors did a great job (especially the lead), and it really pulled out the familial psychodrama without it seeming manipulative or overdone or whatever. This was nothing like Person of Interest except in the sense that it's a cop show with a hell of a twist and the twist is interesting and the cop-show-ness seemed well-done.

So, anyway - in a very lackluster season, while far from perfect, I enjoyed this the most of what new shows I saw.

 

[BAYLOR]

I thought it was okay, not great but it's got potential.

 

[Dave]

I'm watching this, mainly because I've run out of everything else. I have to agree with your comments in the spoilers about the internal logical consistency but time travel is fantasy anyway. It rarely makes any sense.

Also, 90s vibe or not, the music was terrible.

Yes, there WAS good music in the 1990's but apparently NOT in these particular timelines.

I'm up to episode 4 now and I'm sure that with the knowledge she has in the future, he ought to be able to catch the serial killer in the past. They just seem to want to wallow in sadness about the things they have changed. She seems to be Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of - that is a 2000 song, does it count? Glad she is going for a drink with the detective.

 

[Dave]

I've watched it all and I found it very slow going. It is much more of a police procedural than a scifi show. The way it dragged on with constant twists reminded me more of The Killing than of any time travel show. I would have to say it was different and unique, and I did feel her frustration as events in the past changed, but did not change anything in the present, or else changed unpredictably. In fact, if this show were to continue into a new Season, then I'd worry that the changes might become so uncontrollable that she'd simply disappear herself. Then she'd be stuck!