1.06: Symbiosis

[Dave]

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Creating episode thread: Remember only
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or the spoiler tag used.
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[Dave]

When a top prosthetics researcher is found dead, Neil receives a anonymous e-mail containing, Omega, the final letter of the Greek alphabet, and telling him that the man was murdered by the "Synthetics" the physical manifestations of "Sentients", and that they are now after the man's six-year-old niece Stevie, all because of a "cybiotic interface" he was working on which would allow computer technology to control organic systems. Visitng Stevie's teacher, they find out that she is deaf and received a cochlear implant which her uncle had been tinkering with.

Eventually, the team locates Stevie and finds out that her implant allows her to control a swarm of insects that have been fitted with cybiotic interface chips. Kurt reveals that he speaks the Deaf Language, a man of many talents. But mysterious figures who may be Synthetics relentlessly track Stevie to Kurt's place. Kurt escapes with Stevie through his landlady's window, but they are captured.

Maybe I missed something, I should have been concentrating more during this, but this was a rip-off of the X-Files episode "War of the Coprophages" about the cockroaches with artifical intelligence, and I was having conversations at the same time. So I have some questions:

The scientist who was killed during the episode -- was he the boss of the researcher they were investigating (Stevie's Uncle)? Did we know why he acted so nervous?

The 'mysterious figures' -- they turned out to be human, but not these humans with 'programmed minds' -- so why are they doing what they are doing? Someone said that they could be for or against the 'Syntheics' -- surely they must be for the 'Syntheics' or else why kidnap Kurt and Sarah and Stevie?

That brings me to my next point. I know it's a TV and Cinematic convention to do this, but in real life if someone came at me with a gun, and I knew that they were planning to kill me whatever I did (as opposed to robbing a bank, stealling my property or money, or kidnapping me for ransom) then I think I would take my chances with them. At least that way I would have a chance! That's why I don't understand the kidnapping and subsequent scenes -- these 'mysterious figures' are prepared to kill the scientist because he is in the way, they would just kill Kurt, Angela and Stevie too. End of story.

The homebrews made by Kurt's landlady were interesting. Do you think that we are going to see a longterm romantic interest there? Will she be the one to change Kurt's ways?

Angela's problems with 'husband to be' -- "How do you know my father's name?" -- and Sarah's problems with her father are all interesting, but I'm begining to want more from this show:

I agree with Tabitha's comment about the 'cliffhanger' scene from "Astronaunt's Dreams" two weeks ago -- it's as if it never happened. Chuck has never been called to account, no playing of cctv recordings, no fingerprint or DNA checks on the scanner he used.

It ends this week with Stevie safe, and playing with insects in a garden somewhere. She wouldn't be safe, even if it were a government controlled relocation these people are going to find her; the conspiracy is at least as deep as that.

[RangerOne SG13 SOR]

Im not sure but the computers in the Prosthetic guys office looked to be running windows xp. The clue when kurt first used the pc to download files (look at the icons) and when Chuck and Co returned later look at the search screen.

This is supposed to be set 5 years earlier so we are talking Windows 98SE at most.

Im sure ive seen this in other episodes too, if anyone has them on tape please check


Ranger

[Dave]

Originally posted by RangerOne SG13 SOR
This is supposed to be set 5 years earlier so we are talking Windows 98SE at most.

We discussed this earlier in another thread, the producers of the show say that it is set in the present day, it was the destruction of the Earth and the shuttle mission that is 5 years in the future, or in 2007. In the episode with Sarah's sons birthday party he gets a Sony Xbox as a present. I don't know when you could get those in the USA, but it wasn't until about March this year in the UK. Your observation reinforces that.

[Tabitha]

Yep, I agree with what dave said above - I didn't catch the X-Box reference a few weeks ago (which would put this in the present day), but I did notice the computer with XP this week, which would also confirm that we were definitely talking present day. Also, I don't think WAP phones were available in '98, which Neil must have had in order to get an email (unless of course they said email when they meant text message).
I have noticed other computers on the show running XP, or OSX for Mac (sometime the glimpse has been too brief to tell the diff).

Anyway the ep. Err, I know I said a while ago that I had heard this show described as a "natural successor to the X Files", I wasn't expecting them to follow this route. i.e. a route which takes them on tangents to the central storyline - I mean, what on earth did this weeks story have to do with the conspiracy exactly?
Was the research that was being carried out in the prosthetics lab something to do with the fake people in previous episodes? Were they actually "Synthetics"? I don't think this link was made quite explicitly enough for me.

As I was saying, I am not sure how happy I am with this turning into a facsimile of the X Files, with the Five researching any weird little things they happen to come across.

The only new thing that we really seemed to learn this week was that it is not just "synthetics" the Five have to worry about, but also humans who are working with them. That muddies the water a little, and perhaps makes Kurt's IR camera a bit useless.


Things I feel are unresolved, or very unclear at this point:
What is the conspiracy about? Who is in on it? What is the point?
Who knows about the Five? Obviously someone does - think about Neil's text and the human henchmen.
Chuck's BOSS!!!!!! We need to follow up on this story very soon.

[RangerOne SG13 SOR]

Originally posted by Tabitha
Things I feel are unresolved, or very unclear at this point:
What is the conspiracy about? Who is in on it? What is the point?
Who knows about the Five? Obviously someone does - think about Neil's text and the human henchmen.
Chuck's BOSS!!!!!! We need to follow up on this story very soon.

LOL Its the same for me.

After the first episode to me the ending of the series is pretty easy to predict (I wont divulge here..not yet hehe)

The funny thing is this series has me gripped, its not the usual American "We always do the right thing holyer than though ****"

The characters are quite hard hitting and close to reality. The camera work is polished and the story line although a little slow is starting to develope.

But here are too many loose strings, and seeing as the syths know of the 5 (but not of their involvment) why have they not "replaced them" or attempted to take them over....... err i think i just answered my own question hehe.

Thanks for the timeline info that makes things fit a lot better.

Diashi

[Tabitha]

Originally posted by RangerOne SG13 SOR


After the first episode to me the ending of the series is pretty easy to predict (I wont divulge here..not yet hehe)

Maybe you could start another thread with ideas for what might be coming next - and "Odyssey 5 Speculation" Thread. Maybe I have too much faith in this show after so few (but so good!) episodes, I don't expect them to follow an obvious path.

Originally posted by RangerOne SG13 SOR

The funny thing is this series has me gripped, its not the usual American "We always do the right thing holyer than though ****"

The characters are quite hard hitting and close to reality. The camera work is polished and the story line although a little slow is starting to develop.

That's how I feel too - cemeted by the revelation last week that the only reason Chuck told the seeker to send the Five back was because Angela was dying. Suggests to me that these are not overly heroic stereotypes. They are more likely to make decisions the way you or I would, rather than the way Mulder or Scully would

I think we will see a story where someone gets replaced quite quickly. In fact I have quite a strong suspicion that Chuck's other son (I forget his name) will make the astronaut programme, but end up working against the five, either because he has been replaced by a synth, or coerced by Chuck's boss

///edit
ps Welcome to the Odyssey 5 mini-forum :wave: me and Dave were beginning to think no one else was watching this great programme!

[Dave]

Originally posted by Tabitha
Maybe you could start another thread with ideas for what might be coming next - and "Odyssey 5 Speculation" Thread.

I've no idea how it will end, though I can't see it lasting for five years, even if the series was that popular. Things have already started happening sooner than in the original Timeline. I just hope they actually finish the story, and not cut it off in it's prime like 'Dark Skies'.

Spoliers: I did accidently read one about Chuck's wife, and it wasn't what I expected. I can PM you if you want to be spoiled.

Originally posted by Tabitha
ps Welcome to the Odyssey 5 mini-forum :wave: me and Dave were beginning to think no one else was watching this great programme!

Yes, I never said welcome either, though we aren't alone Tabitha, Krystal has posted here too. That makes four of us.

[Tabitha]

Originally posted by Dave

Yes, I never said welcome either, though we aren't alone Tabitha, Krystal has posted here too. That makes four of us.

Sorry Krystal, I forgot all about you :blush: Forgive me

I am still waiting for Triffid to come back to us too...

I don't even want to talk about cancellation, but I agree that if they are going to cancel it quickly they ought to at least end the story for us. As you said, with the timeline alterations, they have ample opportunity to wrap it all up early.

>>>>
Back to the eppy, I really enjoyed all the sub-plots this week. The dinner where Sarah made that blunder was so tense. How do you explain what she said? Especially considering the two partners are probably assuming there is an affair happening...
I am also fascinated by Angela and her unscrupulous politician dad.

[Krystal]

This episode was great. Love how Angela confronts his father she's really strong minded. Also the part when the ants cover the wall was very cool. All the story about the synthetics was good. It was neat that the ants hiding place was Stevie's panda toy. Also seeing Mendel's tender side was cool, love when he makes the sign language and both Stevie and Sarah say I'm impressed. Also seeing how Sarah meet Troy was good, I haven't notice that the actual Sarah's husband is not the same one at the beginning. That Troy is the husband at the beginning of the series. I wonder what part plays the humans working for the sentients, what motivates them, etc. It definitely was a good episode.

I have to agree with Tabitha, I really like to see more about Hodges (Chuck's boss), she's one of the big puzzles for me in Odyssey 5.

The thing about the sentients and the synthetics is a bit mix so far, I suppose that is to maintain us confused and expecting more.

Don't worry for forget about me Tabitha, it happens to all of us sometimes. Including me so don't worry. By the way the name of the other son of Chuck is Marc.

Krystal