“The Magnificent Eight”
Original Airdate: April 14, 2016
Sometimes (most times) Legends of Tomorrow is a show without direction, getting by on amazing chemistry and pretty likable characters. And yet, even on the worst of days, when the plot has deserted us and we’ve waved goodbye to logic, the only thing we’ve been able to count on is the pure entertainment value of the show. Even when it’s bad (and if it often is), Legends of Tomorrow is still pretty watchable, even if only for how ridiculous and over-the-top it is.
Until “The Magnificent Eight,” that is.
I’m not even sure what happened in this episode, much less how to describe it to you. Ray pretended to be John Wayne, our heroes saved a small town and uh, Kendra found herself? See, that sounds lame even to me. And that’s just it. This episode was lame.
Lame, boring, and nonsensical: the killer combination. The show wanted to bring Jonah Hex in. They really, really wanted to. They wanted it so much that they wrote a whole episode around this idea just so they could fit him in. And, in the end, no one cared about the episode, no one cared about Hex, and — for the first time — no one cared about our heroes.
Talk about a miss.
LOGIC IS NOT INVITED TO THIS PARTY
There’s so much that doesn’t make sense in this show that the only way you can actually enjoy it is if you shut your brain off for a while. By that, obviously, I mean the whole hour. In discussing lack of logic, I can start with just about anything and everything that comes out of Rip Hunter’s mouth, continue with the nonsensical character development of Mick Rory, and end with the fact that Gideon, the supercomputer that can see into your dreams can’t possibly locate Savage. Not to mention that she is pretty selective in what information she shares. Kendra and Sara out for a walk? No one needs to know that. Stein about to steal medicine? Let’s alert everyone!
Why, Gideon? Why?
And, of course, let’s not forget the whole notion of the timeline. At this point I’m surprised there’s even a future, considering all our “heroes” have done to mess up each and every time period they’ve been in. Am I really supposed to believe there are no repercussions? Is that why they came up with the notion of “time wanting to happen”? So the writers could do whatever they want and throw that excuse around?
EVENTUALLY FATE BROKE BOTH OUR HEARTS
I can’t say it enough: Ray/Kendra is the ship that never should have happened. And if this episode proves anything, is that even the people behind Legends of Tomorrow know it. They’re just taking a really long time to break them up. Absurdly long. I’m tired of this already. Well, I was tired of everything in this episode, but I’m especially tired of Kendra going through the same “I love Ray. Wait, do I really? Forget about Carter, I totally love Ray!” regression and progression every episode, especially because, in the end, the only person Kendra is fooling is herself. We know the truth.
She doesn’t love him. Not really. She loves the idea of him, the promise, the maybe. But, as her old self told her, this can only end in two ways: tragedy or heartbreak. And I get the sense it won’t be her heart that’s getting broken.
WHAT WAS MY MISSION AGAIN?
What was the name of that guy again? You know, the immortal tyrant that killed Rip’s family and pretty much destroyed the world? I can’t remember. I mean, I think he and his overabundance of hair gel were around last episode, but what with the cowboys and the dust, I totally forgot about Vandal Savage again. Just like our heroes seem to forget about him. Every single episode. And have to be reminded of their mission and its villain. Every single episode.
Savage is a bad villain, I’ll give him that. But the set-up for this season of Legends of Tomorrow has been ridiculous. And that’s me being kind. You can’t present a seemingly unconquerable villain and then have your main characters care so little about him. Or, like, you can. But you shouldn’t. You really shouldn’t.
Other things:
- Being featured in the “Previously on...” is never a good thing.
- Why does Rip have to explain the side effects of time travel EVERY TIME they time travel? You’d think they would know the deal by now.
- Finally, someone is asking for an explanation! It only took eleven episodes.
- “What’s the harm in us just taking a look around?” “With this group? Clearly you haven’t been paying attention.”
- How did they convince Rip again? Oh, wait, I remember now. Rip could not care less about how these people affect the future. Gotcha.
- The tiny Snart/Sara moments are everywhere these days. The Captain Canary is strong, and it’s one of the few things about this show that seems to always work.
- I wouldn’t bet against Sara in anything. Not even drinking.
- “You killed him.” “You’re welcome”
- The bar fight scene is probably the funniest thing the show has done to date.
- I don’t even know why Rip is trying to scold the heroes. He let them go. He KNEW they were going to get in trouble. Why the hypocrisy?
- I’m having trouble deciding who is being more ridiculous this episode. Sadly, that happens a lot with this show.
- Ray has more of a plan than Rip. Color me surprised! Oh wait. Not.
- Gideon knows everything. Let that sink in. Gideon knows everything. She basically sees you when you’re sleeping, knows when you’re awake, and definitively knows if you’ve been bad or good. She’s a creepy version of Santa without toys and with all the boundary issues. I bet she even knows Laurel’s dead. It’s just that no one has asked her. And hey, Barry, you designed Gideon. So this is all on you.
- Rip, if you really wanted to stop Stein, YOU COULD, you know. You’re stronger than him.
- Why is it always Jax?
- Rip is really and truly a self-righteous bastard, and I’m not even saying that in a, “oh, but he’s endearing” way.
- One pep-talk from Sara and Kendra is good to go again. *rolls eyes* Sara’s good, but she’s not THAT good.
- And now we have no problem killing people? All the death! Last episode they couldn’t kill the kid because they needed to preserve the future. Oh, right, also because the timeline. THE TIMELINE. I weep for the timeline.
- These Hunters are either really, really incompetent or they have a back-up plan.
- I take it back. This back-up plan is awesome.
I really had fun with this episode, this could just be a turn your brain off show and I really don't mind. I like all the characters in the show, they get some devlopment we learn more about them.
ReplyDeleteSeriously if the whole season was just character devlopment and going on adventures through time, while staying ahead of the Time Masters. The show's plot would be much better, we could have Firefly: Time Travel edition.
Also I think they didn't kill the kid because of morals not need to preserve the timeline. Its this dynamic do you want to save the world or be heros with good morals. Still really fun episode, Ray still the best.
Still not feeling Ray/Kendra its too bad Ray can't just have a stable relationship its Arrow Season 3 all over agian.
The reoccurring problem for me with Legends is how dumb they behave: every one of them. How does a time master not know a photograph will ID him in history? How do you let anyone out of the ship? Why not a have a plan, because again, you are a time master, that prepares them to fight Savage and win, instead of groping through tropes. Exactly how can anyone go back beyond 1950s in America and not run into deep, constant racism and sexism? Every member, except Snart, treats every time like a ride at Disney World. Dress up and go to a dude ranch? Yes. Pretend you are Russian scientists? Yes. Pretend you are violent criminals out to buy a nuclear bomb? Yes. Every episode where they go back in time, they ruin it. Oooh! Let’s ride horses!
ReplyDeleteUnless of course the plot needs a reference where they impact time in a way that couldn’t be done unless they were there, like saving the life of HG Wells. Seriously? How does this fit in the timeline? Has anyone running this show watched 12 Monkeys on SyFy, because despite the silly channel’s spelling, they have gotten time travel limitations down.
And as the most obvious statement ever, if you can go back to when people began (like the next villain in the show will be doing), why not kill Savage before the meteor hits?
I remember Rip Hunter did that and he failed so he can't go back. Plus the side effects of traveling that far back would not be good for the team and may cause other problems. They would only get one shot at it and with Kendra being there with her first life may cause other issues.
Delete