The Blacklist Refugees » Redemption Episode 1.:05: Borealis 301: Discussion Page

Big Badd Bazzer · 3/24/2017 5:18 pm

I know Tom's line to Solomon was pretty cute - but I nominate Solomon's outdoor scene with the young soldier of fortune to be best scene in the episode. Solomon's tall tales of family and inter-personal woe was just what the doctor ordered. His eloquence under duress had a very Red Reddington feel to it. Even better the second time around.

lara1 · 3/24/2017 6:12 pm

BBB - I agree that was a very good overall scene. Although - like Red's stories, I was wondering whether he was telling the truth. I need to watch it again and remind myself what his purpose was in telling it.

Regardless, yes, it was a very good scene.

lara1 · 3/24/2017 7:17 pm

So, while reading Jodi Walker's recap of the episode - I realized that the woman abductee's name is......Jennifer. Coincidence? (No i don't think that she is "the" Jennifer but with all the speculation about Red having been poisoned by Jennifer or Elise being Jennifer, I find it interesting.)

And Jodi has called tom and Solomon the "espionage odd couple.." LOL I thought they were like the odd couple also!

Tatiana · 3/24/2017 8:10 pm

lara1 wrote:
So, while reading Jodi Walker's recap of the episode - I realized that the woman abductee's name is......Jennifer. Coincidence? (No i don't think that she is "the" Jennifer but with all the speculation about Red having been poisoned by Jennifer or Elise being Jennifer, I find it interesting.)

And Jodi has called tom and Solomon the "espionage odd couple.." LOL I thought they were like the odd couple also!

LOL! First thing I thought of, Lara, "Jennifer?"

Honey West · 3/24/2017 8:32 pm

I liked the episode. But then you all know I like spy/thriller stories. I was glad they didn't crash the plane and everybody get killed. Solomon's exit showed poise under pressure, not to mention resourcefulness. I had just watched a program earlier that featured tandem sky diving, so I kept saying "grab onto the guy and use him and his chute to get off of the plane!" And then he did it!

Howard looked pretty sad when Solomon marched him off to the car. So I wonder how long Scottie has realized he was still alive? Or is she going to be very surprised when her problem turns out to be him?

Big Badd Bazzer · 3/24/2017 10:34 pm

lara1 wrote:
BBB - I agree that was a very good overall scene. Although - like Red's stories, I was wondering whether he was telling the truth. I need to watch it again and remind myself what his purpose was in telling it.

Regardless, yes, it was a very good scene.

It was a great scene because essentially Edi was acting against a broomstick. The actor playing the captured soldier of fortune was probably the weakest member of the guest cast - Edi's performance would have been magnified if the other actor had been able to express a wider range of emotions, including fear and shivering. Guy almost looked TOO COMFORTABLE.

Big Badd Bazzer · 3/24/2017 10:37 pm

lara1 wrote:
BBB - I agree that was a very good overall scene. Although - like Red's stories, I was wondering whether he was telling the truth. I need to watch it again and remind myself what his purpose was in telling it.

Regardless, yes, it was a very good scene.

Only way it could have been funnier is if Edi had rapped it Dr. Seuss style!

Big Badd Bazzer · 3/24/2017 10:38 pm

Honey West wrote:
I liked the episode. But then you all know I like spy/thriller stories. I was glad they didn't crash the plane and everybody get killed. Solomon's exit showed poise under pressure, not to mention resourcefulness. I had just watched a program earlier that featured tandem sky diving, so I kept saying "grab onto the guy and use him and his chute to get off of the plane!" And then he did it!

Howard looked pretty sad when Solomon marched him off to the car. So I wonder how long Scottie has realized he was still alive? Or is she going to be very surprised when her problem turns out to be him?

Can't wait for Famke & Terry O'Quinn's first confrontation. I expect it will be fairly civil - but most revealing!

P.S. Famke has done such a great job taking on a mid-west american accent - I'm ready to annoint her as "Fargo Famke" - note that Terry O'Quinn is from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Last edited by Big Badd Bazzer (3/24/2017 10:41 pm)

Tatiana · 3/25/2017 1:00 pm

This was a fun episode. My husband is back from his travels so we will probably watch it tonight. I loved that Howard kept talking about the code book, etc. and that the answers were in the cartoon magazine. Just like TBL :-)

The plane bit was tense and fast, just the way I like it. And yes, as Big Bad Bazzer says, the scene with Solomon when they land in the snow is fantastic! Very much TBL style.

Will comment more after a re-watch.

lara1 · 3/25/2017 8:03 pm

So - has anyone noticed that there have been 4 plane "crashes" - i.e. serious plane events in only 5 episodes? wonder what it means, if anything. TBL has had its share of plane events also but not so many in such a short space of time.

Ep 1 - Howard is "killed" in a plane crash (that may or may not have been arranged by Scottie, but the official report states that the plane definitely tampered with)
- the guy in the beginning is in a "fake" plane made to look real and threatened with being pushed out the door

Ep. 4 - the deliberate plane crash in Russia
Ep 5 - the "almost" plane crash

Was there another? Anyway, its interesting.

Big Badd Bazzer · 3/25/2017 8:21 pm

I suspect when Howie meets Scottie (spin-off of When Harry Met Sally) they'll restore a form of relationship that we haven't expected (cuz that's what diversionary writing is all about my friends) but the twist will come when we find out who (and what) Howard reports to. I suspect this person's initials might be R.R.

lara1 · 3/25/2017 8:42 pm

BBB - interesting thoughts. Scottie seems to think Whitehall is Howard's doing and vice versa. Then we have the Whitehall that was in Natalie Luca and was concerned with trying to weaponize biological agents.

And whoever targeted Natalie had to know about that. So is it the same Whitehall?

I think RR could be behind it/Howard. Kind of beginning to have his fingerprints on it, so to speak.

So here's. a twist - what if RR is behind Whitehall, it impacted whoever from South Africa had a price on Red's head back in T. Earle King; and maybe this same person is behind the current attack on Red? By using Natalie, another victim of Whitehall, to kill Smoll?

just some thoughts....

Last edited by lara1 (3/25/2017 8:43 pm)

Tatiana · 3/25/2017 9:50 pm

Lara - wow, I think you have a very interesting train of thought. And I'll jump on that train with you :-)

IowaWatcher · 3/26/2017 12:19 am

Lara, you come up with some great ideas!

lara1 · 3/26/2017 10:28 am

Tatiana and Iowa Watcher - thank you! My mind sometimes makes random connections that sometimes - make sense! sometimes no! LOL.

Honey West mentioned on another thread that perhaps Whitehall will end up being the segue back into the main series - that might be the case - and it is a two parter. Whatever it is, it sounds big.....

Trelliswires · 3/26/2017 5:49 pm

A big unanswered question: Who sits on the Halcyon Board of Directors?

Scottie referenced "the Board" when she said she was authorized by the Board to "handle" Howard and prevent company distractions because of his "paranoia", etc.

If Halcyon is being run as an established and chartered corporation, the Board of Directors has final authority and responsibility for corporate function. The Cabal has a Board of Directors of which Red is the most recent Director.

Could a "silent and powerful" Board member be manipulating both Howard and Scottie? Could this explain the distrust and erroneous assumptions between Scottie and Howard?

Trelliswires · 3/26/2017 5:52 pm

Or......is Scottie making up the story about a Board of Directors and there really is no Board. Maybe she has already eliminated Board Directors?

Honey West · 3/26/2017 5:58 pm

Trelliswires wrote:
Or......is Scottie making up the story about a Board of Directors and there really is no Board. Maybe she has already eliminated Board Directors?

Hmmmmmmmm.

lara1 · 3/26/2017 9:00 pm

I re-watched the episode tonight. Two observations:

1. There is a close up of the clock when the German immigration official starts the sarin attack. The time is 12:30. something again circling around the 12-1:00 timeframe. Also the number 12, and the number 3. I've mentioned elsewhere than in numerology, 12 reduces down to 3. And 12 denotes some important things in the story (December, Decembrist for example).
And 12 times 3 = 36. The magic number again!

2. Borealis is Latin for North or Northern. An airline that flies to the North perhaps - I think of Red and his guiding light speech about Polaris and the North Star.

3. the name of the comic is Ultraflight - both a reference to "Ultra" and a reference to flight. Lots of those in this series.

lara1 · 3/26/2017 9:06 pm

Trelliswires - Good point about the board. Who is on it? Cabal members perhaps.

Halcyon Aegis (well part of it) is a legit company, known in the public as a firm providing private security services to corporates (if I remember that from Season 3 correctly). So they have to have a board.

I'm curious as to who is on it.

As to Grey Matters, I'm not sure anyone other than Scottie and her operatives know about it or what is going on. Its like its own black site.

Well that's my thought anyway.