The pre-computer equipment brings intrigue and richness to the story. Like each of these characters get stuck in a time warp, unable to move forward as their weird little obsessions take hold of them. Like the character in The Caretaker. He was a hoot!!! Working all those vacuum canisters like a giant church organ, like "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken"!

Tatiana wrote:

The pre-computer equipment brings intrigue and richness to the story. Like each of these characters get stuck in a time warp, unable to move forward as their weird little obsessions take hold of them. Like the character in The Caretaker. He was a hoot!!! Working all those vacuum canisters like a giant church organ, like "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken"!

Tatiana - You are right about the characters being stuck in a time warp!  And I'm still laughing about your "Ghost and Mr. Chicken" simile.



 

Patter - The episode was both wonderful and mind bending. They guy in London is a lead to the upcoming  assassination Red wants to thwart to get a new immunity agreement. It was nothing to do with the tape. It does make you wonder how Red knew about the tape though. He must have some connection to it.

I guess when you represent yourself in court, the judge can order you to give testimony in narrative form rather than personal testimony using I and me. Red is giving his testimony for real RR, the person the court believes he is. It was so confusing that I started believing (wishing) he was the real RR for a minute or two during that testimony.

I enjoyed seeing Liz and Ressler working together in this episode too.  Donald seemed ready and willing to help with a stolen van, a body, a pregnant drug mule, and a deadly drug dealer. Remember when he never would have done those things? And he was so nonchalant about his Alter Ego girlfriend. I mean he had given her a key to his place, but he really seemed to prefer breaking bad with Liz. 

There's lots to analyze in this episode.  I urge you to jump back in after you've rewatched.

Are there any other podcasts worth listening to besides golden spiral media?  
 

I've been thinking about how Red used the fulcrum as a bluff, and how Fitch seemed to buy into it. Surely Fitch, having ordered creation of this blackmail system by Leonard Caul, knew the fulcrum by itself wouldn't have released anything to the public. The bubble module by itself was worthless without the machine in the case, the key, and Leonard Caul's cypher code. Did we ever talk about this on BSG in Season 2 or after?

The wheels in my brain are churning on this. More later about this idea. 
 

Last edited by Tuxie400 (2/28/2019 10:59 am)

Thank you Tuxie. I have heard a few of theirs.  I like the parallels too.  I didn't see a new one posted yet. I will look this weekend. 

Yes, we did discuss that.  I have been churning wheels myself.  When he was dying, he spoke of the Fulcrum  and gave him the means to get the rest of it. He even asked if he really had it.
I'm wondering if KR was played on that deal?  Was there any Hobson's choice because of something Fitch was doing that involved on losing both or choosing one because of what she did?  Did Fitch threaten to kill her and the girl, so Our Red saved the girl?   Maybe he thought she was lying about it being his child.  Was she sleeping with him too?  He did not take threats well at all.
Why would our Red visit his grave if their relationship was that bad.
Gotta run, RL today!

Tuxie, thank you so much. I think he still had bandages on his fingers. 
I think when it seemed like they completely dropped the Cabal story line, I just disregarded that part of the story. I don't remember much about it. Actually, I was surprised it went into season 3 because I kept thinking it only went through early season 2, that's how much of an impact it made on me. I was really bummed when they dropped it

Eastcoast - I definitely think the real Red and Fitch were close, and I believe Fitch knew Red's real identity. The fact that Fitch knew he was going to die, and called for Red rather than anyone else speaks volumes. When he told Red the combination in the safe, he said it was Margaret's birthday, and he expected Red to know Margaret.  Red replied, "You've had a wonderful life together." as though he had personal knowledge of Fitch's wife.  Then, as you said, there is the comic that shows Red visiting Fitch's grave.

Tatiana wrote:

Tuxie - oh how I wish we still had our old board!
Yes, the fulcrum and the key were needed together to get access to the blackmailing info. However, the fulcrum would still be the more valuable piece of the two. In this show, super powers do things us mere mortals could never do, including finding the person with the key, kidnapping said person, torturing as necessary, and getting access to the blackmailing info. Fitch knew this. And even with all the security steps in place, we're dealing with the best of the best in this game.
Speaking of which, do we know who cut Leonard Caul? You know the scene were they show up and there's blood on the floor, then we see him with a bandage on his neck? It wasn't Reddington. Was it Fitch?
 

 
I thought it might have been some Cabalsters.

Honey West wrote:

We did discuss all of this at great length on the old board at the time. I even wondered at some point if maybe Fitch was Reds father.

Now, of course, I’ve altered some of my earlier thoughts and I do think Fitch probably knew who Red really was. And their agreement was not about the Fulcrum, but keeping Reds secret.

I agree that the agreement was likely about keeping Red's secret. But do you think that secret is Red's identity or that the real Red is dead?  Or both?