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2.5. Overhyped and underwhelming. The best thing about this episode is the manner in which they finished D.L.'s story.
The worst part was the interjection of the Plague Twins, in two scenes that added zero additional information about them. In fact, that was really true about the entire episode - everything was done in broad strokes, in an attempt to connect past and present. Some of it was interesting (the emergence of Gina), some was illuminating (DL, Elle), but most of it was just forced.
On a more general note, my love for the series is fading. I examined the reasons last night, and this is what I came up with: Expectations. Simply put, my expectations for the season were not met.
First, I was hoping the series would maintain that 'destined connection' feeling going. So far, such connection hasn't really materialized: the mutants are too far flung, pursuing too many individual agendas, and there's no sense that they are coming together.
In fact, the best episodes of this season have been the ones in which multiple mutants come together, such as last week's 'Out of Time'.
And, of course, making it worse is the fact that most of the new characters are just not as compelling as the original group.
Secondly, I was expecting that the show would maintain some originality. However, the overall plotting and storytelling devices are too derivative of last years' story. The show is bordering on (if it hasn't already crossed into) being too formulaic.
Thirdly, with the announcement about how this season would actually be two 'mini-seasons', with distinct story arcs, I was expecting that the story would be told much faster. Last season, they had the luxury of time to slowly build the characters and story. This season, that isn't the case: if you're going to tell a faster story, then get on with the story; don't drag it out and expect it to 'jell' in the final three episodes.
What makes it worse is that the story itself has floundered around, pretty much directionless: Is the story about the murders of the Twelve? The destruction of the company? The virus? If this is all supposed to be connected, they've done a pretty pitiful job of connecting them.
Fourthly, given that the title of this volume is 'Generations', I expected this season to delve more fully into the 'Old Guard' and the founding of the company. Instead, there are more layers of mystery, but no answers to the larger questions (we still, for example, don't know what power Kaito, Charles, and Angela have).
Rather than having yet another 'save the world' story, it would have been okay to have a 'save my mom' story: a more personalized, direct story about The Twelve, their role in the company, and the effect that role had on their children, against a backdrop of those children rallying to save their children.
If I, a pretty die-hard fan, am frustrated, I can understand why viewership is falling off. I think that, for many, the expectations simply were not met.
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