Table of Contents [Report This]
Disclaimer & some personal notes:
Its TNT and/or NBC playground – I don’t really know which. They own the characters, dialogues, plots, quotes etc. These analysis are for pure entertainment only – mostly my own.
About the analysis:
Ok, this will NOT be an episode guide, though you will find plenty of spoilers! My analysis are purely subjective, my opinion, my take. Simply for the reason that I’m the one on the keyboard!
Disagree with me? Let it be heard! Give feedback and gimme hell if you want! Write a note or your own take!
Special Note:Don’t expect me to go into any length about the pretends, because I won’t. For me its only about the characters, their individual development in each episode and their interaction with each other. The central theme for me is the Centre-related story, and only when the pretends and the people Jarod meets along his travels, are important to his character development or the Centre-related-plot, I will pay attention. And more often than not you will wonder if the series’ main character might be Miss Parker and not Jarod. She of course is as important to the show as he is. Even when her scenes are only short in an ep., you might be surprised at the length I can go about it. It’s a personal thing. I was drawn into the series by her character, and I do regard her not only as very important but also as my favorite one. Go, and hate me for that. *grin*
Oh, and of course, obviously these have been written all AFTER I saw it all. So sometimes I can go ahead of the series – I will try to not do it too much though and try hard to not dwell on it a lot.
And take into account that these analysis are NOT betaed! My first language is German so please don’t mind the inevitable errors!
Review of ‘PTB’
Season 3
Ep. 316
A good hour. A likable pretend, though overshadowed once again by the actual developments at the Centre.
Jarod helps Neil Roberts to come to terms with someone of this man’s past, and Miss Parker struggles to come to terms (for now) with someone from her present.
Neil Roberts is a pirate radio show host who is broadcasting all sorts of conspiracy themes across the air. Though not because he is a schizophrenic freak, but because of personal experience, that made him very cynical about the government and its practices. Neil was a doctor in the army. He was involved in rather despicable experiments, and partly responsible for horrible consequences. Hunted by the knowledge, that people have died and one young woman now has to spend her life in a wheelchair, suffering from a nerve disorder, he supported that young woman from afar all her life. With money, but mostly with tapes. Tapes with advise, philosophy and stories that helped Patricia to actually come through.
But Neil is also hunted by a man named Pavlov. A former superior who ended up in prison for his horrendous research. Pavlov is after Patricia to get his revenge on Neil. Jarod gets into the picture, after Neil is apparently shot at while on the air. Neil disappears and can’t be found anywhere. Jarod sits in for Neil at the radio show and goes after Pavlov, while discovering Neil’s story.
A great scene during this pretend is, that it is Pavlov on the phone with Jarod, who gets to our hero. In one of the calls, Pavlov calls on Jarod about his fears, that his own parents abandoned him. In what is the ultimate great line (and serves for both plot lines perfectly) Jarod tells Pavlov that “the people who you love are your weakness and your strength”, and this feels so true.
This could serve very well as the subtitle of the whole show, since its true for both of our main protagonists, as it is true for probably every human being. People we love, can hurt us more than people we don’t care about, and people we love are the very source of our happiness and strength. We fear abandonment or disregard and we crave for approval and affection – what a common theme for this series as well. For Jarod as much as for Miss Parker! Throughout the series, Jarod clings on to the hope that his parents loved him, still love him and never gave up on him – just as he never gave up on them.
This works very well in this episode, the pretend works good. Especially because we see, Jarod is struggling a bit, but overcoming his doubts for the sake of helping Neil finding solace. Something our hero still has to find. But what I found quite ironic, was when Jarod in one scene tells Neil that he has to ‘stop running’, I almost laughed out loud at this line. How truly ironic! Neil can’t see how, and Jarod offers him a solution. Who in return will tell Jarod to stop running and face his enemies? I know there are differences, but still……..
In another scene Jarod talks to Miss P., and advices her to leave, to go away. Another quite ironic advice. Not that its bad advice, but sometimes its easier to tell other people what they need to see, instead of looking at one’s own situation.
That brings me to the side plot, which – as usually for me – is even more intriguing.
It starts out so nicely for her. Waking up at the site of her lover, something she sure as hell is not often allowed. But the light moment fades later, when Thomas reveals to her that he plans to move to Oregon – and wants her to come with him. (Funny thing is, that she didn’t seem to mind, if Portland was the Portland in Maine, but Oregon seemed too far. Hmmmmm, ok Oregon is on the other side, but hey, Maine isn’t exactly around the corner of Delaware either! Not a place to easily commute from each day, one would think.)
So she turns him down, or rather, wants to evade thinking about it. Something she often does, in a Scarlet O’Hara style no less, as if things would become easier or go away when not thinking about it. She is so ‘good’ in doing that - on many accounts.
But Thomas catches on and makes a fatal mistake. He actually dares to challenge her, in the – for her – worst possible way: he asks her what she is afraid of. That moment, she turns around and we literally see the walls coming up again, her eyes taking on a steel-like quality. As if this woman would ever be willing or able to show her fears! Its not an option for her, so she reacts the only way she can, she pushes him away.
MP had it rough. A woman with lots of qualities, a prodigy on her own. Now forced to serve the Centre under its own unwritten rules. A daughter who feels her father's abandonment, she struggles to open up to her lover, while simultaneously keeping her distance as much as possible. She blames her past, her mother’s death in particular, for many of her problems. Right or wrong, I understand both of it. Her own fears condemn her. She is more vulnerable than she cares to admit. If she really wants to be true to Thomas, she must embrace her vulnerability, no matter how bleak.
She often refuses the help of those who would be closer to her if she'd only let them. She feels overwhelmed by events beyond her control, so she cuts herself off from parts of her life that seem to be actually within her control--how she lives, who she loves. Anger and resentment and fear allow her to keep her distance. It's an oppressive force that threatens to crush every ounce of joy and hope from her life.
Thomas is leaving, and she goes to see her father. Like a intimidated and shy child (which somehow she is, when it comes to Daddy Parker) she at least tries. But Mr. Parker knows oh so well how to deal with her. He had built that foundation well for years and years. An unspoken blackmail, wrapped up in a nice story, how it came that he called her Angel. The worst a parent can do in fact. Asking for the love of a child at the price of giving up the chance of finding love at another place. And of course it hits right down home with her.
We see her face crumbling but we also see the hurt in there. She knows what he is doing, but seems incapable of escaping this trap.
So she does what she is best in. Pushing Thomas away, getting into a fight with him in order to make the turn down easier. Easier for whom, is the question.
What’s coming next, is the best scene of this episode and one of the best of the whole series. (In terms of Andrea Parker’s acting.) Thomas appears at the Centre to try to convince her once more. But this is the last place she wants him to be. So close to the horrors in her life, so close to home.
In one of her best monologues ever, she turns him down. Not best in the sense that she is right, but best in terms of the actress Andrea Parker portraying that ultimate difficult and impossible character Miss Parker. It’s a showcase of her acting talent!
Hurt and anger, defeat and challenge – we see those emotions play interchangeable in her eyes within a matter of seconds. It’s a painful moment to watch – because I ultimately had the urge to yell at the screen, yell at the woman to not let this go, let him go like that. Of course she does.
Right after she leaves Thomas behind in the middle of the hall, the camera makes a turn upwards and we see Raines watching on from up above. His expression is NOT a good sign and I shivered at that. ….
But to her credit she thinks things over one more time. When Jarod calls her, she had apparently already changed her mind. Thinking it’s Thomas calling, she picks up the phone and apologizes immediately to ‘Tommy’. In my opinion Jarod almost blows it, when he tells her what “she wants”. Her being in this mood, it was a dangerous thing to say. She’d easily could get angry again and not follow through, just to spite Jarod.
Thankfully she doesn’t and finally returns to Thomas. For once and for the first time admitting to Thomas what this is about: that she is not really herself, that she is afraid of what he would think of her when he finds out exactly what kind of woman she is. She doesn’t really need to tell him, Thomas had the insight into this woman and knew right along. That’s what I like in this guy. He knows her pretty well – even if he doesn’t know all of her, he knows how she ticks. And he isn’t afraid to take her on that.
The sign that she would be eventually ready to let him into her life, her secrets, is when she takes out the gun in front of him. It might not be that she immediately tells him all but it’s a start – a good one.
The Powers That Be be damned, she says with that and we keep on hoping that she can evade any bad consequences. ……..
A great episode, I enjoyed it a lot though, as said, I had more than once the urge to yell at the screen (well I DID) but that’s what it makes such a good ep. It drew me into it emotionally – all of it. Lyle, Syd, Broots, Daddy P. and Raines, all acted wonderfully and fitting to their character in this situation. They all had a brief moment that made me angry or compassionate and our two main heroes played it right down home for me. To a five point score!
Its TNT and/or NBC playground – I don’t really know which. They own the characters, dialogues, plots, quotes etc. These analysis are for pure entertainment only – mostly my own.
About the analysis:
Ok, this will NOT be an episode guide, though you will find plenty of spoilers! My analysis are purely subjective, my opinion, my take. Simply for the reason that I’m the one on the keyboard!
Disagree with me? Let it be heard! Give feedback and gimme hell if you want! Write a note or your own take!
Special Note:Don’t expect me to go into any length about the pretends, because I won’t. For me its only about the characters, their individual development in each episode and their interaction with each other. The central theme for me is the Centre-related story, and only when the pretends and the people Jarod meets along his travels, are important to his character development or the Centre-related-plot, I will pay attention. And more often than not you will wonder if the series’ main character might be Miss Parker and not Jarod. She of course is as important to the show as he is. Even when her scenes are only short in an ep., you might be surprised at the length I can go about it. It’s a personal thing. I was drawn into the series by her character, and I do regard her not only as very important but also as my favorite one. Go, and hate me for that. *grin*
Oh, and of course, obviously these have been written all AFTER I saw it all. So sometimes I can go ahead of the series – I will try to not do it too much though and try hard to not dwell on it a lot.
And take into account that these analysis are NOT betaed! My first language is German so please don’t mind the inevitable errors!
Season 3
Ep. 316
A good hour. A likable pretend, though overshadowed once again by the actual developments at the Centre.
Jarod helps Neil Roberts to come to terms with someone of this man’s past, and Miss Parker struggles to come to terms (for now) with someone from her present.
Neil Roberts is a pirate radio show host who is broadcasting all sorts of conspiracy themes across the air. Though not because he is a schizophrenic freak, but because of personal experience, that made him very cynical about the government and its practices. Neil was a doctor in the army. He was involved in rather despicable experiments, and partly responsible for horrible consequences. Hunted by the knowledge, that people have died and one young woman now has to spend her life in a wheelchair, suffering from a nerve disorder, he supported that young woman from afar all her life. With money, but mostly with tapes. Tapes with advise, philosophy and stories that helped Patricia to actually come through.
But Neil is also hunted by a man named Pavlov. A former superior who ended up in prison for his horrendous research. Pavlov is after Patricia to get his revenge on Neil. Jarod gets into the picture, after Neil is apparently shot at while on the air. Neil disappears and can’t be found anywhere. Jarod sits in for Neil at the radio show and goes after Pavlov, while discovering Neil’s story.
A great scene during this pretend is, that it is Pavlov on the phone with Jarod, who gets to our hero. In one of the calls, Pavlov calls on Jarod about his fears, that his own parents abandoned him. In what is the ultimate great line (and serves for both plot lines perfectly) Jarod tells Pavlov that “the people who you love are your weakness and your strength”, and this feels so true.
This could serve very well as the subtitle of the whole show, since its true for both of our main protagonists, as it is true for probably every human being. People we love, can hurt us more than people we don’t care about, and people we love are the very source of our happiness and strength. We fear abandonment or disregard and we crave for approval and affection – what a common theme for this series as well. For Jarod as much as for Miss Parker! Throughout the series, Jarod clings on to the hope that his parents loved him, still love him and never gave up on him – just as he never gave up on them.
This works very well in this episode, the pretend works good. Especially because we see, Jarod is struggling a bit, but overcoming his doubts for the sake of helping Neil finding solace. Something our hero still has to find. But what I found quite ironic, was when Jarod in one scene tells Neil that he has to ‘stop running’, I almost laughed out loud at this line. How truly ironic! Neil can’t see how, and Jarod offers him a solution. Who in return will tell Jarod to stop running and face his enemies? I know there are differences, but still……..
In another scene Jarod talks to Miss P., and advices her to leave, to go away. Another quite ironic advice. Not that its bad advice, but sometimes its easier to tell other people what they need to see, instead of looking at one’s own situation.
That brings me to the side plot, which – as usually for me – is even more intriguing.
It starts out so nicely for her. Waking up at the site of her lover, something she sure as hell is not often allowed. But the light moment fades later, when Thomas reveals to her that he plans to move to Oregon – and wants her to come with him. (Funny thing is, that she didn’t seem to mind, if Portland was the Portland in Maine, but Oregon seemed too far. Hmmmmm, ok Oregon is on the other side, but hey, Maine isn’t exactly around the corner of Delaware either! Not a place to easily commute from each day, one would think.)
So she turns him down, or rather, wants to evade thinking about it. Something she often does, in a Scarlet O’Hara style no less, as if things would become easier or go away when not thinking about it. She is so ‘good’ in doing that - on many accounts.
But Thomas catches on and makes a fatal mistake. He actually dares to challenge her, in the – for her – worst possible way: he asks her what she is afraid of. That moment, she turns around and we literally see the walls coming up again, her eyes taking on a steel-like quality. As if this woman would ever be willing or able to show her fears! Its not an option for her, so she reacts the only way she can, she pushes him away.
MP had it rough. A woman with lots of qualities, a prodigy on her own. Now forced to serve the Centre under its own unwritten rules. A daughter who feels her father's abandonment, she struggles to open up to her lover, while simultaneously keeping her distance as much as possible. She blames her past, her mother’s death in particular, for many of her problems. Right or wrong, I understand both of it. Her own fears condemn her. She is more vulnerable than she cares to admit. If she really wants to be true to Thomas, she must embrace her vulnerability, no matter how bleak.
She often refuses the help of those who would be closer to her if she'd only let them. She feels overwhelmed by events beyond her control, so she cuts herself off from parts of her life that seem to be actually within her control--how she lives, who she loves. Anger and resentment and fear allow her to keep her distance. It's an oppressive force that threatens to crush every ounce of joy and hope from her life.
Thomas is leaving, and she goes to see her father. Like a intimidated and shy child (which somehow she is, when it comes to Daddy Parker) she at least tries. But Mr. Parker knows oh so well how to deal with her. He had built that foundation well for years and years. An unspoken blackmail, wrapped up in a nice story, how it came that he called her Angel. The worst a parent can do in fact. Asking for the love of a child at the price of giving up the chance of finding love at another place. And of course it hits right down home with her.
We see her face crumbling but we also see the hurt in there. She knows what he is doing, but seems incapable of escaping this trap.
So she does what she is best in. Pushing Thomas away, getting into a fight with him in order to make the turn down easier. Easier for whom, is the question.
What’s coming next, is the best scene of this episode and one of the best of the whole series. (In terms of Andrea Parker’s acting.) Thomas appears at the Centre to try to convince her once more. But this is the last place she wants him to be. So close to the horrors in her life, so close to home.
In one of her best monologues ever, she turns him down. Not best in the sense that she is right, but best in terms of the actress Andrea Parker portraying that ultimate difficult and impossible character Miss Parker. It’s a showcase of her acting talent!
Hurt and anger, defeat and challenge – we see those emotions play interchangeable in her eyes within a matter of seconds. It’s a painful moment to watch – because I ultimately had the urge to yell at the screen, yell at the woman to not let this go, let him go like that. Of course she does.
Right after she leaves Thomas behind in the middle of the hall, the camera makes a turn upwards and we see Raines watching on from up above. His expression is NOT a good sign and I shivered at that. ….
But to her credit she thinks things over one more time. When Jarod calls her, she had apparently already changed her mind. Thinking it’s Thomas calling, she picks up the phone and apologizes immediately to ‘Tommy’. In my opinion Jarod almost blows it, when he tells her what “she wants”. Her being in this mood, it was a dangerous thing to say. She’d easily could get angry again and not follow through, just to spite Jarod.
Thankfully she doesn’t and finally returns to Thomas. For once and for the first time admitting to Thomas what this is about: that she is not really herself, that she is afraid of what he would think of her when he finds out exactly what kind of woman she is. She doesn’t really need to tell him, Thomas had the insight into this woman and knew right along. That’s what I like in this guy. He knows her pretty well – even if he doesn’t know all of her, he knows how she ticks. And he isn’t afraid to take her on that.
The sign that she would be eventually ready to let him into her life, her secrets, is when she takes out the gun in front of him. It might not be that she immediately tells him all but it’s a start – a good one.
The Powers That Be be damned, she says with that and we keep on hoping that she can evade any bad consequences. ……..
A great episode, I enjoyed it a lot though, as said, I had more than once the urge to yell at the screen (well I DID) but that’s what it makes such a good ep. It drew me into it emotionally – all of it. Lyle, Syd, Broots, Daddy P. and Raines, all acted wonderfully and fitting to their character in this situation. They all had a brief moment that made me angry or compassionate and our two main heroes played it right down home for me. To a five point score!
