thestaticinhersmile

thestaticinhersmile

97p

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3 years ago @ Mark Watches - Mark Watches 'Russian ... · 1 reply · +3 points

Super late cause I spaced on this this week, but that was a beautiful review, Mark.

You commented in the video on Nadia and Alan both having moments with random people. Nadia with the man in Alan's building and Alan with the girl on the street. I think if one of the themes is loneliness this is them connecting with new people and reaching out beyond their previous comfort level. Maybe that's more for Nadia than Alan, but for Alan it's also taking joy in finding something different, he sees someone he's never seen in his loop before, which he used have mapped down to the second. Instead of disrupting his flow or disturbing him, like Nadia does when he first meets her, he's taking joy in the change. And for Nadia, perhaps her reassurance to the old man that there's more to the universe is her escaping from her previous nihilism, which is further symbolized by her white shirt. She's not in black anymore, signalling she's now striving for life. I'm a little more stumped on Alan's scarf, but maybe it's to show how he's now comfortable stepping out from his rigid, basic wardrobe and willing to be a little weird.

Having watched this show a few times now I think it's fair to say there's a greater force at play nudging Nadia and Alan along through their maze. The rotting fruit, meeting in the elevator, the bees, the disappearing mirrors, and fish and objects and people... The EMTs being some of the guys in the deli from the first loop who Nadia chose to tell off rather than help Alan, as though the universe is trying to reminder her of that moment. The way Nadia keeps seeing her younger self, the way Maxine says she can't leave with her when the apartment is empty seems to be speaking directly to Nadia's predicament, maybe hinting to her that she is the one who has to let go of the past to escape the labyrinth. All in all it leaves the impression that there's something out there trying to nudge them both in the right direction, but they still have work it out for themselves.

This season is so perfect just in and of itself I honestly don't know how the story can or will continue from here, I just hope it can live up to this first season.

3 years ago @ Mark Watches - Mark Watches 'Russian ... · 0 replies · +4 points

I think there's indications throughout the series that there's some active force at work, the Universe perhaps, that sometimes nudges them and sometimes addresses them directly. Maxine I think is the Universe telling Nadia that she has to find it within herself to overcome her lingering issues about her mother. Or Maxine is just very high.

3 years ago @ Mark Watches - Mark Watches 'Russian ... · 0 replies · +2 points

When the show was first released there was no second season in the works (though I guess it was always a possibility) so I definitely took it as Nadia and Alan emerging from their loop labyrinth remembering everything, as marked by their outfit variations.

Now what they do with that in the next season is possibly up for grabs. Or maybe the characters will encounter a different universe bending phenomenon. I really have no idea which way they're going to take it from here, which is both confusing and intriguing.

3 years ago @ Mark Watches - Mark Watches 'Russian ... · 0 replies · +6 points

"Ah, so I guess we run into a bunch of fucking honey bees now!" *Cut to buzzing and people running from the subway*

Nadia defending Alan to Beatrice is a nice moment. You get the feeling no one's ever done something like that for Alan before.

I also really like that Alan got to meet Ruth and Nadia got to meet Beatrice. It feels important that in this episode they've each met the most important person in the other's life. Naq gur crefba gurl jvyy arrq gb erfbyir fuvg jvgu va gur arkg rcvfbqr.

Some other lines I love from this episode:
"I mean like, she's cheating on you, he's cheating on her. Ipso facto, transverly(?) speaking, it's like we all fucked Beatrice."

"Well, looks like someone just threw a gauntlet right into my puss-puss. Let's have at it."

3 years ago @ Mark Watches - Mark Watches 'Russian ... · 1 reply · +5 points

Through the next episode: V qb guvax gurer'f fbzr fgebat vzcyvpngvbaf bs fbzr rkgreany sbepr ng jbex ba Anqvn naq Nyna. Gur ebggvat sehvg naq qvfnccrnevat crbcyr naq vgrzf frrz gb or gurer gb chfu gurz gbjneqf npgvba, engure guna ncngul gb gurve fvghngvba. Naq jr frr va gur arkg rcvfbqr gung fbzrguvat frrzf gb fcrnx gb Anqvn qverpgyl, gelvat gb thvqr ure guebhtu ure zbgure eryngrq genhzn. Cbffvoyl gung'f nyy n znavsrfgngvba bs Anqvn'f bja zvaq, ohg gnxra jvgu rirelguvat ryfr vg qrsvavgryl srryf yvxr gurer'f n svatre ba n fpnyr fbzrjurer.

3 years ago @ Mark Watches - Mark Watches "Russian ... · 0 replies · +4 points

Nadia's attitude is definitely something of self defense mechanism, but underneath she is a squishy marshmallow. (Or oatmeal?)

3 years ago @ Mark Watches - Mark Watches "Russian ... · 1 reply · +4 points

Amazing the difference when a show is written and run by women! The women on this show get to be complex and funny and flawed in a way that feels very real, like I know these people in real life. The quality of the writing on this show is just so high.

3 years ago @ Mark Watches - Mark Watches "Russian ... · 3 replies · +10 points

I love that Nadia has begun to suspect the weird door on the bathroom. It's such surreal imagery that it does feel like it's important, but as Alan points out, his bathroom is normal.

Despite how awful he is, I appreciate that Mike is at least somewhat self aware. His go-to move seems to be bringing up something dark to sound edgy (the holocaust/slavery in the last episode, AIDS in this one). I think Alan has the better point about the internet, though.

I like that both Nadia and Alan love Emily of New Moon. I wish I knew it better, but I'm more familiar with the Anne books. I wonder if there's any deeper connection between the show and the book(s), other than Emily being a character Nadia identified with.

Ruth accidentally shooting Nadia is the most upsetting death so far in the show.

Some of my favorite quotes from the episode:
"Welcome to yesterday!"

(On Alan's theory) "Yeah, because it was morally simplistic and narcissistic. I mean, the universe is moral, but it shares your views on morality?"

"This is Alan. He's basically a child that the universe has tasked me with babysitting."

"Either your two suck each others dicks or get the fuck out of my apartment!"

3 years ago @ Mark Watches - Mark Watches 'Russian ... · 0 replies · +2 points

Hard to respond to this without spoilers pretty much for the whole show, so...

Vs V unq gb thrff, V guvax gur cbvag RZG thlf orvat gur fnzr barf va gur qryv jnf gb rzcunfvmr gung Anqvn pubfr gb gryy bss gur wrexf va gur qryv bire cbffvoyl urycvat Nyna ba gung svefg ybbc. Gung pubvpr pbhyq unir nibvqrq obgu gurve qrnguf. Fb oevatvat gurz onpx va gur nzohynapr vf znlor n erzvaqre gb Anqvn bs gur onq pubvpr fur znqr.

Vs lbh'ir jngpurq n srj rcvfbqrf shegure lbh jvyy bs pbhefr xabj Ubefr ergheaf.

3 years ago @ Mark Watches - Mark Watches 'Russian ... · 0 replies · +2 points

You really called it back in the first episode that Mike is a literature professor!

V abgvprq guvf gvzr nebhaq Nyna oernxf gur zveebe va Zvxr'f bssvpr va n irel fvzvyne zbgvba gb gur jnl Anqvn'f zbz oebxr gur zveebef. Naq Zvxr rira fnlf "gur zveebe'f tbar," fb fbzr avpr sberfunqbjvat.