I so very much appreciate anytime a long running show, in a genre that is very formulaic, takes a massive swing and tries to completely and utterly floor you with something so unexpected and (at times) bizarre. It's subjective, of course. And some will hate this type of episode. You'll get no judgment from me.
There are instances of this type of "Experimental" episode in many classic shows. Some swung and whiffed, while others connected in a way that you never would have thought possible coming from (insert show here.)
For me, this was the latter, one hundred percent. I thought I had it all figured out. I thought it was a clever plot framing device with interesting cinematography that would fade by the mid-point of the episode. I was so, so wrong. Instead, I was more invested in these long running characters and the promise of the new that showed itself throughout. And I had a great sense of genuine suspense, joy, sorrow, relief, fear, empathy... In every single minute of the runtime. And when it ended, I literally had to remind myself to breathe as I was trying to watch the final seconds through a torrent of tears.
A bit dramatic? Yeah, guilty as charged I suppose. But that's my honest experience and reaction to it. It was easily my favorite ever episode of FTWD. And it probably earns a place in my list of top All-Time "Emotionally Poignant and Tragic" episodes of television.
Review by TMJ31BlockedParent2021-05-12T01:29:20Z
I so very much appreciate anytime a long running show, in a genre that is very formulaic, takes a massive swing and tries to completely and utterly floor you with something so unexpected and (at times) bizarre. It's subjective, of course. And some will hate this type of episode. You'll get no judgment from me.
There are instances of this type of "Experimental" episode in many classic shows. Some swung and whiffed, while others connected in a way that you never would have thought possible coming from (insert show here.)
For me, this was the latter, one hundred percent. I thought I had it all figured out. I thought it was a clever plot framing device with interesting cinematography that would fade by the mid-point of the episode. I was so, so wrong. Instead, I was more invested in these long running characters and the promise of the new that showed itself throughout. And I had a great sense of genuine suspense, joy, sorrow, relief, fear, empathy... In every single minute of the runtime. And when it ended, I literally had to remind myself to breathe as I was trying to watch the final seconds through a torrent of tears.
A bit dramatic? Yeah, guilty as charged I suppose. But that's my honest experience and reaction to it. It was easily my favorite ever episode of FTWD. And it probably earns a place in my list of top All-Time "Emotionally Poignant and Tragic" episodes of television.
Bravo to everyone involved, truly.