Hey everyone!
"I see you’ve decided to go psycho. Godspeed." -Dr. Forrester
OK so perhaps my quote isn’t quite as intellectual as Darien’s are, but I figured it might be a good way to open up my little review of MFN Part 2, plan B :-) This review contains huge honkin’ spoilers for that eppy, and I swear all ideas are my own. I’ve just spent the entire day from 6:30 this morning at gigs, and all I did during the drive was come up with my own ideas. One of the few perks of freelancing all over cow country, the driving gives you lots of time to think. :-)
But enough about me...
Overall:
First, I’ll just get this out of the way now...I’m very happy Plan B got chosen and Hobbes went with Darien. Not only did we end up with some wonderful parallels with Flowers For Hobbes, but I loved watching Hobbes try to do the right thing even if it ment disobeying the Official and the Agency. Especially after finding out that if Darien had been brought in, with no Phase 5 counteragent he’d have gone straight to Donerville. I do hope at some point we get to see what COULD have happened, but I am very pleased with this outcome.
Anyway we finally walk down that long dark road of QSM to find out what’s at the end, and no one likes what they see...especially Darien and Hobbes. It’s interesting that both have now gone off the deep end and when they reached that place didn’t want to come back. Phase 5 Darien says several times he likes who he now and doesn’t want to return to his old "week" self, and in FfH Hobbes refuses to give the cure to save himself for the same reasons. Both have to be forced into getting better, and both are happy afterwards that it happened. Makes me wonder...what is it about complete insanity that makes insane people so happy with who they are?
The Good:
-This week on Quotes R’ Us, Darien gives us his best Tony the Tiger impression, as well as a bit of Francis Bacon.
-One of the coolest things about this eppy is how Hobbes makes this decision that at first both he and Darien are very happy with...and yet minutes later he’s suddenly realized there are some big honkin’ problems with this solution. But he’s made his decision, and now is gonna do his best to make it work even if he’s regretting it.
-The other cool thing was watching...well, it was Darien, but not the Darien we’ve all grown to love. For 55 minutes of this hour episode we’re shown the evil version of Darien Fawkes (all he needed was some cheesy facial hair and it could be a true Star Trek parallel :-) ) He’s almost what Arnaud would be with a working gland, except completely off his rocker. I’m with Hobbes, I didn’t like that guy...I don’t know who he is and I don’t understand him and I was very happy when he went away and the real Darien came back.
-And now for the Hobbes Just Read My Mind Moment: "Do me a favor, put some glasses on would ya? It’s making my eyes water just looking at you!"
-I loved Hobbes’ rather unique explanation for what happened to the guy’s car; the really fast midget. Special guest star, Tattoo from Fantasy Island. :-)
-Great Scene 1: Hobbes and Darien drive away from the hospital. Hobbes really begins to see how much trouble he’s in with Phase 5 Darien, and when the counteragent shot fails gets some bad news from the Keeper. The normal banter between these two turns into something strained...with EvilDarien it’s just not as much fun.
-Watch for the "oh crap" look Hobbes gets when he realizes Darien’s got a death sentence unless they can get the Phase 5 counteragent.
-"Are those the bad guys?"
"Yes, those are the bad guys."
"It’s a nice minivan, though."
-And now, my vote for the funniest sight gag on IM so far: Hobbes attempts to climb a gate, and halfway up gets a ride as Darien simply swings it open and barrels on through.
-"Federal Agent."
"And I’m Santa Clause."
...what, not Brittney Spears?
-So last week I figured that strange backpack Orion’s men were carrying around was a fire extinguisher. This week we learn it’s purple paint...now you’d figure the sight of Darien covered in purple would be funny, till he turns around and half his face is "missing" and it’s just CREEPY AS ALL HELL!!
-There’s a great moment as flaming purple Darien saunters out of the store, sheds the quicksilver, flames and purple, then puts on his sunglasses acting all cool with this great little guitar riff in the background.
-"I think we should just trust Bobby to do the right thing."
"That’s like trusting my dog not to pee on the carpet."
...OK while this line is very funny, I can’t help but wonder if the writer
isn’t picking on us, considering WE were the one who told Bobby what to do.
-So if I didn’t hate Phase 5 Darien before, when he came way to close to rapeing Dr. Rendell while waiting for Arnaud to show up *shudder*...cudos to Vince for just completely creeping me out this entire eppy, but I never ever want to see it again, OK? :-)
-Poor Hobbes...he gives this wonderful speech in Rendell’s apartment about how even nuts Darien won’t hurt him, only to be proven wrong in the worst way.
-So as much as I hated watching Darien pound on anyone, and hoping every single minute that someone would just get him some counteragent...I do admit as soon as I saw that Mime to yelling "Please please get the mime!!" and cheering Darien on...man I hate mimes...
-"What about teams 2-6?"
"There are no teams 2-6."
-It was kinda neat to see Arnaud trying to cover up his glowing arm with the jacket...almost looked like he had a flashlight under there!
-Great Scene 2: Hobbes and Arnaud give us some harsh, nasty banter as they discuss how they can each get what they want. Hobbes makes a deal with the Devil to get his partner back, and Arnaud explains what he ment last week when he told Darien he didn’t need his gland anymore.
-"Arnaud, I must say you look positively glowing."
"Thank you, you look bright eyed...and bushy-tailed."
-Great Scene 3: Arnaud gets a hair cut (and turns into Teddy Sevalis..."Who quicksilvers ya, baby!") and a gland update, Darien get’s to play Let’s Restrain a Cast Member, and Hobbes tries to keep everything under control and fails on several counts. There’s so much going on between these three characters that the scene is worth a second watch just to catch all the looks, the attitude, the jokes...
-"I mean I understand how all you crazy people think."
-There are a ton and a half of wonderful invisible effects in this eppy, but the best one by far is the fight between invisible Arnaud and invisible Darien while Hobbes tries to keep them contained and alive. With Darien outlined in red and Arnaud in purple (finally answering the question if Darien can see quicksilvered objects when he’s invisible), they duel with IV poles like some demented version of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.
-Gotta love Arnaud growling out that last, "Little prick!" at Darien when he’s hit with the scalpels.
-And now, the Gutwrenching Moment of the Week: Hobbes, looking exhausted and frazzled, comes back to find Darien red-eyed and utterly depressed over his own actions. And that last little "I’m sorry." "Yea, me too." just before Darien passes out...oh wait, I think that’s my heart on the floor...
-So part one of MFN basically started with Darien getting examined while looking depressed. And part two of MFN basically ends with Darien getting examined while looking depressed. We’ve finished our travel down the road of QSM and ended up back where we began...but a little wiser.
-I have no sympathy for Arnaud. I think he got what he deserves...getting the Simon Cole treatment is just perfect revenge!
The Bad:
-Hobbes tells Darien to go invisible when Orion and Co. come out of the hospital so they can get away...but they’re wearing those thermal Ray-bans...wouldn’t they immediately notice the big green invisible Darien in the van?
-And then later when Darien quicksilvers behind the dumpster, Orion has enough time to watch his buddies get the crap knocked out of them and tell Darien to stop...but NOT pull out those glasses so he can see Darien? Even a few minutes later when chasing him into the shop?
-OK for starters, Arnaud should not only have NOT been laughing while having that brain surgery, but his head should have been strapped down in some way. One false move and there goes your childhood memories! On top of that, moments after having this operation he’s well enough not only to turn invisible but fight Darien?!
The Crap Count:
-"Free of pain, giving a damn...all the crap that’s held me back for so long." Darien, on being Phase 5 QSM.
The Nitpicky:
-MiSTing Moment: Shopkeeper, "Who are you with, the FBI?"
Orion, "Yea, something like that. It’s called the SGC."
-Did anyone else wonder if Orion’s friend saw Scorpious when he was tossed into that dumpster?
-Someone want to explain to me what was up with Darien’s little Kung Fu act for the Lobby Guard? Crouching Fawkes, Hidden Invisible Man. :-)
-So does Rendell really believe Arnaud is a government agent? Or was she lying to Darien when they first met? I only ask ‘cause she if she really believes Arnaud is a good guy, then wouldn’t Hobbes (being an agent himself) made her suspicious? If she was lying then I’m kinda surprised she seamed so concerned about Darien’s welfare, especially at the end.
-Arnaud’s cross-wired gland made him glow...so was he the half-glowing figure from MFN1? He looked kinda like one of those aliens from Cocoon!
-Apparently QSM Darien is very easy to fool...he had to have known Arnaud was leading him into a trap! Why didn’t he try sneaking up on him, or quicksilvering?!
-I’d like to take a moment and wince as Darien’s head slams into the concrete after being knocked unconscious by Hobbes. Ouch...
-...oh, and speaking of that dart, did Hobbes really have to shoot Darien in the BUTT?! :-)
-Oh no...Arnaud has turned into KEVIN BACON!!
"Frankly I don’t care what the Agency thinks, I want my partner
back."
"Then let me out...let me out!"
"No...my OLD partner, all right? Not this silver eyed, psychotic
sociopath."
-Hobbes and Darien
