FlashForward: “Scary Monsters and Super Creeps”
By Tiffany Vogt
Nov-4-2009
This article may contain spoilers.
In “Scary Monsters and Super Creeps,” the show attempted to answer the question: “What caused the flashforwards?” Alas, the answer was perhaps more confounding than the question. For as Simon (Dominic Monaghan) attempted to explain quantum mechanics in simple terms to the blonde on the train, we were all left scratching our heads over how Schrodinger’s Cat Theory actually worked. In Simon’s example, you have to imagine that in your hand you are holding a tiny cat and a poisoned sardine, and if you fold your hand closed, the cat is given two choices: either the cat eats the poisoned sardine and dies, or it doesn’t and lives. You will not know until you open your hand which option the cat chose. Thus, it is up to the cat to decide if it wants to live or die. It is only after you (the observer) open your hand that you will discover the cat’s fate — and quantum physics says that until you open your hand both eventualities occur at the
same time. But, according to Schrodinger’s Cat Theory, the miracle of quantum mechanics is that the observer gets to decide.
This is a mind-bender. Are there two parallel realities? Is it up to each of us to decide which reality will exist? However, applying Schrodinger’s Cat Theory, as the woman noted, “The cat had already made up its mind.”
Also following this vein, the series seems to be focusing on whether each character will choose to eat the poisoned sardine or not. Does each move forward to make their visions a reality or move away and resist their visions to become a reality? Mark (Joseph Fiennes) and Olivia (Sonya Walger) are pushing against allowing their visions from coming true. Mark does not want to return to his dark days of alcoholism and a failed marriage, and Olivia does not want to abandon her marriage and find love with another man she does not know. Additionally, Demetri (John Cho) does not want his vision to come true either, for he does not want to be murdered.
However, in contrast, while Janis (Christine Woods) had initially struggled against her vision, after being shot she appears to have reconsidered her views on having a child. For she clearly did want to have a child as she wept over the possibility that the scar tissue from her gun shot wound and surgery may prevent her from ever getting pregnant.
Also, rather interesting is, as Olivia noted, the flashfowards are a distraction. Everyone is obsessed by what they saw. But Olivia, while haunted by what she saw, firmly rejected it and announced, “Today is all we have. I don’t want to miss it.” But can one truly choose their destiny, or is it predetermined?
What Worked
It was a nice Easter-egg moment, to have Mark, Aaron (Brian F. O’Byrne) and Charlie (Lennon Wynn) see the kangaroo while out trick-or-treating. In astonishment Aaron said, “Was that a kangaroo?” To which Mark’s daughter, Charlie, exclaimed, “That is the best costume I’ve ever seen!”
It was also a nice nod to “Firefly” using the “blue hand” clues to lead the FBI from the assassin who tried to kill Janis to the stickers found on the street signs to the house with the bodies, one of which had a blue hand. Not being deterred from doing his job, Demetri embraced the clue from Mark’s vision about the “blue hand” on the Mosaic board. However, though he was clearly disturbed by how prophetically true that clue turned out to be. Also, after finding the identification on one of the bodies, Agent Gough (Lee Thompson Young) realized that this was the Rutherford case, the one he had seen documents for in his flashforward. It was eerie as he said, “It begins tonight.”
As they were being rapidly propelled in the direction of the flashforward visions coming true, Mark finally admitted to Olivia about seeing himself drinking in his flashforward. His vehement denial, “Don’t condemn me for something I haven’t done yet!” was out of frustration as he rallied against a future he did not choose. But it was Olivia’s angry response to his outburst that was truly revealing, “Did you even hear what you just said? You’ve been punishing me this whole time for an imaginary relationship. But when it comes back to you, you want to be let off the hook.” She further explained how his vision was so much worse, “Your past with all the drinking is real. That still hurts. I’m not going through it again. It’s not about the drinking. It’s about trust and we don’t trust each other anymore.” And so begins the slow unraveling of their marriage as the seeds of distrust and doubt are sown.
Similarly, we watched with dual fascination and horror as Dylan (Ryan Wynott) announced, “It’s my house too” and walked right into the Benford house like it was his own. That combined with the fact Dylan was greeted so casually by Charlie was chilling. Thus, when Lloyd (Jack Davenport) arrived to pick him up and recognized the living room from his vision, there were simultaneous looks of dawning realization on Mark, Olivia and Lloyd’s faces. With a look of horror mingled with wonder, Lloyd said, “You’re her.” To which Mark sharply replied, “Not yet!”
Despite the awkward confrontation at the Benford home, it was later quite touching when Dylan asked, “Is it going to be Halloween again tomorrow?” and Lloyd quietly replied, “No, just today.” Then Dylan’s response of, “Good. ‘Cause it was kind of scary” and Lloyd’s thoughtful, “Yeah. Yes, it was” spoke volumes about a man who may or may not be the big bad villain behind the black-out and flashfowards. That followed by the endearing moment where Dylan said, “Thanks for coming to get me, Daddy,” just melted our hearts. Surely Lloyd cannot be the villain in the story after all.
What Didn’t Work
Was it necessary to completely vilify Simon? The first time we saw him, we learned he was responsible for the black-out. Then after seeing him try to seduce the woman on the train, he uses the pick-up line, “I know what caused the flashforward.” His further elaboration was practically nauseating, “It was you. Whenever a heavenly body carries such an intense force of attraction, the universe just goes bananas. Your dark energy could bring about another catastrophe at any moment.” All this combined with his revelation of what he saw in his flashforward, he saw himself killing another man by strangling him with his bare hands, and his subsequent, “Aren’t you glad you asked?” did nothing to redeem him whatsoever. Even more disturbing was when Lloyd called Simon on his callousness and said, “Our experiment killed 20 million people, Simon. What more is there to say?” It certainly left a bad taste in my mouth. This is a character to
be despised, feared and hated with every fiber of our being.
Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
‘Scary Monsters and Super Creeps’ was written by Seth Hoffman and Quinton Peeples, and directed by Bobby Roth. ‘FlashForward’ stars Joseph Fiennes, Sonya Walger, John Cho, Gabrielle Union, Courtney B. Vance, Lee Thompson Young, Gina Torres, Jack Davenport, Brian F. O’Byrne, Peyton List, Christine Woods, Zachary Knighton, Dominic Monaghan, Ryan Wynott, Lennon Wynn. ‘FlashForward’ airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Related posts:
