The 2GuysTalking FlashForward Podcast has endured 2 solid weeks of content that leaned torward the particularly gooney side as we weathered two weeks of strangely created ABC-based television. This week, FlashForward provided what we consider their strongest offering in an episode called “The Gift” which truly is a gift. Puzzle pieces abound, twisty-turns await and an individual determined to showcase that fate can be guided differently than what every one sees in late April makes the boldest statement possible. All this and more awaits in this episode of The 2GuysTalking FlashForward Podcast…

Sponsored by Sprint’s RelayMissouri, Acoustica’s Mixcraft 4 recording Software and Ability Interpreting…

This review, like many of my online feature film and television review podcasts, will be done in a “stream of consciousness” format, providing you essentially what I think as the episode airs. Follow along to the points provided herein and be sure to chime in and tell us what YOU think of this episode of FlashForward…

– Prelogue: The entry into this episode was another different offering and it makes me wonder if they’re just kind of test firing the beginning of each episode to see what kind of launch they like at the beginning of the episodes. This one is much stronger than the last two weeks to be sure and considering the subject matter in this episode, it’s terribly appropriate. If we look at the launch of episode one, two and three, this falls in line with those in 4th place. In OUR opinion, episode two and three had the strongest openings to date.

– Dear Celia: For those that aren’t familiar with how our podcasts are created, we’ll watch the episode, make notes and then come back and flesh in the bullet points that are then conveyed enthusasitically into each of the points of the podcast. Celia, referred to here, is one of the most stark representations of the power of this program and something that we’ll detail later on in this review podcast. Needless to say, their storytelling kung fu in this episode is strong.

– AlreadyGhosts.Com: Inside of this episode, we see this address conveyed noting that it’s apparently an online “lair” for the people who didn’t experience FlashForwards to congregate, and folks, it’s a matter of course that something like this would happen. If we can find the Norwegian Society of Yo-Yo Artists, surely there would be something like this for people looking for people with other, like experiences online. It’s a total opportunity to create a gathering point for fans and DID ABC take advantage of it? They DIDN’T! Instead of going to a detailed, labyrinthine online cave of cool pictures, faux experiences and show discussion, the page only forwards on to The main FlashForward Webpage for ABC? Oh, what an entirely missed opportunity, ABC. We want to know what YOU think! Would you have visited and participated in an online FlashForward-based forum that offered up a direct contact with ABC, their FlashForward interests, interviews and details of what to expect in the future? Let us know what YOU think by accessing our website, at FlashForwardPodcast.Com. Click on the contact button on the top right hand side of the page. Fill out the quick webform and let us know what YOU think about the missed opportunity of AlreadyGhosts.Com

– Foreign Language but no captions/subtitles: For those of you that are veterans of The 2GuysTalking Podcast series, you’ll know of our LOVE of Foreign Languages and captions being used inside of television series. We love that it conveys the understanding of almost “secret knowledge” that you wouldn’t be privy to otherwise. Inside of this episode, we experience something a bit different. Characters on screen are using foreign language (Japanese) to convey detail, but - none of it’s captioned. Does it work? Absolutely! That not only are they speaking a different langue so that you can’t understand them, but also - that you literally don’t know what they’re talking about enhances significantly the episodes ability to “get something by you” and make you thirst for more. Very well done, FlashForward!

– Depicting Russian Roulette in Prime Time: First, let’s get the particulars out of the way. We at The 2GuysTalking: FlashForward Podcast are not “fans” of watching people play Russian Roulette. We also don’t mind it being depicted on television or in movies. What we DO wonder however is if the 7pm time slot is an appropriate time to showcase it multiple times and to that we say “no.” There was a reason that FX showcased programs like “The Shield” and “Rescue Me” later in the evening. Clearly, it would allow for more time to ensure that the kiddies were to be and not exposed to some of the more mature themes inside of those and this program. Here we see two different scenes where a gun is loaded, the chamber is spun and the gun’s trigger tripped while being pointed at the handlers head. Bad form, ABC. The REAL problem is that it WORKS wonderfully for this episode, so what’s the fix? Are we going to have to see and have eventual benefit from having FlashForward appear LATER in the evening? Don’t misunderstand much of what’s discussed here. We think that the scenes depicted here add significantly to the flavor of this episode substantially.

– Using the future to guide current fate: This episode takes the “no fate but what we make” and turns in on it’s ear, literally, and we love it. We’ve known for a long time that even in time travel movies that you get to guide where you ‘go’ but never before have we had the veil of “I know I’m going to be alive in late April (when it’s now November the previous year) so I know that this gun will not fire and kill me.” That’s very alluring and provides a very interesting pocket of storytelling that I hope FlashForward takes advantage of this season and beyond.

– Literally getting puzzle pieces: Of the episodes presented so far, this one is by FAR the best sample of providing puzzle pieces and information. The sample I’ll always push people to is that a portion of each episode should be where the viewer is a corn combine running through a field of tasty and thought-provoking items that are eventually reviewed and digested as the episode goes on and through the series in general until enough of the pieces compiled form a complete enough section to convey answers. WE LOVE THIS and want to see more of it inside each of the episodes and - I’ll tell ya’ if they can pull this off they’ll have a wonderful handshake-series that will fill the “Oh no, LOST if over” void for the entire run of FlashForward.

– Buzz saw revs, man screams (in captions but not there): I know, I know. You’re wondering “where in the hell was THIS inside the episode” and the answer is awesome. This detail comes to you from the closed captioning inside what we believe was a leftover from the original script of this episode and because the details/sound of what was conveyed in the final edit, was cut by network censors as inappropriate. I love that the show isn’t afraid to take chances on things like that and I think is even a better reason to have the show appear later in the evening so as to not miss out on opportunities like this.

– Delivering pieces hand over hand: In a previous bullet point we’d detailed that this episode features some of the best-ever conveyance of puzzle pieces and - well they just keep on coming in this episode. What a great piece of storytelling! Very well done, FlashForward!

– More disturbing imagery: The entry into the Blue Hand session reveals even more disturbing imagery and again we wonder if we know that they’re going to revisit rough and more mature instances of storytelling if it might be more appropriate for FlashFoward to appear later in the evening. Your thoughts?

– What are they arresting them for? At the climax of the Blue Hand session scene, we see the FBI entourage arresting the ‘leader’ of this particular event but - what are they actually arresting him FOR? Suspicion of Murder? Possession of a loaded weapon? Drunk and Disorderly? What are they arresting him for? Do you know? Let us know what YOU think by accessing our website, at FlashForwardPodcast.Com. Click on the contact button on the top right hand side of the page. Fill out the quick webform and let us know what YOU think they were going to arrest him for.

– Mosaic turns into a recruiting site - For the BAD guys: This is an outstanding twisty, thinking-differently thing that reall makes me love a show like this. I would have never thought that the site, created for good to help find answers, would become a breeding ground for “the bad guys” and I love that a show like FlashForward encourages me to think in that vein. It’s another great reason to tell friends and family about the program and to grow the viewer base for sure.

– Great Character - Fiona Banks: They’ve recruited the venerable Alex Kingston inside of FlashForward to portray an English investigator working hand in hand to find out more about the FlashForward phenomenon and - well she’s portrayed wonderfully as usual. She’ll end up being one of my favorites in the series easily and we’re eager to see more of how she’s going to deal with what unfolds inside of this episode of FlashForward.

– Noh finally tells Zoe, his fiancee’ that there IS no FlashForward: I’m happy that they finally started talking about this GIANT elephant in the room. The bottom line about interaction with anyone that you care about, whether it’s at work, home, a friend - anyone - is that you’ve got to at least mention what’s bothering you or it’ll fester and eventually burst. Noh finally decides that now is the time to jump in and it’s great to see. Something else that I wanted to note however: Where exactly does she SEE Agent Noh in her FlashForward? To me it looks like - yes - she’s on a beach with a bouquet, walking in the sand. Ok, but where IS Dimitri? He’s no where to be seen and while that doesn’t gameover his future, it does put it into doubt and who knows: Perhaps someone comes along and is able to help her with her grief and help her along to the point that they go TO the beach that they were to be married on so that she can experience the “happiness” she wouldn’t have otherwise? I’m very interested to see what’s going on.

– Lots of short segments: A growing trend that we wanted to mention is that we’re seeing more and more that there are longer sessions of the show at the beginning of the episode, and then about halfway through, we transition abruptly to very short storytelling segments couched between a growing number of commercials. Is that just the sign of the times or something I’ve missed out on previously in other programs and shows on network television? I don’t care for it esepcially as we get to the 40-minute or so mark and I’m eager to see that either stop or for them to couch the storytelling differently.

– Al claims his fate: In the ultimate statement of future defiance, Al jumps from what looks to be the roof  of a 20+-story building. The shots are majestic, artistic and very well done (though, again, at the 7-8pm hour?) and the acting from all is top notch. I’m also very surprised that the went on to show the body at the bottom of the “fall” on the ground. Most television doesn’t do that and I think that in this case, it really hammers the point of home of how dedicated he was to ensure that the future events WOULD NOT HAPPEN. The series also pulled off being able to “kill a character that’s not essential to the series” but also not have it where it’s literally some security guard that just gets gunned down by estranged baddie. That’s a VERY difficult dance to pull off and I have to hand it to FlashForward for executing it perfectly in this episode and for pulling it off with NO WARNING AT ALL. Very well done, FlashForward.

– Detail on buildings in progress: This is a thinking-man/woman’s show for sure. You’ll note as they show the skyline of the buildings, they’re sure to show progress of the rebuilding process going on. It’s a small detail but one that speaks volumes to the level of care in the general storytelling process. Thank you for taking the time to put in “the little things”, FlashForward. It really does make the difference!

– How powerful tragedy can become: The level of drama here is perfectly tracked through the episode, especially at the end and as we continue to detail this episode, this is going to be a very tough one to beat. Tragedy can be a terrible thing to overcome, but it’s also one of the best and most prolific generators of good faith and inspiration for others in proximity. I have a feeling we’re going to see quite a bit of that over the next 15 episodes.

We at the FlashForward Podcast give this episode a score of 8 of 10. Great work, FlashForward!