As the holiday weeks approach, we’re given a dramatic LOST-like revisit to the realm of FlashForward. A dabble in the land of the rising sun, more subtitled foreign-language brilliance and an explanation for past hopelessness that makes an overall character picture become crystal clear - almost. It’s time to the 2GuysTalking: FlashForward Podcast review of “Believe” an episode of ABC’s new hit show, FlashForward here on The 2GuysTalking Podcast Network!

Listen to The 2GuysTalkingL FlashForward Podcast Episode 9: Believe or continue reading below…

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…

– An Explanation: Bryce has Cancer: Explaining optimism: I truly happy that we’re finally given some explanation of Bryce’s immense depression, his almost-suicide, his overzealous optimism and some perspective. Cancer, especially the kind that’s showcased here can play havoc with anyone’s emotions and thought processes and we’re center stage as we experience it here. It’s taken 2 months for us to get it, but it’s very welcome here in week 9 of FlashForward.

– A Dabble of Heroes-like Japanese Crossover: One of the aspects that I’ve always loved about HEROES, is their interaction between ALL of their Japanese characters, which is then subtitled for the audience. I have and will always be a fan of this because of the “secret knowledge” that is bestowed up on viewers of shows and movies like this that helps to paint an entertainment picture AND allows people to better understand the value and usage of opened captions. Be sure to check out The 2GuysTalking CAPTION HUNT Project, to understand more about the captions, subtitles and more in today’s modern entertainment experience at CaptionHunt.Com.

– Another distracted character: One of the values of Bryce, since the FlashForward, is that he’s been a very solid POSITIVE presence inside the cast. As we get into this episode, it looks as though they’re going to shove him off the cliff of serenity, and grant us another chaotic character that will remove that a positive influence from the show. I’m hoping that it’s a short visit to desolation because there’s already enough negative inside of this show’s make up. I’d hate to think that everyone in the show is going to take a negative tack.

– A bounce to the day of the Blackout and more: Several times in this episode, it seems as though we’re drifting backwards in time to revisit things that have happened. Only once are we told that one of the scenes actually occurring before the blackout so - it sometimes becomes difficult to understand what we’re seeing. At this point we’re actually dealing with 4 streams of consciousness: The past, the current, the potential future (usually via FlashForwads) and then some kind of dreamlike state that several characters in the cast have experienced. I think I was following alright but I wanted to ask what YOU thought of the variations of “time” and how it’s effecting the storytelling inside of FlashForward. Were you “lost” at all during this episode? What do YOU think of the varying time viewpoints and showcases inside of this episode? Let us know what YOU think by accessing our website at FlashForward Podcast.Com. Click on the Contact button on the top right hand side of the page and let us know what you think of the varying time perspectives provided inside of this episode of FlashForward.

– Having dreams that leave you smiling: I’ve recently made lots of contacts after a LONG time with friends from my youth, and have been fortunate enough to have dreams over the last month now and again that allow me to “wake up smiling” as well. There’s a scene inside of this episode that provide us with that perspective as well. The difference is that while I’m having some fun, misadventures with friends in my past, the two characters here are reminisciing in a future experience that will allow both of them to realize that suicide isn’t the route to go at that point in their lives. It’s a touching moment and scene pulled off by both actors that really is well done and a high point not only of this episode but of the series. Very well done, FlashForward.

– Something to live for - Until late April: Something that immediately came to mind with Bryce’s revisit to his future fate during this episode, was this: He’s anticipating meeting and “being around in late April” to meet Keiko in the restaurant he references and we see several times inside this episode.Alright, so we will eventually arrive in late April, Bryce and Keiko will meet inside the restaurant, have their touching moment and - then what? Until recently, Bryce was on Cloud 9, knowing that he’d be around until late April, so much so that he decided to forgo suicide after The Blackout and his FlashForward. So NOW what happens after the potential meet in late April? Will suicidal tendencies return to Bryce’s (wow, and Keiko’s for that matter?) outlook, or will he be fueled by potential medical intervention and positive thinking from his new-found Japanese dream friend?

– Sticking to your non-drinking guns: I’ve never been an alcoholic, but the viewpoint here sounds very much like those of us that try to eat right, eat healthy and watch our weight. There IS a reason we don’t have giant chocolate cake, pies, cookies and candy of all kinds in our house. It’s because they’ll get eaten He we see a father who’s finally found his long-lost, missing in action daughter who clearly has fallen into some of the same bad drinking-related habits that her father had struggled with for so long and while he has the willpower to ditch the alcohol temptation here, he is unable/not yet able to explain how HER drinking inside of the house in front of him no less, is a terrible and potentially catastrophic temptation for him. I’m very curious if we’ll see if we’ll see some great family intervention here that helps her on to a stronger path of sobriety.

– Mentioning the red flag status and Agent Noh’s Phone Call: The departmental agents meet here with a Department of Homeland Security representative that eventually refers to the fact that she’s not comfortable discussing matters because of someone in the room who is potentially compromised. She eventually gives away the fact that Agent Noh is the person in question and - that they actually have a copy of and have been investigating the phone call he received earlier this season from an exotic-sounding woman detailing Agent Noh’s future murder. I love all of this because it makes for great drama, I just don’t think that the DHS rep would have divulged the information she had like this. While it’s done for expediency - clearly - I think there might have been a more fun and realistic way to convey this information. This scene is a sample of the kind of thing that I believe could be done differently and better, don’t you? Let us know if you’d like to see scenes like this done differently or with more realism. Access our website at FlashForwardPodcast.Com and let us know what YOU think! More expediency or more realism? You decide!

– The power of “C’Mon!” Ha, I love this!  Agent Noh is hotstepping the Department of Homeland Security representative to tell them more of what she knows and he slams the desk and says “C’mon!” - and she relents! Ha! Imagine if the Jack Bauer treatment was never needed and all you have to do is slam your hand on the table, and scream, “C’Mon!”. Another of those great television-inspired instances of “what if”. Need that stack of money for bills, vacation or just because you want more money? No problem! Walk into your local friendly neighborhood bank, slam your open palm on the counter and say, “C’Mon!” and piles of money will suddenly find their way into a duffel bag. Ha!

– Thank you for joining us - how serve the tea: After seeing Keiko’s awkward (and I think intensely satisfying) ascension to a staff position on the robotics squad of a prestigious Japanese robotics company, she is sadly relegated to - wait for it - SERVING TEA. Ooof. If ever there was a total take away moment of one’s ego, self-worth and more, this is it. It’s portrayed wonderfully and while I know I’ve never been put “into place” like this at a job I’ve ever had, we’ve all had moments that make you wonder “what the hell am I doing here?” at every position we’ve had. This one’s wonderfully executed and achieves what should be the goal of every television show - to make you think.

– Not looking at the needle providing tattooage: Keiko interrupts a local tattoo artist in mid-breast-area tattoo action and as he looks away several times to look at Keiko for a variety of reasons, he CONTINUES TATTOOING!? Huh? While I don’t have any tattoos I know the one thing that would get you negative, no-more-tattoo-money-for-you marks, would be that you actually LOOK AWAY while you’re marking my body with a needle forever! Eeek!

– Ah ha! A MOSAIC posting and posting on the web! When originally writing this episode review, I had actually mentioned the thing that might belay all of Bryce’s negative feelings in general - a MOSAIC posting. In one fell swoop he could put in all of the information, the names, the details and pictures that he’d come up with over the last couple of months and while he might not find HER, he surely would have more information sent to him that would provide details to find her, wouldn’t he? Thankfully, towards the end of the episode he notes that he’s made a MOSAIC entry and is following up electronically which scores a LOT of points for me. When in doubt, you might not find your answer “on the Internet” but the information, knowledge and “record” of the Internet will help you advance from your current position without question. What have YOU found out from “the Internet” that you’d have never know without it’s usage? Tell The 2GuysTalking: FlashForwad Podcast what you’ve come across now and we’ll us it on a future show! Access 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’VE found via the Internet that you wouldn’t have otherwise.

– From despair to hope in 42 minutes: I’m very happy that, while they decided to take us into a very serious depression-laden tailspin at the beginning of this episode, they take the time to take an up-turn towards the end. That’s really welcome here inside of FlashForward. While the episodes that end with hard-core cliffhanger action are fun and always get you energized, it’s great to have an episode end on a general up-note more often than not. Thanks for that, FlashFoward.

– Diving ahead of your FlashForward: Bryce decides to take the knowledge he’s gotten from the in-departmental hospital patient about the restaurant name on the T-Shirt of the lady he’s drawn previously. Wow, this is a total long-shot moment that - well, I wouldn’t have purchased the ticket to take me 5,000 away to a foreign land  on a potential follow up. Now granted, I don’t have stage four brain cancer, I haven’t “seen the future via FlashForward” but wow. It’s also a great instance of trying to “dive ahead” of your FlashForward which I think is a very interesting move. It’s nowhere nearly as FATAL as what Al tried to do two episodes ago (killing himself via 20+ story fall from a building to avoid the inadvertent murder of a young mother), and allows him to get in the realm of what he’s eventually going to experience. There are several aspects of his visit that I thought about during this episode. Isn’t there a phone book or like entry for Keiko, or that street address that he visits? Could he not just stick around and visit at other times or “watch over” the address waiting for a young lady to come home? It’d build a number of other great drama points for the show for sure. Later, we found out the reason why this would have been futile: She’s headed to LA! HA! brilliant, FlashForward, brilliant!

– Cultures and FlashForwards? Something we haven’t visited but would be a great and FUN visit would be to visit a culture on Earth that believes those that have “had FlashForwards” or have “claimed to have had FlashForwards” are somehow evil or outside the norm and are shunned/given lesser status because of it. I think that would help to advance some great storytelling and allow more characters to be developed as the story goes along during the next episodes. Do you like that idea? Let us know YOU think!

FlashForward has been able to continue it’s upturn since the episode 4 weeks ago. The subject matter, nods collected and from down and out to seeing things much more clearly attitude via this episode allow us to provide it an 8 of 10 score. We’re eager to know what YOU thought of this episode of FlashForward.

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Week 9 of ABC’s FlashForward returns to solid form…

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