MANIFEST Roundtable: Point of No Return

On this week’s Manifest, Michaela fails to save a fellow passenger from committing suicide and finds other that two other passengers have recently died. Meanwhile, Ben and Grace try to reconnect while Cal heads back to school. And Vance and Ben work together on a risky plan to find the missing passengers.

We are using a new ratings system known as SASSY – S(tupid), A(wesome), S(o) S(o) Y(Your Thoughts):

Stupid:

Roz: Ben Ben Ben! What is your life? I understand being concerned for Cal, but slow down and be smart about everything you’re doing as it relates to UDS.

Rueben: Vance making that fire alarm go off at Ben’s office just to meet with him – couldn’t he have come up with a better way to communicate with Ben? And how lucky is Ben that he hasn’t gotten caught by UDS? He’s taking too many risks and at some point I have a feeling it’s going to come back to hurt him.

Cay: Ben is taking some stupid risks and he’s also clearly the luckiest bastard ever!

Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC/Warner Brothers

Awesome:

Roz: So Ben’s family is actually functioning as it should. Cal and Olive can get along at school and Ben and Grace get one night away from the kids.

Rueben: It was nice seeing Ben’s family trying to get to their “new normal” although with that ending scene it’s going to be short-lived.

Cay: I like Olive and Cal’s relationship resetting – it was nice to have a whole episode without teenage angst. It was also nice to see Grace and Ben enjoying each other.

So-So:

Roz: I don’t get the Angel of Death, or what he means in the larger sense. What’s going to happen next week that sort of wraps up all of Michaela’s angst about the callings?

Rueben: I felt bad for the man who took his life, but that story gave me a reverse Final Destination feel that just bothered me.

Cay: I had a hard time caring about the “Angel of Death” plot this week. I feel like Ben is more likely to have adverse consequences from not telling Grace things than by telling her.

Photo by: Craig Blankenhorn/NBC/Warner Brothers

Your Thoughts:

Roz: That guy at UDS is making me really nervous. The trailer makes him look like he should be the Big Bad, but why wait so long to introduce him?

Rueben: I have to admit that I’m glad Vance isn’t after them the way he was, but I’d still like to get some answers for those other lingering items – the shadow man, the “fans” of the passengers who seemed too interested in them, and the other things that haven’t been answered or resolved. They just keep giving us mysteries without resolving anything.

Cay: Well, looks like Vance really is on Ben’s side now. But, I’m not so impressed by him so far – you’d think he’d be better at this spy stuff, but he seems awfully awkward.

Photo by: Craig Blankenhorn/NBC/Warner Brothers

The fall finale of Manifest will air Monday, November 26 at 10/9c on NBC.

Check out all of our Manifest coverage here.