MANIFEST: “Pilot” Roundtable

A new television season is underway and with it, we Nice Girls are looking for the next new favorite show. Manifest is high on our list from all the summer buzz and what we heard at San Diego Comic Con.

But what did we all make of the pilot? For a show with such a high concept: nearly 200 people in a plane that flashes forward five and a half years into the future and some of them have powers. Is the mythos working after one episode? We’ll use a new system, SASS: Stupid, Awesome, So So.

Stupid

Roz: I can’t tell what I want to make of the plane’s spontaneous combustion at the end of the episode, especially with so much else that’s in the realm of the “not normal”. It’s not stupid per se, but just makes me question too many things. If that’s intentional, then great! Let’s get weirder for me to wonder about everything.

Cay: I gotta disagree! I guess I’m looking for the next LOST, so I thought that scene was very cool – the mythology part is the most interesting part of the show for me.

Rueben: At first, I thought Michaela and Ben both needing to release the dogs was a throw-away part of the story – so that WOULD’VE been my “stupid” moment; but since it led to Michaela finding those missing kids – it wasn’t as throw-away as I thought. That’s the only problem I had with the episode until the reveal.

Awesome

Roz: That concept of twins who are no longer the same age; I don’t know why but Cal and Olive seem like they’re going to test many theories in this story and what the bigger myths are.

Cay: I think the premise is fascinating from a relationship perspective – how do you step back into your life when everyone else has mourned you and moved on?

MANIFEST — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Luna Blaise as Olive Stone, Jack Messina as Cal Stone, Josh Dallas as Ben Stone, Malachy Cleary as Steve Stone, Melissa Roxburgh as Michaela Stone — (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC/Warner Brothers)

Rueben: Given my reticence toward the medical profession, I found I was actually intrigued by Saanvi’s medical research that would make such a difference for little Cal. I was also proud of her for standing up to her mentor for letting Cal be part of that trial.

So So

Roz: Cheating family members who weren’t really cheating but still feel guilty. Haven’t we done this before?

MANIFEST — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Athena Karkanis as Grace Stone, Luna Blaise as Olive Stone — (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC/Warner Brothers)

Cay: While I’m fascinated by the idea of the relationship aspects, the mythological stuff is more interesting to me and I don’t want it to turn into This Is Us with a weird plane.

Rueben: Man, Cay you have a REALLY good point that I hadn’t thought of until now. I get that there will be relationship issues, but much like you, since you suggested it, I don’t want those issues to overtake the whole story. I want to know more about the mythology too.

Burning Questions

Cay: haha, pun intended. Da Plane, Da Plane – WHAT called everyone to the plane to see it explode? And will the voices only be for good, or will they potentially lead the passengers to do things that they wouldn’t otherwise that are darker than finding kidnapped kids?

Rueben: How will the twins adapt to each other since Cal is still a little boy but Olive is a teenager? For Cal, they were the same age mere hours before, but for Olive it’s been nearly 6 years. They are twins and I’m sure had the kind of connection that most twins have, but how will that be changed given their new circumstances?

Roz: I’m so interested in what called everyone to the plane and what makes Ben and Michaela hear a voice, but I’m willing to give everything a few weeks before I think it’s too weird.

Manifest airs Mondays at 10PM on NBC.