MANIFEST Roundtable: Turbulence

Manifest continues to deepen the mystery surrounding the passengers lost time while the passengers try to readjust to life.

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

Join us now as we discuss episode 3 of the debut season which focused on the following:

Ben and Michaela investigate a shocking murder in fear that it’s connected to Flight 828. Meanwhile, Ben struggles to accept the life Grace led in his absence, while Olive and Cal realize that being twins after five and a half years apart is harder than they thought.

Stupid:

Roz: The rationale by the woman who killed Kelly Taylor was so bad and so flimsy I wanted her to be hurt more by that crash into the street than she was. It’s entitled for someone to think that a husband would leave a wife when they return after five years. (Yes, Grace, this also applies to you and your paramore who is no more.)

Leah: I could care less about Ben’s home life. For me it is just filler until something interesting happens. Everything all of you said is exactly how I feel.

Cay: Grace’s coworker’s comment that it seems like she’s cheating on Danny. Admittedly, Little Miss Manners has likely not come upon this kind of a situation, but it seems to me that her loyalty should be to Ben, especially because she didn’t marry Danny.

Rueben: I know she’s a teenager, but Olive sneaking out and expecting her twin – who is FIVE years younger – to keep quiet about it. He’s a little boy not a teenager, he’s going to do exactly what he did: tell. I’m a little bored with the homelife of Ben and Michaela, but it looks like it’s going to get much more interesting based on the clip for next week. Looks like Danny is going to show up and creating some more strife for Ben and Grace.

Awesome:

Roz: That protein is something I’m into this week. What does it mean if everyone has it now? Are they all going to do something else because of that protein?

Cay: I’m really liking how the mythology is coming together – Michaela going to look for Evie’s mother and finding the accomplice of the man that killed the other passenger was cool. And the bit about the protein in Cal and others that suggests that they were oxygen deprived, like in a stroke. I also liked the scenes between Cal and Olive – what a bizarre situation to be 5 years older than your twin. I hope the writers continue to do a good job of showing how weird it must really be for the characters.

Rueben: I found the protein marker discovered by Saanvi pretty interesting too. I’d like to see more story into that. Don’t leave us hanging on that too, please!

Leah: I always worry about shows with big mythologies. It can get messy. So far Manifest is handling it in a really great way. I’m on board for all of this!

So-So:

Roz: Ben’s obsession with all these other men in Grace’s life is getting to me. You should be proud enough to get time back with your wife, but don’t worry that every guy had wanted to sleep with her before!

Leah: I’d like to agree with these thoughts. Why is Michaela so boring? For someone who was the black sheep of the family she sure is meh.

Cay:  While I am interested in the family dynamics of Ben’s family, I’m a lot less interested in Michaela’s past. Or her present. I guess I’m not a huge fan of her character in general.

Rueben: I have to agree with Cay. Michaela SHOULD be an interesting character, but I find her rather bland right now. I’m more interested in Jared and what he’s going to do about the NSA guy and how far he’ll go to figure out just what’s really going on with his former girlfriend/almost fiancee.

Your Thoughts:

Roz: I wish we had that answer on the shadow that came into Kelly’s house, but I hope we see it again. While I’m here, I actually like Michaela, though I might be in the minority. She’s got some complicated issues that are being addressed in less demonstrative ways than Ben’s, but that story of Edie and driving was powerful to me this week.

Leah: Shadow! I know. I know. They have to dole out the information, but I’m going to need something. It can’t all be questions.

Cay: We still didn’t get any insight into the shadow, as it seems that the passenger’s killer wasn’t it.

Rueben: I agree with Cay. Don’t put that shadow into the story and then take it away. Answers, please! And what’s the deal with whoever took the body of the passenger who was killed? What’s up with that? And, what was the deal with Isaiah, the suspect in the passenger’s death. His little speech to Michaela while behind bars was a little disturbing. He said, “When I die, I’ll return and be like you. I’ll be pure.” Are there more people like him; maybe those people holding the candlelight vigil outside the dead passenger’s home?

Manifest airs Mondays at 10/9c on NBC.