September 16, 2025 • 70 mins
In this episode of Scene N Nerd, hosts Sarah Belmont and Will Polk dive into the recent Emmy Awards and their impact on the landscape of television. They discuss the impressive wins for Adolescence, including standout performances and the significance of the show's recognition. The duo debates the merits of various nominees, while also reflecting on the storytelling techniques that have set these shows apart. With an engaging discussion about the recent season of Peacemaker, they analyze the character dynamics and the evolving narrative, as well as the challenges of pacing and emotional depth within the series. Additionally, they share their thoughts on Dune Part 2, exploring its cinematic achievements and how it compares to its predecessor. Expect thoughtful critiques, lively banter, and a few surprises along the way!
Timestamps
0:00 Opening Banter & Emmy Highlights
11:35 Our Review of Dune Part 2
48:10 Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 4 Review
1:10:17 Outro
Want to keep the conversation going? Hit us up on X (formerly Twitter) @SceneNNerd, Bluesky @SceneNNerd.bsky.social, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads @scene_n_nerd. Don’t forget to check out our website at www.scenennerdpodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, drop us a rating and a shout-out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcast fix!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
>> Will (00:00):
Music
>> Sarah (00:11):
This is Scene N Nerd. I'm your host, Sarah Belmont, and with me, as
always, is our Mr. Producer, Will Polk How are you doing
tonight, Will?
>> Will (00:18):
Doing very well, Sarah. Hope you're having a good Monday. Looking
forward to catching up with on the, Emmy news and,
Dune and Peacemaker with you tonight.
>> Sarah (00:27):
Yeah. Even though we both were
on top of the news, it doesn't really feel like a
catch up. It's just like, well, this is what happened.
>> Will (00:36):
Yeah,
for sure. Yeah.
>> Sarah (00:41):
As predicted by me, adolescence
took home so many awards as
it should.
>> Will (00:48):
Oh, yeah. It's by far the best show this
year. I mean, really, because
just to recap for folks, as far as the reset Mind
folks, the Emmy cycle, it was June 1st
of 2024 to May 31st of
2025. Just so, just a level set
the, the calendar for, for folks who may be
(01:09):
like, wait a minute, didn't. Why wasn't such and such
show, you know, recognized? So just
wanted to do that.
>> Sarah (01:17):
Right, right.
>> Will (01:18):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (01:19):
And it was the Bear season three, not
season four that was up.
and they didn't get anything. Right.
>> Will (01:27):
I don't think so.
>> Sarah (01:29):
Yeah, yeah. I think the studio. The studio
shut up. Shut out everyone. And then the studio
even beat the Bears record with 11
wins.
>> Will (01:39):
Yeah, actually. Yeah. So 13. 13 total.
>> Sarah (01:42):
13 total. Okay.
>> Will (01:43):
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because if. Yeah. Cause so, so the creative
art, Creative arts Emmys were I
think last weekend and then the above the line
awards for last night. So. Yeah, so the studio
did have 13. Seth Rogen won like four
categories for, actor, director,
executive producer and writer.
(02:04):
And then, Penguin actually won nine
awards overall even though it was
shut out. Even though in acting categories,
in a Christine M. Melody 1,
for her performance.
>> Sarah (02:18):
Supporting actress. Yep.
>> Will (02:19):
Supporting actress. and you know, speaking of adolescence,
Adolescence ended up winning eight awards. And
Stephen Graham, who played the father, in the
episode one, for actor, he also won for
executive producer and also for writer.
>> Sarah (02:33):
Yep, yep. And we were able to see
how really, really short he is.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then the other big
headline with, adolescence
is Owen Cooper became the youngest,
(02:54):
person to ever win in that
category. and oh, FYI,
he's the youngest. And also this is his first
and only ever on screen role he's ever
had.
>> Will (03:06):
Yeah, yeah.
>> Sarah (03:07):
Okay.
>> Will (03:09):
Yeah, yeah. So well
deserved. And his co star also was, Aaron Daugherty.
>> Sarah (03:15):
Ah, yeah, Doherty.
>> Will (03:17):
Yeah, she, she won supporting
actress, as well.
and, and I mean, that episode still
brings chills to my spine. just everything
about it was just. Just amazing.
>> Sarah (03:32):
Yeah, I. I've. I've seen it like three or four times.
That episode in particular.
I'm kind of the only thing. And I'm
just gonna say this because, it's what
I think, honestly is, I
don't know if I agree that Stephen Graham
should have gone in it for acting because
(03:53):
Colin. Colin Farrell,
like the Penguin was just another
thing. And there are some scenes from the
Penguin that still stick in my mind. And
specifically with what he did.
I get it. I understand why. And I'm
not like, oh, that was. That was a lot of.
(04:14):
So I can't. I can't call it
real, like. Like BS
or anything, but, I'm just.
I'm still. I still don't know if I 100
agree with that.
but he did overall
throughout, like he was in two
(04:35):
of the four episodes.
so. But I. I'm just.
I'm. I'm glad that
not. Not necessarily for just
acting, but mainly for
the. All the awards it won in regards
to the. The behind the scenes
(04:55):
because the execution of that
was just. Just brought it to a whole nother
level. And. And along with the
writing, which was, I think
triumphantly well deserved.
the directing and just the crew itself,
everything they had to do to. With
(05:16):
that oner structure. And I found it
ironic because that episode from the
studio also took home for best
directing.
It's kind of a cheat code. It really
is. It really is.
>> Will (05:32):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (05:33):
So.
>> Will (05:34):
Yeah. Speaking of. Yeah. Yeah. But you're right about the
writing of that episode and
I'm there with. So really.
Yeah, I'm there with you. I think
Stephen Graham and Colin both. I mean, if they could like,
split. Split the.
>> Sarah (05:50):
Yeah.
>> Will (05:51):
Win. Because both of them in their own. You know,
clearly Graham with, Especially the fourth episode of
Adolescence. I mean. Well, even the beginning too. I mean, just
throughout. You know, there was just so.
Every time he was on the screen as to what the. What
that father was having. Portraying what that father was dealing
with.
>> Sarah (06:10):
Yeah. See, the fourth episode is my least
favorite. And the first episode, though, there
are some scenes that do.
If I really think about it, he had to do a lot
of reaction, acting in
terms of what was happening with his son and the
helplessness in that situation and the
(06:30):
confusion. Like, it.
It really. If. If I think about
his performance in that. That episode in particular.
I understand. And. And then
that, That category was just stacked to begin with.
I think back when the nominations first came
out, we were like, well,
there's gonna Be. I don't know how you
(06:52):
choose. Yeah.
You had Pedro Pascal in there, right? Or was
he in supporting, after.
>> Will (07:01):
I think he was. I have to go back and look. I forgot I didn't get a
chance to look before we record it. But. But if I recall.
>> Sarah (07:06):
No, no, they, they were in it. We're
talking about acting for
Limited, anthology.
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Noah
Wiley beat out. Beat out, Mr.
Pedro Pascal for, For ah.
For the trophy along with Sterling K. Brown. So,
(07:27):
Yeah. The love for the Pit, again, I
am not surprised from a
technical standpoint about
why that, that
that show has gained so much
acclaimed. I still think
though, and it is
so focused on getting the reality of the
(07:50):
error,
really bringing that to life, that
the character moments are so few
and far between that. It
was. It didn't hit
me, in a lot of emotional, places.
But I, I think
(08:10):
Noah just took it home for the Pit and
er.
>> Will (08:14):
Yeah, true.
Yeah. I still have to watch the Pit. It's going to
be, And I'm gonna definitely get it in before season
two. But Yeah, I saw that and
you know, it definitely seemed to be. That was going to be the, The.
The favorite this year. I know Severance
still. I mean, I know I haven't watched Severance season two.
(08:35):
I did finally get around to watching most of season one
whenever, Whenever we had the studio, When we were reviewing
it earlier.
>> Sarah (08:42):
You didn't tell me that.
>> Will (08:44):
Yeah, I mean it was one of the. I didn't want. It was like.
It. I mean I was. It was just one of those things
I just. I caught up on. Caught up most. I didn't
finish it because I had the free trial
and, And I just. So I got in what I could.
But But I do want to, you know, if I do turn it back on
for, you know, for other shows, there are some things on
(09:05):
Apple TV now that I'm kind of like. I do want to like. I think I
might turn it back on.
>> Sarah (09:09):
Yeah.
>> Will (09:10):
Catch up on some stuff.
>> Sarah (09:11):
But I'm turning mine back on soon because Morning
show is coming back.
>> Will (09:15):
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The only other
other, thing that I wanted to just highlight from the From
the Emmys also was just. And or Dan Gilroy,
winning, for. For writing, for the episode welcome to
the Rebellion, which Which I thought. And it also
won overall, five Emmys, both
not only for writing, but also it also won in
(09:36):
the Creative Arts, section as well.
So, you know, so that. That was another show,
that, And you know, and I guess, you know, even though
I know a lot of, you know, just not to get political or whatever.
Oh, it. I'm gonna get political. It was, you
know, there's a lot of, you know, a lot of folks. That show
was res for the times right now.
(09:56):
but it's very interesting. But. But at the same time,
I mean, the stories that were being told in andor,
were, you know, are timeless. I mean, so, yeah, I mean,
I know present day people are really rocking with it
because like it, you know, in many cases people feel
like, oh, it resonates. But you know, they wrote that show like
three years ago. and and it really. You.
(10:17):
And, and you know, Tony Garoi had talked about how
it was very, you know, you know, they're very
moments in history that they, they used to like pattern
how they were going to write the script. So, so
I'm, I'm glad the show got his props because, it
definitely, as far as in the drama categories, definitely,
was probably one of the best written shows of the year
(10:38):
for sure. And that episode in particular,
welcome, to the Rebellion. I think, I think that speech that
my moth gave, this I think was the thing that kind of put it over
the top. So.
>> Sarah (10:49):
Nice. Nice.
>> Will (10:50):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (10:51):
well, that is it for our brief
discussion about the Emmys 2025. And
now we are. Well, this
isn't a catch up movie for me because
we're changing rules this week. I technically
have seen it, but I will tell you this.
When I, Yesterday when I
(11:14):
put it on, I, I had, I had it in my
mind because I'd already seen it.
I was going to have it on the background and then I was
going to be doing other things and everything. But
quickly I forgot how much dialogue is spoken
in a different language. So subtitles.
>> Will (11:32):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (11:32):
I also for some reason
got sucked in. I.
I don't know what it is. I do not know.
And I, And I will tell you.
And knowing now how you
ended up watching it in three parts,
the. The first hour and a half
(11:53):
is. Is really just its
own little mini movie
and does all the exposition and.
And I just. I had forgotten how much time we
just spend with Will Polk learning
things from, Chani and
Oh, I'm forgetting Javier Bardem's
(12:14):
character name, but with the Freeman and just
learning from them and while
simultaneously Jessica and the Benedict
and becoming Reverend Mother and all of that.
And, And I I think. I don't
know. It, it just. I, I've said
this before on the podcast. Often I
(12:35):
have to watch the. When I,
I, There's a time and a place for
me to watch something and sometimes
if I rush and I push it, things
go over my head or I'm not into it and it just,
it can be the most perfect thing in the world. And
I'm just like, yeah, I watched it, and
(12:55):
yesterday watching Dune Part 2. Now
it wasn't. I. There are some boring
parts and it is long, way too long
and it's a lot of sand. But
I, I did.
Majority of the time I was clicked in. And I think some
of that also had to do with like, my knowledge
(13:16):
about Doom Prophecy. And, and
when we were watching Doom Prophecy, some, some
of the moments from Dune 2 because I had watched
Dude 2 like a few months prior, I
was like, oh, that's a ref m.
I. That that's gonna hit differently.
and so all of the stuff with the. The Water
(13:36):
of Life, definitely does as well as
everything going on with Jessica. But
I, I just, I,
I, I did. I did find
way more appreciation watching it a second
time than I ever did the first time. but
now to let's hear your overall
(13:57):
thoughts because this is your first time
watching it.
>> Will (14:01):
My first time watching it. Yeah. So like, as a,
as, as, as we, set this up. yeah, this is
my first time watching it. Like, like last week,
center. This was the first time for you. This is my first time watching
June2. And I completely agree with you,
watching Dune Prophecy,
definitely helped this movie hit
(14:21):
a lot harder, with those
key, especially with some of those key moments, that,
that you just described in particular. and
I, I, so I, I will say it.
It took me a while to
get into it. Yeah, that first, that
first 45 minutes. Because as I told you, I did break it
(14:42):
up. and, and I, and I
honestly, I mean from the scale,
this, the exposition, everything
there stuff was happening. Yeah, but
it, but, but like you said, sometimes
you just need to catch things when you're
just mentally there and ready to like, watch it.
>> Sarah (15:03):
Yeah.
>> Will (15:04):
And, and, and so I will say
maybe when I, when I, it
took me a moment to get into it, but that last.
The last hour and a half or
so, I was like, locked in.
>> Sarah (15:18):
Yeah.
>> Will (15:18):
as far as just a story, you are right about the
subtitles. I think that does require you to like,
you know, focus and pay attention. And for a two hour and 45
minute movie, where there's like subtitles like
interspersed without Within. Without throughout
it. It definitely You know, this is the type of
movie you do. You do have to pay attention to.
>> Sarah (15:39):
Yeah.
>> Will (15:40):
yeah. But I will say I did enjoy it.
Like you were right. I. I enjoyed
it so much more than I did the first one.
>> Sarah (15:48):
Oh, it's so much more. And I think. And
I'm just going to call Spade a spade. The first hour and a
half is boring because Paul's boring.
Sorry, Will Polk at the beginning
of the movie. Very boring.
By the end of the movie he does
become something. Something else.
(16:09):
But man, for the first hour and a half
you're just like what's going on with Jessica? Can
we just get back there?
>> Will (16:17):
Yeah, that was that whenever she. Whenever.
Yeah. Whenever she was having that and like whenever.
You know. And I. Yeah. And it was whenever she.
When they gave her the
>> Sarah (16:27):
The water. The water of life.
>> Will (16:29):
Yeah. And the baby was impacted. Those.
So that was to me where the payoff of watching Doom
prophecy came. like
where that series made. You know, it just
it justified it definitely just
What I'm trying to say here is existence is
(16:50):
justified by adding
greater depth to
Doom Part two. So if you haven't, you know, if you
haven't watched New Prophecy, I know it
was a much more smaller scale because it really got it to the
background of the Vinny Jesser
and. And their. Their
formulations and you know,
(17:12):
it's also tv.
>> Sarah (17:14):
It's also TV and Denny's real new
is not directing those episodes.
>> Will (17:19):
Yeah, but it really. But you know, but it definitely
sets. But you know, but I think it definitely helps. You
know, not only contextualizes the whole things of the
Reverend Mother and. And the Benecesset, but also
it definitely helps like. Helps you get
a greater appreciation of the
Harkov and the Tradies,
(17:42):
their conflict. But also
somewhat. But I think where. Where it hit. Both hit
most for me was when Will Polk
you know, whenever he calls to bear and you know, grandfather and
I was just like oh yeah, now it's like, you know, with
the whole prophecy and, and you know how.
>> Sarah (17:59):
Well that doesn't have to do with. With
dude prophecy.
>> Will (18:04):
No, no, but I think it was just. I think this. The lore
as far as like.
>> Sarah (18:08):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I. I guess
before we. So from what I understand,
book readers,
the. The. The. The doom prophecy is
also not based on the original
books. They. They are based on
(18:29):
books that were written by the author's son.
>> Will (18:32):
Son.
>> Sarah (18:33):
And there's skepticism
about what is lore because there
are some changes made in those books,
that, that don't add up for people who
really understand the whole lore of Dune.
So, but,
(18:53):
I think you're right that yes,
it does contextualize a lot.
and, and I think the hardest thing for me to
understand, well, two things,
during the first movie was the politics
as well as what the heck are these
(19:14):
women doing? Like the Bene
Gesseritz is. It just felt
like there were moments from the first one, if I
recall. It's been a while since I've seen it where
I was like, well, that's different. What's going
on there? But it was so focused on,
the Atreides that
(19:34):
it kind of was doing so much,
that you didn't really get anywhere. And so then
you have the Dune prophecy series that
beefs things up and then Dune two.
You kind of like, okay, House,
Atreides, no more perfect
setup for a revenge plot.
(19:55):
But simultaneously
you've also are in
this, this 2 hour and 40 plus
minute movie explaining
the politics. Like, yeah, revenge.
Revenge is simplified simplification.
But you have a lot of other
politics happening, between
(20:17):
not only the Harkonnens and Atreides,
but the, the bigger political move was
the fact that the Emperor played by Christopher
Walken. I didn't spoil that for you, did
I?
He, he's the one who really
allowed and even helped,
(20:40):
the Harkonnens wipe, out
the Atreides, which, which is a war crime.
And, which brings me to, one of the
questions that I have for you coming, coming out
of the movie, is
at the end, after,
after everything Will Polk has
(21:01):
put into motion, or fate,
depending on how you want to view it,
has occurred. They, they hear
from the Houses that they do not accept
him ascending to the throne.
>> Will (21:15):
Right.
>> Sarah (21:17):
Did you see that coming? And also
like, what was your reaction to that moment?
>> Will (21:23):
I.
I did not see that coming.
I'd be lying if I did say that.
but what I, but given
what I know and given what we know these
stories, it makes
sense that
(21:45):
the other houses in the Gal in the galaxy
did not accept it.
>> Sarah (21:50):
Yeah. And why did it
make sense?
>> Will (21:55):
well, to your point that you were talking about how the Bene Gesserit
were like, you know, really,
you know, were, you know,
part of their.
>> Sarah (22:06):
Oh, oh, I see what you're saying.
>> Will (22:09):
M. Yeah. Efforts to like, you know,
keep, you know, keep these houses in
order as far as trying to prevent this holy war.
Well, you know, well, at least
10,000 years ago.
>> Sarah (22:25):
Yeah, Yeah. I, I was just like, you're
making the Bene Gesserits come out.
like they're the heroes when, when they,
and that's why I find them so interesting because
they're not, they're not the villain, but they're not definitely
not the hero of the story either. Because,
I mean. But I think what you're getting at is,
(22:48):
is arguably why people
should be shocked by it. But it does make sense
in this world because of the,
the, the reaction that I don't know her
name, but the, the Bene
Gesseritz who, was training the
princess. Like when she,
(23:09):
when she sees, Jessica come in
and, pregnant and everything, fully decked out as
Reverend Mother, like, she says,
abomination. And she's
talking about the baby that's inside
Jessica and she's talking about Will Polk
because she's never, she's never
agreed with Jessica and
(23:32):
about how she went about this. And they've
always wanted a female. Like, I
thought that was very, very important.
knowing what we know from Dune prophecy as
well as that scene, with the, the
Jesuit who seduces Fiat,
because he secure. She secures the Harkonnen
(23:53):
bloodline. But it's female,
so it's. So yeah,
yeah, yeah.
>> Will (24:02):
So especially with the whole abomination thing. That was, where it was just
like, oh, yeah. Anyway, you, know the conversation about
Jessica. That, that, that's,
yeah. Like I said, knowing what. Knowing what I know
now. See, if I had watched this before prophecy, I probably
wouldn. Picked up that, that
I may have. But, but it really became even more
clear having the additional
(24:25):
context of, of, of doom prophecy
and watching this show now, watching this movie now.
>> Sarah (24:30):
Yeah, I would have. I, I, I
did watch it before and that all of that
stuff went over my head when I was half
watching it. And, but also I
think really what I was trying to say and trying to get
at is your whole point like
that that woman still
(24:50):
had power over all of the other
Truthsayers. So she's already told the other
Truthsayers what to tell the Houses. And
that's why they say no, that they can't accept it.
Because that goes against as long as,
from what we understand in this
world, it's all about
(25:11):
like the, the leaders are so reliant
on, on the Bene Gesserits that
they're just puppets. And so
really. And like the start
of the Holy War is this continuation
of this battle between Jessica and
the other Reverend Mother, who. I don't know her
(25:32):
name off the top of my head, but,
And, and I'm down for that. and also,
just what the heck
will will this baby be considering the
baby was in utero when, when
she took the. The water of life.
(25:53):
Oh my God. the. So moving
back to boring Will Polk, what did,
what, what did you think about the romance
slash chemistry between Will Polk and Johnny?
>> Will (26:05):
so see that. That was, that was so hard for me. That was
a hard. I mean, I get. They did a
good. I mean, nothing against the performances from,
From Zendaya or, or. Or
Timothy Chalamet. I thought their performances were great.
it just,
it just, it just, it just
(26:25):
didn't work. I mean, it was just boring for me.
>> Sarah (26:28):
Yeah.
>> Will (26:28):
I mean. And you know, and I guess this is
where, I mean, I get
why it was, why they set it up
and I know. I think this is a difference too, if I want to say from
the book and the movie, whenever she,
Whenever, you know, whenever he makes the choice at the end of the
film.
Because I think in the, If I recall in the book, I think she was,
(26:50):
she was aware of his plan to,
you know, after, you know, to take the hand of the,
of the. The emperor's,
daughter. Yeah. whereas in the movie
they, they twist, they. They spit, they change that. So
I, I understand why they, they
did all the, all the pieces of, of
(27:12):
building that relationship. And, and
And also just. And I guess also I think just really,
you know, it was really important, I guess to really
establish Will Polk as
you know, to be able to be
accepted by the Fremen, not only, you
(27:32):
know, you know, for their relationship, but also I think
just overall, they just couldn't rush
through those scenes in order for us to legitimately believe
that. That Will Polk, you know, rose to the level
of leadership for the Freeman. So, so
all of those things felt very necessary. But
some. But sometimes I did feel like, man, could they tighten it up just
(27:53):
a little bit.
>> Sarah (27:54):
Yeah, I think, that
the The writing was more focused on
their relationship, kind of
exemplifying this whole conflict
between Will Polk trying
to, Trying
to become a Freeman, but
(28:15):
also like that whole,
this whole conflict between him and Jessica
of like, you want me to be the
Messiah. I don't want to be the Messiah. And even,
Still guard. Javier Bardem's character is like,
no, you're the Messiah. But, but even,
even Stilgaard had to be like
(28:35):
you. You could Die while you're doing this. And then. Well,
you weren't the Messiah. I don't
really know what you want me to do here. And,
And then he himself, who. Will Polk, who
has seen visions, is also just like,
I don't. Some of these things I don't want to
happen. So I'm trying to also
(28:57):
navigate my choices to prevent
certain outcomes. and not just to
achieve something. And then while
Chani's whispering in his ear, also,
the idea that if you become
the Messiah, it's. It's just another form
of control. like. Like
religious. And our history is filled
(29:20):
with them. Religious wars is, like, all over
the place. It. It is. It's. It's. So one
of the most biggest things that lead to
war, lead to holy wars.
is. Is your religion and your faith. And,
So I think that they sp.
They had to really,
(29:42):
really harp on that point and make
that very clear for the politics of the
movie.
>> Will (29:49):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (29:49):
Therefore, the romantic
aspect of watching two people fall in
love fell to the wayside. There was
no romance. I'm sorry. I've seen it twice now. I
didn't feel it the first time. It just.
I. I get it. But I also.
I was like, I'm not watching two people fall in love.
(30:10):
There. There wasn't a moment where I
was very convinced that Johnny, like, saw
something different. I. And so
I think that. And I understand, like, what
you were saying. Like, I get why.
But it is kind of annoying
because, like,
(30:30):
either then it's just a
matter. Well, then was it really necessary for them fall
in love? But hey, there's going to be a third
movie and they've clearly have a love triangle set up, so
whatever.
>> Will (30:43):
Yeah, like, yeah, I mean, I'm glad you brought the religion, the.
The religious aspects of it and the
messianic, with. With Will Polk, because that. That.
So you're right. I think when, though.
Whenever was. With,
Those scenes were happening. When those things were happening in the first part
of the movie. And just, you know,
the reluctant M. You know, with Will Polk, you know, when
(31:06):
he's learning how to learn Drive the sand warm. I mean, just all
those things. Those. That's when I think this
movie excels. M. And, you
know, and so
that those narratives were, you know,
really, really resonated. And. And you're right. I
mean, they really were good explorations
of. Of, the, you know, the dangers of religious
(31:28):
fanaticism. you know, we see that with the
Fremen, you know, because even within them. Even if within The
Fremen you had, you know, you know, there was like the north action
in the south, you know.
>> Sarah (31:38):
Yeah.
>> Will (31:38):
So, so, you know, so I,
I, I, I really, that, that, that, that part of the
world, exploring that world really was very
fascinating just to sort of see those aspects were out
get, get, get, debated about. and I think that's
where, that's where this, I think this is where, where the second
film definitely succeeds over the first film, by
(31:59):
really exploring that,
>> Sarah (32:01):
Oh yeah, the, the politics
and, and, and, and we have now because
we watch doom prophecy, we, we know the
houses. This wasn't about the houses at
all. This was about, well, arguably it's
a little bit about Harkonnen and the treaties, but
overall the themes and the, and the
(32:22):
real deep thought pieces
that and themes that play out throughout this
movie have to do with the
politics of the, of, of
Dune, Attra. Attrakus
itself and, and
everything that's there. the, the other nice
(32:43):
bit of writing that I did not catch on, the
first time around, was, M. Ma
did. So that's,
that's his chosen name. And
it's based off of what they refer to as the desert
mouse, who you do see in the
movie. And, and it is a
creature that is able to survive,
(33:06):
in, in this pit, and
rule. And, and the piece of writing that
I thought was interesting and I did not catch the first
time was the first time we see,
Batista's character, Beast
Robin. He comes in and,
and he starts referring to the Freeman
(33:26):
as rats. Like the rats are
disrupted and this is like 20
minutes before we, we.
But there's, there's little beats
like that that I think are really nice.
I just to circle back to my favorite character and the
favorite part of this movie. what,
(33:49):
what were your thoughts throughout the
movie with, ah, about,
about the unborn child and. Because
we see there's a lot of cuts
to a baby, a fetus. Right.
And then there are a lot of instances where
Jessica is clear, clearly talking to her and she's
(34:09):
talking back. But it isn't until
way late when, when Will Polk sees her
on a terra lar. Joy in the dream
sequence that we actually start to hear her voice
ourselves. so, so what did you think about
this whole unborn child
kind of being a major character in the movie?
>> Will (34:31):
Yeah, yeah.
>> Sarah (34:33):
it, did it work?
>> Will (34:37):
I think it, you know, I think it
did. I probably need to like, watch it again to like really get
a fuller sense of it.
But it did work. I mean, I think
especially, I especially.
Well, a couple things. I think it works
(34:57):
as far as,
you know, whenever they do get the waters and you know, we see,
you know, we see Jessica, you know, take it early on.
And, and then I guess, I mean, I know later in the
film, I mean, I guess part of these. And the, the
Benny, the, the, the other m. Reverend
Mother was like calling Will Polk an abomination. Was, you know, I
(35:20):
think. Didn't he also, if I recall, didn't he also drink the water?
>> Sarah (35:23):
Yeah, yeah, he had to. Like we,
he, he had to. So what
happens is FAID comes
and then does an attack in the north and then
that pushes them south and
Paul's reluctant to go. And meanwhile
we're seeing Jessica talk to this person
(35:44):
who's. We. We get shown how they even
acquire the Water of Life.
>> Will (35:49):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (35:50):
which is this whole ritual. And, and it's, and
it's very clear throughout the movie as we're
seeing this sermon ceremony from
all of these different perspectives, men do not
survive it.
>> Will (36:03):
Right. Yeah.
>> Sarah (36:04):
and so even Jessica herself, given the
fact that she's pregnant, she doesn't realize. No. If she
has a girl. Well, she might have, but
she didn't realize, I don't think at that time, if
she had a girl or boy. And,
and then she gets forced into
taking the Water of Life and then that allows
her to ascend, to become the new Reverend Mother,
(36:27):
Mother for the Freeman. and so she
sets this all up because her and the
baby realize Will Polk
has to do that. That's the only way she
says it. Like a good 20 minutes
to half hour. I think she even says it
before she goes. And, to,
witness how they secure the water.
(36:50):
Like. Yeah, I,
and, and, and I think to go back to
what you said very early on,
why it was the last step is because of that,
that revenge seeking up and being the
realization that you are both
Atreides and Harkonnen.
>> Will (37:10):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (37:11):
So, Yeah,
yeah, Will Polk, Will Polk took it as well.
>> Will (37:16):
Yeah. Will Polk took it as well. Yeah. And then. Yeah.
I don't know if that, you know, I don't know if that helped him, like, you
know, have a. I mean, definitely.
Obviously now it gives him the ability
to like, you know, clearly, you know, have the
same abilities as a Bene Gesserit, which, you know, able to tap
into the, you know, the ancestral
(37:37):
memories and, and, you know, and you
know, be able to see all the futures. And maybe that's where,
you know, to your point, about the conversation with, you know, with.
With this. With a sister. I mean, maybe that was part.
But I'm trying. But I guess that happened.
>> Sarah (37:52):
That happened during the
Secret. It's just such a brief moment.
Like, Anna Taylor Joy is in the movie for five
seconds. She's literally the least in the movie.
There's a lot of people who are hardly in the mov.
Season the least. But,
But yeah, he.
>> Will (38:12):
So, yeah, so maybe that. That
tapped it. And it's like everything, you know, so I guess he's, you know, he
is seeing the fe. You know, he's.
I guess he's, becoming aware of everything at
that moment. Yeah, that gives him that last little step to be able to,
you know, really.
>> Sarah (38:28):
Sorcerer Supreme.
>> Will (38:30):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (38:30):
Yeah, because he's different. He's different
after it. He and
you. And you can see it. And I did, like,
Zendaya's performance of
her. Her. There was
helplessness there where she just is
like. But. But he. He's doing something
(38:51):
else now. And I, I know people have done
this comparison before, but it's like he took it
and then, he becomes, the Sorcerer
Supreme. Remember? Remember?
And, yeah. Where you can see all of the
different futures. And then it's like, no, this is the one that
we're gonna do. Because, no, like. Like,
there was no convincing. And
(39:14):
so then that leads us to the other
question I had. My last question was really,
so after all that process,
when he goes, goes. He's in the
south. There's all of these tribes, and
then they tell him he has to kill,
Javier Bardem's character. And,
(39:36):
And then he has a speech, and it's a
rally cry.
And even Jessica, like, is whispering,
slow down, you're going too fast. Or everything.
Did. Did you buy that performance,
in that moment?
>> Will (39:52):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I did.
Yeah, I did. I did. I completely bought that performance.
That. That, like, I said that that was when I was like,
okay, I made it through. And. And.
And. And it's,
you know, that I was. I was locked. That. That was part
that. And also, of course, when,
yeah, Austin Butler's character shows up,
(40:15):
because I was looking for, you know, looking for, feed
for. For the longest time. But, yeah, those were. Those were
the moments that. That I did buy it. I did buy it.
it was just like, okay, I felt. I felt that that was an earned moment.
>> Sarah (40:27):
Yeah. Yeah, I. I felt like it
was earned. but I will
again. I don't. I don't know, because I Even
after I watched the first time, I listened to,
Kind of Funny has a great movie review because
Nic, and Kevin have both read the books.
>> Will (40:44):
Okay.
>> Sarah (40:45):
so they're like, so. And like the
books.
Yeah. So like, I even listened to,
their discussion about it. But then
for whatever reason, when I watched it again yesterday,
so minutes, so much more came to light. And then I
even started re. Watching their review of it.
(41:08):
And then. And so it is, it is.
>> Will (41:12):
The.
>> Sarah (41:12):
The lore is so big with this.
>> Will (41:15):
Yeah, yeah.
>> Sarah (41:17):
That I'm sure, I'm sure that there
are, There are thesises out there
that will nitpick and tell you every little
thing. And we probably just did the surface level.
Yeah. It's also. The movie's been out for a while and the
book even longer.
>> Will (41:38):
Y'. All. But. Yeah, but. No, but, Yeah,
I completely agree with you. I mean, yeah, I mean, you know
how you feel like sometimes with Star Trek. That's
how I feel with Dune.
Because I know. I will freely admit I am
not. I, you know, haven't.
This is not a universe that I have, you know, in my
(41:59):
Sci Fi journey.
is. I'm not, you know, I'm not doing it. I'm not.
And you know, it took me a while to get to the first
film. I did watch the 84 David lynch
version. I didn't. I don't think I
watched the Sci Fi Channel version of it. and you know,
obviously with Denny's movies, it's taken me a while to
(42:20):
get, you know, it took me forever to get to the first one and now, you know,
it took me almost a year to watch the second one.
So I'm not a Dune head, but I
will, you know, but I'm glad I did watch it because
this film, and I, I know we ain't even, you know, we hadn't even talked about,
Austin Butler and, and, and, and I mean, I know
we did before recording, but, but I am
(42:41):
glad I did because I feel like I, I would
have missed out on it on an epic
film that, that needs to be
watched.
>> Sarah (42:51):
Are you a little mad that you didn't watch it in
theaters?
>> Will (42:55):
I am, yeah. I am just like I was with the
first one.
>> Sarah (42:59):
Yeah.
>> Will (42:59):
Because the, the scale and the scope and I am,
you know, so when Doom Messiah comes out, I'm.
My ass will be in. Well, my butt will be in the seat.
>> Sarah (43:09):
You heard it here.
>> Will (43:13):
Yeah. Because this is twice now where I'm just like, damn it, I should
have watched this in the Theater. Because this, the size and this is
scale and the scope and the
cinematography and everything. I mean,
you know, I'm glad Denny is doing the James Bond
franchise moving forward because, you know,
whatever you think about his storytelling abilities, the
man can shoot. Shoot a movie. He can direct.
>> Sarah (43:35):
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. He,
he knows scale.
>> Will (43:40):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (43:41):
So well. And I, I, think.
I think with a lot of his, set
pieces, he knows how to create
space. because we talk about this a
lot about, especially with
the, the comic books stuff, and
you have these large set pieces and
there's so much going on and it becomes so chaotic and
(44:03):
then it just, it just gets jumbled and it,
it. You don't know where people are
and you're just like, okay, Uh-huh. But
with a lot of the execution of the
big set pieces here, I don't think
people got lost. I, I
feel like there was a, there was a,
(44:25):
almost a cleanness about
how the, the, action
sequences were framed and set up
and designed, that in such a
dirty place. It just felt very clear
and centered. so I, I agree
that him going over into the
(44:46):
spy action thriller genre,
very different, arguably different set pieces.
You mean you're not building an entire world. That was
the other thing that,
It didn't feel fake.
>> Will (45:04):
No, it, no, that's the thing.
>> Sarah (45:06):
It felt like a lived in place.
>> Will (45:08):
Yeah. Yeah, that, that as I was
watching especially, like, yeah, I was watching some of the scenes, I was
thinking that very thing. It was like, you know, with the help, with
the, with the, the, the aircraft and
spaceship, I mean, you know,
it did, it just felt real and
it didn't feel like I was watching stuff on a blue screen or
(45:29):
greens or in the, or in the volume. I mean,
it just, just tactile. I mean, and
even the TV show, I mean, was also that
same way. But in the film, I mean,
that was another thing that I really just, Again,
my ass will be in the theater when the
third movie comes out, because I have now watched it twice.
(45:50):
I'm sitting here at home and I feel like.
I feel. I feel like I robbed myself of
a cinematic experience.
>> Sarah (45:59):
Yeah.
>> Will (46:00):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (46:02):
All right, well, that brings us to,
Peacemaker, Season 2, Episode
4. Need I say door?
where. And I, I did not realize
this. And I don't know if you've picked up on this. Every
episode so far has, ah, began
with a flashback.
(46:22):
And, and this flashback is
35 years ago. And immediately
you're like, oh, there's Augie and His sons,
they kill an alien. They, they miss m. They
must. They mistook an
alien for a deer or a deer for an alien.
And, they didn't have any questions about where
(46:44):
did it come from or anything. But the alien
leads them to a door, and the door
essentially is, what
we learn in the future is
the portal. so,
so Auggie is not a super genius.
He, he, he's just Auggie. And,
yeah, that. So, so we get, we get,
(47:06):
we get essentially this episode, because
it's called, Need I say Door is about the door,
the portal. And, and now the
dilemmas. because with every episode, just like
I said, every episode begins with Flashlight. And
so far, every episode has begun with, well,
things are about to hit each other, but we're
(47:27):
gonna wait until next week to explain it.
>> Will (47:30):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (47:30):
Okay.
>> Will (47:34):
I will say with the flashback, I had a thought about the, you know,
thought about this especially, that we learned,
that Augie didn't make any
of the helmets and stuff. I, I,
I, you know, how that alien, like, keeps popping up in the,
quantum chamber. I was, I was
like, I wonder if that's the person who makes all these,
(47:55):
makes all the, all the things for, for
Peacemaker. Because the guy, he just keeps showing up.
And even though Chris, like, you know, you know, tells him to
go, you know, calls him rude and all that other stuff, I mean,
there's, there's got to be something to this, there's got to be something
deeper to this gag for James to be, like,
continuing to, like, have it show up. And even the, even the
(48:16):
creature, even the alien shows up in the beginning, in the opening
credits too. So, yeah, I might
be.
>> Sarah (48:21):
No, I'm right there with you. I'm right there with you about the
alien. I mean, for all we know
that the alien that they accidentally killed
is the brother of the alien that we
see go in and out of the portal all the time.
I don't think it's making the helmets, per se,
but I do think that it there, because
(48:42):
if you're in the opening dance sequence, you
are essential character in this show. So
there's, there's definitely. I thought,
I, I will be honest with you. I thought at the
beginning when we first see him, oh, that's
going to be the alien version of Peacemaker.
>> Will (49:03):
I mean, it's possible. It is 99 doors.
>> Sarah (49:05):
Totally possible. And I think it's just like
Peacemaker this and that, but
maybe that's a bit on the nose. I don't know.
but, but yeah, I I'm glad you brought that
up because the, the
alien definitely needs to get talked about
more and they, they are
(49:26):
saving that for, for some kind of,
tie into the hijinks
that have been brewing.
>> Will (49:35):
Yeah, yeah. But you're all right. I mean,
every, every week we, we get like this build up because we
thought we were going to get this big set. You know,
the way things ended with episode three
and we get to this and you know, we,
what we do get is just sort of a, a
repeat of a sequence that we got, in, in,
(49:56):
in the first season. But instead of being the 11th street
kids, it's like with, with the Argus gang,
bickering over, over a wink.
>> Sarah (50:06):
Oh yeah, the, the wink, which, which
I like the payoff later,
after, Economist has had enough of
being called. What is it? Cold Ginger.
Ginger.
>> Will (50:17):
Cold Ginger cool.
>> Sarah (50:19):
Ginger cool. he spits
onto, onto what,
what is his name?
>> Will (50:26):
Flurry.
>> Sarah (50:27):
Flurry. Flurry, yeah. Yeah, he spits on to
Flurry, and, and not I.
And it's also like the, the
decode him trying to delay,
hacking into the door while,
while Chris, is with
Abadayo who, who managed to pick
him up and, and they are trying
(50:50):
to move the door to his grandfather's cabin.
so because the door can be moved apparently.
That's very convenient. I,
I, I do think that, finally,
finally, ah, Harcourt is not my least
favorite part of an episode. She had
arguably the best scene in this movie, in this
(51:12):
episode, the scene between her and Rick Flag.
>> Will (51:16):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (51:16):
Because I brought this up last week. I was like, we need
to know if she knew. She's known.
She's known the whole time.
>> Will (51:24):
Yep. I thought about you as soon as that scene went down. I was like, oh,
you got your answer, sir.
>> Sarah (51:29):
Yeah. But I also, I have to give it
up, to Rick,
ah, Frank
Grillo. he, he does a really
good job in that whole scene.
just because
honestly, I thought it was gonna go one way,
(51:50):
but there was, it was so subdued
and, and I, I, I
liked that because it felt more
calculated, it felt, felt more
arguably menacing than if he
had come in, and been
more over the top. but,
(52:10):
but I, I also appreciate
how the scene was written because
there's, they clearly knew each other
have their, their, their relationship
throughout the death of, Rick Flag
Jr. Pre,
(52:30):
pre, Death. Now post death,
post Amanda Waller. Like all
of that is so interesting. And then
also the how their relationship,
even though they both,
because of their line of work.
There's so much familiarity and
(52:52):
similarities between these two characters, yet
how they perceive
that death and that kill,
is utterly different.
and, and it's not just because, well, that was the
father. She like she loved him too.
in her own, like that was a
(53:13):
relationship and, and there was,
but she's also the type who
and, and how she has been okay with it
is like she, she blames Waller,
she doesn't blame Chris.
but I also will, I, it just makes me
wonder
(53:35):
because she's got to know Chris over the
last season and a half. Right.
And they've had plenty of off screen
opportunities to have a conversation like
why I think she, I
think if he would know her
perspective on that, that would
relieve some guilt for him.
>> Will (53:57):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (53:59):
So, I just don't know why that hasn't happened.
>> Will (54:02):
Maybe that's what they're building towards.
>> Sarah (54:05):
Maybe. But then it makes me question
and, and, and I, I,
I appreciate we got an answer to that question,
but I think I said it last week too that
even if we get an answer, there's something still
off about this. Just because of how the first season
plays out. Like,
(54:27):
because I felt like that was a big, it wasn't
a big point, but it was something that was brought up
time and time again and
now we're, I don't know. But I also
understand why it's so important such
a key point this season because
it's like Waller's no longer in charge. It's Rick
Flag's junior and, or senior in charge.
(54:49):
So, but
yeah, I, I mean I,
I don't, I don't think I'll ever be satisfied with
that. And yes, they could build to that kind of
resolution, but then I will always, always think
what, why did it, why is this happening now and
not earlier?
>> Will (55:07):
Yeah, yeah. Well, we're halfway through to, we're halfway through the
season and, and you
know, and so if
we, to your point, you know,
Chris, you know, of course
hardcore wants to get, get back
on the right side of the other book and
(55:28):
be able to work again. and you know, and,
and I, you know, she does call Chris,
I mean she does, you know, Chris calls her and
tells her, you know, where to meet and stuff and she does share it with
Rick. And, and so
do you think, do you think Chris like
(55:49):
bells on, on the meeting or something?
You.
>> Sarah (55:56):
I, I, I know where you're going with this.
>> Will (55:58):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (55:59):
I can, I can see Chris
bailing, and not going to,
and going to. Well,
that wouldn't make sense because he's. He's
leaving where the door is.
>> Will (56:12):
Exactly.
>> Sarah (56:12):
Because he's not driving to go see
the other hardcourt. He is
going there. but
I don't know, with
how she's playing it, I
can't say for a hundred percent that
she,
(56:33):
that she's not going to do something
that like,
allows her to play both sides.
>> Will (56:43):
Yeah. Yeah.
>> Sarah (56:45):
So. So, I guess
it's. It's also. Well, again, we're
halfway through the season, so we got another
four episodes, so we know
that something happens where this
doesn't go necessarily all
according to Rick Flag Senior's plan.
>> Will (57:05):
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah. because I'm like. I mean,
does she, like, tip Chris off or. I don't know.
I'm just like I said, I mean, how. How does she, how does she threaten? Because
we're. We're waiting,
you know, we're waiting to see
how they thread, you know, where. Where
(57:26):
the other street drops in, in both, in
both universes. And maybe, you know, because.
Because we know at some point we're gonna have to go back to
Earth 2 and. And
resolve those kind of things. So, you know, does
Chris turn around and like, you
know, go, like you said, go back to the, to the, to the
(57:46):
shed, to the cabin and, and, and. And go
see Hardcore two and Earth two? Or
maybe he. He does see, maybe
some, Because I, you know, because how I thought things were going on
sort of, you know, like. Like this week, for example, they set
things up like Chris has heading, you know, back.
You know, he came. He came back to the house and
(58:08):
they were doing, you know, it seemed like they were setting up this
whole thing where Argus was going to be able to,
you know, to get the door, but then they have, they have the
convenience of, you know,
that moving the door. Yeah, be. Be
able to move the door. So now I'm. Now, Now I'm to
the place where I'm like, okay, instead of.
(58:29):
I guess I'm trying to, Instead of just letting
things just roll and just watch it as it comes. I'm already.
I'm thinking like, ahead, like, okay, now how is.
Where is James going to go in this story to
like, prolong.
Prolong this
moment? You know, because when I
(58:49):
thought we were going to get, you know, last week, we. I thought,
you know, we're gonna. We're gonna have Argus like, Babe, you know,
get. Get to any. The trap door is. Be able to move the
door. So now, you know, it looks like Harcourt is going
to turn Chris Chris and over to Rick
Flag Senior. But something's going to happen in the
drive there that Chris is either not
(59:10):
going to make it to there or, or
hardcore. It's going to, like, have second thoughts
and. And, you know, actually tells Rick,
you know, actually he's going somewhere else. Then you can force. You got,
you know, you got captain Captain. You have captain cultural
appropriation. you know, fair, you know, has
sorted out where Eagly is. So. Well, you know, so is that
going to be the thing that, you know, that detours Chris from
(59:34):
actually meeting up a hardcore? Because there's. That. There's that aspect of the story
too, so. Or even Judah.
Yeah. So I'm just. I'm just trying to figure out, like, where. Where are they going to go with
this as far as, like. Because I know they're not going to, like, have.
They're not going to have Chris and. And Rick, like, Face
off in episode five.
>> Sarah (59:51):
They could.
>> Will (59:53):
They could. They could.
>> Sarah (59:56):
Now, for all of our
listeners also, I love how Will is spinning his
wheels about this, knowing that we're headed into Gen
V week. So next week we aren't talking
Peacemaker, and we are both not
allowed to watch the next episode of Peacemaker
until after next.
>> Will (01:00:15):
Exactly. So just like, dang, I got it.
>> Sarah (01:00:19):
And meanwhile.
>> Will (01:00:21):
Meanwhile, piece rules. Yeah, Piece
rules. Kick in.
>> Sarah (01:00:25):
the one Piece rules that have kicked in. And. And
I'm just. Meanwhile, I'm just like, sitting back. Like,
I don't. I'm not thinking too far ahead on
this show because we. We're taking off a week
and this show, I. And I
don't. I. I hate to ve a broken record about it,
but this season,
(01:00:47):
there's. It's not that I'm not
enjoying it, and for its
strings, I just don't like
the continuation. Continual,
cliffhangers. Like. Like,
I. I feel like every episode has begun with the
flashback, and every episode has led to
(01:01:08):
a cliffhanger that you think
is going. There's going to be some big
resolution in the next episode, and
it's. There's not.
And. And that just. It just bothers
me because, Because that
just makes me want to binge. I. I do.
(01:01:29):
I. I'm. I'm gonna be very curious in two
weeks when we're able to watch both episodes
five and six back to back if I'm going to have a
very different experience. And my
money is I'm going to appreciate those episodes a
lot better because I don't have to
wait a week.
>> Will (01:01:47):
In between well, see, I,
Yeah, I should have told you at
the, at the outset. Like, you can't, you can't use the binge.
You can't use the binge excuse this week. but,
but for me, I'll tell you where I'm enjoying
these episodes. But you know how I started off our
discussion about the, the bit with the,
(01:02:07):
with the van, different, different folks,
but basically just
switch out our kids with, with the ARGUS
crew. I'm starting to see the,
the repetitive pattern of. To your
point, and I think so. I'm enjoying the episode. I'm
enjoying the show. But, but,
(01:02:28):
it's not hitting me like season one did.
>> Sarah (01:02:30):
Yeah, exactly.
>> Will (01:02:32):
Yeah. and it's not saying it's bad because it's not,
it's not bad at all. It's just, it's just I'm seeing the patterns in
James Gunn's writing right now. So, so,
yeah, hopefully, you know, so hopefully, like, to your point,
episodes, you know, maybe episode five will finally,
like, we get. We, we don't spin our wheels so,
so much because I do feel like
(01:02:53):
sometimes, I mean, there were some nice things that we, you know, that
we, we do get in this episode. I mean, we learn more about,
about Economist's background as far as, like, you know,
how he got recruited into Argus, as far as, like, you know,
hacking into the CIA. So those are nice little character beats
that we're learning. I feel like, I feel like
Adrian, this season has been criminally, I mean,
(01:03:14):
underutilized. the moments I
did like the most really, with this episode with,
was Adebayo. And, you
know, the moments that I still like with
her and Chris when they have their, like this
week, whenever she was, you know, she
had placed the ad in a magazine and, and,
(01:03:35):
and Chris, like. Well, actually, ads, you know,
this is just. There's only like 12 people who subscribe to this thing,
but it just, Whenever they have their moments together,
it just, they, I mean, John
Scene N and Daniel Brooks's place
act so well off each other. I just love the
gin. There's this, I feel like a genuineness and,
(01:03:55):
and moments between those two,
between the two of them that.
Yeah. You know, so I, I look forward to their
scenes together because I just feel like some of the. Sometimes the other
one is just sort of like, don't hit
me as much as they should. They should.
>> Sarah (01:04:13):
Yeah, I, I agree. That was. The other
standout moment was when Chris and
Abadayo got, had a
hard heart because I, I,
I like It. Because she's. That.
I don't want to say Devil, but I also don't want
to say angel on his shoulder of trying to be like.
She definitely was playing Devil's advocate when he
(01:04:36):
was explaining to her what he's experienced.
And I. All I could think was, though, I was
like, I wanted this
conversation in, like, episode two,
like. And I. Also with her.
I. I mean, I. I think. And I've said this before
about all of the supporting cast. I think in
(01:04:58):
a weird way, they're all being underused.
It's a very strange thing where, yes, we're
getting little things, but I. I just.
I. I still feel like we're standing in.
In place with a lot of the stuff. It
feels like things are happening to these
characters. The characters aren't
(01:05:19):
making things happen.
>> Will (01:05:20):
Yes.
>> Sarah (01:05:20):
Maybe that's the way.
>> Will (01:05:23):
That's a good way. Yeah, I think that you. I
think that's. That's a good way to put it.
>> Sarah (01:05:28):
Yeah.
>> Will (01:05:29):
Yeah, yeah.
>> Sarah (01:05:30):
So. So which. And that just
leads to momentum and pacing issues.
But, But like you said, it's not that it's
bad. It's just that
this is what happens when you do seasons too.
You're gonna get. Compared to the first season. I'm,
Sorry. And it's also.
(01:05:51):
You're. You're. You're also more accustomed to.
I mean, considering he released a movie that he
also wrote earlier this year. Like, we're very
accustomed to James Gunn's writing. So.
Yeah, you start to get experience.
You. You become a little desensitized to
things. so you start to see the
(01:06:13):
cracks. But.
>> Will (01:06:14):
Yeah, Yeah, the
cracks, the patterns, the. Yeah. And. Ah. Yeah, because
I think to your point, like you said, we have the pattern now as
far as how these. The tempo of these episodes. And. And so
he needs to mix it up. and I know he comes back and direct.
Yeah. It's not even the direction. It's clearly the writing, because I think the
direction of these episodes has been. Has been great.
(01:06:36):
it's just, you know, I mean, but,
you know, but James stepped away and some other people have been directing,
but I think he does come back and directs episodes. I want to say
seven, eight.
>> Sarah (01:06:45):
So that's good. That's good.
And. But. But you're right, it hasn't really been.
I haven't criticized the. The directing
of any of these episodes. I've just been
annoyed with character choices and plot,
you know, the little things.
The little things.
>> Will (01:07:04):
The little things. Yeah.
>> Sarah (01:07:06):
Very minor. Very minor.
All right. Well, on that note, Will, why don't you tell our
listeners where they can find you?
>> Will (01:07:14):
Yes, you can find me on all the socials at. Ah, Will and
Polk. W I L L M M P O L K.
And you can.
>> Sarah (01:07:21):
Find me there too at SJ Belmont. S J B E
L M O N T. Please follow our crew on Twitter at
Scene N Nerd. on bluesky. Friend us on Facebook, follow us
on Instagram and threads at Scene, Underscore
N, underscore Nerd and Visit our website,
www.scenanerdpodcast.com. but most
importantly, rate five follow and comment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
YouTube, or wherever you get podcasts. Good night. Geek out. You're welcome.
Music
>> Sarah (00:11):
This is Scene N Nerd. I'm your host, Sarah Belmont, and with me, as
always, is our Mr. Producer, Will Polk How are you doing
tonight, Will?
>> Will (00:18):
Doing very well, Sarah. Hope you're having a good Monday. Looking
forward to catching up with on the, Emmy news and,
Dune and Peacemaker with you tonight.
>> Sarah (00:27):
Yeah. Even though we both were
on top of the news, it doesn't really feel like a
catch up. It's just like, well, this is what happened.
>> Will (00:36):
Yeah,
for sure. Yeah.
>> Sarah (00:41):
As predicted by me, adolescence
took home so many awards as
it should.
>> Will (00:48):
Oh, yeah. It's by far the best show this
year. I mean, really, because
just to recap for folks, as far as the reset Mind
folks, the Emmy cycle, it was June 1st
of 2024 to May 31st of
2025. Just so, just a level set
the, the calendar for, for folks who may be
(01:09):
like, wait a minute, didn't. Why wasn't such and such
show, you know, recognized? So just
wanted to do that.
>> Sarah (01:17):
Right, right.
>> Will (01:18):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (01:19):
And it was the Bear season three, not
season four that was up.
and they didn't get anything. Right.
>> Will (01:27):
I don't think so.
>> Sarah (01:29):
Yeah, yeah. I think the studio. The studio
shut up. Shut out everyone. And then the studio
even beat the Bears record with 11
wins.
>> Will (01:39):
Yeah, actually. Yeah. So 13. 13 total.
>> Sarah (01:42):
13 total. Okay.
>> Will (01:43):
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because if. Yeah. Cause so, so the creative
art, Creative arts Emmys were I
think last weekend and then the above the line
awards for last night. So. Yeah, so the studio
did have 13. Seth Rogen won like four
categories for, actor, director,
executive producer and writer.
(02:04):
And then, Penguin actually won nine
awards overall even though it was
shut out. Even though in acting categories,
in a Christine M. Melody 1,
for her performance.
>> Sarah (02:18):
Supporting actress. Yep.
>> Will (02:19):
Supporting actress. and you know, speaking of adolescence,
Adolescence ended up winning eight awards. And
Stephen Graham, who played the father, in the
episode one, for actor, he also won for
executive producer and also for writer.
>> Sarah (02:33):
Yep, yep. And we were able to see
how really, really short he is.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then the other big
headline with, adolescence
is Owen Cooper became the youngest,
(02:54):
person to ever win in that
category. and oh, FYI,
he's the youngest. And also this is his first
and only ever on screen role he's ever
had.
>> Will (03:06):
Yeah, yeah.
>> Sarah (03:07):
Okay.
>> Will (03:09):
Yeah, yeah. So well
deserved. And his co star also was, Aaron Daugherty.
>> Sarah (03:15):
Ah, yeah, Doherty.
>> Will (03:17):
Yeah, she, she won supporting
actress, as well.
and, and I mean, that episode still
brings chills to my spine. just everything
about it was just. Just amazing.
>> Sarah (03:32):
Yeah, I. I've. I've seen it like three or four times.
That episode in particular.
I'm kind of the only thing. And I'm
just gonna say this because, it's what
I think, honestly is, I
don't know if I agree that Stephen Graham
should have gone in it for acting because
(03:53):
Colin. Colin Farrell,
like the Penguin was just another
thing. And there are some scenes from the
Penguin that still stick in my mind. And
specifically with what he did.
I get it. I understand why. And I'm
not like, oh, that was. That was a lot of.
(04:14):
So I can't. I can't call it
real, like. Like BS
or anything, but, I'm just.
I'm still. I still don't know if I 100
agree with that.
but he did overall
throughout, like he was in two
(04:35):
of the four episodes.
so. But I. I'm just.
I'm. I'm glad that
not. Not necessarily for just
acting, but mainly for
the. All the awards it won in regards
to the. The behind the scenes
(04:55):
because the execution of that
was just. Just brought it to a whole nother
level. And. And along with the
writing, which was, I think
triumphantly well deserved.
the directing and just the crew itself,
everything they had to do to. With
(05:16):
that oner structure. And I found it
ironic because that episode from the
studio also took home for best
directing.
It's kind of a cheat code. It really
is. It really is.
>> Will (05:32):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (05:33):
So.
>> Will (05:34):
Yeah. Speaking of. Yeah. Yeah. But you're right about the
writing of that episode and
I'm there with. So really.
Yeah, I'm there with you. I think
Stephen Graham and Colin both. I mean, if they could like,
split. Split the.
>> Sarah (05:50):
Yeah.
>> Will (05:51):
Win. Because both of them in their own. You know,
clearly Graham with, Especially the fourth episode of
Adolescence. I mean. Well, even the beginning too. I mean, just
throughout. You know, there was just so.
Every time he was on the screen as to what the. What
that father was having. Portraying what that father was dealing
with.
>> Sarah (06:10):
Yeah. See, the fourth episode is my least
favorite. And the first episode, though, there
are some scenes that do.
If I really think about it, he had to do a lot
of reaction, acting in
terms of what was happening with his son and the
helplessness in that situation and the
(06:30):
confusion. Like, it.
It really. If. If I think about
his performance in that. That episode in particular.
I understand. And. And then
that, That category was just stacked to begin with.
I think back when the nominations first came
out, we were like, well,
there's gonna Be. I don't know how you
(06:52):
choose. Yeah.
You had Pedro Pascal in there, right? Or was
he in supporting, after.
>> Will (07:01):
I think he was. I have to go back and look. I forgot I didn't get a
chance to look before we record it. But. But if I recall.
>> Sarah (07:06):
No, no, they, they were in it. We're
talking about acting for
Limited, anthology.
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Noah
Wiley beat out. Beat out, Mr.
Pedro Pascal for, For ah.
For the trophy along with Sterling K. Brown. So,
(07:27):
Yeah. The love for the Pit, again, I
am not surprised from a
technical standpoint about
why that, that
that show has gained so much
acclaimed. I still think
though, and it is
so focused on getting the reality of the
(07:50):
error,
really bringing that to life, that
the character moments are so few
and far between that. It
was. It didn't hit
me, in a lot of emotional, places.
But I, I think
(08:10):
Noah just took it home for the Pit and
er.
>> Will (08:14):
Yeah, true.
Yeah. I still have to watch the Pit. It's going to
be, And I'm gonna definitely get it in before season
two. But Yeah, I saw that and
you know, it definitely seemed to be. That was going to be the, The.
The favorite this year. I know Severance
still. I mean, I know I haven't watched Severance season two.
(08:35):
I did finally get around to watching most of season one
whenever, Whenever we had the studio, When we were reviewing
it earlier.
>> Sarah (08:42):
You didn't tell me that.
>> Will (08:44):
Yeah, I mean it was one of the. I didn't want. It was like.
It. I mean I was. It was just one of those things
I just. I caught up on. Caught up most. I didn't
finish it because I had the free trial
and, And I just. So I got in what I could.
But But I do want to, you know, if I do turn it back on
for, you know, for other shows, there are some things on
(09:05):
Apple TV now that I'm kind of like. I do want to like. I think I
might turn it back on.
>> Sarah (09:09):
Yeah.
>> Will (09:10):
Catch up on some stuff.
>> Sarah (09:11):
But I'm turning mine back on soon because Morning
show is coming back.
>> Will (09:15):
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The only other
other, thing that I wanted to just highlight from the From
the Emmys also was just. And or Dan Gilroy,
winning, for. For writing, for the episode welcome to
the Rebellion, which Which I thought. And it also
won overall, five Emmys, both
not only for writing, but also it also won in
(09:36):
the Creative Arts, section as well.
So, you know, so that. That was another show,
that, And you know, and I guess, you know, even though
I know a lot of, you know, just not to get political or whatever.
Oh, it. I'm gonna get political. It was, you
know, there's a lot of, you know, a lot of folks. That show
was res for the times right now.
(09:56):
but it's very interesting. But. But at the same time,
I mean, the stories that were being told in andor,
were, you know, are timeless. I mean, so, yeah, I mean,
I know present day people are really rocking with it
because like it, you know, in many cases people feel
like, oh, it resonates. But you know, they wrote that show like
three years ago. and and it really. You.
(10:17):
And, and you know, Tony Garoi had talked about how
it was very, you know, you know, they're very
moments in history that they, they used to like pattern
how they were going to write the script. So, so
I'm, I'm glad the show got his props because, it
definitely, as far as in the drama categories, definitely,
was probably one of the best written shows of the year
(10:38):
for sure. And that episode in particular,
welcome, to the Rebellion. I think, I think that speech that
my moth gave, this I think was the thing that kind of put it over
the top. So.
>> Sarah (10:49):
Nice. Nice.
>> Will (10:50):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (10:51):
well, that is it for our brief
discussion about the Emmys 2025. And
now we are. Well, this
isn't a catch up movie for me because
we're changing rules this week. I technically
have seen it, but I will tell you this.
When I, Yesterday when I
(11:14):
put it on, I, I had, I had it in my
mind because I'd already seen it.
I was going to have it on the background and then I was
going to be doing other things and everything. But
quickly I forgot how much dialogue is spoken
in a different language. So subtitles.
>> Will (11:32):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (11:32):
I also for some reason
got sucked in. I.
I don't know what it is. I do not know.
And I, And I will tell you.
And knowing now how you
ended up watching it in three parts,
the. The first hour and a half
(11:53):
is. Is really just its
own little mini movie
and does all the exposition and.
And I just. I had forgotten how much time we
just spend with Will Polk learning
things from, Chani and
Oh, I'm forgetting Javier Bardem's
(12:14):
character name, but with the Freeman and just
learning from them and while
simultaneously Jessica and the Benedict
and becoming Reverend Mother and all of that.
And, And I I think. I don't
know. It, it just. I, I've said
this before on the podcast. Often I
(12:35):
have to watch the. When I,
I, There's a time and a place for
me to watch something and sometimes
if I rush and I push it, things
go over my head or I'm not into it and it just,
it can be the most perfect thing in the world. And
I'm just like, yeah, I watched it, and
(12:55):
yesterday watching Dune Part 2. Now
it wasn't. I. There are some boring
parts and it is long, way too long
and it's a lot of sand. But
I, I did.
Majority of the time I was clicked in. And I think some
of that also had to do with like, my knowledge
(13:16):
about Doom Prophecy. And, and
when we were watching Doom Prophecy, some, some
of the moments from Dune 2 because I had watched
Dude 2 like a few months prior, I
was like, oh, that's a ref m.
I. That that's gonna hit differently.
and so all of the stuff with the. The Water
(13:36):
of Life, definitely does as well as
everything going on with Jessica. But
I, I just, I,
I, I did. I did find
way more appreciation watching it a second
time than I ever did the first time. but
now to let's hear your overall
(13:57):
thoughts because this is your first time
watching it.
>> Will (14:01):
My first time watching it. Yeah. So like, as a,
as, as, as we, set this up. yeah, this is
my first time watching it. Like, like last week,
center. This was the first time for you. This is my first time watching
June2. And I completely agree with you,
watching Dune Prophecy,
definitely helped this movie hit
(14:21):
a lot harder, with those
key, especially with some of those key moments, that,
that you just described in particular. and
I, I, so I, I will say it.
It took me a while to
get into it. Yeah, that first, that
first 45 minutes. Because as I told you, I did break it
(14:42):
up. and, and I, and I
honestly, I mean from the scale,
this, the exposition, everything
there stuff was happening. Yeah, but
it, but, but like you said, sometimes
you just need to catch things when you're
just mentally there and ready to like, watch it.
>> Sarah (15:03):
Yeah.
>> Will (15:04):
And, and, and so I will say
maybe when I, when I, it
took me a moment to get into it, but that last.
The last hour and a half or
so, I was like, locked in.
>> Sarah (15:18):
Yeah.
>> Will (15:18):
as far as just a story, you are right about the
subtitles. I think that does require you to like,
you know, focus and pay attention. And for a two hour and 45
minute movie, where there's like subtitles like
interspersed without Within. Without throughout
it. It definitely You know, this is the type of
movie you do. You do have to pay attention to.
>> Sarah (15:39):
Yeah.
>> Will (15:40):
yeah. But I will say I did enjoy it.
Like you were right. I. I enjoyed
it so much more than I did the first one.
>> Sarah (15:48):
Oh, it's so much more. And I think. And
I'm just going to call Spade a spade. The first hour and a
half is boring because Paul's boring.
Sorry, Will Polk at the beginning
of the movie. Very boring.
By the end of the movie he does
become something. Something else.
(16:09):
But man, for the first hour and a half
you're just like what's going on with Jessica? Can
we just get back there?
>> Will (16:17):
Yeah, that was that whenever she. Whenever.
Yeah. Whenever she was having that and like whenever.
You know. And I. Yeah. And it was whenever she.
When they gave her the
>> Sarah (16:27):
The water. The water of life.
>> Will (16:29):
Yeah. And the baby was impacted. Those.
So that was to me where the payoff of watching Doom
prophecy came. like
where that series made. You know, it just
it justified it definitely just
What I'm trying to say here is existence is
(16:50):
justified by adding
greater depth to
Doom Part two. So if you haven't, you know, if you
haven't watched New Prophecy, I know it
was a much more smaller scale because it really got it to the
background of the Vinny Jesser
and. And their. Their
formulations and you know,
(17:12):
it's also tv.
>> Sarah (17:14):
It's also TV and Denny's real new
is not directing those episodes.
>> Will (17:19):
Yeah, but it really. But you know, but it definitely
sets. But you know, but I think it definitely helps. You
know, not only contextualizes the whole things of the
Reverend Mother and. And the Benecesset, but also
it definitely helps like. Helps you get
a greater appreciation of the
Harkov and the Tradies,
(17:42):
their conflict. But also
somewhat. But I think where. Where it hit. Both hit
most for me was when Will Polk
you know, whenever he calls to bear and you know, grandfather and
I was just like oh yeah, now it's like, you know, with
the whole prophecy and, and you know how.
>> Sarah (17:59):
Well that doesn't have to do with. With
dude prophecy.
>> Will (18:04):
No, no, but I think it was just. I think this. The lore
as far as like.
>> Sarah (18:08):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I. I guess
before we. So from what I understand,
book readers,
the. The. The. The doom prophecy is
also not based on the original
books. They. They are based on
(18:29):
books that were written by the author's son.
>> Will (18:32):
Son.
>> Sarah (18:33):
And there's skepticism
about what is lore because there
are some changes made in those books,
that, that don't add up for people who
really understand the whole lore of Dune.
So, but,
(18:53):
I think you're right that yes,
it does contextualize a lot.
and, and I think the hardest thing for me to
understand, well, two things,
during the first movie was the politics
as well as what the heck are these
(19:14):
women doing? Like the Bene
Gesseritz is. It just felt
like there were moments from the first one, if I
recall. It's been a while since I've seen it where
I was like, well, that's different. What's going
on there? But it was so focused on,
the Atreides that
(19:34):
it kind of was doing so much,
that you didn't really get anywhere. And so then
you have the Dune prophecy series that
beefs things up and then Dune two.
You kind of like, okay, House,
Atreides, no more perfect
setup for a revenge plot.
(19:55):
But simultaneously
you've also are in
this, this 2 hour and 40 plus
minute movie explaining
the politics. Like, yeah, revenge.
Revenge is simplified simplification.
But you have a lot of other
politics happening, between
(20:17):
not only the Harkonnens and Atreides,
but the, the bigger political move was
the fact that the Emperor played by Christopher
Walken. I didn't spoil that for you, did
I?
He, he's the one who really
allowed and even helped,
(20:40):
the Harkonnens wipe, out
the Atreides, which, which is a war crime.
And, which brings me to, one of the
questions that I have for you coming, coming out
of the movie, is
at the end, after,
after everything Will Polk has
(21:01):
put into motion, or fate,
depending on how you want to view it,
has occurred. They, they hear
from the Houses that they do not accept
him ascending to the throne.
>> Will (21:15):
Right.
>> Sarah (21:17):
Did you see that coming? And also
like, what was your reaction to that moment?
>> Will (21:23):
I.
I did not see that coming.
I'd be lying if I did say that.
but what I, but given
what I know and given what we know these
stories, it makes
sense that
(21:45):
the other houses in the Gal in the galaxy
did not accept it.
>> Sarah (21:50):
Yeah. And why did it
make sense?
>> Will (21:55):
well, to your point that you were talking about how the Bene Gesserit
were like, you know, really,
you know, were, you know,
part of their.
>> Sarah (22:06):
Oh, oh, I see what you're saying.
>> Will (22:09):
M. Yeah. Efforts to like, you know,
keep, you know, keep these houses in
order as far as trying to prevent this holy war.
Well, you know, well, at least
10,000 years ago.
>> Sarah (22:25):
Yeah, Yeah. I, I was just like, you're
making the Bene Gesserits come out.
like they're the heroes when, when they,
and that's why I find them so interesting because
they're not, they're not the villain, but they're not definitely
not the hero of the story either. Because,
I mean. But I think what you're getting at is,
(22:48):
is arguably why people
should be shocked by it. But it does make sense
in this world because of the,
the, the reaction that I don't know her
name, but the, the Bene
Gesseritz who, was training the
princess. Like when she,
(23:09):
when she sees, Jessica come in
and, pregnant and everything, fully decked out as
Reverend Mother, like, she says,
abomination. And she's
talking about the baby that's inside
Jessica and she's talking about Will Polk
because she's never, she's never
agreed with Jessica and
(23:32):
about how she went about this. And they've
always wanted a female. Like, I
thought that was very, very important.
knowing what we know from Dune prophecy as
well as that scene, with the, the
Jesuit who seduces Fiat,
because he secure. She secures the Harkonnen
(23:53):
bloodline. But it's female,
so it's. So yeah,
yeah, yeah.
>> Will (24:02):
So especially with the whole abomination thing. That was, where it was just
like, oh, yeah. Anyway, you, know the conversation about
Jessica. That, that, that's,
yeah. Like I said, knowing what. Knowing what I know
now. See, if I had watched this before prophecy, I probably
wouldn. Picked up that, that
I may have. But, but it really became even more
clear having the additional
(24:25):
context of, of, of doom prophecy
and watching this show now, watching this movie now.
>> Sarah (24:30):
Yeah, I would have. I, I, I
did watch it before and that all of that
stuff went over my head when I was half
watching it. And, but also I
think really what I was trying to say and trying to get
at is your whole point like
that that woman still
(24:50):
had power over all of the other
Truthsayers. So she's already told the other
Truthsayers what to tell the Houses. And
that's why they say no, that they can't accept it.
Because that goes against as long as,
from what we understand in this
world, it's all about
(25:11):
like the, the leaders are so reliant
on, on the Bene Gesserits that
they're just puppets. And so
really. And like the start
of the Holy War is this continuation
of this battle between Jessica and
the other Reverend Mother, who. I don't know her
(25:32):
name off the top of my head, but,
And, and I'm down for that. and also,
just what the heck
will will this baby be considering the
baby was in utero when, when
she took the. The water of life.
(25:53):
Oh my God. the. So moving
back to boring Will Polk, what did,
what, what did you think about the romance
slash chemistry between Will Polk and Johnny?
>> Will (26:05):
so see that. That was, that was so hard for me. That was
a hard. I mean, I get. They did a
good. I mean, nothing against the performances from,
From Zendaya or, or. Or
Timothy Chalamet. I thought their performances were great.
it just,
it just, it just, it just
(26:25):
didn't work. I mean, it was just boring for me.
>> Sarah (26:28):
Yeah.
>> Will (26:28):
I mean. And you know, and I guess this is
where, I mean, I get
why it was, why they set it up
and I know. I think this is a difference too, if I want to say from
the book and the movie, whenever she,
Whenever, you know, whenever he makes the choice at the end of the
film.
Because I think in the, If I recall in the book, I think she was,
(26:50):
she was aware of his plan to,
you know, after, you know, to take the hand of the,
of the. The emperor's,
daughter. Yeah. whereas in the movie
they, they twist, they. They spit, they change that. So
I, I understand why they, they
did all the, all the pieces of, of
(27:12):
building that relationship. And, and
And also just. And I guess also I think just really,
you know, it was really important, I guess to really
establish Will Polk as
you know, to be able to be
accepted by the Fremen, not only, you
(27:32):
know, you know, for their relationship, but also I think
just overall, they just couldn't rush
through those scenes in order for us to legitimately believe
that. That Will Polk, you know, rose to the level
of leadership for the Freeman. So, so
all of those things felt very necessary. But
some. But sometimes I did feel like, man, could they tighten it up just
(27:53):
a little bit.
>> Sarah (27:54):
Yeah, I think, that
the The writing was more focused on
their relationship, kind of
exemplifying this whole conflict
between Will Polk trying
to, Trying
to become a Freeman, but
(28:15):
also like that whole,
this whole conflict between him and Jessica
of like, you want me to be the
Messiah. I don't want to be the Messiah. And even,
Still guard. Javier Bardem's character is like,
no, you're the Messiah. But, but even,
even Stilgaard had to be like
(28:35):
you. You could Die while you're doing this. And then. Well,
you weren't the Messiah. I don't
really know what you want me to do here. And,
And then he himself, who. Will Polk, who
has seen visions, is also just like,
I don't. Some of these things I don't want to
happen. So I'm trying to also
(28:57):
navigate my choices to prevent
certain outcomes. and not just to
achieve something. And then while
Chani's whispering in his ear, also,
the idea that if you become
the Messiah, it's. It's just another form
of control. like. Like
religious. And our history is filled
(29:20):
with them. Religious wars is, like, all over
the place. It. It is. It's. It's. So one
of the most biggest things that lead to
war, lead to holy wars.
is. Is your religion and your faith. And,
So I think that they sp.
They had to really,
(29:42):
really harp on that point and make
that very clear for the politics of the
movie.
>> Will (29:49):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (29:49):
Therefore, the romantic
aspect of watching two people fall in
love fell to the wayside. There was
no romance. I'm sorry. I've seen it twice now. I
didn't feel it the first time. It just.
I. I get it. But I also.
I was like, I'm not watching two people fall in love.
(30:10):
There. There wasn't a moment where I
was very convinced that Johnny, like, saw
something different. I. And so
I think that. And I understand, like, what
you were saying. Like, I get why.
But it is kind of annoying
because, like,
(30:30):
either then it's just a
matter. Well, then was it really necessary for them fall
in love? But hey, there's going to be a third
movie and they've clearly have a love triangle set up, so
whatever.
>> Will (30:43):
Yeah, like, yeah, I mean, I'm glad you brought the religion, the.
The religious aspects of it and the
messianic, with. With Will Polk, because that. That.
So you're right. I think when, though.
Whenever was. With,
Those scenes were happening. When those things were happening in the first part
of the movie. And just, you know,
the reluctant M. You know, with Will Polk, you know, when
(31:06):
he's learning how to learn Drive the sand warm. I mean, just all
those things. Those. That's when I think this
movie excels. M. And, you
know, and so
that those narratives were, you know,
really, really resonated. And. And you're right. I
mean, they really were good explorations
of. Of, the, you know, the dangers of religious
(31:28):
fanaticism. you know, we see that with the
Fremen, you know, because even within them. Even if within The
Fremen you had, you know, you know, there was like the north action
in the south, you know.
>> Sarah (31:38):
Yeah.
>> Will (31:38):
So, so, you know, so I,
I, I, I really, that, that, that, that part of the
world, exploring that world really was very
fascinating just to sort of see those aspects were out
get, get, get, debated about. and I think that's
where, that's where this, I think this is where, where the second
film definitely succeeds over the first film, by
(31:59):
really exploring that,
>> Sarah (32:01):
Oh yeah, the, the politics
and, and, and, and we have now because
we watch doom prophecy, we, we know the
houses. This wasn't about the houses at
all. This was about, well, arguably it's
a little bit about Harkonnen and the treaties, but
overall the themes and the, and the
(32:22):
real deep thought pieces
that and themes that play out throughout this
movie have to do with the
politics of the, of, of
Dune, Attra. Attrakus
itself and, and
everything that's there. the, the other nice
(32:43):
bit of writing that I did not catch on, the
first time around, was, M. Ma
did. So that's,
that's his chosen name. And
it's based off of what they refer to as the desert
mouse, who you do see in the
movie. And, and it is a
creature that is able to survive,
(33:06):
in, in this pit, and
rule. And, and the piece of writing that
I thought was interesting and I did not catch the first
time was the first time we see,
Batista's character, Beast
Robin. He comes in and,
and he starts referring to the Freeman
(33:26):
as rats. Like the rats are
disrupted and this is like 20
minutes before we, we.
But there's, there's little beats
like that that I think are really nice.
I just to circle back to my favorite character and the
favorite part of this movie. what,
(33:49):
what were your thoughts throughout the
movie with, ah, about,
about the unborn child and. Because
we see there's a lot of cuts
to a baby, a fetus. Right.
And then there are a lot of instances where
Jessica is clear, clearly talking to her and she's
(34:09):
talking back. But it isn't until
way late when, when Will Polk sees her
on a terra lar. Joy in the dream
sequence that we actually start to hear her voice
ourselves. so, so what did you think about
this whole unborn child
kind of being a major character in the movie?
>> Will (34:31):
Yeah, yeah.
>> Sarah (34:33):
it, did it work?
>> Will (34:37):
I think it, you know, I think it
did. I probably need to like, watch it again to like really get
a fuller sense of it.
But it did work. I mean, I think
especially, I especially.
Well, a couple things. I think it works
(34:57):
as far as,
you know, whenever they do get the waters and you know, we see,
you know, we see Jessica, you know, take it early on.
And, and then I guess, I mean, I know later in the
film, I mean, I guess part of these. And the, the
Benny, the, the, the other m. Reverend
Mother was like calling Will Polk an abomination. Was, you know, I
(35:20):
think. Didn't he also, if I recall, didn't he also drink the water?
>> Sarah (35:23):
Yeah, yeah, he had to. Like we,
he, he had to. So what
happens is FAID comes
and then does an attack in the north and then
that pushes them south and
Paul's reluctant to go. And meanwhile
we're seeing Jessica talk to this person
(35:44):
who's. We. We get shown how they even
acquire the Water of Life.
>> Will (35:49):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (35:50):
which is this whole ritual. And, and it's, and
it's very clear throughout the movie as we're
seeing this sermon ceremony from
all of these different perspectives, men do not
survive it.
>> Will (36:03):
Right. Yeah.
>> Sarah (36:04):
and so even Jessica herself, given the
fact that she's pregnant, she doesn't realize. No. If she
has a girl. Well, she might have, but
she didn't realize, I don't think at that time, if
she had a girl or boy. And,
and then she gets forced into
taking the Water of Life and then that allows
her to ascend, to become the new Reverend Mother,
(36:27):
Mother for the Freeman. and so she
sets this all up because her and the
baby realize Will Polk
has to do that. That's the only way she
says it. Like a good 20 minutes
to half hour. I think she even says it
before she goes. And, to,
witness how they secure the water.
(36:50):
Like. Yeah, I,
and, and, and I think to go back to
what you said very early on,
why it was the last step is because of that,
that revenge seeking up and being the
realization that you are both
Atreides and Harkonnen.
>> Will (37:10):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (37:11):
So, Yeah,
yeah, Will Polk, Will Polk took it as well.
>> Will (37:16):
Yeah. Will Polk took it as well. Yeah. And then. Yeah.
I don't know if that, you know, I don't know if that helped him, like, you
know, have a. I mean, definitely.
Obviously now it gives him the ability
to like, you know, clearly, you know, have the
same abilities as a Bene Gesserit, which, you know, able to tap
into the, you know, the ancestral
(37:37):
memories and, and, you know, and you
know, be able to see all the futures. And maybe that's where,
you know, to your point, about the conversation with, you know, with.
With this. With a sister. I mean, maybe that was part.
But I'm trying. But I guess that happened.
>> Sarah (37:52):
That happened during the
Secret. It's just such a brief moment.
Like, Anna Taylor Joy is in the movie for five
seconds. She's literally the least in the movie.
There's a lot of people who are hardly in the mov.
Season the least. But,
But yeah, he.
>> Will (38:12):
So, yeah, so maybe that. That
tapped it. And it's like everything, you know, so I guess he's, you know, he
is seeing the fe. You know, he's.
I guess he's, becoming aware of everything at
that moment. Yeah, that gives him that last little step to be able to,
you know, really.
>> Sarah (38:28):
Sorcerer Supreme.
>> Will (38:30):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (38:30):
Yeah, because he's different. He's different
after it. He and
you. And you can see it. And I did, like,
Zendaya's performance of
her. Her. There was
helplessness there where she just is
like. But. But he. He's doing something
(38:51):
else now. And I, I know people have done
this comparison before, but it's like he took it
and then, he becomes, the Sorcerer
Supreme. Remember? Remember?
And, yeah. Where you can see all of the
different futures. And then it's like, no, this is the one that
we're gonna do. Because, no, like. Like,
there was no convincing. And
(39:14):
so then that leads us to the other
question I had. My last question was really,
so after all that process,
when he goes, goes. He's in the
south. There's all of these tribes, and
then they tell him he has to kill,
Javier Bardem's character. And,
(39:36):
And then he has a speech, and it's a
rally cry.
And even Jessica, like, is whispering,
slow down, you're going too fast. Or everything.
Did. Did you buy that performance,
in that moment?
>> Will (39:52):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I did.
Yeah, I did. I did. I completely bought that performance.
That. That, like, I said that that was when I was like,
okay, I made it through. And. And.
And. And it's,
you know, that I was. I was locked. That. That was part
that. And also, of course, when,
yeah, Austin Butler's character shows up,
(40:15):
because I was looking for, you know, looking for, feed
for. For the longest time. But, yeah, those were. Those were
the moments that. That I did buy it. I did buy it.
it was just like, okay, I felt. I felt that that was an earned moment.
>> Sarah (40:27):
Yeah. Yeah, I. I felt like it
was earned. but I will
again. I don't. I don't know, because I Even
after I watched the first time, I listened to,
Kind of Funny has a great movie review because
Nic, and Kevin have both read the books.
>> Will (40:44):
Okay.
>> Sarah (40:45):
so they're like, so. And like the
books.
Yeah. So like, I even listened to,
their discussion about it. But then
for whatever reason, when I watched it again yesterday,
so minutes, so much more came to light. And then I
even started re. Watching their review of it.
(41:08):
And then. And so it is, it is.
>> Will (41:12):
The.
>> Sarah (41:12):
The lore is so big with this.
>> Will (41:15):
Yeah, yeah.
>> Sarah (41:17):
That I'm sure, I'm sure that there
are, There are thesises out there
that will nitpick and tell you every little
thing. And we probably just did the surface level.
Yeah. It's also. The movie's been out for a while and the
book even longer.
>> Will (41:38):
Y'. All. But. Yeah, but. No, but, Yeah,
I completely agree with you. I mean, yeah, I mean, you know
how you feel like sometimes with Star Trek. That's
how I feel with Dune.
Because I know. I will freely admit I am
not. I, you know, haven't.
This is not a universe that I have, you know, in my
(41:59):
Sci Fi journey.
is. I'm not, you know, I'm not doing it. I'm not.
And you know, it took me a while to get to the first
film. I did watch the 84 David lynch
version. I didn't. I don't think I
watched the Sci Fi Channel version of it. and you know,
obviously with Denny's movies, it's taken me a while to
(42:20):
get, you know, it took me forever to get to the first one and now, you know,
it took me almost a year to watch the second one.
So I'm not a Dune head, but I
will, you know, but I'm glad I did watch it because
this film, and I, I know we ain't even, you know, we hadn't even talked about,
Austin Butler and, and, and, and I mean, I know
we did before recording, but, but I am
(42:41):
glad I did because I feel like I, I would
have missed out on it on an epic
film that, that needs to be
watched.
>> Sarah (42:51):
Are you a little mad that you didn't watch it in
theaters?
>> Will (42:55):
I am, yeah. I am just like I was with the
first one.
>> Sarah (42:59):
Yeah.
>> Will (42:59):
Because the, the scale and the scope and I am,
you know, so when Doom Messiah comes out, I'm.
My ass will be in. Well, my butt will be in the seat.
>> Sarah (43:09):
You heard it here.
>> Will (43:13):
Yeah. Because this is twice now where I'm just like, damn it, I should
have watched this in the Theater. Because this, the size and this is
scale and the scope and the
cinematography and everything. I mean,
you know, I'm glad Denny is doing the James Bond
franchise moving forward because, you know,
whatever you think about his storytelling abilities, the
man can shoot. Shoot a movie. He can direct.
>> Sarah (43:35):
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. He,
he knows scale.
>> Will (43:40):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (43:41):
So well. And I, I, think.
I think with a lot of his, set
pieces, he knows how to create
space. because we talk about this a
lot about, especially with
the, the comic books stuff, and
you have these large set pieces and
there's so much going on and it becomes so chaotic and
(44:03):
then it just, it just gets jumbled and it,
it. You don't know where people are
and you're just like, okay, Uh-huh. But
with a lot of the execution of the
big set pieces here, I don't think
people got lost. I, I
feel like there was a, there was a,
(44:25):
almost a cleanness about
how the, the, action
sequences were framed and set up
and designed, that in such a
dirty place. It just felt very clear
and centered. so I, I agree
that him going over into the
(44:46):
spy action thriller genre,
very different, arguably different set pieces.
You mean you're not building an entire world. That was
the other thing that,
It didn't feel fake.
>> Will (45:04):
No, it, no, that's the thing.
>> Sarah (45:06):
It felt like a lived in place.
>> Will (45:08):
Yeah. Yeah, that, that as I was
watching especially, like, yeah, I was watching some of the scenes, I was
thinking that very thing. It was like, you know, with the help, with
the, with the, the, the aircraft and
spaceship, I mean, you know,
it did, it just felt real and
it didn't feel like I was watching stuff on a blue screen or
(45:29):
greens or in the, or in the volume. I mean,
it just, just tactile. I mean, and
even the TV show, I mean, was also that
same way. But in the film, I mean,
that was another thing that I really just, Again,
my ass will be in the theater when the
third movie comes out, because I have now watched it twice.
(45:50):
I'm sitting here at home and I feel like.
I feel. I feel like I robbed myself of
a cinematic experience.
>> Sarah (45:59):
Yeah.
>> Will (46:00):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (46:02):
All right, well, that brings us to,
Peacemaker, Season 2, Episode
4. Need I say door?
where. And I, I did not realize
this. And I don't know if you've picked up on this. Every
episode so far has, ah, began
with a flashback.
(46:22):
And, and this flashback is
35 years ago. And immediately
you're like, oh, there's Augie and His sons,
they kill an alien. They, they miss m. They
must. They mistook an
alien for a deer or a deer for an alien.
And, they didn't have any questions about where
(46:44):
did it come from or anything. But the alien
leads them to a door, and the door
essentially is, what
we learn in the future is
the portal. so,
so Auggie is not a super genius.
He, he, he's just Auggie. And,
yeah, that. So, so we get, we get,
(47:06):
we get essentially this episode, because
it's called, Need I say Door is about the door,
the portal. And, and now the
dilemmas. because with every episode, just like
I said, every episode begins with Flashlight. And
so far, every episode has begun with, well,
things are about to hit each other, but we're
(47:27):
gonna wait until next week to explain it.
>> Will (47:30):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (47:30):
Okay.
>> Will (47:34):
I will say with the flashback, I had a thought about the, you know,
thought about this especially, that we learned,
that Augie didn't make any
of the helmets and stuff. I, I,
I, you know, how that alien, like, keeps popping up in the,
quantum chamber. I was, I was
like, I wonder if that's the person who makes all these,
(47:55):
makes all the, all the things for, for
Peacemaker. Because the guy, he just keeps showing up.
And even though Chris, like, you know, you know, tells him to
go, you know, calls him rude and all that other stuff, I mean,
there's, there's got to be something to this, there's got to be something
deeper to this gag for James to be, like,
continuing to, like, have it show up. And even the, even the
(48:16):
creature, even the alien shows up in the beginning, in the opening
credits too. So, yeah, I might
be.
>> Sarah (48:21):
No, I'm right there with you. I'm right there with you about the
alien. I mean, for all we know
that the alien that they accidentally killed
is the brother of the alien that we
see go in and out of the portal all the time.
I don't think it's making the helmets, per se,
but I do think that it there, because
(48:42):
if you're in the opening dance sequence, you
are essential character in this show. So
there's, there's definitely. I thought,
I, I will be honest with you. I thought at the
beginning when we first see him, oh, that's
going to be the alien version of Peacemaker.
>> Will (49:03):
I mean, it's possible. It is 99 doors.
>> Sarah (49:05):
Totally possible. And I think it's just like
Peacemaker this and that, but
maybe that's a bit on the nose. I don't know.
but, but yeah, I I'm glad you brought that
up because the, the
alien definitely needs to get talked about
more and they, they are
(49:26):
saving that for, for some kind of,
tie into the hijinks
that have been brewing.
>> Will (49:35):
Yeah, yeah. But you're all right. I mean,
every, every week we, we get like this build up because we
thought we were going to get this big set. You know,
the way things ended with episode three
and we get to this and you know, we,
what we do get is just sort of a, a
repeat of a sequence that we got, in, in,
(49:56):
in the first season. But instead of being the 11th street
kids, it's like with, with the Argus gang,
bickering over, over a wink.
>> Sarah (50:06):
Oh yeah, the, the wink, which, which
I like the payoff later,
after, Economist has had enough of
being called. What is it? Cold Ginger.
Ginger.
>> Will (50:17):
Cold Ginger cool.
>> Sarah (50:19):
Ginger cool. he spits
onto, onto what,
what is his name?
>> Will (50:26):
Flurry.
>> Sarah (50:27):
Flurry. Flurry, yeah. Yeah, he spits on to
Flurry, and, and not I.
And it's also like the, the
decode him trying to delay,
hacking into the door while,
while Chris, is with
Abadayo who, who managed to pick
him up and, and they are trying
(50:50):
to move the door to his grandfather's cabin.
so because the door can be moved apparently.
That's very convenient. I,
I, I do think that, finally,
finally, ah, Harcourt is not my least
favorite part of an episode. She had
arguably the best scene in this movie, in this
(51:12):
episode, the scene between her and Rick Flag.
>> Will (51:16):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (51:16):
Because I brought this up last week. I was like, we need
to know if she knew. She's known.
She's known the whole time.
>> Will (51:24):
Yep. I thought about you as soon as that scene went down. I was like, oh,
you got your answer, sir.
>> Sarah (51:29):
Yeah. But I also, I have to give it
up, to Rick,
ah, Frank
Grillo. he, he does a really
good job in that whole scene.
just because
honestly, I thought it was gonna go one way,
(51:50):
but there was, it was so subdued
and, and I, I, I
liked that because it felt more
calculated, it felt, felt more
arguably menacing than if he
had come in, and been
more over the top. but,
(52:10):
but I, I also appreciate
how the scene was written because
there's, they clearly knew each other
have their, their, their relationship
throughout the death of, Rick Flag
Jr. Pre,
(52:30):
pre, Death. Now post death,
post Amanda Waller. Like all
of that is so interesting. And then
also the how their relationship,
even though they both,
because of their line of work.
There's so much familiarity and
(52:52):
similarities between these two characters, yet
how they perceive
that death and that kill,
is utterly different.
and, and it's not just because, well, that was the
father. She like she loved him too.
in her own, like that was a
(53:13):
relationship and, and there was,
but she's also the type who
and, and how she has been okay with it
is like she, she blames Waller,
she doesn't blame Chris.
but I also will, I, it just makes me
wonder
(53:35):
because she's got to know Chris over the
last season and a half. Right.
And they've had plenty of off screen
opportunities to have a conversation like
why I think she, I
think if he would know her
perspective on that, that would
relieve some guilt for him.
>> Will (53:57):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (53:59):
So, I just don't know why that hasn't happened.
>> Will (54:02):
Maybe that's what they're building towards.
>> Sarah (54:05):
Maybe. But then it makes me question
and, and, and I, I,
I appreciate we got an answer to that question,
but I think I said it last week too that
even if we get an answer, there's something still
off about this. Just because of how the first season
plays out. Like,
(54:27):
because I felt like that was a big, it wasn't
a big point, but it was something that was brought up
time and time again and
now we're, I don't know. But I also
understand why it's so important such
a key point this season because
it's like Waller's no longer in charge. It's Rick
Flag's junior and, or senior in charge.
(54:49):
So, but
yeah, I, I mean I,
I don't, I don't think I'll ever be satisfied with
that. And yes, they could build to that kind of
resolution, but then I will always, always think
what, why did it, why is this happening now and
not earlier?
>> Will (55:07):
Yeah, yeah. Well, we're halfway through to, we're halfway through the
season and, and you
know, and so if
we, to your point, you know,
Chris, you know, of course
hardcore wants to get, get back
on the right side of the other book and
(55:28):
be able to work again. and you know, and,
and I, you know, she does call Chris,
I mean she does, you know, Chris calls her and
tells her, you know, where to meet and stuff and she does share it with
Rick. And, and so
do you think, do you think Chris like
(55:49):
bells on, on the meeting or something?
You.
>> Sarah (55:56):
I, I, I know where you're going with this.
>> Will (55:58):
Yeah.
>> Sarah (55:59):
I can, I can see Chris
bailing, and not going to,
and going to. Well,
that wouldn't make sense because he's. He's
leaving where the door is.
>> Will (56:12):
Exactly.
>> Sarah (56:12):
Because he's not driving to go see
the other hardcourt. He is
going there. but
I don't know, with
how she's playing it, I
can't say for a hundred percent that
she,
(56:33):
that she's not going to do something
that like,
allows her to play both sides.
>> Will (56:43):
Yeah. Yeah.
>> Sarah (56:45):
So. So, I guess
it's. It's also. Well, again, we're
halfway through the season, so we got another
four episodes, so we know
that something happens where this
doesn't go necessarily all
according to Rick Flag Senior's plan.
>> Will (57:05):
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah. because I'm like. I mean,
does she, like, tip Chris off or. I don't know.
I'm just like I said, I mean, how. How does she, how does she threaten? Because
we're. We're waiting,
you know, we're waiting to see
how they thread, you know, where. Where
(57:26):
the other street drops in, in both, in
both universes. And maybe, you know, because.
Because we know at some point we're gonna have to go back to
Earth 2 and. And
resolve those kind of things. So, you know, does
Chris turn around and like, you
know, go, like you said, go back to the, to the, to the
(57:46):
shed, to the cabin and, and, and. And go
see Hardcore two and Earth two? Or
maybe he. He does see, maybe
some, Because I, you know, because how I thought things were going on
sort of, you know, like. Like this week, for example, they set
things up like Chris has heading, you know, back.
You know, he came. He came back to the house and
(58:08):
they were doing, you know, it seemed like they were setting up this
whole thing where Argus was going to be able to,
you know, to get the door, but then they have, they have the
convenience of, you know,
that moving the door. Yeah, be. Be
able to move the door. So now I'm. Now, Now I'm to
the place where I'm like, okay, instead of.
(58:29):
I guess I'm trying to, Instead of just letting
things just roll and just watch it as it comes. I'm already.
I'm thinking like, ahead, like, okay, now how is.
Where is James going to go in this story to
like, prolong.
Prolong this
moment? You know, because when I
(58:49):
thought we were going to get, you know, last week, we. I thought,
you know, we're gonna. We're gonna have Argus like, Babe, you know,
get. Get to any. The trap door is. Be able to move the
door. So now, you know, it looks like Harcourt is going
to turn Chris Chris and over to Rick
Flag Senior. But something's going to happen in the
drive there that Chris is either not
(59:10):
going to make it to there or, or
hardcore. It's going to, like, have second thoughts
and. And, you know, actually tells Rick,
you know, actually he's going somewhere else. Then you can force. You got,
you know, you got captain Captain. You have captain cultural
appropriation. you know, fair, you know, has
sorted out where Eagly is. So. Well, you know, so is that
going to be the thing that, you know, that detours Chris from
(59:34):
actually meeting up a hardcore? Because there's. That. There's that aspect of the story
too, so. Or even Judah.
Yeah. So I'm just. I'm just trying to figure out, like, where. Where are they going to go with
this as far as, like. Because I know they're not going to, like, have.
They're not going to have Chris and. And Rick, like, Face
off in episode five.
>> Sarah (59:51):
They could.
>> Will (59:53):
They could. They could.
>> Sarah (59:56):
Now, for all of our
listeners also, I love how Will is spinning his
wheels about this, knowing that we're headed into Gen
V week. So next week we aren't talking
Peacemaker, and we are both not
allowed to watch the next episode of Peacemaker
until after next.
>> Will (01:00:15):
Exactly. So just like, dang, I got it.
>> Sarah (01:00:19):
And meanwhile.
>> Will (01:00:21):
Meanwhile, piece rules. Yeah, Piece
rules. Kick in.
>> Sarah (01:00:25):
the one Piece rules that have kicked in. And. And
I'm just. Meanwhile, I'm just like, sitting back. Like,
I don't. I'm not thinking too far ahead on
this show because we. We're taking off a week
and this show, I. And I
don't. I. I hate to ve a broken record about it,
but this season,
(01:00:47):
there's. It's not that I'm not
enjoying it, and for its
strings, I just don't like
the continuation. Continual,
cliffhangers. Like. Like,
I. I feel like every episode has begun with the
flashback, and every episode has led to
(01:01:08):
a cliffhanger that you think
is going. There's going to be some big
resolution in the next episode, and
it's. There's not.
And. And that just. It just bothers
me because, Because that
just makes me want to binge. I. I do.
(01:01:29):
I. I'm. I'm gonna be very curious in two
weeks when we're able to watch both episodes
five and six back to back if I'm going to have a
very different experience. And my
money is I'm going to appreciate those episodes a
lot better because I don't have to
wait a week.
>> Will (01:01:47):
In between well, see, I,
Yeah, I should have told you at
the, at the outset. Like, you can't, you can't use the binge.
You can't use the binge excuse this week. but,
but for me, I'll tell you where I'm enjoying
these episodes. But you know how I started off our
discussion about the, the bit with the,
(01:02:07):
with the van, different, different folks,
but basically just
switch out our kids with, with the ARGUS
crew. I'm starting to see the,
the repetitive pattern of. To your
point, and I think so. I'm enjoying the episode. I'm
enjoying the show. But, but,
(01:02:28):
it's not hitting me like season one did.
>> Sarah (01:02:30):
Yeah, exactly.
>> Will (01:02:32):
Yeah. and it's not saying it's bad because it's not,
it's not bad at all. It's just, it's just I'm seeing the patterns in
James Gunn's writing right now. So, so,
yeah, hopefully, you know, so hopefully, like, to your point,
episodes, you know, maybe episode five will finally,
like, we get. We, we don't spin our wheels so,
so much because I do feel like
(01:02:53):
sometimes, I mean, there were some nice things that we, you know, that
we, we do get in this episode. I mean, we learn more about,
about Economist's background as far as, like, you know,
how he got recruited into Argus, as far as, like, you know,
hacking into the CIA. So those are nice little character beats
that we're learning. I feel like, I feel like
Adrian, this season has been criminally, I mean,
(01:03:14):
underutilized. the moments I
did like the most really, with this episode with,
was Adebayo. And, you
know, the moments that I still like with
her and Chris when they have their, like this
week, whenever she was, you know, she
had placed the ad in a magazine and, and,
(01:03:35):
and Chris, like. Well, actually, ads, you know,
this is just. There's only like 12 people who subscribe to this thing,
but it just, Whenever they have their moments together,
it just, they, I mean, John
Scene N and Daniel Brooks's place
act so well off each other. I just love the
gin. There's this, I feel like a genuineness and,
(01:03:55):
and moments between those two,
between the two of them that.
Yeah. You know, so I, I look forward to their
scenes together because I just feel like some of the. Sometimes the other
one is just sort of like, don't hit
me as much as they should. They should.
>> Sarah (01:04:13):
Yeah, I, I agree. That was. The other
standout moment was when Chris and
Abadayo got, had a
hard heart because I, I,
I like It. Because she's. That.
I don't want to say Devil, but I also don't want
to say angel on his shoulder of trying to be like.
She definitely was playing Devil's advocate when he
(01:04:36):
was explaining to her what he's experienced.
And I. All I could think was, though, I was
like, I wanted this
conversation in, like, episode two,
like. And I. Also with her.
I. I mean, I. I think. And I've said this before
about all of the supporting cast. I think in
(01:04:58):
a weird way, they're all being underused.
It's a very strange thing where, yes, we're
getting little things, but I. I just.
I. I still feel like we're standing in.
In place with a lot of the stuff. It
feels like things are happening to these
characters. The characters aren't
(01:05:19):
making things happen.
>> Will (01:05:20):
Yes.
>> Sarah (01:05:20):
Maybe that's the way.
>> Will (01:05:23):
That's a good way. Yeah, I think that you. I
think that's. That's a good way to put it.
>> Sarah (01:05:28):
Yeah.
>> Will (01:05:29):
Yeah, yeah.
>> Sarah (01:05:30):
So. So which. And that just
leads to momentum and pacing issues.
But, But like you said, it's not that it's
bad. It's just that
this is what happens when you do seasons too.
You're gonna get. Compared to the first season. I'm,
Sorry. And it's also.
(01:05:51):
You're. You're. You're also more accustomed to.
I mean, considering he released a movie that he
also wrote earlier this year. Like, we're very
accustomed to James Gunn's writing. So.
Yeah, you start to get experience.
You. You become a little desensitized to
things. so you start to see the
(01:06:13):
cracks. But.
>> Will (01:06:14):
Yeah, Yeah, the
cracks, the patterns, the. Yeah. And. Ah. Yeah, because
I think to your point, like you said, we have the pattern now as
far as how these. The tempo of these episodes. And. And so
he needs to mix it up. and I know he comes back and direct.
Yeah. It's not even the direction. It's clearly the writing, because I think the
direction of these episodes has been. Has been great.
(01:06:36):
it's just, you know, I mean, but,
you know, but James stepped away and some other people have been directing,
but I think he does come back and directs episodes. I want to say
seven, eight.
>> Sarah (01:06:45):
So that's good. That's good.
And. But. But you're right, it hasn't really been.
I haven't criticized the. The directing
of any of these episodes. I've just been
annoyed with character choices and plot,
you know, the little things.
The little things.
>> Will (01:07:04):
The little things. Yeah.
>> Sarah (01:07:06):
Very minor. Very minor.
All right. Well, on that note, Will, why don't you tell our
listeners where they can find you?
>> Will (01:07:14):
Yes, you can find me on all the socials at. Ah, Will and
Polk. W I L L M M P O L K.
And you can.
>> Sarah (01:07:21):
Find me there too at SJ Belmont. S J B E
L M O N T. Please follow our crew on Twitter at
Scene N Nerd. on bluesky. Friend us on Facebook, follow us
on Instagram and threads at Scene, Underscore
N, underscore Nerd and Visit our website,
www.scenanerdpodcast.com. but most
importantly, rate five follow and comment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
YouTube, or wherever you get podcasts. Good night. Geek out. You're welcome.
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