Flashforward

[JWBear]

Anyone else watch this? (We recorded it when it premiered, but just now watched it.)

Looks like it could be interesting despite the plot holes you can fly a 747 through.

I think Dimitri (John Cho) didn't black out, and is hiding it.

[Kevy Baby]

...despite the plot holes you can fly a 747 through.Oh, you're exaggerating. There is no way you could get anything larger than a Cessna through there.

[katiesue]

I watched the first episode, I think I have the second taped. It's interesting. I hope they don't drag it on and on. Why can't shows like this just have one season, everything mapped out then it's done. If it's successful you can do soemthing different with the characters or have it happen again or somthing. The BBC version of Life On Mars is an example. One season, mystery solved. Second season, new mystery, mystery solved. Third season, a few characters from season one but mostly new, new mystery, mystery solved.

[Moonliner]

I watched the first episode, I think I have the second taped.

Now that is getting into the spirit of the show! Well done.

[Alex]

Because this country has historically used a business model that relies heavily on having lots and lots of episodes. That may be changing as we move away from large audience centralized TV networks.

However, the writers of Flashforward have said they've completely mapped out the story and need at only need 3 seasons to tell the complete story. If the show is really successful they can expand it out to 5-7 seasons but they know exactly what will happen in the first season, the second to last season, and the final season. And have outlined extra seasons in the middle if they're asked for them.

I was intrigued enough to keep watching for a while. The big apparent plot hole is:

In none of the flashforwards shown do the people show any evidence that they're aware that they're in the moment they've already seen during the blackout.

So:

1. Either the flashfowards seen were what would have happened if not for the flashforward in which case the information conveyed isn't all that meaningful.

2. The writers didn't take into account that in reality come 10pm on April 29th, 2010 6.8 billion people will be standing around like Times Square on New Year's Eve. Or, they'd be situated so as to communicate with themselves by standing in front of a whiteboard on which is written "The winning lottery numbers the day after the blackout will be..."

3. There is an explanation that hasn't yet been given. I'm hopeful but can't think of anything that would seem remotely plausible.

[Moonliner]

Has anyone read the novel on which the series is based:

Flashforward by Robert J. Sawyer (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_1_7?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=flash+forward+by+robert+j.+sawyer&sprefix=flash+f)


Spoiler Alert: The synopsis/reviews on the link might tell you more than you want to know.

[katiesue]

Now that is getting into the spirit of the show! Well done.

I have a magical DVR.

[Moonliner]

Because this country has historically used a business model that relies heavily on having lots and lots of episodes. That may be changing as we move away from large audience centralized TV networks.

However, the writers of Flashforward have said they've completely mapped out the story and need at only need 3 seasons to tell the complete story. If the show is really successful they can expand it out to 5-7 seasons but they know exactly what will happen in the first season, the second to last season, and the final season. And have outlined extra seasons in the middle if they're asked for them.

I was intrigued enough to keep watching for a while. The big apparent plot hole is:

In none of the flashforwards shown do the people show any evidence that they're aware that they're in the moment they've already seen during the blackout.

So:

1. Either the flashfowards seen were what would have happened if not for the flashforward in which case the information conveyed isn't all that meaningful.

2. The writers didn't take into account that in reality come 10pm on April 29th, 2010 6.8 billion people will be standing around like Times Square on New Year's Eve. Or, they'd be situated so as to communicate with themselves by standing in front of a whiteboard on which is written "The winning lottery numbers the day after the blackout will be..."

3. There is an explanation that hasn't yet been given. I'm hopeful but can't think of anything that would seem remotely plausible.


It can't be #1, because our lead FBI dude saw himself investigating the flashforward.

[Alex]

Almost certainly true. I can envision some ways around it, such as perhaps if this particular flashforward hadn't happened there would have been a different one in three days showing a different time and that is the one he was investigating in the future he saw this time and would explain why he is unaware that the moment being seen is the flashforward moment because they were all waiting for a different moment. Like I said, convoluted and all still depriving the future seen of much in the way of usefullness.

[Pirate Bill]

Spoiler Alert: The synopsis/reviews on the link might tell you more than you want to know.

I listened to an interview with the author (Slice of SciFi #231 (http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2009/09/19/slice-of-scifi-231/)) where he states that the TV show and the book are not exactly the same. The cause of the flashforward in the TV show will not be the same as the book.

I'm holding out hope that by the time we get to April 29th in the show we'll have an explanation that fills the above "big apparent plothole."

Is time in the show going to be following along with real time in the real world? Meaning, will April 29, 2010 in the show take place on April 29, 2010 for us? It is a Thursday. If they do, then that means we'll have several weeks of hiatus (hiatuses? hiati?) to endure between now and then. But we'll also get to see the actual flashforward events this season.