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Counterpart Starz Series (SPOILERS)


Astromech

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This season has really lived up to the first, it remains fantastic. I agree with you on how well done the butterfly effect from the cassette was along with the way it subverted my expectations -  I thought it was that the Mira without the cassette was going to feel less loved or something, but it was much more concrete than that and the way awareness of his own fault in what happened really drove Yannick's descent into bitterness and anger was very realistic.

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2 hours ago, karaddin said:

This season has really lived up to the first, it remains fantastic. I agree with you on how well done the butterfly effect from the cassette was along with the way it subverted my expectations -  I thought it was that the Mira without the cassette was going to feel less loved or something, but it was much more concrete than that and the way awareness of his own fault in what happened really drove Yannick's descent into bitterness and anger was very realistic.

I also loved how the Yannicks were betraying each other by visiting their counterpart's family( and more). They were so similar. I'm convinced the Howards are more similar than they let on, or they will be by the end of this series.

With Clare and Peter trying to break free from their puppet strings I'm extremely eager to see a reunion between Clare and Baldwin and whether Clare's desire to be free from her handlers will affect her relationship with Baldwin. I love Baldwin and feel for her whenever she is on screen.

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7 minutes ago, Astromech said:

I also loved how the Yannicks were betraying each other by visiting their counterpart's family( and more). They were so similar. I'm convinced the Howards are more similar than they let on, or they will be by the end of this series.

With Clare and Peter trying to break free from their puppet strings I'm extremely eager to see a reunion between Clare and Baldwin and whether Clare's desire to be free from her handlers will affect her relationship with Baldwin. I love Baldwin and feel for her whenever she is on screen.

Baldwin is my favourite as well, even if I was really pissed when she was going to kill her Other. I only watched the first season in December so its all fresh emotionally :P. On the first part, I actually hope the Howards don't end up alike. It seems to be one of the central questions of the show, and there are several arguing/prosecuting that viewpoint but they tend to be the darker characters. Instead I'd like (alpha? the one on 'our' side) Howard to be right that he can make a conscious choice to be a better person, to accept the flaws of others and continue to love his wife despite her cheating, to not become like the other Howard.

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Ha ha, the cynic in me thinks Howard Silk will discover he isn't very different from Howard Prime. Or. at the very least, he will have to act as Howard Prime would in certain situations. I do hope he retains part of his better self, though.

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In spite of everything Clare has done, I can't help rooting for her and Peter. Will she be the only character having  a redemption arc?

As much as I'd like more Baldwin screen time, the writers are giving us just enough.

Emily Silk's reaction when she remembers visiting her counterpart's daughter, Anna, was fantastic. And mirroring that with her counterpart's telling Howard Silk of this was a great choice.

Speaking of Anna, that actress has a beautiful voice.

Just how deep does Howard Prime's knowledge or part in all this run?

Only two more episodes in the season and it feels like they have so much more they could tell.

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Just started the show knowing i can get both seasons watched while using the free Amazon starz trial.

Already impressed 3 epidodes in. Has jk Simmons been nominated for any awards for this as he absolutely nails playing 2 different versions of the same person. You can tell which is which through body language alone. The only problem is this sets a very high bar for the inevitable appearance of other double characters - although certain actors (williams, stephen rea, schiff) feel as if they are here solely because they'll be required for double duty.

I'm sure others have mentioned the "fringe" comparisons. I also get a really strong "city and the city" vibe (both the book themes and tv visuals). I was pleasantly surprised that neither world appears to be ours although I'm scratching my head over a world with mobile phones but green text computers and hole punch printer paper.

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53 minutes ago, red snow said:

I was pleasantly surprised that neither world appears to be ours although I'm scratching my head over a world with mobile phones but green text computers and hole punch printer paper.

I think the use 1980's tech at the Office of Interchange is deliberate. Can't quite recall if it's actually explicitly mentioned why they use outdated technology but I always assumed one reason is security through obsolescence. 

Also, I believe that both worlds are ours. The two worlds were identical before the Crossing opened and for some time after that as well - I won't go into more detail as there is an episode in season 2 that deals with the early days of The Crossing. Dimension One is basically our world while Dimension Two, due to the flu pandemic, has diverged significantly. 

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I searched Office of Interchange and came up with this site offering a  management test :) http://www.officeofinterchange.com/

Regarding technology, I believe it is deliberate since employees at the Office of Interchange surrender their personal electronic devices when working at the Office. I'm assuming security reasons for the outdated technology. I'm sure some of it a design decision by the writers. It looks and feels like a 1980s spy thriller.

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3 minutes ago, Martini Sigil said:

Fuckity fuck fuck fuck

www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/counterpart/279184/counterpart-season-3-canceled

... I truly hope that whoever made this decision gets intestinal flu

Damn it! I feared that would happen with how quickly this season progressed. Starz cancels their series far too quickly. Not SYFY quick but still painfully to quick for my taste. Considering how good this series is, I would shocked if it wasn't picked up by another.

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10 minutes ago, Astromech said:

Damn it! I feared that would happen with how quickly this season progressed. Starz cancels their series far too quickly. Not SYFY quick but still painfully to quick for my taste. Considering how good this series is, I would shocked if it wasn't picked up by another.

I hope ... I saw that they're shopping it... but i agree with Starz cancelling too quickly.... Magic City could have used a 3rd and final season to wrap up... Cinemax too... cancels too quickly.... they are the opposite of Showtime.

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On 2/10/2019 at 9:01 PM, red snow said:

I also get a really strong "city and the city" vibe (both the book themes and tv visuals). I was pleasantly surprised that neither world appears to be ours although I'm scratching my head over a world with mobile phones but green text computers and hole punch printer paper.

Same, really strong vibe. Its the two worlds layered on top each other with high danger/security services around it I think.

On 2/10/2019 at 10:25 PM, Consigliere said:

I think the use 1980's tech at the Office of Interchange is deliberate. Can't quite recall if it's actually explicitly mentioned why they use outdated technology but I always assumed one reason is security through obsolescence. 

Also, I believe that both worlds are ours. The two worlds were identical before the Crossing opened and for some time after that as well - I won't go into more detail as there is an episode in season 2 that deals with the early days of The Crossing. Dimension One is basically our world while Dimension Two, due to the flu pandemic, has diverged significantly. 

Yeah I thought it's part of the deliberate security around not giving away information about the world to the other side, although I'm not sure how that works when you've then got people getting visas and running around everywhere anyway. I think the world we start in is "ours" in that the events that have unfolded in that world since the split match the history of our world, the other world diverged and had the flu etc. Tech level seems to fit our world as well.

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5 hours ago, karaddin said:

Same, really strong vibe. Its the two worlds layered on top each other with high danger/security services around it I think.

Yeah I thought it's part of the deliberate security around not giving away information about the world to the other side, although I'm not sure how that works when you've then got people getting visas and running around everywhere anyway. I think the world we start in is "ours" in that the events that have unfolded in that world since the split match the history of our world, the other world diverged and had the flu etc. Tech level seems to fit our world as well.

I think it's that deliberate ignoring of the other side's tech etc and the security around crossing over that evokes the city and the city. That and the feeling there might be "unification" groups/cells or a mythical 3rd world.

I'm only on episode 6 but i found the hostage negotiation scene in 4/5 fascinating in terms of world building. Wanting to kniw where the ither side may have found oil reserves or economic scenarios that could provide actual "test scenarios" without living them. That and us getting hold of genomes and HIV antiviral from other side. Cool stuff.

But i echo the whole "surely the ones running around are exposed to all the tech negates the office security". It's still too early in the show but the visa thing doesn't mske much sense yet. The ambassador is essentially under house arrest which makes sense but others aren't. Also odd how so many "rogue" agents get across. Although this assumes there's only one way across.

Thinking aloud. Plan is to catch up and enjoy the discussion without threat of spoilers. The good thing about there bring so little chat about the show is I'm unaware of any spoilers.

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7 hours ago, karaddin said:

Same, really strong vibe. Its the two worlds layered on top each other with high danger/security services around it I think.

Yeah I thought it's part of the deliberate security around not giving away information about the world to the other side, although I'm not sure how that works when you've then got people getting visas and running around everywhere anyway. I think the world we start in is "ours" in that the events that have unfolded in that world since the split match the history of our world, the other world diverged and had the flu etc. Tech level seems to fit our world as well.

I think not giving info over to the other side is only part of it; protecting the secret from their own respective sides is the other - the Office of Interchange on both sides is a division of the UN but The Crossing is top secret known only to a few departments within the Office as well. Using obsolete tech whose vulnerabilities, protocols, programming etc are no longer well known (and probably running offline as well) mitigates the risk of information leaking. 

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On 2/13/2019 at 8:00 AM, akh said:

Shame theyre cancelling it but Im not surprised. Its the best show that nobody I know is watching.

Im guessing theres little hope someone else picking this up either, eh? :/

That's shit news as I'm just getting into it. The problem is that it's been very hard to get hold of legally outside US. Usually amazon distribute the majority of starz shows eg black sails, American gods and outlander but they took the stupid step (in uk at least) of making this show available only as part of a top up subscription on prime. So hardly anyone has seen it in UK. If it had been on prime i think it would have caught on - it's far more Accessible than "man in high castle" but they've made it a niche show. Shame as I'd have said there was a chance amazon prime would have saved it otherwise.

I just watched s1 episide 7. Really enjoyed the reveal of who the mole was but I'm still having a hard time swallowing how agents cross over, never come back and they don't track them down. Surely they have photos and ID? Surely they'd notice who the new deputy director's wife was when putting him through what I'd hope was a thorough vetting service?

Not enough to cancel the show over but it irks me.

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There is an answer to how things/people could have been smuggled from one side to the other in the most recent episode of season 2 and it doesn't feel like a retcon. I'm not saying its definitely how she crossed over, I can't remember if we see her crossing in s1 or just things after the crossing, but its a way to smuggle which opens up the possibility its not the only one. They also don't necessarily have much intel on the others of people, intel gathering of some kind comes up in s2 as well. I'm not saying everything will be answered to your satisfaction, but for me there are enough explanations that I don't feel like there are glaring holes.

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