# Manifest (new NBC paranormal series)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** tv-shows-scripted
**Created:** [September 25, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913 "2018-09-25T22:10:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2018, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/61 "2018-10-05T14:59:17Z")
> [@Skara\_Brae](#):
>
> You weren’t the only ones to notice
Ha!
I wanted to not be distracted by them, but I was.
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### Author:  [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/62 "2018-10-05T16:57:41Z")
> [@Skara\_Brae](#):
>
> Did I hear in the episode she got posthumously promoted to detective? How would that work? I assume she had already taken the exam/whatever before the flight, but still…
People in this thread are thinking harder than the writers of this show, because you’re right:
> [@](#):
>
> **Episode 1:**
>
> Didn’t expect you getting back to work this fast.
>
> Probably not quite yet, assuming I actually still have a job here.
>
> Technically, you still remain on desk duty. I’m guessing we can drum up a desk for you when you’re ready.
What I understood from this was that it wasn’t posthumous since she was never declared dead or struck from the roster; she was on desk duty right before she mysteriously disappeared, and all the exam/promotion/reinstatement happened after she got back to work.
On the other hand,
> [@](#):
>
> **Episode 2:**
>
> Congratulations, Detective.
>
> Oh, yeah, it was a posthumous promotion. I didn’t earn it. I can’t even die the way I’m supposed to.
So they promoted her while she was “gone”? (It’s not absolutely clear.) But if they thought she was actually dead, why was she still on duty, even desk duty, in Episode 1?
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### Author:  [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2018, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/63 "2018-10-05T19:46:56Z")
I assumed her “posthumous” comment was sarcasm.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2018, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/64 "2018-10-05T20:47:48Z")
**[Moderating]**
**manson1972** , the original comment about eyebrows might arguably have been slightly inappropriate. But your post #59 was absolutely, unambiguously inappropriate. If you see something that you think is inappropriate, you should report it, not up the ante.
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### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2018, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/65 "2018-10-05T21:07:45Z")
> [@Misnomer](#):
>
> I assumed her “posthumous” comment was sarcasm.
That was my take as well, though the dialogue was confusing at best.
My interpretation is that she was a detective, then crashed her car while drunk, killing her friend in the passenger seat. For that she was put on desk duty until cleared by a shrink. (I think I must be wrong, though, because shouldn’t she have been in jail for vehicular manslaughter?) Then the plane disappeared.
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### Author:  [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2018, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/66 "2018-10-05T23:01:41Z")
No, she definitely wasn’t a detective before the plane crashed (neither was her boyfriend/fiancé).
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2018, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/67 "2018-10-05T23:11:20Z")
> [@Skara\_Brae](#):
>
> No, she definitely wasn’t a detective before the plane crashed (neither was her boyfriend/fiancé).
She had a beat, they mentioned that.
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### Author:  [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2018, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/68 "2018-10-05T23:18:17Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#):
>
> The thing is, you have to look at the situation as a whole. There are THOUSANDS of children with leukemia, and likely HUNDREDS of them were trying to get into the drug trial. It’s not like the Dr. was saying, “oh, we could (potentially) help 50 children, but lets only give 49 a chance.” No, they were picking WHICH 50 of the nominees would get the slots. No doubt they had a whole bunch of parameters to meet – not just the ones they made explicit, like how long they’d been diagnosed and age, but stuff like not having any other conditions that could complicate and blur the results, maybe they need to insure a proper mix of blood types. Plus there are likely demographic concerns, like wanting roughly equal numbers of girls and boys, a suitable mixture of races and ethnic backgrounds, who knows what else.
>
> But no matter what, the panel was picking a designated number to get the chance that this drug might help them. It could also be ineffective. It could make their condition worse. They don’t know, that’s why they run drug trials. And saying “NO” to all the rest.
>
> So by this doctor insisting that THIS particular boy be included in the ‘get the chance’ group, she’s also causing some other boy/girl NOT to ‘get the chance.’ Wanting to save a kid you love, or at least have met, is understandable, but I bet whichever child will now NOT get the chance was equally loved by his/her family.
You have a point. I suspected they’d say no, and then the family and/or the doctor from the plane would go to the media about it. Because the media wants to talk to these people anyway, and it’s a sympathetic cause, and it would be embarrassing to the pharmaceutical company. All the points that you made in your post could be argued in the episode. That would have been a more interesting plot than what happened in number 2, in my opinion.
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### Author:  [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2018, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/69 "2018-10-06T03:05:27Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> **[Moderating]**
>
> **manson1972** , the original comment about eyebrows might arguably have been slightly inappropriate. But your post #59 was absolutely, unambiguously inappropriate. If you see something that you think is inappropriate, you should report it, not up the ante.
Fair enough. My post was not serious of course, but a natural result of allowing any appearance based comments that are not relevant to the topic at hand, as discussed in various Pit and ATMB threads recently. I’m not one for reporting posts but I understand what you are saying, of course. And I will take any further comments, if I have any, to ATMB, where moderator actions are discussed.
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2018, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/70 "2018-10-06T07:39:30Z")
> [@Slash1972](#):
>
> Fair enough. My post was not serious of course, but a natural result of allowing any appearance based comments that are not relevant to the topic at hand, as discussed in various Pit and ATMB threads recently.
Appearance of a leading actor, especially when the media has commented on that very thing, is certainly germane.
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### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2018, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/71 "2018-10-06T08:32:03Z")
> [@Slash1972](#):
>
> My post was not serious of course, but a natural result of allowing any appearance based comments that are not relevant to the topic at hand, as discussed in various Pit and ATMB threads recently.
Television and movies are visual media, and as such, character appearance is relevant _by definition_. I don’t know why you think nobody can ever comment on a woman’s appearance ever again, but you are just flat-out wrong. The whole thing you’re missing is if it’s “relevant” or “germane” to the topic, and appearance is clearly and obviously relevant for discussion of visual media.
Also, that “natural result” of yours is made-up bullshit. Unless you can find a single example of something similar to that posted on the boards in any thread, at any time, about any show, I call bullshit.
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### Author:  [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2018, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/72 "2018-10-10T14:04:29Z")
I watched E3 last night.
I liked the storyline with the twins, and how Olive is now dating Cal’s (former) best friend. Five years is a _huge_ difference at that age, and I’ve been wondering how/whether the show might try to address it.
I’m glad that Kelly Taylor’s death was the result of a good, old-fashioned murder and not the work of a smoke monster, but the housekeeper must have gotten pretty close in order to place the pistol under her chin: wouldn’t Taylor have said something? “Hey!” “What the…?” Something?
Also, I’m growing tired of the “Michaela’s got a secret” thing. We know that her friend died and that Michaela was/feels responsible, but the line about “being honest with yourself” hinted at further drama and info she might even be repressing. I don’t think I’m very interested in slowly uncovering hidden secrets about any of the main characters: tell us what we need to know about their backgrounds, then focus on the mystery.
In general, I still like the show well enough. I’ll keep watching.
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### Author:  [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/73 "2018-10-10T17:10:10Z")
I thought the housekeeper snuck up behind Kelly and shot her in the back of the head.
I like the premise of the show enough to keep watching, but Jared is right. Michaela can’t keep getting lucky on the cases. She’s going to have to tell him sooner or later.
So, with her friend Evie…was Michaela drunk, tipsy, or the DD? I would guess if she was cleared then she wasn’t drinking, but they didn’t make that too clear.
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### Author:  [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2018, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/74 "2018-10-10T17:38:47Z")
> [@ivylass](#):
>
> So, with her friend Evie…was Michaela drunk, tipsy, or the DD? I would guess if she was cleared then she wasn’t drinking, but they didn’t make that too clear.
From what I understood, it was Michaela’s birthday and Evie was supposed to be the DD. But the bartender thought Evie was cute and kept giving her free drinks, so Evie was drunker than Michaela. Michaela didn’t want to drive, but Evie said she needed her car the next day and didn’t want to take an Uber. So Michaela reluctantly agreed to drive even though she had been drinking.
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### Author:  [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2018, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/75 "2018-10-10T18:07:56Z")
But if Michaela were drunk she would have been dismissed from the force. I can’t imagine the NYPD saying, “Oh, you were .04? Not legally impaired. Here’s your badge.”
So sad to find out Evie’s mother doesn’t realize her daughter is dead. That’s probably good for mom, but how awful for dad.
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### Author:  [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2018, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/76 "2018-10-10T18:18:58Z")
That really resonated with me. My mother got dementia, and that ‘break it to her that X is dead’ situation happened over and over again. With fresh impact and upset and pain each time. Finally I started doing what that father did: lie. Dad hasn’t been around all day? He’s on a business trip, won’t be back until tomorrow.
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### Author:  [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2018, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/77 "2018-10-10T18:56:23Z")
> [@ivylass](#):
>
> I thought the housekeeper snuck up behind Kelly and shot her in the back of the head.
I have a pretty clear memory of them showing the body with the bullet hole under the chin \*and \*mentioning that the shot was from under the chin…
> [@filmore](#):
>
> From what I understood, it was Michaela’s birthday and Evie was supposed to be the DD. But the bartender thought Evie was cute and kept giving her free drinks, so Evie was drunker than Michaela. Michaela didn’t want to drive, but Evie said she needed her car the next day and didn’t want to take an Uber. So Michaela reluctantly agreed to drive even though she had been drinking.
Yep, that’s my understanding, too. I don’t think Michaela was _drunk_, but she’d definitely had some drinks.
> [@ivylass](#):
>
> But if Michaela were drunk she would have been dismissed from the force. I can’t imagine the NYPD saying, “Oh, you were .04? Not legally impaired. Here’s your badge.”
Right?! I forgot about that until just now, but it bothered me, too! She gets reminded that she’d been cleared by the department of any wrongdoing, but how on earth is that possible in the face of a DUI??
> [@StarvingButStrong](#):
>
> That really resonated with me. My mother got dementia, and that ‘break it to her that X is dead’ situation happened over and over again. With fresh impact and upset and pain each time. Finally I started doing what that father did: lie. Dad hasn’t been around all day? He’s on a business trip, won’t be back until tomorrow.
Ugh. ❤
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### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/78 "2018-10-10T21:46:06Z")
> [@ivylass](#):
>
> But if Michaela were drunk she would have been dismissed from the force. I can’t imagine the NYPD saying, “Oh, you were .04? Not legally impaired. Here’s your badge.”
I’m confused. If (for example) she blew a .04, there’s nothing illegal about her driving, and in fact it would be an example of a properly executed designated driver situation. (The fact that they switched roles notwithstanding.) Wouldn’t it?
What does the “legal limit” mean if not “below this limit, you’re legal, it’s all good.”
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### Author:  [@Nicest\_of\_the\_Damned](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nicest_of_the_Damned)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2018, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/79 "2018-10-11T21:36:41Z")
We still haven’t seen the whole accident so maybe there are additional circumstances in her favor. Swerving to avoid a teenager dressed in black and wearing headphones while walking in the street?
I am liking the show enough to keep watching but I am worried it’s either going to come down to writers who don’t have any real end game in mind or a cancellation with no resolution.
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### Author:  [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2018, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manifest-new-nbc-paranormal-series/821913/80 "2018-10-12T00:19:07Z")
Will the third episdoe be shown again this week? I wanted to watch but was simply too tired after a long, hard day at work.
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