After last night’s episode, I’m really starting to wonder where they’re going with this show. Perhaps the Machine will act to block Vigilance’s transmission from getting out. Which would be pretty damn scary now that I think about it.
Interesting to see Shaw & Hirsch working together. I’m expecting Hirsch to shoot Shaw in the back the moment the last bad guy gets dropped. With the power out (and the Machine effectively blind in NYC) there’s a real chance he could get away with it, too.
It sounded like Root is being sent on a suicide mission. Which would suit me fine. I’ve never liked her. As long as Samaritan goes up in a nice big explosion, it’s all good.
As a sci-fi TV series, I can appreciate the concept behind Root. She’s someone who recognizes that AI would quickly be able to outstrip humanity in most regards and, consequently, are superior beings. But the portrayal isn’t so much sci-fi as it is comic book. Her character - shooting people behind her without looking, etc. - is pure Joss Whedon and it conflicts with the otherwise fairly realistic portrayal of the show. Every time I see her, I can’t help thinking that she was added just as fan service for Whedonites, not because it made sense for the show.
You probably already realize this, but in case you don’t – or for the sake of others who don’t – we know from the episode “God Mode” that the Machine is talking to her directly (originally from a cell phone, and now through a cochlear implant) and tells her when, and in what direction, to shoot.
I do realize that, but it’s presented in a comic book manner, not a sci-fi manner. The lagtime for the Machine to get that data (when available), process it, send it to Root, for her to process it, and actually act on it would be too long for the Machine to realistically predict where to fire so accurately that a direct visual by the shooter was uneccesary, and impossible for a human to react to so consistently as to be a viable method of aiming. Nor is there any plausible reason for someone to choose to fire backwards, except to show off for the audience.