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Episode 10: Shoot-Out At Land's End
Proof positive that cowboys make everything better. Not good, necessarily, but better. And these are Bonanza-flavoured cowboys to boot!
I really enjoyed this episode. This came as something as a surprise, not only because so far all the others have been pretty awful, but also because this one itself is unutterably daft. And something of a bad idea, with an inexplicable plot. In yet another indication of how pointless that wretched sub is, and Elizabeth with it, Mark leaves them behind early in the episode, and has another of his "swim through a hole in some rocks and find another world" excursions, this time winding up in the Wild West. I rather like the idea that it's possible to swim through a hole in some rocks, and find yourself in a cowboy movie. This is the sort of daft idea that I can definitely get behind. It's like an episode of Mr Benn. It gets more daft, though. Because, on the other side of the rocks, in Inexplicable Cowboy Land, Mark finds his identical twin brother. Well, if you're going to have a surprise identical twin brother, where else would you expect to find him? Together they battle against Evil Adam Cartwright, rounding themselves up some more random superpowers along the way. This is, of course, just to make sure that even this basically good fun episode is far from perfect. Just a few episodes back, Mark needed rest and seaweed to recover from some mild burns. Now he throws some water over his brother, and cures him from the effects of a flogging. I know. It's just so boring when a hero has to actually put some effort into overcoming the bad guys, isn't it. Then Evil Adam Cartwright is defeated, and all is well in Inexplicable Cowboy Land. Hurrah!
So... yeah. Rather in two minds about this one. I love Westerns, and I'm totally on board with the idea of suddenly finding one under the sea. Or in a place that isn't under the sea, even though technically it should be. How it got there, goodness knows. And who cares, frankly. I assume that the same huge storm that washed Mark up on Elizabeth's beach also washed his brother up in Inexplicable Cowboy Land, since he's got the same pesky amnesia problem. What I don't entirely understand is why it's the nineteenth century there. And it is the nineteenth century, because aside from all the horses and things, when Surprise Identical Twin Brother sneaks off for a quick visit with Elizabeth on the sub (which is kind of him, since it nearly gave her something to do for a bit), he clearly doesn't understand the concept of radio. Or submarines, or electrical gubbins. So the hole in the rocks is also a hole in time, or leads to a different planet or something. Sadly we don't get the chance to find out, because with evil defeated once again, Mark decides to turn his back on the whole shebang and go home. Because spending your life onboard a completely pointless submarine that you have no earthly use for, with a completely pointless woman who does nothing at all anymore, is so much better than getting to know the identical twin brother that you've only just met. And who lives in a cowboy movie. Mark, you're a moron. Stay there, and I bet you'll never have to tangle with Schubert again.
But no. Off he goes, back to the sub and its poor, pointless crew. I wonder if he ever went back to visit his brother? I hope so. Quite honestly I wish the brother hadn't been there at all, as his presence makes the whole thing very awkward. I have no objection to Inexplicable Cowboy Land; but why would Mark, who supposedly is desperate to know more about himself, and to find some links with his past, turn his back on his brother immediately after meeting him? It's insane. He doesn't even have any terribly pressing reasons as to why he shouldn't stay for a bit, either. All in all, it's a very large flaw sticking up right in the middle of the script. Still, it's a fun episode for all that. Stupid, but fun. With this show, that's probably about the best I can expect.
Proof positive that cowboys make everything better. Not good, necessarily, but better. And these are Bonanza-flavoured cowboys to boot!
I really enjoyed this episode. This came as something as a surprise, not only because so far all the others have been pretty awful, but also because this one itself is unutterably daft. And something of a bad idea, with an inexplicable plot. In yet another indication of how pointless that wretched sub is, and Elizabeth with it, Mark leaves them behind early in the episode, and has another of his "swim through a hole in some rocks and find another world" excursions, this time winding up in the Wild West. I rather like the idea that it's possible to swim through a hole in some rocks, and find yourself in a cowboy movie. This is the sort of daft idea that I can definitely get behind. It's like an episode of Mr Benn. It gets more daft, though. Because, on the other side of the rocks, in Inexplicable Cowboy Land, Mark finds his identical twin brother. Well, if you're going to have a surprise identical twin brother, where else would you expect to find him? Together they battle against Evil Adam Cartwright, rounding themselves up some more random superpowers along the way. This is, of course, just to make sure that even this basically good fun episode is far from perfect. Just a few episodes back, Mark needed rest and seaweed to recover from some mild burns. Now he throws some water over his brother, and cures him from the effects of a flogging. I know. It's just so boring when a hero has to actually put some effort into overcoming the bad guys, isn't it. Then Evil Adam Cartwright is defeated, and all is well in Inexplicable Cowboy Land. Hurrah!
So... yeah. Rather in two minds about this one. I love Westerns, and I'm totally on board with the idea of suddenly finding one under the sea. Or in a place that isn't under the sea, even though technically it should be. How it got there, goodness knows. And who cares, frankly. I assume that the same huge storm that washed Mark up on Elizabeth's beach also washed his brother up in Inexplicable Cowboy Land, since he's got the same pesky amnesia problem. What I don't entirely understand is why it's the nineteenth century there. And it is the nineteenth century, because aside from all the horses and things, when Surprise Identical Twin Brother sneaks off for a quick visit with Elizabeth on the sub (which is kind of him, since it nearly gave her something to do for a bit), he clearly doesn't understand the concept of radio. Or submarines, or electrical gubbins. So the hole in the rocks is also a hole in time, or leads to a different planet or something. Sadly we don't get the chance to find out, because with evil defeated once again, Mark decides to turn his back on the whole shebang and go home. Because spending your life onboard a completely pointless submarine that you have no earthly use for, with a completely pointless woman who does nothing at all anymore, is so much better than getting to know the identical twin brother that you've only just met. And who lives in a cowboy movie. Mark, you're a moron. Stay there, and I bet you'll never have to tangle with Schubert again.
But no. Off he goes, back to the sub and its poor, pointless crew. I wonder if he ever went back to visit his brother? I hope so. Quite honestly I wish the brother hadn't been there at all, as his presence makes the whole thing very awkward. I have no objection to Inexplicable Cowboy Land; but why would Mark, who supposedly is desperate to know more about himself, and to find some links with his past, turn his back on his brother immediately after meeting him? It's insane. He doesn't even have any terribly pressing reasons as to why he shouldn't stay for a bit, either. All in all, it's a very large flaw sticking up right in the middle of the script. Still, it's a fun episode for all that. Stupid, but fun. With this show, that's probably about the best I can expect.