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livingwithashipname-blog · 7 years

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Ermanda’s Inner Sanctum: Scorpion Season 3A

This is a general review post on the first half of Scorpion season 3 with my introspective critiques. To follow my in-depth episode reviews, drabbles, and thought pieces for Scorpion (and other shows), follow the tag “ermanda’s inner sanctum” for more. This post is long so read at your own risk! 😜😂😂😂😂😂

I think this portion of the season resolved season 2 cliffhangers well. The elements were addressed in a step-down manner that showed adequate research of these topics and didn’t introduce anything too unrealistic in their resolutions. There were other elements that didn’t deliver because of the quantity over quality conundrum. I appreciate the exploration of new relationships this season within the cyclone and all the new foreshadowing bits I have witnessed so far. I am intrigued to see where these stories are going. Here are some specific things I would like to address.

Series Goals vs. Time Slot

Various interviews from the showrunners and actors, as well as elements of the show itself, suggest that Scorpion is a family show and will continue to meet this goal over time. A 10 pm time slot means that there is room to push portions of the show to appeal to more adult audiences. The showrunners have decided to do this in the type of major storylines introduced and how they are portrayed on screen. Episode 3.03 It Isn’t The Fall That Kills You is a good example of a grittier portrayal of the Waige dynamic and Happy’s cadmium poisoning that mimicked pregnancy in symptomatology and testing is another example of dealing with the concept of loss that doesn’t involve miscarriage. However, disillusionment within the fandom exists when the personal storylines don’t fit fandom expectations for a show in a particular time slot. When the show (in the eyes of fans) fails to deliver on the personal end, it is easy to default to the mission. If the same happens there, the entire episode feels inadequate. I am indifferent If Scorpion stays in its 10 pm slot or returns to 9 pm. I am more concerned about which day it is scheduled. Mondays are perfect right now. Tuesdays are too competitive with other networks (gotta save those slots for the network’s heavy hitters - NCIS series), Wednesdays are already devoted to Survivor and Criminal Minds, and Thursdays are devoted to sitcoms. Scorpion is not a show that fits CBS’s aims for Friday programming and it is not close to an end for the network to push it to Sundays “to live out its last days.” There are still a large number of shows that have to go and be replaced by new shows. If the show returns to 9 pm, there are certain ways they have to “censor” the dialogue to fulfill network demands to audiences accessible at that time. Thus, there will always be this struggle between fulfilling the family goal and pushing the envelope with a 10 pm time slot. The show has succeeded in some ways, but it can definitely do more with the opportunities the 10 pm time slot provides. I don’t anticipate any sex scenes beyond the scope of that seen in episode 1.14 Charades for this show, but if that happens in the future I will be pleasantly enthused.

Comparison to Numb3rs

In a lot of ways, Scorpion feels just like Numb3rs, which is another crime drama that premiered on CBS for 6 seasons. It’s one of my all-time favorites and currently lives on in syndication on ION television in the US almost 7 years after the series finale. If you’re not familiar with this series, all 6 seasons are available on Amazon Instant Video with a Prime account and Hulu. Here’s a synopsis of the series:

FBI agent Don Eppes recruits his younger brother, Charlie, a mathematical genius and college professor, to help solve some of Don's toughest cases. Although others at the bureau are skeptical of Charlie's involvement, he finds support in a colleague at the university where he teaches.

The show showcased a romantic relationship between Charlie, the math genius, and a fellow colleague who was as equally smart; the nerdy, awkward friend who managed to woo the strong heroine; the difficulties of raising a family where one child is a genius and the other is a normal; the sibling rivalry that exists between brothers because of this dynamic; and much more. Maybe this is why I flocked to Scorpion so quickly. And now that Scorpion is up for syndication, it all seems like deja vu. So I am curious to see if Scorpion will be handled like Numb3rs in the future since both shows are with CBS.

Areas for Improvement

Suspense/Mystery

I think the show needs to do a better job at CONSISTENTLY creating suspense with each mission’s operational casualties. For example, I think that the apparent danger of the tornado scene in 2.21 Twist and Shout wouldn’t have fallen flat if it had obscured Walter and Paige for a moment and we only heard their voices while they were holding onto each other for dear life. That would have given the situation more of a semblance of realism and make us wonder about their safety even though we know that they would survive. Also, don’t get me started on the wire work in that episode. Where was the body control?! 😂 For this season, episode 3.10 This Is The Pits comes to mind when Walter got stuck in the tar. One episode I quickly recall where this is done well is in 2.13 White Out.

Continuity of Injury & Emotional Fallout

These characters manage to find themselves in dangerous situations mission after mission and heal quickly or they encounter a major emotional event that is resolved in that episode or picked up again 10 episodes later. Granted, this is expected of procedurals where each episode is set up to tell a new story each week that keeps the casual, periodic viewer engaged and cognizant of the show’s overall goals without the need for 5-6 episodes to fill in the blanks. Also, the actors talk about this superhero aspect that has been infused into the show. So this suggests that this is intentional. However, there have been moments such as Walter’s hand injury and Toby’s post-kidnapping injuries (physical & emotional) that should have been seen for more than 1 episode. Thus, it would be nice to see the dramatic elements of this show extended in small, subtle ways outside their brief multi-episode arcs that are not foreshadowing elements for later developments and are done in ways that are not easily missed when presented within an episode. Yet, I will argue that certain things are not as easy to portray on-screen and it is an understandable reality that I am willing to accept in some ways.

A New Cyclone Hangout

I would like to see a financial investment in new hangouts that are also used to explore the emotional complexities of the cyclone as is done with the garage rooftop. These could be anywhere from someone’s living quarters to an unexplored area of the garage. I use Criminal Minds as a point of reference - another big budget show with a central hub that also explores more locales throughout each season. Yet, I also consider that these new locales may not be chosen as often as the fans would like to see because investment is an expensive venture that is not fiscally possible given approved plans for the season and what can be accomplished by production within a given time frame. For example, the backdrop of city scene on the rooftop is CGI, but it takes time and money (paying editors to make it work with actors who are moving in and out of shots) to do it well.

Better Application of Plausible Scientific Scenarios & Explanation of These Events

I think this point is self-explanatory, but I will refer to a recent scene. Scott Porter was directed to deliver this lengthy piece of dialogue for his character in 3.10 This Is The Pits and then perform the task afterwards. This order negatively affected the purpose of the dialogue and the efficiency of the action. It would have been more realistic for his character to perform the task while reiterating an understanding for the science so it didn’t seem like he dictating a term paper. I hope that makes sense! LOL!

Dropped Storylines

There have been several storylines within this series on a whole that have been introduced and never mentioned again. But the ones that are problematic are those that contributed to a story arc within a season. The best example of this would be Sly’s journey to acquire naming rights for the pediatric ward in the hospital Megan spent her last days. Sly was working on raising enough money to do that. And it was insinuated that the turnover time was not long. So... 👀 Is there a plan to work this into his political campaign in the future? Let’s hope so!

Number of Plots Covered in One Episode

This is another self-explanatory point. It’s another quality over quantity argument with a show that already gives so much given time constraints.

BE REALISTIC!!! 😉

There will always be things that we like and do not like with all of our favorite shows. Does this mean that you should lower the bar of expectation? No. However, it is so important to put your expectations in check. Pay attention to clues within each episode and think about the music choices, the shot selection, and the dialogue to fully understand what is being communicated in that moment and beyond. In other words, you have to put down your shipper goggles for a minute and use foreshadowing ones. Hahahaha... but fo real tho! Recognize production patterns because they are usually good predictors of what to expect from season to season. I even addressed one in this post. There are many within this show, but the most prominent is that for the ships. I’m gonna let you figure that one out! 😉 If you want to talk about it more, drop an inquiry in the inner sanctum (aka. my ask box) or hit me up in the chat!

A short note on ratings & syndication: Syndication is the evil twin of continuity. CBS loves its syndication deals. A show will get renewed if it is up for syndication. Ratings for 8 & 9 pm shows are always better than those at 10 pm. The important factor to consider is average consistency. Even if ratings decline in the US, the network will choose to move forward with episode orders if a show has a good international following (e.g. Elementary). So if you have international followers who are also fans, ask them to indulge the content in the way it’s available within their country.

Constant complaints about things that can be fixed are just seen as noise if they are not accompanied with realistic ideas. They only put up more walls between creators and fans in an era where communication between these two groups is closer than ever. The reality is that all these comments come with a turnover time of AT LEAST 2 months in which 3-4 episodes have already been written and shot. If it fits with what’s already established, there’s a chance it might be considered. But if it doesn’t, expect that idea to get tabled for the latter portion of a season or the next. It is more advantageous to share your headcanons, set ideas, etc., as it would be done in the writing room and be specific when you do. If you honestly think no one is watching/reading because your desires have not been met, you are living in the clouds. That’s how you set yourself to get baited by clever PR moves. Patience is a virtue. If a season’s developments still do not suit your fancy, stop with the emotional masochism and either figure out a new way to indulge the content if you still want to stay close to it or drop off entirely. At the end of the day, EXERCISE YOUR CREATIVE FRUSTRATIONS IN FANFICTION if all else fails! That’s where everything goes down and I love it!

Kudos to wardrobe because the looks this season are really great! Kudos to production and art departments for the amazing cave set of 3.06 Bat Poop Crazy and the cabin set for 3.11 Wreck The Halls. Kudos to location scouts and the camera crew for capturing scenic beauty in 3.08 Sly and the Family Stone! Kudos to the showrunners and writers for exploiting the strengths of their cast!

THAT’S ALL PEEPS! TOODLES & HAPPY SCORPION MONDAYS!!! 😘

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