REVIEW: DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW - SEASON 5.13: "The One Where We're Trapped on TV"
We're sprinting to the end of our 5th season with the Time Travelling Heroes. When last we checked in, the team was in the onslaught of a zombie apocalypse, and Gary was aboard the Waverider, hiding the Loom, and trying to avoid Lachesis (I keep getting her name wrong, sorry!), Atropose, and Astra, who'd put the team out of harms way while she used the Loom to get her mother Natalie back. Charlie manages to get back board the ship, only to have seen Astra dead, and Gary impaled as he gave her the Loom, while trying to rescue him. Charlie then says to her sisters that they can get to work, which only left us with ONE question: Did Charlie just sell the team out?
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This episode gave us A LOT of tongue-in-cheek, but also allowed us to see the return of the original Zari, as well as witnessing the alternate reality created by the Fates, who're now firmly in control of the world after reshaping it (including the title intro, which was given a very Communist Russia kind of feel to it), and we see the team spread out in various tv shows which are direct spoofs of actual tv shows. And the episode follows Zari, as she takes over her counterpart, and tries to rescue the team after witnessing this phenomenon of them being trapped in television.
The episode began in this alternate future that's very Orwell-esque, where people wear uniforms and conform to the Fate's will. We see Mona Wu for the first time in awhile, as she's a writer for the historical department, and she ends up bumping into Gary, who is much like some of those strange homeless people wearing signs signaling the end of the world. Mona goes home, and checks the TV and programming from the Clotho Network (Clotho being Charlie's actual name), and she sees a revived Behrad, Nate, and Zari in a spoof of the show Friends called Best Buds. Behrad and Zari are a Ross/Monica spoof, while Nate is the Joey spoof. However, the heirloom Zari has lights up, and her alternate self appears, and she takes over the body of her counterpart. She's realizing that things aren't right, but is glad that Nate finally found her. However, Behrad and Nate aren't aware that they're in a TV show, until Zari asks what's through one particular door. They go through it, and appear on another TV show...a spoof of Downton Abbey called Kensington Abbey.
It's in this new show they bump into John Constantine as an old school proper butler, and Astra as the main female character of the show, along with her mother Natalie. Apparently, Behrad and Zari are a well off family, whereas Astra and Behrad are together and to be married. Zari breaks away to get to John and convince him of the truth. Behrad tries to get to Astra, and tell her she needs to be free to go off on her own. Zari manages to see John work his magic, and he does with the rest of the team, and they're off onto another tv show.
Meanwhile, Mona is witnessing all of this, and had heard Zari mention her by name when speaking of the team, and she's convinced that Gary was right, and something is off. She and Gary formulate a plan to sneak into the Clortho building, and try to help the team. They manage to manipulate the guard at the reception desk, and make their way into the television studio, and find out how to save the team.
The next show the team winds up on is a Star Trek spoof called Star Trip. Here, we find Sara and Ava, as captains of a starship. We get an enjoyable laugh with Jes Macallan doing her best Spock impression, and Caity Lotz REALLY selling her Kirk impression. The team shows up as a ripoff Klingon/Romulan race, where Zari yet again has to get through to both women to convince them that they're in a TV show. The ship the team is in then is grabbed by a giant hand, and taken to Mr. Parker's Cul-de-Sac. Where they are now all members of the community he lives in.
Mona and Gary soon see the strands of the loom, and discover that in order to save the team, they need to change the script (which is being written automatically). Mona goes in and starts re-writing Mr. Parker's show, and the team eventually remembers who they are. Nate and the original Zari are reunited, and Behrad realizes that he's not even supposed to be alive in ANY timeline. Astra wonders whether or not her mother is really alive, and John isn't sure. Just as Gary and Mona celebrate, Charlie walks in and stops them. She said she made a deal with her sisters that if they spared the Legends, that she would help them reshape the world as it was. So she goes about re-writing everything Mona did, and putting everyone back in their original TV shows. Much to their resistance.
Mona tells Charlie that even though her intent was well meaning, that the life that is out there isn't really LIFE. That it's just conformity, and it's not good for anybody. Meanwhile, back in TV land, the team is spread back to their shows, but they are still back to "reality" so-to-speak. Ava and Sara run into Mick, who's now a Khan Noonian Singh character. Charlie figures that if she gave them all what they wanted, they'd be safe, and forget the world around them. But the team sees through this, and doesn't want to live like this. Except Astra. She wants to be with her mother so bad, that she wants to go back to the show, and John goes with her. It's also here that Astra realizes that her mother wouldn't want her to sacrifice herself for her, but to live her life. Parents are supposed to sacrifice for their kids. Astra comes to the realization that this version of her mother isn't real, and learns that John had bargained her life to save her mother's. But he was willing to stay there with Astra, in order for her to be happy. She appreciates that , but realize they have to go. The same with Behrad and Nate. So, the team is then transported back to the studio.
However, before they bail, Zari informs the audience to stand up and start living life on their own, and take control of their own destiny. When the team returns, Charlie begs for them to reconsider. Mick says he has a daughter, so he's not leaving her, Charlie offers Behrad his version of his sister, as she splits Zari's string in two, thus separating the two versions, which we see John being a little tad jealous of original Zari with Nate, whom she's finally happy he found her, and he has NO intention of letting her go. Sara, still blind, says to Charlie that the team will take their chances with her sisters, and the team takes off. Mona asks what will happen now, and Charlie says that she can't protect then anymore as the episode ends.
This was a good set-up episode to the season finale, and it allowed the actors some space to stretch a little, and have some fun. I feel that Lotz and Macallan had a blast being Spock and Kirk, and to see Matt Ryan have to play Constantine as a stuffy butler was humorous. Gary has stepped up big time the last couple of episodes, and it was awesome to see original Zari back and take control. I know A LOT of people out there (especially after LAST episode), are shipping New Zari and John, but I can't see that as a real thing. New Zari would eventually grate on John, and plus...John works better as a loner with some tiny romantic dalliances. His last relationship blew up in his face, and it's just not in the cards for him to be tied down to anyone. He's better as a solo act. To me, they have painted the narrative of Nate and Zari finding each other again, and it's about damn time. Now...with two Zaris in the universe, something HAS to give. As we witnessed on Batwoman, two Beths could NOT live in the same universe. One will have to die. So, I feel the season finale will have to sort that out. But I wouldn't mind an amalgamation of the two...but that will also create some kind of love triangle between John, Zari, and Nate. That doesn't work for me. Nate and Zari belong together, and that's how I see it.
Mick has also gotten close with his daughter Lita, and they're bonding. For him to make the sacrifice and go against the sisters is worth it for him---he has a kid to protect. Mick has grown a lot this season, but still keeps that gruff exterior, and is ALWAYS good for a laugh. Not sure what will happen with Behrad. He's not supposed to exist in ANY timeline anymore, and I wonder if he will ultimately sacrifice himself next week. Hard to say.
Will Sara get her sight back at all? And with her new powers, will she be able to battle Lechesis and Atropose? I would think that she can do more than just be a precognative. She's gotta tap into her inner Daredevil. Charlie is in quite the fix. Will she play it safe, or will she realize that her original reason for destroying the loom is still necessary? Will she join the fight? And Mona...I love that little sprite. Ramona Young plays Mona with such sweet sincerity and honesty. She truly IS the heart of the team, even if she's not a full-time member. If it weren't for her, we wouldn't have this final battle yet to be fought. We know she will join in, as Wolfie will be needed, but still...I miss Mona on this show. But I understand she didn't have much use until now.
Lastly....Astra. She kind of came full circle a little bit this installment. She did get some time with her mother Natalie, even if it was only a dream. But the message her mother gave her about not sacrificing her own future for her, was dead on. Astra I now believe realizes that her mother wanted HER to live, and not give up everything to get her back. It's not like she won't be there...she always will. But Astra needed to lean that lesson on her own, and she did.
Okay...one last episode to go before we wrap Season 5. Also...nice of the writers to name this episode like an episode of Friends.
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Okay, boys and girls, that does it for this week...one last one to go. Please subscribe and leave a comment below.
Until then....Time is on our Side...
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