Double wow as Flash Forward both speeds up and slows down in this action-packed but, more importantly, psychologically-reflected second episode. In fact, Flash Forward is at once reflecting on and asking the viewer to think about what the effects on each of us would be if we could even have a momentary glance into a random event 6 months from now. Their premise seems harmless, potentially fun. But as episode 2 unfolds, we see how one simple glance into the crystal ball is in itself perhaps the origin of a dangerous collapse of society: basic couple relationships verge towards what they see as a preordained demise, and the will to go to work has vanished for many (thus we hear of the many FBI resignations and can assume such a phenomenon would be widespread). The question of who is in control: us (freewill) or destiny (a higher, or perhaps in this case lower, more malicious power) is the central spit on which the body of Flash Forward turns.
Thus Episode 2 is not just an action-packed FBI program, but exploration of character, society, freewill, destiny, knowledge, creation and demise--as well as the need to solve a www-sized mosaic-shaped 3-D puzzle. And what is going to make us keep coming back for episode 3, 4, 5... are the precarious, precise balancing of these aspects--that I neither want more action moments nor feel that the "behind the scenes" character to character developments are shallow, are only there for show, are irrelevant. In fact, the psychology of Flash Forward is going to hook its constant watchers.
Certainly psychic insight has been highly explored in TV police dramas based on psychics of various sorts (false and real! From Medium to Psych) But in this show, the take is more unique. Not only are we not using the psychic moment to solve a crime, it is the crime. And everyone (or practically), not just some singular psychic, has seen the future--be that the blank potentially postlife moment, or a few minutes on the phone.
My Flash Forward? It reveals that this excellently written, well filmed, perfectly acted new show is going to be a hit.
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