Surface "Episode 11" 1-2-06 [Text View]

Bierboy

01-02-2006, 08:43 PM

At the end of tonight's ep, they said "...only four more new episodes left." That confused me too. Maybe I heard wrong? Anyone else hear that before the previews? I could have sworn that's what they said. I already deleted the ep.

bentleyml

01-02-2006, 08:47 PM

They definetly said only 4 more new episodes.

Bierboy

01-02-2006, 08:50 PM

Yeah, I just checked a story on the Futon Critic from November, and it said that "Surface" had "more eps" ordered, but not a full season.

appleye1

01-03-2006, 12:34 AM

Maybe it's been picked up for a full season next season?

15 episodes is definitely not a full season. :(

I'm liking this show more and more. Pretty cool the way the kid is getting "electric". I wonder how far they'll take that? Will he end up changing into a nimrod?

dswallow

01-03-2006, 12:47 AM

I wonder if this story is actually about genetic engineering gone awry.

JYoung

01-03-2006, 02:09 AM

(waits for the kid to become Lightning Lad)

stantonl

01-03-2006, 03:08 AM

Man I'm really enjoying this show. To bad only four more shows left. I wondering how they are going to pull off miles mutation.

Redux

01-03-2006, 03:43 AM

I wonder if this story is actually about genetic engineering gone awry.What is your take on the kid, whassisname, saying no to the nubile motorscooter chick?

Not that I've never said no. I remember once, soon after a surgery, and she wasn't really all that attractive, and I still had feelings from a recent relationship and, well ... never mind.

Maybe he's just distracted. Or is there some kind of identity ambiguity here?

Actually, I regret it to this day. I was heavily sedated at the time and I believe, otherwise, like all hetero males, I would never have said no. Not in our language.

b5ver

01-03-2006, 08:29 AM

What is your take on the kid, whassisname, saying no to the nubile motorscooter chick?

He was just distracted by what he saw Nim going thru. I think they have some sorta cosmic/electric connection, as well as slightly telepathic connection to each other. It wasn't really about her (in the beginning). But now he knows that Daddy'sLittleGirl had ulterior motives for latching on to him. A few months/episodes ago, he would have accepted any attention from the female species, but this whole Nim-thing has really "grown him up" a bit.

I liked that bit about "Sleestak Underground" that the Kinko's (or whatever) guy mentioned. Was "Land of the Lost" on NBC? If so, nice homage to the reptile homeys.

Amnesia

01-03-2006, 09:12 AM

Was "Land of the Lost" on NBC?Yes.

newsposter

01-03-2006, 09:20 AM

I liked that bit about "Sleestak Underground" that the Kinko's (or whatever) guy mentioned. Was "Land of the Lost" on NBC? If so, nice homage to the reptile homeys.

whole series can be found for about 75 bucks at some stores. I like it...but not that much.

jking

01-03-2006, 10:04 AM

...but this whole Nim-thing has really "grown him up" a bit.

Sorry, but I don't agree with this at all. Distracted, yes, but grown up... far from it. If he was grown up, he would realize that, while he doesn't like the poking and prodding on Nim, it's necessary because he knows there are more like Nim out there and they are not nearly as nice. Malicious intent or not, these things are out there killing people. The more we can learn about Nim's species, the better. All Miles seems to care about is that Nim doesn't get blamed for the killing.

BillyT2002

01-03-2006, 10:16 AM

JKing

Let's say you have a dog (Boston Terrier maybe) that you love very much. The dog is loyal to you and has shown you nothing but love. Let's say that maybe there are more of your dog out there who have become a real threat to humanity and prey upon us and have no history or love for you.

Would you allow scientists or the military to come in and take your dog for testing in order to save humanity?

I'm 42 years old and they would have to pry my guns from my cold, dead fingers after I had killed as many as I could before they ever would come into my house to take my dog.

Some people are grown up and just could care less about the rest of humanity. I'm definitely one of them. Most of us just want to be left alone. ;)

b5ver

01-03-2006, 10:16 AM

Sorry, but I don't agree with this at all. Distracted, yes, but grown up... far from it.

I think he has grown up a bit because (as we know), the "old Miles" would have broken into the lab and rescued Nim and put him out to sea again. Miles knew that this would probably prove futile since Nim would A) find his way back to Miles again, or B) get snatched up and/or killed.

I agree that he does know that the prodding is "necessary". Though I do believe we haven't seen the last of "rebel Miles".

Graymalkin

01-03-2006, 10:18 AM

Only four more episodes? Crap. :mad:

I think Miles is still burned from the last teenage temptress who embarrassed him.

jschuur

01-03-2006, 10:36 AM

Bierboy

01-03-2006, 10:39 AM

4 more weekly episodes brings us right up to the Winter Olympics on NBC. The whole season is essentially one giant story arc with hardly any neglectable side plots. They may not want to stretch it too thin.I tend to agree. This series has show consistent (but, sometimes erratic) improvement, and I think capping the season off earlier rather than later is smart, especially with Olympics interruptions.

Graymalkin

01-03-2006, 10:54 AM

And what are they going to put in its place after the Olympics are over?

jking

01-03-2006, 11:10 AM

Would you allow scientists or the military to come in and take your dog for testing in order to save humanity?

If my dog shot electricity out of it's butt and came back to life after a few days of clinical death, then heck yes I would! :p

Bierboy

01-03-2006, 11:18 AM

And what are they going to put in its place after the Olympics are over?Joey-2? :eek:

DLiquid

01-03-2006, 11:43 AM

Great episode. I liked the way they did the news story, very realistic. I was worried the tape would be destroyed, which would be very predictable in a "Gilligan never gets rescued" sort of way. But instead of that, they actually moved the story forward quite a bit. The Miles thing is finally starting to get interesting.

Amnesia

01-03-2006, 12:13 PM

TBDigital

01-03-2006, 12:15 PM

You wonder if Miles and the Aquarium crew will have seen the MSNBC story, and make the connection between the behemoths that were in the video and Nim. Miles may have second thoughts about Nim when he realizes that Nim may be getting a leeettle bit beeegger in the near future...

TBDigital

01-03-2006, 12:16 PM

I'm just waiting for someone to put the "American Nessie" and "strange new animal at the aquarium" stories together...

D'OH! Thunder stolen. Well played, sir...

bicker

01-04-2006, 06:35 AM

Four episodes left, to me, translates into the fact that the series isn't being renewed. I wonder if they knew in time to tie up the loose ends before the finale.

DLiquid

01-04-2006, 11:18 AM

Four episodes left, to me, translates into the fact that the series isn't being renewed.What are the ratings like? IMO, this is one of the best new shows this season.

wedgecon

01-04-2006, 12:30 PM

It is the highest rated of the three "invasion series" and it is the highest rated show on Monday night excluding MNF.

jstr

01-04-2006, 12:55 PM

It is the highest rated of the three "invasion series" and it is the highest rated show on Monday night excluding MNF.I don't remember Surface ever being #2 after MNF.

Here are the latest ratings for it:
Zap2it - monday TV ratings (http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,272|99374|1|,00.html)
futon critic - monday nielsen ratings (http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/ratings.cgi?id=monday)

For Jan. 2 it was #10 for the night. It was even behind CBS's rerun schedule. I hope it doesn't get cancelled after this season, but it may be hard for NBC to hold on to it with these kind of ratings.

It will be interesting to see what happens to monday night ratings starting next week now that MNF is gone. Will Surface ratings go up and possibly save the show?

Rkkeller

01-04-2006, 01:02 PM

I loved Surface at the beginning but now I don't like how much of its concentrated around the kid. I also don't like how much they show of the creatures, leave a little to the imagination like Lost does. Thats what keeps people coming back.

Rich

cherry ghost

01-04-2006, 01:07 PM

Is it just me, or is Lake Bell's acting getting worse as the season goes on?

bicker

01-04-2006, 02:02 PM

No, it was pretty bad to start with.

KRS

01-04-2006, 02:44 PM

What is your take on the kid, whassisname, saying no to the nubile motorscooter chick?

Not that I've never said no. I remember once, soon after a surgery, and she wasn't really all that attractive, and I still had feelings from a recent relationship and, well ... never mind.

Maybe he's just distracted. Or is there some kind of identity ambiguity here?

Actually, I regret it to this day. I was heavily sedated at the time and I believe, otherwise, like all hetero males, I would never have said no. Not in our language.

So.....when will the sedation wear off?

:)

IDSmoker

01-04-2006, 02:48 PM

...If he was grown up, he would realize that, while he doesn't like the poking and prodding on Nim, it's necessary because he knows there are more like Nim out there and they are not nearly as nice. Malicious intent or not, these things are out there killing people. The more we can learn about Nim's species, the better. All Miles seems to care about is that Nim doesn't get blamed for the killing.
Did they ever explain why the scientists never bothered to return to the spot where Miles was attacked... you know, where all the 'feral' Nims seem to congregate on a regular basis, so that they could pick up a few rip your limbs off-Nims to poke and prod on instead of having to bother saved a kid from the brink of death-Nim?

Just wondering... I'll go away now...

Graymalkin

01-04-2006, 02:50 PM

What's to wonder about? They'd much rather handle a human-imprinted and -trained Nim than some wild brothers who would just as soon rip you to shreds as look at you.

wedgecon

01-04-2006, 03:23 PM

Apparently the article I was looking at was outdated...

http://www.tv.com/tracking/viewer.html&ref_id=32412&tid=74024&ref_type=101

But I think surface is still doing pretty good in the 18-49 demographic. For some strange reason advertisers are only interested in this demographic so sometimes a show can be let go or renewed based on the results for the 18-49 category. I belive CBS suffered for many years with shows that were rated very high overall, but they could not get much in the way of advertising revenue because the 18-49 demographic was low.

DLiquid

01-04-2006, 03:27 PM

Did they ever explain why the scientists never bothered to return to the spot where Miles was attacked... you know, where all the 'feral' Nims seem to congregate on a regular basis, so that they could pick up a few rip your limbs off-Nims to poke and prod on instead of having to bother saved a kid from the brink of death-Nim?

Just wondering... I'll go away now...When did the scientists learn where Miles was attacked? I must have missed that scene. ;)

Bierboy

01-04-2006, 03:33 PM

jschuur

01-04-2006, 03:59 PM

What is your take on the kid, whassisname, saying no to the nubile motorscooter chick?
Fun fact: The actor that plays Miles once played a young Todd (as in The Todd) in a flashback scene in Scrubs.

The cynic in me thinks Caitlin is a plant to either infiltrate or distract Miles.

Jeeters

01-04-2006, 04:00 PM

For Jan. 2 it was #10 for the night. It was even behind CBS's rerun schedule. I hope it doesn't get cancelled after this season, but it may be hard for NBC to hold on to it with these kind of ratings.I think the ratings for the day after New Years would be a bad night to look at for determining if a show is doing good over all. Viewers haven't realized yet what shows are returning when to the air. So lots of folks likely missed this episode and will likely be missing other returning favorites, too, in the next week or so.

I remember a couple previous times I've glanced at overall ratings and was surprised to see "Surface" was was something like #34 of all shows for the week. Not bad at all for a show that was pretty much panned across the board by all critics.

Jeeters

01-04-2006, 04:03 PM

I liked that bit about "Sleestak Underground" that the Kinko's (or whatever) guy mentioned. Was "Land of the Lost" on NBC? If so, nice homage to the reptile homeys.The boy's sister also used "Sleestak" after the time Nim 'crashed' her pool party. She yelled at the brother saying something like "you're keeping a baby Sleestak in the back yard!".

Amnesia

01-04-2006, 04:46 PM

[QUOTE=jschuurThe cynic in me thinks Caitlin is a plant to either infiltrate or distract Miles.[/QUOTE]A plant for whom? You're saying she's not really the aquarium guy's daughter?

thefutoncritic

01-04-2006, 05:52 PM

And what are they going to put in its place after the Olympics are over?

NBC literally has 9 shows ready for March/April:

"The Apprentice" (Season 5)
"Conviction" (new legal drama)
"Deal or No Deal" (Cycle 2)
"Heist" (serialized drama about a series of robberies)
"Joey" (second half of season 2)
"Teachers" (sitcom about, you guessed it, teachers)
"Thick & Thin" (sitcom about a formerly fat woman who becomes thin)
"Treasure Hunters" ("Amazing Race"-like reality show)
"Windfall" (drama about lotto winners)

jschuur

01-04-2006, 06:55 PM

A plant for whom? You're saying she's not really the aquarium guy's daughter?

I actually no longer think she is. But you have to admit, since their little diving escapade, he did get banished from the aquarium.

While it's not completely unheard of, she does look a little our of his league. Unless Caitlin likes bad boys. Or the writers are trying to make up for lost youth and live vicariously through Miles.

This is the point in the thread where I stop speculating what girls half my age are into...

jschuur

01-04-2006, 06:58 PM

[QUOTE=thefutoncritic]NBC literally has 9 shows ready for March/April:

...
"Heist" (serialized drama about a series of robberies)
...

Technically, Heist is a dramedy. FX' Thief is the drama.

Ruth

01-05-2006, 01:44 AM

I hope it's not cancelled. I am enjoying it.

I wouldn't trust Caitlin, either -- not since her dad is turning out to be a bad guy.
Too easy for him to get information from her.

I love my dog more than almost anything in the world, but come on. If I watched him kill some people, and the city ordered me to put him down, and yet somehow he ended up in a research facility, where he was basically OK but subject to some testing, and could help scientists figure out how to keep other dogs from becoming so agresssive, I would consider that a great outcome.

Amnesia

01-05-2006, 02:33 AM

I love my dog more than almost anything in the world, but come on. If I watched him kill some people (...)That's not a very close analogy.
For one thing, Nim didn't kill anyone. Secondly, the research guys are doing biopsies and trying to figure out what he is. It's not like a dog where they're trying to figure out what's wrong with him---instead, it's like they've never seen a dog before and they're doing surgery to understand what it is and how it works. ("Look how the tail moves! Let's slice it open to examine the nerves!")

Rob Helmerichs

01-05-2006, 06:00 AM

That's not a very close analogy.
For one thing, Nim didn't kill anyone. Secondly, the research guys are doing biopsies and trying to figure out what he is. It's not like a dog where they're trying to figure out what's wrong with him---instead, it's like they've never seen a dog before and they're doing surgery to understand what it is and how it works. ("Look how the tail moves! Let's slice it open to examine the nerves!")
When the scientist was holding a scalpel and calmly saying, "We're testing his healing ability" or words to that effect, that would have been the point where I would have done naything to get that critter out of there.

cherry ghost

01-05-2006, 08:31 AM

Magister

01-05-2006, 08:36 AM

I hope it's not cancelled. I am enjoying it.

Well, looks like it is done. The bumpers said '4 more episodes until the finale'...

I am glad that they are at least going to end it with explanations and not just disappear... 'John Doe' killed me when they did that.

It was VERY stupid for Miles to go swimming in the main tank.

I am not convinced the Dr. is a 'bad' guy. More like he sees the pure science and wants an objective eye.

Hell, go to any aquiriam and see how they would react to haveing teenagers with raging hormones swimming in the main tank?

dswallow

01-05-2006, 08:43 AM

Well, looks like it is done. The bumpers said '4 more episodes until the finale'...
Yeah, the season finale. Like most every series has every year.

7thton

01-05-2006, 08:48 AM

NBC literally has 9 shows ready for March/April:

"The Apprentice" (Season 5)
"Conviction" (new legal drama)
"Deal or No Deal" (Cycle 2)
"Heist" (serialized drama about a series of robberies)
"Joey" (second half of season 2)
"Teachers" (sitcom about, you guessed it, teachers)
"Thick & Thin" (sitcom about a formerly fat woman who becomes thin)
"Treasure Hunters" ("Amazing Race"-like reality show)
"Windfall" (drama about lotto winners)

Is this "Teachers" a remake of the British show?

http://bbcamerica.com/genre/comedy_games/teachers/teachers.jsp

http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/showcards/T/

TBDigital

01-05-2006, 08:56 AM

Didn't Nim kill the animal control guy?

I think they implied that the animal control guy survived, but with very bad burns. Regardless, they do know that at least one person has been killed by creatures like Nim, so the potential is there.

If I had a pet who (I thought) saved my life, I wouldn't want him to be poked and prodded, even if I thought he might be a danger to others. Especially when I knew where a group of critters were that had attacked me earlier, and were in need of some poking and prodding. Payback, BEEEOTCH!

:D

Magister

01-05-2006, 09:24 AM

Yeah, the season finale. Like most every series has every year.

But they didn't say Season Finale... They just said Finale... They left no hope that it would be coming back. The previews lead us to believe all the mysteries will be solved.

Rob Helmerichs

01-05-2006, 10:04 AM

But they didn't say Season Finale... They just said Finale... They left no hope that it would be coming back. The previews lead us to believe all the mysteries will be solved.
But they also didn't say Series Finale, which probably just means they haven't decided yet.

DLiquid

01-05-2006, 03:36 PM

I didn't at all get the impression it was the series finale based on the previews. I think some of you are reading too much into the short season.

scottykempf

01-05-2006, 05:09 PM

Lots of new series have short first seasons, then get picked up and run for a long time. Buffy's first season was only like 13 episodes.

Amnesia

01-05-2006, 05:18 PM

Buffy's first season was only like 13 episodes.That's different. It was a mid-season replacement.

Kevdog

01-05-2006, 06:00 PM

What is your take on the kid, whassisname, saying no to the nubile motorscooter chick?

Of all the ridiculous things this show expects the viewer to accept, this has got to be the topper: a teenage boy turning down a hot chick? Never. Gonna. Happen.

dswallow

01-05-2006, 06:44 PM

Of all the ridiculous things this show expects the viewer to accept, this has got to be the topper: a teenage boy turning down a hot chick? Never. Gonna. Happen.
He managed just fine ignoring a poolful of the little brats.

bentleyml

01-05-2006, 06:55 PM

Of all the ridiculous things this show expects the viewer to accept, this has got to be the topper: a teenage boy turning down a hot chick? Never. Gonna. Happen.

Maybe he's gay? :D

Amnesia

01-05-2006, 07:31 PM

Maybe he's gay?Maybe Nim's gay...

jschuur

01-05-2006, 07:34 PM

Maybe he's gay? :D
There goes Arkansas and Indiana...

dswallow

01-05-2006, 10:18 PM

There goes Arkansas and Indiana...
I think they were OK with the gay content; they just didn't like the whole pastor/young attractive Jesus Christ thing.

Kevdog

01-06-2006, 10:52 AM

He managed just fine ignoring a poolful of the little brats.

Ya, but none of them was coming on to him. If he isn't into girls (NTTAWT), then maybe. OTOH, I still maintain his fixation with Nim is a little, ummm, unnatural.

newsposter

01-06-2006, 11:30 AM

i do miss the swimming pool parties

Idearat

01-09-2006, 01:26 AM

It doesn't seem like enough episodes to go, but everything so far makes the show look like a single season thing. I guess they could break past the conspiracy, but how long could you stretch out the whole "sea monsters taking over the world" thing? Granted, 24 can stretch out a whole season based on a single day of "show time", but that's unusual. It's hard to imagne a second season where all the action still takes place over a couple weeks of time on the show. I think it's best if they think of the show as a long mini series. Only one season, but finite, with a planned ending rather than just dropping of at some point when ratings drop ( like John Doe did ). I'd hope that the whole thing ends in another 4 episodes or so rather than string us along until next fall then end abruptly if the ratings aren't what they expect.

IndyJones1023

01-09-2006, 07:47 AM

How in the hell did Rich get the ATM PIN?!?!

That bugged me, but otherwise it was a pretty good episode.

TBDigital

01-09-2006, 09:25 AM

How in the hell did Rich get the ATM PIN?!?!

That bugged me, but otherwise it was a pretty good episode.

Obviously, the doctor is one of those morons who keeps his PIN on a piece of paper in his wallet...

I don't know man...I got nothing. That one stumped me too.

rcobourn

01-11-2006, 06:07 PM

At least he only was able to get $300, a typical cash withdrawl limit. If he'd come out with a grand, I think I'd have had to delete/cancel. :rolleyes:

Kamakzie

01-11-2006, 09:47 PM

Fun fact: The actor that plays Miles once played a young Todd (as in The Todd) in a flashback scene in Scrubs.

The cynic in me thinks Caitlin is a plant to either infiltrate or distract Miles.

She would sure distract me! :p