Tuesday, October 16, 2007

New Season TV: Journeyman

I CAN'T DECIDE

Opinions anyone?

I've watched three episodes now. I hadn't read much about it, so had no preconceieved ideas. At first I thought, "ah ha, Quantum Leap," but no. Yes, he jumps around in time, but he's himself and weirdly sees his dead wife who is traveling as well, and occasionally even sees a younger version of himself whom he avoids.

It's kind of complicated how he was married and his brother had a girlfriend, then his wife died and he married his brother's girlfriend. And when he jumps around in time three or four times - call me tired or not entertained - but I get confused.

I'm not in love.



From Wikipedia:

The series centers around Dan Vasser, a normal man who, for an unknown reason, begins jumping back in time. He soon learns that each series of jumps follows the life of a person whose destiny he seems meant to change, although it doesn't always turn out for the better. While in the past, Dan reconnects with Livia Beale, his ex-fiancée, whom he lost in a plane crash.

Dan's "shifts" through time occur seemingly at random, the only indication of the shift being a slight flash so brief that even Dan himself fails to notice some of the time. Dan appears to have no control over the shifts, though sharp headaches do precede them. The destination date is usually several decades in the past, but the distance usually decreasing by years at a time, as Dan alters a specific destiny. Dan can appear in a different place from where he departed, but he seems to limited to the same general area, such as a city or aircraft. Dan can also encounter himself in the past.

The shifts only affect Dan, ignoring any other nearby object. For example, one shift pulls Dan out of a moving car, and the now-empty car proceeds to crash. His personal effects (e.g. clothing, mobile phone, etc.), however, are taken with him. When this occurs, Dan vanishes from the present for a period of time that has no relation to that he spends in the past. This creates initial tensions with his family and co-workers, who wonder what has happened to him when he seems to disappear for days. He has used his ability to leave a Time capsule, to resolve the issue with his wife.

Dan's journeys appear to have an innate purpose, which is not always apparent to him, but involve positively changing the destiny of certain people he encounters.

Okay, so it's not just me. I might have to watch next time because Dan disappears while he has his little boy with him, and it looks as though the child is lost in a crowd. Scary.



10 comments:

  1. I'm with you, Cheryl. I wanted to like "Journeyman," but I gave up after the second episode.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just couldn't get over how he kept running into the dead wife all the time. I'm sure it's a good plot device but my husband actually turned the channel it made him so uncomfortable.

    ReplyDelete
  3. And this week -- to make it worse -- his present wife and brother-in-law were skirting around flirtation. Ewww.

    Uncomfortable is the right word. Adultery, no matter how you twist it or pretty it up, is not acceptable entertainment.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I really love this show. It reminds me of a cross between Quantum Leap and Time Traveller's Wife. Plus Kevin McKidd is gorgeous and definitely worth spending an hour watching. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for another weigh in on this, show, Kelly! I wonder hoew it's doing in the ratings.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Have you ever read The Time Traveler's Wife. I haven't watched Journeyman but this reminds me of that.
    That author...Neffenegger? Maybe? I'm not looking it up...did a really great job of keeping an insanely complex story straight. Very complex. And the book was written like poetry too, true literary fiction I reckon.
    Still, in the end, I felt like that book failed me so I haven't been tempted to watch Journeyman.
    I have watched Chuck. That's pretty funny.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Speaking of complex story...I just read 'A Husband By Any Other Name'. Excellent good work - I don't know how you kept everything straight!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you, Sherri!

    I have a copy to give away here -- I need a minute to do that.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Haven't read The Time Traveler's Wife, Mary. Will look for it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I LOVE THIS SHOW!!! I am so addicted!!! I haven't been able to get into any of the other new shows on this season, but I am a sucker for time-travel and think this show is a keeper. I loved Quantam Leap and was also a fan of the 90's show Early Edition. Both of those shows lasted several years, so I hope this will as well. (So far there hasn't been any adultry with his ex-girlfriend. . .he seems to be dedicated to his wife, although knowing how most shows go I'm sure they will change that at some point. Also, I read The Time Traveler's Wife because so many people recommended it to me, but I thought it was just "okay.")

    ReplyDelete