Dispatches From Elsewhere goes behind the curtain and changes the game for everyone
TV Reviews Recap
Why would someone want to make a game like the one we see in Dispatches From Elsewhere? Especially a game that made no money for the creator, sold nothing to the player and would require a whole lot of work? In the very specific case of this show (because remember, this is based on a real thing, the answer to that question comes in “Lee,” in which we get to know the titular woman responsible for creating the entire experience which brought together our fab foursome—while also witnessing our fab foursome falling apart a bit.
“Lee” is split into two parts, essentially—the first is a trip back through major events in the series to date, from the perspective of a woman named Lee, who we learn is the real architect behind the game. (A lot of the nitpicky questions that have come up in these reviews, such as “why didn’t anyone notice Fredwynn sneak into the back of Octavio’s limo?” get addressed by these sequences, which feels validating on a number of levels.)
Lee, we learn, is the woman who originally came to Clara to purchase her ideas on behalf of Bender Elmore. In the episode “Clara,” her fictionalized self is styled like an evil punk queen (and it’s awesome)—in what can be assumed is reality, Lee has a lot of style, but she’s also a successful cog in the corporate machine, with the official title of Digital Project Manager at her company.
While Lee has been corporate this whole time, Clara’s death deeply affected her, and the guilt is what drove her to create the game—a massive creative undertaking, as we see from the behind-the-scenes moments featured in this episode, and in many ways a selfless one.
Lee is the owner of the penthouse into which the team broke into during “Everyone,” and staged it deliberately to keep the game going for them, even destroying her own property for the cause. There is a bleakness to her perspective on trying to make this experience happen, as witnessed in her reaction to the initial (and political) color dichotomy of red and blue: “We’re trying to instill a sense of wonder—not remind people they’re trapped in an overheating hellscape on the brink of ideological collapse.” But it also clearly mattered a lot to her, as a chance for redemption after coaxing Clara into selling off her ideas, a decision followed by her death, six months later.
“Why can’t you just let me give you a magical experience?!” Lee shouts as our gang, led by Fredwynn, pushes too far behind the scenes, but as made clear by this episode, she did her best to accommodate their participation, even providing them with their own special ending, which (based on the final moments of the episode) isn’t quite done yet.
Then comes the second part of the episode, in which we catch up with the timeline to date, ending with Lee giving Janice the clue about Clara being dead. Things start out relatively happy, even though the foursome is going to a cemetery to find Clara’s resting place, which contains an audio coda from Clara. Theoretically, this means the game is truly over for them, but they are still holding onto their friendship—and Peter asks Simone out on a date!
That date, sad to say (I AM VERY SAD ABOUT IT), doesn’t go well. Like most bad dates, it’s less about the circumstances than it is about the people. Despite a well-intentioned but failed attempt at a fancy dinner, followed by a street-side cheesesteak comparison, he and Simone aren’t connecting, and their first date ends up feeling like their last.
From Simone’s perspective, it’s because he’s still trying to figure out who he is as a person, going so far as to mock him for the fact that he can’t choose between cake and pie. And he’s also not really clocking the fact that dating her is more complicated than dating a cis woman—the show has always been explicitly clear about who Simone is, but this is maybe the first time that Simone has said out loud that she’s trans. (I can’t be absolutely sure about that, but my notes from past episodes seem to support it.) And this really matters, because as established from the first episode, she has to approach the world from a very different place than Peter does, a place he’s not even aware he needs to be.
Peter, meanwhile, is really trying to be a good date, but being able to open up about himself, which is what Simone wants from him at dinner, is a Herculean task. Despite all the personal progress he’s made as a result of his involvement with the game, Simone observes that “I’m just ahead of you” when it comes to self-awareness. She may be right, but in this bleakness Peter’s response is to ask when she thinks he might be more ready, a glimmer of hope. As little as Peter has revealed about himself, he does seem like the type who can wait for at least a year, for the woman he wants.
At the same time that Peter and Simone are committing to their date, Janice gets the kind of call you never want to get. Lev has had another stroke, as we learn from the ever-deductive Fredwynn, and it’s time for her to say goodbye. Despite a fight from Young Janice, she’s ready to let go, and it’s hard to say more about this sequence beyond the fact that Fredwynn, despite his eccentricities, proves to be the perfect companion for her during a truly awful time—even holding Lev’s other hand, as a stand-in for his son, when he slips away.
The gang gathers for Lev’s funeral, sitting separately but gathering afterwards, awkwardly. While Janice is facing the fact that she now has to figure out what, exactly, she is going to do next, Fredwynn gives all of them their game files, which reveal a lot about themselves outside of the game, and lead up to one more big twist. With two episodes left this season, it’s not surprising that things aren’t as final as they seemed last week, but this moment of “beauty withdrawal,” as Peter put it, feels like an important step.
One of Dispatches From Elsewhere’s biggest flaws so far this season might have also been one of its best features—the question of what is real and what isn’t. While “Lee” doesn’t clear up the confusion on every possible score, it does prove that the people behind this show have been paying more attention to these plot holes than we might have expected.
But the most important thing that “Lee” does is establish that there are layers to this story, that Richard E. Grant can be narrating about the creation of the game while two twins who happen to resemble him strongly prepare for their audition in the background of a shot. Even with the official end of the game established, there is still an omniscient narrator, guiding things—and, in a twist, the final voice we hear isn’t Richard E. Grant’s but Lee’s, because with the reveal that Clara’s supposed ashes are in fact M&Ms, the game may still be afoot.
Stray observations
- Last week, it was confirmed that within the context of the game, Octavio and Commander 14 were being played by twin actors, but gosh did Grant have fun with his double—wait, triple—roles.
- More shows should have a friendly eavesdropping waitress come by to explain all the major plot points for the audience. (Looking at you, Westworld.)
- Wow, if ever a quote was appropriate for quarantine times, here comes a message from Clara: “I can’t tell what comes first—feeling unhappy or feeling alone. Maybe it doesn’t really matter, because they’re just symptoms of the same disease. The illusion that we’re in this thing all by ourselves, that our pain and our hopes and our fears they’re ours and ours alone.”
- And that made Clara want to bring people together. Hopefully like this show, or another show, or literally anything else on this planet is doing for you right now.
33 Comments
Peter is me as I’ve had promising dates take a turn for the worse in the blink of an eye. But never over pie vs. cake — god no — pie is obviously superior. Cake is just a slap of crumbs coated in frosting, whereas pie has a fruit filling. Anyone who doesn’t enjoy a good fruit filling needs to get an MRI to check for brain nubs, quite frankly.
Potential nod to the original game: Okay, this is pretty obvious and it was already discussed in last week’s comments, but chapter 4 in the original game involved grouping participants into teams of eight, then sending them to a beautiful mortuary in Oakland, California. The initial instructions led them to a small room with a gold and a tape inside it.
Now this is going to sound absolutely bonkers, but the tape instructed half of us to pair up with one person wearing blindfolds, then the other, and finally everyone got in a line, put blindfolds on, and then held the shoulders of the person in front of them. And then we started walking to another location in the building — with an unseen guide holding the hand of the first person in the line.
Here’s a photo of the first cohort in my group after putting the blindfolds on:All of which is to say, as fun as this show is to watch it can’t quite capture the magic of a real life experience from the confines of a TV set.
Finally they got to a clear homage to my favorite part of the original game. I think they must know there is almost no way to capture what the original game was really like (though they really went for it with the dancing in the rain with the sasquatch), so they kind of stick to nods to it while taking advantage of the medium for the story they’re telling. Erik Jamuel’s awesome garage sale would probably be boring on TV too. I think it’s neat that they have used the original game as inspiration (and I’d love to know how much of an involvement the creator had with the story on this show since I know he is an EP on the show). Agree 100% on pie. I love cake, but it’s pie all the way.
You pie people disgust me.
Pie is clearly the right answer.
I like neither, and if both disappeared from the face of the Earth, I would not have noticed (please don’t judge, I do not like sweet things, so candy is also out) – BUT – I CAN EAT pie. One small slice, heavily chased by unsweetened green tea. But I cannot eat cake at all. So – pie, all the way 🙂
If only because pie contains meat and sauce.
For my money, there’s no “Cake vs Pie”. There’s only a piece of A cake, compared to a slice of A pie. Specifics! [9 times out of 10, like Peter (I think), I’m going to want to sample some of both]
The two big scenes in this episode absolutely wrecked me. Like, 50 year old dude on his couch in the basement practically sobbing. How am I this attached to these goofballs after 7 hours of basic cable tv?Also, I kinda love that there is a Rosencrantz/Gildenstern waitress to our already Rosencrantz/Gildenstern crew in relation to the actual game.
54 year old who was (at the time) also on his couch. Also crying like a small baby. The whole death of Janice’s husband knocked me over. As I noted last week in the comments, my Mom is about Janice’s age, and my Dad died 12 years ago. The scenes were done so perfectly, and all the emotions from 2008 are back to me. Tough stuff, but powerful.As for the date bit. Well, watching someone who is worse with women than I ever was is almost refreshing….. Still, as it was falling apart I had this sense of dread. I knew it was coming. Very powerful too. This show is wonderful.
because you like really bad acting on a really shitty TV show. I’d cry a lot too if that was me
yeah, this episode was a gutpunch. the dialogue in that scene between Peter and Simone was extraordinary
The Peter/Simone stuff was harrowing (and actually frustrated me – in a good way), but the Janice and Fredwynn stuff also had me crying. Such a beautiful scene. A testament to how good the actors are and how well the characters have been written.
This is why I love every little bit of this show. I felt the same way.
I was so meh about all the other episodes, with so little stakes, and I’m glad I waited 8 episodes, this was an A+ episode
I’ve bawled so many times over this damned show. lol
That date was rough. I’ve had some bad dates that have gone south in similar ways, or ones where it was pretty clear it wasn’t working and we’re just being nice and waiting for it to end. It was hard to watch. I identify with Peter maybe the most (though I can identify with each character a little bit), though I would not have that much trouble opening up about myself. I did think Simone was a bit unfair to him. It took very little time for her to really turn on him. I do like the end showed her feeling a little conflicted and wanting to call him. The scene with Janice and Fredwynn at the hospital really choked me up. This episode was the most straight-forward so far. I was really happy to see Octavio back narrating. I still think there’s something more going on that is a lot bigger than the show has really made clear. I still think this will end on some sort of “meta” note – who is the boy in clown makeup that seems to exist outside of not only the game but the whole world? How was he outside Janice’s window? Or in Fredwynn’s memory? (In episode 1, when Peter saw the flyer for the mind-to-memory thing, he imagined the bank of TVs showing his memories, and he saw memories that hadn’t happened yet – that either means something or is some kind of plot hole? I doubt it is the latter since the focus on it. And Fredwynn has the same imagined moment looking at a bank of TVs. I still think the mind-to-memory technology is “real” somehow.) Especially since there was/is an ARG tied in to the show (which unfortunately has stalled just a little since coronavirus). Based on the titled of the next episode and the preview, I am super excited to see where they end up going with this.
Yes, Fredwynn, why does AMC the government seek to silence hollow Earth proponents?
Oh my god, when Fredwynn went into the hollow earth stuff I thought the same thing (and then I was sad that Lodge 49 is still cancelled).
It really fucking bums me out that I can’t participate in discussion here. I’ve been on this site since the wild west days of little-to-no moderation pre-requiring users to sign in, and this account is years old. My comment from 18 hours ago is just sitting in “pending approval.” It isn’t like a ton of people comment on this show here anyway – locking people out who want to discuss just sucks and discourages me from participating in discussions or coming to this site at all.
Don’t I see some of your comments posted (NOT “Pending”) above? Or is your comment Pending only because it’s in response to me? O_o [Just sent an email re this issue to AVC today. Is the response going to be as delayed as my “Pending” comment from last week? I should shut up, before they decide to keep me Pending forever!]
There are now comments that have been pending approval for more than two days. If they don’t bother to check and approve comments, there is no point coming here. Bye, AV Club.
Speaking of plot points, can somebody remind me where Fredwynn got those player files [They had Lee’s voiceover at the end, so they obviously weren’t something Fredwynn had compiled on his own—-his murderboard! (LOL)—-but something extrinsic to Our Fearless Four].*
The Peter-Simone date crushed me—-but in a good way. [When a couple BEGINS their (intentional) ‘ship w/ a “I love her (you)” and kiss, isn’t a subsequent “first date” almost certain to be a letdown? ;-/]That is, I have EVERY confidence there is more in store for “Simeter” (I have spoken.) than this. There was just NO way things were going to be easy for these two . . . but that’s what makes them So Epic!
The thing about a great love story? It so quickly reminds you of other Great Love Stories (these are all JMO, please no one debate me on these):
As Simone walked away from Peter, I immediately heard “Rewrite The Stars” in my head (“Say that it’s possible”, Simone!).
“You’re not ready for this”: a direct echo of one of TV’s top 10 romances (certainly Top 10 for daytime), “Otalia”: the final season ‘ship (groundbreaking because female/female) on Guiding Light. Olivia Spencer, HBIC, says this *exact* same line to shy Catholic Earth Mother Natalia Rivera (making the same mistake as Simone does here. Still waters run deep on the shy ones, ladies).
And last but not least, on 2nd watch (and you bet there will be a 3rd, etc!): even though you could say that Philly’s “most starred romantic restaurant” would have been pushing it, the fact that “No Other Love” was playing in the background? How could I NOT immediately think of the climax of “Carol”, as it underscored Therese’s decision to definitively leave her old life behind, for the love-of-her-life? Le Sigh . . . [Doncha just love Love? “Now More Than Ever!”][Re the Janice-Fredwynn Lev’s passing scenes: I’m still less than 6 months past holding my father’s hand, as he took his final breath. Too on-the-nose for comment. Still miss ya, Dad.]Back to Simone (and Simeter): though it may seem I’m being harsh on her decision to bail on Peter (the date, the ‘ship), I fully understand her need to put her cards on the table here. “Extraordinarily tall” white, straight, cisgender guy Peter is in a position to just sort of . . . meander through life (bigots on every other corner), but a transwoman has MUCH higher stakes in this “game”. She needed to say what she said about those stakes (risks). Simone’s heart is just about the ONLY thing she can protect, and if Peter isn’t willing to assume the risks of their relationship, and bails, Simone will lose the one thing she has left. Is is it worth the risk? I think it WILL be, but Peter’s going to have to do more than sing “Les Miz” to demonstrate he is TRULY up for the challenge. Here’s to a year of growth, Peter! (Hopefully less? Hopefully…hope, fully, for Something Big by the season finale? I have no real idea if this show will have a 2nd season—-would be gutted if Simone&Peter were still apart, and the show was kaput).
And did Lee have the same psychotherapist as Peter?
I understand where Simone is coming from, but I still feel it is a little unfair to Peter. It feels like he is trying and she is letting some of her issues block her happiness. She is doing “fight, then flight” like she said. Peter is being naive though and I can see why she wouldn’t want to be his teacher.Fredwynn, though. I like him more every week. I used to really despise Fredwynn. Not the actor, not the performance. I didn’t feel like he was poorly written. I just felt like Fredwynn was a bad person. I didn’t want him written off or anything, he wasn’t Wesley Crusher. But I love Fredwynn now because he realized the same thing. He was not a good friend, team mate, or person and he is working really hard to be better even though he knows he is still bad at it. Teaming him up with Janice has proved to be perfect and a great example of what Lee put in their files – these people will bring out the best and the worst on each other.
I’m entirely with you on the progression of Fredwynn as a character. Really all four characters are basically recognizing their fundamental natures/issues and how they don’t like some aspects of it and trying really hard to change. The key to the show in my opinion is that they aren’t very good at it (who is?) which isn’t really depicted on television very much. .
Agreed 100%. The prize at the end of this game is the connections between these people, who have become dear so quickly (to us), and who seem real and relatable. I think it’s so well written. Simone was totally projecting, but how could she not? I loved that Peter said ok, one year. He’s just not scared, it’s great. Fredwynn is someone I’d love to know. And Janice is owning her strength, Sally is perfection in the role. They all are, the fab four + Richard E. Grant.
Simone’s right-As RuPaul says, ‘if you can’t love yourself, how the hell you gonna love somebody else’.Peter really doesn’t know who he is as a person. Speaking from experience, self awareness can come pretty late. Peter will wait a year, but Simone is not going to wait 20.
I need a ring tone of Sally Field saying “Fredwym” in a frantic voice.I have no idea what the show is really about. I suspect it will never be spelled out and will be a lame “let the viewer decide” bullshit things……but I am 100 percent into the ride anyways. Easily my favorite new show in a long while.I am hoping Peter is right and that there is real magic.
This episode was heartbreaking in many parts, but also very very funny in others. Grant in the opening sequence was, of course, excellent. I also quite like the shot we got of everyone hitting the pinatas in a room with glowsticks everywhere, finding magical bowling balls and such, as an illustration of what the people who were more on the game’s “correct” track were seeing. It makes it hilarious how far off our gang of four was, even as they were perhaps penetrating deeper than some of the others.
i cried like a baby. no, wait, strike that, i cried like an adult: throat closing up, sobbing quietly, with tears welling up in my eyes.this episode is an A+ for me. and this whole series is a solid A. moments of such profundity are far and few between in tv-land, but this series have delivered them in droves.bravo.
Some comments:1. The “goth kids” joke made me laugh out loud so much I had to pause the show for a moment. Never change, Fredwynn. At least, not completely.2. Simone doesn’t deserve Peter. She basically said she didn’t care enough about him to help him work through his social problems. The idea that he should figure it out on his own then come see her when he is at her level (which, as we know, isn’t exactly that high) is not the move of someone who really cares about him. But I’m expecting that in a future episode it will be explained that she was just lashing out because she didn’t feel ready herself. So maybe this can be fixed.3. From the beginning of the first episode, the show has made it clear that everyone in the production of the show is the Jejune Institute / Elsewhere Society to our, the audience’s, participant. When we decided to watch the show we all pulled the tab on one of those posters. Any struggle viewers might have separating what is real from what isn’t real is not a flaw in the show. It is a feature of it. It’s what the four main characters went through and so might be what we go through. But that assumes we should care or that it matters. If we obsess too much with that question, we should imagine Jason Segel’s voice asking us, “Why can’t you just let me give you a magical experience?” 4. I have wondered for a few episodes now if maybe Fredwynn is actually not just a game player, but in on the construction of the game. He seems to have been too responsible for some of the bigger and less obvious moves leading his team in the game. I’m probably wrong about this, but I still wonder about it.
I just finished “Lee” and went looking for a review. As others have said here, I shocked myself by crying like a fool at the hospital scene.. There are so many quiet nods to Twin Peaks in this show, several in this episode. The whole trans stuff was handled so well given the person playing the role. Is it acting or is it real?This show is very very well done, all involved should be proud of what they have done
‘Casting sent these over, but I warn you half of them are porpoises.’Gotta love any show where a line like that makes sense.