(Oh, my god, this is long, sorry! I'm thinking this out as I type it.)
Oh, it wasn't the individual episode plots I found repetitive! I loved them saving/helping people, and putting all the spy-soldier-armsdealer skills to good use. It was the formulaic season plot arcs (which is a problem in every USA show I watch - they loooove their formulas): Michael wants to clear his name and get back into the CIA, but to do that he has to catch this one bad guy, who has crucial information. So all season he chases the bad guy, and finally catches him/her! But it turns out that s/he is really just middle management, and there's someone new he has to chase, because he's been after the tip of the iceberg. So next season, we start with the next big bad, because Michael has to clear his name to get back into the CIA.
Last week's episode crystallized this season's arc for me like nothing else has (helped a lot by basically watching the last three consecutively). Looking at the last seven seasons narratively, I really think it's brilliant, at least if they're doing what I think they're doing. (I've also been thinking this out as I respond to people here, so it's crystallizing sloooowly.)
So basically, the series begins when Michael is absolutely a spy for the CIA. Someone betrayed him, and he is totally focused on undoing the damage of that betrayal, proving his loyalty, and regaining his job. In the meantime, he takes on odd jobs to pay the rent, reconnects with old friends and shifts from working solo on almost everything to working solo on almost nothing, and discovers he's pretty good at helping people, and he likes doing that.
But he's hugely goal-driven, and identity-driven, and his identity is Really Good Spy For The CIA, Helping To Make The Whole World Safer. If he doesn't have that, if he's not putting his incredibly dangerous skills to use for the greater good, what is he? He's seen what happens when men like him start acting outside the the structure of the CIA's (and therefore society's) goals and needs: his dad, Dead Larry, all kinds of terrible people who think they can do whatever they want and let someone else pay the consequences.
Every season, the same cycle repeats, because Michael is completely trapped in his identity as a Really Good Spy For The CIA. Every season, there's a new layer of corruption or evil to peel back and destroy, and he believes every time that finally, he's going to be able to go back to The Real Him, CIA Agent Extraordinaire.
Everyone around him knows this is mostly a fool's errand; it's clear the CIA doesn't want him, and outside of this obsession of his, he's doing huge amounts of good in the world. But he can't shake this obsession, or break out of this cycle. All he can do is promise "just this one last time, I swear, and then it'll be over" (which, huh, huge shades of Nate's gambling problems, actually).
Along the way he runs into corrupt government agents and officials, but that's okay; he knows you can't expect all the people in an organization to be worthy of it (see: Dead Larry). But he never loses his faith in the CIA itself, even when an old, beloved friend and mentor betrays him. And we end last season on him apparently back in the CIA's good graces, in spades, but on the outs with his family/team.
Which in retrospect is *fascinating* to me, because every season has ended with the knowledge that hey, sorry, there's a new big bad to go after, and s6 ended more like "... the hell? Okay, everything's okay now...? what?"
But no! Because for Michael, the CIA turns out to be the big bad!
So we get a seriously ramped up season, where his first big bad is Nathan Petrelli (... sorry, it's literally the only name in my head for that guy), who Strong-the-handler says is really really bad, Michael totes has to get in with him and stop him, evil bad. So Michael does, and... actually this guy is kinda like him, down deep, it turns out. He's completely willing to sacrifice his life to save Michael and this woman. (Shades of Victor, there.) And meanwhile, Michael has pulled in Sam and Jesse for help, because TEAM. ♥ Sam ♥ And Sam saves Michael's life when Strong completely misses his cue, no less.
So then the woman is the focal point, and back they go to Miami, where it turns out that no, there's another bigger, badder big bad - more layers to the unending onion to peel back. And this time Michael gets tortured, but holds out - not just for himself, but for the mission. But all that torture brought up a lot of stuff that Michael's been keeping pretty damn locked up, about his dad and Larry and Michael's own violence and dangerousness, in the wake of a pretty simmering stew of betrayal and loss (between Nate, Tom Card, and everything else).
So Michael, he is a mess. And he's clinging to the righteousness that is the CIA, but there's no getting around that some of what James is trying to do is actually... not that evil. Methods aside, anyway. And his values overlap with Michael's on things like "no one gets left behind". And he is so, so far inside Michael's head, in a lot of ways. But Michael knows how to deal with that, and hangs on, because he is A Really Good Spy who believes in the CIA and in the mission. He's going to do whatever it takes, even if it means betraying or killing people who trust him, even though those are things that go against his nature.
And then he finds out that Simon is free, and on a CIA leash. And this time, it's not one corrupt agent or official to blame; Strong's holding the leash, but this is an Agency-backed play. There's no way Simon is out without official approval.
The CIA is as bad as everyone Michael's been fighting. He knows how to take individual betrayal, but this is the institution he's devoted his life to, believing all this time he was doing the right thing, believing that it gave him a true, good purpose.
So he breaks. *pause for wibbly flailing just a bit*
And things look AWFUL right now, right? And yet.
When Michael has been talking about his job with the CIA, he says things like "even if you know it's in a good cause, it's still betrayal [to do this thing I'm doing]". Strong has been cheerfully urging him to betray everyone and everything in the pursuit of the mission.
But when Michael looks to Sam, especially, but also Fi or Jesse, they just look right back and tell him they're there for him. Even if they think he's being stupid, that doesn't change the fact that they will always, always have his back. And that's been utterly consistent all season, even more so than most seasons. It's a double track they're giving us: the CIA is betrayal and pain on all fronts, but Michael's own chosen family is security and trust.
And outside of that, it's not just security and trust with Michael; with him mostly gone, all of their relationships with each other have strengthened and deepened, as they call each other in on whatever they happen to need help with. The entire team is stronger than it's ever been.
Er, so. *skims all of this again to figure out where she was*
oh! So, in a way, this is a repetition of the cycle Michael's been in -- identify an obstacle between himself and getting his old life back, try to overcome it. But the obstacle this time is his old life, which turns out to have mostly been a lie.
And when Michael broke, first by killing Simon, then by warning James about the threat outside, then by not letting Sonya die in his place, and just completely giving up because he's run himself ragged for nothing and he's just so damn tired -- when he broke, so did his obsession.
For the first time in 7 years, Michael doesn't want his old job back. For the first time, he's going to be able to move forward, into a life of putting all his many skills to good use by helping people who can't find help anywhere else. He really will become the Equalizer. (<3)
I think the last few episodes are going to be insanely tense, but I have total faith there's going to be a happy ending. Not just because of the way they've carefully built up the nonstop looks and declarations of support, trust, and affection from Sam in particular, and the strong relationship with Fiona that isn't dependent on them sleeping together, and Jesse's seamless integration with the team and willingness to go anywhere and do anything with them, and the way ALL of them are willing to tell Michael that they think he's screwing up, he's too deep, he's taking the wrong kinds of chances, he's at risk of going darkside -- keeping him anchored all the way. I mean, that's all huge, to me!
But thematically, I think the show is going to end with Michael finally *accepting* the damn burn notice, and figuring out that when you've got a trigger-happy ex-girlfriend, and a best friend who used to spy on you for the FBI, and a down and out spy who forgave you for burning *him* and moved on with his life and a solid friendship with you, and a mom and cute little nephew -- you're doing pretty damn well.
And cue mojitos in the sunset.
I dunno, maybe I'm wrong! But given the network this airs on, the thematic setup of the CIA as the big bad for this season, Michael's seriously dramatic break last week with his mission objectives - I think the series ends with him finally starting to heal.
(I also think it's no accident that this season we got a character who actually lives by, and up to, his principles. Everyone else has been willing to go along with sacrificing some principles for the greater good, even Maddie; Carlos is the first person on this show I can remember seeing walk away because he couldn't be a party to their "pragmatism", no matter how much he loves Fi. That's a huge counterpoint to the endless compromises Michael, especially, makes all the time, and asks other people to make. But there's hope for a better, more decent life! Carlos is proof!)
(okay, and it's 2am again and I'm back to rambling - I hope this comment makes at least some sort of sense.)
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2013-08-28 06:10 am (UTC)Oh, it wasn't the individual episode plots I found repetitive! I loved them saving/helping people, and putting all the spy-soldier-armsdealer skills to good use. It was the formulaic season plot arcs (which is a problem in every USA show I watch - they loooove their formulas): Michael wants to clear his name and get back into the CIA, but to do that he has to catch this one bad guy, who has crucial information. So all season he chases the bad guy, and finally catches him/her! But it turns out that s/he is really just middle management, and there's someone new he has to chase, because he's been after the tip of the iceberg. So next season, we start with the next big bad, because Michael has to clear his name to get back into the CIA.
Last week's episode crystallized this season's arc for me like nothing else has (helped a lot by basically watching the last three consecutively). Looking at the last seven seasons narratively, I really think it's brilliant, at least if they're doing what I think they're doing. (I've also been thinking this out as I respond to people here, so it's crystallizing sloooowly.)
So basically, the series begins when Michael is absolutely a spy for the CIA. Someone betrayed him, and he is totally focused on undoing the damage of that betrayal, proving his loyalty, and regaining his job. In the meantime, he takes on odd jobs to pay the rent, reconnects with old friends and shifts from working solo on almost everything to working solo on almost nothing, and discovers he's pretty good at helping people, and he likes doing that.
But he's hugely goal-driven, and identity-driven, and his identity is Really Good Spy For The CIA, Helping To Make The Whole World Safer. If he doesn't have that, if he's not putting his incredibly dangerous skills to use for the greater good, what is he? He's seen what happens when men like him start acting outside the the structure of the CIA's (and therefore society's) goals and needs: his dad, Dead Larry, all kinds of terrible people who think they can do whatever they want and let someone else pay the consequences.
Every season, the same cycle repeats, because Michael is completely trapped in his identity as a Really Good Spy For The CIA. Every season, there's a new layer of corruption or evil to peel back and destroy, and he believes every time that finally, he's going to be able to go back to The Real Him, CIA Agent Extraordinaire.
Everyone around him knows this is mostly a fool's errand; it's clear the CIA doesn't want him, and outside of this obsession of his, he's doing huge amounts of good in the world. But he can't shake this obsession, or break out of this cycle. All he can do is promise "just this one last time, I swear, and then it'll be over" (which, huh, huge shades of Nate's gambling problems, actually).
Along the way he runs into corrupt government agents and officials, but that's okay; he knows you can't expect all the people in an organization to be worthy of it (see: Dead Larry). But he never loses his faith in the CIA itself, even when an old, beloved friend and mentor betrays him. And we end last season on him apparently back in the CIA's good graces, in spades, but on the outs with his family/team.
Which in retrospect is *fascinating* to me, because every season has ended with the knowledge that hey, sorry, there's a new big bad to go after, and s6 ended more like "... the hell? Okay, everything's okay now...? what?"
But no! Because for Michael, the CIA turns out to be the big bad!
So we get a seriously ramped up season, where his first big bad is Nathan Petrelli (... sorry, it's literally the only name in my head for that guy), who Strong-the-handler says is really really bad, Michael totes has to get in with him and stop him, evil bad. So Michael does, and... actually this guy is kinda like him, down deep, it turns out. He's completely willing to sacrifice his life to save Michael and this woman. (Shades of Victor, there.) And meanwhile, Michael has pulled in Sam and Jesse for help, because TEAM. ♥ Sam ♥ And Sam saves Michael's life when Strong completely misses his cue, no less.
So then the woman is the focal point, and back they go to Miami, where it turns out that no, there's another bigger, badder big bad - more layers to the unending onion to peel back. And this time Michael gets tortured, but holds out - not just for himself, but for the mission. But all that torture brought up a lot of stuff that Michael's been keeping pretty damn locked up, about his dad and Larry and Michael's own violence and dangerousness, in the wake of a pretty simmering stew of betrayal and loss (between Nate, Tom Card, and everything else).
So Michael, he is a mess. And he's clinging to the righteousness that is the CIA, but there's no getting around that some of what James is trying to do is actually... not that evil. Methods aside, anyway. And his values overlap with Michael's on things like "no one gets left behind". And he is so, so far inside Michael's head, in a lot of ways. But Michael knows how to deal with that, and hangs on, because he is A Really Good Spy who believes in the CIA and in the mission. He's going to do whatever it takes, even if it means betraying or killing people who trust him, even though those are things that go against his nature.
And then he finds out that Simon is free, and on a CIA leash. And this time, it's not one corrupt agent or official to blame; Strong's holding the leash, but this is an Agency-backed play. There's no way Simon is out without official approval.
The CIA is as bad as everyone Michael's been fighting. He knows how to take individual betrayal, but this is the institution he's devoted his life to, believing all this time he was doing the right thing, believing that it gave him a true, good purpose.
So he breaks. *pause for wibbly flailing just a bit*
And things look AWFUL right now, right? And yet.
When Michael has been talking about his job with the CIA, he says things like "even if you know it's in a good cause, it's still betrayal [to do this thing I'm doing]". Strong has been cheerfully urging him to betray everyone and everything in the pursuit of the mission.
But when Michael looks to Sam, especially, but also Fi or Jesse, they just look right back and tell him they're there for him. Even if they think he's being stupid, that doesn't change the fact that they will always, always have his back. And that's been utterly consistent all season, even more so than most seasons. It's a double track they're giving us: the CIA is betrayal and pain on all fronts, but Michael's own chosen family is security and trust.
And outside of that, it's not just security and trust with Michael; with him mostly gone, all of their relationships with each other have strengthened and deepened, as they call each other in on whatever they happen to need help with. The entire team is stronger than it's ever been.
Er, so. *skims all of this again to figure out where she was*
oh! So, in a way, this is a repetition of the cycle Michael's been in -- identify an obstacle between himself and getting his old life back, try to overcome it. But the obstacle this time is his old life, which turns out to have mostly been a lie.
And when Michael broke, first by killing Simon, then by warning James about the threat outside, then by not letting Sonya die in his place, and just completely giving up because he's run himself ragged for nothing and he's just so damn tired -- when he broke, so did his obsession.
For the first time in 7 years, Michael doesn't want his old job back. For the first time, he's going to be able to move forward, into a life of putting all his many skills to good use by helping people who can't find help anywhere else. He really will become the Equalizer. (<3)
I think the last few episodes are going to be insanely tense, but I have total faith there's going to be a happy ending. Not just because of the way they've carefully built up the nonstop looks and declarations of support, trust, and affection from Sam in particular, and the strong relationship with Fiona that isn't dependent on them sleeping together, and Jesse's seamless integration with the team and willingness to go anywhere and do anything with them, and the way ALL of them are willing to tell Michael that they think he's screwing up, he's too deep, he's taking the wrong kinds of chances, he's at risk of going darkside -- keeping him anchored all the way. I mean, that's all huge, to me!
But thematically, I think the show is going to end with Michael finally *accepting* the damn burn notice, and figuring out that when you've got a trigger-happy ex-girlfriend, and a best friend who used to spy on you for the FBI, and a down and out spy who forgave you for burning *him* and moved on with his life and a solid friendship with you, and a mom and cute little nephew -- you're doing pretty damn well.
And cue mojitos in the sunset.
I dunno, maybe I'm wrong! But given the network this airs on, the thematic setup of the CIA as the big bad for this season, Michael's seriously dramatic break last week with his mission objectives - I think the series ends with him finally starting to heal.
(I also think it's no accident that this season we got a character who actually lives by, and up to, his principles. Everyone else has been willing to go along with sacrificing some principles for the greater good, even Maddie; Carlos is the first person on this show I can remember seeing walk away because he couldn't be a party to their "pragmatism", no matter how much he loves Fi. That's a huge counterpoint to the endless compromises Michael, especially, makes all the time, and asks other people to make. But there's hope for a better, more decent life! Carlos is proof!)
(okay, and it's 2am again and I'm back to rambling - I hope this comment makes at least some sort of sense.)