"Paul Levinson's It's Real Life is a page-turning exploration into that multiverse known as rock and roll. But it is much more than a marvelous adventure narrated by a master storyteller...it is also an exquisite meditation on the very nature of alternate history." -- Jack Dann, The Fiction Writer's Guide to Alternate History

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Emergence Season 1 Finale: Terminator



An excellent, satisfying and provocative finale (I hope of this season not the series) of Emergence just on ABC-TV.   A finale in which the AIs took on some of the crucial characteristics of the Terminator over the decades.

Actually, two crucial characteristics.  The most advanced AIs, Helen and Piper, can shape-shift and face-shift and therein take on the characteristics of other people and AIs.  And they can move like a potent dust of nanobots.  All of this adds up Jo "killing" Helen with Piper's help, Piper "dying" to absorb a lethal explosion and therein save a lot of the cast, but Piper "surviving" by, at Alex's suggestion, Jo putting Piper's code into Helen's "dead" body.

I put quotes around those words, because Piper didn't really die, and didn't really survive as 100% Piper.   And neither did Helen, in both ways.  The finale draws to a close with the proof that Piper is actually carrying some of the deadly Helen in Piper.  Which means that Piper didn't entirely survive and Helen didn't entirely die.  Which means, in turn, that the two-episode title "Killshot" for the last two episodes of Emergence was a clever flash of misdirection.

Which captures why I keep saying that Emergence has some very good qualities, and ought to be continued. I'd certainly want to see more of this AI story.  And the personal relationships call out for further play, as well.  I've been saying ever since we learned that Ed was very sick that Piper could and would cure him.  We got just a hint of that in the finale.  And Jo's complex with relationship with Alex, and now Ryan, deserves more time to work out, settle in, or whatever the best description of what will happen romantically.

So count me in as a definite viewer and reviewer if there is a second season.  And, if not, as someone who will say to anyone who is interested that the first season was well worth watching.

See also: Emergence: May Just Make It ... Emergence 1.2: Cleaning Up ... Emergence 1.3: Robots and Androids ... Emergence 1.4: Android Child ... Emergence 1.5: Supergirl ... Emergence 1.6: The People Who Are Kindred ... Emergence 1.7: Piper's Real Mom ... Emergence 1.8: Spinning ... Emergence 1.9: Benny! ... Emergence 1.10: The Search for Piper ... Emergence 1.11-12: Parents and Children





The androids are coming out into the open, for the first time in centuries ....

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