Salvation

[AntiArbitrator]

When it is discovered that an enormous asteroid is just six months away from colliding with Earth, MIT grad student Liam Cole and tech billionaire Darius Tanz team up to save humanity from this impending apocalypse -- without ever alerting the public. As part of the project, Darius recruits an aspiring sci-fi writer, Jillian, to work on a theoretical approach to saving humanity. While they try to save the world their way, the government has its own approach, with Deputy Secretary of Defense Harris Edwards spearheading the top-secret plan to deflect the asteroid.

First episode date: July 12, 2017
Network: CBS
Genre: Drama
Program creators: Craig Shapiro, Elizabeth Kruger

[AntiArbitrator]

I really enjoyed the pilot even though it was rather surprising how deadly the government's actions are to keep the danger a secret. They kill first, before asking questions.

[KyleEl]

I liked it too. It was funnier than I expected. And Grace is pretty. Especially in that dress.

I was expecting it to be more about getting rid of the asteroid. For a while there is more "The 100" than "No Tomorrow". It was like "No Tomorrow" there for aminute with the talk about living life while you can.

[AntiArbitrator]

1.02 Another Trip Around the Sun
7-19-17

Darius and Liam work on a theoretically impossible solution to divert the asteroid; Grace risks everything to help Darius; Liam tracks down critical research.

[KyleEl]

That was nice of Liam to help Jillian like that. I'm not sure why he couldn't just visit her at the bookstore.

I was worried Grace wouldn't succeed, but thinks worked out. We have the uranium. Now we just need to figure out how to use it.

And Grace has to keep things quiet. I'm a little worried about that junior Lois Lane, but she at least makes things interesting.

[KyleEl]

This is getting good. Darius hired Liam's girlfriend so Liam would be more focused.

Now I'm really worried about the junior Lois Lane. On some shows and in some movies, a person could have survived that.

I too was worried about killing a billion people to save the planet. But the test did not work, even after they were so fortunate as to figure out how to get their Siri to come up with the right frequency. Someone figured out how to stop the killing of a billion people. I figured Darius made the equipment that was doing that and he had a way to stop it.

Telling people the research is for a Mars mission was a good cover.

Grace has been caught. This can't be good.

[AntiArbitrator]

I enjoyed the episode. I kept waiting for Harris to tell Grace he found her earring, but he was hoping it had accidentally fallen into the case. He still does not know about the uranium. I wonder how far she would have to cross the line for him to turn her in.

A billion people is an unacceptable number and they cannot guarantee some of the debris would not do even more damage.

Is Darius a killer or does his man handle things the way he chooses?

I think Darius is planning a trip to Mars, but I am not sure if that is Plan A or Plan B. Sometimes I think Mars is Plan A.

The promo for the next episode indicates someone Liam knows is the mole. I hope it is not the professor or his girlfriend, but it was baffling because I thought the "mole" was Grace and that Darius hacked the government's pod. Not sure what Liam meant.

[AntiArbitrator]

1.04 The Human Strain

8-2-17

To prove to Harris and Grace that he's not a traitor, Darius must reveal a closely guarded secret; Liam helps Jillian adjust to her new job at Tanz.

[AntiArbitrator]

This was an exciting episode and I really enjoyed it. I like Liam very much and I am glad he continues to behave decently in spite of the pressure and uncertainty about who can be trusted. He works well with his professor and they have made progress with the em drive.

I am now on Team Darius and think we can trust him to try to save the planet. But it is wise to always have a Plan B. I thought the security guy was suspicious, but he might have been a patsy for the real hacker.

It will be a miracle if Harris and Grace can salvage their relationship and trust each other.

[AntiArbitrator]

1.05 Keeping the Faith

8-2-17

Darius tries to discover who killed his friend Lazlo; Liam discovers who's been selling secrets to the Russians.

[KyleEl]

I made a big mistake. I was late tuning in, which wasn't my intention. I was going to have to watch all of this and then "Hot in Cleveland", so I have to allow a little extra time, even though I can skip commercials. With some shows I have to keep going back to see stuff I missed, so I don't want to assume I have plenty of time.

So I already knew a second episode was recording. I have been wanting to watch two or more at once and I was thinking about waiting so I could do that. I never want to quit watching when an episode is over. I had the chance this past Wednesday. But only if I had known in advance. So should I go ahead and watch, knowing I couldn't start on a new one? Or should I wait and watch both on the weekend?

I went ahead and watched. I wasn't as cynical as they were when they found Salvation. I figured that was Plan B, and I was right. And Darius is saving many of the world's treasures.

Poor Jillian is being called on to help select those who will survive. The same thing is happening on "The 100", but the last episode I watched had some hope more people could be rescued. And artists are not needed. Picasso can't fix things. Actually, ignoring artists may not be the right thing to do, because Da Vinci was an inventor.

Once it was stated the solution to the device Liam and the professor are trying to build was a substance not found on Earth, I knew those meteorites would be called on.

It was amazing Liam found the solution to the hacker in a video game. But then it was too late to make that work, so the hacker's objective was met. Now Liam's other device will just have to work.

I suspected the uranium wasn't for that device because when it blew up, it didn't destroy the entire building. On the other hand, the explosion might not have affected the uranium.

[AntiArbitrator]

CBS website has a quiz for fans. I took the quiz and the results said: 

"You got...

YOU CAN DO IT!

The only thing tougher to stop than an asteroid may be you. You're pragmatic and willing to get your hands dirty. You'll love the bold leaders on Salvation."

[AntiArbitrator]

I enjoyed Keeping the Faith. The hacker was a logical suspect, but I was still disappointed. Although I wondered about the professor as soon as we saw he was alive and uninjured, I liked him and wanted him to be innocent. There was a significant close-up of the Professor’s face when Darius said he was going to destroy t he person who betrayed his trust.

Liam was in a predicament that would lead to tragedy no matter what he did. I felt so sorry for him when he was holding the fallen Professor in his arms. I thought the Professor was dead, but if he is, why would the Russians take his body?

I was surprised the Russians got away with the EmDrive information. Liam is the only one who knows what to do with the Drive so he needs to be protected.

POTUS’ assistant, referred to as a pit bull by Grace, might be jealous of Harris’ relationship with Grace. She will probably cause problems. Harris is already suspicious of Grace’s interest in Darius. I think she might like Darius, but she does have a legitimate interest in his ability to save the planet.

[KyleEl]

I had to go ahead and watch, and I'm no longer excited about seeing what happens next.

I'm concerned that the Russians have the EmDrive. That changes the show completely. Also, it seems that whoever is hacking the devices has gotten to India too. That's a real problem. I can't remember whether it happened to China and Iran too. I also can't remember who the hacker turned out to be, if we even know that.

I was always suspicious of the Professor. When he got in the van with Liam because he and Liam were the ones who knew the most about what to do and, of course, could most be trusted, I just knew that wasn't the case.

"The 100" is finally going through the process of deciding who the few who can be saved are going to be.

[AntiArbitrator]

Aug 7, 2017 15:30:17 GMT -5 KyleEl said:

I had to go ahead and watch, and I'm no longer excited about seeing what happens next.

I'm concerned that the Russians have the EmDrive. That changes the show completely. Also, it seems that whoever is hacking the devices has gotten to India too. That's a real problem. I can't remember whether it happened to China and Iran too. I also can't remember who the hacker turned out to be, if we even know that.

I was always suspicious of the Professor. When he got in the van with Liam because he and Liam were the ones who knew the most about what to do and, of course, could most be trusted, I just knew that wasn't the case.

"The 100" is finally going through the process of deciding who the few who can be saved are going to be.

I think all of the devices were hacked. I was under the impression the Professor was the hacker.  I realize although he set up the device in the video game, someone else could be hacking from a remote location.

If the focus of the series turns to espionage and counter-espionage, I will not enjoy it as much. I want it to remain focused on Darius and Liam trying to save the world.

[AntiArbitrator]

1.06 Chip off the Ol' Block

NEW 8-9-17

Darius recruits Grace, Harris and Liam for a dangerous mission; Jillian confronts Liam about his

[AntiArbitrator]

As expected, there was tension between Russia and the U.S. It was confirmed that Russia did steal the EmDrive and retribution is because of “Atlas”. Previously, I thought “Atlas” was the deflect-the-asteroid project, but it must be something we do not know about. When Grace and Harris left the meeting, I thought she would reveal that Atlas is the problem to Harris, but she did not.

Reporters on TV shows are portrayed as selfish and manipulative so I am not going to trust Amanda, Jillian’s new “friend”. I know Jillian put a lot of pressure on Liam, but in the same circumstance, I would not have told her anything. He cannot control what she does with the information and her life can be in danger.

Grace’s father also works for the government and he helped them through his contacts.

Uncle Nicholas (John Noble) was once again a terrible father figure, just as he was on Elementary. Now he wants retribution.

I refused to watch our guys storm the castle, but I saw Liam hesitate to pull the trigger and Harris saved him. They had a nice moment when Harris said he was willing to listen if Liam wanted to talk about Croft.

Dangerous situations often shift priorities and Harris and Grace embraced – publicly.

The promos for the next episode had some baffling images.

[KyleEl]

Amanda sure recovered fast. Sometimes I think Jillian can trust her but ultimately we know Amanda will get her hands on information we know she shouldn't have.

Jillian should have worn something sexy to bed. after all, what she wore to meet with Amanda bordered on sexy.

The minute I heard John Noble talk I knew who he was, but at first I thought he wasn't going to be as evil as the other two characters we have seen him play. His attitude is going to make things interesting.

I think I am going to like the way the show is going. It's amazing that Liam can recreate the EmDrive. But someone has to, and it appears the professor is dead.

I liked how they had to get the sample of the meteorite. Liam was sort of the MacGyver of that operation.

I wasn't sure that was Grace's father in the car, but I finally had to conclude it was him.

[KyleEl]

I forgot to mention that when I looked at this week's TV listings, there were two episodes for next Wednesday.

[AntiArbitrator]

1.07 Seeing Red

8-16-17

Grace and Darius slip off to Russia behind Harris' back to stop a potential nuclear conflict; Liam seeks solace with Amanda.

[AntiArbitrator]

Was this the first time POTUS was referred to as "she"?

The episode is good, but I am too tired to watch the rest of it tonight.

Eta: I enjoyed the rest of the episode. I am glad I waited until today so I would be alert. 

Darius and Grace had an eventful day in Moscow. They learned all about Atlas and that the U.S. is the bad guy in the confrontation with Russia. Shocking! No, just kidding.

They are fugitives, but Moscow did not put them on the wanted list. Director of the DOD and Claire learned Darius and Grace were in Moscow and framed them.

Liam cleverly cloned Amanda's phone to get photos of the site in Russia. He then went to the hackers' location and they gave him a warm welcome. I was hoping the hackers would not be angry with him. 

Grace's daughter told Harris where Grace was. Harris also found out about the uranium and he revoked Grace's security access to the DOD. Trouble in paradise. I wonder if Grace and Darius will become close friends.

[AntiArbitrator]

1.08 From Russia, With Love

8-16-17

Darius and Grace are framed for murder and must escape from Russia; Liam tries to get Jillian to come back to Tanz.

[AntiArbitrator]

From Russia, With Love - I enjoyed seeing Grace and Darius work together to save the world. They made a very brave decision to turn themselves over to the Russians even though they knew their government had framed them. That turn of events was dramatic. I kept wondering when or if we would see Croft and there he was and he looked fully recovered. When they were given tea, I knew there had to be something in the tea. It was not too bad since they had nothing to hide anyway.

The children - Zoe friended Harris’ son. She has no idea he is with a notorious hacker group. She really likes him, but he was trying to get information from her.

Jillian and Liam are back together and I think they will make a great team.

[KyleEl]

I watched them both. It was quite an adventure. Had I not watched on the same night, I wouldn't have known this was happening. In the middle of one episode, I saw "Welcome. Starting up ..." That's something you never want to see when you are recording. But I came up with an idea. Was my oldest TiVo also starting up? It was not connected to the Internet but got its information through a phone line. Whatever caused this to happen, it probably wasn't going to happen to both machines. I checked and was relieved to find "Salvation" on there. And because there was room, the last 30 minutes had been saved. So I checked to see where the recording ended on the newest machine, backed up to there (the comment about the worst situation since the Cuban missile crisis) and watched. There was The Professor! He had survived! And Grace and Darius were offered a deal to help the Russians launch the EM-Drive. I had also checked to see where the recording started when the TiVo was able to do it again. They were setting up for Jillian's father's wedding. So I watched to there, then went back and watched from where I had left off when the TiVo quit working. I was very confused because after they made that deal which would end the chance of World War III, their car was bombed. This was not looking good. But then I realized that deal had not been made yet. They were wanted and had to put on disguises and kiss. Then they gave up and were taken away.

I like Zoe. I'm glad she met Harris' son. I watched the movie "Big Hero 6" a few weeks ago on ABC. Harris' son's group reminds me of them. In the movie, a brilliant teenager came up with a revolutionary technology. His older brother had just let him come to the lab and meet his friends. As the teenager was getting ready to start as a student at his brother's college, he showed off his technology, which was stolen, and when the building was blown up, the older brother went in to save a beloved professor. The team worked on finding out who caused the explosion and getting revenge. Since it was a Disney movie, there was a big fluffy robot to appeal to the kids, a creation of the brother who died.

I suspected that Grace and Darius shouldn't drink the tea, but they had to so it to be trusted. They were so funny when still under the influence. I remember a similar situation in "Quantum Leap". Sam gave away secrets which fans of the show had not known, and Al, who appears to Sam as a hologram but can't be seen by others, was so upset by seeing these secrets revealed.

I did like the music they danced to. I didn't recognize that as Ella Fitzgerald, but I like her too. Once I heard Louis Armstrong, I would have known who she was. A radio station in Charlotte plays them, but the one I used to listen to that is closer to where I live didn't play her. Neither does the one that gets its music from the same source that I listen to online. Someone working on the show must really like Louis Armstrong because Jillian and Liam danced to him too. Right after I heard some music that wasn't music. I'm so glad Liam and Jillian got back together.

[KyleEl]

Aug 16, 2017 21:07:55 GMT -5 AntiArbitrator said:

Was this the first time POTUS was referred to as "she"?

I sure thought it was a he.

Also, I was surprised to learn Harris was his first name.

Even more confusing, I watch "Saving Hope" when I can find episodes online and time to watch them and that show has a Dr. Harris.

[KyleEl]

Oh, by the way, the last show I recorded on the older TiVo was "Jeopardy", which airs on the same station as "Salvation". I got lucky.

[AntiArbitrator]

Aug 18, 2017 15:17:34 GMT -5 KyleEl said:

Aug 16, 2017 21:07:55 GMT -5 AntiArbitrator said:

Was this the first time POTUS was referred to as "she"?

I sure thought it was a he.

Also, I was surprised to learn Harris was his first name.

Even more confusing, I watch "Saving Hope" when I can find episodes online and time to watch them and that show has a Dr. Harris.

I knew Harris was his first name because the cast is listed in the first post. I could not list his boss' name though because I do not know it.

[KyleEl]

Right. I never do read those cast lists.

The real world events made that pair of episodes more unnerving than they otherwise would have been.

[AntiArbitrator]

Aug 21, 2017 13:18:04 GMT -5 KyleEl said:

Right. I never do read those cast lists.

I suspected that because you referred to an actor on another show as "the fat lady" - twice - and her name was listed on the thread.

[AntiArbitrator]

1.09 Patriot Games

8-23-17

Grace's life is threatened by a deadly assassin; Darius and Liam forge unlikely alliances.