Thursday 17 October 2013

Atlantis Series 1 Episode 3 "A Boy of No Consequence" Review


This was a series that I had been looking forward to for quite some time, as I've always had a strong interest in mythology. The series however so far has been good, but not startling, with the last episode being rather slow. The series does however show a lot of promise, having been very entertaining and humorous so far.

Plot


After defending an innocent old man from a young nobleman named Heptarian Jason along with Hercules and Pythagoras are sent to become bull jumpers.

Review


This was yet another brilliant episode, and a great continuation of the series, being better than the last episode. There was also once again a lot of humour throughout this episode, as although it didn't have as much mythological references as the previous two episodes, it still managed to be very entertaining. I also felt that this episode was probably the best paced so far, as although it was slightly slow at times, it had a lot of depth, with the development flowing smoothly. I also loved the character development throughout this episode, as although there weren't any big changes, it would show the characteristics of them brilliantly. On top of that there was also a lot of drama and suspense throughout the episode, with some really exciting scenes, and some fantastic character interaction.

This episode would start with Jason getting into a confrontation with a young nobleman named Heptarian, who doesn't take kindly to Jason's actions. Now unlike a lot of the characters in this series Heptarian isn't based on anyone from mythology (at least from what I can tell). He is however a brilliant character for this series, and a great antagonist for Jason, as being about the same age and build it gives someone more equal to him. I also liked Heptarian's characteristics, as although I enjoy villains who get their hands dirty, conniving, deceitful ones that let others do their work for them can also be very interesting, also making the hero seem more noble and heroic.

Heptarian

Jason along with his friends Hercules and Pythagoras would be punished by King Minos for this, with him declaring that their fate will be decided by Poseidon, and that they'd become bull jumpers. Now they wouldn't just get thrown to the bulls, as they'd be allowed to train for a week prior. It was this that allowed a lot more depth to be added to the episode, as although I initially thought that all this build-up would simply stretch the episode to it's 45 minute running time, it actually turned out to be rather dramatic and entertaining, also having some suspenseful moments as well. The three also wouldn't be alone, as they'd be placed with three other jumpers, all of whom were interesting in their own rights.

Due to Ariadne's affections towards Jason, Pasiphaë decides that Jason must die, not wanting to take any chances. This development would reveal that Pasiphaë uses witchcraft, which as far as I know she never did in the myths. For the series however this is yet again another interesting development, as having settled for the fact that there will be a lot of inaccuracies in this series I am now looking for what best helps the series story wise. I also feel that Pasiphaë is become a brilliant villainess in her own right, and that she will be the biggest threat to Jason down the line.

The bull jumping itself would probably be the most exciting moment of this episode, also being extremely suspenseful and dramatic at the same time. Now I won't go into any detail as to the outcome of this scene, but I will say what I thought of it as a whole. The main thing that I enjoyed during it was seeing how these characters eventually managed to work as a team, as due there originally being some dysfunction between certain characters nearer the start of the episode, as well as the lack of skill for others you'd never expect them to even have a chance. Another thing I liked about the scene was the questioning over how Pasiphaë's scheme to kill Jason would play out, as it added a lot of tension and suspense. I did however find the bull jumping itself to be slightly unrealistic, though it added a bit more humour due to that.

Jumping the Bull

Final Verdict


This was another fantastic episode in the series, and quite possibly the best yet, being brilliantly paced. It also had amazing character development, with some very dramatic and suspenseful moments throughout. On top of this it also had a lot of mystery to it, with some great character interaction and some exciting moments. Due to this I'd highly recommend giving this episode a chance, even if you haven't been enjoying the series so far.

Rating: 8/10

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