Spoilers Halo: Season One - Discussion Thread
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I like this show so much. It both captures the feel of the games as well as spins its own unique and interesting atmosphere.
I just finished episode 2 and I’m digging this shit a LOT.
Can the show get rid of Captain Keyes and Admiral Parangovsky, please, or at the very least tone their a**-holery down several notches?
The best characters right now, even after only two episodes, are Halsey, Kwan, Soren and his family, Miranda, and Silver Team.
I saw a sneak peek of next week's episode involving Makee, and I'm really interested in finding out more about her.
The best characters right now, even after only two episodes, are Halsey, Kwan, Soren and his family, Miranda, and Silver Team.
I saw a sneak peek of next week's episode involving Makee, and I'm really interested in finding out more about her.
Captain Keyes was never a very nice guy.
So, I've been watching the first two episodes of the Halo series and I thought I would share my impressions of the show.
1. It's an alternate continuity: This was probably a good decision because you don't want fans obsessing over every possible detail of the setting. It's very noticeably the Halo universe but it's different in a lot of areas that we'll deal in. The Independents are not wiped out yet, humanity isn't yet completely on the backfoot, and the Covenant is a little less genocide happy (or at least haven't wiped out every world with humans on them they find). Also, John works as part of a team like in Halo V. Then again, none of this is exactly divergent either. John was working alone on the Halo ring because Reach had been wiped out.
2. They amp up the human vs. human conflict: The UNSC vs. the Independents is a lot more relevant than it ever was in the games. Mostly because the Independent Colonies were all wiped out by the Covenant. This is obviously because dirty humans in Mad Max outfits are a lot easier to film than CGI Covenant aliens. However, I also think it's not a bad story decision because it emphasizes how morally ambiguous and awful ONI's experiments were.
3. It's a slow burn: Two episodes in and Reach is still intact, we've only heard of the Halo, and Master Chief hasn't even merged with Cortana. So there's a lot of sense this is a prequel as opposed to something that just jumps into the existing story. I think a lot of fans were expecting to start the series with John crashlanding on Halo or following the games more closely and they will be disappointed.
4. John takes off his helmet: I know some fans are going to treat this as the same as Judge Dredd doing so.
5. Halsey's weird ass relationship with the Spartans is intact: I like how they keep the fact she's a woman who kidnapped a bunch of children, experimented on them, and made them super-soldiers but is also their only mother figure as well as closer bonded to them tahn her own daughter. One of the best moments of the first episode is when Halsey countermands an order to the SPARTANS to kill John and the other Spartans obey because, of course they do.
6. Some genuinely good moments: Ignoring the plot hole about how John was able to find his friend, Soren, after decades and no human contact, I actually did like the oddity of John's reaction to dealing with a Spartan deserter who had a family.
7. The first episode had good action: They blew a lot of the CGI budget having the Spartans slaughter the Covenant in an actual fight-fight so there's no action whatsoever in the second episode but if they can do more scenes like that, I'd appreciate it.
8. Not all humans can use Forerunner tech: Only a select number like John and the Human Covenant "Prophet" (who is obviously a prisoner and doesn't know it). This is actually canon to the games but you'd never know it.
Right now it feels like, "Not as good as the Expanse but pretty good."
1. It's an alternate continuity: This was probably a good decision because you don't want fans obsessing over every possible detail of the setting. It's very noticeably the Halo universe but it's different in a lot of areas that we'll deal in. The Independents are not wiped out yet, humanity isn't yet completely on the backfoot, and the Covenant is a little less genocide happy (or at least haven't wiped out every world with humans on them they find). Also, John works as part of a team like in Halo V. Then again, none of this is exactly divergent either. John was working alone on the Halo ring because Reach had been wiped out.
2. They amp up the human vs. human conflict: The UNSC vs. the Independents is a lot more relevant than it ever was in the games. Mostly because the Independent Colonies were all wiped out by the Covenant. This is obviously because dirty humans in Mad Max outfits are a lot easier to film than CGI Covenant aliens. However, I also think it's not a bad story decision because it emphasizes how morally ambiguous and awful ONI's experiments were.
3. It's a slow burn: Two episodes in and Reach is still intact, we've only heard of the Halo, and Master Chief hasn't even merged with Cortana. So there's a lot of sense this is a prequel as opposed to something that just jumps into the existing story. I think a lot of fans were expecting to start the series with John crashlanding on Halo or following the games more closely and they will be disappointed.
4. John takes off his helmet: I know some fans are going to treat this as the same as Judge Dredd doing so.
5. Halsey's weird ass relationship with the Spartans is intact: I like how they keep the fact she's a woman who kidnapped a bunch of children, experimented on them, and made them super-soldiers but is also their only mother figure as well as closer bonded to them tahn her own daughter. One of the best moments of the first episode is when Halsey countermands an order to the SPARTANS to kill John and the other Spartans obey because, of course they do.
6. Some genuinely good moments: Ignoring the plot hole about how John was able to find his friend, Soren, after decades and no human contact, I actually did like the oddity of John's reaction to dealing with a Spartan deserter who had a family.
7. The first episode had good action: They blew a lot of the CGI budget having the Spartans slaughter the Covenant in an actual fight-fight so there's no action whatsoever in the second episode but if they can do more scenes like that, I'd appreciate it.
8. Not all humans can use Forerunner tech: Only a select number like John and the Human Covenant "Prophet" (who is obviously a prisoner and doesn't know it). This is actually canon to the games but you'd never know it.
Right now it feels like, "Not as good as the Expanse but pretty good."
Trailer for episode 3 looks great.
Paramount has the first episode up for free on Youtube.
If it follows the games enough to include certain elements, Keyes isn't going to be around for long and in one of the worst fates in science fiction.
I watched the first episode. I thought it was just okay. I could see how a diehard fan of the games would be disappointed.
I feel like the Halo live action they wanted was a three part big budget action movie.
Just three hours of Master Chief shooting shit while Cortana delivers expository dialogue.
I’m only a filthy casual when it comes to the games but I’ve enjoyed the show so far. Seems like they out some good effort into it with the production design. The covenant looks good and the Spartans and weapons look great.
John Wick in space with less talking.
You can’t get more game like with the actual voice of Cortana in the show. I doubt she will be a spy for Halsey for long. She’ll side with John, and then go insane. 
I still think there is some familial connection between the blessed one and John. Maybe not siblings but I’m some other way.
I still think there is some familial connection between the blessed one and John. Maybe not siblings but I’m some other way.
1. It's an alternate continuity:
The show starts at a different point of the whole background and i think it's a good decision. The glassing of Reach might even be in the season finale together with the discovery of Halo, a huge blowout episode but i hope they have enough good material to keep it interesting until then.
3. It's a slow burn
That might become a problem. I get that they don't want to burn through a whole game's worth of material in one scene and rush through pivotal moments like the glassing of Reach or the discovery/battle of Halo but there's establishing a universe and there's dragging your feet.
I really hope it pays off but i can't shake the feeling that they're dragging a bit needlessly because most gamers have heard of Halo/played the games so it's a bit boring for them ( I'm giving them another 1-2 episodes of the same before i'm really bored myself).
4. John takes off his helmet
Could have happened a bit later when the mystery and legend of the Master Chief has grown ( see how Mandalorian has dealt with the same issue), but in principle i'm ok with it.
5. Halsey's weird ass relationship with the Spartans is intact
It is an interesting element and i hope this gets picked up later and becomes a continuing story point. The UNSC can't have elite supersoldiers in near undestructible combat armor that they don't really control. Halsey is shady as hell and i hope there will be some fallout for her actions.
It was an interesting zig versus zag that the woman who conducts the unspeakable evil experiments on kidnapped children eventually comes to love them more than her actual daughter.
Right, this is WAY different than the games and i must say i'm liking it more and more each episode.
It's not exactly groundbreaking new story inventions - supersoldier is discovering his humanity while on a mission - but it is still engaging. They are developing the characters while also slowly continuing the storyline and i'm curious how this will proceed and what will finally happen once they arrive on Halo, i.e. how much will the show truly deviate from the games.
I am not really sure it is "love" Halsey feels, to me she is the quintessential coldhearted scientist, probably with psychopathic tendencies, who manipulates everybody to achieve her goal. The UNSC/Halsey are ruthless and immoral in the games to begin with but the show takes it a step further by turning Cortana into a tool for Halsey to control and spy on Master Chief but we already see Cortana chafing under her strict control and the orders she's been given.
I don't believe for a second that John's parents were victims of some plague, it is obviously a cover up for the abduction of him as a child ( in the games they at least create clones as replacements who die soon to cover the abductions) and she has most likely orchestrated all of that. Once this gets out it will be interesting to see how TV show John reacts now that that his emotions are not controlled anymore.
It's not exactly groundbreaking new story inventions - supersoldier is discovering his humanity while on a mission - but it is still engaging. They are developing the characters while also slowly continuing the storyline and i'm curious how this will proceed and what will finally happen once they arrive on Halo, i.e. how much will the show truly deviate from the games.
I am not really sure it is "love" Halsey feels, to me she is the quintessential coldhearted scientist, probably with psychopathic tendencies, who manipulates everybody to achieve her goal. The UNSC/Halsey are ruthless and immoral in the games to begin with but the show takes it a step further by turning Cortana into a tool for Halsey to control and spy on Master Chief but we already see Cortana chafing under her strict control and the orders she's been given.
I don't believe for a second that John's parents were victims of some plague, it is obviously a cover up for the abduction of him as a child ( in the games they at least create clones as replacements who die soon to cover the abductions) and she has most likely orchestrated all of that. Once this gets out it will be interesting to see how TV show John reacts now that that his emotions are not controlled anymore.
I thought the sequence of John exploring Reach with clear eyes was lovely, though I realized halfway through it was also serving a dual purpose for later in the show and it made me sad.
More body symbolism with John and Makee, him removing the pellet from his back, and her with the hidden energy dagger in her finger, as well as her being frisked and him being naked while doing amateur surgery in the locker room. Also, playing out some realistic consequences of humans being incredibly shitty to each other that usually got swept away in the core canon. Makee's story reminds me a bit of The Three-Body Problem, where the brutality of the Chinese Cultural Revolution prompted the first scientist to get a message from the stars, warning Earth to be silent lest they be invaded and exterminated, instead blasted out a radio message inviting the aliens down to destroy our horrible civilization.
I'm expecting Halsey to eventually have the same change-of-heart she had early on in the books when she started to realize the ends weren't justifying her means anymore after Reach and she needed a more balanced perspective. I also suspect her creepy sidekick is probably going to be groomed by Parangosky to be a more controllable alternative to Halsey, since he seems to have a more, shall we say, venial attraction to power.
I wonder when we'll get to see a proper Hunter (or two). Probably next week. We got just a glimpse of one before it "disrobed" to back up Makee's trap (more nudity-versus-armor!). Also, a reference to Grunts, and their chattiness.
More body symbolism with John and Makee, him removing the pellet from his back, and her with the hidden energy dagger in her finger, as well as her being frisked and him being naked while doing amateur surgery in the locker room. Also, playing out some realistic consequences of humans being incredibly shitty to each other that usually got swept away in the core canon. Makee's story reminds me a bit of The Three-Body Problem, where the brutality of the Chinese Cultural Revolution prompted the first scientist to get a message from the stars, warning Earth to be silent lest they be invaded and exterminated, instead blasted out a radio message inviting the aliens down to destroy our horrible civilization.
I'm expecting Halsey to eventually have the same change-of-heart she had early on in the books when she started to realize the ends weren't justifying her means anymore after Reach and she needed a more balanced perspective. I also suspect her creepy sidekick is probably going to be groomed by Parangosky to be a more controllable alternative to Halsey, since he seems to have a more, shall we say, venial attraction to power.
I wonder when we'll get to see a proper Hunter (or two). Probably next week. We got just a glimpse of one before it "disrobed" to back up Makee's trap (more nudity-versus-armor!). Also, a reference to Grunts, and their chattiness.
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I am liking the show a lot. I think Cortana adds a lot to the show. She is interesting and adds an extra dimension to the story. The interactions between her and John and her and Halsey are great. And the show is moving along nicely. We get some clues about the artifact. John is now on a mission to find the second piece. Makee taking over the Gladius was really well done.
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