• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

The Librarians--Season Four

...
The booby-trapped secret entrance to the library was a bit contrived to cater to the D&D players, but that's okay...

I kind of figured that was the point: Jenkins says that the Library changes the traps to suit the people trying to get in, and we saw from the sword that the Warehouse knew it wasn't the real Jenkins, so it was always going to make "easy" challenges.

There were a couple of things that I thought were a little odd-- namely, it took the Librarians way too long to confront Not Jenkins ...-- but no big deal.
It only took two and a half conversations (the half being the "translate the scroll, Jenkins") . The thing I thought really odd, though, was that in the middle of a season dedicated to "THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE LIBRARIAN," they make an episode about "teamwork conquers all."
 
I kind of figured that was the point: Jenkins says that the Library changes the traps to suit the people trying to get in, and we saw from the sword that the Warehouse knew it wasn't the real Jenkins, so it was always going to make "easy" challenges.

But the whole point of the traps was supposed to be to keep people out. If the intent was that the Library was deliberately inverting that to make it easier for them, then that should've been mentioned, otherwise it's an apparent contradiction.


The thing I thought really odd, though, was that in the middle of a season dedicated to "THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE LIBRARIAN," they make an episode about "teamwork conquers all."

That's not odd to me, because of course the resolution to the arc is going to be pro-teamwork after all, since they're not going to drop 2/5 of their main cast. So it's part of the ongoing tension between the single-Librarian theory and the team model, and it points toward the eventual resolution.
 
How many more episodes are left this season? This one sounds like it could be a a pretty big step towards a resolution of the conflict over there being more than one Librarian.
 
How many more episodes are left this season? This one sounds like it could be a a pretty big step towards a resolution of the conflict over there being more than one Librarian.

Counting tonight, two more.
 
A pretty solid episode, aside from the "push the flashing red button" mechanics seeming a bit incongruous for an ancient magical ritual dating back to the 3rd century BCE. The ending was pretty shocking, but I'm hoping it can be reversed. Normally I think that sort of thing is a cheat and a copout, but this is a fairly lightweight, fun show with no pretense of realism, so I wouldn't mind a magic reset button (ahem) in this case.
 
A pretty solid episode, aside from the "push the flashing red button" mechanics seeming a bit incongruous for an ancient magical ritual dating back to the 3rd century BCE. The ending was pretty shocking, but I'm hoping it can be reversed. Normally I think that sort of thing is a cheat and a copout, but this is a fairly lightweight, fun show with no pretense of realism, so I wouldn't mind a magic reset button (ahem) in this case.

Considering the emphasis at the end about Baird starting to forget Jenkins, I think that will play a role in saving the library. I am guessing the next episode will feature our librarians living normal lives, not remembering anything about the library and Baird trying to make them remember and when they do, it will bring the library back.
 
Well, crap. Things really took a turn for the weird this week. They really faked me out with the prior Guardian-- I knew she would come back, but I thought it would be to give Jenkins his immortality back. I guess it's good to know that Jenkins was right, after all, but he won't find much satisfaction in it if he's dead. Of course, with all the magic and illusions and fakery going on, we can't be sure if he really is dead at this point-- and the fact that the prior Guardian was given his immortality could be key to restoring him.

And then there's the Library itself. They had me going with that scenario, too-- it was very unpleasant seeing the Library apparently behaving like a heartless god, so inconsistent with what we've seen in the past. Why would it choose four Librarians and nurture them for so long, only to decide they must kill each other off? But then again, why would it not intervene with Nicole's scheme? Or even just block her access? Perhaps the Library will use the last of its energy to seek out Flynn-- undoubtedly he will play some major part in the finale. With renewal always iffy, I doubt if they will end the season with the loss of the Library, but I just hope they manage to save Jenkins as well.

The fear challenges were nicely surreal, kind of reminiscent of the 70s, when you'd see these sort of psychological or philosophical allegories made real. The best one was Cassandra's, with its ominous (and portentous) portrayal of the Library as abandoned and overgrown. But it was also a nice twist to see that Eve had her own ring and had forgotten wearing it, just as Fake Jenkins had said.

I'm kind of anxious to see how things turn out in the finale. This has been a lighthearted and uplifting show and I'd hate to see it go all dark and gritty at what is very likely the end of the line. It's reasonable to assume that we'll see the Library restored and Flynn and Eve bonded to it when the credits roll-- with, hopefully, Jenkins hale, hearty, and immortal again-- but I'm not taking anything for granted.
 
Season finale tonight. No word yet on whether the show has been renewed for another season yet.
 
I really enjoyed the season finale. The Orwellian world was very well crafted. The black and white and 50's style gave the episode a classic twilight zone feel for me which I really liked. I liked the theme of remembering the library. And I also especially liked the ending with Flynn going back in time to convince Nicole to be good instead of bad. And we get a happy ending with Flynn and Baird finally getting married, I mean, tethered. ;)

And Jenkins is back and immortal again!
 
I'm disturbed that the whole season was erased, because it renders all the characters' achievements irrelevant. Does this mean that Darrington Dare's past was never changed for the better? That those people were never rescued from the forest? That Cassandra never freed the captive fairy? Okay, we can assume that those missions will still play out with a few differences, but what about Jenkins making friends with the D&D group? If he were still immortal when Jeff switched bodies with him, would he have the same mindset that allowed him to befriend them?

And we didn't really get any closure for Nicole. So she's still immortal, she's still out there -- what's she like in the here and now, in the modified timeline? I presume she hasn't been locked in a cell for decades, since she wasn't working against the Library. But what's her past 500 years been like instead? The lack of that followup feels like a loose end.
 
Wow, that was the best possible ending we could have hoped for. We even got Jenkins back, his immortality restored. Not only that, but we found out that Flynn didn't really quit the Library, and Flynn managed to save Nicole from a life of evil. With all that, and the Tethering finally accomplished at the end, it seems likely that the producers are expecting this to be the final episode and are giving us the best of all happy endings.

The story itself was nicely eerie-- complete with old-school spooky music-- and reminiscent of Twilight Zone, 1984, A Wrinkle In Time, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents, among other things. A washed out, listless world, devoid of life and creative energy where everybody suffers through a generic and meaningless existence-- and anybody who exhibits symptoms of individuality or curiosity is locked up in an asylum. And, ultimately, the cure for all this and the secret to the restoration of the Library was merely for the Librarians to remember what makes them unique and to embrace their passions. A nice message to end on, if this is the ending.

Of course, I hope it's not the ending.
 
I'm disturbed that the whole season was erased, because it renders all the characters' achievements irrelevant. Does this mean that Darrington Dare's past was never changed for the better? That those people were never rescued from the forest? That Cassandra never freed the captive fairy? Okay, we can assume that those missions will still play out with a few differences, but what about Jenkins making friends with the D&D group? If he were still immortal when Jeff switched bodies with him, would he have the same mindset that allowed him to befriend them?

And we didn't really get any closure for Nicole. So she's still immortal, she's still out there -- what's she like in the here and now, in the modified timeline? I presume she hasn't been locked in a cell for decades, since she wasn't working against the Library. But what's her past 500 years been like instead? The lack of that followup feels like a loose end.
Yeah, this bothered me too. I'm glad we got Jenkins back, but I'm disappointed they erased everything that happened this season. Even if they brought Jenkins back and made him immortal again, I think it would have been a lot more interesting if he had been able to retain everything he experienced as a mortal.
It also would have been nice to see if the arguments over who should tether, and the other Librarians quitting would have had an effect moving forward.
 
I wonder, since Baird tethered with Flynn and the Library, does that mean that he is the official Librarian? If so, what does that make Jake, Cassandra and Ezekiel? Are they still Librarians, just untethered?
 
I wonder, since Baird tethered with Flynn and the Library, does that mean that he is the official Librarian? If so, what does that make Jake, Cassandra and Ezekiel? Are they still Librarians, just untethered?

As I understand it, Judson and Charlene were one the ones tethered prior to this, but that didn't stop Flynn and all his predecessors from being official Librarians, despite being not tethered to the Library.

If history is any indication, Flynn and Baird will someday move into more administrative roles, supervising generation after generation of Librarians . . . .
 
Does this mean we can expect Baird to start hectoring the Librarians relentlessly about invoicing their expenses? And is Flynn going to start stammering a lot?
 
Does this mean we can expect Baird to start hectoring the Librarians relentlessly about invoicing their expenses? And is Flynn going to start stammering a lot?

Maybe in a few hundred years . . . .

Although one wonders who has been handling the budget in recent years. Jenkins?

Season Five plotline: The Library hits a crisis when it turns out their funding has run out since Charlene was no longer keeping an eye on expenses. The Librarians have to get day jobs, while an ancient loan from King Midas comes due. Will the Library be repossessed? What will they have to offer up as collateral?

Or maybe this can be my next novel: THE LIBRARIANS AND THE PAST-DUE BILLS.
 
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top