2:18 - "Legion" 2003-04-06

[Patcat]

I'm a bit surprised this Season 2 episode doesn't have its own thread.

LEGION was one of those Season 2 episodes I hadn't seen but only heard and read about. It's still one of the episodes I haven't seen a great deal. It's clearly worthy of its high reputation, having all of the elements of a great LOCI episode. (Which, I think, is another thread entirely...)

Just one point I enjoyed about this episode--the writers use of Marcus Aeurilies (my apologies regarding the spelling) and his writings. Imagine this--a television show that has three main characters who are, to varying degrees, familar with Stoicism and a villain who knows how to corrupt the philosophy. It speaks of a respect for its audience's intelligence and knowledge.

Patcat

[rosemary]

I liked Legion. I even liked the start. Tense family scenes, than this creepy throat-slitting…the father surviving it, but not very long…
It is total in character for Goren to recognize Marcus Aurelius, even if he‘s quoted in English. And from that moment I got it. We all were supposed to presume that there was an influential adult in the kids‘ lives from the moment Goren found the protein bars. The eerie stranger took on shape after the quote. He‘s learned, maybe an autodidact, but intellectually superior to the gettho environment.
And then this Jo-Jo guy. At first, I thought of him as a soul-mate. I also would run a kind of „Rosemary‘s Clubhouse“ (borrowing Eames‘ snark.) Just like Jo-Jo, I insisted on home-work being done, and I encouraged the kids to read „real literature“, not just magazines and comics. I also once told an older kid that: „Wissen ist Macht, Unwissen ist Ohnmacht“. That roughly translates as: „Knowledge is power. Lack of knowledge is lack of power/ consciousness“ (the word „Ohnmacht“ is ambigous). But my opinion of Jo-Jo changed after he made that: „You eat junk, you become junk“ statement. Without doubt, there is some truth in that, an unhealthy diet can indeed contribute to downfall, but I would never describe human beings as „junk“, even if they weren‘t present. This made me think that Jo-Jo cannot be a humanitarian.
He‘s a manipulator, just like Nicole Wallace, but much more intriguing, IMHO. And like many people who are more intelligent than their environment, he underestimated others, in that case, the police force and especially Detective Goren.
There wasn‘t that much humor in this dark episode, but Goren doing his little dance in the recording booth and playing with the „Baby!!!“ key was just hilarious.

[kawaiidragonfoe821]

Rosemary>> Yeah, Goren's reaction to the 'baby!' was pretty cute wasn't it? Almost like his reaction to the quick release knots in 'ill-bred'. He seems to have a certain fascination with simple things, he seems to me as the type of person to be mesmerized by a fireplace.

[Sirenna]

Pat:
I dimly remember discussing this episode and particular some ever-insightful comments made by popular library and others on the types of leadership models young boys are drawn to.

Rosemary: interesting comments on Jo Jo.

One of the things about this episode I liked is how much more sinister a villain is when he engages his intellect, his spirituality and his personal experience to meet his villianous objectives. Goren must do the same in order to capture them.

I think the "you eat junk, you become junk" comment is a brilliant piece of dialogue. At first glance it seems true but what it shows is the lack of balance that Jo Jo and his kids have. Junk food balanced with an overall healthy diet is ok and even world class athletes eat this way. A life of Stoicism without the pleasure of a victory in battle and the glory of Rome to envision, would have been impossible for the Spartan soldiers to follow. The kids who followed Jo Jo expected some relief for their discipline - something like a better education, a happier life at most and at the least an escape from their present.

As Goren showed in the end, Jo Jo could talk the talk but didn't really have the balance to provide them with any real or lasting substance. He was the junk food in their lives, so to speak.

[rosemary]

I agree. "You eat junk, you become junk" is just brilliant. It is more than just an explication why Jo-Jo gives his kids expensive protein bars. He wants to appear as a person who offers guidance to the ghetto kids. We are to assume that he talks to the kids in a similar matter. Straight to the point, apodictacally. And at first glance we all understand what he's talking about. Junk food is to nutrition what stupid magazines and tv-shows are to education. And kids from the lower classes are quickly accustomed to both. Sitting in front of the tv, and/or leafing through some stupid magazine, drinking beer and eating chips. If you are doing this wearing nothing but briefs, you might be Homer Simpson. -- But...be careful, Jo-Jo betrayed himself. His describing people as junk gives us a glimpse about how he sees certain people. Actually, many people are junk, according to Jo-Jo. The showdown with Goren in the end shows that Jo-Jo also looks down on the kids who would admire him until they got to know what he really thought about them.
I cannot help but to think of Jo-Jo as a pimp-like character. He presents himself as the kids' protector but exploits them. He also presents himself as a teacher, but he doesn't teach the kids the whole story. In fact, he takes advantage of less experienced and immature people. They are kids, after all. And IMHO, by compelling the young people into illegal activities, he didn't offer them a better future. I think he did the opposite. He corrupted the kids' basic understanding of right and wrong. It is somehow wrong to steal bicycles, and it is so very wrong to voluntarily die for a self-made hero.

[kawaiidragonfoe821]

Poor kids, I felt sorry for them as well as their parents who most likely thought they were sending their children to a place where they could learn useful skills & gain a sense of respect & responsibility.
I also thought the character of Jo-Jo had a 'pimp' like aura around him, he was essentially 'pimping' the kids out to do crimes.
I also like the 'you eat junk, you become junk' line, not only was it clever, it also has some truth to it.

[rue721]

I just saw this episode recently, and loved it.

It was great to have an episode about regular people in a regular neighborhood (albeit terrorized by a stoic monster, but ya know, this IS a crime show ), since so many of the episodes focus on high-profile characters, and/or semi-antiseptic Manhatten. The sense of place in this episode was great- it looked like it was all shot on-site, and the snow added to that. It looked like they were actually walking around a city, which was fantastic.

But, did anyone else find it bizarre when Goren mentioned Gullah Gullah Island? Why would a childless man in his 40s/50s be watching daytime children's television? I confess that I knew the show he was talking about as soon as he mentioned it, but then, I WAS in its demographic. Haha, it was just a funny moment.

[DonnaJo]

Well, Gullah Gullah Island was extremely popular in the 90's. My children were all very young at the time & we watched it religiously. To me, I took it in the same way that everyone knows Barney, Thomas The Train, & The Wiggles. There is so much media saturation involving kiddie characters in the U.S. Not to mention that Goren is a man who pays attention to popular culture & trends.

Doubt he ever actually watched the show. Although some grown men really like classic cartoons, like Bugs Bunny.

[Metella]

Some people do watch cartoons sans kids. I used to watch the Tick.

I have heard of Barney & thomas the train - but I have never heard of the wiggles or Gullah. I don't want to either! Barney is enough.

[ragincajun]

I heard of Gullah Gullah Island not from watching children shows, just references off of other Prime time shows or talk shows. Maybe Goren read about it in pych books, or does watch tv. Or maybe Eames mentioned it when discussing her nephew. Maybe he has a dream of gullah gullah island.

[DonnaJo]

Metella, I have to admit that I have never heard of the Tick. Is it a giant, blood sucking cartoon character?

[sarahlee]

OH MAN, I loved The Tick. The Youngest had to watch (that was my excuse...) and ate way too many Taco Bell Kids meals to get "Tick" action figures. The actor (can't recall the name... ) who played "Putty" on "Seinfeld" did the voice for The Tick. Silly fun.

[Metella]

DonnaJo - the Tick was a big blue super hero tick .... who was like - um ... ? super idealistic? He would talk all grandiose & stuff & his sidekick - an accountant turned moth - had to pull him out of scrapes. HILARIOUS.

[DonnaJo]

Thanks, Sarahlee & Metella, for the answer. It vaguely rings a bell, but I guess my kids were a little too old to be into it. I do like "Putty," meaning the actor who played him. He's in something on television now, I think. Don't know what though.

[ragincajun]

Rewatched some of this episode after seeing the new USA promo thanking viewers for making USA a top rated Network. They had stars Characters saying Thank You, such as Olivia and Elliot from SVU and other USA shows. Guess they didn't have one of Alex and Bobby, so they had Bobby doing a little dance motion with his hands, didn't remember that part, so kinda fast forward through the dvd. Loved the dance at the control board. Just hate the idea of those kids being killed when they wanted out of the gang or their parents wanting them out.