Welcome to Mosaic Investigations, our weekly look at all that we saw in the latest episode of FlashForward – 1.02 White To Play.

Click below the jump to continue.

White To Play

As we speculated last week, it looks like each episode of FlashForward will feature a clue in the opening titles to foreshadow the episode. The clue in the NMGD titles was the friendship bracelet, given to Mark by his daughter Charlie. The clue for White To Play was the white queen chess piece discovered at D. Gibbon’s lair.

D. Gibbon’s seemed to be an avid player chess player (above) – he had computer chess game in his warehouse (rigged to the explosives) and as we mentioned, a white queen chess piece was found after the explosion. The white queen also offers insight into the episode title – “White to Play”. Are certain groups viewing the Global Blackout in game-like terms? Is the GBO their first ‘play’? Perhaps we’ll have to start keeping closer tabs on color thematics from now on?

Suspect Zero

According to video forensics, Suspect Zero is male, 5’8″ and 150 pounds. If I’m wrong I’ll hold my hands up, but that profile seems to fit this guy (possible spoiler for those who don’t know about casting).

Sketchy Vision

Bryce Varley could be seen drawing a picture of a mysterious woman. I don’t know who this is, but I think it must carry some significance due to the fact they showed it to us. Could she be someone from his flash forward? Is she the reason for his future happiness?

Message Man

D. Gibbon’s seemed to know more about how the pieces were fitting into place than either Mark or Dimitri. He went on to give Mark a cryptic message that went like this: “He who foresees calamity suffers them twice over”. Is this a clue?

It can be a taken at face value as a warning about seeing your future before you actually live it out (although I guess that would only apply if your flash forward was a bad one). But it could also allude to my idea on alternate realities in FlashForward?

As an aside, Charlie also calls D. Gibbon’s a “bad man”. Did she see him in her flash forward?

We received a few emails from people who thought D.Gibbon’s is being played by a certain actor from “LOST”. We can confirm that Gibbon’s is not a former LOST actor. Here’s the clearest shot we have of him. I don’t recognize him from anything, but if anyone has any ideas feel free to let us know.

As always, if you’d like to add anything to the above or you think that we’ve missed something out, feel free to let us know what YOU saw in the comments.

Welcome to the FFB review of the FlashForward episode 1.02 – White To Play.

Below the jump we get right to the heart of the matter by looking at the good and the bad from the episode.

THE GOOD

• I didn’t sign up for the relationship angst, but Olivia and Mark’s story has been pretty watchable so far. They’ve taken on a kind of siege mentality – us against the future, mind-set. But the cracks are clear for everyone to see. Olivia is so adamant that she wont leave Mark for another man, and yet that other man and his kid are already entangled in her present, let alone her future. Can you fight the future? I’m eager to find out!

• The opening. I know it was cliched, I know that the “black out” game was a load of crock, but I liked the scope afforded by the Google Earth-style entry into the episode. The Ring O’ Roses song was also creepy (what is it with kids singing that makes just about any song creepy!?) and the lyrics to the rhyme served as a decent metaphor for the global blackout – in that the whole world fell down (well, apart from Mr. Zero and his chum), everyone is connected, and for some (like our friend Dimitri) the GBO is like a plague.

• Lloyd Simcoe. I have to say, I like him! His story about his wife – if true – is pretty tragic, and his scenes with Olivia and his kid are always good to watch. I’m not entirely convinced of his true motivations yet, but that’s part of his appeal.

• I thought the comedic aspect of the episode was good, for the most part. As long as they don’t do it too often. I feel that the show also needs to get a bit more serious on occasions, but for this episode I was happy enough to go with the light-hearted moments – especially Stanford’s flash forward

THE BAD

• The Utah Warehouse raid. I thought they tried too hard to be “cool” here. The cryptic forewarning by the creepy dude came over too forced and ended up hollow. The explosion was more a distraction than anything – maybe I need to watch it again, but how exactly did Mark and Demitri survive that anyway?

• The opening may have alluded to the global scope of the GBO but the episode did little to reflect that crucial idea. It’s only been a few days since the blackout and there also seems to be a lack of anguish, chaos and shock amongst the general population (including our main characters). If the entire world lost consciousness at the same time, seeing visions of their future’s, it would be one of the (if not THE) biggest global event of modern times. I saw none of that in this episode – a few army men patrolling the streets was a token gesture. I’ll give the show time because it’s early days, but I really hope they can address this soon. The world of the show has to feel authentic for viewers to buy into it.

• Racial jokes. I just don’t think it was necessary. Having a Korean person put the cupcake lady right, doesn’t make it right. I know the show has to reflect society, but this felt like a cheap joke just for the sake of it. What did it add to the episode? Will we even see cupcake lady again so that we can see whether or not her insensitivity wanes? Again, I thought this was another case of trying too hard.

Overall Impressions.

I felt this was another solid episode. The shimmers of potential are definitely there, if the creators can find a way to magnify the scale and importance of the GBO and the character’s reaction to it. I found the characters to be slightly less interesting than they were in the season premiere – with the exception of Olivia and Lloyd. I hope that they manage to incorporate greater mythology and more emotion into the series as time goes on.

As for the episode title – White To Play – it’s an interesting one. Difficult to say what it could mean – perhaps it refers to the pieces on a chess board? Are we already looking at a game-like scenario, where certain pieces (characters) have already fallen into place without them even knowing it? Just who is playing who, and what are the rules of the game? Of course, WTP could mean something entirely different, and I’d love to hear some ideas on this.

Best Moment: Stanford Wedeck explaining his flash forward involving urinal mouth to mouth.

Best Performer: Jack Davenport

Episode Rating: 7/10

Continue below the jump for news of the latest FlashForward ratings, watch the Canadian 137 Sekunden promo, and find out who’s landed a recurring role on the show..and more.

The second episode of FlashForward - White To Play, received 10.78 million viewers – as reported by Digital Spy this is healthy retention from the season premiere.

Here’s the Canadian FlashForward promo for 137 Sekunden:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhTfZOTKTs8

The Guardian label FlashForward “the fastest selling Disney series ever”:

Flashforward, the high-concept US drama series, has become the fastest-selling Disney series of all time, and broadcasters around the world are showing it as quickly as possible in a bid to beat piracy.
The programme, in which an unexplained event makes people around the world see into their future after blacking out for two minutes, has premiered in Britain on Channel Five, in Australia and even been dubbed into Russian within days of its US premiere. “Even before Mipcom begins we have sold it to 100 territories, already making it the fastest-selling series in our history,” said Disney Media Networks president global distribution Ben Pyne on the opening day of TV trade festival MIPCOM. He said persuading other networks to premiere the programme quickly was part of a new policy.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, “Sleeper Cell” star Michael Ealy will have a recurring role on FlashForward.

Here’s another FlashForward series promo, Spanish style:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYRYoHTiR-E

The second episode of FlashForward‘s first season picked up where the pilot episode left off. Here are 5 Things I Learned from White To Play.

1. Mark is holding out on Olivia.

And I only see that continuing, at least in the near future. I expected Olivia to be more secretive out of the two, due to the intimate nature of her flash forward with Lloyd Simcoe. Instead, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how open she’s been. Whether she can alter her future (or will want to) is another story, but being honest about it is a good start for her character.

Mark, on the other hand, is already keeping things from Olivia. Perhaps it’s these little things that will cause the division between them? Is Mark playing into the hands of fate?

2. Suspect Zero is not alone

He was on the phone to another suspect – D. Gibbon’s – during the flash forward. This is a major reveal that opens up the show to a much wider (and logical) conspiracy.

Not much else to say at the moment, except..I can’t wait to find out more!

3. Sonya Walger is the heart of the show

So far she’s been the most believable performer. Her portrayal of a loving yet guilt-ridden wife and mother is completely on point. I knew she was good as her performances in LOST have proven, but I admit, I didn’t realise quite how good she was.

4. Simcoe’s son is autistic

This could get a bit cliched, but it was a move that took me by surprised. So far, it’s worked – Dylan’s autism has brought an extra layer to both ‘the children are special’ theme and my investment in the Simcoe story. Lloyd is now a far more sympathetic character, largely due to his son’s condition and the fact that his wife has just died.

Last week I felt a coldness to him – he was the villain in the lives of our new protagonists. An episode later and I feel for him more than I do Mark. There’s also a definite connection/attraction between Simcoe and Olivia that makes for great viewing as Olivia tries (and fails) not to feel a connection with him.

5. It’s going to be fun

The episode had several moments of comic relief littered in and out of the more serious aspects of the investigation and human drama. Again, I didn’t expect to enjoy this episode as much as I did on that level. WTP took itself seriously when it needed to, and let its metaphorical hair down when the time was right for it (the “mouth-to-mouth” was a great continuation of  the toilet saga from last week).

White To Play may not have been as epic as No More Good Days, but it was funny, cool and very, very watchable.

Synopsis: MARK AND DEMETRI TRACK A SUSPECT WHO MAY HAVE CONNECTIONS TO THE BLACKOUT, AND OLIVIA MEETS THE MAN IN HER VISION, ON ABC’S “FLASHFORWARD”

“White to Play” – Mark and Demetri head to Utah to track down a suspect who may be connected to the global blackout, Olivia comes face-to-face with the man from her vision, and Mark and Olivia’s daughter, Charlie, has trouble coping with the aftermath of her flashforward, on “FlashForward,” THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

White To Play Promo & Sneak Peak:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWTnchbGdls

Resources:

• White to Play Promo Photos & Archive
• FlashForward Forums
• 1.01 Clues & Eastereggs

Episode Rating:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgPaZjW1qTY

Here is the special FlashForward series preview that was played after last night’s “No More Good Days” season premiere (spoiler alert).

My personal highlights – Dominic Monaghan and the return of the Kangeroo.

Here is the official press release for episode 1.02 “White To Play”:

MARK AND DEMETRI TRACK A SUSPECT WHO MAY HAVE CONNECTIONS TO THE BLACKOUT, AND OLIVIA MEETS THE MAN IN HER VISION, ON ABC’S “FLASHFORWARD”

“White to Play” – Mark and Demetri head to Utah to track down a suspect who may be connected to the global blackout, Olivia comes face-to-face with the man from her vision, and Mark and Olivia’s daughter, Charlie, has trouble coping with the aftermath of her flashforward, on “FlashForward,” THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Note: This program will repeat Friday, Oct. 2, from 8:00-9:00 p.m.

“FlashForward” stars Joseph Fiennes as Mark Benford, John Cho as Demetri Noh, Jack Davenport as Lloyd Simcoe, Zachary Knighton as Bryce Varley, Peyton List as Nicole Kirby, Dominic Monaghan as Simon, Brían F. O’Byrne as Aaron Stark, Courtney B. Vance as Stanford Wedeck, Sonya Walger as Olivia Benford and Christine Woods as Janis Hawk.

Guest starring are Lennon Wynn as Charlie Benford, Ryan Wynott as Dylan Simcoe, Lynn Whitfield as Anastasia Markham, Lee Thompson Young as Agent Gough, Stephanie Weir as Didi, Marina Black as Sheriff Keegan, Marquessa Moreland as sonographer, Sufe Bradshaw as Ms. Gerber, Lisa Darr as Principal Byrne, Curtis Harris as Zack, Piper Mackenzie Harris as child #1, Lucky Davis as child #2, Taylor Geare as child #3, Tiffany Shinn as child #4, Robbie Tucker as child #5 and Shohreh Aghdashloo as Nhadra Udaya.

“White to Play” was written by David S. Goyer & Mark Guggenheim and directed by David S. Goyer.

[ABC]

Thanks to WeFlashForward.com for the heads-up.

ABC have released a batch of FlashForward promotional photos for episode 1.02 White To Play.

Click through the jump to view the entire gallery.

[Show as slideshow]

[ABC]

Hit the jump for the title of the second episode..

According to reports episode 1.02 of FlashForward will be titled “White To Play”.