All Episodes: Ergo Proxy Companion Viewing Guide
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The Girl with the Smile
I hate this episode. I hate this episode. It's not as bad as it used to be, but it still sucks.
Two things:
Will B. Good and Smileland are Walt Disney and Disneyland. Eastern animation, western animation. Stuff.
Utilitarianism good or bad? Happiness, whether there can be different kinds of happiness.
There. That's it. That's the episode.
whooooooooooo.
Pino learns some stuff and matures and learns to care a bit more. Vincent and Re-L trust her some more.
A proxy that seems to not be insane is found. A proxy is not fought by avoiding contact. He runs the Smileland dome as director. (*cough* dictator *cough*)
They flirt with the concepts of purpose and unused ideas and artists and creators trying to control their creations.
Pino can't cry, so raindrops.
[VIEW SPOILERS]
[/SPOILERS]
////////////Reactions:
This episode still sucks.
(I might go back and add some more thoughts, but honestly, I'd like to leave this as is.)
Glad you are still working on this, please keep going!
ReplyDeleteThanks, and that's what I'm back to doing right now! (I do love feedback, and I have a lot of questions about what other people see in Ergo Proxy and the guides I write. Even just a simple "hey, I saw your post" makes me smile, so thanks for commenting!)
DeleteHey, I saw all your posts (on Ergo Proxy at least)!
DeleteI watched the show once a couple years ago, and thought it was great, but couldn't find much about it on the internet. On a whim, I decided to rewatch it this week, and found your blog. Your analysis is great. Really helpful in putting the series together, especially as I hadn't been paying the closest attention this time around! I'm going to try to rewatch it properly over the next couple weeks, and give you some feedback.
That makes me really happy. It's pretty much exactly what I was hoping for! Sorry that the series of guides isn't done yet, but enjoy your time with Ergo Proxy. (any suggestions or errors your catch are appreciated)
DeleteJust started watching (and finished watching this show) recently. Enjoyed reading what you had to say on the episodes, would be great if you finished them!
ReplyDeleteHow great! I usually expect that the people coming through are old fans who stumble across it, looking information up, but I guess there are quite a few people discovering Ergo Proxy for the first time too. That makes me happy.
DeleteLooks like the proxies were programmed to fight each other in case they encounter their equals.Part of the survivors' plan for this planet, maybe they want the Earth clean when they come back, so have I read somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching Ergo Proxy for the first time and enjoying your writings.
Greetings from Brazil. : )
Oh my goodness, that's wonderful! When I was looking back over the entirety of the guide, I was thinking about how I had written too much and it is such a niche thing that so very few would actually be interested.... but then people like you come along, and it isn't just a few die-hard fans, but many newcomers, and from all over the world too!
DeleteIt makes me so happy to share something I enjoy and know that someone else is enjoying it too. So thank you!
cheers from Georgia, Eastern Europe. =))))
Delete*waves* Greetings! It seems there is quite the international crowd here. x] I hope you liked what you read. =3
DeleteHey man I started watching Ergo Proxy recently and from the 1st episode I knew that there had to be alot of philosophical themes and ideas so I started searching the internet for explanations and I stumbled upon you and your incredible interpretations. And let me tell you they have helped like hell and I found them extremely interesting and well thought out, you seem like a really, really smart person so I'd feel guilty If I were to read all what you do without leaving at least a thank you. I live in Lebanon (Middle East; I'm an Arab), yes, that's how awesome these blogs are they reached so many diverse cultures. Again, I can't thank you enough man. Good job! Keep up the epic work.
ReplyDeleteAh, that's good. When I was writing it I wasn't sure if I was elaborating too much, spoiling too much, or jumping to conclusions too quickly. I can't tell what it is like for fresh eyes.
DeleteThanks very much for leaving a note - it's very cool that other countries can find it.
Uhm, this episode is kinda annoying but I think something interesting can be taken out of it. I think Proxies, as shown by Proxy One in Anamnesis, Will B. Good here and Swan in the next episode, are what is called in genre of fictions Dream Weavers. Meaning they can project into minds, constructing dreams to influence others. It follows an interesting detail: Will B. Good is able to do so with Pino, who is an AutoReiv, does this mean that thanks to the Cogito virus she now has a mind and can dream?
ReplyDeleteI'm also appreciative. I'm a N. American who's greateful for the intricate web you've spun for us here. But please elaborate for me: why does everybody hate this episode? What's wrong with it? It's like the Ed and Ein Mushroom Samba episode in Bebop. I ask in all sincerity for a detailed critique, negative though it may be. I suspect that most everyone is seeing flaws that I'm blind to.
ReplyDeleteI would have to rewatch it to give you a real answer, but I think the reason is often shallow. Pino is sort of annoying and the ideas are purposefully interpreted through a childish lens.
DeleteThe episode doesn't develop the outside world very much, it doesn't emotionally connect with the plot much, and it doesn't play off of earlier ideas much. Not a lot happens.
It seems to be pretty clearly about utilitarianism with all of the emphasis on happiness. But it doesn't have a new take on it, nor a real solution, nor much depth, nor reference material outside ergo proxy. I think pretty much everyone has encountered the problems with maximizing happiness in other places. On top of that, Smileland doesn't even seem to succeed in having happy people. They all seem pretty aware they are smiling in appearance only. And Pino doesn't really suggest what the problem is or what the solution is. AND Romdeau is already a more complex world with a more nuanced version of a society that creates successful fulfilling lives as well as possible.
There is just not a lot there to critique, which is my problem with it!
PS I think I liked the Mushroom Samba episode.
I don't think this episode is bad. I like how you are very invested an interested in the message and meaning behind each episodes but some stories can be interesting for reasons other than what you can find reading between the lines. It's fine if you hate the episode but I don't think you should hate it for the lack of depth. Try thinking of it more as a viewing experience which has value coming from art, music, atmosphere, etc... I liked this episode because it was entertaining and really for no other reasons. A show doesn't have to take itself seriously for its entire runtime and if it did that would be a rule begging to be broken.
ReplyDelete;)
DeleteYup, just my personal experience!