Countdown (FlashForward)
Encyclopedia
"Countdown" is the 21st episode of the ABC
series FlashForward
.
Mark (Joseph Fiennes
) continues his questioning of Lucas Hellinger (Neil Jackson
) in an attempt to find out when the next flashforward will occur. All Lucas tells him is that he will die at the end of the day, also stating that his daughter (Lennon Wynn) will be better off if that happens. Mark then beats Lucas, and is dragged out of the building.
Demetri (John Cho
) must decide whether or not to turn Simon (Dominic Monaghan
) in after finding him and Janis (Christine Woods
) on their way to NLAP. Demetri arrests Simon and puts him in the back of his truck. After some thought, Demetri decides to accompany Simon and Janis to NLAP instead of arresting Simon.
Lloyd (Jack Davenport
) solves the complex equation he was working on in his flashforward with the help of his son (Ryan Wynott). Lloyd then phones Olivia (Sonya Walger
) and tells her to come to the house. However, Olivia tells Lloyd she's taking Charlie to an unknown location, leaving Lloyd confused.
Tracy (Genevieve Cortese
) fights for her life, and Aaron (Brían F. O'Byrne
) finds out why Jericho is after her. He gets answers from one of the Jericho soldiers, saying that they were experimenting for the flashforwards, and were hunting Tracy down because she was the only civilian awake during the experiment. Tracy then dies from her severe wounds.
Nicole (Peyton List) wonders if she should tell Bryce (Zachary Knighton
) where Keiko (Yūko Takeuchi
) is. She then decides to tell Bryce because she worries if not doing so will result in her death, which she saw in her vision. Nicole tells Bryce that Keiko is in holding. Keiko is later released and taken with her mother. Bryce goes to get Keiko later, but is too late.
It's 7pm, three hours before the flashforwards are supposed to occur. Mark is handed a flask during a party. He drinks from it, then goes to a bar, giving in to his temptations. He then gets into a bar fight, putting him in jail.
The episode ends with everyone wondering if the events that happened will change their flashforwards.
.
, with 4.8 million. The AV Club gave this episode a C, stating "I actually rather liked Mark in this episode, which is a big step for the show, as it's always had trouble getting anyone invested in its main character." IGN
gave this episode a 7.7 rating, commenting "some of it works and some of it doesn't." TV Squad said "This is the kind of episode that makes you even more disappointed that this is the end of the road for 'FlashForward.'" Zap2it
called it "an interesting psychological study."
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
series FlashForward
Flashforward
A flashforward is an interjected scene that takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards are often used to represent events expected, projected, or imagined to occur in the future...
.
Plot
It's the day of the flashforwards, and the world is waiting for their visions to come true.Mark (Joseph Fiennes
Joseph Fiennes
Joseph Fiennes is an English film and stage actor. He is perhaps best known for his portrayals of William Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Love, Sir Robert Dudley in Elizabeth, Commisar Danilov in Enemy at the Gates, Martin Luther in Luther, Merlin in Camelot, and his portrayal of Mark Benford in the...
) continues his questioning of Lucas Hellinger (Neil Jackson
Neil Jackson
Neil Jackson is an English actor and writer who has appeared in several television series and films, but is probably best known for his role as Marcus on Blade: The Series and Sasha on Make It or Break It. His screenwriting credits include the film The Passage directed by Mark Heller and released...
) in an attempt to find out when the next flashforward will occur. All Lucas tells him is that he will die at the end of the day, also stating that his daughter (Lennon Wynn) will be better off if that happens. Mark then beats Lucas, and is dragged out of the building.
Demetri (John Cho
John Cho
John Yohan Cho is an American actor and musician, best known for his roles in the American Pie films and the Harold & Kumar films . He also starred in the critically acclaimed hit film Better Luck Tomorrow...
) must decide whether or not to turn Simon (Dominic Monaghan
Dominic Monaghan
Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan is an English actor. He has received international attention from playing Merry in Peter Jackson's adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and for his role as Charlie Pace on the television show Lost....
) in after finding him and Janis (Christine Woods
Christine Woods
Christine Woods is an American actress who has appeared in numerous television shows. More recently, she could be seen as part of the main cast in ABC's FlashForward, in which she portrayed FBI Special Agent Janis Hawk.-Biography:...
) on their way to NLAP. Demetri arrests Simon and puts him in the back of his truck. After some thought, Demetri decides to accompany Simon and Janis to NLAP instead of arresting Simon.
Lloyd (Jack Davenport
Jack Davenport
Jack Davenport is an English actor, best known for his roles in the television series This Life, Coupling and as James Norrington in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. He has also appeared in many other Hollywood films such as The Talented Mr. Ripley...
) solves the complex equation he was working on in his flashforward with the help of his son (Ryan Wynott). Lloyd then phones Olivia (Sonya Walger
Sonya Walger
Sonya Walger is an English actress known for her roles in the ABC series Lost as Penelope "Penny" Widmore, and as Olivia Benford on ABC's FlashForward.-Education:...
) and tells her to come to the house. However, Olivia tells Lloyd she's taking Charlie to an unknown location, leaving Lloyd confused.
Tracy (Genevieve Cortese
Genevieve Cortese
Genevieve Padalecki is an American actress known for her breakout role on the television series Wildfire as Kris Furillo. She is also known for her recurring role in Supernatural as Ruby. She married Supernatural star Jared Padalecki in 2010.-Biography:Genevieve is of Italian, French and Flemish...
) fights for her life, and Aaron (Brían F. O'Byrne
Brían F. O'Byrne
Brían Francis O'Byrne is an Irish actor who works mostly in the United States. He was born in Mullagh, County Cavan.O'Byrne first attracted notice for his performances in the Martin McDonagh plays The Beauty Queen of Leenane as Pato Dooley and The Lonesome West...
) finds out why Jericho is after her. He gets answers from one of the Jericho soldiers, saying that they were experimenting for the flashforwards, and were hunting Tracy down because she was the only civilian awake during the experiment. Tracy then dies from her severe wounds.
Nicole (Peyton List) wonders if she should tell Bryce (Zachary Knighton
Zachary Knighton
Zachary Andrew Knighton is an American actor who currently stars as Dave Rose on the ABC comedy series Happy Endings. Prior to that, he co-starred as Dr. Bryce Varley on ABC's science fiction series FlashForward from 2009–2010....
) where Keiko (Yūko Takeuchi
Yuko Takeuchi
is a Japanese actress. She made her big break with NHK's television series Asuka and JT Green's commercial. She has gone on to star in many TV shows, movies, and commercials....
) is. She then decides to tell Bryce because she worries if not doing so will result in her death, which she saw in her vision. Nicole tells Bryce that Keiko is in holding. Keiko is later released and taken with her mother. Bryce goes to get Keiko later, but is too late.
It's 7pm, three hours before the flashforwards are supposed to occur. Mark is handed a flask during a party. He drinks from it, then goes to a bar, giving in to his temptations. He then gets into a bar fight, putting him in jail.
The episode ends with everyone wondering if the events that happened will change their flashforwards.
Production
The finale was originally set to be two hours long, consisting of both this episode and "Future Shock". After cancellation, they were aired separately. John Polson directed this episode and the finaleFuture Shock (FlashForward)
"Future Shock" is the 22nd episode and series finale of the ABC series FlashForward, originally aired May 27, 2010. Directed by John Polson and written by Timothy J. Lea and Scott M. Gimple, the episode received mixed, mostly positive reviews.-Plot:...
.
Reception
This episode was watched by approximately 5.26 million American viewers, a rise from last week's episodeThe Negotiation (FlashForward)
"The Negotiation" is the 20th episode of the ABC series FlashForward.-Synopsis:On the day before the blackout, Mark does everything he can to protect Gabriel . Janis is ordered to kill Mark, but doesn't know if she can go along with this. Also, Aaron's "The Negotiation" is the 20th episode of the...
, with 4.8 million. The AV Club gave this episode a C, stating "I actually rather liked Mark in this episode, which is a big step for the show, as it's always had trouble getting anyone invested in its main character." IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave this episode a 7.7 rating, commenting "some of it works and some of it doesn't." TV Squad said "This is the kind of episode that makes you even more disappointed that this is the end of the road for 'FlashForward.'" Zap2it
Zap2it
Zap2it is an American website and affiliate network that provides news, photos and video, local TV listings and movie showtimes. The site is produced by Tribune Media Services , part of the publishing division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
called it "an interesting psychological study."