Human derived protein, if you look at the episodes title in other languages it translates to whatever the acronym for ‘Human derived protein’ is in that language, apart from Arabic and Mandarin where the acronyms don’t really works so the title are just a full translation of the phrase, take that!

After watching the first two episodes I had hoped that this series wouldn’t get bogged down in the sort of technical worldbuilding that is constantly picked apart and accused of having plot holes, but unfortunately that is the route it has decided on (and it took way to long to get there imo, episodes 3-5 were pretty uninteresting).

I guess I wanted Gilligan to do something to subvert the Invasion of the Body Snatches trope he lifted, but making the collective conscious (communist stand-in) cartoonishly evil with their cannibalism means the premise is way less interesting than it could be. I thought maybe it would be a commentary about American chauvinism in an increasingly global and multipolar world, but it seems like Carol’s boorish, plucky, American individualism will be validated after all. Really disappointing that yet another protagonist in American media unironically yearns for the status quo and is presented as a hero for it. I don’t buy that Carol is meant to be unlikable. It seems clear to me that her fellow uninfected and we (the audience) are supposed to come around to her way of thinking.

I mean, it’s so close to being interesting (Carol rolling her eyes at someone from the Global South owning seven cars; how does she think that someone like Koumba would have viewed her lifestyle prior to the infection?), but I doubt that there will be any self reflection on Carol’s part in this series. Maybe it’s a perfect show for an American audience after all

I’m surprised by the reveal. I faked myself out by thinking Vince was going to do a twist and subvert our expectations of traditional invasion tropes. Also pay close attention to what the plurbs said. They said they would not take stem cells from Carol’s body. However in the ice hotel flashback, Carol says she froze her eggs. The plurbs can’t lie but they can still wiggle through technicalities.

It’s also funny that Carol is, once again, the one catching up. The other remainders ask questions, talk, discuss, and actually engage with the plurb. Therefore they get info that Carol does not. Her personality loses once again.

I’m curious if Paraguay guy is actually immune. He seems like a shut-in. He hasn’t been physically close with any plurb that we have seen. He hasn’t touched anything they have touched. We know the way they spread is by exchanging fluids or aerosols. If he was never exposed to either, he would have never been infected. The plurbs didn’t even know he existed until after everyone else was turned. Them sending his mom in to get physically close was a tactic to infect him. Maybe we haven’t seen it but he could have killed a plurb who tried to get close at some point. I’m probably looking for a twist where there isn’t one.

The farming thing is weird. They can’t even harm plants by harvesting them? So they’re never going to mow the grass or cut back any overgrowth? The entire world will be The Last of Us because trimming a tree is seen as harming life? Also picking apples from a tree doesn’t harm it, that’s why they fall off the tree in the first place. It’s a reproductive thing. Why would they be unable to harvest fruit? Also they don’t want to do robotic farming because the plurbs would have to do labor? I’m going to need more exposition on this because it makes little sense.

I wonder what near-death experience Carol will subject Zosia to this time

My “soylent green” theory was proven correct, although it wasn’t hard to guess.

So when Mr Debauchery broke the news that he’s been keeping in touch with the other uninfected people, he said “We normally do it through Zoom.” I’m sorry - WHAT!?

The show has given every indication so far that all cellular and internet networks are down. So if the internet has been online THIS WHOLE TIME, why is Carol recording herself with a fucking camcorder and sending the videos by snail mail? Also, if the internet is up, why is Carol not the least bit curious about what is being posted online, if anything? BTW who tf even owns a camcorder, and why wouldn’t she just record the videos on her phone if she could access the web?

Or, alternatively, maybe the other uninfected were given some sort of special network privileges since they’re willing to cooperate with the plurbs? But that’s just a shot in the dark trying to explain away this plot hole.

Mr. Debauchery was acting straight up weird while eating breakfast, copying how Carole was eating and seemed unsure of himself. It was like he was trying to blend in with her? And what was up with that phone call afterwards, presumably talking with his harem and saying how lonely Carole is?