Oh, also, I get the atmospheric degradation thing, but wasn't Walter's explanation that the reason they had to go back in time was because they'd degraded their world so much as to make it uninhabitable?  Seems like they're not only altering the timeline that the original Observer science team spent four seasons…

Interesting!  He was larger than what we saw of the Donald in the video, no?  But that's very interesting.  Perhaps he was loyal to the observer science team and is helping defeat this other faction?

Interesting!  He was larger than what we saw of the Donald in the video, no?  But that's very interesting.  Perhaps he was loyal to the observer science team and is helping defeat this other faction?

It is - I got the name and the art from one of my favorite little random Bob's throwaway gags. :-)

It is - I got the name and the art from one of my favorite little random Bob's throwaway gags. :-)

To be fair, I probably need to re-watch episode 2 now that we're this far into the season.  I think some of my opinions of it were based on how I had begun to feel about this season's direction at that time.

To be fair, I probably need to re-watch episode 2 now that we're this far into the season.  I think some of my opinions of it were based on how I had begun to feel about this season's direction at that time.

I'd also like to know how they figure going back to the past and purposely degrading the atmosphere is going to yield a different result than the one that sent them back to the past in the first place.  It's just a kind of silly plan, and one that makes it seem like the Observers are just cookie-cutter villains put in…

I'd also like to know how they figure going back to the past and purposely degrading the atmosphere is going to yield a different result than the one that sent them back to the past in the first place.  It's just a kind of silly plan, and one that makes it seem like the Observers are just cookie-cutter villains put in…

Nice that they got the chance, both of them - I thought the directing was superb, and for the episode being another sort of setting-the-pieces-in-motion outing, it was not badly written, either.

Nice that they got the chance, both of them - I thought the directing was superb, and for the episode being another sort of setting-the-pieces-in-motion outing, it was not badly written, either.

I doubt it - seems like it would have been a difficult thing to keep secret ahead of time, anyway.  I've seen some pretty good imitations of Gilliam's animation before elsewhere, too.  But this one was just excellent and absolutely pitch perfect.

I doubt it - seems like it would have been a difficult thing to keep secret ahead of time, anyway.  I've seen some pretty good imitations of Gilliam's animation before elsewhere, too.  But this one was just excellent and absolutely pitch perfect.

Hmm, that's an interesting proposition.  Hadn't thought of that.  It would make it more interesting if Windmark was more than just a sort of "level boss" like they've so far seemed to make him.  I was sort of assuming it would end up being someone from the parallel universe or someone who had traveled through time.  I…

Hmm, that's an interesting proposition.  Hadn't thought of that.  It would make it more interesting if Windmark was more than just a sort of "level boss" like they've so far seemed to make him.  I was sort of assuming it would end up being someone from the parallel universe or someone who had traveled through time.  I…

Must be boring in the Technodrome!  I don't think it is spam, though, just enthusiasm.

Must be boring in the Technodrome!  I don't think it is spam, though, just enthusiasm.

Also, I thought this was an excellently directed episode, great first one for the director.

Also, I thought this was an excellently directed episode, great first one for the director.

I *loved* this episode.  Maybe my favorite of the season.  I haven't been thrilled with the somewhat plodding nature of some of this season, and the lack of any explanation of the motives of the Observers or how these are so different from the science team we've seen for four seasons.  But as the season has gone on,…