Midnight Mass Episode 4 Reaction
Comments (16)
well, i was gong to leave a long comment now that i finally had the time to finish watching the discussion but seeing the state of the comments i think that i'm okay lol
In my mind, at least, what separates Riley from your average YouTube atheist is that he's not he's not trying to save anyone from "wrong belief." He definitely has a little bit of the "I'm too smart for this," but he does make it clear those are his own views, not some universal truth. It doesn't really help him any, and it has caused him some problems with his father in the past. I have a feeling that argument with his dad regarding his job is a well-worn one. That's one of the things lacking in Paul's "conversions:" consent. A conversion by force or trickery is no conversion at all. Although it hasn't always played out that way historically. For many people of Crockett Island. the healing of the sick is a miracle, for Erin, it's an anti-miracle. A reverse of the immaculate conception. People not noticing the wine or that the congregants are getting younger does strain suspension of disbelief a little, but I think an element of it is that the people of the island don't want to notice it. They don't want to question this. Bev is the most outright, but others are following along with things they wouldn't otherwise do, like Wade and Dolly. If you want to find one admirable quality about Bev, it's her ability to roll with it, and even that is used for terrible purposes.
I'd actually argue that Riley isn't the protagonist of the series (it's about the island as a whole), but rather a vehicle for us to see the island from the point of view of someone who is essentially unfamiliar with it. A stranger in a strange land, if you will. To say more would get into spoilers though.
The theological conversations in the show are so overplayed, in my opinion. They've been done a million times before in other media, and a lot better I might add, so it's just tiresome at this point. It's almost like the creators think they need to have these types of discussions in order to be a respectable story about people's religious views or lack thereof. It is very on-the-nose and the self-indulgent monologues were a bit much. It also gives off ''oh, this one guy is somehow enlightened and this backward town still believes in fairy tales and superstitions'' vibes with Riley and the rest of the town, which is one of my pet peeves. It's clear that Riley is just a self-insert of the show's creator, and based on interviews with him, it's abundantly clear how he views religious ideas. ''Hey, Guys, DiD You KnOW Your BRaIn floODs with DMT wHeN you DiE??''
I mean, you can interpret it however you want. If it doesn’t work for you, that’s fine. But that’s not what I got from the scene at all. Riley isn’t dismissive of Erin’s beliefs. He doesn’t tell her she’s wrong or foolish. He prays with her. He tells her he hopes she’s right about her view of the afterlife, even if it’s not what he believes. I really don’t get the impression at all that the show is portraying Riley as someone who is always right or enlightened and that the town is backwards. We are meant to understand why they are being taken in by Father Paul and what he’s doing. Characters like Erin and Riley’s mom, not to mention Hassan, are all examples of people who are religious and are being portrayed as kind and intelligent, and not remotely foolish for believing what they do. Hell, there are plenty of people who don’t know your brain floods with DMT when you die. And yeah, I feel similarly to Riley about death so you can say I’m biased, but I really liked what he said and found it very lovely. And I think it was a nice moment of him explaining to Erin. I’ve had a lot of very religious people in my life not understand how I can’t believe in heaven (or even outright ask me how I have morality if I don’t). And having Riley explain his perspective to Erin, articulating feelings and thoughts I’ve had, felt very real. Obviously you disagree. But that’s the thing. People have different experiences and perspectives. And a lot people do relate to the religious experiences portrayed in this show, in both positive and negative ways. So while it is absolutely tied into Mike Flannigan’s personal history and beliefs, it’s also clearly something that a lot of people find to be true to their own experiences as well. And that’s not nothing. Even if you don’t agree with it, I think it would be worth you exploring why other people have related to it so strongly. There are tons of video essays on YouTube from people of all kinds of religious backgrounds doing just that.
A few other thoughts: Riley’s view on death is pretty in line with my own. And it also reminds me a little of the conversation between the priest and Canute in Vinland Saga s1 - talking about a dead man representing the purest form of love, because he takes nothing and only gives, and becomes a part of the world that feeds other life. Erin’s experience is so crushing, but a crucial counterpoint to what has been happening with the rest of the town. Riley’s parents are getting healthier because of it, but it’s also something that essentially erased the pregnancy that saved Erin from her abusive relationship. It’s clear proof that the “miracles” caused by the “Angel” blood aren’t inherently good as Paul/Pruitt believes. Not that we need more proof after watching him drink Joe Collie like a capri sun lol.
I totally agree, there are some excellent short shows that are amazing and enthralling but don't quite hit that emotional attachment that you get from longer shows.
Your absolute outrage that Bev hasn’t been eaten is EVERYTHING
I'm an avid supporter of having Bev for lunch
I absolutely love how insightful the end discussions are
Woof. This show is a rough but beautiful ride. Poor Joe. He went to Father Paul/Pruitt for help with his addiction, only for Paul to succumb to an addiction of his own. :(
Can't wait to see the reaction to THAT jumpscare lmao
which one?
What’s the schedule for this week girls? ❤️
great, i was hoping you'd post it today because work the dinner shift tomorrow night and i'd be too tired to watch after! yeah, not a great view to see pruitt use joe as a lollipop 💀 also, the monologues about death are one of my favourite scenes of the show and th acting is amazing. when riley's voice cracks when he says "that i killed soneone" i always bawl my eyes out.
Him reiterating his personal responsibility is both beautiful and heart crushing.