You, Me and the Apocalypse: Right in the Nuts – Schrödinger’s Cat (Review)

Before doing a quick rundown of what has transpired in this episode of You, Me and the Apocalypse: Right in the Nuts now may be a good time to mention Schrödinger’s cat. Scotty brings up the feline during the tense time that he and the general discuss the fate of Ariel (The White Horse) who is locked up in the boot (trunk) of a car downstairs.

It is interesting that the physicist feline is mentioned. Sure it is a clever way to reference the events that are transpiring in this particular scenario. The unconscious cyber terrorist lay in the back of the car while upstairs Scotty and the general  discuss his fate, Scotty wracked with guilt:

Scotty: “I mean, the white horse could be dead out there. It’s like Schrödinger’s cat with a car and a cyber terrorist. He’s both dead and undead.”

General Arnold: “Scotty…”

Scotty: “I’m a murderer and not a murderer, simultaneously…”

General Arnold: “Scotty!”

The whole theory of Schrödinger’s cat deals with a cat, a box, geiger counter, radioactive material, poison and a hammer. In a nutshell, there is a chance that inside this box, the cat will be poisoned if the radioactive stuff is detected by the geiger counter causing the hammer to release the poison and kill the cat.  The premise is that until one opens the box to see, the cat is both dead and not dead.

This theorem is a “thought” experiment in Quantum Theory looking at the Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics. Schrödinger posited that the Interpretation was incorrect with his own feline question and the thing has caught the imagination of creative types since its introduction back in 1935.

Rather interestingly, I was positive that Scotty mentioning the theory in episode five of You, Me and the Apocalypse, was actually the second time it had been mentioned in the series.  So convinced, in fact, that this entire review was going to be about the theory, as seen through the eyes of a physicist  ignoramus (with an imagination) but upon checking, it appears that Scotty McNeill is the only one who mentions it.

Regardless of whether the damned cat was mentioned once or twice; it does evoke a particular favorite plot point or device, if you will, of this reviewer.

Duality.

All of You, Me and the Apocalypse can be seen as a myriad of dual lives, paths, and parallel journeys. Jamie and Ariel, each a different side of the same coin are a perfect example. Although at the core, Jamie is Apollonian and Ariel distinctly Dystopian.

In episode five, Right in the Nuts, it is revealed that Mary, the mother of the twins, left Jamie in a church car park (parking lot)  because a voice told her that he was “God’s.” Indeed Jamie is the “good one” and Ariel is the evil (cyber terrorist and murderer) one.  As identical twins, these two almost embody Schrödinger’s cat.

This could all be a bit of twaddle but each “team,” as it were, is made up of disparate members; Celine, as the good sister and Jude as the almost fallen priest,  Rhonda as the “good wife and mother” and Leanne as the darker version of same.

The series is a black comedy with a cast  that all evoke extreme images of characters and in many cases polar opposites of one another. Rhonda as the mother librarian who wants nothing more than cold chocolate milkshake, compared to Leanne’s steak and sex wish for example, seems too good to be true. Father Jude, however, despite his almost caricature-like posturing, feels amazingly real. Each of these team members are miles apart, on the surface, from each other.

Of course both the characters owe much to Jenna Fisher and Rob Lowe, just as Sister Celine would not be the same if portrayed by anyone other than Gaia Scodellaro. Or,  for that matter, Megan Mullally as Leanne.

It does feel like You, Me and the Apocalypse is pursuing much more than a possible ecclesiastical storyline, where there really is a “messiah” somewhere and that his name may just be Jamie, although the introduction of his daughter Frankie (Grace Taylor) sort of negates that possibility, despite what mother Mary was “told.”

All of these characters appear to be interlinked, as pointed out when Sutton (Diana Rigg) ordered blood samples taken from the players, including Jude. So while the “religiosity” of the show seems apparent, it is also about parallel paths and outcomes which can be seen as a connection to Schrödinger’s cat above and beyond the Scotty MacNeal reference.

Or not.

Now, as promised earlier, the mini-recap of events. Leanne (Meagan Mullally) and Rhonda finally reach the supremacist’s Tennessee home only to have the librarian taken hostage for the reward.  Later, Leanne lets her friend go with money, food and a car after slipping a tranquilizing drug in her family’s meatloaf.

Jamie, Dave and Mary get to Ariel’s house. Mary tells why she gave Jamie up and he learns that Ariel was married to Layla, aka, “Hawkwind”  before she met him. Shortly after realizing that his whole life has been a lie, Dave causes Ariel’s house to explode.

Father Jude and Sister Celine investigate the latest messiah and we learn much of Celine’s backstory and that this latest savior is not what people think she is.

General Arnold and Scotty save Spike and capture Ariel. Unfortunately Sutton’s minions free the cyber terrorist.

In terms of dialogue, there were several standout moments.

Dave’s “Jamie, your vagina mum is amazing.”

Jamie’s  “God doesn’t speak to people outside of Charlton Heston films…” and  “A little bit really mad right now.”

And lastly, the minion reporting, obviously to Sutton about Ariel, General Arnold, Spike and Scotty:

 “Sodding codenames, no bothers to learn them apart from us…”

There are five more episodes of You, Me and the Apocalypse. The series airs Thursdays on NBC. Tune in and enjoy the mayhem and blackly comic events.