1.03 – Time Has No Meaning – After Judgment Review

Posted by Samuel Walters

“Steven takes care of some “personal business” then learns an unsettling truth about the world from his old friend, Elizabeth.”

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“Time Has No Meaning” is the first episode of the series to explicitly establish the wasteland in which Steven now inhabits. And it does so through a particularly telling — and compelling — flashback. Because of its rather explicit exposition, this happens to be the most successful episode thus far. This is certainly to the credit of the episode and the series. Thus far, the After Judgment is hoping that the whole will be greater than the sum of its parts. But in that sense, until each part is available, the verdict will be out.

In this episode:

Begins with Steven seemingly asleep
A crazy woman is outside talking on an imaginary phone
Steven wakes up, heads to the window, then shoot the woman
We learn that “Countless years before” that a “max exodus has begun” and that “those people who have been chosen know where to go … instinctively”
Steven’s boy (who calls him “daddy”) says “bye” and says he’s “going outside” where Steven says “it’s not safe”
Back in the “present” the emptiness of the world is established
Steven wakes up alone and says, “It’s been a year or more … or less … can’t really be certain, can’t really care less.”
Also says, “Man next door doesn’t make any more noise. I know he’s not dead. Can’t be. I don’t think he knows how.”
We see Susan outside reading
Steven hasn’t “cleaned the place in a hundred years.”
Decides he needs to “get out of here.”
Elizabeth says, “Good day.”
She says, “Don’t go in [the ocean].”

The title of this episode is particularly revealing about the series. Indeed, time is treated rather unusually thus far with flashbacks and non-linear scenes part of the fabric of the story. It makes for a great deal of mystery, but the question remains: is it too much mystery? The primary criticism is that the vague story dilutes the impact of each individual episode. On a personal note, I’m intrigued and eager to see where this path will lead. Hopefully other viewers will feel the same way.

The flashbacks to the boy calling Steven “daddy” also set up the possibility that Steven is, simply, following a phantom of his own psyche back in the present. But in a sense, it almost doesn’t matter. As we have seen, the boy already represents a sense of purpose for Steven (and presumably those who follow him in his quest). So whether or not he turns out to be real, the *idea* of the boy is real — and that may be all that matters.

Topics: Sci-Fi, Web Reviews
Filed under: After / Before Judgment