Firstly, I wanted to ask a couple wardrobe questions: does anyone know the name of the blue garment Maeve wears over her outfit and has anyone gotten a good look at Firouz's pendant - I'm curious to as if it has any meaning regarding the character's religion/philosophy.
Now, lets get started: the beginning always seems a little strange to me on rewatching. I get that Sinbad couldn't find any of his friends, but given his pretty noble nature, it seems strange that he immediately goes to thievery for food without even a mention of working for it. And he's friends with the Caliph, but doesn't try to approach him either. But since one probably doesn't just call upon royalty without an invitation (and they'd probably not believe him/let him in), I'll let it slide. Interestingly, the Caliph didn't seem to know he was supposed to be dead.
I really enjoy the reunion with Doubar. I absolutely love how happy Doubar is to see him and how he doesn't even notice he's pulled blocks from the wall. That said, some of the acting in that scene is just painful - the dialog contributes. I'm sorry, the flower/dragon line is really clunky (and patently false) to me.
So, our earliest establishing of Doubar's characters shows us he's very strong, loves his brother very much, and gets into fights. All of those will be seen again later, though less of the fights against non-evil. I really do like the Doubar/Sinbad relationship. I'm very big on sibling relationship and family relationships and show in fiction. Romance is great, but so much easier to come by.
I like Mustapha. He's kind of one note, but then he only had one episode to establish himself. I love his casual response to Sinbad saying they couldn't sail together because he was due to be beheaded later in the day. I've seen some speculation as to him viewing Maeve negatively, but I thought he liked her after she tossed him. Actually, it has become my own personal headcanon that he and Doubar became friends in a similar fashion. He and Rongar make an odd match. Mustapha is friendly and outgoing. Rongar is downright rude - doesn't even shake Sinbad's hand. He's really very standoffish in general in the beginning - how many episodes pass before we see him smile? I actually wonder if he deliberately cultivates the intimidating persona? He noticed Admir's suspicious behavior earlier, but it doesn't seem like he told anyone about it, does it? I get not telling Sinbad - there's no proof, no evidence at all, and there'd be no reason he'd be believed and he doesn't know Sinbad. But it doesn't seem like he told Mustpaha, either, does it? Also, I really liked his pushing Sinbad (who is a virtual stranger) away to be alone with Mustapha in his last moment, though. I do wish Rongar had gotten in that killing blow instead of Sinbad.
Another one of those pilot/rest-of-show discontinuities that pops up in so many shows is Firouz's tomato-throwing invention. I'll forgive that tomatoes are new world crop and would not be present, because it really is a joke. But we never see Firouz do an overly-complicating, Rube Goldberg machine again (which I'm glad of). Sure, he events lots of things, but not overly-complicated/do nothing devices. Like Sinbad said - he has a lot of time on his hands. One thing about Firouz that's pretty consistent through the first season is that he's an energetic sort of person. He's almost always thinking and doing and talking. I really don't think he's one for quiet, solitary, relaxation. I actually didn't notice until a later viewing that he hugged Dim-Dim, too. So they know each other pretty well.
Dim-Dim is important - at least in the goal of finding him later in the series - but we don't see an incredible lot of him. He's sort of plot-device to get Maeve in. Sinbad says he was like a father to Doubar and him. But he's also said Doubar as like a father to him (and that Dim-Dim was like a father to the prince - I wonder if Sinbad just throws around the term lightly). So I've spent an inordinate amount of time trying to work out exactly what the dynamic between Sinbad, Doubar, and Dim-Dim was when they were kids. Besides that, Dim-Dim is friendly and forgiving (see the prince) and very mild in his approach to things. He knows Dermott started trouble with Sinbad, but just presents the idea, then pretends to completely accept Maeve's explanation and brush it aside. He does seem to have some precognitive ability (as does Caipra, but not Turok or Rumina). He got blown away by a demon, but chained the devil, so I'm not sure what to make of his power-level. But he's wise and good. He knows the story with Dermott, but Maeve seemingly didn't tell him, and I doubt Dermott did. He knows something about the bracelet, but didn't volunteer any info.
Maeve's introduction is fairly cliched, but I'm more interested in the difference here and later. Firstly, I'd think she'd have known who Sinbad was and been less aggressive - it seems a pretty obvious conclusion that he might be the person Dim-Dim sent her after since she's on a magic island that no one knows where is. But what's interesting is the aggression - we don't really see her immediately react to people like that later. Nor does Dermott, actually. He just attacks Sinbad for no reason. This, combined with her "I know what you want" and "Dermott doesn't care for men" and her "Dermott'll have your eyes out" leads me to wonder if they're just used to being very on-guard because a lot of men see a woman alone as an easy target. To me, this episode presents Maeve as very new to the study of magic - a few months on hands-on experience at best. I'm particularly thinking of Dim-Dim's dialog when he's teaching her to create fireballs. In any event, we know she's been studying with Dim-Dim for less than two years, because he was in Baghdad two years ago, advising the Caliph. Maeve also doesn't want to bond with any of the others in the beginning, and later they've all become good friends. Maeve doesn't want to share her secrets, and that'll remain.
It's after really seeing him in action that Maeve changes gears. She says "well done" to Sinbad and that's really her first overture of friendliness that I can think of (he's already made one and we don't see any real interaction with Maeve and the others this ep, I don't think). He's gone up in her estimation, as have they all, I think. And then the end; when we get the information that Dermott isn't really a hawk. It's a very sad moment. And Sinbad doesn't know what's going on, even though Maeve is upset enough to not be hiding that secret just then - "look at Dermott" is fairly big clue. She's just so upset - she had real hope that the curse on Dermott would be broken, and then it didn't happen.
Turok and Rumina. I get the sense of Rumina being quite young here. She's so "daddy's little girl," if you know what I mean. And she's so childish. She wants to play with her "toys." She's unfamiliar with fear. Plus she's held up as a potential wife for the prince, who maybe 20 at most? She's very short-term-goal here. What feels good? Big plan to take over Baghdad, but she's got the hots for the sailor, so she's going to derail the entire plan. On the other hand, it was her dad's plan, not hers. Even later in the series, she's just not that politically motivated, is she? She wants power, certainly, but doesn't seem to have any goal for what to do with it. Turok was a bit of moron to turn his head away from his enemy just to say he had it all handled, wasn't he?
And Sinbad. He seems remarkably content to just take what the world throws at him. His fortune is gone, and he doesn't seem to care. He's missing two years of his life, has no idea what happened to him or what he did, and he doesn't even seem curious. It's just very different from the typical hero's behavior - usually they spend lots of time and effort trying to figure out what happened to them. That said, I'm not sure: Doubar seems an open book, what he thinks and feels are very obvious. Maeve, on the other hand, tries to keep her secrets, play her cards close the vest. She wants to appear tough and strong. Her vulnerability is only apparent when it comes to Dermott. She's closed off, but it's obvious to the audience. There are a few tidbits in season one (can't comment on season two) that indicate that perhaps Sinbad is closed off, but appears to open. That actually ties in with Dim-Dim's "wounds in her heart" comment to Sinbad to me. Because Sinbad rarely seems very wounded. Well, except in regards to Lea, but she seems plot-devicey to me. He usually seems quite healthy and healed, despite the battering. Will comment more in later ep discussion.
As much as I enjoy Sinbad talking about the world growing dull and Doubar griping about commerce ruling the seas, I do have to snark a bit. In the real world, it was always about commerce, not adventuring. But Sinbad's lines there are indicative of his nature. He likes the adventure. But always for the just cause; he's not mercenary material. Sinbad is good with people, he's brave and good and very smart. He's a brilliant tactician. But he's not much for long-term strategy at all, is he? Throughout the season, he seems to have no real plan to find info on Dim-Dim. He goes from place to place and if a lead comes up, he follows it. But he doesn't seem to actively seek information (as we see Maeve do, on occasion). Anyone watch Avatar: The Last Airbender; when it comes to long-term strategy, Sokka has definitely got him beat. And I wonder if the two attitudes don't go hand-in-hand? Sinbad lives in the moment, and thinks in the moment.
One thing I really want to try to get a handle on is when Sinbad really starts to think of Dermott as more than a bird. I know what Maeve said here, but I don't think Sinbad gets it yet. Sure, he's talking to Dermott at the end, but he really more talking to himself. Later, it seems different to me. You know, I'd misrembered the series. I'd remembered Sinbad having a line that went something like "Dermot wasn't always a hawk, was he?" and, of course, that would have been proof that he knew. But there is no such line (must have come from a fanfic, I guess). So when was the moment. He knew by the the first season finale, I'm sure, but when did he he really draw that line, do you think?
Anyway, I enjoy the episode(s). The ending, in particular, leaves us at a good starting point for the series:an honorable quest in finding Dim-Dim, a personal goal for Maeve in defeating Rumina, and with a good villain to challenge them in the future.
