MovieChat Forums > Chance (2016) Discussion > The Finale Was Great

The Finale Was Great

posted 7 years ago by hilaryjrp
8 replies | jump to latest

I have an impression, right or wrong, that "Chance" did not have the hugest of production budgets. The location filming couldn't have been cheap--not in the most expensive city in the U.S. But other production choices suggested the series was made with economy in mind.

For me, the climax of the entire series is the first psychologist's stunning soliloquy about what it will take not only Jaclyn, but Chance, to return to the land of the living. The big--and it is very big--problem with this series' first year is that the audience never learns anything about its hero. I thought some major reveal about the nature of Chance's depression would be in the finale. I even thought there was still one episode left. Apparently not.

But the first psychologist's soliloquy about accepting loss is too much for Jaclyn to take. In combination with that primitive olfactory stimulus, things go very wrong. This scene was absolutely believable. A family member is in the counseling profession, and another family member suffers from PTSD. We discussed the finale, and the counselor in my my family said that recent warnings have been given to people in the PTSD-sub-specialty to never try to get the client to relive his or her trauma. This, I wholeheartedly agree with; and it was clear that Myra (the first psychologist) was shockingly obtuse to the effect too much truth was having on her client. In fact, she dismantled Jaclyn to Jaclyn's face, and Jaclyn lashed out. Then we see that that's exactly what Chance did--return to the Cliff House to lash out.

What I don't understand about the finale is how Hynes could know that Chance was "on the scene." How could Hynes know this if Blackstone died in the hotel? How could Hynes know Blackstone was at the Cliff House at all?

I don't regret watching this series. Hugh Laurie and Ethan Suplee were fantastic. It's regrettable that actresses are chosen on the basis of velvety voices (which Gretchen Mol certainly has) or dewy, childlike faces. The one thing that was a turn-off about "Chance" was his "erotomania" and his ability to fall for a pretty face, which makes him no more complex than Blackstone. Actually, Blackstone was far more complex than Chance, because Blackstone groomed Jaclyn to be his partner in crime, sealing the deal when Jaclyn lashes out at her psychologist.

Hugh Laurie's acting ruled, in the end. His character is superficial and in fact pretty stupid, much more stupid than Darius. I'll return for that reason: uneducated carpenter and blacksmith is ten times more brilliant than the neurologist who really was his (Darius') wingman.

[–] floydianer 7 years ago

I think you're selling Gretchen Mol's qualities as an actress short.

Somewhere in the gray wood by the river is the huntsman. His hounds tire not. Fly them.

[–] hilaryjrp 7 years ago

I think you're selling Gretchen Mol's qualities as an actress short.

In fact, I'm not. She was fantastic as Bettie Page; I liked her in the short-lived Life on Mars. I'm selling short "Chance's" premise, a typical middle-aged male falling recklessly in love with a pretty younger woman. I would have found the series ten times more interesting had Chance fallen for (perhaps) Lisa Gay Hamilton or Greta Lee. It's certainly not Ms. Mol's "fault"--it's her great fortune--to be a beautiful woman.

That older men falling for beautiful younger women is a cliche is undeniable but boring.

[–] Cynematic 7 years ago

What I don't understand about the finale is how Hynes could know that Chance was "on the scene." How could Hynes know this if Blackstone died in the hotel? How could Hynes know Blackstone was at the Cliff House at all?

The Ocean Park Motel is 3 miles from the Cliff House, straight down the Great Highway. It would be a weird coincidence for both Chance and Blackstone to be injured/killed that close to each other in space and time.

[–] hilaryjrp 7 years ago

The Ocean Park Motel is 3 miles from the Cliff House, straight down the Great Highway. It would be a weird coincidence for both Chance and Blackstone to be injured/killed that close to each other in space and time.

Oh, but that's a stretch, even for people familiar with San Francisco. Possibly Hines' (Hynes'?) change in demeanor from the previous episode he appeared in (and BTW, where exactly was he when he was MIA?) is what lays the groundwork for Season 2. I'm not necessarily suggesting a tired 90's "Internal Affairs" (Richard Gere, Laurie Metcalf, great film) scenario--but the idea of Darius' willingness to take Chance to his home, presumably to kill him, too, seemed over-the-top. Chance's willingness to go along with an over-the-top suggestion seemed over-the-top-of-the-top.

Chance's inference that the black detective who opened his hospital room curtains and Hines are working together to nail him for Blackstone's death makes more sense if one realizes the preposterous quality of Hines' statement that Chance was at the scene of Blackstone's death. Great care--in fact, way too much care--was taken to explain exactly how and why Blackstone didn't die immediately. Even if he had bled out all over the place, but his body was not there, and Chance's clothes were free of his blood, the leap to accuse Chance of being "on the scene" is reckless.

[–] sarizonana 7 years ago

it was a great Finale with Chance being able to kill Blackstone to save Jacklyn, sure she latter didn't turn out to be that innocent but dhe that evil either, i think she did love Chance and turned herself in to Blackstone so Chance's daughter could be safe.

Now he will have to find his way to not being caught by Hynes and the other cop for Blackstone's death. These two might be the next villains in season 2

[–] lexob9 7 years ago

also, one thing just didnt fit in all this. was Blackstone really violent? he just seemed like a good guy, he helped out Jaclyn in several occasion and therefor just seemed like a victim in all this of Jaclyns' manipulations. same way Jaclyn tried to manipulate Chance, called both of them her "knight"

[–] jonnyss 7 years ago

it's interesting to see that others liked the finale. a bunch of us, who had read the novel and watched the series together, just hated the ending. seems the producers in their "wisdom" decided to change the ending from sympathetic to edgy and mean-spirited.

SPOILERS

in the book, jackie does not kill the therapist. it's implied that blackstone did to keep his prostitution ring secret.

in the book, jackie gives blackstone's detective notes to chance only as he leaves the hospital. in the notes, we learn that jackie's dad was in the foreign service in peru, where at age 13 she was kidnapped by shining path guerillas and held for 6 months while tortured and repeatedly raped. as a late teenager, she got into drugs, got pregnant, and the baby daughter died of withdrawal. imo a MUCH more compelling reason for her dissociative identity disorder and certainly a much more sympathetic reason. plus an explanation for her changing and vague references to a daughter.

in the book, chance breaks several vertebrae in the fall from the cliff. he stays in the hospital 3 months; a surfer lawyer promises him a 3 million settlement from the city.

in the book, chance's friends are kind and loyal. jackie and the secretary pick him up from the hospital together.

in the book, the photographer/janitor dies and leaves his photos of the elderly to chance.

in the book, chance becomes ethical in his practice: he defies the lawyers (for the old doc's kids who want their dad's money) who paid him and testifies that the old doc is competent to manage his money even if he wants to run away with his caretaker.

kem nunn says in an interview about the novel: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/interviews/article/60458-the-seven-year-itch-pw-talks-with-kem-nunn.html

I think there are recognizable themes in my books, and that people find the highest expression of their humanity in community. I think of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s line: “I only know God in the company of my brothers.” My books often involve characters who began in some form of mental isolation, with a feeling of having died to the world. Then they become involved in some kind of action where by necessity they’re forced to reengage, to get back into the game of life, as it were. You could say that about Chance.

the hulu series betrays this theme - especially in the last episode.

[–] hilaryjrp 7 years ago

You should consider covering all the spoilers with the Spoiler radio button above everything you include in the Spoilers. Just click and drag to select all the spoilers, and click the tan Spoiler button.

in the book, jackie does not kill the therapist. it's implied that blackstone did to keep his prostitution ring secret.

You think this made Jackie unsympathetic in the television series? I think it was an extreme and really disturbing choice, but ten times more original than what I've just covered up with a Spoiler.