Echo Sphere

With a very skilled cast and perfect writing this episode is the most intriguing and intense. Great sets and paste. this episode takes the genre to a next level. So believable and yet so out of this world.

The artwork is stunning (where is this sphere? It should be in a museum)

There is nothing to compare it to.

After the very lacluster 3rd episode "Stasis", Tales of the Loop episode 4 "Echo Sphere" is a wonderful, gentle and bittersweet tale of life, and coming to terms with death.

The SF elements are very much muted here, and this allows the story of Cole, and his Grandpa Russ, to come very nicely to the fore.

The episode for me captures the very essence of the show, that the Loop may be the core of the town, but it's the humans who live and work there that bring it life.

Most excellent and a happy return to form for this interesting little show. More please!

This episode led me to write my first review here (this being it).

A beautiful return to the genre folded into 'real world' relatable emotion. The weird and fantastical is but a side quest in this episode, giving way to a touching story of love, loss, missed opportunity and the passage of time.

It brings the viewer into the tale, to empathise and create a bond that makes this seem less otherworldly.

The cinematography is stunning, the final scene is incredibly moving.

All in all, so much more substance than episode 3. Enjoyably so.

The thematics are excellent in this episode. There's no moral dilemma, no wasted downtime, just a very relatable story of a boy and his grandfather. The symbolism is well done without being over the top and this story sets Cole up for the rest of his growth in the following episodes.

The huge difference between father and son is subtly demonstrated in just a couple of short, simple scenes. The causes for this difference is revisited in later episodes.

The final scene is a huge reward and even more meaningful when looking back from the end of the series.

Fine storytelling that hits a soft spot if you're ever had to let go of someone you love and trust that life goes on without them.

The series itself is great. This specific episode broke me in all the best places. I didn't realise I'd needed to have such a big cry for a while. Pryce has always been a superior actor, pair him with good writing and directing and there's nothing he can't do.