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Infinity Train: Season 4 announced, coming April 15th (on HBO max)

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  • AbsurdPropositionAbsurdProposition Registered User regular
    Season 4 update: It will be streaming on HBO Max on April 15th



    (I haven't watched the trailer itself, I'd rather go into the season with no idea of what's coming)

  • Hexmage-PAHexmage-PA Registered User regular
  • TankHammerTankHammer Atlanta Ghostbuster Atlanta, GARegistered User regular
    Final seasons aren't a bad thing if it's planned. Better to end a thing narratively than fade off on a cliffhanger and languish in will-they-won't-they renew purgatory.

  • EmperorSethEmperorSeth Registered User regular
    Wow, April 15th is way faster than I expected. I didn't even think they started animating it yet.

    You know what? Nanowrimo's cancelled on account of the world is stupid.
  • cB557cB557 voOOP Registered User regular
    Doesn't really follow up on any of the threads season 3 left, unfortunately. Still enjoyed this season, though. I feel like a lot of the time when something tries to do this style of character conflict, it ends up making one or both of them just completely unreasonable in a way that just kills the arc for me. But this one, I think they did a good job of having them try to compromise and understand, while still keeping up an engaging amount of conflict. Focused less on getting its drama from having them get into fights and more on the nuance of understanding eachother.

  • Hexmage-PAHexmage-PA Registered User regular
    Just watched the first episode. I'm not ready for this show to end...

  • The GeekThe Geek Oh-Two Crew, Omeganaut Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Totally just noticed this was out. Three episodes in so far.

    BLM - ACAB
  • Speed RacerSpeed Racer Scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratchRegistered User regular
    edited April 2021
    There's a news story going around that they had planned to make a movie for Book 5 but Cartoon Network passed on it partway through the production of Book 4, because they didn't think it was accessible enough for kids

    Book 4 spoilers
    which certainly explains why Book 4 doesn't even try to wrap up any of the dangling threads from Book 3!

    Ah well. It's still a good season in its own right, and the show's still really wonderful, even if it looks like it's ending in a really frustrating place. Fingers crossed that they'll get to wrap the story up some day but if they don't then, well, these four seasons have been great.

    Speed Racer on
  • Hexmage-PAHexmage-PA Registered User regular
    Favorite line of season 4 so far (as of episode 3):
    "Why did you flirt with a cat?"

  • Hexmage-PAHexmage-PA Registered User regular
    edited April 2021
    Finished season 4:
    Gotta say I found season 4 kind of underwhelming compared to 2 and 3. I didn't hate it or anything, but with the ending I was kind of like "oh, that's it? Alright. Nice song."

    The freaky hand creature that appeared to be made from passengers had me very curious about its origin. Also, weird that the Cat didn't show up again despite saying she wanted a favor from them. I don't know if that was just a dropped plot thread or if something was planned for a future season.

    AMA With the Show's Creator

    Hexmage-PA on
  • Speed RacerSpeed Racer Scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratch scritch scratchRegistered User regular
    Book 4
    My guess would be that the idea was like, let's do a somewhat lower stakes, season 1 style story to cut the tension after the very intense season 3 finale, before diving back head first into the real heavy shit for book 5

    and then uhhhh y'know, didn't happen

    I will say... given how precarious it seemed like things were, where we didn't even think we were getting a season 4, i'm kinda surprised they didn't just shoot their shot and make season 4 the finale, instead of banking on getting to do a movie afterward.

  • Hexmage-PAHexmage-PA Registered User regular
    Book 4
    My guess would be that the idea was like, let's do a somewhat lower stakes, season 1 style story to cut the tension after the very intense season 3 finale, before diving back head first into the real heavy shit for book 5

    and then uhhhh y'know, didn't happen

    I will say... given how precarious it seemed like things were, where we didn't even think we were getting a season 4, i'm kinda surprised they didn't just shoot their shot and make season 4 the finale, instead of banking on getting to do a movie afterward.
    It was probably already too late to make any significant changes, I imagine.

  • GundiGundi Serious Bismuth Registered User regular
    I guess you could say the show got... derailed, before it could reach its final destination.

  • Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Season 4
    If this wasn't the last season, I'd be kinda fine with this. But since it is it feels like a huge letdown. So many fucking questions unanswered.
    Hexmage-PA wrote: »
    Book 4
    My guess would be that the idea was like, let's do a somewhat lower stakes, season 1 style story to cut the tension after the very intense season 3 finale, before diving back head first into the real heavy shit for book 5

    and then uhhhh y'know, didn't happen

    I will say... given how precarious it seemed like things were, where we didn't even think we were getting a season 4, i'm kinda surprised they didn't just shoot their shot and make season 4 the finale, instead of banking on getting to do a movie afterward.
    It was probably already too late to make any significant changes, I imagine.
    In that AMA up there it was stated that they were always gonna do book 4 as it came out regardless of whether it was the last season or not.

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
  • GundiGundi Serious Bismuth Registered User regular
    edited April 2021
    Was I the only one who got:
    Gay/Bi/Pan vibes from Ryan and Meegi? I mean it's right after Ryan's umpteenth girlfriend dumps him that he things about Meegi!

    Gundi on
  • Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Gundi wrote: »
    Was I the only one who got:
    Gay/Bi/Pan vibes from Ryan and Meegi? I mean it's right after Ryan's umpteenth girlfriend dumps him that he things about Meegi!
    I got more bro love than bi/pan reads. But also it's the 80s so they might have just been extremely sexually repressed.

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
  • TankHammerTankHammer Atlanta Ghostbuster Atlanta, GARegistered User regular
    Gundi wrote: »
    Was I the only one who got:
    Gay/Bi/Pan vibes from Ryan and Meegi? I mean it's right after Ryan's umpteenth girlfriend dumps him that he things about Meegi!

    I definitely thought they were gonna go that way.
    We've had a great influx in queer women in animation lately and it would have been nice to portray at least one of the two boys as a gay PoC rep. The blushing they did during intimate moments pushed me to think they might finally go there but it was left ambiguous at best.

    Shame.

  • The Lovely BastardThe Lovely Bastard Registered User regular
    this last season didn't really do as much for me as i would have liked, but minty lewis was beyond fantastic in it.

    7656367.jpg
  • The GeekThe Geek Oh-Two Crew, Omeganaut Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Yeah, this season definitely wasn't as strong as the others. Didn't have as much mystery or weirdness.

    BLM - ACAB
  • Hexmage-PAHexmage-PA Registered User regular
    edited April 2021
    There's a new interview with the creator of Infinity Train that both explores plans he had for the series (including a movie about Amelia's backstory, an adult Tulip, and spin-off media such as comics and a video game) and touches on how he struggled against the idea that animation is either only for kids or, in the case of adult animation, only comedy (with he himself admitting he didn't take 2D animation seriously until he was in college and became a big advocate for it).
    Anime influenced kids in the ‘90s and ‘00s due to packaging like Toonami. Those kids are now in their 30s and making their own TV shows. They want to make stuff similar to what they watched when they were kids. Hence, you get shows like Steven Universe, Owl House, She-Ra, Kipo, OK K.O., Rise of the TMNT, etc. It’s clear that anime has influenced an entire generation of cartoon creators. Anime can be kid-oriented, but can also veer into adult themes.

    As kids, many show creators were watching the adult stuff, so they’re trying to recreate what anime does in the American market. Unfortunately, the people in charge didn’t grow up with anime, so they often miss its value.

    Overall, the fight has been a lot of pushing for emotionality in children’s shows, a lot of testing how “aged-up” you can make children’s cartoons. Meanwhile, Western adult animation is always branded as a comedy. We’re starting to see that change with heady and emotional shows like Bojack Horseman and Rick and Morty.

    Unfortunately, there’s a big gap in the middle which assumes teens don’t watch animation, and that adults avoid non-comedic animation. However, it’s pretty clear that shows being made on both ends of the age spectrum are getting closer and closer to meeting in the middle.

    Source

    Hexmage-PA on
  • The GeekThe Geek Oh-Two Crew, Omeganaut Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2021
    It took me far too long to realize that if you remove the letters from the show’s logo, it’s the same shape as the door locks.

    The Geek on
    BLM - ACAB
  • TankHammerTankHammer Atlanta Ghostbuster Atlanta, GARegistered User regular
    The Geek wrote: »
    It took me far too long to realize that if you remove the letters from the show’s logo, it’s the same shape as the door locks.

    They're… both suggestions/stylizations of the Infinity symbol.
    Was it too obvious so you looked past it?

  • BedlamBedlam Registered User regular
    Binged watched the rest of this series this week while recovering from vaccine side effects.

    Its pretty good. Season 2 is easily the best. Season 4 is the weakest IMO.
    I especially hate One-one just turning into One without an explanation :s

    Turns out I really like adventure stories with plenty of exploration and a side of weirdness. Id recommend checking out Hilda on Netflix if you have a sub there.

  • cB557cB557 voOOP Registered User regular
    Bedlam wrote: »
    Binged watched the rest of this series this week while recovering from vaccine side effects.

    Its pretty good. Season 2 is easily the best. Season 4 is the weakest IMO.
    I especially hate One-one just turning into One without an explanation :s

    Turns out I really like adventure stories with plenty of exploration and a side of weirdness. Id recommend checking out Hilda on Netflix if you have a sub there.
    Pretty sure the explanation for One-One being One is that season 4 takes place before/during Amelia's coup. So, he was just One before she did whatever she did to him.

  • BedlamBedlam Registered User regular
    cB557 wrote: »
    Bedlam wrote: »
    Binged watched the rest of this series this week while recovering from vaccine side effects.

    Its pretty good. Season 2 is easily the best. Season 4 is the weakest IMO.
    I especially hate One-one just turning into One without an explanation :s

    Turns out I really like adventure stories with plenty of exploration and a side of weirdness. Id recommend checking out Hilda on Netflix if you have a sub there.
    Pretty sure the explanation for One-One being One is that season 4 takes place before/during Amelia's coup. So, he was just One before she did whatever she did to him.
    He is just One in season 3 tho and thats when Amelia is working to fix the stuff she already messed up

  • Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Bedlam wrote: »
    cB557 wrote: »
    Bedlam wrote: »
    Binged watched the rest of this series this week while recovering from vaccine side effects.

    Its pretty good. Season 2 is easily the best. Season 4 is the weakest IMO.
    I especially hate One-one just turning into One without an explanation :s

    Turns out I really like adventure stories with plenty of exploration and a side of weirdness. Id recommend checking out Hilda on Netflix if you have a sub there.
    Pretty sure the explanation for One-One being One is that season 4 takes place before/during Amelia's coup. So, he was just One before she did whatever she did to him.
    He is just One in season 3 tho and thats when Amelia is working to fix the stuff she already messed up
    I don't think he is, I think during season 3 he's still One-One. Amelia may call him One but that'd be just because she was aware of who he was before she broke him.


    It's also maddening because the creator has basically said "oh yeah everything gets answered in the later seasons" which are never going to be produced.

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
  • BedlamBedlam Registered User regular
    So
    The steward telling everyone they are on their own is Amelia taking over? I didn't realize season 4 was a prequel.

  • Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Bedlam wrote: »
    So
    The steward telling everyone they are on their own is Amelia taking over? I didn't realize season 4 was a prequel.
    Yes. Season 4 takes place explicitly in the 80s. It's why someone at the concert asks the kids for a cassette tape while in season 1 Tulip is headed to computer camp.

    Part of the reason for this was to give you an idea how long the train was stuck like that.

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
  • EmperorSethEmperorSeth Registered User regular
    Sadly, I have to agree that this was the weakest season.
    Tonally, it was so much simpler than the earlier seasons. Like ... every episode was about on par with the Parasite episode or whatnot. Maybe Season 3 got my hopes up for rapid-paced story and willingness to go dark, but The Legion of Disgruntled Denizens didn't hold a candle to the Flecks either.

    I suppose that this being a prequel, it did show that even before Amelia, the situation on the train was much different. Apparently the introductory videos are a One-One invention, as Ryan and Ming didn't have any idea what was going on. And what was with the jumpsuits? And the boots (which notably seem to be what Simon based his boots on?) And withholding the passengers personal goods? For that matter, I believe this is only the second time in the series that the train actually STOPPED (the first being after Tulip left the first car in the very first episode.) Why is that?

    So yeah, maybe an okay season if this was a palette-cleanser before the Amelia arc of a theoretical season 5, but a disappointing way to end the series. Any way people can get a petition going or something? If it worked for Zack Snyder...

    You know what? Nanowrimo's cancelled on account of the world is stupid.
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