"The OA" Invisible Self (TV Episode 2016) Poster

(TV Series)

(2016)

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9/10
The ending
gamzeyilmazcan828 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I'm mesmerized by the dance scene. I dont understand the haters. I agree that there are some incoherencies ,but it doesnt mean that it is a bad show. Everyone should give it a shot.
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8/10
Love it!
GhostlyAghast23 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
It seems like this show is kind of love it or hate it, with a lot of people being displeased with the ambiguous ending. That said, the events at the school are incredibly relevant to our times and it was a beautiful show of unity, bravery and friendship. The ending may leave you frustrated and wanting answers (if you watch Brit Marling's other works, you'll notice a very similar theme), it leaves you with hope and challenges you to come up with your own answers and theories.
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9/10
Hope
yvolpe-975596 June 2023
A great ending for this somewhat confusing tale. Sci-fy at its best t I think is to provide hope to a hopeless world lived by todays youth. For this season to end with a mass shooting being stoped by the angel dance of life; is facinating emotionally charged ending. With AO landing in the hospital seems she caught the bullet in her heart area. She has a real exchange with her parents finally allowing them to understand and learn about her odyssey. So many teens suffer estrang we meet from their parents do to lack of empathy and compassion. Are there lives worth the trauma perpetuated by the NRA. The message is that this angel wants to help to heal the kids perhaps the most powerful metaphor for the surviving teens in this world. A tear jerker for the ending . This is a step up for netflix in quality programing. Cheers!
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10/10
"Angel, take me with you..." -this show is a gift to humanity.-
jere_zabala29 April 2021
One of the most fascinating endings cinematography has, WOW, just WOW... seeing one of the ugliest and souless human beings becoming one of the strongest, fearless and captivating heroes ever, transformed this show into something else, it's, just flawless, every little detail falls into place, with an epic twist full of emotions, driving u into an endless of unanswered questions but at the same time giving u a lot of priceless life lessons, THIS SHOW IS A GIFT TO HUMANITY, only few times in history we could see humans leaving gifts to humanity, Einstein and relativity, Turing and the computation principles, Schrodinger and the quantic ecuations, Zal/Brit and this show, every one of them a priceless and vert powerful tools to achieve unbelievable things, if u know how to use them well...
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10/10
The ambiguous ending...
ilia_skib2 February 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Obviously spoilers ahead...

Most haters will complain about the ending saying it was an anti climax, a disappointment, that all their hopes were crushed...bla bla bla

My personal opinion and advise - disregard. You don't always get a happy or satisfying end...because not every story is a "happily ever after tale". Was it ambiguous? Not really if you understand what the series is really about...

It doesn't merely explore the concept of NDE or the afterlife. It explores the "deaths and resurrections" we experience during our lifetime. Prairies deaths and resurrections are her attempts to cope with the reality of captivity and abuse. The other 4 characters all lose someone or some part of themselves. So in a way, they die and get resurrected again... The loss of a brother (The Teacher), the loss of parents (Jesse), the loss of attention and love (Steve) , the loss of recognition and acceptance for who you truly are (Buck), the loss of faith in yourself trying to satisfy everyone around you, including your degenerate mother (Brandon).

Anyway, I will stop the rant here.
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10/10
Pure joy and sadness
mikeyboy2623 September 2019
What a beautiful last episode. It snuck up on me and I cried all through the end credits . Where will it go from here?
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10/10
Sci fi, cosmology, esotherism and so much more in a single season.
MsMoebius27 May 2022
I started to watch this show because I was told it was good sci fi .... But really, this first season was so much more than that !

It was not only about paralell universes, cosmology, and near death experince, it was also about esotherism, connection betweeen beings, energy, choices.... Reference to Borges literature was also great with the idea of "forking paths" appearing more than once.

Although it may seem slow at times, such pace si needed to create an atmosphere which really contributes to the show. The final scenes of this episode even managed to generate something on me. I felt a desire to cry at some point, a real connection to the characters in the show !!!!

The power of the moverments is real !!!

And also, this finale leaves so many opened questions which are to be answered either by a second season or by you own imagination.
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S1: Engaging, challenging, and incredibly frustrating (TOTAL SPOILERS)
bob the moo31 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Let me start by being blunt and perhaps a bit harsh. In this season, a group of misfits get engaged in a fanciful story told to them by the main character. They go along with the story, buy into it, and believe it. Then, it transpires maybe it was all nonsense and lies but, while they are still processing that, something totally out of the blue happens that means actually it is all true – but then that event had nothing to do with all the stuff that suggests it wasn't true, but then the stuff that suggests it wasn't true doesn't make sense either. The experience of the group is very similar to my experience here, which is why I found The OA to be both an engaging show, and yet also a deeply frustrating one that I will be unlikely to return to.

The journey of the 8 episodes should be the focus, because this is the majority of your viewing time – not the hour of the conclusion. In terms of that journey, it is interesting and I appreciated that it asked a lot of the viewer and I went along with it. Having recently watched Stranger Things (which always seems to be mentioned when discussing The OA), I sort of liked that the show did not seem so polished and packed and eager to please. It develops well, draws in lots of moving parts, has lots of things of interest, and as a journey is actually pretty interesting. It also has that very worthy and serious tone which for some people can justify what it is doing, and for others means they dismiss it as being "up itself"; for me it walked a very fine line but generally I went with it. The performances, the imagination, and the bravery of the show keeps it working, but ultimately we are watching for the story, and this is why the show is so divisive.

The journey leads to a destination and, although The OA is brave to challenge the viewer where Stranger Things panders, there still needs to be a destination. The final hour screws the whole season though. It produces so many plot holes and questions that even someone going with it has to step outside of the moment and say "wait, what?" as it unfolds. The school shooting comes out of nowhere, produces an unconvincing moment, and gives us no answers. And I do not suggest that the whole thing was not tidied up in a neat bundle (no show does this – they all want you back for that next season), I mean it delivers so little of substance, and dismantles so much that I'd trusted, that it does the opposite – it really made me feel like "well, f**k you then".

I normally can see both sides of the argument and find a central position on most things, but even reading people defending the show, I can't reach them. Their words seem like defensive positions because this is what they are. In the end the season leads to a point of frustration where it takes away so much that led the viewer there, and replaces it with questions (which is fine) and plot holes (which is not). As a result I cannot help going back over what I "went with" and trusted in the previous episodes, and taking it apart at the same time – because all of it offers a great story but yet seems content with its own importance and deepness.

Maybe a second season will pull it back together, and deliver a really satisfying and engaging story to go with the other strengths it has; maybe. Personally I really doubt I will be there to find out. When push came to shove, The OA had nothing behind its sweeping gestures, and insightful patience; the conclusion wasn't just bad – it revealed that this was not just a problem of a weak ending, but that it ran through the season. Kudos to those creating it for trying something unusual; well done to those that find a great piece of television here; but ultimately its failure is significant and is not just a minor blot on the copybook.
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2/10
so stupid that it hurts
martinw-57 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Why don't they tell the sheriff that they will heal his wife only if he arrests Hap? Makes no sense at all and it is so stupid that it hurts. Unfortunately the writing of the whole season is not as good as it should be.
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1/10
Sentí vergüenza ajena
sevegol201128 February 2019
Ese final... de lo peor que he visto. Arruinó lo poco bueno que tenía la serie
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4/10
Really weird. They could take gun. But did not try.
CursedChico10 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Really weird. They could take gun. But did not try.

They chose not to help and they could help later after hap arrested. It is nonsense. "If we dont help, we are not what we are saying." So can you help other millions of sick people? You could help after hap was arrested. That is why sheriff and wife died. So much nonsense.

How does one bullet killed both. I could not get it.

Why did hap risk by letting her free and alive? She will save them probably.

Some touching scenes to the end of the episode. Memory of allison wilke, who died of breast cancer.

They put so much things into final. The gang splitted, then came together. They stopped believeing in her but then they started again. Why?

Too much things, that is why 4/10 for me.

And who was that attacker and why did the attacker watch them while they were doing those movements? That cafeteria worker attacked and saved them but they still continued to do it. Why could not they heal there?

Before they had stopped believing in oa but then suddenly they started to believe. It is meaningless.

And now oa seems near homer. Maybe with others. Even maybe hap. I dont know how she will bring back.

Still could not get answers to questions. Season ended.

They did 5 movements in the end. 5 people and oa. But hap has only 4 people. I cant get it :) probably in next seasons we will see it. How hap forced them to do it.

Now, season review.

Episode: 4/10 Season: 6/10

After finishing "blood" series season 1, i am here. I watch series season by season. After finishing season 1 of OA, i will move to another series.

I chose this series because i need mystery and science-fiction. And it seems episodes are long.

I hope i can enjoy.

I will copy this to also episode 1 review.

ADD ON AFTER EPISODE 2 Getting interesting. I got the some answers to my questions from first episode.
  • How she came to usa.
  • If she had visions.
But still dont know why needed those 5 is mystery. We will lear i think. She said to 5 people to close their eyes and to imagine but they all listened eyes are open after a point. Did i miss something? Nancy was so nice. Instead of the baby, she chose her to make their child. But they drugged her for years. It is so sad. She is an adult. Why did she let her family limit her in current time? Not to make them anymore maybe? She believed to that doctor and left. It is similar to her dreams, locked with water. So cruel

ADD ON AFTER EPISODE 5 Could not like so much I dont understand why people liked so much. Why could not he still understand she was not blind anymore, if there was camera. It is not so realistic. Now there is a team students-teacher. They sit together. interesting. Because of stories, they are united. At first she was saying "flexible" but then she did not insist about it. It is good there is transgender person as i understood. Alfonso's mother is so antipathic. Seeing cuba and cultural things were nice. Homer could escape. If he escaped, could hap kill others? no. It was nonsense. Instead he brought another prisoner. Homer and oa could open that portal alone. So, 2 people are enough? And how does oa know about those movements? And why could not he come back alone just how others do? And maybe he did before? There was no gas so scott could easily escape. I cant understand such things. That is why i cant like and maybe because i dont like stuff like angels.

ADD ON AFTER EPISODE 6 Other episodes were longer than 55 minutes but this is not. We learned now two movements were healing ones. That is why scott was healed. And for days, their families never saw the doors were opened. Now michele's father saw and closed the door. And probably something will happen. Or it was for nothing. I dont know. In the endings, some rings were shown and the voice (probably saturn's) was given. It takes 2-3 minutes after last scene. I did not see such endings in other series.

ADD ON 10321 AFTER EPISODE 7 For weeks that house was not used by dealers. Where did they go suddenly? What happened? How can they stop them coming? So much things were not said like that. And the door was closed in previous episodes. What happened there? They did not show about it also. They dont tell so much things from the beginning, so i give 5/10 for this episode. I had good feelings towards nancy but she ruined. In the restaurant alfonso holded her hand and dragged like a child. It was not good scene I cant understand why those people beat steve if they work for school. How could they do and then could leave him? He is 17 and can be risky to stay with him.



SEASON REVIEW

I am not used to those of kind shows. It is some like david lynch, maybe twin peaks series. But probably worst series i have watched recently until now. I dont say it is all bad. I only watched one season and first episodes were nice. Russia scenes and her father was wonderful. But they showed lots of things then stopped it.

There could be maybe an intimacy between the teacher and the kid but they did not show. Steve's crush was not shown after. Open doors for example.

Those things can be normal because some series are like that. They dont have to clearify but what i did not like is mostly about the non-sense things i wrote before. Such as they did not try to kill hap.

Anyways, it was different experience. Seeing jupiter, those voices.

Maybe it was all made up by her. Despite some evidences like instrument video of her.

At first she wanted her father then she rejected and now wanted homer.

In the end the gang thought it happened. It is mystery how they understood looking at wind and sky.

I watch series season by season. So now i will move to another series. Probably wont come for a long time for this series. I did not like so much. Despite i wonder what will happen. And also guess some.
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