They're all critically acclaimed novels later adapted into Hulu original series.

Unfortunately, not all of these adaptations did their source material justice.

Hulu's Catch-22 was a miss because it failed to capture the spirit of Joseph Heller's novel. Hulu transformed a satire into a tragedy. In the process, it robbed the story of its uniqueness and its greatest epiphany.

The novel is famous for its absurdist humor. The TV series couldn't capture it onscreen — not even when passages from the novel were said verbatim. The tone and the delivery were off.  Whenever the series tried to be funny, it came off as bleak instead of bleakly funny. 

Without nailing the comedic aspects, Hulu's Catch-22 became a slog to watch, and the conclusion, completely different from the novel's ending, was depressing. 

After watching Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 6, it didn't seem possible for it to be the last episode. Did the creators forget to read the novel's final chapter? How could they think Yossarian losing his sanity and continuing to fly combat missions was a good ending?

The problem with this ending isn't that it's different from the novel. The problem is it betrays the novel. 

Having Yossarian go mad is essentially killing him. In the novel, Yossarian doesn't bend to the almighty Catch-22. Yossarian lives. The novel's final pages are hopeful and lead to a fitting, well-earned conclusion.      

Hulu's ending is the antithesis of the novel's ending, and as a result, the story loses almost all meaning (and not in a clever "the meaning is there's no meaning" way).

Little Fires Everywhere has the opposite problems of Catch-22. It satirizes its characters too much. The novel's characterizations of its characters weren't always subtle, but many of the characters on the Hulu version are painfully cliched.

Elena is a control freak in both versions, but the Hulu version really amps it up. She's so strict about her schedule, she only allows her husband and herself to have sex on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Events unfold in a much more over-the-top manner than the novel depicts.

It's not unusual for a screen adaptation to up the drama, but on Little Fires Everywhere, the dramatics come off as forced and overdone, like the way Mia handled the investigation into the origins of the McCulloughs' adopted daughter on Little Fires Season 1 Episode 3.

The TV versions of Elena and Mia spend more time together than they did in the novel. It's understandable the screen version would want to include more scenes of the adult leads interacting, especially with Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington in those roles.

Those scenes should be the highlights of the series. However, they're among the worst scenes because of their repetitiveness and stiffness.

The series' better moments are the ones hewing closer to the novel's version of events, like Mia and Izzy's growing bond. Too bad the added, overblown dramatics suck away much of the enjoyment.

Why is The Handmaid's Tale more successful as an adaptation than Catch-22 or Little Fires Everywhere?

The Handmaid's Tale Season 1 did a great job of understanding the source material and translating it for the screen.

When the series couldn’t be faithful, it would repurpose narration and events from the novels in sensible ways.

Offred’s narration wasn’t as sarcastic or aggressive as June’s voiceovers’ are on the show, but it’s an understandable change. June’s voiceovers were her inner thoughts instead of a recording someone else could stumble upon.

Credit needs to given to the costume and set designers because capturing the look of Gilead and its inhabitants is as essential to the series success as adapting the plot.  

The Handmaid’s Tale doesn’t falter as an adaptation. It falters as an expansion. The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 and The Handmaid’s Tale Season 3 sorely missed having the novel as a template it could follow. 

The latter two seasons featured many narrative dead ends and constantly circled back to a status quo of June stuck in Gilead no matter how contrived. It made watching frustrating.

The Handmaid's Tale is Hulu's most critically acclaimed show, but the Hulu series most successfully adapted from a novel is High Fidelity. 

At first blush, High Fidelity would appear to be the least faithful of the adaptations. The series takes place in a different location, different decade, and swaps the gender of many characters, including its lead, Rob. 

However, the elements most important to High Fidelity’s identity: a story about someone re-examining breakups, love of music, and the philosophy of top-five lists are present on the Hulu version.

Like The Handmaid’s Tale, High Fidelity knows how to translates its iconic narration onto the screen. It was great hearing Rob say, almost verbatim, the novel’s opening line right at the beginning of High Fidelity Season 1 Episode 1.

What elevates High Fidelity above most adaptations is how it successfully expands the story. 

The novel features a character named Dick, who is one of Rob’s employees. Dick’s screen counterpart, Simon, is a far more developed and interesting character then Dick.

So much so that High Fidelity Season 1 Episode 8 was told from his perspective, and it was one of the best episodes.

High Fidelity might falter without having as much book material to work with like The Handmaid’s Tale.

It’s less likely to happen though because High Fidelity has already proven it can make changes and go in directions different from the novel while continuing to progress the story.

If Hulu is going to continue making original series from great novels, let's hope they’re more like its adaptions of High Fidelity and The Handmaid’s Tale and less like Catch-22 and Little Fires Everywhere.   

Over to you, TV Fanatics!

Do you think Hulu is successful at adapting novels into TV?

Are you watching Little Fires Everywhere? 

Hit the comments below.

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The post Do Hulu’s Adaptations of The Handmaid’s Tale, Catch-22, High Fidelity, and Little Fires Everywhere Ruin Great Novels? appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Madness befalls Yossarian on Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 6.

The very thing he once wished would save him finally takes hold.

Yossarian gets to have a nice time at the villa, at least, before all of that.

His personable and friendly manner allow Yossarian to be a hit with the family, though he's perhaps too friendly with one girl in particular.

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It's easy to wonder if the father is the one who turned in Yossarian or if the base happened to find him.

It's the last time Yossarian finds happiness on the show.

Even injured, there's a joy to everything happening at the villa, to talking at dinner, helping the young woman with the water pail, and resting in bed.

Yossarian gets a simple quiet life he's always been seeking.

Yossarian: I can’t do this anymore.

_{🔗 permalink: I can’t do this anymore.}

Some issues with the episode come with its narrow focus.

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One of these disappointments comes as Aarfy never receives punishment for his actions in Rome against the woman on Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 5.

Some of the other fun characters are also getting sidelined at the end with Milo only popping up for a scene and Orr's return resting in a line and a quick shot of him at the medal ceremony.

Some things have to be sidelined because of how deeply the episode dives into Yossarian and his mental state.

So while there could have been a broader perspective, the focus is more than worthwhile.

Yossarian attempts one last time get out of flying his missions, and it feels like a return to the very beginning.

He's trying any trick in the book to get out of them, and the attempts don't have as much heart in them despite the pressing manner in which they're broached.

Scheisskopf's vendetta against Yossarian has no limits.

His inspection of Yossarian's testicles was hilarious showing how dedicated he is to keeping Yossarian in play until something bad happens to him.

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Cathcart informing Yossarian of Scheisskopf's plans of never letting Yossarian go is the first sign this episode will not go well for our hero.

It seems there's no escape for Yossarian unless he dies.

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It's why Yossarian's ultimate fate is almost a mercy.

The big scene involving Snowden is one of the show's most impactful moments.

Yossarian's so sure he solved Snowden's injury issues that the reveal of the impact sites behind Snowden's back is a blow.

That young kid with so much time ahead of him got taken down in the very spot Yossarian told him to sit.

The sight of the damage would break anybody, but taken with the totality of the series' events, it's Yossarian's final breaking point.

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Christopher Abbott has been fantastic all season, but it's in that scene that he delivers unimaginable horror and heartbreak.

For the rest of the episode, the nakedness is uncomfortable and offers a deep look inside Yossarian's soul.

He's shed his skin, wandering with purpose but empty inside.

Milo and the Chaplain try to reason with him as though he's still in there, but his calm exterior is unnerving. Nothing fazes him in the slightest.

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Even during dinner and at the medal ceremony, there are some laughs and glances, but there's more of an acceptance of it.

That is who Yossarian is now.

Yossarian finds a calm and collected style to his madness, though.

He's can sit back and relax while everything explodes around him, while he's sailing off into the sunset muttering to himself.

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It's completely tragic how he's been broken.

But deep down, perhaps he's found the peace he always wanted.

It's a difficult ending, and one in which he both won and lost.

He's stuck in missions until he either dies or the war ends. He is without a care in the world, though, safe from worry of the inevitable.

Chaplain: Where are you going?

Yossarian: I’m heading home.

Chaplain: Oh… can I get you anything?

Yossarian: No, thank you.

_{🔗 permalink: I’m heading home.}

It's what comes after which leads to the more depressing way of thinking about it.

Yossarian's lost to his mind, but at least he gets to watch the sun set.

And on Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 6, Yossarian riding off into the flak, unaffected by it, seems a fitting end.

Perhaps this is his life now, to endlessly run missions, lost to the depths, but carrying out his duty.

At least he's not paralyzed by the possibilities.

He found the madness he pursued in the beginning, and as dark as it is for us, it may be the thing to save him in the end.

What did you think of the final episode?

Let us know in the comments!

The post Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 6 Review: …And Release appeared first on TV Fanatic.

There's a chilling effect at work on Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 5.

Injustice is rampant, where goodness and decency does not win out and gets punished.

It's a depressing avenue for the show to go down, but it's effective in showing the warning signs of Yossarian having good reason to go mad.

He can't win, no matter how hard he tries, and no matter what bargains and deals he makes with higher command.

Even the horrors of rape and murder are forgiven and doing the right thing gets treated like the ultimate crime.

The rape and murder of the girl at the hotel is the darkest thing Catch-22's done so far.

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It comes as a completely shocking event, Aarfy's disinterest in being caught unnerving.

Yossarian's reaction is a lot like ours, lost in the cruelty of it and the way life rolls on.

Cathcart's deal at the green zone jail is one of the great injustices the show has had happened.

Leaving reputation and the right thing to do as bargaining chips for freedom is such an impossible choice.

It's like choosing life and death, over the death of someone else.

Yossarian's moral dilemma offers him the thing he's wanted most, and though the bombing of the green zone leaves him from answering right away, it's hard for him not to take the deal.

Milo: Ain’t it beautiful? What does this look like to you?

Yossarian: The apocalypse.

_{🔗 permalink: The apocalypse.}

Catch-22 likes to give people hope before taking it away.

Yossarian's unable to find Clara and deliver her ring. He can't fulfill Nately's wishes in this regard, another broken wish.

Handing it over to her younger sister to pawn is the right choice, but their conversation also takes a dark turn.

Even at this young age, she expects there to be a reciprocation of some kind, the language barrier crossing Yossarian's meaning.

It's another sign of the optimism of Catch-22 starting to snap.

Even the younger generation is corrupted in some way as the crushing reality sets in.

Milo saving Yossarian, at least, brings a little light onto the episode.

Yossarian's look after Milo calls him his best friend says a lot about their relationship.

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They are fairly similar, in the grand scheme of things. They're both resourceful and determined, always plotting to something better.

Milo, though, is much better at it.

Their interactions aren't as frequent as others, but there's mutual respect between them. Milo looks at Yossarian as though he's the only other sane person on the base.

Perhaps he is, despite the walls of civility crumbling around them.

Scheisskopf's return to the picture sets the entire base on edge.

It shows Cathcart isn't made of stone, showing fear and nerves for the first time.

Scheisskopf: How many men did we lose?

Cathcart: None, sir.

Scheisskopf: None?

Cathcart: We were very lucky, sir.

Scheisskopf: How many of theirs did we take down?

Cathcart: None, sir.

Scheisskopf: None?

Cathcart: We were very unlucky, sir. Very unlucky.

_{🔗 permalink: Very unlucky.}

Cathcart's nervous banter back and forth, about being lucky and unlucky at the same time, is one of my favorite moments.

Catch-22 doesn't often take advantage of the adapted book's dialogue, but when it does, it does so with the fun and humor intact.

Scheisskopf taking over the base and the European theater is another loss for Yossarian.

He loves to dress down his subordinates, and with Yossarian on his bad side, it's a wonder if he'll continue to send him down deadly paths until he gets his way or at least until Yossarian gets killed.

His knowledge of Yossarian's affair with his wife, and letting Yossarian know through the hint, is enough to know he's out for revenge.

Yossarian can't catch a break, from the looks of it.

This episode even manages to take away another of Yossarian's close friends (at least, it's very likely).

Another talk with Yossarian on the runway leads to another potential victim, this time in Orr.

It's brief, but it's enough to make the plane get taken down.

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Yossarian's injury is a terrifying image. We don't know the true damage underneath the blood and jumpsuit, but it's way more blood than there should be, that's for sure.

His exclamation, multiple times, of its direct hit, makes it even more painful to think about, too.

Yossarian suffers so many injustices during the episode, and now it's becoming physical.

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There's only so much Yossarian can take before a physical and mental break will catch up to him.

Yossarian: You keep this, all right? This is yours, okay? You keep it, sell it, just do what you gotta do.

_{🔗 permalink: Do what you gotta do.}

Does this mean he will have to face even worse ahead?

He has been largely unscathed until now, and it's like his luck has finally run out.

The scales are starting to tip against Yossarian, and with only one episode left, let's hope he can make it out alive.

What did you think of the episode?

Let us know in the comments!

The post Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 5 Review: The Descent Into Madness appeared first on TV Fanatic.

The base, though, isn't done with him, finding Yossarian. Doctor Daneeka tells Yossarian the injury isn't fatal enough to ship him back home, but that he can rest up in the meantime. Yossarian convinces him to plead with General Scheisskopf, but Scheisskopf wishes to see for himself, deeming him fit for duty.

Yossarian meets the new kid, Snowden, who is assigned to his plane. During the mission, the plane is hit, Snowden's leg hurt. Yossarian patches him up, but when attempting to move him, finds him even worse off. He holds Snowden as he dies, finally snapping while covered in his blood.

He exits the plane fully naked, wandering through his days with a thousand yard stare and naked. He wanders to the medal honor ceremony, where he is confronted for his nudeness. Yossarian says he doesn't want to wear clothes, and his medal is pinned to his hat.

Yossarian continues with his missions, calm and content in his madness as the plane drifts off into the sunset.

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It becomes clear some are luckier than others in this regard.

Two lead characters, Yossarian and Milo, taking on opportunities to further their goals, but it's in Milo where opportunity strikes.

Milo becomes a major part of the episode, and it's all the better for it.

His endless enthusiasm and strange luck makes him a verifiable ball of energy.

His business growing into this massive empire is impressive.

Milo started out getting Major de Coverley some lambchops, and now it's become this frighteningly imposing force all over Europe.

Related: Catch-22 Review: Another Award's Contender For Hulu

The fact that it led to Milo becoming mayor of Palermo and assistant Governor General of Malta is a sign he'll be okay long after the war is over.

If he makes it out, of course.

Yossarian's look of incredulity at Milo's rising success shows how out of the loop everyone else is.

Milo's been building this on the sidelines, with little hints here and there, but to see it now, it's become something else entirely.

It does make you wonder how far this syndicate of his goes.

On Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 3, Milo brought German planes to the base, showing he's moved beyond the allies to provide for everyone.

Yossarian getting brought along shows the deep respect Milo has for him.

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He could pick anyone on the base to be at his side, but it's in Yossarian he sees the rightful helper.

His suggestion of partnering after the war is a one-of-a-kind offer.

Milo appears to have everything under control, despite the many layers to the syndicate and its business deals. Yossarian would be a fool to turn him down.

But he does show some distance to the idea, asking questions and appearing skeptical. He's like us in that way, uncertain how it is all working the way it does.

Milo, though, looks to have everything he needs, and that's all that matters for now.

Yossarian completing his mission quota in quick succession was a fun sequence.

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The rapid-paced action and Yossarian's excitement at getting ever closer to finishing is thrilling for his character, given the chance to be done with it all.

Landing from one mission and going straight into another one isn't the smartest choice, but it's for a good cause (well, for Yossarian).

It's needed for Yossarian to have such a relaxing and entertaining journey before it all comes crashing down again.

It's cruel that Yossarian returned from his trip with Milo and the mission count got raised yet again.

There's no way out of it, at least until the war is over, and even then, Yossarian could easily end up in the Japanese theater.

Did Cathcart raise the missions knowing of Yossarian's completion? Or is it a twist of fate?

Cathcart's earlier, raged-filled staredown of Yossarian could be some kind of giveaway.

Then again, it could also be that Cathcart is always angry.

The show's imposing pessimism shows in this series' universe, as no good deed goes unpunished.

No matter the work and the dedication, no matter the maneuver, there will always be more missions to come.

It's what makes Nately's death even more depressing.

He's the optimist, a bundle of naive happiness because he's so gung-ho about marrying Clara.

Yossarian's deflated, and ruins his friend's news.

It's yet another time when runway conversations lead to death, as Yossarian and Nately's argument becomes the third death coming after a runway chat.

Nately saying he's going to ask Clara to marry him became a deadly promise on his part.

On Catch-22, the guy who makes plans before something deadly happens usually never makes it out, and unfortunately, Nately becomes another on the long list of people to do so.

With so many friends dying, and Orr potentially missing in action or gone as well, it makes you wonder if Yossarian will have any friends left by the end.

But that's if he makes it out himself, because once again, Yossarian learns his fate is out of his control.

At least he gets a nice little trip with Milo out of it to lessen the sting of continued danger thrown his way.

With this kind of pressure continuously pressed on him, Yossarian could be heading toward the inevitable snapping point.

It's shocking he hasn't hit it yet.

Maybe he is the only sane one left.

The forces at work are looking to take it from him, though.

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What did you think of the episode?

Let us know in the comments below!

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He uses some of Milo's men to head to Rome anyway. Once there, Yossarian finds the brothel torn apart and empty. He searches the streets, finding Clara's young sister. The language barrier prevents him from getting her help, and so he passes the ring on to her.

On his way back, Yossarian finds the girl from the hotel dead in the streets, having fallen from the balcony. He races up to find Arfy, who has raped and murdered her. MP's show up, Yossarian accusing him of the cruelties. They are there for him, however, for desertion.

Yossarian is jailed in a green zone base. Cathcart arrives, telling him to drop the accusations against Arfy. If he does, his mission count will be wiped, and he will be allowed to return home.

The base is suddenly under attack, Milo coming to help them escape. The base is bombed as they flee in a jeep.

Upon return, Cathcart finds Colonel — now General — Scheisskopf now in charge of the base, and the entire theater of war. Before Cathcart can sign Yossarian's papers, Scheisskopf hears the name and halts it. He tells Yossarian he must complete his missions, hinting of his knowledge of Yossarian's affair with his wife.

Orr becomes Yossarian's new pilot. During the next mission, Yossarian is hit with shrapnel, its damage unknown. The plane continues to get hit, and starts to go down. Everyone, including Yossarian escapes, all but Orr.

Orr hopes to take the plane to the water. Yossarian parachutes down to the countryside while watching Orr and the plane go down.

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On Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 3 Yossarian is trying to do the right thing.

He's driven by survival in a war full of death and can't catch a break when all of his plans blows up in his face.

Cowardice charges are rampant, as Yossarian blurs the line between doing the right thing and self-preservation.

His acts o stay alive are rising toward obstruction, from moving the bombing line to pulling the wires out of the plane.

That moving a piece of string could be the way to cancel the mission is utterly ridiculous but very fitting to Catch-22.

Yossarian hoped to make that simple act a way to save himself and the men, but it merely led to even larger problems.

Yossarian's actions are starting to have larger ramifications on others, placing too much risk on them.

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Major de Coverley's disappearance and the deaths of Kid Sampson and McWatt are essentially on his head, having happened due to his choices.

He's getting inside other people's heads now, leading them down roads they normally would not take if it were not for him.

It's becoming a theme that someone sees Yossarian for what he's doing, and then disappears ro dies.

On Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 2, Clevinger confronted him for no longer seeing the war in the right way. Here, it's McWatt calling him out for cowardice.

Every time someone starts to notice his behavior, they come undone in some way, so Yossarian can continue on untouched.

Yossarian has been lucky so far, but it does make you wonder how long his luck will hold.

He's not making it difficult for people to begin piecing together his actions, since he's talking freely about his intentions and not mincing much of his words defending the string incident.

Meanwhile, Cathcart's anger brews to a boiling point.

His views on sabotage and cowardice are quite clear by the end of the hour.

Humiliating Yossarian's crew in front of the others and raising the mission count even higher are acts of aggression on his men, breaking morale and leaving them even more disillusioned.

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It's felt even by the Chaplain during his conversation with Yossarian. He feels the punishment is too severe, and it's not hard to blame him.

There's a level of cruelty in how Cathcart is punishing the men as a whole for one person's choices.

It's because Cathcart views them as a whole, rather than as individuals.

They're a team, and with what he sees as a bad apple needing to be sussed out, he'll likely keep punishing them as a whole until he finds the rotten apple.

One thing is for certain: Kyle Chandler plays Cathcart with impressive redness and bubbling rage.

Elsewhere on the base, Milo continues to build his freight empire at dizzying speed. He's even starting to enlist some of the enemy in the process, showing his great business acumen.

On a show with strong convictions in its characters, Milo's offense at Yossarian's spiking of the tomato soup is a nice touch.

He takes a great pride in what he's creating, to the point it blurs the line and it's hard tell if he's doing it for the love of it or for the profit.

The way the soup scene plays, Milo certainly appears to do all of it for the love.

What happens to Kid Sampson and McWatt is a tragic way to end the episode.

It's becoming apparent that even having fun has consequences now, with letting off a little steam taking a dark turn.

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The distraught breakdown McWatt experienced after the death of Sampson shows even the most steadfast of characters have a breaking point.

Its suddenness and the loss of both characters is a sad way to end things. The event is likely going to play on Yossarian's mind. Perhaps he'll even feel responsible in some way for it.

McWatt's expression of darkness and humiliation after Cathcart's attack in the mess hall shows it changed him. Accidentally killing Sampson, too, shows how even some fun can lead to carnage in the world of Catch-22.

No one is safe from death.

Even Major de Coverley isn't immune from Yossarian's actions. His disappearance in Bologna makes it a wonder if he will ever return.

Strolling into a Nazi briefing room and tossing their flag on the ground likely didn't offer him a warm welcome.

(At least it was a very funny visual on which end his character!)

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Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 3 shows how actions can snowball into horrible choices which affect the group.

Yossarian faces trauma after trauma, death after death, but is still right where he doesn't want to be.

It makes you wonder how much more he can take before he is finally insane, as he originally wanted to use as an excuse to get out.

What did you think of the episode? Let us know in the comments!

The post Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 3 Review: The Face of Cowardice appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Yossarian decides to speed up his mission count in order to finish faster, and before the count is raised again. He speeds through them, one after another, completing the quota needed. He hands his paperwork in to Lieutenant Colonel Korn.

With a weight off his shoulder, he celebrates with his friends and goes swimming. He is approached by Milo and enlisted on a business-related trip. Orr tags along.

In Sicily, Milo makes a deal for goats. In Palermo, Milo is treated as a hero and is actually the mayor of the town, due to helping out so much. In Malta, he's honored and has become assistant governor general. Yossarian is shocked at his sudden ascension.

Milo enlists Yossarian to act like a wealthy American businessman in order to gain business with the Caliph of Oran for dates. Though there are some bumps along the way, the deal is made with an assist by Orr.

Yossarian returns to base, and checks in on his paperwork. The mission count has been raised before they could be properly stamped, and so he is once again stuck.

Nately informs Yossarian of his intentions to marry one of the Rome prostitutes. Yossarian, still angry, tells his friend it's a bad idea, souring their friendship a little.

During his next mission, Yossarian becomes distracted by Orr's plane going down, and misses the bombing target. He forces the plane to turn back for a second run, and successfully hits the bridge.

Their plane, however, catches flak, and wrecks the tail of the plane. Nately is in the tail, trying to climb back into the plane, Yossarian trying to help. But it's too late, and the tail breaks off, Nately inside.

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Instead of cancelling the mission, the illness merely delays it. Yossarian presses on Major Major for help, but to no avail. In the middle of the night, Yossarian moves the mission strings in order to create the idea of Bologna being captured.

In the morning, everyone is led to believe Bologna is now captured, and the mission is to be cancelled. Major de Coverley requisitions a plane to visit the new town, but upon arrival, finds it still in German occupation. He is likely captured.

Cathcart is furious, raising the mission count to fifty unless the person responsible steps forward. Yossarian, however, is paralyzed and stays seated.

On the way to Bologna to do their bombing run, the bombers receive heavy flak fire. Yossarian pretends there's a communication issue, ripping the wires out of his nose section and forcing his plane crew to turn around. McWatt, the pilot, confronts Yossarian as a coward.

Later, Cathcart rewards the men for a job well done. Yossarian's crew, however, does not receive any. They are ridiculed in front of the others, and calle cowards.

McWatt tries to play chicken with the men in a plane for some lighthearted fun, but does not pull up in time, killing Kid Sampson. Distraught, McWatt crashes his plane in the hills, killing himself in the process.

The post Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Episode 3 appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Yossarian learns that the hard way on Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 2 as he finds new ways of avoiding his priorities.

Unlucky for him, though, it only makes him more agitated.

Yossarian treats the camp hospital like a place of relaxation, enjoying a good book and some peace and quiet.

The boiling point and explosion at the endlessly talking man has Yossarian taking out his frustrations.

The reason he attacks him is likely a combination of stress and annoyance, as Yossarian realizes he can't find peace even in a place made for it.

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The one thing Yossarian's wants most is quiet, from the looks of it.

He retreats on the beach to a quieter area, he retreats to the hospital, and he goes for a walk alone in Rome after buying a magnifying glass.

He's a solitary character, one who does not want a loud life.

That makes bombing missions his worst nightmare.

It's what makes him run when Cathcart warns of the next mission being the most dangerous.

Yossarian's fight or flight kicks in, the worry that's been building for two episodes now.

He is looking for anything to keep him preoccupied, and running seems to be the solution, whether for now or permanently.

The conversation between Major Major and Colonel Cathcart becomes one of the more memorable moments of the episode.

Cathcart: Sergeant Major, step forward. Sergeant Major, congratulations, I’m hereby promoting you to a Major. Congratulations, get in.

Major: Sir, uh…

Cathcart: You’re a good man, you’ve earned it, you worked hard.

Major: Yes, sir, uh… Does this mean, will my duties be any different?

Cathcart: Will his duties be any different, Colonel?

Korn: Of course, sir, he’s a Major!

Cathcart: Of course, you’re a Major. We don’t just hand out promotions, willy-nilly!

_{🔗 permalink: Sergeant Major, congratulations, I’m hereby promoting you to a Major.}

The wordplay and promoting Major to save from embarrassment is both absurd but fairly plausible.

In this world, it's almost as if everyone fails upward, where bumbling through and managing to stay alive is half the battle.

Major Major's hope to avoid everything his job requires is a sign he's more aligned with Yossarian's views than those of Clevinger.

Even after promising to help Yossarian, he tosses the leadership manual aside to check out the model ship.

Cathcart's mistakes, meanwhile, make for some excellent comedy.

It's not hard to imagine he is the one who mistook Major Major's name after getting upset over missing a bombing target (which happens to be Vatican City) and his difficulty to cipher Milo's complicated but lucrative business opportunity.

Cathcart makes decisions rashly, and his continuous addition of more missions is likely just as rash.

It's out of instinct rather than strategy.

The hour spends a lot of time in leisure.

Yossarian spends time in the hospital, Major wastes the hours away alone in his office, and the men enjoy their time in Rome in the building requisitioned by de Coverley.

Milo's growing empire is one of the show's more impressive feats for a character.

It's hard to tell if he overexplains everything to confuse those he wishes to snare into his enterprise, or if he's thinking on a much higher level than all of us.

Cathcart's wincing stare after Milo explained the trickle down economics of his shipments said it all.

Milo is approaching a "too big to fail" scenario where his many contacts and sources are going to leave the base stocked to the rooftops.

It's good Milo has found something he's undeniably good at doing.

His combination of olive oil and salt on the tomato is good enough for Cathcart to approve, and he seems the type who is hard to impress.

The conversation between Clevinger and Marcello is an interesting hook.

Clevinger: You talk like a madman.

Marcello: But I live like a sane one.

_{🔗 permalink: You talk like a madman.}

Both characters idolize their respective country, seeing their own country as stronger for completely different reasons.

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It's pitting naivety and wisdom against one another, when both have their place and have strong views.

Clevinger and Marcello come at life differently.

Marcello considers adapting in order to survive the more viable option, while Clevinger sees the brute force of idealism as the more important view.

Clevinger has been going through a change since Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 1.

He no longer questions everything, and he's more resolute in his views.

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He's so resolute that Yossarian finds himself without a friend to whom he can speak candidly to anymore.

Their walk down the runway leads to a stiff difference in opinion as Yossarian's wishes to break free of the missions rub Clevinger the wrong way.

Clevinger has become a believer in what they're doing, and he believes they are doing the right thing.

It makes the talk with Marcello more potent, as it shows how far he's come since he got charged with insubordination by Scheisskopf.

His disappearance, then, becomes a sad turn of events.

Just as he's becoming more refined and fascinating, he's taken from the show (potentially).

Losing the person he's closest to leads to even more loss in Yossarian's life and could lead to an interesting path with his psyche.

Ending things with an even more dangerous mission is a terrifying thought.

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What could possibly be more dangerous than what we've seen?

It's enough to make Yossarian run, and it will be fascinating to see what's next for him.

What do you think he will face next?

Let us know in the comments!

The post Catch-22 Season 1 Episode 2 Review: A Difference of Opinion appeared first on TV Fanatic.