Naomi Review: Unidentified Flying Object (Season 1 Episode 2)
Naomi Season 1 Episode 2, “Unidentified Flying Object,” sends our heroine on a whirlwind investigation of an event from 16 years ago that rocked Port Oswego to its core.
Even though the second episode contains more fascinating pieces to the Naomi McDuffie puzzle, and despite Kaci Walfall’s effervescent aura, the show feels bogged down by stilted dialogue and too much focus on the love quadrilateral.
DEE: I don’t know who you are, not exactly, but I know that it all started on March 14, 2004.
That said, Naomi setting blatant boundaries with Anthony (thereby making it a love triangle) is gratifying to see. More teen shows should follow Naomi‘s example of solidifying healthy relationship boundaries.
Naomi explores somewhat tired tropes in genre shows: there’s the gifted protagonist who wishes to be “normal,” the quirky, talkative best friend, the men vying for the lead’s affections, and the older, wiser mentor who takes the heroine under their wing (in this case, literally).
NAOMI: I know that weird stuff is happening to me, but — aliens, superheroes, it’s all crazy, right?
They’re tropes embedded within sci-fi and fantasy series spanning at least the past three decades. In spite of Naomi breaking boundaries left and right, the above tropes bog it down.
We saw hints that the series could go the polyamory route with the three love interests in the pilot. It would be a breath of fresh air to see a show destigmatize polyamorous relationships. However, “Unidentified Flying Object” appears to put the kibosh on that.
Here’s hoping the series takes more risks down the line. But, so far, Naomi seems to play it safe.
“Unidentified Flying Object” is an improvement from the pilot, although the hallmarks of a standard CW show still linger. Of course, it’s only the second episode. The series is still entertaining, and the overall story is enough to intrigue, intermittently peppering enough details to whet our appetites and invite us back for the next episode.
ANNABELLE: There are some things in life we can’t change and that’s okay.
Kaci Walfall’s charm piques viewers’ interest while Naomi bridges the gap between this show and the DC universe as a whole. Introducing the potential conflict with Naomi’s father hunting aliens could lead to fun surprises if Naomi sticks the landing.
This freshman series can still fly even with its flaws, just like the extraordinary Naomi McDuffie.
Stray Observations:
- Wouldn’t it be nice if all mothers gave their teenager’s friends delicious smoothies upon instant entry into their houses? They’re still developing adolescents that need proper nutrition!
- What is it with shows pairing stunning, multifaceted female teen leads with cookie-cutter, bland teen boys?
- Naomi treats millennials like geriatric, bedridden, can’t-stay-awake-past-6pm seniors — Steve O’Brien would be no older than 33 years old since this show takes place in 2020.
- Giving Barry Watson more to do is always a good thing.
- Despite his limited screen time in “Unidentified Flying Object,” Cranston Johnson continues to be one of the more intriguing aspects of this series.
What did you think of this episode of Naomi? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Naomi airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW.
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.