Snowfall (TV Series) Make Them Birds Fly (2017) User Reviews

HALF-IN

[douglasjordane · 7/10 · 15 May 2022]

I'M ONE FOOT IN AND ONE FOOT OUT. SO MANY THINGS ARE NOT ADDING UP. THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL IN THIS SHOW BUT THE RISKS ARE OVERPLAYED. I WANT TO BELIEVE THIS SHOW BUT I'M HALF IN AND HALF OUT. THANKFULLY, ITS ONLY THE FIRST SEASON. I DONT HAVE TO INVEST MUCH WATCHING TIME IF IT JUST ANOTHER DRUG DEALING SHOW.

Predictable show about drugs story line

[sefinley · 3/10 · 18 July 2018]

The first episode was great, but Snowfall has already lost me in the second episode. So over the predictable nature of these shows, especially ones based around drugs. In this episode:

• predictably - an unknown white guy who thinks he knows best, goes rogue and asks a drug kingpin to "lets sit down and talk this out like adults" and asks the drug kingpin to "pour him a drink". Yeah right.
• predictably, a young black guy is carrying around kilograms of cocaine and money and initially doesn't get pulled over by the cops or arouse suspicion.

He then goes on to be robbed of 30k (as I saw coming in the pilot episode).

Yawn.

Solid, If Middling

[mbloyd · 10 August 2017]

"Freedom is mine, and I know how I feel. It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me. And I'm feeling good." - Feeling Good by Nina Simone. These are the words that decorate the opening scene of Make Them Birds Fly. Snowfall has a knack for the obvious music cue, but here the words are appropriate. The swinging beat underscores the vibe in Franklin's bedroom as he looks at the money from selling a kilo of cocaine. In the pilot, Franklin says that he wants his freedom, and Nina Simone echoes that sentiment. Franklin believes he's found his freedom. He's riding high, stepping up in an uncertain moment. It wont be long before he comes crashing back to reality. Freedom isn't easily earned, especially considering Franklin's current company. The connective thread here starts anew here though. Franklin takes in his newfound cash flow, while Teddy wakes up to start over as a key part of the CIA's drug war, and Gustavo now has blood on his hands. The pilot established these characters, and this episode challenges them to adapt to unforeseen circumstances. For Franklin, that means walking into Avi's house fully confident, only to be tasked with driving a man to the hospital. Avi is impressed that he sold the cocaine so quickly, but Franklin isn't his top priority. There's a dangerous disconnect there for Franklin. He's overestimating his importance. Avi could find countless guys to work the way Franklin does now that he knows there's a market in the community, even without the Claudia connection. Franklin doesn't realize that he's disposable. He already views himself as a kingpin, but he's just a foot soldier. Where Franklin is blind to his surroundings, Gustavo is paying attention to the cartel family he's working his way into. He tells Pedro and Lucia that he's not ready to hand over the stolen money because he doesn't trust them, and says he'll be holding the money in a safe place until he gets some answers. Likewise, Teddy is changing his arrangement with Alejandro and Avi. He wants more control, so he calls for a new stash house, orders Alejandro to pack up the cocaine, and joins in on a meeting with Avi. Unlike Franklin, Teddy's brashness pays off. He confronts Avi and doesn't back down. It's a solid start for a story line that seemed already dead in the pilot, but it still lacks form. Teddy's endgame is easy to understand, but it remains unclear how everyone else fits in, which robs that story line of vital tension. The lack of tension is the most worrisome aspect of the episode, especially regarding Franklin. Fortunately, this is addressed in the episode's final moments. The problem throughout the episode is that Franklin seems untouchable. He was running the risk of being too capable, which leads to complacent plotting. That risk is still present, but as the episode closes, Franklin is beaten and bloody, with his backpack, motorcycle, and money stolen. The consequences of his blind confidence and intrusion on someone else's turf have arrived. Snowfall needs to keep the conflict coming. It's the only way to make sure Franklin's story, the heart of the show, has high enough stakes to keep it compelling.