For All Mankind: Brazil
January 4, 2024 8:03 PM - Season 4, Episode 9 - Subscribe
Things start to go awry just as an important mission approaches a critical juncture.
Sam runs some environmental tests on the discriminator unit. The Mars Cabal sets up a secret base in the sub-basement. Dani runs an inventory. With money on the line, the Deep States start to pay attention. Ed tries pretending to care to distract Kelly.
Travel plans fall through for Sergei and Margo. Kelly may have discovered evidence of bacterial life on Mars, to no one’s interest at the moment. Lee commits to the cause.
Only 3 Star Trek series were made in this timeline.
Sam runs some environmental tests on the discriminator unit. The Mars Cabal sets up a secret base in the sub-basement. Dani runs an inventory. With money on the line, the Deep States start to pay attention. Ed tries pretending to care to distract Kelly.
Travel plans fall through for Sergei and Margo. Kelly may have discovered evidence of bacterial life on Mars, to no one’s interest at the moment. Lee commits to the cause.
Only 3 Star Trek series were made in this timeline.
Rogue HVAC repairman, super downer ending... I think the episode title has a double meaning.
posted by surlyben at 12:03 AM on January 5 [6 favorites]
posted by surlyben at 12:03 AM on January 5 [6 favorites]
>>Ed tries pretending to care to distract Kelly.
Harsh. That scene read to me more like "I'm scared of getting old and irrelevant after being the main character for four seasons Kelly. Four. Seasons. Here on Mars I can get at least one more season. Contract renewals are coming up and there's gonna be a time jump and... I'm just not ready to quit, even if the makeup process is a chore. Please, believe me. These tears are due to emotions, not matte powder and latex glue allergy."
posted by Molesome at 3:13 AM on January 5 [6 favorites]
Harsh. That scene read to me more like "I'm scared of getting old and irrelevant after being the main character for four seasons Kelly. Four. Seasons. Here on Mars I can get at least one more season. Contract renewals are coming up and there's gonna be a time jump and... I'm just not ready to quit, even if the makeup process is a chore. Please, believe me. These tears are due to emotions, not matte powder and latex glue allergy."
posted by Molesome at 3:13 AM on January 5 [6 favorites]
Fair. “Ed tries caring, but fails to distract Kelly” was more what I should have aimed for, to capture the ambiguity. This scene was similarly set up by Dev, sincerely but self-interestedly, telling Kelly to talk to Ed so Dev could slip out of her presentation and talk to Ed himself.
posted by cardboard at 3:45 AM on January 5 [1 favorite]
posted by cardboard at 3:45 AM on January 5 [1 favorite]
DELETED SCENE FROM PREVIOUS EPISODE:
DEV: Ok, just splice this transmitter into your camera feed.
LEE: Should I try to disguise it as something else, or hide it somehow?
DEV: Nah just hang it off the back of the monitors, it'll be fine!
LEE: What about this label that says NASA on it with a tracking number?
DEV: Lee we don't have time for all these questions!
LEE: I think it just peels off, actually...
DEV: GLARES AT LEE
LEE: ...or I have a black Sharpie?
DEV: GLARING INTENSIFIES
posted by mikepop at 6:29 AM on January 5 [16 favorites]
DEV: Ok, just splice this transmitter into your camera feed.
LEE: Should I try to disguise it as something else, or hide it somehow?
DEV: Nah just hang it off the back of the monitors, it'll be fine!
LEE: What about this label that says NASA on it with a tracking number?
DEV: Lee we don't have time for all these questions!
LEE: I think it just peels off, actually...
DEV: GLARES AT LEE
LEE: ...or I have a black Sharpie?
DEV: GLARING INTENSIFIES
posted by mikepop at 6:29 AM on January 5 [16 favorites]
Only 3 Star Trek series were made in this timeline.
Based on the assumption that one, The Animated Series is often overlooked, and two, Ron Moore is the show runner, I'm guessing the following is accurate sequence of shows: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. What this would mean, no Voyager, no Enterprise. But without either of these two shows, the entire future Trek franchise is in serious danger with no Picard and no Lower Decks. Oof.
Sergei's death, which 100% telegraphed the second we saw him go back to his hotel with the music playing, hit a lot less harder than it would have, if moments earlier in the show he had not very clearly implied, "I'm ditching my loving wife to run off to Brazil with you, Margo!" Yeah, Sergei, that's not cool. I know she was your one true only, but you moved on when you thought she was dead. I guess if anything, we can check off the note that the KGB, is, in fact, competent in their job. My guess is that this will end with Margo either somehow running off to Mars or double defecting, even if it means living in prison for the rest of her life.
I actually felt Ed was being earnest with Kelly. He used his truth to avoid telling another truth, but I'm also thinking that we're going to see that he spills everything to Kelly next episode. Kelly isn't stupid and I like that.
Something tells me Danielle is not going to be happy when she learns that the CIA/KGB teammate resulted in Miles having the crap beat out of him. And she will learn.
I'm also hedging that Miles had a contingency plan and ordered two of everything or something, and setup a fake com center or even a Miles Man Cave (i.e., recreating my bar you shut down) to give over instead of the Ed and Dev party room. He learned well from Ilya. BTW, I'm also sick and tired of hearing the explosion being called a terrorist attack. They knew a part was missing and rather than give up, tried to bypass it. That was their own damn foolish fault, not the strikers. All I can figure is whats his name, the new second-in-command has lied about what happened this entire time.
posted by Atreides at 6:44 AM on January 5 [3 favorites]
Based on the assumption that one, The Animated Series is often overlooked, and two, Ron Moore is the show runner, I'm guessing the following is accurate sequence of shows: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. What this would mean, no Voyager, no Enterprise. But without either of these two shows, the entire future Trek franchise is in serious danger with no Picard and no Lower Decks. Oof.
Sergei's death, which 100% telegraphed the second we saw him go back to his hotel with the music playing, hit a lot less harder than it would have, if moments earlier in the show he had not very clearly implied, "I'm ditching my loving wife to run off to Brazil with you, Margo!" Yeah, Sergei, that's not cool. I know she was your one true only, but you moved on when you thought she was dead. I guess if anything, we can check off the note that the KGB, is, in fact, competent in their job. My guess is that this will end with Margo either somehow running off to Mars or double defecting, even if it means living in prison for the rest of her life.
I actually felt Ed was being earnest with Kelly. He used his truth to avoid telling another truth, but I'm also thinking that we're going to see that he spills everything to Kelly next episode. Kelly isn't stupid and I like that.
Something tells me Danielle is not going to be happy when she learns that the CIA/KGB teammate resulted in Miles having the crap beat out of him. And she will learn.
I'm also hedging that Miles had a contingency plan and ordered two of everything or something, and setup a fake com center or even a Miles Man Cave (i.e., recreating my bar you shut down) to give over instead of the Ed and Dev party room. He learned well from Ilya. BTW, I'm also sick and tired of hearing the explosion being called a terrorist attack. They knew a part was missing and rather than give up, tried to bypass it. That was their own damn foolish fault, not the strikers. All I can figure is whats his name, the new second-in-command has lied about what happened this entire time.
posted by Atreides at 6:44 AM on January 5 [3 favorites]
My prediction for next ep: The heist team gets caught just before the burn, but Margo is mad the Russians killed Sergei, so she redirects the asteroid herself, with help (somehow) from Aleida and Kelly.
posted by adrianhon at 7:46 AM on January 5 [4 favorites]
posted by adrianhon at 7:46 AM on January 5 [4 favorites]
As soon as all that ketchup montage porn started I knew Sergei was dunzo.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 7:59 AM on January 5 [5 favorites]
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 7:59 AM on January 5 [5 favorites]
My prediction for next ep: The heist team gets caught just before the burn, but Margo is mad the Russians killed Sergei, so she redirects the asteroid herself, with help (somehow) from Aleida and Kelly.
Ooooh, this is a good one.
posted by Atreides at 10:22 AM on January 5 [1 favorite]
Ooooh, this is a good one.
posted by Atreides at 10:22 AM on January 5 [1 favorite]
I actually felt Ed was being earnest with Kelly. He used his truth to avoid telling another truth, but I'm also thinking that we're going to see that he spills everything to Kelly next episode. Kelly isn't stupid and I like that.
I get the impression he is going to reveal his marijuana farm. Which should really have been found in one of the ten base sweeps Dani has ordered by now. Also: if Ed doesn't want to eat food through a straw or wear adult diapers, "astronaut" was a galactically stupid career choice.
posted by pwnguin at 11:07 AM on January 5 [10 favorites]
I get the impression he is going to reveal his marijuana farm. Which should really have been found in one of the ten base sweeps Dani has ordered by now. Also: if Ed doesn't want to eat food through a straw or wear adult diapers, "astronaut" was a galactically stupid career choice.
posted by pwnguin at 11:07 AM on January 5 [10 favorites]
My prediction for next ep: The heist team gets caught just before the burn, but Margo is mad the Russians killed Sergei, so she redirects the asteroid herself, with help (somehow) from Aleida and Kelly.
And they blame it on the only person who had the knowledge to do so and can't refute it: Sergei. He who died so Mars could live.
posted by pwnguin at 11:11 AM on January 5 [2 favorites]
And they blame it on the only person who had the knowledge to do so and can't refute it: Sergei. He who died so Mars could live.
posted by pwnguin at 11:11 AM on January 5 [2 favorites]
And they blame it on the only person who had the knowledge to do so and can't refute it: Sergei. He who died so Mars could live.
That is almost too perfect!
posted by adrianhon at 11:55 AM on January 5 [2 favorites]
That is almost too perfect!
posted by adrianhon at 11:55 AM on January 5 [2 favorites]
Only 3 Star Trek series were made in this timeline.
Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
I'd actually go for a bigger divergence than that. Given increased interest in space throughout the entire time period, I think that Star Trek: Phase II got off the ground and was successful. The third series would be something entirely different from our timeline, maybe happening after renewed interest in the series following Roddenberry's death in the mid-90s.
... No, this doesn't work because Wrath of Khan still came out at the same time and with roughly the same plot. Phase II happening would mean that the first movie doesn't happen, and probably that any other original cast movies only get made once Phase II went off the air, so not until later in the 80s. Dang.
You're probably right then, but I think this would have been cooler.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 12:41 PM on January 5 [2 favorites]
Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
I'd actually go for a bigger divergence than that. Given increased interest in space throughout the entire time period, I think that Star Trek: Phase II got off the ground and was successful. The third series would be something entirely different from our timeline, maybe happening after renewed interest in the series following Roddenberry's death in the mid-90s.
... No, this doesn't work because Wrath of Khan still came out at the same time and with roughly the same plot. Phase II happening would mean that the first movie doesn't happen, and probably that any other original cast movies only get made once Phase II went off the air, so not until later in the 80s. Dang.
You're probably right then, but I think this would have been cooler.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 12:41 PM on January 5 [2 favorites]
More serious notes:
- You'd think that Sergei would check the closet and bathroom for uninvited guests before settling in to his cheap motel room, given his history and what he's been doing lately. I guess not!
- 56k modem noises for the spaceship communication ping killed me both times. Not that any other part of the communication system they've set up around this asteroid mission makes any sense, so sure, why not.
- I was kind of surprised when the lunar trajectories Margo wanted Aleida to pass to Sergei were.. actually lunar trajectories. I promise other people work at NASA and know how to do math.
- Given only what we're told on screen, it seems presumptuous to assume that the equipment wasn't stolen before it ever left earth. More people on earth would have opportunity and motive, and you'd also know it'd be at least an entire month before anyone would open the box and discover the theft. Or, if it was actually quietly stolen on Mars, the CIA and KGB would be prime suspects, imo. They've consistently been reluctant to tell NASA what kind of things they're up to on the moon or on mars. It'd probably make more sense for the CIA to have built a secret second command center than for Dev and Ed. The only problem is they would probably find a way to get the stuff to Mars so that it never showed up on a manifest at all. But, I don't know, things happen. It'd be a very funny conversation when Eli calls the CIA to tell them about the missing equipment and the CIA has to be like... you know what? Don't worry about it. No, really, it's fine. Carry on. Having to be like, well... a bunch of that was just us, but we didn't steal *that* is even worse.
- What is it that the North Koreans actually *do* on Mars? Are they only here to spy on everyone else? It kind of seems like they don't do anything other than monitor the video feeds from the rest of the base.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 12:57 PM on January 5 [2 favorites]
- You'd think that Sergei would check the closet and bathroom for uninvited guests before settling in to his cheap motel room, given his history and what he's been doing lately. I guess not!
- 56k modem noises for the spaceship communication ping killed me both times. Not that any other part of the communication system they've set up around this asteroid mission makes any sense, so sure, why not.
- I was kind of surprised when the lunar trajectories Margo wanted Aleida to pass to Sergei were.. actually lunar trajectories. I promise other people work at NASA and know how to do math.
- Given only what we're told on screen, it seems presumptuous to assume that the equipment wasn't stolen before it ever left earth. More people on earth would have opportunity and motive, and you'd also know it'd be at least an entire month before anyone would open the box and discover the theft. Or, if it was actually quietly stolen on Mars, the CIA and KGB would be prime suspects, imo. They've consistently been reluctant to tell NASA what kind of things they're up to on the moon or on mars. It'd probably make more sense for the CIA to have built a secret second command center than for Dev and Ed. The only problem is they would probably find a way to get the stuff to Mars so that it never showed up on a manifest at all. But, I don't know, things happen. It'd be a very funny conversation when Eli calls the CIA to tell them about the missing equipment and the CIA has to be like... you know what? Don't worry about it. No, really, it's fine. Carry on. Having to be like, well... a bunch of that was just us, but we didn't steal *that* is even worse.
- What is it that the North Koreans actually *do* on Mars? Are they only here to spy on everyone else? It kind of seems like they don't do anything other than monitor the video feeds from the rest of the base.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 12:57 PM on January 5 [2 favorites]
i dunno i kind of like how the north korean presence in happy valley works. it seems like their people still have the same two mission objectives that lee had back in the day:
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 2:28 PM on January 5 [5 favorites]
- be on mars
- don't not be on mars
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 2:28 PM on January 5 [5 favorites]
- I was NOT impressed with Sergei planning to dump his wife. They even made an effort to show her as a supportive and loving person who does not deserve this drama.
- Was the KGB after Sergei all this time? I thought he had openly defected, not gone into witness protection. If it was witness protection then coming anywhere near Margo and her handlers was a terrible idea.
- To Joel Kinnaman's credit and nobody else's, I totally believed Ed was being sincere with Kelly.
- Miles has no contingency plan. He stumbled into his successful criminal career and I fully expect him to stumble out of his current predicament.
- Lee is in deep trouble, or the heist team will have to be a murder cover-up team.
- Prediction: The heist is averted but the asteroid capture fails anyway somehow. (Russia? North Korea? Sheer incompetence?). The heist team (Ed, Dev, Sam) has to work with NASA to save it. Their secret lab becomes an essential backup.
posted by mmoncur at 6:01 PM on January 5
- Was the KGB after Sergei all this time? I thought he had openly defected, not gone into witness protection. If it was witness protection then coming anywhere near Margo and her handlers was a terrible idea.
- To Joel Kinnaman's credit and nobody else's, I totally believed Ed was being sincere with Kelly.
- Miles has no contingency plan. He stumbled into his successful criminal career and I fully expect him to stumble out of his current predicament.
- Lee is in deep trouble, or the heist team will have to be a murder cover-up team.
- Prediction: The heist is averted but the asteroid capture fails anyway somehow. (Russia? North Korea? Sheer incompetence?). The heist team (Ed, Dev, Sam) has to work with NASA to save it. Their secret lab becomes an essential backup.
posted by mmoncur at 6:01 PM on January 5
(My guess for how Miles gets out: "Hey, why are you guys beating ME up? I was trying to get to Commander Poole to tell her about a massive sabotage plan I heard about!"
posted by mmoncur at 6:08 PM on January 5
posted by mmoncur at 6:08 PM on January 5
I'm still whiny sad about Sergei and I could not write this episode up, glad someone else did.
Fucking Miles is so fucking stoopid.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:09 PM on January 5 [3 favorites]
Fucking Miles is so fucking stoopid.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:09 PM on January 5 [3 favorites]
Space Mistakes!
- yes, not removing the label or disguising the box was a very big mistake
- Commander Cho investigating the suspicious activity alone even when he can see he’s outnumbered
- Miles ever going to Mars
Technically not a Space Mistake: Sergei failing to observe basic operational security while trying to arrange a double defection.
posted by sixswitch at 7:17 PM on January 5 [1 favorite]
- yes, not removing the label or disguising the box was a very big mistake
- Commander Cho investigating the suspicious activity alone even when he can see he’s outnumbered
- Miles ever going to Mars
Technically not a Space Mistake: Sergei failing to observe basic operational security while trying to arrange a double defection.
posted by sixswitch at 7:17 PM on January 5 [1 favorite]
I only care about Sergei because of Margo, and it's pretty clear she's not getting a minute of happiness.
After Danielle gave that speech to her son that sounded way too close to "one more day until I retire," I was grateful that we only lost Sergei.
My prediction is that the heist fails completely, but Kelly's bacteria are the secret to luxury gay space socialism. That way the writing team never has to figure out what to do with all that iridium.
posted by gladly at 7:26 PM on January 5 [3 favorites]
After Danielle gave that speech to her son that sounded way too close to "one more day until I retire," I was grateful that we only lost Sergei.
My prediction is that the heist fails completely, but Kelly's bacteria are the secret to luxury gay space socialism. That way the writing team never has to figure out what to do with all that iridium.
posted by gladly at 7:26 PM on January 5 [3 favorites]
You know that feeling, right, when you care for a second-tier character, who doesn’t deserve being treated badly so the first-tier character can progress with their story. Doesn’t it make you mad?
Poor Sergei.
posted by willF at 8:11 PM on January 5 [4 favorites]
Poor Sergei.
posted by willF at 8:11 PM on January 5 [4 favorites]
Re the three Star Trek shows in FAM's timeline, word of God is that two of them are the original series and Star Trek Phase II, which led straight into Wrath of Khan (so perfect, according to RDM, it gets made the same in both timelines.) My own bet for #3 would be a version of TNG, perhaps starting a little later that it did in reality. DS9 might have been a bit close to the bone in a world with actual superpower confrontations over space bases.
I now want to pin Ronald D Moore down and enquire how TV and movie SF unfolded generally in FAM's world. We know that Space: 1999 got made because Bill Strausser is an avid collector of memorabilia. Doctor Who hasn't, as far as I can recall, been mentioned, but predates the point of departure for FAM's timeline; ironically, much Pertwee-era Who is set in a version of the 1970s and/or 80s (take your pick!) featuring a much more active space program than in our timeline.
The elephant in the room is of course Star Wars and the huge media empire it has spawned. Again, I don't recall any reference to it in FAM which, given how culturally ubiquitous it has become (Darth Vader, the Death Star) almost makes me suspect that it wasn't made.
Now, if Moore really wanted to screw with us, he'd have it that the greater interest in space exploration in the early 1970s meant that Jodorowsky got the green light for his version of Dune. If that had happened, then it's very likely that either Alien wouldn't have been made or it would have gone ahead as the sub Roger Corman cheap B-movie it was originally envisaged as before Giger and the rest of the artistic crew assembled by Jodorowsky came on board.
posted by Major Clanger at 4:16 AM on January 6 [3 favorites]
I now want to pin Ronald D Moore down and enquire how TV and movie SF unfolded generally in FAM's world. We know that Space: 1999 got made because Bill Strausser is an avid collector of memorabilia. Doctor Who hasn't, as far as I can recall, been mentioned, but predates the point of departure for FAM's timeline; ironically, much Pertwee-era Who is set in a version of the 1970s and/or 80s (take your pick!) featuring a much more active space program than in our timeline.
The elephant in the room is of course Star Wars and the huge media empire it has spawned. Again, I don't recall any reference to it in FAM which, given how culturally ubiquitous it has become (Darth Vader, the Death Star) almost makes me suspect that it wasn't made.
Now, if Moore really wanted to screw with us, he'd have it that the greater interest in space exploration in the early 1970s meant that Jodorowsky got the green light for his version of Dune. If that had happened, then it's very likely that either Alien wouldn't have been made or it would have gone ahead as the sub Roger Corman cheap B-movie it was originally envisaged as before Giger and the rest of the artistic crew assembled by Jodorowsky came on board.
posted by Major Clanger at 4:16 AM on January 6 [3 favorites]
Commander Cho I give a fair bit of credit to for his investigative skills; he makes his Spot Hidden roll* twice; first when he realises that Miles is going into elevators but not coming out of them, and then when he finds evidence of the hidden access control for the sub-level. His mistake was indeed in investigating alone, but given the extreme paranoia among the NK crew, exacerbated by finding the black box, I'm not surprised.
(*Yes, I used to play Call of Cthulhu.)
I agree that it's far from clear what the NK crew are doing at Happy Valley other than spying on the other M7 nations. My theory is that NK is allowed a presence as a quid pro quo for not trying to just claim possession of Mars based on having been first to land a human there. NK evidently has much more advanced space technology in FAM's timeline, and so is likely to have enough of an ICBM arsenal that the major powers treat it as not to be messed around with if at all possible.
Who I do not give credit to is the (presumably) KGB assassin who took out Sergei and tried to make the most ham-fisted fake suicide ever. No forensic pathologist is going to be fooled for a moment by the difference between a gunshot wound from a firearm held to the head and one made from a couple of metres away. In the former case you'd expect to see powder burns and probably stellate laceration of the skin around the entrance wound, and it would also be suspicious that there would be a lack of gunshot residue on Sergei's hand or sleeve. For that matter, the entire set-up would look odd, as suicidal people do not generally kill themselves half-way through eating a burger. Finally, given that the shot will have been heard all through that hotel, good luck to the assassin in having escaped unseen, and that's even before you look at CCTV. In fact, the 'suicide' is so blatantly a set-up that I half-expect it to turn out that it is an unsubtle warning to Margo about how she can run, but she can't hide.
posted by Major Clanger at 4:33 AM on January 6 [4 favorites]
(*Yes, I used to play Call of Cthulhu.)
I agree that it's far from clear what the NK crew are doing at Happy Valley other than spying on the other M7 nations. My theory is that NK is allowed a presence as a quid pro quo for not trying to just claim possession of Mars based on having been first to land a human there. NK evidently has much more advanced space technology in FAM's timeline, and so is likely to have enough of an ICBM arsenal that the major powers treat it as not to be messed around with if at all possible.
Who I do not give credit to is the (presumably) KGB assassin who took out Sergei and tried to make the most ham-fisted fake suicide ever. No forensic pathologist is going to be fooled for a moment by the difference between a gunshot wound from a firearm held to the head and one made from a couple of metres away. In the former case you'd expect to see powder burns and probably stellate laceration of the skin around the entrance wound, and it would also be suspicious that there would be a lack of gunshot residue on Sergei's hand or sleeve. For that matter, the entire set-up would look odd, as suicidal people do not generally kill themselves half-way through eating a burger. Finally, given that the shot will have been heard all through that hotel, good luck to the assassin in having escaped unseen, and that's even before you look at CCTV. In fact, the 'suicide' is so blatantly a set-up that I half-expect it to turn out that it is an unsubtle warning to Margo about how she can run, but she can't hide.
posted by Major Clanger at 4:33 AM on January 6 [4 favorites]
The elephant in the room is of course Star Wars and the huge media empire it has spawned
I think StarWars was shown in the s2 opening “media dump” where they recap the intervening years with news clips but it hasn’t really been referenced otherwise.
As for StarTrek series my money is on TOS, TAS, and Phase 2
posted by nathan_teske at 8:14 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]
I think StarWars was shown in the s2 opening “media dump” where they recap the intervening years with news clips but it hasn’t really been referenced otherwise.
As for StarTrek series my money is on TOS, TAS, and Phase 2
posted by nathan_teske at 8:14 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]
RIP North Korean space goon number 3, we hardly knew ye.
I guess Ilya is well and truly written out. You'd think the moment the spooks learned there was a black market thing going on, the KGB spy would be like "wait a minute, I know a guy".
Total waste with Sergei. Nope.
posted by Nelson at 8:15 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]
I guess Ilya is well and truly written out. You'd think the moment the spooks learned there was a black market thing going on, the KGB spy would be like "wait a minute, I know a guy".
Total waste with Sergei. Nope.
posted by Nelson at 8:15 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]
Whoever shot Sergei wasn't even trying for fake plausibility.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:33 AM on January 6 [2 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:33 AM on January 6 [2 favorites]
Whoever shot Sergei wasn't even trying for fake plausibility.
Agreed, this kind of falls in line with typical Soviet/Russian KGB type hits. They make the barest effort to make it look like they weren’t involved for the smallest sheen of plausible deniability but they also want to leave no doubt who did it. (See: polonium tea murder.) Sergei told Margo he wasn’t followed, which might be true, but the KGB knew where Margo was going for the night and you’d better believe they had that place staked out well beforehand. They didn’t have to follow him, they’d have seen him. They were giving her no room to breathe. Once Margo catches wind of the killing, she’s going to realize that she is as good as dead once she returns to Russia.
posted by azpenguin at 10:08 AM on January 6 [3 favorites]
Agreed, this kind of falls in line with typical Soviet/Russian KGB type hits. They make the barest effort to make it look like they weren’t involved for the smallest sheen of plausible deniability but they also want to leave no doubt who did it. (See: polonium tea murder.) Sergei told Margo he wasn’t followed, which might be true, but the KGB knew where Margo was going for the night and you’d better believe they had that place staked out well beforehand. They didn’t have to follow him, they’d have seen him. They were giving her no room to breathe. Once Margo catches wind of the killing, she’s going to realize that she is as good as dead once she returns to Russia.
posted by azpenguin at 10:08 AM on January 6 [3 favorites]
After Danielle gave that speech to her son that sounded way too close to "one more day until I retire,"
At this point, they've been telegraphing Dani's eventual death so hard all season that I'm convinced it's a red herring.
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 11:58 PM on January 6 [3 favorites]
At this point, they've been telegraphing Dani's eventual death so hard all season that I'm convinced it's a red herring.
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 11:58 PM on January 6 [3 favorites]
telegraphing Dani's eventual death so hard all season that I'm convinced it's a red herring.
Ha! I'm reminded of this fantastic comment by DoctorFedora re Star Trek: Discovery
"He may as well have been a week from retirement and just bought a yacht named the Live Forever for all the heaping-it-on-thick they were doing there."
...which did indeed turn out to be (partial) misdirection.
posted by Major Clanger at 12:26 AM on January 7 [3 favorites]
Ha! I'm reminded of this fantastic comment by DoctorFedora re Star Trek: Discovery
"He may as well have been a week from retirement and just bought a yacht named the Live Forever for all the heaping-it-on-thick they were doing there."
...which did indeed turn out to be (partial) misdirection.
posted by Major Clanger at 12:26 AM on January 7 [3 favorites]
Unless they're dropping an asteroid on Happy Valley, I just don't see Danielle being in danger, though I agree, some major "Today's the last day before retirement" vibes are coming through.
Well, wait a second here, Wikipedia says Lee just chokes the North Korean commander into unconsciousness. It was my impression Lee choked him to death. Am I wrong on that?
posted by Atreides at 7:19 AM on January 8 [2 favorites]
Well, wait a second here, Wikipedia says Lee just chokes the North Korean commander into unconsciousness. It was my impression Lee choked him to death. Am I wrong on that?
posted by Atreides at 7:19 AM on January 8 [2 favorites]
I certainly thought Lee killed Commander Cho when I watched it. But looking at recaps most people interpret it as just making him unconscious. Maybe we'll see more of North Korean space goon number 3 yet.
(This satisfies one of my nitpicks. TV often shows someone being choked to death in like 15 seconds. But it takes several minutes to kill someone that way. OTOH a choke hold can make someone pass out in just a few seconds if you stop the carotid artery from bringing in fresh blood.)
posted by Nelson at 10:59 AM on January 8 [2 favorites]
(This satisfies one of my nitpicks. TV often shows someone being choked to death in like 15 seconds. But it takes several minutes to kill someone that way. OTOH a choke hold can make someone pass out in just a few seconds if you stop the carotid artery from bringing in fresh blood.)
posted by Nelson at 10:59 AM on January 8 [2 favorites]
We were initially thrown off because Lee should have whispered in Korean (with subtitles), "Sleep....sleep.....sleep."
posted by Atreides at 12:12 PM on January 8 [1 favorite]
posted by Atreides at 12:12 PM on January 8 [1 favorite]
Gosh, it's S1E9 all over again, where we assumed that Ed had killed the Soviet cosmonaut by depressurising the airlock, but it turned out he'd just rendered him unconscious.
It turns out there are reported cases of sudden death from neck pressure; it's believed to be down to vagus nerve inhibition. Or perhaps Lee knows the Secret North Korean Death Grip (TM).
posted by Major Clanger at 9:18 AM on January 9 [3 favorites]
It turns out there are reported cases of sudden death from neck pressure; it's believed to be down to vagus nerve inhibition. Or perhaps Lee knows the Secret North Korean Death Grip (TM).
posted by Major Clanger at 9:18 AM on January 9 [3 favorites]
I probably should've seen it coming for Sergei, but I didn't. Poor bastard didn't deserve that.
posted by jzb at 11:19 AM on January 9 [2 favorites]
posted by jzb at 11:19 AM on January 9 [2 favorites]
I probably should've seen it coming for Sergei, but I didn't. Poor bastard didn't deserve that.
I mean, who puts ketchup on a Big Mac, anyway? Someone with a death wish, that's who.
posted by Kyol at 12:08 PM on January 9
I mean, who puts ketchup on a Big Mac, anyway? Someone with a death wish, that's who.
posted by Kyol at 12:08 PM on January 9
Dude was just going to walk out on his wife with an old flame from 10 years ago. I'm not saying anyone deserves to be executed by a vengeful KGB cleaning up loose ends, but my sympathy plummeted. I mean, he could have simply done something to try and get Margot free, or acknowledged he was married but they could still be best space buds in Brazil, whatever. Thanks a lot writers.
posted by Atreides at 1:14 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]
posted by Atreides at 1:14 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]
So, in advance of the season finale, we need suggestions for a bingo card! My starters...
- A character from Season 1 dies.
- Margo double-defects.
- Shock Reveal: They Ate Danny.
- The asteroid hijack goes wrong and it's heading to impact Earth!
- Kelly finds proof of life on Mars.
- Miles, to the amazement of viewers, characters and himself, does something intelligent.
- Dev tries to triple-cross everybody.
- The M7 messily disintegrates.
- Eli gets fired by Al Gore.
- Irina either (a) gets sent to the Gulag or (b) ends up as Soviet Premier.
- Molly Cobb's Force Ghost tells Aleida how to save the day.
- There's an Easter Egg strongly hinting that the show is a distant prequel to The Expanse.
- Al Gore claims credit for everything, again.
posted by Major Clanger at 12:45 PM on January 10 [6 favorites]
- A character from Season 1 dies.
- Margo double-defects.
- Shock Reveal: They Ate Danny.
- The asteroid hijack goes wrong and it's heading to impact Earth!
- Kelly finds proof of life on Mars.
- Miles, to the amazement of viewers, characters and himself, does something intelligent.
- Dev tries to triple-cross everybody.
- The M7 messily disintegrates.
- Eli gets fired by Al Gore.
- Irina either (a) gets sent to the Gulag or (b) ends up as Soviet Premier.
- Molly Cobb's Force Ghost tells Aleida how to save the day.
- There's an Easter Egg strongly hinting that the show is a distant prequel to The Expanse.
- Al Gore claims credit for everything, again.
posted by Major Clanger at 12:45 PM on January 10 [6 favorites]
These are all good, though if the asteroid is going to hit Earth, that's either avoided or we get a quick time jump at the end to show Earth after impact.
I'm also thinking:
- Somehow Alex is involved in something
- Ilya makes a surprise return
- Lee's wife somehow makes it to Mars because Miles wasn't actually talking out the side of his mouth (this may fall under the above Miles does something intelligent)
- The asteroid staying at Mars causes the Soviet Union to collapse, i.e., perestroika (episode title).
- Said collapse somehow ends with Margo in charge of Roscosmos or less exciting, free to return to USA.
- Aleida becomes the head of Helios after Dev spins off the Mars venture
- We see Danielle watching Phase 2 Star Trek with her grandbaby.
posted by Atreides at 6:40 AM on January 11 [1 favorite]
I'm also thinking:
- Somehow Alex is involved in something
- Ilya makes a surprise return
- Lee's wife somehow makes it to Mars because Miles wasn't actually talking out the side of his mouth (this may fall under the above Miles does something intelligent)
- The asteroid staying at Mars causes the Soviet Union to collapse, i.e., perestroika (episode title).
- Said collapse somehow ends with Margo in charge of Roscosmos or less exciting, free to return to USA.
- Aleida becomes the head of Helios after Dev spins off the Mars venture
- We see Danielle watching Phase 2 Star Trek with her grandbaby.
posted by Atreides at 6:40 AM on January 11 [1 favorite]
Apple TV twitter shares, "Prepare to be astronomically wrecked by the For All Mankind finale tonight."
Welp.
posted by Atreides at 8:05 AM on January 11 [1 favorite]
Welp.
posted by Atreides at 8:05 AM on January 11 [1 favorite]
You'd think that Sergei would check the closet and bathroom for uninvited guests before settling in to his cheap motel room, given his history and what he's been doing lately. I guess not!
Would checking change the outcome?
posted by fairmettle at 2:53 AM on January 21 [2 favorites]
Would checking change the outcome?
posted by fairmettle at 2:53 AM on January 21 [2 favorites]
The letters in "Margo Madison" can be rearranged to spell "I go mad on Mars." Just saying.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 6:11 PM on January 29 [7 favorites]
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 6:11 PM on January 29 [7 favorites]
Star Wars is 1977. Halfway between the end of manned moon missions and the first shuttle launch. (And let's face it, despite all the spin NASA put on it, the shuttle was kind of boring.) We went from heroic men on the moon to seeing if we could get stuff to low earth orbit cheaper. Dull. Science Fiction was presenting grim futures. Silent Running. Soylent Green. Logan's Run. Star Wars was space fantasy, and it was fun! Coming out when it did, it was like a bolt of lightning.
In FAM's world, however, there's still awesome space stuff going on all the time. People are still excited about space. Star Trek Phase II apparently gets made. It's a different situation entirely. My guess is that Star Wars comes out on schedule, and it's seen as the lightweight Flash Gordon pastiche it basically is - something fun for the kids but not to be taken seriously. It's fantasy, but there's real space stuff going on, and I'm guessing sci fi movies are still showing much more optimistic visions of an aspirational space future as they'd done at the height of the space race. So Star Wars is moderately successful and wins some SFX Oscars, but doesn't turn into a huge media empire, and is eventually no more significant than The Car or Moonshine County Express, both of which also came out in May of 1977. The best remembered movie from that month is Smokey and the Bandit.
posted by Naberius at 9:14 PM on March 4
In FAM's world, however, there's still awesome space stuff going on all the time. People are still excited about space. Star Trek Phase II apparently gets made. It's a different situation entirely. My guess is that Star Wars comes out on schedule, and it's seen as the lightweight Flash Gordon pastiche it basically is - something fun for the kids but not to be taken seriously. It's fantasy, but there's real space stuff going on, and I'm guessing sci fi movies are still showing much more optimistic visions of an aspirational space future as they'd done at the height of the space race. So Star Wars is moderately successful and wins some SFX Oscars, but doesn't turn into a huge media empire, and is eventually no more significant than The Car or Moonshine County Express, both of which also came out in May of 1977. The best remembered movie from that month is Smokey and the Bandit.
posted by Naberius at 9:14 PM on March 4
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posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 8:33 PM on January 4 [3 favorites]