S03.E01: The Tortoise and the Hare

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Quote

While Wilford emphasizes his rule aboard his icy train, Layton's pirate train continues its dangerous quest for warm spots, and comes across something entirely unexpected.

Original air date 2022.01.24

[marinw]

Is this still streaming on Netflix in Canada?

[AnimeMania]

It is beach weather on Snowpiercer.


Somebody didn't get the memo it is Summertime.

What weather are you dressed for?

[Netfoot]

I promised myself I wasn't coming back for S3, but the lack of content elsewhere made my decide to give it a go.

I figured I'd be disappointed, and I was right. Melanie is, of course, no longer with us. Ruth played a virtually nonexistent part in the episode. Layton confirms my original opinion: he is stupid, unimaginative, and a very weak peg to hang the entire show on. Bess is pretty insipid, but at least she gave us the only enjoyable moments on the show, belting those two with a pipe-wrench. Alas, not smart enough to pound their actual brains completely out and onto the floor, nor smart enough to heave their unconscious arses out the window into the snow. Also, LJ's guts have not been turned into sausage-skins, the first bucket of shit didn't go straight into the face if Mr. Bluesuit, and Wilton's doggie hasn't eaten him as yet.

So a pretty disappointing episode, all things considered.

Questions I won't ask because I know the answer will sound very clever and yet be semantically null:

1) Why is there an issue with water? They're surrounded by zillions of tons of ice!

2) How is it they repeatedly walk down a long passageway, turn 90° and walk down another long passageway, while on a train?!??

3) Why do I watch this rubbish?

[ReganX]

The idea of one car running hot and one car running cold has some potential, and it’s probably as good an explanation as we’re likely to get as to how the 1,023 car train could ever catch up to the 10 car train. From a storyline perspective, it also means that Wilford can’t play the benevolent savior. Everybody has to work, and Wilford being Wilford, he’s not only ruling with an iron fist but hoarding whatever luxuries are available for himself. If he had sense, he’d make it known that, while he plans to reinstate First Class and Second Class, placement there will not be based on tickets originally purchased but on labor and loyalty. It’d be a pretty tempting carrot. 
 

I’m not a fan of the idea that there were survivors all along, much less that there have been warm places on Earth than Snowpiercer just happens to have missed on its revolutions. 
 

The planet warming gradually, and the possibility of using Snowpiercer’s technology and resources to establish a stationary colony that can withstand the cold, would be one thing. It would mean weighing the possibility of making a life away from the train, which could entail generations of hard work and a basic lifestyle, against life on Snowpiercer. I think that it’s a cop out to have an Eden just waiting for them to move in, grow crops, raise livestock and build a society. 
 

The experiment on Zara’s fetus was creepy, and given Wilford’s stance that pregnancy carries privilege, I shudder to think of the price that he would expect to be paid for that privilege. I assume that it’s a refinement of the treatments that gave Icy Bob and Josie their ability to withstand the cold. 

[Tachi Rocinante]

Ehh, I liked it.  Some creative transition shots with Bess crawling out/Josie coming out and the shit throwing/gravy stirring.

I got the impression that the person survived due to a (possibly nuclear?) heat source.  Her outfit reminded me of The Rocketeer, which Jennifer Connelly was in.

Was Audrey always such a pretentious twat?  Also, if you're going to have an actor/actress do a scene where smoking is a focus, at least pick one who actually smokes. The "cigar puffing" was terrible.

[rmontro]

6 hours ago, Tachi Rocinante said:

Was Audrey always such a pretentious twat?  Also, if you're going to have an actor/actress do a scene where smoking is a focus, at least pick one who actually smokes. The "cigar puffing" was terrible.

Maybe they could have the stunt double come in and do the real smoking.

I was a little confused, are we supposed to think the person who attacked Layton might be Melanie?  Why would she (or anyone else for that matter) attack Layton?  This is one thing I hate about television, especially these apocalyptic type shows.  Whenever two people meet for the first time, the first reaction is to try to kill each other.

[AnimeMania]

23 hours ago, Netfoot said:

1) Why is there an issue with water? They're surrounded by zillions of tons of ice!

I think it was more that the water was hot (used for bathing). The punishment was to make them far dirtier than they were before the bath.

What Wilford was eating looked disgusting, I think for some reason they are running out of food.

[ReganX]

12 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

I think it was more that the water was hot (used for bathing). The punishment was to make them far dirtier than they were before the bath.

What Wilford was eating looked disgusting, I think for some reason they are running out of food.

It’s an issue with energy in general. Big Alice originally had 40 cars, and now it’s got 1,023. The train generates energy while travelling, based on its speed - in Season 1, Melanie wouldn’t let Javi slow down because it would mean power cuts - and since its travelling more slowly, it’s generating less power. It’s not even moving fast enough to keep from freezing. That’s why it’s so cold, and it’s a safe bet that crop yields are impacted if they can’t keep the Ag-Sec cars warm enough, or if they can only maintain some of them. They can have all the ice they could want, but it’ll still take power to heat it.

Cold showers would be hard enough to come by, given that crops and drinking water are certain to be prioritised over bathing when it comes to rationing available water. A hot bath is a major luxury, one the two people punished got by helping the resistance.

[tennisgurl]

Audrey has not only gone darkside, she has become amazingly pretentious, almost as obsessed with her own gravitas as her boyfriend Wilford, without the psycho tendencies, at least for now. 

Wilford with Zara's fetus was very creepy. The premise of him having the main train (which has become even more awful then usual) while Layton has his small version and is looking for signs of life outside is a decently interesting idea for the seasons premise, gives us somewhere more to go plot wise then dealing with Wilford and his cult of personality. 

I thought for sure Javi was dead last season, but right now Javi is probably thinking that death would be a decent option, poor guy. 

Ruth has become my favorite character on the show, her growth from snooty Wilford devote to resistance leader has been a highlight of the show.

Edited January 27, 2022 by tennisgurl

[rtms77]

I’m enjoying seeing Alex grow and spread her wings. She knows her stuff , she just needs the experience and confidence to go forward.

Once again Audrey competes with Wilford as to who is the bigger psycho. Why she doesn’t just off herself is perplexing with all the complaining she does. 
im curious to see if Sykes will go resistence or if she’s playing the long game for Wilford. 
 

Did Melanie even mention a New Eden? I was scratching my head about where that place suddenly came up. Maybe Layton just came up with it to encourage everyone. I do like him as leader. He’s the most decent guy around.  And though Joise can be a pain she’s the best right hand , making sure he stays level.

So was that red engine throwing off heat or something else? Curious about the newcomer. 

[ReganX]

13 hours ago, rtms77 said:

Did Melanie even mention a New Eden? I was scratching my head about where that place suddenly came up.

Not that I can recall. Melanie was trying to establish whether the planet might be beginning to warm up by testing the air temperature higher up, since the temperature at ground level consistently measured at around the -120 degrees Celsius mark. I don’t think that there was any suggestion that there were already places that were warm enough to be liveable. 
 

Considering that Snowpiercer’s revolution takes it to every continent and covers more than 300,000 kilometres of track, it seems implausible that there could be warm places that they just happened to miss.

Edited January 28, 2022 by ReganX

[ctlady]

On 1/27/2022 at 10:42 PM, rtms77 said:

I’m enjoying seeing Alex grow and spread her wings. She knows her stuff , she just needs the experience and confidence to go forward.

Agreed - the actress just needs to tone down the spasticness and crazy eyes

My reaction to the entire Wilford situation is just like Negan from The Walking Dead  His deep knowledge of the train (especially with Melanie gone) is most likely what's keeping him alive.  I don't know how factions of individuals would end up acting like in a dystopian situation, but, man when you're leader is sadistic, cruel and clearly only concerned about his comfort and well being, there' s going to be only so long before they rise up and take him out - just like the biggest guy in the prison yard.  Everyone else, including those who did his bidding, would eventually follow

[ReganX]

On 2/3/2022 at 3:58 PM, ctlady said:

His deep knowledge of the train (especially with Melanie gone) is most likely what's keeping him alive.

That’s probably why he’s keeping Javi under such close watch, and is breaking him down as much as he can without rendering him incapable of functioning. With Alex and Ben on the mini train, Javi is the only other person who could keep the train running if Wilford was eliminated. I suspect that, if an attempt was made to overthrow Wilford, his first move would be to kill Javi to ensure that he was indispensable.

[Hanahope]

On 1/28/2022 at 11:47 AM, ReganX said:

Not that I can recall. Melanie was trying to establish whether the planet might be beginning to warm up by testing the air temperature higher up, since the temperature at ground level consistently measured at around the -120 degrees Celsius mark. I don’t think that there was any suggestion that there were already places that were warm enough to be liveable. 

I think the point is (a) Mel proved that some parts of the earth are beginning to warm up above ground and (b) she found an underground area that is warm enough to support life.  So what Layton's group is doing is trying to find another one of those places where heat might be coming up from under ground, that also corresponds to an area that is starting to warm up above ground.  

 

[Hanahope]

adding:  ok, the science of the trains is really confusing, on why SP is hot while standing still.  and why would they trust the "stowaway" who clearly wants to get back to his husband and kids?  will never get tired of Bess beaning Audrey.  where did the other woman go when Bess attacked Audrey and the stowaway?  

Glad to see Ruth stepping up to lead the resistance.  

Poor Javi.  who operates the train while he sleeps?  doesn't look like Wilford is doing it.  where's Miles?

I was trying to figure out what happened to the male scientist and why.  i guess it was because he gave Frosie the weapon she used to break the aquarium car?  Wilford can't admit to his own mistakes.

I guess the "cull" work has not gone forward for the time being.  and how did LJ learn how to bartend?

[AnimeMania]

5 hours ago, Hanahope said:

I guess the "cull" work has not gone forward for the time being.  and how did LJ learn how to bartend?

I don't think they have a lot of alcohol choices, so it is not that hard.

[Welshman in Ca]

On 1/28/2022 at 8:47 AM, ReganX said:

Considering that Snowpiercer’s revolution takes it to every continent and covers more than 300,000 kilometres of track, it seems implausible that there could be warm places that they just happened to miss.

Just getting to my recordings of this so I'm late to the party. While it may take it to every continent it does not cover every square mile of said continent as was shown by the track running around the coast of Africa, that leaves a few million square miles of Africa not covered. Plenty of room for warmer areas there and what about volcanoes? Did they suddenly stop erupting and the underground magma flows stop flowing?