S04.E05: Goldilocks

[paulvdb]

Quote

A discovery sends teams across Earth and Mars scrambling for answers.

Premiere date: December 8, 2023.

[PurpleTentacle]

So the Paine telescope was pretty clearly the Webb. Guess in the FAM-universe they got it up there at least 20 years earlier than in ours. Probably more, considering how many delays it had here.

Thing is, and I don't want to have to do this every episode but they leave me no choice, I feel I have to point out a bit of bullshittery here. This is an infrared telescope. The images it produces don't look like if you'd make a photo. When you see images from the Webb that look like that, they were recoloured. So why did the freshly made images look like this here? Also why would it have been pointed towards Mars anyway? None of this makes any sense.

I also don't buy that they can tell that there is Iridium in the asteroid. How would they be able to? If they had long term data, with it flying by quite a few other objects, they could probably calculate its mass and then guess a probable composition, but even with that they wouldn't be able to say "Iridium!", they'd just be able to say that it has a big amount of heavy metals. But they don't even have that. They just discovered it.

Not quite sure why they chose Iridium as this super desirable metal that everybody wants and produces so much geopolitical turmoil anyway. It is rarer than Gold or Platinum, true, but it also has less applications. Maybe, if it was abundant, we'd find more applications for it, but as it stands today, I would have gone for Platinum. That can be usefull in a bunch of catalytic converters, fuel cells, etc.

Anyway, kind of funny how they were so direct with their FOX news parody as to call it eagel news. It's even got that animal name...

Kelly telling her son that a year goes by fast is such a blatant lie. I remember being that age. A year was an eternity. Like close to a decade for me today. Kid's brains perceive time a lot different than adult's. Glad she decided to bring her son with her. It sure hit Dev right in the feels and opened some old wounds even further, that she wouldn't abandon her son, like his mother did him.

So Danny is just dead afterall. Lame. After they dragged this out for literally half the season, I would have hoped for some more. And also Danielle, the bible? Didn't you have anything good to read? No wonder the poor guy offed himself.

But at the end of this episode she finally did the right thing and fired Ed. That really has been a long time coming.

[ofmd]

I wonder what kind of  developments the new iridium mining will fuel. Space travel beyond the solar system? And wouldn't Russia be trying to sabotage the mining, not wanting to lose their position as almost the only supplier?

Dany's reckoning with Ed came about 30 years too late... He's far outstayed his welcome in the show, imho.

I'm confused about one deatil of the Danny backstory. Dany said something like, "We need to tell him this is the last time" when they visited him for bringing supplies. Does that mean they had no more food for him?!

I always thought he probably committed suicide, so I'm not bothered by that solution.

I hope Miles' colleague is over that weird attraction to him that seems to have been established in the previous episode and instead she will unionize.

Meanwhile, trouble in gangster's paradise: Miles' loss isn't amused about being left out of the red rock deal. I find his storyline boring. He's likeable but just too dumb to be real (particularly with the Koreans a couple of eps ago).

The business power couple, Kelly and Aleida, will split! With a mil like that, I'd take the kid along, too. And oooh, Aleida going to Russia! How long until she runs into Margo (or maybe see her on Russian tv or similar)?! I smell a cliffhanger.

Speaking of Margo, I missed her. Ever since her boss gave her the photograph with Sergej, I keep wondering if she could be his wife/ widow. I guess she could have changed her name?

ETA: Dev's plan to not return from Maqrs does not bode well...

Edited December 8, 2023 by ofmd

[Tuggy]

1 hour ago, ofmd said:

I'm confused about one deatil of the Danny backstory. Dany said something like, "We need to tell him this is the last time" when they visited him for bringing supplies. Does that mean they had no more food for him?!

My understanding is that they were running out of food and that Danielle was giving much of her share to Danny. 

My immediate thought when they found him dead was that they would solve their food issue by eating him and that this was where the shame truly came from... 

Edited December 8, 2023 by Tuggy

[ofmd]

Ah yes, the food rationing/ running out makes sense. Your other idea... kinda dark for this show, but we'll see!

I think one of the old guard will die dramatically this season. While Ed would make the most sense, I fear it might be Dani.

[Cramps]

I can’t see Ed making it past this season. But I do predict he’ll rise like a phoenix from his self-made ashes to selflessly save the day on one last mission! 

I can’t wait for the Aleida Margot confrontation! 

I too was very confused about the Danny storyline. Was it a flashback? There is no lack of food up there now, but there used to be. 
 

Also, why bury the North Korean’s gun in the sand last season if they weren’t going to have Danny use it on himself? 
 

 

 

 

[marinw]

As much as I hated Danny back in Season Three, the flashback scenes were rough. I still don't get why Phoenix couldn't have done sort of supply drop. 

I was wondering about Alex's health issues. There must be more than one Mars Baby by now considering the growing population of Happy Valley. As I mentioned a few episodes back, the condoms are one of the few things that are free. Even the most micro-managing government  agency or corporation knows that ordering people not to have sex is impossible.

I wonder how much Mars jewellery is counterfeit.

Edited December 9, 2023 by marinw

[whiporee]

I’m in a small minority but I’m more on team Ed in this than Dani, but mostly because I am really over Saint Danielle. She’s been insubordinate plenty of times — she decided on her own to break her arm to get Gordo home, which left Ed alone on the moon. She disobeyed direct orders to complete Apollo-Soyuz. That it all worked out doesn’t change that she did it. She also crashed Sojourner. Had Ed not shown more restraint than she did, everyone dies on Mars. She picked her crew for that mission every bit as much as Ed did his on the Ranger. Dani made a decision that should have cost Ed’s daughter her life

The difference is Dani keeps getting rewarded and Ed keeps getting shit on. Molly makes the call about Sojourner — Margo overrules her. Then Dani gets pissed at Ed for giving Danny a chance — the same chance Dani was giving him. She changed her mind and then got mad at him for disagreeing with her opinion. 
 

Then, here, she comes in, exerts her authority, and not only gets his trusted copilot who he’s been training imprisoned — or at least doesn’t fight for her — she tells Ed just to take it.  He’s a Helios employee and has been on that base for eight years. She’s not his commander; at best, she’s his boss. And a boss — one who was trained and promoted by Ed — ought to have a bit more delicate a touch than she’s shown. Dani likes being the savior every much as much as Ed likes being a cowboy. 
 

Ed was being a dick. But Dani‘s perpetual self-righteousness has just gotten old to me. 

[marinw]

It pains me to say this, but since the first episode this season of FAM has lacked the tense space action, dangerous rescues, and missions going Pear-Shaped in spectacular ways that is a large part of what makes this show sing. Miles falling off a rock ledge in Mars gravity is hardly the thing they make movies and statues over.

Edited December 9, 2023 by marinw

[marinw]

21 hours ago, Cramps said:

I can’t see Ed making it past this season. But I do predict he’ll rise like a phoenix from his self-made ashes to selflessly save the day on one last mission! 

Yes, he will pull a Molly Cobb and go out like a hero. I really like Ed while still recognizing his many flaws.

Edited December 9, 2023 by marinw

[Tuggy]

Also, fun fact: the set they used for Helios is the same as the startup one in The Dropout 😁 Hope that Dev will not follow the same path as Elisabeth Holmes... 

[Mr. R0b0t]

On 12/8/2023 at 6:54 AM, ofmd said:

Dany's reckoning with Ed came about 30 years too late... He's far outstayed his welcome in the show, imho.

For me the hubris and arrogance of Ed has outstayed it's welcome, but as a character I still find him compelling.  It's about time someone hit him in the face with some truth.  

 

9 hours ago, whiporee said:

Ed was being a dick. But Dani‘s perpetual self-righteousness has just gotten old to me.

Also agree with this and think one of the best parts of the show is the way the characters really do emulate traits of people we know in our lives at some point.  The arrogant know-it-all, the self-righteous stick in the mud, the jewel smuggling HVAC guy....ok, maybe 2/3.

 

1 hour ago, Tuggy said:

Also, fun fact: the set they used for Helios is the same as the startup one in The Dropout 😁 Hope that Dev will not follow the same path as Elisabeth Holmes... 

I bet Dev can rock a black turtleneck.

[meep.meep]

On 12/8/2023 at 7:00 AM, Tuggy said:

My understanding is that they were running out of food and that Danielle was giving much of her share to Danny. 

From this episode it looked like Danielle was giving her food to Danny, but no where has it been said that they were running out of food, or even implied.  The black market is full of food brought in surreptitiously.  There should be no problem bringing in food (not great food) through normal channels.

This was a "we only have enough $ to pay him for two scenes" solution.  And pretty terrible if Danielle was planning to drop by, give him one can, and say "there won't be any more ever, good luck.  Maybe Jesus can find a way."

Margo speaking Russian with a thick Texas accent was funny.

[marinw]

40 minutes ago, meep.meep said:

From this episode it looked like Danielle was giving her food to Danny, but no where has it been said that they were running out of food, or even implied.  The black market is full of food brought in surreptitiously.  There should be no problem bringing in food (not great food) through normal channels.

Those scenes where flashbacks to Season Three.

[marinw]

So Danny committed suicide by letting his suit run out of air or something? Or he just wondered outside weakened by hunger and expired there? Pretty dark either way. Danny’s widow (can’t remember her name) seemed to be on good terms with Danielle in episode one, so she must not know the whole truth. I can see why Helios/NASA would have covered the whole thing up, or even fabricate a lie about Danny dying heroically.

Edited December 10, 2023 by marinw

[Haleth]

I had to chuckle at the hullaballoo over Pres Gore announcing he invented iridium or whatever he said.  Because of course.

On 12/8/2023 at 10:00 AM, Tuggy said:

My understanding is that they were running out of food

Potatoes!  What?  Wrong movie?

18 hours ago, meep.meep said:

From this episode it looked like Danielle was giving her food to Danny, but no where has it been said that they were running out of food, or even implied.  The black market is full of food brought in surreptitiously.  There should be no problem bringing in food (not great food) through normal channels.

That was years ago when the crew were stranded on Mars after Danny's antics.  Hopefully we'll find out how one of the space agencies was able to get food to them before they all starved.  Or maybe they did grow potatoes in the meantime.

RIP Danny.  Hated the character but it's a sad ending to his sad life.

It's about time someone booted Ed.  He and Kelly can wave to each other as they pass by.

They're seriously letting a child go to Mars?  All I can think of is months of hearing "Are we there yet?"  LOL

[marinw]

On 12/10/2023 at 8:47 AM, Haleth said:

They're seriously letting a child go to Mars?  All I can think of is months of hearing "Are we there yet?"  LOL

In order for Mars to eventually become its own society they are going to need children. (Unless your strategy is to rely solely on immigration ) Kelly, intentionally or not, has just offered up Alex as a test case in how that would work, and the Helios and NASA  docs would jump at the chance to study him. The poor kid. Alex can go to Mars, the question is if he will be able to return to Earth. I'm already speculating that in the 2020's or 2030's Alex will lead the Independent Mars Movement or something.

Edited December 11, 2023 by marinw

[PurpleTentacle]

On 12/9/2023 at 7:22 AM, whiporee said:

I’m in a small minority but I’m more on team Ed in this than Dani, but mostly because I am really over Saint Danielle. She’s been insubordinate plenty of times — she decided on her own to break her arm to get Gordo home, which left Ed alone on the moon. She disobeyed direct orders to complete Apollo-Soyuz. That it all worked out doesn’t change that she did it. She also crashed Sojourner. Had Ed not shown more restraint than she did, everyone dies on Mars. She picked her crew for that mission every bit as much as Ed did his on the Ranger. Dani made a decision that should have cost Ed’s daughter her life

So what you are saying is: Danielle shows mostly good judgement. Like getting Gordo home before he hurt himself or others and completing missions, while Ed shows mostly bad judgement, like taking Danny on that mission, something Danielle had warned him about. Also I don't remember how Danielle's decisions put anybodies life in danger on Mars, I remember that Danny nearly killed everybody, something that is also on Ed, for taking a seriously unstable person on that mission. Can you remind me what Danielle did wrong there?

On 12/9/2023 at 7:22 AM, whiporee said:

Then, here, she comes in, exerts her authority, and not only gets his trusted copilot who he’s been training imprisoned — or at least doesn’t fight for her — she tells Ed just to take it.  He’s a Helios employee and has been on that base for eight years. She’s not his commander; at best, she’s his boss. And a boss — one who was trained and promoted by Ed — ought to have a bit more delicate a touch than she’s shown. Dani likes being the savior every much as much as Ed likes being a cowboy. 

She is the commander of the base. Helios personal, russians, amricans, everybody has to listen to her call.

His trusted co-pilot got herself imprisoned when she assaulted a guy.

She tried to handle Ed with kid-gloves, but in typical Ed-fashion he just had to be an ass and escalate the situation.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Of course there will be a race to snag the trillion-dollar asteroid, which the Russians will want to sabotage. Cold War gets colder.

I have a feeling Ilya is not long for Mars. Miles is a man of a certain honor and doesn't appreciate being made to look dishonest to the Koreans.

Dev is going to Mars is hilarious. That's like Bezos going to the moon.

Ed went rogue again. What could possibly go wrong? Besides getting his crew killed because his attempt to hide his health issues, that is.

Yep, Alex's grandma was just waiting to abscond with him back to Russia. Good thing Kelly picked up on it. Apparently Babushka forgot Kelly is a billionaire and can take her son to another planet.

That must be something, to have family tell you they're moving to Mars and not coming back. At least Dev was honest; Ed has never admitted he wasn't going back to Earth, has he?

So Danny offed himself. Wonder if he somehow knew about the Happy Valley food scarcity problem or if he simply decided he couldn't live like that anymore?

Did Ilya poison Miles with that homemade vodka? He had a sneaky look on his face when he poured those shots.

Ya burnt, Ed! Pack up your shit and GTFO. Dani has had enough! But neither of them know Kelly is on her way back up there with Ed's grandson. Maybe that'll be Ed's excuse to stay on Mars.

Ditto comments upthread, wonder how long it'll take for Aleida to see Margo or at least find out Margo is alive and living in Russia?

I'm fascinated by the theories afoot that the Happy Valley residents ate Danny in order to fend off starvation, and Ed's tremors are caused by brain disease from eating another human. Seems odd though that he'd be the only person affected unless his problem is actually psychosomatic.

My favorite comment from reddit:

Quote

In case anyone is curious, this is the full Letterman "Top Ten Other Achievements Claimed by Al Gore":

10. Was first human to grow an opposable thumb.
9. Only man in world to sleep with someone named "Tipper".
8. Current Vice President - Moesha fan club.
7. He invented the dog.
6. While riding bicycle one day, accidentally invented the orgasm.
5. Pulled U.S. out of early 90's recession by personally buying 6,000 T-shirts.
4. Starred in CBS situation comedy with Juan Valdez, "Juan for Al, Al for Juan".
3. Was inspiration for Ozzy Osboune song "Crazy Train".
2. Came up with popular catchphrase "Don't go there, girlfriend".
1. Gave mankind fire.

Edited December 11, 2023 by Joimiaroxeu

[PurpleTentacle]

1 hour ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

I'm fascinated by the theories afoot that the Happy Valley residents ate Danny in order to fend off starvation, and Ed's tremors are caused by brain disease from eating another human. Seems odd though that he'd be the only person affected unless his problem is actually psychosomatic.

I actually think he doesn't have a brain disease. We've never seen his hand tremble except when he put it on the controlstick. I think he has a bit of the PTSD from seeing his friend get yeeted into space on an asteroid.

If they ate Danny or not, I'm not sure. It might be a bit dark for this show, but the thought did come to mind.

[ofmd]

Somehow I doubt they will have Ed leave and live out his life on Earth. The show loves him so much, they'll want him to go out with a bang, preferably saving the Mars colony in the process.

And I still fear for Danni, although I don't know why. Maybe they want to get rid of the remaining old guard before next season? Or maybe because someone returning out of retirement rings my alarm bells. See also, Gordy.

Yes  Bezos on Mars can only spell doom.

I've been thinking about Aleida seeing Margo. Realistically, wouldn't her boss and the KGB know to avoid that? Unless ofc they want them to meet to mess up negotiations. Also, with all the tech advancements, wouldn't the CIA be in the know wrt Margo being alive?

ETA: Hmmmm... Did Ed's trembling really start only after the asteroid incident? He's been growing that medicinal weed for a while...

 

Edited December 11, 2023 by ofmd

[marinw]

Was that handsome guy in Dani's vid-call Dani's husband? I forgot that she was married.

47 minutes ago, ofmd said:

Yes  Bezos on Mars can only spell doom.

Yes, he will try to take over everything while claiming that he's being democratic,

Edited December 11, 2023 by marinw

[Dev F]

13 hours ago, PurpleTentacle said:

I actually think he doesn't have a brain disease. We've never seen his hand tremble except when he put it on the controlstick. I think he has a bit of the PTSD from seeing his friend get yeeted into space on an asteroid.

I think the first time we see Ed worrying over his hand is before the asteroid mission goes bad, after he finishes watching Kelly's video while Kuz is installing the anchors.

[PurpleTentacle]

4 hours ago, Dev F said:

I think the first time we see Ed worrying over his hand is before the asteroid mission goes bad, after he finishes watching Kelly's video while Kuz is installing the anchors.

You are right, there is a closeup there of his hand, he is opening and closing it and maybe there is an ever so slight tremor. But if that was supposed to be foreshadowing, it wasn't communicated very well. Could also just be nerves. First ever asteroid capture and all.

Afterwards he works the controlstick just fine and we've never seen his hand shake in any other situation. It's a bit weird.

[wmdekooning]

On 12/9/2023 at 11:01 AM, Mr. R0b0t said:

For me the hubris and arrogance of Ed has outstayed it's welcome, but as a character I still find him compelling.  It's about time someone hit him in the face with some truth.  

Danielle may not have been perfect, she always tried to do the best for the greater whole and may have preferred to stick to the rules, but dealing with Ed she had the patience of a saint.

It took near THIRTY YEARS(!), but F*** YOU ED!!!

lol!

[Paws]

On 12/12/2023 at 4:54 AM, PurpleTentacle said:

Afterwards he works the controlstick just fine and we've never seen his hand shake in any other situation. It's a bit weird.

Hé showed Svetlana that his hand shakes and that that is why he grows the weed.