S03.E07: Delta-V

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

All eyes turn to the edge of the solar system as a mysterious new presence emerges; Naomi recommits to her roots; Drummer butts heads with a seasoned new commander aboard the Behemoth; and a young Belter makes a name for himself.

[KaleyFirefly]

I heard that SyFy channel cancelled this show...doesn't make me want to finish watching it

[Haleth]

I recommend you do finish watching, just to find out what the protomolecule is really up to.

[nekilarose]

Sad to see Naomi off The Roci, but I love her and Drummer working together. Cara Gee really does a bang up job with that character. And we got The Ring! The way they showed the "slow zone" was gory as all get out, but hey it gets the job done! 

Oh I see "Melba" has made her appearance, I was curious as to how they were going to show her "enhancement" but I think they did was well as they could. 

I loved Amos and his "Prax panels" and wow everyone and their mother was hitting on Amos! I mean I don't blame them, but damn y'all! 

[UNOSEZ]

That was a lot... I really liked it.. But that was just so much new info... Who's this melba person.. Is she a hybrid... Why dies she hate Holden... What's David straithairn up to... What was that at the end with the better off on a suicide mission becuz of his cheating ass gf... is the camera man blind... Was he glowing... Probably more im forgetting 

[edhopper]

9 minutes ago, UNOSEZ said:

That was a lot... I really liked it.. But that was just so much new info... Who's this melba person.. Is she a hybrid... Why dies she hate Holden... What's David straithairn up to... What was that at the end with the better off on a suicide mission becuz of his cheating ass gf... is the camera man blind... Was he glowing... Probably more im forgetting 

The fool was trying to fly through the ring, didn't know what hit him. Camera man was blind, don't know what he is up to.

[Tachi Rocinante]

Hello Melba and the Slow Zone.

Hello and goodbye, John Kapelos.

MILLER!

Edited May 24, 2018 by Tachi Rocinante

[tennisgurl]

So, it seems like we have wrapped up one arc, and are starting up another one. Exciting to see where we go here, even though its sad to see so many characters in so many different places again. half the fun is watching characters interact, but I do like that its expanding the world more. 

I love that, in peace time, Holden is something of a celebrity and not an outlaw, and is even having a documentary made about him and his crew. And, oh shit, it looks like Lillith from Shadowhunters didnt actually get sent to Hell, she got blasted into the future and became a documentary film maker! So apparently everyone is hot for Amos, which I cant really blame them for. Can Amos just lose all the sleeves from his shirts from now on? "I dont shit where I eat."

Love Alex having a grand old time on camera, making dramatic entrances and telling folksy stories. And he and Bobbi are still hanging out, and being flirty! So she went back to Mars, and is hopefully helping to clean up the crappier parts of their government, and get all the finger sandwiches she wants. But Amos misses Prax, and that makes me really sad. I am glad that Prax found Mei, but I hope he can come for a visit, or vice versa. He has to check on his BFF Amos!

The space scenes by the ring were so beautiful. Like, oh my God. Until the poor dumb Belter kid got...somethinged to death. That looked nasty as hell. On the other hand, loved hearing Belter music! Glad to hear sad breakup music made it to space. All by my seeeeelf....

Naomi and Drummer working together is awesome, but I want to know why she left the Rocci. But, at least her purple hair looks awesome, and I like seeing the Belt becoming more of a power. Plus, Diogo is still around! 

MILLER!!!!!

[nekilarose]

8 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

Naomi and Drummer working together is awesome, but I want to know why she left the Rocci. But, at least her purple hair looks awesome, and I like seeing the Belt becoming more of a power. Plus, Diogo is still around! 

 

That's his name! I couldn't remember, but I said "that little shit" the same time Naomi did. Cute kid, but my god, I wanna smack him. 

[Emily Thrace]

13 minutes ago, nekilarose said:

That's his name! I couldn't remember, but I said "that little shit" the same time Naomi did. Cute kid, but my god, I wanna smack him. 

It makes so much sense to bring him back the first time we see "Miller" again.

[mjc570]

This is my favorite show, ever, but I can't say it was one of my favorite episodes.  I felt there were just too many characters, both old and new, so that it felt a bit disjointed.  I know it was meant to be a "where are they now" and "let's get things in place" type of episode, but I just didn't feel all that connected,  Maybe just too much exposition, I don't know.

On the other hand, I liked the whole belter slingshot jockey thing, and the Drummer/Naomi pairing is almost greater than the sum of its parts.

Loved seeing Miller (and Diogo!) again.  This is still the most visually arresting show, everything is perfectly realized.

[HunterHunted]

On 5/19/2018 at 9:45 PM, KaleyFirefly said:

I heard that SyFy channel cancelled this show...doesn't make me want to finish watching it

Also the show is in the middle of negotiations with Amazon to pick it up for additional seasons.

1 hour ago, nekilarose said:

l loved Amos and his "Prax panels"

Was that Amos' version of heart eyes? Because it sure seemed like it. Not that I think his heart eyes mean anything romantic or sexual.

So many new characters. Is Melba done for? I'm not sure I'm good with Straithairn's accent.

[freebie]

Guys, I love David Straithairn, but dear lord in heaven, that attempt at a Belter accent took me right out of every scene he was in. I can't believe how very fast everything moved in this episode. There was a pretty big time jump from the last episode to this one. What did the guy Anna was talking to say, something like 187 days since the ring emerged? So I appreciated all the summarizing that was going on, especially when it was part of moving the plot forward and not just talking for talking's sake:

• Avasarala's speech got us caught up on her return to Earth and the fates of Errinwright and the bobblehead
• The film crew's presence was quickly explained -- Mars is disputing that Team Roci salvaged the ship legitimately, so the fees paid to transport the film crew out to the ring are covering legal costs
• The annoying reporter's probing led to Amos revealing Prax's current whereabouts with Mei back on Ganymede
• From the Alex-Bobbie Skype session we learned she is reinstated and back being a Marine on Mars, while he and the wife he never sees anyway are divorcing, and
• Anna's wife's complaints helped explain what she and the other folks on the same ship are supposed to be doing

And then there was all the new stuff -- Naomi, Drummer and Straithairn on the Nauvoo Behemoth; Melba and her weird mixture of being overwhelmed one minute and scheming (and killing) the next; and the returns of Diogo (why?) and Detective Miller (yasssss!). It's hard to believe there was time for Anna to have her philosophical debate on the nature of the protomoleule as living alien thing or technology created by very intelligent alien thing. Plus, we sure spent a lot of minutes on the Belter kid zipping around the planets just to impress a girl before getting his brain ejected from his body. And while I will assign extra credit for creating original music, did we really need two songs to accompany that one-off story line? 

tl; dr This episode felt a bit like filler to me, which is unfortunate for two reasons: (1) we're now more than halfway through the season, so let's not take the foot off the gas just yet, and (2) if new people are tuning in due to the hype around keeping the show going, this might not be the best episode to get people excited for what this show ordinarily has to offer.

[Emily Thrace]

12 minutes ago, HunterHunted said:

So many new characters. Is Melba done for? I'm not sure I'm good with Straithairn's accent.

Straithairn is nailing the accent its his cadence and speech pattern that is still slightly Jewish Vancouverite. Which to be fair is the hardest part of your speech to change. Besides not all Belters would have the same accent anyway.

Also is Melba's actress Aboriginal? (I couldn't find anything either way online but my Neechee detector is 80 percent certain)  If she is putting Savage across her back is kinda unfortunate. Its kinda like sticking Naomi in a monkey jumpsuit.

[freebie]

Quote

Straithairn is nailing the accent its his cadence and speech pattern that is still slightly Jewish Vancouverite.

Well, this might be the problem then, as Straithairn is mostly Scottish and from San Francisco.

According to Wikipedia, Nadine Nicole, who is playing Melba, is half German/half Filipino and hails from Michigan. Her non-stage last name is Heimann.

[Emily Thrace]

20 minutes ago, freebie said:

Well, this might be the problem then, as Straithairn is mostly Scottish and from San Francisco.

According to Wikipedia, Nadine Nicole, who is playing Melba, is half German/half Filipino and hails from Michigan. Her non-stage last name is Heimann.

Ah I think I might be mixing up the actor with his Alpha'a character. Although San Francisco and Vancouver are similar accents. 

[WatchrTina]

1 hour ago, HunterHunted said:

So many new characters. Is Melba done for?

I wondered this as well.  Based solely on what we saw on the screen (no book spoilers please) I interpreted Melba as a suicide bomber / super spy, complete with the opposite of a cyanide capsule in her teeth.  I assumed she had some kind of one-use-only super adrenaline pill that she bit into that allowed her to kill that nice man but then she crashed and burned when her jolt of super-juice was used up.  Which begs the question -- isn't someone going to notice two bodies and a wall panel hanging open with a bomb sitting in it?  Or are we supposed to presume that the bomb will go off before anyone comes looking?  If so, Melba is done for (hence my assumptions that she's a suicide bomber.)

So . . . who would want to bomb the Belt's new war(ish)ship?  Is it:

1. Earth,
2. Mars, or
3. The Belt (you know Dawes is totally capable of pulling some agent provocateur bullshit).

None of the above.  I say it was the Mormons!  Those Latter Day Saints don't play.

Edited May 24, 2018 by WatchrTina

[marinw]

I felt a bit disoriented watching this episode, as we are used to the more immediate and intimate action aboard the Roci. But I did love the time jump. I always like stories that can show us what happens after a war, and how people act during peacetime.

So is Christen the Secretary General now? 

I was surprised that the Marines took back Bobbie, desertion  is a serious charge. Chrisjen must have influenced the Martian Military somehow.

That was the most spectacular splat against a window ever!

Edited May 24, 2018 by marinw

[marinw]

7 hours ago, freebie said:

the returns of Diogo (why?)

What happened to his face? I hope that is not a permanent tattoo.

Edited May 24, 2018 by marinw

[johntfs]

6 hours ago, WatchrTina said:

So . . . who would want to bomb the Belt's new war(ish)ship?  Is it:

I'm sure many people/factions would like to blow it up.  That said, nobody we know of tried to blow it up this episode.  The stuff with Melba and friends did not take place on the Navou.  I think they were part of the UNN fleet checking out the Ring.

[zobot81]

8 hours ago, Emily Thrace said:

Jewish Vancouverite.

What does this sound like? Canadian...but different?

[shrewd.buddha]

This episode was a sharp left turn and slowdown from the previous episodes. There were a lot of separate locations, a lot of separated characters, and even additional characters, some of whom made a quick exit. I was not even sure what ship Melba, the spy/bomber, was working on - - there were so many moving parts in this episode. 

I did not like the documentary story line. At all. It feels like every show, at some point, goes the route of having a documentary film crew show up to cause strife among whatever group is involved. I find it hard to believe that Amos would ever agree to participate - especially if he has a past he does not want uncovered.  

Why would the minister woman (Anna ?) get transferred to a ship that was investigating the Protomolecule Ring? That just seemed like a illogical stretch to keep the actress/character involved in the current story. 

[Clanstarling]

10 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I love that, in peace time, Holden is something of a celebrity and not an outlaw, and is even having a documentary made about him and his crew. And, oh shit, it looks like Lillith from Shadowhunters didnt actually get sent to Hell, she got blasted into the future and became a documentary film maker! So apparently everyone is hot for Amos, which I cant really blame them for. Can Amos just lose all the sleeves from his shirts from now on? "I dont shit where I eat."

Words to live by.

9 hours ago, freebie said:

• Avasarala's speech got us caught up on her return to Earth and the fates of Errinwright and the bobblehead

tl; dr This episode felt a bit like filler to me, which is unfortunate for two reasons: (1) we're now more than halfway through the season, so let's not take the foot off the gas just yet, and (2) if new people are tuning in due to the hype around keeping the show going, this might not be the best episode to get people excited for what this show ordinarily has to offer.

I wasn't sure, but I'm guessing this means Avasarala is Secretary-General now? Also, the jewelry was (for me) the one thing I've seen I thought didn't look good on her.

For me there's a difference between filler and laying the groundwork for the next arc. I enjoyed it. The gore was...exceptional. But interesting. Stopping at the kind of G's he was pulling would have that effect, I guess. Not sure I want to see anything that gory again.

1 hour ago, johntfs said:

I'm sure many people/factions would like to blow it up.  That said, nobody we know of tried to blow it up this episode.  The stuff with Melba and friends did not take place on the Navou.  I think they were part of the UNN fleet checking out the Ring.

Thank you. I wasn't sure which ship they were on, but I figured it wasn't the Behemoth because the panels looked too old for a new ship.

29 minutes ago, shrewd.buddha said:

Why would the minister woman (Anna ?) get transferred to a ship that was investigating the Protomolecule Ring? That just seemed like a illogical stretch to keep the actress/character involved in the current story. 

The guy asked her if she was part of the "godly contingent" which suggests she was one of many religious leaders onboard. Makes sense to me that they'd have religious leaders along to investigate this extraterrestrial construction as part of the "is it life or is it tech" discussion.

I didn't mind the documentary storyline, mostly because unlike most shows that do this, we weren't looking at the actual documentary - but at the process which was intrusive and annoying. Not to mention the blind guy was clearly spying, so there's another level there.

I'm hoping the negotiations with Amazon go well. It won't change my viewing of this particular season, though. I'm too invested. I don't watch anything live, but this is the only show I absolutely watch the next day (during my early morning exercise).

If it does go away, at least I'll have the books to read. And having read the first one after the first season, I know that having watched will enrich my experience reading and my understanding of the show.

Edited May 24, 2018 by Clanstarling

[johntfs]

1 minute ago, Clanstarling said:

I wasn't sure, but I'm guessing this means Avasarala is Secretary-General now? Also, the jewelry was (for me) the one thing I've seen I thought didn't look good on her.

Yep.  I'm not usually a fan of the time-jump thing, but this time I liked it.  The Bobble-head wasn't worthy of a protracted story.  Avasarala got back to Earth and flushed him like a stray turd.

I get that it was a way to do the documentary thing, but you'd think that after the Roci crew saved Earth from Eros and Mars from the hybrid missiles one or both governments would say "Fuck it, let 'em keep the ship.  They've earned it."

[WatchrTina]

11 hours ago, marinw said:

I hope that is not a permanent tattoo.

You know what they say about tattoos -- they're a life-long memento of a momentary whim.

 

11 hours ago, johntfs said:

The stuff with Melba and friends did not take place on the Navou.  I think they were part of the UNN fleet checking out the Ring.

Wait what?  And I watched twice -- once live and once immediately afterward via the DRV (doing my bit for the viewing numbers).  I have to say if an engaged viewer like me was that confused about who was where in this episode, that's not a good thing.  So . . . if the erstwhile bomber is on one of the ships in the Earth fleet hanging out near the gate, my guesses as to who is behind her actions are:

• Mars (the peace is an illusion)
• The Belt (because Dawes is a dick)
• Earth (because Mao and Errinwright may be in jail but their reach is long and such devoted shit-stirrers would not hesitate to go into agent provocateur mode if they thought they had something to gain)
• Arms dealers (someone stepping into the vacuum left behind by Mao?) because they don't like peace.

I look forward to the next episode.  I understand the need for the big time-jump and the introduction of new characters (especially if, as others have noted, the action in this ep takes us to the beginning of the 3rd book) but my confusion as to the locations, my relative indifference to the actions of the trio that included Melba, and my profound dislike of the film crew all had a negative impact on my enjoyment of this particular episode. 

On a separate topic -- I've lived in this condo for almost 4 years now and we've never had a power failure (as far as I'm aware.)  Last night when I was typing my first post here (above) the lights flashed and I had to reboot my computer and re-write my post.  It just happened again while I was writing this post and I had to recreate it.  I smell a conspiracy.

Meanwhile, back on topic -- I ended the last episode absolutely convinced that Fred would not be successful in shooting down all the proto-molecule hybrid-pod missiles that Nguyen had fired.  I also ended that episode absolutely convinced that they weren't aimed at Mars (not all of them anyway.)  But there was NO talk of that in this episode.  Are we to assume Fred was successful and shot down all the proto-bombs?  It certainly looks that way based on the  cooperation that seems to be going on right now in the face of the threat from the alien ring.  The Belt (now thought of as the saviors of Mars I presume) appear to have now been given a seat at the table in return for its actions in stopping the near tragedy set in place when Nguyen fired those missiles(actions that, I presume, have now been disavowed by Earth). But did Fred take out ALL the proto-missiles?  That would be neat and tidy in a way that is not at all in keeping with this show.  I have to assume that at least one of the proto-missiles went somewhere other than Mars and survived Fred's salvo.

For that matter . . . didn't we see some blue goo on the Roci after they burned up that proto-monster in their exhaust plume last season?  Whatever became of that?

So many unanswered questions.

ETA:

10 hours ago, shrewd.buddha said:

Why would the minister woman (Anna ?) get transferred to a ship that was investigating the Protomolecule Ring? That just seemed like a illogical stretch to keep the actress/character involved in the current story. 

They did say something about a delegation being sent to the ring that included religious leaders and other non-military types.  I presume we were supposed to conclude that, having just hit the pause button on a solar-system-wide war, they decided that maybe someone OTHER than the military leaders should be the ones making first contact with whoever or whatever is building that ring.  I also assume they suspect that the ring is some kind of star-gate (hmmmm that seems familiar) and that first contact with aliens will be happening shortly -- aliens who clearly have superior technology.  So, perhaps they are finally realizing that it makes sense to try talking before letting the military off the leash.  Who knows, this may all be being done in accordance with a "First Contact" protocol that was established years, decades, (centuries?) earlier as Man reached farther and farther out from Earth.

Oooooh I just had a thought.  We now know what happens when an uninvited ship tries fly through the circle (splat).  But what if it IS a star-gate and it only opens ONE WAY?  The better to invade you with, my dear.

ETA2:

9 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

Also, the jewelry was (for me) the one thing I've seen I thought didn't look good on her.

I read somewhere that the actress playing Avasarala used a lot of her own jewelry in the early seasons but she stopped doing that after she was stopped while crossing the border from the US into Canada and accused of importing it for sale.  They wanted to make her pay import duties on it and it took a while to sort it all out.  So yeah, that plexiglass monstrosity she was wearing in this episode presumably came out of the prop dept and not out of Shohreh's own jewelry box.

Edited May 24, 2018 by WatchrTina
Tons and tons of typos. I'm mortified.

[Ziggy]

11 hours ago, nekilarose said:

12 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Plus, Diogo is still around!

That's his name! I couldn't remember, but I said "that little shit" the same time Naomi did. Cute kid, but my god, I wanna smack him. 

Ok, I remember Diogo, but I don't remember a reason not to like him.  Could someone please remind me?  What did he do?

[Netfoot]

Drummer is positively ready to burst.  When she does, somebody is going to get properly fucked up!

[Winged Nike]

Quote

Ok, I remember Diogo, but I don't remember a reason not to like him.  Could someone please remind me?  What did he do?

Anderson Dawes used Diogo as a distraction (Diogo took off in a ship that Fred Johnson's people chased) so that Dawes could take the captured protomolecule scientist Cortázar away from Fred and off Tycho station.

[Ziggy]

3 minutes ago, Winged Nike said:

Anderson Dawes used Diogo as a distraction (Diogo took off in a ship that Fred Johnson's people chased) so that Dawes could take the captured protomolecule scientist Cortázar away from Fred and off Tycho station.

Oh, wow, do I need to rewatch.  I do remember (vaguely).  Thank you!

[ratSenoL]

General thoughts.

I didn't expect the jump forward in time, but it was handled brilliantly. I really appreciated how the exposition was spread across many scenes and came from a variety of characters instead of one long boring speech from one character. It not only caught us up with the overall passage of time, but also efficiently showed us what individuals had been doing, where they had transitioned to, and how they were reacting to the interim events.

I'm not happy that Naomi is off the Roci at all! I am enjoying the character and actress interacting with new characters, but the Roci crew seems incomplete without her. 

I'm not sure who David Straithairn is, and why some are so excited by his presence: his accent was all over the place and that kept taking me out of the moment. Please let him find one accent and stick to it.

The actor who played the guy Melba killed--where have I seen him before? (Not that it matters.)

Asavarala's new jewelry was a bit distracting, but I thought maybe it was intended (by her) to project a desire to be transparent.

Wow, the effects from the Belter's sudden deceleration going through the Ring was disgustingly gory, but it effectively conveyed that the Ring is dangerous and not to be approached lightly.

I think I scared the dog when I fist pumped and yelled "YESSS!" when Miller, um, The Investigator, made his appearance. 

Can't wait for the next one!

Edited May 24, 2018 by ratSenoL
grammar

[marinw]

53 minutes ago, ratSenoL said:

Please let him find one accent and stick to it.

I was hearing a Scott-ish accent.

[marinw]

3 hours ago, WatchrTina said:

I read somewhere that the actress playing Avasarala used a lot of her own jewelry in the early seasons but she stopped doing that after she was stopped while crossing the border from the US into Canada and accused of importing it for sale

I hear on The Churn podcast that a lot of the Jewelry was borrowed, and they had to have a few burly security people on set to guard it.

Whatever the case, Chrisjen is astute enough to know that appearing on a system-wide broadcast wearing expensive jewelry might be seen a symbolic of Earth’s decadence. Perhaps her time in space gave her some new insight into how people outside Earth actually live.

OTOH, that neckless  may not be plexiglass at all but some incredibly rare and expensive material.

ETA: Notice how she is not wearing any Pantone Color of the Year Proto-Molecule Blue. (TM)

Edited May 24, 2018 by marinw

[edhopper]

I had to look up on wiki, because I did not remember Melba or who she really was.

I really, truly hope a streaming service like Amazon picks up this show. It is to good to end.

[HunterHunted]

55 minutes ago, marinw said:

I was hearing a Scott-ish accent.

I kept wondering if his character grew up in Scandinavia and moved to the Belt when he was 14 or 15. The accent was a mess.

3 hours ago, WatchrTina said:

Wait what?  And I watched twice -- once live and once immediately afterward via the DRV (doing my bit for the viewing numbers).  I have to say if an engaged viewer like me was that confused about who was where in this episode, that's not a good thing.

This was probably the first episode where I wished the show had a precise Game of Thrones style map of where everything is set in the episode.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Yes! My Chrisjen is back in one of her fabulous outfits! But then we only got to see her for a minute. Boo.

Was that supposed to be an alternate version of "All By Myself"? Was the show too cheap to pay for the rights to the actual song?

Ditto comments upthread, that's an, uh, interesting accent from David Strathairn. I feel like I'm used to hearing him talk like an aristocrat so it's extra disconcerting to me.

[edhopper]

29 minutes ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Was that supposed to be an alternate version of "All By Myself"? Was the show too cheap to pay for the rights to the actual song?

I think that is it. They used a cover version of Deep Purple's Highway Star earlier in the episode.

[johntfs]

4 hours ago, WatchrTina said:

Wait what?  And I watched twice -- once live and once immediately afterward via the DRV (doing my bit for the viewing numbers).  I have to say if an engaged viewer like me was that confused about who was where in this episode, that's not a good thing.  So . . . if the erstwhile bomber is on one of the ships in the Earth fleet hanging out near the gate, my guesses as to who is behind her actions are:

Who says anyone is behind her actions?  One of the cooler bits about The Expanse is its accurate portrayal of humans in all their moments-of-grace, heroism, evil, greed, racist and shithouse-rat craziness.  Also, it's not just an Earth fleet.  It's at least a joint Earth-Mars enterprise.  Recall that the Hammurabi, a Martian ship, was also there.

[Holmbo]

That was a weird episode. But I liked it overall, and I'm interested in what it's setting up.

4 hours ago, shrewd.buddha said:

I did not like the documentary story line. At all. It feels like every show, at some point, goes the route of having a documentary film crew show up to cause strife among whatever group is involved. I find it hard to believe that Amos would ever agree to participate - especially if he has a past he does not want uncovered. 

I didn't like it either. Though not because I found it stale, I've not seen it before. You say it's a trope?
I think mostly I just really disliked both of the people of the film crew, and it seems they are not very good at their job considering how boring the footage seemed ( I wasn't bored but only because it gave me updates about what had happened since last episode). I did like the logistics about them having to do the documentary to pay the legal fees, to clear up the salvage/theft of the ship I suppose.

Also liked additional details on Amos back story of course. It seems Amos somehow swapped identity with the mob boss (or used it somehow to create a new identity) and went to space. I wonder if we'll find out his real name. Interesting that he was only fifteen when he went to space. I assumed he'd lived most of his life in Baltimore.

3 hours ago, johntfs said:

Yep.  I'm not usually a fan of the time-jump thing, but this time I liked it.  The Bobble-head wasn't worthy of a protracted story.  Avasarala got back to Earth and flushed him like a stray turd.

I would have liked to see her pull the lever. But I suppose the shit talk from Errinwright was a pretty good send of.

3 hours ago, WatchrTina said:

Oooooh I just had a thought.  We now know what happens when an uninvited ship tries fly through the circle (splat).  But what if it IS a star-gate and it only opens ONE WAY?  The better to invade you with, my dear.

That's my thought too. Or maybe it does go both ways but you have to have better technology on your ship to survive it.

What is everyones thoughts about the Miller sighting? (or every show only peoples thoughts) I don't think it was a halucination or something from Holden, because he never heard that line from Miller about no law on Ceres just cops. Maybe the protomolecule on the ship has spread through it and is somehow showing this image of Miller?

A final thought. It seemed to me this was a kinda shitty episode for women. First the gold digging (fame digging?) Belter woman who was maybe the most unlikable character I've seen on the show so far. Then the documentary woman who was all I'll fuck you for the story. Then the new burnface guy was being all undermining of Drummer making her seem less bad ass than usual. It seemed like a theme somehow.

A final, final thought. I wonder if they wanted to have Dawes on the Navoo (forgot it's new name) but couldn't get the actor so they used the other guy instead.

[Tachi Rocinante]

2 hours ago, ratSenoL said:

The actor who played the guy Melba killed--where have I seen him before? (Not that it matters.)

John Kapelos - he's had bit parts in John Hughes movies, including the janitor in Breakfast Club and Dino in Weird Science. He was also Picker on Justified.

[ratSenoL]

4 minutes ago, Tachi Rocinante said:

John Kapelos - he's had bit parts in John Hughes movies, including the janitor in Breakfast Club and Dino in Weird Science. He was also Picker on Justified.

Ah, thanks.

[MissLucas]

Well, I appreciated the time-jump and I must say they really delivered all the necessary exposition quite elegantly. We're entering the next part of the narrative now - the episode was an odd mix of tying up loose ends and setting up new plots. Very impressive - even if it felt a bit rushed at times.

Mild Book spoilers:

Spoiler

I'm sad they dropped 'We need to talk' - it was such a perfect bombshell and probably the books most iconic line.

[marinw]

2 hours ago, Holmbo said:

I think mostly I just really disliked both of the people of the film crew, and it seems they are not very good at their job considering how boring the footage seemed ( I wasn't bored but only because it gave me updates about what had happened since last episode). I did like the logistics about them having to do the documentary to pay the legal fees, to clear up the salvage/theft of the ship I suppose.

 

Annoying people with cameras will never go away!

I felt for Amos with the filmmakers around. He knows he has to tolerate the pair because of the money, but he clearly wants them to leave. The offers of sex do not help, whatever Amos’s orientation. 

Amos clearly loved Prax. He may not have been “In love” with Prax in a sexual way (?) but he felt something towards the botanist, and now misses him. That really got to got me. 

In a much broader sense, it does give me hope that humanity is able to achieve peace with each other. Hope it lasts. I like how the Ring Delegations includes not only the usual suspects of physicists and engineers, but also artists and “Godly” types like Anna.

Speaking of which, I was amused that Drummer hasn’t changed up the artwork on the bridge of the Behemoth. She has other priortites. 

Edited May 24, 2018 by marinw

[marinw]

Question: Was it ever explained why the Mormons can’t have their ship back?

[Danny Franks]

Bit of a time jump to start this one, which I expected. I was a little disappointed that they only spent the opening minute on the Protomolecule forming the Ring, but I guess there's a lot of ground to cover. I think they did it pretty well.

Avasarala is the unabashed boss of Earth now, the Ring is taking up everyone's attention. Anna seems more interesting now she's not trying to be Gillis' conscience, but is taking up the scientific discovery baton.

Holden and the Roci crew (sans Naomi, sadly) are celebrities now, with their own intrusive reporter. I like how Stephen Strait plays Holden, particularly here. He's not a character over-blessed with charisma or easy charm. He's a bit stiff and awkward, but does have a wry sense of humour. Clearly reluctant to do interviews and be painted as a hero.

And of course Alex is into the idea of being on TV, being famous, while Amos genuinely does not care... until they start to ask questions about his past.

The Naomi shaped hole on the Roci was obvious, of course. I really liked that Dominique Tipper hit the Belter patois a lot harder than she has before. Signifying that she's picked up on old speech mannerisms, now she's back with her people. Or perhaps signifying that she's trying too hard to be a simple Belter, when she's now more than that. I lean more to the latter, because the Belter accent seemed to fade when she was focusing on the malfunctioning construction skiff.

Drummer in charge of the Behemoth is good. Cara Gee has so much presence and charisma, it's crazy that she's not a big star already. David Strathairn's Ashford being set up to challenge her is bad. But I always like him as an actor, and this role looks like it will give him some space to have some fun.  The dynamic between them was interesting, with Drummer being reluctant to change from the Belters' pragmatic ruthlessness, and Ashford at least wanting to look like he's ready to be kinder. The OPA Navy is a pretty significant development, but they are clearly far from a unified force at the moment. Old grudges, enimities, rivalries. They aren't going away just because Fred Johnson and Anderson Dawes say so.

The scene with Alex and Bobbie chatting was sweet. They seem like genuine friends, and it's good to know Bobbie got reinstated.

Melba seems... interesting, doesn't she? I liked that old guy, and she clearly did too.

I find it funny how good the show is at creating minor Belter characters (in particular) who just leap off the screen. Diogo, Drummer and now this slingshot racer. But shit... I forgot what happened when he tried to go through the Ring. That was gross.

Oh, and hey, Miller. Long time, no see.

[Clanstarling]

3 hours ago, Holmbo said:

What is everyones thoughts about the Miller sighting? (or every show only peoples thoughts) I don't think it was a halucination or something from Holden, because he never heard that line from Miller about no law on Ceres just cops. Maybe the protomolecule on the ship has spread through it and is somehow showing this image of Miller?

I haven't had time to process it - it was just cool to see him. But he's been assimilated by the protomolecule, so maybe its using him to communicate with Holden the Hero. I'm eager to find out.

3 hours ago, Tachi Rocinante said:

John Kapelos - he's had bit parts in John Hughes movies, including the janitor in Breakfast Club and Dino in Weird Science. He was also Picker on Justified.

Thanks.

50 minutes ago, marinw said:

Question: Was it ever explained why the Mormons can’t have their ship back?

I'm guessing that given that the Belt is now a player - Fred Johnson is declaring it salvage for their purposes, so they can have the biggest damn ship in the solar system. Sort of a larger, more disingenuous version of our crew taking the Rocinante.

8 hours ago, WatchrTina said:

Wait what?  And I watched twice -- once live and once immediately afterward via the DRV (doing my bit for the viewing numbers).  I have to say if an engaged viewer like me was that confused about who was where in this episode, that's not a good thing. 

For that matter . . . didn't we see some blue goo on the Roci after they burned up that proto-monster in their exhaust plume last season?  Whatever became of that?

 

 

It was tough to figure out where when basically you're supposed to identify a space ship from the outside. It might have been a good use of chryons. But I figure we'll work it out.

I am wondering about that goo - maybe it is the source of the Miller vision.

As for Strathairn's accent, it didn't bother me at all. Maybe because he always sounds a little off to me. I accepted it as some Belter patois. I didn't notice variations, but maybe I will now that it's been pointed out.

Edited May 24, 2018 by Clanstarling

[tennisgurl]

I think Miller might might be a sort of left over bit of energy that is appearing to Holden, to help him figure out what new mess the galaxy is about to find itself in. Maybe it has something to do with residual exposure to the hybrid creature that was on the ship and almost killed Holden? I dont think its just in Holden's mind though. Of course, Miller would come back as some kind of postmodern alien messenger with his favorite hat in tact.  

I love the ways all three of the Rocci guys handled the film crew, it was all so in character. Holden is open and does alright on camera, but feels awkward, Alex is excited about being on TV and is sharing stories and playing to the camera, and Amos is just putting up with them for the sake of Holden and Alex, and because they need the money. I am also thrilled to get some Amos backstory, although, like with most things related to Amos, it raises more questions than answers. Did he kill the mob boss so he could get a spot in the mechanics program? I wonder if Amos is the illegitimate offspring of a mob boss and a hooker, and Amos killed his dad as some of revenge for ditching him and his mom in a brothel to be abused? I also love how Amos didnt really say he wasn't into either of the film crew, just "I dont shit where I eat". It wouldn't shock me if Amos would be pretty down to sleep with anyone he was into, regardless of gender. 

Edited May 24, 2018 by tennisgurl

[WatchrTina]

2 hours ago, marinw said:

Amos clearly loved Prax. He may not have been “In love” with Prax in a sexual way (?) but he felt something towards the botanist, and now misses him. That really got to got me. 

One of my favorite moments in the show is back in an earlier episode when Prax finds Mei and introduces her to Amos saying "He's my best friend in the world."  The look on Amos' face when he hears that speaks volumes. The fact that Amos uses essentially the same words to describe Prax in this episode signals to me how much it meant to Amos to hear someone say that.  And I think the key reason that it meant so much to Amos is that he knows Prax didn't say it to woo him or ingratiate himself with Amos. He didn't have an ulterior motive.  I think Amos' past is probably strewn with people who have ulterior motives or who want something from Amos -- and have taken what they want from him back when Amos was too young to defend himself.

I, too, was delighted to see Miller again but, alas, his appearance was spoiled by his name in the opening credits.  What a shame that they couldn't find a way around the very-strict credit rules to hold that secret back and give him an end-credit instead.

5 hours ago, Holmbo said:

What is everyones thoughts about the Miller sighting? (or every show only peoples thoughts) I don't think it was a halucination or something from Holden, because he never heard that line from Miller about no law on Ceres just cops. Maybe the protomolecule on the ship has spread through it and is somehow showing this image of Miller?

I like this theory.  I asked upthread whatever happened to blue goo that they showed us on board the Roci (tucked away between the inner and outer hull if I recollect correctly).  Maybe it's still there and serving as a kind of signal booster via which Miller (whose consciousness appears to be alive and well and living in the photo-molecule-collective) is able to manifest himself in a form that can communicate directly with humans.

[nekilarose]

9 hours ago, Ziggy said:

Oh, wow, do I need to rewatch.  I do remember (vaguely).  Thank you!

The little shit Diogo even says "Cortazar says hello." Or something like that, which is even more insulting cause Cortazar doesn't care about anything except the protomolecule. 

[raven]

11 hours ago, WatchrTina said:

Wait what?  And I watched twice -- once live and once immediately afterward via the DRV (doing my bit for the viewing numbers).  I have to say if an engaged viewer like me was that confused about who was where in this episode, that's not a good thing.

YAY for watching twice!  So did I.  It's a little thing, but we see the trio (bomber and 2 other guys) walk right behind Anna after she finishes hearing her wife's message.  There's an announcement about the team going to their skiff.   After they chat about padding hours and she makes a crack about Holden, the screen announces "UNN Seung Un" and they split up to work, the big guy tells Melba to ask him anything, etc..  It's not a show I can watch casually.

4 hours ago, marinw said:

Annoying people with cameras will never go away!

Neither will some guys doing anything for a pair of boobs, heh.

I liked watching the protomolecule object make the ring; visually very stunning.   I also liked the Belterfication of the music. 

7 hours ago, Holmbo said:

A final thought. It seemed to me this was a kinda shitty episode for women.

We also have Naomi, Bobbie, Anna and Avasarala.  I don't agree that Drummer came off badly - her authority is being challenged and she's on a learning curve, working on how to handle it; she can't beat up or shoot everyone who pisses her off and she has to figure out how to work with him.  I like that she listens to Naomi.   We had a mixture of not good behavior from guys - Amos (much as I love him) was rude and broke something that wasn't his; Ashford is being a total undermining, shady dick; Diogo is being an annoying little snot; the drug dealer was male; the camera guy is up to something; Neo was foolish.  There was better behavior from male characters as well (Holden, Alex, the guy trying to help Melba).  I think the show gives us a good mixture - no one is perfect.

There was a lot going on this ep to bring us from last week to this point and it mostly worked pretty well.  I would have liked to see even a brief reunion with Avasarala and her husband or seen the bobblehead's resignation.   It was a good idea to give us some exposition through the news feeds (hearing that Mao was in jail) and it was funny to see how annoyed Neo was when the announcement about him got interrupted.  His splat moment was also done pretty well.

And Miller with hat!

[wilnil]

On ‎5‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 11:37 PM, HunterHunted said:

Is Melba done for?

I figure she's toast.

 

...

 

I'm sorry.