TNT
The Snowpiercer needs to keep moving to generate energy, but sometimes an episodic TV series has an episode that brings the storyline to a bit of a slow-down or full stop in order to set up plot points moving forward. That’s pretty much what happens on this week’s third episode of the second season of Snowpiercer. It seems a little early in the season for that but it seems like it may be a shorter season than last, with eight instead of ten episodes. We’re waiting on a confirmation on the actual count.
As was decided in the previous episode, Snowpiercer will forge a treacherous path across the Rockies to a weather station so Melanie can get off the train, get the operational again, and determine if the Earth is indeed warming enough to make it possible to restart civilization on the ground and off the train. While Wilford seems to be playing along, it’s hard to imagine he’d be too happy to have that happen. It’s easier for him to rule over a train full of people divided into classes than it is a group of people not confined to a moving train with easily controlled ‘borders’. And it’s even easier to take over a train with a democracy in its infancy, so Wilford is certainly looking at the long game by trying to sway Melanie from getting off the train, and then plotting some way to make sure she doesn’t get back on, selling the idea to anyone who will listen that she’s certain to die.
And it seems that there is another plot point developing this week that also suggests we may see the demise of Melanie with the revelation that Josie is alive and (not) well. She understands that Layton thought she was dead and now has a child on the way with Zarah, but she’s not really happy with the whole situation, even accusing him of selling out the Tailies to follow Melanie. She even made a point of showing him that she protected her remaining hand to deliver a blow to Melanie the next time she sees her, or when she’s able to get out of bed. Who wants to bet that Layton will somehow get the mad doctors from Big Alice to apply their goop to heal Josie’s frostbitten body? And speaking of the mads, what exactly are they doing with Icy Bob, the hulking monstrosity they created for Wilford? He’s already able to withstand some extremely cold temperatures, but Wilford wants more. Is this how he plans to do away with Melanie?
TNT
The one good thing that came out of Melanie’s mission is that she finally broke through Alex’s walls and the pair finally had some real bonding moments … just another thing Wilford does not want. Alex showed her mother where she slept, and even told Melanie she loves her before she jumped off the train. She still had to put up a facade with Wilford, who allowed her to shed one tear, but he’s also wary of Alex making the decision to push the trains to their limits to get across the Rockies so Melanie could jump off. Seeing Alex begin to go a little soft where her mother is concerned will definitely be concerning to Wilford. If Melanie returns and he loses control of Alex, he may lose control of both Snowpiercer and Big Alice.
There’s also the problem of who cut off Lights’ fingers to form the Wilford W. Till’s prime suspects are the Breachmen, the muscleheads who work out in the ‘cleverly’ named Muscle Breach. While loyal to Wilford, they deny any responsibility for the attack. So if not them, then who? Or are they lying?
By the end of the episode Melanie is off the train, left to lug herself and the equipment to the base so she can get the place operational, alone for the first time since she first stepped on Snowpiercer. Will Wilford try to scuttle the return trip? Will Layton lose control of the passengers? Will Josie be denied her revenge? And do we have to start ignoring the fact that there is a movie that takes place 17 years after the beginning of the series?
Snowpiercer airs Mondays at 9:00 PM on TNT.
What did you think of this episode? Tell us in the comments section below!
Share this post
