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Spoilers "For All Mankind" Discussion Thread (May Contain Spoilers)
- Thread starter AustinIllini
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While the 2nd episode wasn't as action packed as the second season premier, I thought it was a great addition that explores the aftermath of key characters. I suspect Gordo will repeat his earlier breakdown, but with much more spectacular outcome. I suspect Danielle will bail him out, but this time, without paying the heavy price to her reputation.
I especially loved Molly and Edward's interaction, especially Ed instinctively knowing what Molly did.
I hope Gordo redeems himself. Would be a shame to see him end up as a broken down hero.
After seeing the news about Season 2 premiere, I "binged" Season 1 over the last week (watching 1-2 episodes per night) and finished 2nd episode of Season 2 last night.
I've enjoyed this series quite a bit. It's not perfect, and I echo a lot of previous comments that sometimes it's jarring how quickly they "resolve" character sub-plots / gloss over them - feels like they should've kept the series to not include so many sub-plots if they can't adequately explore them.
That being said, quite enjoyed it. And I've actually quite liked the 10yr time jump from end of Season 1 to beginning of Season 2. Will continue to watch as these episodes come out weekly.
I've enjoyed this series quite a bit. It's not perfect, and I echo a lot of previous comments that sometimes it's jarring how quickly they "resolve" character sub-plots / gloss over them - feels like they should've kept the series to not include so many sub-plots if they can't adequately explore them.
That being said, quite enjoyed it. And I've actually quite liked the 10yr time jump from end of Season 1 to beginning of Season 2. Will continue to watch as these episodes come out weekly.
I really likes season 1 and was looking forward to season 2, but I agree, the first two episodes where kind of boring. I hope that there will be more "space related" stuff in the next episodes and I would like to see how life went for Aleida. Maybe this is coming, it was hinted in the last episode.
It's refreshing to see the "right stuff" Astronaut people having issues with their compass, purpose.
Glad some of them can do something about it!
Molly probably started to regret saving the dutch injured astronaut, since he leaves on his own (understandable decision, but nobody knows that it also due to a heavy cost from Molly)
the PBJ science hack was funny. Wonder why she didn't reconnect with the now grown up latino girl from the former NASA cleaning staff. She's brilliant, but not a good people's person.
Bummer to come back from Space, wanting to push for Mars, then getting bogged down by bureaucracy and politics.
Glad some of them can do something about it!
Molly probably started to regret saving the dutch injured astronaut, since he leaves on his own (understandable decision, but nobody knows that it also due to a heavy cost from Molly)
the PBJ science hack was funny. Wonder why she didn't reconnect with the now grown up latino girl from the former NASA cleaning staff. She's brilliant, but not a good people's person.
Bummer to come back from Space, wanting to push for Mars, then getting bogged down by bureaucracy and politics.
S2E2 was much better IMO. We caught up with the characters and advanced relationships/conflicts a lot. Lots of context for people’s actions that E1 was missing.
The Ed/Molly connection was great.
Molly’s continued denial of the consequences of her actions.
Margo and the vending machine was awesome.
Gordo’s whole situation came together in a very believable way.
The Ed/Molly connection was great.
Molly’s continued denial of the consequences of her actions.
Margo and the vending machine was awesome.
Gordo’s whole situation came together in a very believable way.
This has to appeal to a wider audience than just us space-techno-geeks if it's going to succeed so we have to endure the soap. The credibility of the whole premise was initially compromised anyway because the Soviets were nowhere close to beating Apollo by three months, they didn't even have a program so there would have had to have been some incident that preceded all of this by at least eight or ten years to set that up. But I get it, same as "Man in the High Castle" there are certain key events in history that would have fundamentally changed the course of events to a profound degree. That's what makes this sort of unbelievable scenario so believable.
“They didn’t even have a program”
Actually, they did.
Had a few things changed they might have made it.
The biggest problem in my mind was the early death of their chief designer Korolev in January 1966, which possibly derailed the progress of the N1. While that booster was flawed (ultimately the program was killed in the early 70’s) it’s impossible to discount had Korolev lived that it might have flown successfully.
Also, look up the NK.
No, the Soviet program wasn’t as far ahead as shown in the series, but they definitely HAD a program.
Man in the High Castle also had some alternate dimension teleporting sci-fi. I think with fiction, we all agree to suspend disbelief as to the premise and just accept the premise as it's presented. I have some scientific problems with stuff that has happened in For All Mankind (such as how there appears to be normal earth gravity inside the moon base and how they depicted solar radiation as "wind" blowing the moon dust around) but I don't think any of that ruins the show.
I like this season so far. The only thing I think is confusing is where the heck Kelly Baldwin came from? Like I get she was adopted some time after Shane died, but the way her character was introduced without even a tiny fragment of backstory or scene setting was confusing.
There really doesn’t feel like much at stake this season... I thought we were going somewhere with the aftermath of the solar storm. S1 there was an urgency and drive... catching up to the USSR, shifting politics, personal struggles, even the social justice issues were handled in a very believable way in a larger than life setting.
It’s not totally unenjoyable, but there is a lot of generic predictable plot that doesn’t seem to be building to anything and we’re 4 episodes in.
It’s not totally unenjoyable, but there is a lot of generic predictable plot that doesn’t seem to be building to anything and we’re 4 episodes in.
That sums it up pretty well. It is not totally bad, but at some times I have the urge to fast forward. As we have probly seen halve of this season I am wondering where this is going and would like a bit of a faster pace. It always feels as if a topic is teased and than it is put aside.
All in all I would prefer more "space" and less "drama" and I am hoping to see more from Aleida ...
Lots of talk not enough action and too much social engineering, I may watch the next episode if I have nothing better to do.
You want more space and less drama...yet more Aleida? Her character has been nothing but drama so far.
It has been predictable. I figured out the Danielle outcome 30 minutes before Ed announced it.
Waiting for a shuttle disaster and Tracy Stevens being killed off.
At this point, S2 is so bad that I don't even think the writers know where Kelly Baldwin came from...
As long as he can overcome his demons from last time he was there... Gordo’s mental struggles and his now PTSD-like experiences he’s getting now that he’s supposed to go back up to the moon - an interesting storyline for me. Looking forward to how that storyline develops.
In the last episode when he opens up to Ed in the airplane hangar, and Ed basically tells him to shutup and “man up“. I get that it was a mucho reaction and I imagine that’s what it was widely like back in those times. But I would’ve preferred to see an empathetic moment there from Ed, helping his friend get through a tough mental battle. I think that would’ve been a more rewarding moment and wish that for the characters - but we’ll see how they move forward with all this.
Test pilots (and astronauts) either have to face their fear or step down. I think Ed was also speaking as “the man” and not necessarily as his friend.
Agreed, and to his credit Gordo does just that in this weeks episode. He does everything he can to face his fears by putting himself in similar situations that set off his PTSD previously.
Im also glad he’s finally working off that god awful fake beer belly because lord that thing was embarrassing. It’s like the dude version of fake pregnancy bump women have to put on when they play preggers.
The main gripe I have with this season (and the latter half of Season 1) is how unrealistic NASA is depicted, especially as it pertains to its astronaut program. No way in hell would a senior NASA official or an astronaut veteran go back into space, especially for a long-term mission like PathFinder! I am of course talking about Gordo and Edward. The astronaut program is tough for a reason - space is one of the most unforgivable environments man has to endure and you have to be in peak physical and mental form to survive there. There is a reason why you rarely if not ever, see middle-aged folks on NASA missions. The consequences of failure and the resulting negative PO are just too high.
The moment Deke announced that he would be going back to space as a commander, made me laugh and I just rolled my eyes when Ed did the exact same thing with PathFinder.
NASA is a political office, overseen by a federal govt official who is chosen by the President of the US. PO matters a lot.
However, as with the rest of this season, I have suspended my disbelief and just gone with it.
The moment Deke announced that he would be going back to space as a commander, made me laugh and I just rolled my eyes when Ed did the exact same thing with PathFinder.
NASA is a political office, overseen by a federal govt official who is chosen by the President of the US. PO matters a lot.
However, as with the rest of this season, I have suspended my disbelief and just gone with it.
Really? Al Shepard was grounded due to an ear issue, became Chief Astronaut, and flew on Apollo 14 After correcting his health problem.
Deke Slayton was selected for Mercury but due to a-fib didn’t fly, and became head of the astronaut office. He later flew on Apollo-Soyuz in 1975 after the condition subsided. I have to believe that he lobbied for himself to fly.
Then, you have Gemini and Apollo astronaut John Young, who a decade later commanded the first shuttle mission, and flew one more. He was 53 I think on STS-9. Oh, and he headed the astronaut office as well. Seems like it’s more than a coincidence that these guys got to pick their flights.
Like maybe John Glenn returning to space at 77, as a combination political stunt and “research subject”?
How about Story Musgrave, the only person to fly on all 5 shuttles, and who flew on STS-80 at age 61?
Shall I go on?