Critic’s Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
4.5
If you’re anything like this TV Fanatic, you had the tissues ready and waiting for this emotionally charged episode of The Ark. Here I thought things had gotten sad enough in the previous episode.
No one needs to tell this show where its strengths lie. It has been flexing its storytelling muscles all season.
The hands behind The Ark have made big swings in Season 2, and they have just about all worked out. Everything has built into a solid story that feels much larger than the catastrophe of the week format of Season 1.
While that formulaic approach is still active, it works more as a vehicle now than the star of the show. Especially when The Ark has so many incredible actors showing every bit of their talent and skill.
The Ark is more than a ship. It’s a home to a crew that has become closer than family.
The Ark Is Pulling Out All The Stops To Give Fans A Fully Developed And Committed Story
While I adore this show, it definitely earned itself a couple of dings in “It Should Have Been You.” However, I want to preface this by saying these are light dings because they did help sell the story.
Science fiction shows are notorious for cherry-picking what could and couldn’t be possible in the future.
For example, The Ark can travel faster than light, but there’s been no advancement in the effort to wake coma patients? Are they saying they figured out how to travel through space but not wake someone up?
Then there is all the fun “space science,” as I lovingly referred to it in my interview with showrunners.
Good for you if you could follow the explanation about how Marsh, Garnet, and Ian ended up in a dream coma together. I’m still not sure I understood what the hell was going on.
In the end, though, The Ark delivered one heart-wrenching scene after another. The Ark is pulling out all the stops to give fans a fully developed and committed story.
I just hope everything that has happened doesn’t break Sharon. The captain has been through enough.
The Ark Doesn’t Mind Keeping Its Characters On The Struggle Bus If It Means Quality Storytelling
First of all, someone, please get Christie Burke on the line. In our interview, she promised me that her character, Captain Garnet, would have more positive and light moments throughout Season 2.
If this is the show’s definition of “light,” there are some sadistic forces at play here. In all seriousness, it has been such a challenging journey for the captain.
Everything takes The Ark one step forward and two steps back. With two more episodes left of Season 2, there’s no sign that Sharon is anywhere close to relaxing.
She definitely can’t handle another death in the crew/family, and frankly, neither can I. Hopefully, we’ll at least have a reprieve from more characters dying before the finale. Then, all bets are off.
Still, Sharon isn’t the only one on the struggle bus. Poor Ian found a brother and lost him in almost no time. Now, he’s gone through a crazy dream coma with Sharon and possibly fallen in love with her.
Sometimes, I forget these characters are in space. The series can so easily focus the spotlight on relatable human moments.
Some Characters On The Ark Have Nothing To Do, While Others Have Too Much
Through the complicated coma situation, audiences got a clear picture of where the rest of the characters are with their arcs.
For some reason, despite Brice (Richard Fleeshman) having plenty of previous leadership experience, he lost every bit of his senses and ran around the ship with the enthusiasm of a helicopter parent.
It’s unclear what that was supposed to say about where his character is headed. However, it’s never a good sign when someone has a dramatic shift in personality.
At least Brice had something actually to do in this episode. What the heck is going on with Angus?! He has done NOTHING all season. And now he’s toting around a bar cart like he’s planning on opening a cheers on The Ark?
Also, I have to ask, was this really the right episode to feature Angus and Alicia’s first time having sex together? Then, they used the old “first time is always bad” trope. Can we give these two adorable nerds a break?
They’ve been working their butts off, supporting every other character’s arc. I want to see Angus and Alicia casually walk out of their room, both in robes or sheets, holding cigarettes after having the passionate night of their lives together.
You don’t have to look like Brice and Eva to have romance AND passion. Although, if you’ve seen The Ark Season 2 Episode 4, “The Other You,” you know it doesn’t hurt to have a body like Brice’s.
If the show is headed in the direction I think it is, The Ark will need as many able-bodied people as possible.
The Writing Is On The Wall, And It Says, “Did You Miss Me, Sharon?”
At this point, we can all agree that The Ark has been very sneaky. Throughout Season 2, there has been one big bad after another, from electric tentacles to clones to Eastern Federation.
That was likely done to distract audiences from Evelyn Maddox, the possible real villain of The Ark Season 2.
The writing is on the wall, and it says, “Did you miss me, Sharon?” After such an intense premiere with The Ark Season 2 Episode 1, there was no way we wouldn’t see Maddox again.
At the very least, we need her to continue Kelly’s arc and journey. Kelly, who was oddly absent from this episode, must decide what her future looks like. Seek vengeance against her mother or choose a new path with The Ark.
It would be the perfect ending to Season 2, considering how much of the story relied on crew taken from The Ark Fifteen. Kimi (Díana Bermudez), for instance, has fully acclimated into being a trusted member of The Ark. So, that’ll be a fun reunion for her.
However, before we can even get to that, there is still that all-important question that was asked in the previous episode, “Are we the bad guys?”
My money is on The Ark and The EF 2 joining forces to form an independent colony, but Maddox (Jelena Stupljanin) will have other ideas. It’s just a random guess because The Ark has proven it can easily exceed the audience’s expectations.
We still have two more episodes of this exciting series’ second season, and we will take that journey through the vastness of space together!
What do you think will happen when The Ark and The EF reach their designated planet?
Do you think Ian and Sharon will eventually end up together or fizzle out before they start?
Drop a comment below to let me know what you liked about this or any other show, and join me again when I review the next episode of The Ark!