Review: For All Mankind Episode 401, “Glasnost”

Welcome to 2003, for the first time. For All Mankind is back for a fourth season, which means we progress another decade forward in this alternate version of the world where the United States and the Soviet Union never stopped racing each other to reach deeper into outer space, resulting in new technologies and political shifts. In season 3, mankind landed on Mars. In season 4, they’ve set up a whole colony there.

Also, the Cold War is over, not because the Soviet Union collapsed from the inside, as happened in our world, but because there are McDonald’s restaurants in Russia now. Capitalism accomplished what Eisenhower could not. Also, in this reality, Al Gore is president. There but for the grace of a few hanging chads. Because the 2000 election? ‘Member that? This season is already weird because it’s reaching parts of history I was actually around for. Is For All Mankind going to have its own 9/11 moment? I’m honestly nervous.

We’re not likely to see it for a while. For All Mankind has always been a show that cares about structure and pacing, which means it’s going to take its time building up to the big moments. “Gastnost” is mostly about setup. It’s been 10 years since we’ve seen these characters last, after all. What’s become of them?

For All Mankind season 4: Liftoff

Ed Baldwin, who surely can’t last to season 5 at this rate, is still up in space, working on a mining ship that’s going to extract precious resources from an asteroid. Of course, the attempt goes horribly wrong and two people die, including Kuznetsov, the Russian who competed with Danielle Poole to become the first person to set foot on Mars last season; since then everyone has gotten tight, so they’re sad to see him go.

This is the episode’s big set piece, and it does seem to arrive a little quickly. By this point we’ve seen mankind land on the moon and mankind land on Mars; landing on an asteroid just can’t compete. The incident also recalls the space hotel debacle from the second season premiere. Is For All Mankind repeating itself in its old age?

Well, “Glasnost” is intelligently structured such that the asteroid incident isn’t really the climax; it happens midway through the episode, making it more like the inciting incident. I liked that. The show knows we won’t be impressed by that kind of thing anymore, so it tucks it away in the middle of the show. It’s sometime to dazzle us while we meet new characters, catch up with old friends, and get everyone moving where they’re supposed to go.

Speaking of new characters, Miles is an offshore miner who needs a job bad: Helios is going to send him to Mars. It’ll be cool to get a working class perspective on space travel, since up to this point we’ve mostly hung out with accomplished pilots and scientists. And speaking of old friends, Aleida is still working at NASA, but hasn’t gone as far as you’d expect someone who was mentored by Margot Madison to go. Kelly Baldwin is raising her space baby from season 3 back on Earth while her dad avoids coming home; expect to hear about Ed’s spacetime blues later on. Danielle Poole has retired to private life, but gets called back into service by NASA’s new leader Eli Hobson. She’s assigned to head back to Mars to try and whip everyone back into shape; no more mining disasters, hmm?

By the end of the episode, both Danielle and Miles are on a flight to Mars. Things are changing, things are in motion. Things haven’t gotten up to full speed yet, but a premiere exists to start the engine, not to bring the space-train into space-port.

Margo in winter

Our other big subplot happens thousands of miles away, in Russia, where Margo Madison has spent the last 10 years of her life after defecting at the end of season 3. She’s alone, bedraggled, and clinging to the idea that she still has something to offer even though the Russians clearly aren’t interested in consulting with her on matters of outer space exploration. But at the end of the episode she meets a mysterious woman on a bench, so I think her future holds more than newspapers and outdoor sandwiches.

Once again, we don’t get a ton of movement here, but I’m happy to go along with this storyline until it inevitably links up with the others. Also, kudos to actor Wrenn Schmidt for speaking clipped Russian in Margo’s distinct southern accent. I don’t think I’ve ever heard that combo before.

I’ve always liked how sturdy a show For All Mankind is. Everything has its place, nothing is rushed, everything arrives in its own time. The special effects have always been great, and Apple provides the series with the steady stream of money it needs to feel secure in writing ahead. I always trust For All Mankind to take me somewhere interesting. Let’s go to Mars.

For All Bullet Point Kind

• In the opening montage, we learn that Ellen Wilson won another term as president, but we don’t see her. Surely that’s coming.
• Both Jimmy and Danny Stevens are mentioned or alluded to in this episode, but we see neither of the screw-up brothers in person. I get the idea that Danny may have died on Mars? They’re seeding something.

Episode Grade: B-

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