In many ways, For All Mankind season 5, Episode 7, "The Sirens of Titans," is a fairly typical continuation of the rebellion storyline that's been so heavily chronicled in recent weeks. In other ways, it's something approaching a high art short film that speaks to the beauty of optimism in incredibly trying times. There were parts that didn't seem to quite fit, but the overall effort was still astounding.
FULL SPOILERS FOR For All Mankind season 5, Episode 7, "The Sirens of Titan."
Set six months after Episode 6, "No Sudden Moves," "The Sirens of Titan" has allowed enough time to pass for both of its major storylines to take root. The Sons and Daughters of Mars' takeover isn't going great at the start of the installment, but it could be going far worse. Then, it does go worse. Similarly, the Titan mission is initially forced to admit that turning back at the last second is the only and best option given their lack of real preparation. These two arcs dominate Episode 7's runtime, weaving together to form a near-masterpiece.
For All Mankind season 5's Titan mission is rightfully treated as the spine of Episode 7
The first we see of the Titan mission in "The Sirens of Titan" is Kuragin's failed attempt to land on Saturn's moon. From there, we get the impression that Kelly Baldwin (Cynthy Wu) and company are bound to reverse course and head home to Mars. That's an illusion that's maintained until the episode's final minutes, and it's an awesome bait-and-switch.
Just as we think another member of the Baldwin family is going to miss out on being the first to land on an unexplored body in the solar system, Kelly's sneaky act of subterfuge avoids copying her late father's only professional shortcoming.
When the mission's audio was being broadcast to the rest of Happy Valley, I couldn't help but feel like I was right there with everyone, praying for Sojourner's safe landing on Titan. In a time when the Sons and Daughters of Mars are right on the verge of considering surrender, the hope and promise of what those on the Red Planet can achieve is then on full display for everyone to witness.
The entire sequence gave me goosebumps—especially when every member of Sojourner's multinational crew made sure to step onto Titan's surface all at once. It was clear that it wasn't about one country beating another anymore, but the fact that mankind as a whole made it there together. Even Lenya (Costa Ronin) loved it!
The cringiest scene in "The Sirens of Titan" somehow became one of the episode's most poignant moments
Alex (Sean Kaufman) has never struck me as much of a dance fan. The scene that saw Lily (Ruby Cruz) surprise him for his birthday with an intricately choreographed group routine was sweet, but...way too cheesy for a show like For All Mankind. The episode suddenly felt like it had pivoted into being a Glee tribute, and I didn't understand why the writers had thought it was a good idea. Then, the attack orchestrated by Dev (Edi Gathegi) came into play.
The stark contrast between the lighthearted Nicki Minaj-soundtracked moment and the violent decompression of the crop domes was actually very effective. I still think there was probably a less uncharacteristic way of pulling off that abrupt change in tone, but the dance number did feel like more of a logical choice when its true purpose was revealed. Either way, the combination of teenage tomfoolery and mortal danger was a smart move.
"The Sirens of Titan" helps For All Mankind feel even more like a traditional sci-fi show
For All Mankind has always been very unique. Although it's technically a sci-fi show, it's also long been more recognizable as a political thriller or alt-history period piece. As the timeline has surged on since its 1969 divergence point, the sci-fi elements have been creeping into the picture more and more, although it has stalled in recent seasons.
With Kelly's crew landing on Titan, For All Mankind feels more like a textbook space opera than ever. Sure, the Mars landing was cool, but that's something that feels tantalizingly close in the real world.
More than just feeling like a regular sci-fi show, For All Mankind now feels like a semi-universal origin story for other space operas that take place in the far future. Characters in shows like Star Trek and The Orville have put aside factors like nationality and political allegiances, instead inspired by what people can do when they prioritize simply working together.
With For All Mankind season 6 now confirmed to wrap up the show (presumably after a time jump to the 2020s), I wouldn't expect a lot more progress in this respect. Still, it's episodes like "The Sirens of Titans" that serve as an important reminder of For All Mankind's biggest genre label, and what's at stake for the characters and their descendants.
Episode Rating: A+
For All Mankind is streaming on Apple TV.
Add us as a preferred source on Google