For All Mankind — Series 3 Episode 2 — Game Changer — A Review

12th February, 2023: Game Changer.

Right … it’s Sunday: and … ?

I’m back from my family’s, after dinner … 

And … ?

Frankly, I’m ready for some TV.

I’m going to be watching Game Changer: the second episode of For All Mankind’s third series.

I’m looking forward to it: and getting my review up, tomorrow.

~≈🚀≈~

13th February, 2023.

Episode 2 — Game Changer — opens to show us Karen Baldwin (Shantel VanSanten) traveling through one of the USA’s more arid region: to meet Dev Ayesa (Edi Gathegi) of Helios Aerospace.

Dev … ?   Has something of a proposition for Karen.

He’s got a long term plan to go on a trip to somewhere: somewhere that’s going to take some time.

Unless Karen agrees to sell him the remains of the Polaris Hotel.

He plans to retrofit the thing: and take it out of Low Earth Orbit.

Something Karen is happy to do … when she find out exactly where Dev’s going.

~≈🚀≈~

After the opening titles has rolled … ?

We see that Molly (Sonya Walger) is mightily offended by a decision of Margo’s (Wrenn Schmidt’s): to take the decision on who heads which mission out of her, Molly’s hands … 

And into the hands of a selection committee.

Molly’s almost immediate decision — to name Ed Baldwin (Joel Kinnaman) as leader for the first mission, and Danielle Poole (Krys Marshall) as leader of the second — earns her two things.

It sees her lose her job … and her decision reversed.

Meanwhile … ?

Meanwhile, there’s a lot going on in the home of Senator Ellen Wilson (Jodi Balfour).   The former astronaut is discussing her run for president with husband, Larry (Nate Corddry): who makes what he feels is a very wise point.

Ellen doesn’t like his suggested vice-presidential candidate — the hard line Republican Governor, Jim Bragg (Randy Oglesby) — but has to admit: he’ll pull in far more voters than her choice, Senator McCain.

Elsewhere, Karen has a meeting at the very un-corporate HQ of Helios.

She has a suggestion for a mission commander for Dev Ayesa’s revamped Polaris mission: her ex-husband — and now job-hunting — ex husband, Ed.

As far as Dev’s concerned?   That’s great timing.

Ed leading the Helios Mars mission can be announced on the 6 O’Clock News … 

~≈🚀≈~

Now … 

What did I make of this episode?

Was it good, bad, indifferent?

And is it setting up a plotline?

And nodding at someone?

Let’s answer that last question first, shall we?

There is a definite nod in Game Changer.

Acknowledgement, I should say.

I think many of us familiar with the technology industry would have seen Karen’s meeting with Dev, at the Helios HQ, would possibly be tempted to think of Google.

It had a reputation as a tree hugging, ‘don’t be evil,’ hippy commune at one point.

So Dev claiming his company was ‘non-hierarchical,’ seems very reminiscent of both Google: and Facebook.

Or possibly of some of the odder cults doing the rounds.

Cult aside?   The character of Dev put me in mind — possibly — of Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg.

Possibly.

But I saw Dev’s big press conference at the end of the episode, and DIDN’T think of Facebook’s CEO.

Oh, no.

For All Mankind is, after all, a series made by Apple: the old rainbow Apple logos are all over the kit the astronauts use to call each other.

No, I was watched Edi Gathegi’s character, in that scene … and immediately though of Apple’s co-founder, Steve Jobs.

If that press conference wasn’t a fictional re-creation of a Stevenote, I’m a duck!

At any rate … ?

The episode, per-se, is great.

The regular ensemble are all on their toes: especially Sonya Walger as the embattled Molly.

All of them, her included, are as sympathetic as ever.

Newcomer Edi Gathegi is good as the charismatic Helios boss?   Is riveting.

Plotwise?

I suspect we’re going to have some interesting developments, over the next few episodes.

At one early stage, in Game Changer?   We see Danny (Casey W. Johnson) confessing his feelings for — and to — Karen.

And politely — but firmly — being rejected.

When a mildly drunk Ed later turns up at Karen’s?

We — but not they — can see a car parked over the street.

We — but not they — can the person behind the driving wheel is Danny Stevens.

We — but not they — can see him watching a woman he’s ‘in love with,’ chatting to her ex-husband.

I think that — between the rocket testing and the race for Mars? — we have a stalker on the go.

Frankly?

I’m going to be watching the next episode — All In — on Sunday, 19th February: and will have my written and video reviews up on Monday, 20th February, 2023.

Hopefully?

I’ll see you then.

Game Changer.

★★★★