5th March, 2023: ‘Seven Minutes of Terror’.
Yes: it’s Sunday night.
And, for once?
I’m having dinner at home: rather than with my family.
To be fair?
They DID take me out for dinner, last night!
Well, it was my birthday, yesterday.
At any rate … ?
It’s Sunday.
Which means I’ll be having something to eat.
Then …
Watching the next episode of For All Mankind, series three.
Given how good ‘Happy Valley’ was?
I have high expectations of ‘Seven Minutes of Terror’.
Episode 5 — ‘Seven Minutes of Terror’* — opens, not with a recap of ‘Happy Valley’, but with a burial in space: of the two astronauts, and one cosmonaut, lost in the crash.
Those losts souls? Are given suitable burials in space: with Danielle Poole and Grigory Kuznetsov (Krys Marshall and Lev Gorn), the commanders of the American and Russian Mars missions, leading the service.
And with the crew of the Phoenix— and the various ground crews — watching on.
Post titles?
Post titles, we see a memorial service led by President Wilson (Jodi Balfour): and see the arrival of a Soviet delegation at Houston.
Including the first very frosty meeting between NASA director, Margo Madison (Wrenn Schmidt) and her Soviet opposite number, Lenara Catiche (Vera Cherny).
The meeting?
Goes well enough.
But, much to Margo’s chagrin?
Lenara wants both official, and unofficial, help.
The Russians, it seems, wants to borrow a few bits and bobs from the NASA mission, once they get to Mars.
And Lenara? Knows Margo’s been ever so helpful.
Margo?
Is not happy.
The only way Margo will help … ?
Is if Lenara gets Sergei (Piotr Adamczyk) out of the Gulag and over to Houston …
~≈🚀≈~
Now … what did I think go this tense little thriller?
What did I think … ?
It has to be said, ‘Happy Valley’ was an utterly engrossing episode: one that had me hooked from start to finish.
I was possibly too impressed … or not impressed enough.
Either way, I think ‘Happy Valley’ was possibly the finest individual episode of For All Mankind’s third season.
How does ‘Seven Minutes of Terror’ compare?
Very well, actually.
Granted, ‘Seven Minutes of Terror’ isn’t as tense as ‘Happy Valley’.
But … ?
Focusing on Margo’s effects to get Sergei out of Siberia, whilst her protégé, Aleida (Coral Peña), tries to tell her boss someone in NASA is leaking US plans to the Russians?
Give this episode one hell of a lot of menace.
Combine that menace with a climactic final race to Mars, a race won by Danielle and her team?
We have a very good episode, indeed.
‘Seven Minutes of Terror’★★★★
~≈🚀≈~
As my usual final word?
I’ll be watching the next episode of Star Trek Picard — ‘No Win Scenario’ — on Friday, 10th March: and have my written† and video review up on Saturday, 11th March.
I’ll watch the next episode of For All Mankind — ‘New Eden’ — on Sunday, 12th March: and have the written and video reviews up on Mondays, 13th March.
Let’s make it a date, shall we?
I’ll — hopefully — see you then.
* As far as I know … ? The phrase, ‘seven minutes of terror’ comes from NASA’s Curiosity rover. Apparently, it took seven minutes for the Rover to be dropped from orbit, to the surface of Mars. Those scientists were incredibly nervous about the landing. They had no idea if the rover would successfully land … or end up as several billion dollars worth of Martian scrap.
NASA’s video about it … ? Is below …
† That written review will go live: late on 11th March, 2023. Feel free to come back, then!
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