For All Mankind — Series 2 Episode 5 — The Weight — A Review

4th May, 2021.

It’s got to be said: Tuesday night TV is getting to be a tradition.

For me, at any rate.

I job hunt in the morning, I do whatever else needs doing, then I have dinner.

Chicken stew, if you’re asking.   And a baked spud.

The stew’s not bad: but needs work, I think.   Or more carrots.

Or different stock, possibly.

Maybe some bacon.

At any rate: once I get dinner eaten, I’m ready to watch another episode of whatever series I’m following.

In this case?   Episode five of the second series of For All Mankind.

I’ll tell you more about it, tomorrow night.

Assuming I can make sense of my notes, that is!

~≈🌔≈~

5th May, 2021.

Episode 5 — The Weight — opens: with Tracy (Sarah Jones), arriving on the Moon: film some NASA publicity footage, as she does.

Post credits?

And in the aftermath of Ed Baldwin’s brush with death, the episode shows us his wife, Karen (Shantel VanSanten) and their daughter, Kelly (Cynthy Wu) talking about Ed’s accident: with Karen telling Kelly Ed almost died, getting shot down in Korea.

We see Molly (Sonya Walger) doing her job as the new Chief of the Astronaut Office: and publicly giving Ed and Gordo (Joel Kinnaman and Michael Michael Dorman) a serious dressing down.

Then, once the recalcitrant pair are out of the office?   Defending her decision to keep them on the mission to Margo and Tom (Wrenn Schmidt and Dan Donohue), as only she can.

Ed?   Finds himself needing to think.

Gordo?   Is facing up to fact he’s soon going to joining his ex-wife at Jamestown: and that he needs to clean up his act.

Meanwhile … ?   Gordo’s ex wife, Tracy (Sarah Jones) arriving at the moon, being introduced to her new crewmates, and new job as a lunar transport driver, whilst there.

Only to find the monotony, and the air conditioning?

Driving her to drink … 

It’s only an alarm going off — and a serious reprimand — that persuades her to clean up her act.

Which — in the episode’s last minutes? — is a possible good things.

The bases new crew members arrive … with some mysterious new kit … 

~≈🌔≈~

Now … ?

Good … ?

It’s got to be said, this episode belongs to Gordo and Tracy: and, to a lesser extent Karen and Ellen (Jodi Balfour.)

Jodi having a one night stand with her ex girlfriend?

Was both telegraphed, and something the character desperately needed.

But saying I saw it coming would possibly be poor taste … 

But … ?

For me, the bulk of tonight’s story revolved around Tracy and Gordo: both battling demons, with some much needed help.

Granted?   I think Tracey’s alcohol issues were tied off a little too easily*: but that may return to haunt her.

And granted?   Gordo’s issue should maybe have been taken to NASA’s psychologists.

But granted?

I think AppleTV+ may well be laying ground work for later episodes.

Frankly?   We’ll have to wait to see what episode 6 brings.

I’ll be watching that, next Tuesday, and telling you about it, on Wednesday, 12th May.

I’ll see you then.

*        I’ve had alcohol issues, myself: that all started as an innocent attempt to try and get to sleep of an evening.