For All Mankind — Series 2 Episode 7 — Don’t Be Cruel — A Review

18th May, 2021.

Any minute now … ?

I’m going to hit the sack.

Really.

I’ve got some entertaining bedtime really — A Nomad of the Time Streams — that’s just getting to the good bits.

But … ?   As is getting to be something of a tradition, I’ve watched another episode of For All Mankind, made a few rudimentary notes … 

And wanted to at least get started on the post.

I’ll be back … after this snooze … !

~≈👽≈~

19th May, 2021.

Episode 7 — Don’t Be Cruel — opens: with Ellen Wilson and Thomas Paine (Jodi Balfour and Dan Donohue) has a sophisticated post-work drink: before they head off to a summit meeting in South Korea.

Interrupted by an urgent call for Ellen: her father is in hospital, after having a heart attack.

Thomas heads for the jet, alone: knowing that Ellen will catch up, later.

Thomas spends most of the flight on the phone to Margo (Wrenn Schmidt) … only for Margo to be left baffled, when the phone call is mysteriously, and abruptly, terminated.

It’s only later that the world find out what we’ve already seen.

That the jet Thomas was on … ?

Was shot down by the Russians* … 

~≈👽≈~

Post titles?

Post titles, we see the consequences of the Soviet’s action.

Much to her dismay, Ellen is named as the acting NASA Administrator: something she has to announce at the first NASA crisis meeting after the incident.

A meeting Margo, Molly (Sonya Walger) and General Bradford (John Marshall Jones) are at the meeting.

Molly is keen to find out what’s happening to her astronaut in Sky City, Margo is keen to help — by opening a channel with Russian delegation head, Sergei (Piotr Adamczyk) — and General Nelson is keen to make sure that the disputed mining claim on the Moon … ?

Is under a US flag.

With all this happening … ?   Kelly (Cynthy Wu)’s effort’s to find her family is bearing fruit … 

Danielle … ?   Gets to meet a Russian … who only introduces himself as an engineer … 

And Margo … ?

Manages to warn Sergei about a a small piece of rubber† … 

~≈👽≈~

Now … 

I have to saw, I’ve enjoyed this second series of For All Mankind: and Don’t Be Cruel!

Granted, there’s a certain element of soap opera creeping in: Karen’s brief fling with Gordo’s son, Danny, Ellen’s complex relation ship with Larry and Pam, Kelly finding her birth mother died in childbirth … 

But … ?

There is plenty of alternative Cold War action, right from the start.

Seeing a jumbo shot down by a Russian jet opens the episode with some high drama, adds mystery when Danielle is connected by a senior Russian, and closing with the NASA re-taking the mine.

Frankly?

I’ll be watching episode eight on Tuesday, 25th May, and releasing my review the day after.

I’d love it if you joined me … 

*        Thomas Paine’s death on KAL007 is based on a real-world incident: the plane’s crew made a navigation mistake that took them over prohibited Soviet airspace.

†        In the For All Mankind timeline, as in ours, the USSR had its own Shuttle programme.  And, unlike in our, the Challenger shuttle wasn’t destroyed on launch: as a NASA engineer found the faulty O-ring that destroyed out version.