Well that got away from me for a bit.

After the explosive introduction that was For All Mankind: Season 1, with the Soviets beating the US to the moon and all that changed through that… no we’re a decade in the future and things continue to change!

It’s fascinating to see Jamestown grow to a crew of around 20. The Baldwins have adapted a daughter. The chaos of escalating tensions, both on the moon and also back on Earth–and all the perils of space travel, even without that. And Gordo, Danielle, and Ed, back to space.

And that’s all in the first part of the week.

Man this is a good show.

And next season, with another time skip we may very well be going to Mars!

Onward!

Episode by episode mini-reviews (potential spoilers! especially from latter episodes for earlier ones).

1. Every Little Thing

Man. Jamestown got big (relatively speaking). And now instead of being alone, Ellen is about to leave a crew of more than a dozen.

The news montages are neat. Slight changes. And I expect few if any of them will matter.

It’s also interesting seeing a lot of the same cast supposed to be a decade older.

And… the Baldwin’s adopted a new daughter. That was surprising. I expect we’ll see more of that?

And finally… it’s weird that they got the 30% of the speed of light from the sun to the Earth is 30 minutes… but not that the Earth/Moon would be at most seconds after that.

2. The Bleeding Edge

Settling in to the new season!

Danielle is going back! Molly is grounded, but so far no one knows. Tracy is not at all focused. And Gordo’s even worse. Their son is at Annapolis. 

Quieter than episode one, now we’re ready to build up the new season.

3. Rules of Engagement

Oh tragedy of tragedies. Gordo’s jumpsuit must have shrunk in the wash! I’m not sure if he or Tracy is more a mess… (Kidding. It’s Tracy. Didn’t expect that one.)

More seriously, Aleida is back! New face. Bit harder to age up a younger actress. I was wondering when they’d get back to that.

Speaking of… when are they going to fill in how Kelly ended up with the Baldwins?

4. Pathfinder

Gordo’s got issues. Dani’s got issues. Ed is going to space… (Yeah, he’s got issues too.)

Everyone has issues!

Not just space this time around. But plenty of drama.

5. The Weight

Tracy gets to the moon! Ed gets a slap on the wrist. And Aleida gets a job.

Tracy’s conflicting lives–show business and a ‘real job’–are surprisingly interesting.

Gordo really found for it? Good for him!

6. Best-Laid Plans

Americans and Soviets, all* trying to hammer out the details of their awesome meet and greet IN SPACE.

It goes well.

Seeing different levels of the two interacting makes for a fascinating episode.

To Laika.

* The military folks would much rather the whole thing delayed until it just doesn’t happen.

7. Don’t Be Cruel

A life saving heart attack. Also memorial borscht. That is all.

Some real tension between the US and USSR. Has potential.

And some real weird development for Karen. That’s… I hope it doesn’t have potential.

8. And Here’s To You

So many little snippets. Gordo in space. Molly’s new reality. Ellen has a choice. Kelly comes close to confronting her past. Margo has a moment. Aleida screws up… and owns up to it. Karen and Danny… wat. And the eventual outcome we all knew eventually had to come, bringing guns to the moon.

Quite an episode.

9. Triage

All the fallout. Both in space and back on Earth (and going back into space I suppose).

It’s good to see Gordo and Tracy making up at least, even if everything and everyone else is going sideways.

Ellen is definitely a yay/boo though.

10. The Grey

Well that is most certainly a finale

Everything going wrong. Cutting from problem to problem.

And then, a ray of hope. A solution. And death.

Quite the end to an intense season.

Onward! To Mars?