Snowpiercer Review: Prepare to Brace (Season 1 Episode 2)
As the Snowpiercer train rolls on (yes, pun intended) the mystery and conspiracy continues to deepen.
Snowpiercer Season 1 Episode 2, “Prepare to Brace,” uncovers some secrets, reveals more about the train, and raises the stakes rather significantly.
Several stories take place during “Prepare to Brace,” but the most prevalent is Andre Layton continuing his investigation into the death of Sean Wise. Sean’s death turns out to be suspicious in more than one way (not the least of which is that he’s missing several key body parts).
Layton’s investigation uncovers, despite Till’s best efforts, that the victim had been a third class spy for the train’s administration. The suggestion that he might’ve been killed because of what he knew or might’ve told someone else adds some interesting layers to the over-arching story.
Even more interesting is the discovery of Wise’s limbs in the butcher’s freezer. The suggestion that people might be unaware they are eating limbs is certainly gross but also a little bit funny.
This leads to an extremely compelling moment –Till tries to diss Layton by suggesting the Tailers ate limbs for awhile. Layton, instead of an introspective flashback or denial, simply confirms those rumors are true.
Even though Layton and Till’s investigation makes several left turns into weird (eating limbs) or exciting (Layton getting information to the Tail), at times it still feels a little bit like CSI: Train. But “Prepare to Brace” outdoes its predecessor not by focusing on the mystery, but rather the depth of each character. The more it reveals about its characters, the more compelling it becomes.
Outside of the investigation, there are a few more strong storylines.
Layton reconnecting with Zarah, for instance, paints a vivid picture of their life before the train. It also sets up what is likely to be a wild inter-class love triangle.
Possibly the most compelling element of “Prepare to Brace,” though, is the avalanche and the damage it causes to the cattle car. The cattle car not only provides milk and meat for the passengers, but also compost and methane for the ecosystem.
The freezing death of both cattle and the workers in that car create significantly higher stakes for Snowpiercer going forward. It almost feels glossed over by the episode, but you can tell that it’s setting up some significant challenges for Mr. Wilford and his passengers.
A few stray thoughts:
- It took me exactly one week to forget who the girl was that the doctor is attempting to bring out of artificial sleep. Those scenes didn’t really jive with the rest of the episode.
- Alison Wright gets a little more to do on “Prepare to Brace,” which is always good news because she’s fantastic.
- Do people really eat donuts naked? Is that a thing? I find that very unrealistic.
- A couple scenes on “Prepare to Brace” were direct references to the Snowpiercer film. They played out a little differently, but bore striking similarities. Mostly the ones involving Ruth (Alison Wright) and the tailies.
- Melanie (AKA Mr. Wilford) and Layton get exactly one scene together on “Prepare to Brace,” but it may have been the episode’s most compelling scene. Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs have a strong chemistry and it really shines here.
What did you think of this episode of Snowpiercer? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Snowpiercer airs Sundays at 9/8c on TNT.
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Nick Hogan
Nick Hogan is an experienced podcaster and writer (particularly on media topics), who loves discussion and analysis of TV and is always looking for new shows to watch. He is also a parent who loves buffalo wings, blowing raspberries, and his beloved Cincinnati Reds.