Friday, September 23, 2016

Colony, Season 1, Episode 8: In From the Cold



Last week we finally kinda, sorta had the big reveal to Will that Kate is a resistance member. But before we get to the drama, let’s expand the world building

Specifically “the Factory”

Now I kind of assumed it was euphemism for some death camp – but it turns out to be an actual factory. On the Moon. Yes, the moon. And we see Carlos, who was sent there way back when. It’s certainly not a happy fun place and something there is making the odd prisoner start coughing up blood – which seems to be expected as they have people read to drag them away screaming. Definitely something ominous going on

So back on Earth we have a continuation of the drama and Will finally having to figure out where his loyalties actually lie. I’d like to know that as well. He’s discovered his wife is actually pro-humanity rather than an Authority traitor (yes, I know I know in review after review I’ve said how more nuanced the whole conflict is and I still think that – but I still find Will’s motivations weird) and he pulls off a huge passive aggressive snit fit over it

See this is what I don’t get. I don’t get why he doesn’t UNDERSTAND why she’s with the resistance. I don’t get why he can’t sit down with her and discuss “I know why you’re doing this, I agree with the motivation” and either support her in this or explain why he has concerns (risk to family etc). This is the problem with Will, his whole working for the Authority should be under sufferance, a means to an end – yet time and again we see him pulling out all the stops and seeming to go all in for Snyder.

On Snyder – his boss dropped in to basically give him a heads up that some bigger boss is coming to review him. The gist of the conversation is, basically, that Los Angeles is actually a super liberal permissive paradise compared to other Colonies – yup there’s that nuance again, and maybe Snyder wasn’t bullshitting, maybe the devil you know is better

While Kate herself is having doubts about the Resistance and tells the woman who appears to be Quayle’s boss she wants out – they’ve lost half their cell, not achieved anything and Quayle is trying to kill her. Boss lady realises that Quayle’s hyper ruthlessness isn’t always useful

The twist this episode that adds to the complexity and tension is Quayle deciding to sell the Resistance out. He’s decided, as he tells Will, that the Resistance is actually not achieving anything (which, to be honest, it isn’t really) and he wants out – he wants out of the Colonies to the land outside which he thinks has bands of free people wandering around. For that he needs Snyder to give him pass to get out the wall. And if Will doesn’t help with that, he’ll sell out Kate


After much dosey-doing including Snyder demanding to see Quayle and finally agreeing to the demands if he can help them get Broussard (since he has an understandable beef against Broussard).

At the same time Will tells Beau about his wife, Quayle et al – and Beau reacts how, well, Will should. Beau doesn’t pretend to be loyal to the system. He isn’t outraged or shocked and he doesn’t even hesitate to offer to find a solution for Will to protect his wife. He even suggests using Broussard to take Quayle out

See, this is Beau – working for the system because he doesn’t have a whole lot of choice to do so but he’s definitely not invested in it or pro-establishment yay yay. Why isn’t Will doing this? Will takes his advice – and calmly drops this into a discussion with Kate (rather than actually sitting down with her and discussing it) who passes it on to the resistance

Which means she is there watching when the trap for Broussard is planned – she passes on a warning when she sees the place is crawling with Authority and Broussard escapes – but not the head of the Resistance who she was talking to. That woman is shot dead. She is devastated and

He demands Quayle be brought in – and Beau and Will knows he will be tortured. Beau is not only wanting to protect Kate but he’s also not happy that Quayle, an ex-CIA agent who once defended the USA is about to be tortured by aliens and them being involved. Will finds a “compromise”

He shoots Quayle – and the guards guarding Quayle, telling Snyder that Broussard did it.

Snyder enraged by how much of a disaster (in his view since he doesn’t know that woman) this whole affair has been. He threatens Will, no longer trying to coerce him with bribes and offers, but trying to threaten his co-operation – threatening him and his family.

It seems Snyder is feeling the precious and will no longer be his dubious “nice guy” now. He’s also not trusting Will so much

I just want to know where Will goes from here and if we can have some clarity about his motivations


Oh and Bram and his teacher are still playing with telescopes