IR TV Review: FOR ALL MANKIND - EPISODE 10 (“This”) [Apple TV-S5]
The context of the final episode of Season 5 of "For All Mankind" entitled "This Land Is Our Land" does not disappoint. In building towards the end of the season sometimes the path seemed to run a little slowly but once it got to its destination, it very much delivered. Although the effects budget does seem a little lower this year, after the Hopper mission two episodes ago, it definitely picked up. The incursion and rebellion on Mars does push to the point that there needs to be stakes. Now whether that could have been pushed further is a tricky question. But when decisions need to be made, it is taken care of. Alex (Sean Kaufmann) is meant to be the catalyst of the new world's point of view but he has to come to terms with the man who helped build it. One of three great visuals happens because people need to come together to achieve a common goal even if the politics don't quite align. Kelly (Cynthy Wu) gets the best of it though because of the decisions she needs to make, even though some of the fault comes from her own shortcomings and yet she defines the season. She is like her father who pushed her to go to Titan.
Space travel is and will never be easy with unknown dangers around every corner. The trick is to find the balance. While the initial shot of the episode is quite foreboding it uses an interesting parallel structure at one point. It is also takes into mind certain elements that Marseys knows better than others. Ambition is a fickle master but it also depends what the end goal is. The CEO of Helios eventually knows what needs to be done but it takes someone from the opposite end of the hallway to help her see it in a new light. The same can be said of Alex and the young M6 recruit Stevens who has been blinded and filled with rage on multiple fronts. At least it finally makes complete sense of why the show followed her this season so vigorously even though the connection was tantamount. She just needed in a way to see a bit of empathy to help see what her father's legacy might have been. Granted great strides do not happen without sacrifice but the way Ronald D. Moore and company end the season with a shot is beautiful (though interesting with its song choice -- though on rematch it does feel right. Parts of the ending shot are dark and point to a new future but where that final season goes beyond the date is anyone's guess. A-
By Tim Wassberg
