IR TV Review: NAUTILUS - EPISODE 5 (“Smoked Eel”)[AMC]
Whereas the previous episode of "Nautilus" had the concept of a lost isle with a little bit of actual "Lost" thrown in, Episode 5: "Smoked Eel" takes on a more haunted house concept. After a monster grabs hold of the Nautilus, it becomes again about problem solving but there is another detail at play here. Again the episode doesn't really explain as much as it should or what we are seeing but that is part of the fun. One of the details is what actually drives the requisite actions. This turns more into Lady Lucas' episode but, with a flashback, there is a more of a motivation to show why in what she does. In a way. As the episode progresses, it has certain elements of "Sunshine", the Danny Boyle/Cillian Murphy sci-fi movie. The effects here are pretty good but don't give too much away. The space that the "Nautilus" is traveling into is something new and the Admiral aboard the Dreadnought is letting on to more than he should know per se. There is some diametric scenes on the ship with one of the lieutenants who gives a deeper context to Nemo's story but also the brutality in place.
The series keeps doling out just enough to tease the audience without giving them the whole picture. The reality of the episode is that certain bonds are getting stronger while others are fraying. One specific detail with the French inventor who works with Nemo points to what they are really looking for (but the reason why is still elusive). The series works at its best with the empathy shines through and then someone makes a mistake. The final image of the episode is a doozy because it finally with one shot gives such a sense of scale of what they are up again. it does bring to mind again "Sunshine" but also in a way "The Abyss" but in a different way. "Nautilus" with this episode gains much more scope even if the cause of a certain malady is unknown because in this tale, the balance of metaphorical and literal tends to blend. A-
By Tim Wassberg
