Snowpiercer Review: The Time of Two Engines (Season 2 Episode 1)
If it feels strange to you that Snowpiercer is back for Season 2 already, it should! It’s only been 6 months since Season 1 ended, but the action is as high-octane as ever! Full steam ahead (pun intended)!
On Snowpiercer Season 2 Episode 1, “The Time of Two Engines,” the show picks up immediately where Season 1 ends, as Mr. Wilford’s second train, Big Alice, attaches itself to Snowpiercer in an attempt to take over.
At times, Snowpiercer‘s first season could feel sluggish or overfilled, never quite nailing down the pace. It got much more exciting as it went along, but still never felt like it arrived or balanced perfectly.
Season 2, however, starts off incredibly strong. Sean Bean’s Mr. Wilford arrives at exactly the right time — as Snowpiercer is still reeling from the uprising and change in power dynamic. “The Time of Two Engines” proves to have plenty of potential for action, political intrigue, and evolution of characters and their relationships.
“The Time of Two Engines” works on multiple levels, both action and politics heavy. Layton, for instance, immediately has to declare martial law before they can even draft their constitution, which sows seeds of doubt from his constituents just as a new power player comes aboard. This works on a political level, and the action that stems from that serves both purposes, as the citizens of Snowpiercer have just exited an uprising.
It’s easy to see how Mr. Wilford’s presence will be divisive, with folks like Ruth enamored with the idea of him, and LJ celebrating the possible return to her high-class status. But Wilford expects to find Melanie at the helm of Snowpiercer, which really throws a wrench into his plans and makes for one heck of an inciting incident.
Political intrigue aside, Snowpiercer also sets up some new relationship dynamics. Layton and Ruth barely interact during the first season, but “The Time of Two Engines” has them working side-by-side. There also seem to be plenty of existing relationships to Mr. Wilford that will undoubtedly be explored and add extra layers to the drama.
But of course, the true relationship to watch is that of Melanie and her daughter, Alex. Rowan Blanchard’s addition to the cast is just as exciting as Sean Bean’s. Getting to watch Alex and Melanie’s relationship start to unfold is one of the highlights of the episode.
Really the only thing to complain about at all is that (at least to me) it seems obvious where things are headed and what actions will have an impact later in the season. But Snowpiercer seems to have finally reached a point where the excitement and intrigue overshadows it.
Overall – Snowpiercer seems much more poised for Season 2. Every single actor does an absolutely phenomenal job, and it looks like Season 2 will be great because of it.
A few stray thoughts:
- Some of the new characters are interesting, but especially the medical team from Big Alice. They seem fun.
- “We call it goop!” The new season has some humor, too!
- Among all of the strong performances, Jennifer Connelly really brings it on “The Time of Two Engines.” Melanie really carries this show sometimes.
- Housekeeping note: please note that I will use bold and italics when referring to the show’s title, and nothing special when I refer to the train’s proper name.
What did you think of this episode of Snowpiercer? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Snowpiercer airs Mondays 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.