The Expanse 2x12 - 'The Monster and The Rocket' TIMESTAMP / FULL LENGTH Reaction & Review
Added 2024-05-17 15:30:02 +0000 UTCIncredible episode with one of my top 5 scenes!
Comments
Well, it's certainly heartening to know that Ty wasn't happy with it, because if he had announced that he was, I think I would have completely changed my opinion of him. So I don't know why it never occurred to me to check, but I looked just now to see who got the writing credit for 2x12. Ironically, it appears on screen just after Holden says the dumb thing! The writers are Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby -- the guys who originally developed the show for TV, co-wrote the screenplay for the excellent "Children of Men," and wrote several of the better episodes of the first two seasons (including, frankly, this one, which as we've all pointed out had a bunch of great stuff in it). That kind of blows my mind a little, because those guys seemed pretty cool to me and I wouldn't think they were given to that sort of drivel. Who knows, maybe they did absolutely intend for it to be an urban myth that Holden believed for some reason. Oh, well.
Tony Camas
2024-05-21 01:32:08 +0000 UTCFound on Reddit without a link to the tweet mentioned, though: "Ngl I am kind of disappointed now in whoever wrote that episode of The Expanse "You, me, and James SA Corey themselves. A couple months back this topic came up in a twitter conversation in relation to the Expanse, where I also brought up the issues with it. Ty Franck (one of the two men who behind the penname [sic] James SA Corey - the author of the novels) replied back that he wasn't too happy about that either and we just shouldn't take Holden as an authority of Native American history."
Lauralyn
2024-05-20 15:09:41 +0000 UTCOne other thing about the 52 scene ... it's not just the "best of humanity" on display, but also a feature of Belter culture. If you recall all the way back towards the beginning of this season, when Miller talked about "Timmy the Detector" PSAs, Belters are immersed in emergency safety protocols from an early age. Part of being Belter is understanding that danger is just around the corner at any time, and at any time you might be called on to make an unimaginable choice.
ATong
2024-05-19 17:32:32 +0000 UTCHonestly, I think that story bugged me mostly because it was just... dumb. I mean, that's what led me to research it; I'm certainly no scholar of history either, just the idea that any single person, much less an entire *group* of people, would literally be unable to acknowledge the existence of a thing because they've never seen one before just strained credulity for me. It just sounded so incredibly ridiculous that I couldn't believe they had Holden, who is a bright guy, spouting that "fact," or believing it. And the fact that it has racist undertones (particularly in a show that does such a great job of avoiding that sort of thing) just makes it worse. That said, I've long since made peace with it; I guess I can believe that this is a story that Earthers tell each other because it helps them to feel superior or something. It's just disappointing that Jim believes it; I feel it's one of the very few missteps the writers made. So I enjoy railing against it, I suppose. I'll try to be less thin-skinned in the future. ๐ Much as I'd love to take credit for being a Lang Belta linguist, I'm really not, though I have a couple friends who are pretty serious about it, so I guess a small amount of it has rubbed off on me. That, and the fact that I've probably watched this show (via reactions) 40 or 50 times now! But thanks for the respect anyway!
Tony Camas
2024-05-19 06:05:39 +0000 UTCI agree with the tall ships comment, the analogy was weak and non existent. Except for the Mythโฆ They could have used a million other examples of โprimitiveโ meeting โadvancedโ technological societies that would have been more correct. However handed down myth is truth, if that is the only thing you know. I doubt Holden is a scholar of history. It is kinda of a waste to put too much thought into it. This show does absolutely incredible work at being a model of diversity, without ever letting that influence the story they told. And we all know they can deal with the real world implications of bad actions. Just saying:) Much respect for being a belter linguist.
Matt Drahos
2024-05-19 04:06:32 +0000 UTCWhen people discuss their favorite seasons, (and believe us, there are so many more amazing adventures and seasons to come!) I still come back to Season 2 as my absolute favorite of the show. It is not my favorite book (the winner there is Book 8!! for me) but this season is just so well done, so well acted, so many one off characters to fall in love with. And you can see the main characters gelling together and truly becoming a family. Hope you enjoyed the next episode!!
Etta Eskridge
2024-05-19 02:44:43 +0000 UTCI've been counting down the epis to finally watch you experiance this one, and you did not disappoint. If it's any consolation, I find that I sob even harder now after dozens of times watching. RIP Champa **two-finger chest tap**
HollisHenry
2024-05-18 03:48:50 +0000 UTCI don't understand why people think this is a slow part of the series. There's so much greatness here! I love your reactions, as always. Definitely more intuitive than I was my first watch-through. There's no need to comment on the scene at the docks with the big guy, you nailed it. I love from this episode the other character moments. Alex being the compass for Holden. Bobbie and Cotyar sizing each other up. I think you are right in that he'd done his homework. But he lets her know a couple things to surprise her and let her know he's not an amateur, and that he has a stake in the game. The scene that cracks me up, though, is when they all meet on Mao's yacht, and Bobbie has that moment of eating what was likely the first real earth-grown produce in her life. Such a well acted moment, with her looking like it's the best thing she's ever eaten, looking at Cotyar like "have you seriously tried this?!?", and then just chomping away in the background as Crisjen and Mao talk. It's small moments like these that the show does so well.
David Schafer
2024-05-18 02:08:24 +0000 UTCSo many great things packed up in this one episode! I absolutely love Errinwright come back. I think he really did think of ending it at the beginning of the episode. But then when Avasarala said to him she was going to talk to Mao, that's when he switched and went with his new plan. His monologue at the end gives me chills everytime. As for Holden as much as I hate his behavior, the man has serious PTSD from Eros. And you can see when Alex bring him back to reason how he's struggling. Also you missed the look Holden gave to Prax at the end. He knows he messed up. Also yes Alex is a beast. And I always thought the scene when they take out the torpedo coming at the Somnambulist would be more impactful if we don't see the Roci coming first, but just the PDCs shots destroying the torpedo before revealing the Roci. But that's just a small editor's preference lol. Now the 52. I've seen this so many times, and I cry each. fucking. time. So powerful! That's true Belters right there. All this plus the banter between Bobbie, Avasarala and Cotyar and you have a full range of emotions packed in one episode. I hope you rewatch this when editing because you talked or were taking notes during some very small easily missed moments ;)
Blackd0nuts
2024-05-18 00:13:14 +0000 UTCSo after I harangued you into saying "Beltalowda" instead of "Beltalowdas," I noticed that Champa ("Big Guy") said ... Beltalowdas. Well, at least you're right, even if he wasn't ๐. Hey, if you want to double down on the Lang Belta, instead of saying "hello, Beltalowda," you can go all in on the Belter thing and say "Oye, Beltalowda!" Oye ("O-yay") is the standard Belter greeting, basically "hello" in Lang Belta. So if you say that, then you will be a true Belter, even if Champa is not (but we love him anyway). Another thing I'm gonna add, because it's become almost a tradition with me -- I bring this up every single time someone reacts to this episode, because it really bugs me. That ridiculous story Holden told early in the episode about the Native Americans not being able to "see" the tall ships because they were beyond their comprehension? Complete bullshit. I don't know who put that in the episode, because the writers are ordinarily so careful and research everything so well. But it's just wrong. I originally looked it up (way back when the episode first aired) because it just sounded dumb, and it turns out if you do about 5 minutes of research, you can find out where the story came from and how stupid it is. And, I mean, I'm not even Native American... I wonder how Cara Gee (who is of First Nation ancestry, the Canadian equivalent) must feel when she hears that her ancestors were too stupid to conceive of a big boat. Hmph. OK, rant over. ๐ Other than that one false note, though, tons of stuff to like in this episode. Not only the beloved "52" scene, but also Alex talking Holden down and out of Ahab mode, Errinwright's deliciously despicable deception (brought to you by the Letter "D"), and the first group appearance of what we fans call "Team ABC" (Avasarala, Bobbie, Cotyar). You're absolutely right about the fun of their interplay, and you've only just begun to see it. Anyway... nice job, as usual!
Tony Camas
2024-05-17 20:52:01 +0000 UTCI am almost always ahead of the twist, but I, just like you, swallowed Erinwrights line in the one hook line and sinker. And Chompa's speech... I have re watched this show an absurd number of times, I get misty eyed every time.
Matt Drahos
2024-05-17 19:47:06 +0000 UTCLove hearing your theory about the protomolecule at the end. Can't wait to watch your case study!
Chad K
2024-05-17 19:44:09 +0000 UTCYes, Jim was very much in a trauma response in this episode. He was off the deep end and we will see if Alex has pulled him out of it. This episode gets to most people, we tend to call that sequence, scene 52. It perfectly shows how pragmatic the belters have to be as a group due to living their whole life in space.
Daxeah
2024-05-17 18:12:35 +0000 UTCThe "52" scene is certainly one of the most memorable in the series, and it's another example of how great the show is when giving us characters who only appear in a couple of scenes. Great actors all around. Having said that, while S2 is good, keep in mind that S3 is yet to come. Buckle up and strap in.. ๐
T. Arnold Ferguson
2024-05-17 17:40:46 +0000 UTCThanks for the extra upload. Holden was totally going off the deep end there, I also don't like him throwing his weight at Alex. Naomi is just desperate to do all the good she can. It was similar to Holden, both were willing to do anything to do what they felt was right. Even Amos was trying to stop her from 'destroying' herself. Enjoy the next episode, lol.
LightningInvoker
2024-05-17 16:51:15 +0000 UTCShiiit
LightningInvoker
2024-05-17 15:43:11 +0000 UTCPromise made and a promise kept, my friend :D Have a great weekend!
Fury Roll
2024-05-17 15:32:46 +0000 UTCAhhhh two episodes in one week!!! I must have died and gone to the good place.
Daxeah
2024-05-17 15:30:55 +0000 UTC
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