Critic’s Rating: 5 / 5.0
5
Whoever said you needed aliens and ray guns to have a thriving space odyssey series? Not The Ark! This show doesn’t need the CGI gimmicks to deliver incredible storytelling with characters who feel like friends.
This was the epitome of a finale. From start to finish, I was on the edge of my seat, fully enthralled. Hats off to Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner. This was a roller coaster of an ending.
The Ark took a lot of chances with the story this season, and despite a few pitfalls, only the episodes and choices that left a lasting impression are remembered.
This finale perfectly balanced between leaving things open for the future and a soft close in case The Ark doesn’t receive a renewal.
After that finale, though, Syfy would be crazy not to get on board for another season!
The Ark Trades In CGI Spectacles For Real, Relatable Moments
What sets The Ark apart from any other sci-fi series is that the creators take every opportunity to blend character and plot-driven stories.
This series trades CGI spectacles for real, relatable moments between its characters. And while some characters don’t always get substantial arcs, seeing the core crew is still comforting.
If you read my previous reviews, you know one of my main dings for The Ark Season 2 was that Angus had nothing to do. He was an emotional support human.
It was nice to see the character back in action. The actor who plays Angus is such a sweetheart, as I learned from my interview with Ryan Adams.
However, he will likely be part of the scenes fans take with them until a hopeful third season. As you likely saw at the end, Angus dug up a slab while investigating the soil on Trappist.
Despite not yet finding intelligent life on Trappist, there’s a foreign language on the slab denoting other life forms. Notice how I didn’t say “alien?” That’s because everyone from Earth is the extraterrestrials!
And here we thought we’d get no alien action at all! As for the slab, it could be Dean and Jonathan’s way of slowly introducing other life forms. Or it could be an ancient human race.
If Everyone Jumped Off A Bridge, Would You — Think It Was A Hive Mind Of Brain-Washed Civilians
Instead of exploding planets, The Ark made a nice change from the apocalyptic event of the Season 1 finale for a more controlled but equally disturbing plot.
I don’t know about you guys, but I always get freaked out by “body-snatcher” stories. Oh, and don’t even get me started on hive minds with their “Join us. Join us.”
Absolutely not. You can sign me up for the first shuttle back to space. I’ll get an electric space tentacle and be a pirate of the stars.
In all seriousness, having the planet be overrun with mind-controlled civilians perfectly captured that “there’s nowhere to fun” feeling. Mama, I was sweating through it!
Do you know what occurred to me while watching the finale? It’s random, but if Felix (Pavle Jerinic) is head of security and a badass at fighting, why are Brice’s arms noticeably bigger than his?
I’m just saying it seems like an oversight. At least Felix finally got his daughter because I couldn’t have handled him getting so close to rescuing her just for another season of him searching.
The Apple Fell Very, Very Far From The Psychopathic Tree
We’re far enough into this review that I will ask, who else’s mouth hit the ground when Kelly (Samantha Glassner) snapped Maddox’s neck? I was floored! Granted, I only have myself to blame.
All of The Ark Season 2, I’ve been saying how much I wanted to see a reunion between Kelly and Maddox. Well, I got my wish and then some.
The hands behind the series did so great with the finale! Every time I thought they were going to zig, they zagged! However, I’m going to give myself props here. I called it.
All season long, I’ve been saying that I felt Maddox (Jelena Stupljanin) would come back in a big way. It’s possible I had that inkling from my first interview with Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner.
This is probably why they worked so hard to tip-toe around my questions during our second interview. Either way, that coldhearted psychopath made her return and went out with a crack.
In Kelly’s defense, it was self-defense, and Maddox was in the middle of kidnapping Felix’s daughter after mind-controlling an entire colony. Seeing it laid out like that, she met a fitting end.
As soon as I saw that shot of Kelly bringing Felix’s daughter to him, I couldn’t help but feel that Kelly had completed her redemption arc. The only thing is, where does that leave the post-human?
There are endless possibilities now that The Ark One has found a home.
No Matter Where The Ark Ends Up, It Will Always Be A Home For Its Crew And The Fans Who Have Come To Love Them
For a while now, I’ve asked, “What will happen once The Ark One finds a home planet?” I had initially thought Sharon and The EF would abandon Trappist and find their own planet.
However, this was a much better solution! Having Sharon (Christie Burke) head back into space to look for the other Arks was ingenious. It elevates The Ark One from a carrier vessel to a beacon of hope.
It sounds like space needs some hope what with distress calls begging The Ark One not to rescue them.
And hope is the central theme of the series. Coincidental or the product of meticulous plotting? If The Ark receives a renewal, I may get the chance to pick the showrunner’s brains again.
For instance, will there be a split between The Ark One stories and the stories happening on Trappist? As soon as the series comes back, I’m going to need an explanation for that slab with the crazy language.
If nothing else, I also want to see Ian (Reece Ritchie) and Sharon together. I don’t want to besmirch the memory of Lane, but the series did an excellent job of fast-tracking Ian into the core crew.
From “The Other You” to “It Should’ve Been You,” The Ark Season 2 has delivered one fantastic episode after another. I will be keeping my fingers crossed that this series sticks around for a while.
However, I am terrible at predicting things like that, so if The Ark doesn’t come back, it has been a fantastic journey through space with characters I will never forget.
The Ark is more than a ship. It’s a home, and home is where the heart is.
Were you shocked that Kelly killed Maddox?
What do you hope to see in the show if The Ark is renewed for a third season?
Please drop a comment below to let me know what you liked about this or any other series, and join me again when I review all your favorite new and returning shows!
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