The Ark Season 2 Episode 1 Review: Failed Experiment

Critic’s Rating: 4 / 5.0

4

There’s no denying that the intrepid crew of the Ark One have been through a lot, and we’re not just talking about their incredible journey through space.  

As a series set in space with futuristic gadgets galore, The Ark stands out amongst science fiction shows because it focuses on the humanity of its characters.  

According to creator and executive producer Dean Devlin, “The Ark isn’t a show about laser-beam fights with strange aliens.”

(Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY)

After such an intense first season, it’s clear that the strength of this series lies in the many likable and relatable crew members of Ark One.  

Regarding premieres, The Ark wasted no time getting right to the nitty gritty, and neither will we!  

A Good Captain Goes Down with the Ship, but a Great Captain Can Bring The Ark One Back to Life

Oh, captain, my Captain Garnet. Sharon has definitely grown and evolved since first taking command of Ark One after the catastrophic show we got with The Ark Season 1 Episode 1.  

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Now, with a crew willing to follow her to the ends of the earth, the former lieutenant turned commander and captain has a family she never expected.  

What’s clear from The Ark Season 1 Episode 1 is that Garnet will have a lot on her plate as we advance, but it’s unlikely the writers will want an identical start to the second season.

(Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY)

As you may or may not remember, The Ark One suffered a significant breach that damaged the ship and killed many crew members. Sound familiar?  

Thankfully, Captain Garnet, played by Christie Burk of Billy the Kid, excels in crisis situations, delegating and directing aid efforts efficiently.  

She’s also skilled at defusing situations, considering she managed to get Maddox to back down despite influencing members of Maddox’s crew to jump ship.  

At this point, it’s fair to say that despite inheriting a broken ship and a minimal crew, Sharon has done phenomenally and was likely always headed for captain status.  

However, after having one disaster to deal with after another, it would be nice if the good captain got a break and laughed a bit more.  

She certainly deserves more reasons to smile.

(Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY)

Evelyn Is Putting the Mad In Maddox Over Her Crews Mutiny

If we could circle back to Maddox for a moment, because while we always knew she was unhinged, “Failed Experiment” really shone a light on her crazy.  

There was likely a sigh of relief that Garnet didn’t immediately jump into being best buddies with the Ark Fifteen Captain.

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On the surface, Evelyn Maddox seems cold, calculated, and cruel, but she’s doing the work to ensure everyone knows she is so much worse.  

She put a bomb in her daughter’s neck! That is helicopter parenting on another stratosphere.  

For a network that usually focuses on the fantastic and out of this world, Syfy has done a solid job of creating a series that delves into what it means to be human.

(Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY)

As for Maddox’s daughter, Kelly Fowler, the first episode of Season 2 seems to be forcing the character down a redemption arc on the Ark One.  

With so much blood on her hands, it’ll be a miracle if anyone at all forgives her, but as was made evident in this episode, Kelly has a  few screws loose, but those screws were placed inside her without her knowledge.  

Between Maddox referring to her as a “Failed Experiment” and her blood that somehow rapidly healed Angus, Kelly is probably your classic “Winter Soldier” in space.

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If You Want Angus, You’ll Have to Go Through Alicia  

Speaking of Angus, without Kelly’s super blood, there is no way he would have survived those gargantuan glass wounds that covered the majority of his torso.  

But while Kelly saved his life, we can’t blame him for reacting to the way he did to the news, coupled with seeing his attacker’s face again.

(Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY)

Angus has a lot of trauma to work through, and we don’t just mean mental or emotional, because regardless of Kelly’s blood, he has a long way to go before he’s skipping down the corridors with Alicia.  

With the amount of attractive cast members and how the characters are written to be drawn to each other, it’s a wonder this series didn’t end up on The CW.  

Regardless, Angus and Alicia would make the cutest and smartest couple on the team, but we have a feeling the chief of life support may have bigger priorities.

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It wasn’t seen in this episode, but as many fans probably remember from just a month ago, the trailer for The Ark Season 2 featured an electrical tentacle attacking the sweet Alicia.  

However, if she handles the space creature the way she handled Kelly to protect Angus, the former waste management engineer will be more than safe.  

Whatever happens between Angus and Alicia, we will be rooting for these crazy kids who seem to have found love in space’s dark, empty, and cold vacuum.

(Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY)

It Wasn’t Curiosity That Killed Cat, but The Many Survivors of The Ark One Will Miss her 

However, not every character was as lucky as Angus, as audiences saw by the loss of Dr. Cat, who did not survive her injuries.  

With her last breaths, Cat was comforted by Trust, and after a few sweet words, she was gone from the crew and the show as a whole.  

Even though the character will be missed by many, the character’s departure is likely tied to the series going through such a long wait between The Ark Season 1 Episode 12 and any renewal announcements.

With so much in the air between April and November due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, most actors were trying to secure as much work as possible.  

Fans of Christina Wolfe can catch her as Special Agent Amanda Tate as the actress has joined FBI: International as a series regular.

(Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY)

That seemed to be the biggest loss to the team since it appears that a large majority of the crew survived pieces of a broken planet crashing into Ark One.  

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The most notable survivor was Dr. Sanjivni Kabir, who did not let her grievous injuries slow her down or stop her from adding a few much-needed quick quips of comic relief.  

Wherever the Ark One is headed, it’s in good hands with a crew that is more like family than anything else, and they’ll likely need to stick together to face whatever new dangers they face in The Ark Season 2!

(Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY)

What did you think of The Ark’s Season 2 premiere?  

Were you as surprised as we were that Angus survived the disastrous ending of The Ark Season 1?  

Drop a comment below to let us know, and join us again when we review the next episode of The Ark! 

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