The aftermath of the meteor strikes on Earth, orchestrated by Marcos Inaros (Keon Alexander) using stealth tech to hide them from early detection, is catastrophic not only on a planetary scale, but in how the attack stretches beyond Earth to affect so many others in different ways. With the last known sample of the protomolecule also in his possession, Marcos has indeed put The Belters on the map as a power to be reckoned with, and Marcos as a man to be feared by all.
While visiting Clarissa Mao (Nadine Nicole) in prison on Earth, Amos (Wes Chatham) is trapped underground, thanks to aftershocks from the meteor strike. This allows the writers to indulge in the familiar theme of prisoners and guards needing to work together to escape. It never really works out well in TV, movies, or books and with Amos in the mix, things sure don’t go as planned. There are enough different dynamics thrown in the mix to help this part of the episode rise above the usual fare we see in such situations.
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On Tycho, Holden (Steven Strait) and the staff try to come to grips with the death of Fred Johnson (Chad Coleman), the theft of the protomolecule, the threat of Marcos, and for Holden personally, his anxiety for not being able to get a hold of Naomi (Dominique Tipper). It’s amazing how fast things can go to shit, and the last twenty-four hours have been pretty bad, which is saying something for the now scattered crew members of the Rocinante. However, this never stopped Holden before and it doesn’t now, as he puts a plan in motion to get the Roci back in the game.
The idea of family and tragedy bringing them all together is strong in “Down and Out,” even if it doesn’t really work in the traditional way. A case in point being the twisted dynamic between Marcos, Naomi, and Filip (Jasai Chase Owens), whose family reunion is not going smooth, nor should it. Marcos continues to show why he is very similar to a cult leader, even with his own family, and Naomi realizes she is alone in her fight. Drummer (Cara Gee) continues to shine as she struggles with her past, knowing she let Marcos go. She is reminded that the past is just that and she needs to help her extended family process what has happened on Earth and what they intend to do about it.
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Meanwhile, Bobbie (Frankie Adams) and Alex (Cas Anvar) continue to investigate the Mars/Marcos connection and make a startling discovery that quickly puts them in danger. It is interesting to watch these two, stuck in a small ship together, struggling to come to terms with what Mars’ part is in all this is, knowing full well high ranking officials have committed high treason. It’s a tough pill to swallow for anyone, and you can see it play out on both of their faces.
The first three episodes of season five were a buildup to episode four, where so much happened and as the viewer, you were holding your breath on more than one occasion. “Down and Out” hits all the right notes in very personal ways. Hats off to the actors who made it believable, just by watching their faces as they struggled to come to grips with not only what has happened, but what needs to be done next.
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