Chandler and his crew are put under extreme duress when the ship's propulsion system suffers a catastrophic event. With Dr. Scott in danger of losing all her research on the virus and a crew overworked, overtired and desperately low on drinking water, Chandler's leadership and ingenuity are put to the test.
I really enjoyed "We'll Get There" because it simultaneously went small and big with its stakes. Chandler and his crew weren't facing off with some faceless villain of the week. They were battling their own issues on the ship. The show went insular this week and as a result got a much better grasp on its characters. The stakes are still life and death. It's chilling watching all of the crew walk in slow motion as they've gone about two days without water. However, this hour poises more life questions about everyone's purpose here. Why were they chosen to be on his ship and developing this vaccine that could save the world? I love the religious connotation that the question is examined here. Religion isn't always a common thread amongst people but believing that there is some purpose or that they will get through this experience is.Lost in the shuffle is the fact that Dr. Scott has developed a working vaccine. She just needs to test it. The story of this week does prolong the season long story a bit. Next week will see her and the team test the vaccine on monkeys. But it's an important development that does add weight to the threat of all of her research being destroyed. Of course, it also somewhat feels like an empty threat at well. I'm not expecting the show to kill off characters or destroy the thing the doctor has been working on four episodes into its run. And yet, it still led to some intriguing character reactionary moments.
Plus, we got some much needed character backstory from several of our main players. We got to see Chandler with his family before setting off for this mission. He's still praying that they are safe and away from the spread of the disease. It's all the hope he's clinging on to right now. With Mike Slattery, we learn that things weren't so good between him and his wife before because of an accident involving their son. Dr. Scott doesn't have anyone that she cares about. Her work is her life which makes the whole world depending on her plot very important for her. Lastly, there's a very tragic piece of backstory with the master chief that really adds credibility to the religious context. He was responsible for his entire family dying in an automobile accident. He doesn't know why he lived but got clarity eventually - which is the same kind of hope that should be applied in a situation just like this.
Some more thoughts:
- "We'll Get There" was written by Quinton Peeples and directed by Jack Bender.
- How about that product placement for Coors Light?
- Tex and Danny bond a bit but it's mostly done through the context of competing for Kara which I definitely don't need or want at all.
- Quincy just wants sunlight and to play chess with someone good. And yet, the crew agreeing to his demands takes happiness away from someone else.
- A windless day would have been much more believable if there hadn't been a cloud-filled sky.
- Did Chandler's sprinkler have to be running doing all of those flashbacks with his family?
