Star City Episode 5 | “Bite Your Elbow” Breakdown & Review (Apple TV)

[00:00:02]Greetings and good day, my comrade Bobs, and welcome back to another installment of Happy Valley, a Star City and for all mankind podcast. I'm Donnie.

[00:00:13]>> And I'm Ryan.

[00:00:14]>> And that is a mouthful, and I don't care how many times I practice it in the car, in the shower, in the morning. I still feel like I botch it. But here we are to talk about all things >> uh season 1 episode five bite your elbow >> and the practicing in your car the shower all that stuff I know that's real because every 3 months or so I get a text voice memo from Donnie >> and it is good evening and good day my fellow Bobs um and that's all it is and then >> and he'll say I'm Donnie and I'm Ron It is a running gag. And Brian's son, um I I think I have a fan in in him and anytime I do it, apparently he cackles in the background. So yeah, >> I'm I'm just bringing joy to the Cheney household. So you're welcome.

[00:01:07]>> That's true. That's true.

[00:01:09]>> I'm Donnie and I'm Brian.

[00:01:11]>> I'm Bron.

[00:01:14]>> Oh man, dude. Brian.

[00:01:17]>> Yeah.

[00:01:18]>> Um I I'm scared. I'm scared because this show continues to exceed all expectations for me.

[00:01:26]>> Yeah.

[00:01:27]>> And I mean, I called last week a setup episode and if it were a setup episode, wonderful payoff this week. Brian, I'm going to go ahead and throw out my score right now because this was a nine.

[00:01:39]Solid, stinking flipping nine. And I know I've been like stingy with my points, but holy cow, man. I can't hold back, dude. This show is so good, Brian.

[00:01:50]It's killing me, man.

[00:01:52]>> It's so good. I I'm a nine as well. And it just again, it's not like there's all this explosive stuff.

[00:02:02]>> I'm I'm afraid of what we're building to because it is just so good. Yeah, >> this is it is the it's the quintessential slow burn, but dude, it is building and building and building.

[00:02:14]The tension is there. Um, >> dude, the tension is off the charts.

[00:02:19]Like everything is falling apart.

[00:02:20]Everything is messed up. Everything is one step away from just chaos.

[00:02:25]>> Yes.

[00:02:27]>> And >> love it. I love it.

[00:02:28]>> Um, just side note, u I re I texted Brian this morning. I'm driving to work, which um when I go to my to my office, it's it's I I live in the Nashville area. It's on the other side of Nashville, so I got to drive and I'm sitting in the car for a long time. And I decided today was a great idea to turn on the Star City soundtrack and and listen to it. And I don't recommend you do that while you're in the car alone with your thoughts and depressing heavy music.

[00:02:56]>> Feel like you're in the goolog.

[00:02:58]>> I felt like I was heading to a goolog.

[00:03:01]>> Don't do it, people. Um, but man, this is what this show. But Brian, I mean, I I had in my mind like this going to be fun. It's It's going to be, you know, a light version of For All Mankind, and I'll enjoy it in a lot of ways. I I I said this last week. I I can't remember if I said it on here or if I said it like an email to Jade, but I I said hot take. This might be the best season of anything in the For All Mankind universe.

[00:03:29]>> And I'm standing by that after this app.

[00:03:32]>> I am shocked because I thought it might be good. I I actually questioned whether it would be good. Like I think I even said at one point, >> we'll cover it, but if it's bad, then I'm not I'm not podcasting it. Like I'm not spending my time slugging through something because it's for all mankind, >> right?

[00:03:53]>> Um but yeah, this is probably one of the best shows on Apple TV. Um >> I mean, a platform that nobody's on still >> that nobody's on. Nobody's on >> like how does Apple TV deserve this show? Like what are they doing?

[00:04:11]>> Banger after banger on this platform and >> and then you've got Netflix putting out boomer slop and like CW slop and like >> Yeah, >> Netflix has so much data around what people watch. I mean like I think from an algorithmic perspective like down to the minute like they know what people are watching and it to your point it is like AI slop that is just grinding out content that aligns with what their algorithm says is super awesome and great.

[00:04:44]>> We're watching this show called the Burrows >> and it's by the Stranger Things creators or something like that. I don't know but um it's not the creators but produced I don't know something.

[00:04:55]>> Yeah. But it is, it's good, >> but it's like nobody's ever going to watch this the second time. Like, >> right?

[00:05:02]>> You know what I'm saying? It it's entertaining >> for the moment. It's like popcorn. It's filling for a moment, but you still need a meal afterwards.

[00:05:10]>> True that.

[00:05:10]>> Um, and that's what all those shows are.

[00:05:13]And And this is >> thoughtprovoking, thought out, well acted. So well acted.

[00:05:19]>> Yes. Um, >> my wife is poking her head in here wondering what I'm talking about.

[00:05:29]>> Oh, my daughter has discovered Outer Banks and I just >> Yeah. Yeah. I I don't even know why I brought that up other than a lot of my content consumption has been teenage drama with excellent cinematography. I mean, it's it's CW with a budget basically. It's it's what it is. I don't recommend it. like don't don't go start watching it. Don't tell me an email about how I'm an idiot about it either, please.

[00:05:53]>> Um yeah, >> so if if people do want to email us, uh how do they get a hold of us, Donnie?

[00:05:58]>> Fantastic segue there, Brian. Of course, happy valleyfam atgmail.com. We've got a couple emails we'll get to tonight. Um we also do appreciate the uh reviews. Uh we did have one that came in that I did not read from Quincy who says, "So glad Brian and Donnie have chosen to include Star City in their show. Their background info and the explanation of how the characters relate back to fam is very helpful. Interestingly, the last episode of their show, they attributed the role of the chief designer to um Ralph Fiennz, who famously played Voldemort in the um Harry Potter franchise. Actually, the roles played by I butchered the dude's name. Please say it right.

[00:06:36]>> Reans, I'm not gonna try.

[00:06:38]>> Reez of fans. I should know how to say this guy's name.

[00:06:42]>> Oh. Uh I it's it's I have to hear it. If I read it, I do it wrong. But uh raise fine.

[00:06:53]>> Yeah, something like that.

[00:06:54]>> Now that you like made me visualize it, I can't say >> Quincy. Quincy is very constructively with a fivestar review calling us out on how um one of us has has said his name because one of us has not attempted until this point. um who played Luna Loveg good father Xenopilious.

[00:07:13]Uh it's cool hearing him say Luna again.

[00:07:16]Um also the email writer who referenced Agatha Trenchbull, the truly evil headmaster from Matilda, played by Pam Ferris, who also played Aunt Marge and Harry Potter. I'll keep listening. I love these recaps. It would be awesome if some of the actors would phone in or join the podcast to shed more light on the series.

[00:07:33]>> I agree.

[00:07:34]>> Looking at you, Ireina.

[00:07:35]>> We agree. Yeah, >> we agree, Quincy. See if you can help make that happen for us. Please, champion. We We would love to have a conversation with anybody.

[00:07:43]>> Actually, I think there's a chance now that we have screeners and we have access to the Apple TV PR people.

[00:07:50]>> Uh that we can get that. But um >> what?

[00:07:55]>> Yeah. I don't know. I'm I feel so >> Don't give me that hope, Brian.

[00:08:01]>> I know, but I I just feel so presumptuous to even like ask them. But sure, I might.

[00:08:07]>> We We are hobos. Um Yeah. We've never talked about imposttor syndrome on here.

[00:08:13]Like do you ever feel imposter syndrome in your life?

[00:08:16]>> Every day.

[00:08:17]>> Welcome to Earth.

[00:08:18]>> Yeah.

[00:08:19]>> Like we are all figuring this out as we go.

[00:08:23]>> If you're going to do anything of consequence, you you are going to have it. Yeah.

[00:08:26]>> What did Yeah. I don't know what people did before YouTube. They went and found their encyclopedia like on the wall and like blew the dust off of it and like found an article that maybe showed them how to change an alternator in a car.

[00:08:39]>> Yeah.

[00:08:41]>> Yep.

[00:08:41]>> We're all figuring this out as we go, folks. And >> better generation.

[00:08:45]>> I I don't know about that, but okay.

[00:08:49]>> So, yes.

[00:08:52]>> Yes. Bite your elbow. So uh the this is actually so it's the I had never heard this phrase before so I had to look it up but it's basically the idea that uh it's like regretting something like a missed opportunity or uh something that like regretting something you can't change that has happened.

[00:09:13]>> Okay.

[00:09:13]>> And I mean you see that in this episode all over the PL like >> oh they weave it in so well. It's so good.

[00:09:21]>> Yeah. So so good.

[00:09:24]>> Like it in Via in um Tanya in orina like all all over the place. It's so good. Just all these these choices that like are going to come back and bite everybody. And uh the tension's great.

[00:09:46]>> I mean Ina, she is not being good party girl in this episode. I mean, she's trying to help Tanya get out basically. And it's just I I I don't know how all this stuff's going to play out. And I mean, I can talk about the Venus mission all day. We actually, by the way, we got the details of what the mission profile for this mission is now, and it makes total sense to me. Um, and I still feel like it's going to end in in catastrophe, but I mean, I'm kind of jumping to the end of this episode right now, but maybe they actually do make it back, but they never publicize it because Value is a traitor.

[00:10:23]>> Like, >> I don't think they make it back, but >> I'm just saying they might. They might.

[00:10:27]>> I don't think so. There's too many goodbyes in the show in in this uh this episode.

[00:10:32]>> Yeah. Um, I mean the the maturity arc for Sasha, like I I was annoyed about the juvenile guy at the beginning of the season, but now I understand. Like I get why they were going over the top with his immaturity, >> like that, >> dude. His journey, that letter he wrote to Anastasia was freaking beautiful, man. Like >> all of this writing, and here's the thing, like I was talking about this to to one of my buddies at work today. Um, like the For All Mankind showrunners have five seasons under their belt. They have learned the pitfalls along the way.

[00:11:08]And I really do think that's informed this project in so many ways >> and it's just they they are sticking the landing every episode and it's getting better and better. And I I'm scared, Brian, because I keep I I keep saying it, but I'm I keep the hype is just so stinking high for me.

[00:11:27]I'm trying to temper my own enthusiasm.

[00:11:29]That's what I'm trying to say.

[00:11:31]>> Yeah. Well, let's dig in because uh we're kind of jumping around here.

[00:11:36]>> I know I am. So, I guys, I have well-written out notes for the first time in this series today. Um we open up here with Ireina again. She's in the bathroom. They basically pick up right where we left off in episode 4. Um the sound of the kettle outside. Um and it's that look of horror on Ireina's face at the discovery that she's made here. Um she kind of she steps out, she checks on her daughter who's still asleep and she gets down kind of trying to play normal with Tanya over some tea and um Inrea starts kind of probing about the the lady in Moscow, trying to get information about that. Um and basically encourages Tanya here to go ahead and get away for a little bit. Um, >> and Tanya's real apprehensive about it and suggests that she leaves like without a word and basically she tells Tanya, "You need to leave."

[00:12:32]>> Yeah. The the progression in this scene is so good.

[00:12:34]>> Yeah.

[00:12:35]>> Starting off acting cool, being cool, being like the cool friend, >> right?

[00:12:39]>> For you, >> and then ending with like, "Your husband's a traitor. You need to leave.

[00:12:44]They will kill you."

[00:12:45]>> Yeah. That there's the big reveal right there. Valia is the traitor.

[00:12:50]>> Yeah.

[00:12:51]>> And she's like, "Well, how would you even know that?" She says, "I work in building 12," which apparently is the code to say, "Yeah, I'm I'm KGB."

[00:12:58]>> Yeah.

[00:12:59]>> Um and then >> and go ahead >> that Tanya's face through this and Oh, yeah. Oh, it's just it's written so well.

[00:13:07]>> Yeah.

[00:13:08]>> Acted out so well >> and >> betrayed on both sides here. I mean, >> yes, >> the news about Via, but also, you know, she she believed one truth about Ina that is totally was a facade as well, like >> and it is heartbreaking to watch. It's heartbreaking to watch both their faces as they >> process and divulge this and it's good.

[00:13:33]>> Well, and to your point, Brian, last week you said, "I don't think they know that they're bugged." And you were 100% spot on. I was wrong. You were right.

[00:13:43]>> Yeah.

[00:13:44]>> Arena's like, "Hey, um, let me go show you over here on your wallpaper." And she starts peeling it back. And there's the microphone. Totally horrified.

[00:13:52]>> Yeah.

[00:13:52]>> What a genuine reaction happening there.

[00:13:55]>> Yeah.

[00:13:56]>> Um, >> and and I guess we learn here too that and this is I I don't buy this that Ire Ina just went to the bathroom and then was like, "Wait a minute.

[00:14:07]>> Let me take this this uh device out. Oh, this spring. Like I felt like she had to go into this suspecting that.

[00:14:14]>> Yeah.

[00:14:15]>> But it seems like she did not. It seems like she figured out in the bathroom at that moment.

[00:14:20]>> Yeah. Which I mean helps with her cover story for, you know, how these things are going to play out later in this episode with ROVA.

[00:14:27]>> Um but yeah, it's the the shock on Tanya's face throughout this entire scene is just absolutely it's it's the circus family legacy. Um, it has to be playing out to your point from last week. Andy Circus is the daughter here.

[00:14:41]I mean, absolutely killing it. No weak link in the in this drama.

[00:14:45]>> Um, she realizes now that Inreina has been listening. She feels violated. I mean, it's it's all very believable in her reaction.

[00:14:52]>> Yeah. And just the the way that this scene builds from, hey, maybe you should leave to towards the end where she's like, no, your husband is a traitor to our country. Like, >> yeah, >> you need to you need to get away from him. Yeah.

[00:15:07]>> And just the the progression in this scene so good.

[00:15:10]>> Yeah.

[00:15:10]>> And the other thing we see here too is >> Inrea is like this timid, you know, young woman.

[00:15:20]>> Yeah.

[00:15:21]>> But we see little flashes, but I really feel like in the scene we see that she is she she is, you know, shoulder-to-shoulder with the party.

[00:15:30]>> Yes.

[00:15:31]>> Like there's no question of her. Is she going to turn them in? She is going to turn him in. like he is a traitor to the country to my country.

[00:15:39]>> I I Yeah, I totally agree. I would say in addition to that, there is still an empathy in her that she's going to go out of her way to, you know, meet me outside of building 33 at 11 tomorrow, get you a pass >> to tell you to try to get you out.

[00:15:53]>> Yeah.

[00:15:54]>> Um where, you know, maybe a lesser person with, you know, not as strong of a an empathy compass inside of them like wouldn't care to look out for here at all. There there absolutely there's still empathy. There's still humanity in her. But she is a woman of the party.

[00:16:11]And >> there was no Yeah. You know, hey, I know these people. Maybe, you know, I can. It was just like boom. I'm turning him in.

[00:16:19]I That's obvious.

[00:16:20]>> He's the mole.

[00:16:21]>> Yeah.

[00:16:21]>> He's he's going away forever and we got to get you out.

[00:16:25]>> Yeah.

[00:16:26]>> Yeah.

[00:16:27]>> Yeah. Um we roll right into the beautiful opening credits which >> What's that? It's short, too, which I appreciate >> the It's the opening credits that they're short.

[00:16:38]>> Yeah. Yeah. The the intro.

[00:16:39]>> And now we've talked about them like longer than they are.

[00:16:42]>> Yeah.

[00:16:42]>> Um, by the way, Apple TV like posted just the intro opening credits on YouTube and I may or may not just check in and watch them just for the beauty that they are periodically.

[00:16:51]>> Um, so yeah, we come out of the opening credits. Uh, meanwhile in Sergey Prison, times aren't great. Um, I will say Sergey's in a cell. It doesn't look like he's like being beaten or tortured. His face still looks okay. There's not blood on the collar of his shirt or anything like that. Um, but you know, it's he's in jail. It's not great.

[00:17:11]>> And he is he is terrified >> for sure.

[00:17:15]>> But I I think we learn here like this was simply a me message like it he was not going to be there long.

[00:17:22]>> He he was the means to the end, which segus right into back at building 12 here, the chief designer is walking through to see ROVA. Um, he confronts her for arresting Sergey. He knows that she wants something from him. So, he was definitely reading between the lines the whole time. You're going after my guy because you want something from me.

[00:17:40]>> Um, so we immediately go from this, you know, RCOVA is basically like, I need you to, you know, whatever you need to do to help with me finding favor with my higherups. Um, they don't go into specifics about that, but I do feel like we're going to come back around to to whatever the chief designer's investment here is, his exchange, his his barter.

[00:17:59]Um, but we do see here now that Sergey is released, the chief designer is there to greet him. Um, the quote here I wrote was, "It's been taken care of and ROVA needed to cover with her superiors was the story that he told Sergey." So maybe we take that at face value. Maybe there's more to it that we'll find out in the future.

[00:18:16]>> Yeah. I And I love Sergey here. He comes out, you kind of wonder if he's angry at the chief designer.

[00:18:23]>> Um, but we find like he's like, "This is my fault. I messed up. I'm so sorry. I made you compromise.

[00:18:30]>> And I love the the line from chief designer. He's like, "Life is compromised."

[00:18:35]>> And yeah, and that's the life they live.

[00:18:38]I mean, >> yeah.

[00:18:39]>> I mean, Sergey is a good comrade. I I don't think he's trying to step out of the lane >> um necessarily. All that to say, they are on a secret Venus program right now, which could be totally sedition and put them all in a gool log. Chief designer's words.

[00:18:53]>> Um meanwhile, back at Sasha and Anastasia's place. Um, they're having a nice moment. What I put in my notes here. Um, Anna starts staring, starts drawing water for a bath. She sees Sasha putting on his flight suit. Um, he tells her that he's headed for a training exercise. And the quote here I put was long-term confinement in Siberia for 9 months. Wink wink.

[00:19:16]>> Yeah.

[00:19:16]>> Um, dude, I mean, they have this nice tender moment and then he's like, "Bye.

[00:19:21]I'm out for nine months." Well, I see you.

[00:19:24]That's I I love this so much. I love this relationship so much.

[00:19:30]>> It felt like a throwaway in the first episode or first two episodes.

[00:19:34]>> Yeah.

[00:19:35]>> And here we see like we see them in love for the first time.

[00:19:41]>> Sure.

[00:19:42]>> And it is and it's both of them >> looking longingly at each other in love with each other. and the the way that this scene progresses again by the end it's it all of it's back to the you know back to the beginning but it was nice to have that moment where you're like hey these kids can make it.

[00:20:04]>> Yeah. Yeah. There's hope.

[00:20:06]>> Um and I I want a happy ending but I feel like we're just doomed for tragedy with these two.

[00:20:12]>> Yeah. Um, even just like how how he leaves. It's it's almost like she's she's kind of frustrated and shutting the door and pushing him away, but she's also kind of wanting him to stay and fight. And that's >> it's just it's true.

[00:20:25]>> Well, yes. And I think what we see here is even with that that love relationship that they have >> for both of them.

[00:20:37]>> Yeah.

[00:20:38]>> Their real love, their first love is space.

[00:20:41]>> Yes. And Sasha is throwing away this space.

[00:20:45]>> Yeah.

[00:20:45]>> Yes. And but also I I think you see here that Anastasia is a bit jealous >> and and and kind of resentful because she realizes, oh, you're training so you can go to space again. The thing I'm never going to do.

[00:21:00]>> I'm never going to get to do again.

[00:21:01]Yeah. The one thing I want to do that I'll never be able to do. So yeah, there's some resentment for sure.

[00:21:05]>> Yeah.

[00:21:06]>> Yeah. Meanwhile, we go back to Ireina.

[00:21:08]She's walking into her office to purge some tapes and whatnot. Um, >> which I I made a note of like at what point do they look through and they're like, "Huh?" Like half of these tapes have 10-minute gaps. This is really weird.

[00:21:24]>> Yeah. Is >> that's like her go-to.

[00:21:26]>> Like is there is there just like random, you know, people that are like following up and like listening just to like like a random drug test kind of thing? Like we randomly listen to tapes every once in a while. I mean, she's definitely getting a little bit more bold in in her moves here. Um, >> she has a I guess a magnet in her desk that she's just kind of running over the the tape to demagnetize it.

[00:21:49]>> Um, and we do kind of get the first hint here of I I don't know her name. The other office lady.

[00:21:55]>> Um, just kind of looking at her very sus as my as my teenage daughter. What did you say?

[00:22:00]>> Yeah, smug smug face.

[00:22:02]>> Smug face. We'll call her smug face. I can accept that. Um she's definitely looking at her suspect here.

[00:22:08]>> Yeah.

[00:22:08]>> Marina asks to get an access to the day pass records office. Um and then she's approved and um her buddy Smugface here is now double sus is what I wrote in my notes.

[00:22:19]>> Now this this is the moment on my second watch I felt this but I don't think you ever watch you ever watched a movie called Magnolia?

[00:22:27]>> Steel Magnolia's?

[00:22:28]>> No. Magnolia. Magnolia with Tom Cruz.

[00:22:31]Phil >> Steel Magnolia with Dolly Parton.

[00:22:34]>> No. Uh, Magnolia. It is uh >> Magnolia is >> Delfield.

[00:22:40]>> Please, you need to stop. Uh, I'm making it. I'm talking about a top five movie of mine. So, >> still Magnolia. Exactly.

[00:22:47]>> Okay. Um, this is cute. You like these little bits, Donnie? You think it's cute? Think they're cute.

[00:22:53]>> That's why I'm giggling.

[00:22:56]>> So, there's move this one of my top five movies.

[00:23:02]Scientology.

[00:23:05]Uh Kevin Bacon.

[00:23:06]>> Hold on. I'm gonna go jump on my chair back here. Hold on.

[00:23:09]>> So, in Magnolia, there is a a part in the the the movie where like it just the music starts and you get like 20 minutes of this running >> just tension and it's kind of the same music through this 20 minutes and so well done.

[00:23:28]>> Yes. And I feel like this moment, maybe it starts before this, but I feel like here we almost don't have a respite.

[00:23:35]Like it just keeps going >> until we get to that launch.

[00:23:39]>> Yeah.

[00:23:39]>> And like I just I again this the tension in this this uh episode was so good.

[00:23:46]>> So so good. Um >> you ruined my point, but that's fine.

[00:23:49]>> No point taken. It was good. Um Tom Cruz uh Edge of Tomorrow.

[00:23:56]>> Yes.

[00:23:56]>> Awesome movie. Like >> amazing. Amazing. Amaze. Amaze. Amaze.

[00:24:00]How will we know how to follow up to that one? Which is incredible.

[00:24:03]>> They're No, they're uh they're talking about it.

[00:24:05]>> I know they're talking about it and I Please make this happen because I love that movie and I feel like they could still they could have a follow-up on that. They could totally have a follow-up on that.

[00:24:15]>> Yes.

[00:24:16]>> Emily Blunt, she's amazing in it.

[00:24:18]>> Yeah. Um speaking of Amaze, Amaze Maze, just check in real quick. Have you watched it yet? Come on. Come on.

[00:24:25]>> Edge of Tomorrow. Yeah.

[00:24:26]>> No, >> I think it was live. repeat when I watched it.

[00:24:28]>> Yeah, dude. The marketing is what killed that movie because it's an amazing movie that had horrible marketing strategy and nobody understood what the title of the movie was and it was in that period where Tom Cruz was kind of in his weird phase and unfortunately people just never watched a really fantastic film for a long time.

[00:24:44]>> So, wow.

[00:24:47]>> What's the the one with um >> what's the Amazon one?

[00:24:53]>> Top Gun Maverick.

[00:24:54]>> Yes, that's what I'm thinking of, Donnie. Um, >> so >> no, it's Star-Lord.

[00:24:59]>> Star-Lord.

[00:25:01]>> Uh, the Chris Pratt, the one that he just did with Rebecca Ferguson, that thing.

[00:25:04]>> No. No.

[00:25:05]>> Oh, there's another one he did. He's done a few >> but different.

[00:25:09]>> I know which one you're talking about, but I can't remember what it's called.

[00:25:12]>> Yeah.

[00:25:12]>> Yeah.

[00:25:14]He meets his daughter or something and she's like grown up.

[00:25:17]>> Yeah.

[00:25:17]>> Yeah. That's a good one. I liked that one. I mean, it's like Prime Video good, but >> Prime Video good. Yes. Exactly. that other one that he did where he had hour to prove his innocence or whatever. It was also Prime Video good. Like >> Prime Video good. Yeah, it was in the theaters. But >> yeah, but yeah, I mean it was him and Rebecca Ferguson for an hour like or two hours just arguing. It was great.

[00:25:40]>> Highly recommend.

[00:25:41]>> All right, enough squirrels with that back at Venus headquarters. That's what I'm calling it now, Brian. We're here 42 with calling it Venus HQ.

[00:25:49]>> Okay, we do. This is where we get the better explanation of the mission profile. Um, they're going to be posing as an unmanned mission. They're going to be sealed in the mini sub, which is called the Bethosphere.

[00:26:01]The Bethosphere um module. Uh, they're going to dock with a refueling module in Earth orbit, and then they're going to do a Venus flyby. They're not going down to Venus.

[00:26:12]They're not going to try to go land and take off or anything crazy like that.

[00:26:15]They actually acknowledge that it's like 4° on the surface of Venus. They don't necessarily talk about the pressure, but it's understood the pressure is really high. The baosphere will be ejected into the Venus atmosphere as they fly by.

[00:26:27]>> I think they do talk about it because uh the one guy says, "I'm going to be the first man to walk on the moon and uh the Indian woman's like, "It will crush you immediately."

[00:26:38]>> Yeah, something like that. And it's really hot.

[00:26:41]>> Um so there interesting tidbit here.

[00:26:45]Interesting tidbit. So they do say that they have to do a burn at Venus to be able to get back to Earth. I feel like that was a critical piece of information that we need to keep in our minds for the future. Um so it's not called like a free return trajectory. So for example, like in our timeline, by the way, my shirt here is the moon and it says um no one ever visits me anymore, which is no longer true. Thank the Lord because Artemis 2 has now flown around the moon, but they were on a free return trajectory. Meaning, if they did nothing, the trajectory that they were on, the the gravity of the moon was basically going to turn them back around and put them back on a trajectory to come back to Earth. It doesn't sound like this Vanera mission is going to be like that. Um, so just keep that in the back of your mind. It's going to come back to us, I think.

[00:27:33]>> Huge opportunity for something to go wrong.

[00:27:35]>> Bingo. Well said, Brian. You said it in way less words than I just tried to.

[00:27:39]Um, also here, Sergey, I put in my notes, he points out that they'll have to do a lot of exercise because they're going to be in zero G for 9 months, which is absolutely a thing. And people that are on the space station that have lived there for, you know, up to a year, as some Russians have lived there even longer than that, um, it's it's pretty intense. And you like have to have a very regimented exercise routine just to keep your muscles and your bones from atrophying away to nothing.

[00:28:04]>> So, very real thing there.

[00:28:06]Um, we go from this now to the records office. Ina, um, I put in my notes here.

[00:28:12]She proves again that she's very cunning. Um, distracts the records guy while forging a day pass. Um, dude, I mean, she's she's she's boss lady here big time.

[00:28:24]>> That's what I'm saying. Like, we we see her in the first couple episodes, especially just as this timid young woman. and she is I I think part of it is I don't think she's this is coming out in her. I think it's always been there when we kind of see maybe we find out more and more of who her family is and where she's from.

[00:28:45]>> Yeah.

[00:28:46]>> Um and it feels like instead of her tapping into some or you know putting on a costume that she doesn't you know whatever >> uh that she's bringing something out that's already in there. Yeah, that's fair. Uh, the dude is paranoid that she's going to tell ROVA and she says, "Not to worry. I'll keep your incompetence to myself."

[00:29:08]>> Yeah.

[00:29:09]>> She didn't have to do that, >> dude.

[00:29:12]>> Yeah.

[00:29:12]>> Yeah. She's got game, that's for sure.

[00:29:15]Um, I did put my notes here.

[00:29:16]>> She She wanted to hurt him. I mean, that that's Yeah, that's >> Yeah, that's that's pretty savage, as the kids would say. I don't know if kids say savage anymore. Um, I did put in my notes here that she's not the best at forging signatures, but it'll do.

[00:29:31]>> Yeah, that's funny.

[00:29:32]>> I wonder if that's going to come back to bite. We'll see. Um, meanwhile, at a security checkpoint here, Valia is walking up and he's late. Um, and he kind of pulls a do you know who I am kind of line here.

[00:29:44]>> Do you know who I am?

[00:29:47]>> Do you know who I am?

[00:29:48]>> Yeah. And it works. You know, we don't need to spend the government time to find out about a flat tire, which may or may not be the truth. Um, but yeah, it it works. So, good on your value for really just >> pushing your >> And again, we we talked about this last time, but like every like uh when Ireina goes and she talks to the record keeper guy and says, "Hey, I need this thing."

[00:30:12]Like, that dude is so good. He is the the best actor. He would be the best actor in most shows. Um just in that moment you see it >> and then >> here >> like the ticket master guy >> is a great Russian soldier and then as Valia like walks by another one >> and that guy's awesome like they they just it's so good.

[00:30:39]>> Yeah, there's going to be a dead rat later. That dead rat is like the best dead rat I've ever seen. It >> is the best dead rat in any show.

[00:30:51]Oh, thank you, Brian. That's good. Um, meanwhile, back at Venus HQ, training isn't growing great here. Um, Shada, she's doing the best that she can you can expect at this point. She's determined.

[00:31:03]>> Um, Sasha's worried. Um, he wants Anastasia to to replace her. And the chief designer is like, "No, um, we can't be looping anybody else in here.

[00:31:12]Um, she's also our oxygen lady, so we got to keep her going. We're not replacing Pavle. Um, but again, this is to your point earlier about Sasha. He's trying to make a way for his wife to to be back in space.

[00:31:25]>> Not not only because he wants to be with her, but he knows that's what she wants.

[00:31:29]And he is >> for probably the first time in the show and maybe in his life, he's he is really caring about somebody else and really cool.

[00:31:38]>> Let's go.

[00:31:39]>> Yeah, >> man. That's a truth bomb right there if I've ever heard one. Yeah, it >> this is this is the point where the chief designer also kind of points out like he's worried about looping anybody else in at the risk that they're all going to be sent to a goolog. Like this could go very poorly very quickly. Um everybody's at a heightened state of paranoia in already a paranoid state and here we are. Um, meanwhile, back at Tanya's apartment, um, she's reminiscing on happier times, looking at older pictures, and, um, she leaves for her rendevous with Ireina.

[00:32:12]>> Now, do you think with this picture, it feels like this is a kind of sandwich for her. or I guess it's in the middle of the episode, but >> uh where she's like looking at this picture of her and Valia in love at different time >> and then she does the same thing at the end here looking at another picture >> that just absolutely horrifies her.

[00:32:37]>> Yeah. I mean, yes, I think that's a great point.

[00:32:41]>> It felt intentional, but I don't know what the correlation is exactly.

[00:32:45]>> That's a good call out. I mean, the other thing I say that she's looking at happier times, but is she also just questioning inside her mind like, well, how much of that was a lie? Has he been lying to me the whole time about everything? Was was any of this genuine?

[00:32:59]>> Um, yeah. Um, I I like the the quote here. Um, I wrote was, "You're more powerful than you realize was one of the things to her as she gives her the pass.

[00:33:09]Um, she gives her a key to her. I I put home in Moscow.

[00:33:14]Um, and you should put him out of your mind. And uh, >> yeah, you should put him out of your mind. I wrote that down, too, cuz like it it was she's like, "What's going to happen to him?" And it was like, >> "You should put him out."

[00:33:24]>> Oh, honey, you don't want to know.

[00:33:27]>> Yeah, just put him out of your mind.

[00:33:28]>> Yeah.

[00:33:29]>> Um, meanwhile, back in the office, Ina's writing reports and her office chum, Miss Smug, um, is ready to throw under the bus with Ruscoa.

[00:33:38]Uh, she's turned in for fratizing with Tanya. Ireina flips the script as she walks into the office by revealing that she was getting close to uncover that Valia, ladies and gentlemen, is the American mole. And it's out.

[00:33:55]>> And I think again, here's where we see Ina and her ability to think on her feet because she did not go in there ready to defend herself, >> right?

[00:34:04]>> She went in there to present the evidence and >> she had she had the files. Yep.

[00:34:08]>> She had the files. So, she was there to to do the evidence, but then she spins the current situation into what she was already doing. And that's >> manipulative man.

[00:34:18]>> Yep. Um, amazing moment here where ROVA demands that stupid smug chum uh talks uh she gets shuff she starts talking.

[00:34:28]She gets shushed by ROVA and she demands that she apologize to Ina for being, and I quote, an infantile rat.

[00:34:36]>> Yeah. And and again the tension and and just Ruscova like >> she's like standing over her from behind.

[00:34:46]>> Well, what is she going to do? I mean, we've already blow one one person's brains out. Is she about to do that to Smugface?

[00:34:53]>> Well, that's what I'm thinking.

[00:34:56]>> Yes, I agreed. But when it starts and she is treating Arena like Arena's on the outs and and she's going hard after Ina.

[00:35:04]>> Yeah. And then the moment Ina spins it >> and and there's a moment where you see smug smugface's face go from smug to oh crap >> to oh crap I lost.

[00:35:17]>> Yes. And it is so it's so good.

[00:35:21]>> Just when I think you couldn't possibly do anything dumber, you go out and do something like this and totally redeem yourself. Yeah.

[00:35:30]>> And yeah, >> millennials and older understand that one >> when she's behind Smugface and she like touches her shoulder and that flinch.

[00:35:38]>> Oh, it's Yeah, it's so good.

[00:35:39]>> Yeah. So good. Uh but just the the book end of this scene here. It's time to get Valia. Like they're they're on the move now.

[00:35:48]>> Yeah.

[00:35:49]>> Um meanwhile, back at Venus HQ, Valia looks like he's trying to memorize the drawings um as much as he can. Do you notice that? I mean, he's standing in front of blueprints and it looked to me like as he was staring at them, he was trying to put things to memory.

[00:36:03]>> So, yes, maybe. Um, I think part of this cuz I was a little confused and I had to think through it >> because he's very agitated.

[00:36:13]>> Sure.

[00:36:14]>> And it's played off as like jitters, pre-launch jitters. But you've got to remember that he one he just got squeezed by the other spy.

[00:36:26]>> Uh so he's still kind of reeling from that.

[00:36:29]>> Sure.

[00:36:29]>> Um he just came back from Moscow. He was in Moscow. So what did he do in Moscow, >> right?

[00:36:35]>> Uh so there's all these questions of like he probably has some new mission that he is supposed to >> right new task.

[00:36:42]>> I guess to your point, he's probably told them they're going to Venus. Yeah, that's that's it. That's it. No, that's it. He's trying to collect this information.

[00:36:49]>> He's trying to collect the information.

[00:36:50]That's what it is.

[00:36:51]>> That's what I'm saying.

[00:36:51]>> I think you're right.

[00:36:52]>> Yeah.

[00:36:52]>> Yeah.

[00:36:53]>> Um he has a nice moment here with the chief designer. Um in some ways it's easier to be up there was was the quote that I pulled out from that.

[00:37:01]>> Well, and and that's that he's saying that and in that moment you realize he thinks ah that would be my way out.

[00:37:10]>> Yeah.

[00:37:11]>> Like to to be off the planet. I wouldn't have to worry about the Russians. I wouldn't have to worry about the Americans. Uh maybe.

[00:37:18]>> Yeah.

[00:37:18]>> Um >> I mean >> saying that as like wisfully >> I I think you know for better or worse all of these folks all of these ones that the chief designer calls the eagles like I they're cosminauts first. Like they they want to be in space.

[00:37:32]>> Yeah.

[00:37:32]>> Um >> yeah, but I do think that Valia sees it as a way out.

[00:37:36]>> Tanya confronts him. Valia tells Tanya to to make some marks on a wall in a cafe and go to a bridge to get out. like he's got this whole plan and this code and she just like you are crazy. What are you talking about? She is incredibly disgusted with him.

[00:37:52]>> Well, and he folds like a cheap lawn chair like he starts off with, I don't know what you're talking about. And then is is launches into I'm so sorry. I was trying to save you.

[00:38:05]>> And so let me ask you this. We got to take this scene and the next couple scenes with him, >> right?

[00:38:13]Is Valia a good guy? A good guy that's in up over his head.

[00:38:19]>> I lean towards Yes. I think his American handler I think from Vol's perspective I think American >> assume American.

[00:38:27]>> We assume we assume we I could be very wrong about that. You're right. And we said that last week. his handler I think um is hanging over his head that Tanya at some point was flirting with a dissenting party and like it was I think he got started into it to try to protect her honor. Um so I think that his motives were pure going into this if as pure as they could be. I don't think he's an evil person. I think he's really is trying to protect his wife, who, oh, by the way, is not the most moral person herself. Um, we're looking at you, Sasha, and not Karen.

[00:39:08]>> What do you think?

[00:39:09]>> I I could go either way because what he does in the next couple scenes, I don't know that it's evil, but it's self- serving.

[00:39:21]>> Okay. And the the >> he's in survival sabotage now.

[00:39:27]>> He is. And And so you could you could make the case that he's in survival mode. Uh Tanya has basically just said, "We're done. I'm leaving. I I want nothing to do with you."

[00:39:37]>> Yeah.

[00:39:37]>> And so all he has to look forward to is the >> His only purpose.

[00:39:41]>> Yeah. Uh but I don't know. I just this actor is so good.

[00:39:48]>> And just some of the way his face >> I just get like a I get evil vibes off his facial expressions at times.

[00:39:56]>> Yeah.

[00:39:57]>> Um that just makes me kind of go back and forth, but >> I can see >> I don't know. I I have trouble saying he's just a a good guy that's in up over his head.

[00:40:07]>> Yeah. Maybe it's something about like the hairstyles plus the clothing plus the the heavy British actors like in the cast.

[00:40:18]>> Yeah, the British makes it sound evil.

[00:40:20]Yeah.

[00:40:20]>> Yeah. I don't know where I'm going with this other than to say like it reminds me a lot of like Willy Wonka in the Chocolate Factory. It's It's a very similar vibe. I I don't know why I even brought that up, but he kind of reminds me of the the dude who owns the candy store and Willy Wonka.

[00:40:38]>> I don't know what to do with that.

[00:40:40]>> Wait, he reminds you of Willy Wonka.

[00:40:42]>> No, no, not No, not G.

[00:40:44]>> Oh, the guy. Okay, sorry.

[00:40:46]>> No, like the the Candyman can sprinkle it.

[00:40:52]>> 30 years. I didn't see the new one.

[00:40:54]>> Oh, I I never saw the Timothy Shalomé one. I saw the one before it and it lined up.

[00:41:00]>> We're all over the map tonight. I kind of like it.

[00:41:02]>> We are.

[00:41:02]>> That's fun. Um, so here we next scene we've got the police. They're closing in of Valia's apartment and um he's on the run in the woods. The uh police arrive at Star City headquarters. They're searching his locker.

[00:41:17]>> Um and Valia is just kind of hanging out around some trees in a mildly secluded place that's open enough that Palville comes walking by and it's like, "Hey, Valia.

[00:41:27]What you doing, bud? I'm out here getting my sig for my last my last sig for the next nine months.

[00:41:34]>> Yeah. And again, just the subtlety of >> Yeah.

[00:41:38]>> how Valia gains his composure.

[00:41:41]>> Mhm.

[00:41:42]>> Like he just he's watching these guys and then the guy yells his name walking up and just like the the the hair swish and then >> like it just so it's so good.

[00:41:52]>> Okay. So, at what point I'm going to go ahead and ask you this. At what point did you know like Valia is gonna do something to take out Pavle so he can take a seat?

[00:42:02]>> Oh the moment he said hey actually hold up a second.

[00:42:06]>> Yeah.

[00:42:06]>> I was like okay.

[00:42:08]>> Yep.

[00:42:09]>> Dude somewhere is going to Venus.

[00:42:12]>> Yeah.

[00:42:14]>> But dude what what a great setup here. I mean the dude's backed into a corner.

[00:42:18]His only out at this point is I got to make the slip here by sneaking on to this mission.

[00:42:24]>> Yeah. So, so well done. For those watching on YouTube, I don't know why my camera at night is having a hard time with focus and focal depth, but here we are. And now I'm back. Um, meanwhile, back in Venus headquarters here, Pavle is a no-show and uh they need a second pilot and everybody is scrambling. Um, this is the only window the chief designer says like we don't do this now, we're not doing it. Like I guess the the orbital alignments like this is it's it's now or never.

[00:42:52]>> Um, we've got to go. Um, Via enters and he claims that Pavle has been arrested.

[00:42:58]Apparently, they're rounding up people is the narrative, the story that he tells. Um, and he offers to step in. And dude, I love the chief designer's reaction right here. Like, dude, his face just goes from like fear and like, I don't know what we're going to do to just absolute relief. And he's like, are you sure? like um I mean he definitely from I think the chief designer's perspective like value was the guy training everybody else for this mission. So he feels like now the subject matter expert is the one who's going on the on the trip. Um so I think in that way he got what he wanted. The other thing to consider here is like they're rounding people up >> and if if Roscoa trusted the chief designer, >> right, >> this would all be over.

[00:43:47]>> Maybe maybe he would still let it go.

[00:43:50]But >> what do you mean?

[00:43:51]>> They what?

[00:43:52]>> What do you mean?

[00:43:54]>> They're purposely leaving the chief designer out of the loop while they try to find >> Valia >> because of the the tension between the two of them. Gotcha.

[00:44:03]>> And like if if they went to the like that was what Ina said, "We need to tell the chief designer and RCOV is like," no, no, no. He he'll just complicate it.

[00:44:12]>> Yeah.

[00:44:12]>> That decision lets them do let them get away with this.

[00:44:17]>> Yeah.

[00:44:18]>> Because if she had tracked him down, found him like I don't know what he would have done. He maybe still would have put sent volume to Venus because it was his only chance. But I don't know.

[00:44:30]>> Yeah, it's interesting. We'll never know.

[00:44:33]>> Um, we just got the confirmation here that Pavle is now bound and gagged in a closet.

[00:44:37]>> Yeah.

[00:44:38]>> Um, we segue from this now to Moscow.

[00:44:41]Moscow. Sometimes I say Moscow, sometimes I say Moscow. I don't know why. It's kind of like it's a route.

[00:44:47]It's Route 66, but if you go to Sonic, you get a Route 44. They're the same word, but I say them differently in different contexts. I don't know why.

[00:44:55]>> That's a lot of soda.

[00:44:57]>> It's It's way too much soda. It'll It'll kill you, bro. Um, meanwhile in Moscow, uh, Tanya arrives at I put my notes here, bougie building. Um, it's it's a place that Arena has her going. It's beautiful architecture. Um, I put in my notes here. It's very upscale. Um, and as she enters, we just see a huge, very well-appointed apartment. Um, it looks like a very safe place. Um, we see >> expensive, >> very expensive. So, you know, we like to we the the Soviet party likes you to think that everybody's equal. We're all comrades in this thing, but there is still there's multi-parties. There's multiclass. Um and this is now the upper crust, upper class, kind of the almost like the pre-Russia before the Soviet Empire um type of architecture is is beautiful.

[00:45:50]It's great. Um, Brian, we see these photos coming across here, and I texted you when we got to this one tight shot of what looks to be to be like a large family photo with young Ireina and a dude with really big woolly eyebrows in the middle. Brian, that dude is Brev. This is Leoned Brev.

[00:46:17]And like okay like in in our timeline like this is the guy that he is like the he's the leader of the Soviet Communist Party. He's the chairman precidium of the Supreme Soviet. Um he he is the dude like from 64 to 82 he is like a leader of the Soviet Union.

[00:46:37]>> And that is who Irena is tied to.

[00:46:40]>> Yeah.

[00:46:41]>> Now there is a question and I think it's her dad or grandfather. Um, yeah, maybe you you've got to ask the question of she said, "My my dad's a he's a bad dude or my husband ex-husband >> is a >> the father of her child."

[00:46:56]>> And there's that question mark like is that is that the husband? I hope not.

[00:47:03]>> She looks like she's like 10 in that or maybe 12 in that picture.

[00:47:06]>> Crazy stuff.

[00:47:07]>> Yeah.

[00:47:08]>> I mean, crazier than already the crazy stuff. I hope that's not it. I mean, and the other, I think, less obvious possibility is they just got a picture with a really famous politician.

[00:47:20]>> I don't think that I don't it's too simple to be the answer.

[00:47:24]>> Um, but I mean, Tanya's reaction is she drops the the photo and the glass breaks like over Arena's picture. Like, she's the only thing that's coming through the glass. Like, the the imagery, dude, in the show is just crazy.

[00:47:37]>> Yeah. So >> well in you you got to imagine in that point she thinks I'm running from the government.

[00:47:43]>> Yeah.

[00:47:44]>> And then she picks up a picture of Ireina and the government.

[00:47:48]>> Basically I'm in the government's apartment right now.

[00:47:52]>> Yes. Yes.

[00:47:53]>> Like how crazy is that?

[00:47:55]>> Yeah, >> dude. It's crazy.

[00:47:57]>> It's crazy.

[00:47:59]>> Oh. Meanwhile, in the capsule, not to be confused with a shuttle, um the cosminauts are now inside. Um they're going through the checkpoint and they're getting scrutiny here. Um these are the components of a new weather satellite.

[00:48:15]Um and this is where we get that fun moment >> with the dead rat.

[00:48:20]>> Yes. But we also get and this is a nitpick for me, but we also get a second >> um scene where like you know guys standing nervously while they search you know the contraband late in >> couple weeks in a row. Yeah.

[00:48:34]>> Yeah.

[00:48:35]>> True. It's like, okay, we did this already, but >> it's the same baosphere. The baosphere >> as it comes and as it goes. We just have to have awkward scenes at checkpoints.

[00:48:45]>> Um, on Venus, we're going to have the same thing. The the Venusians are going to be like, what you got in that in that shuttle? Oh, just some weather satellites.

[00:49:02]>> Oh, those darn Dolan.

[00:49:04]>> Yeah. Oh, wait. They only live in the outer solar system. We're fine.

[00:49:08]>> Oh, okay.

[00:49:09]>> Oh, man. That's so good. Oh, where was I? Um, we get the dead rat. They pass the checkpoint inspection.

[00:49:18]>> Meanwhile, back at Anastasia's apartment. This is where she finds the letter from Sasha.

[00:49:22]>> Yeah.

[00:49:23]>> Oh, dude. Like the this whole like the the last two minutes of this episode are just beautiful.

[00:49:32]>> Yeah. like the whole thing >> like the reading of the letter. I mean it's it's crazy heartfelt. Um I mean he ends it with your husband.

[00:49:42]>> Um I mean the whole thing >> and and in it in it he says something along the lines of the last time I did this I did not have anybody to write to.

[00:49:52]>> Yeah.

[00:49:52]>> When they were married.

[00:49:54]>> Yeah.

[00:49:55]>> And it that's so honest and powerful, >> dude. And it just really shows the growth that he has gone through.

[00:50:03]>> Man, I'm feeling feelings, dude.

[00:50:05]>> Yeah.

[00:50:06]>> Um, the quote I wrote down, he says, "Giving up is easy, living is hard."

[00:50:11]>> Yeah.

[00:50:13]>> I put my notes. Dude wrote a solid letter. I love Sasha's arc.

[00:50:17]>> Yeah. Yeah. Hey, I said the same thing.

[00:50:20]I said, "What an arc for Sasha."

[00:50:22]>> Yeah. What an arc, man.

[00:50:24]>> Yeah.

[00:50:26]>> Um >> Yeah. And and I I really feel like the scene with Valia and Tanya. Ta T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T and it's not Tanya. I always say Tanya. Um Tanya.

[00:50:36]>> Fine. I call her Tanya. It's fine.

[00:50:38]>> Okay. Uh that was a goodbye. Like that's the last time they see each other. I think >> yeah lovers now, man.

[00:50:47]>> This felt like a goodbye as well. And that's why I think your initial thought that this was >> I want to hope. I just I need a little hope.

[00:50:56]>> That's all.

[00:50:57]>> I just the Indian woman that's the only one where I'm like you're really introducing the an one Indian woman and she dies. Like that doesn't seem >> That's a fascinating Yeah, that's a fascinating play.

[00:51:08]>> Yeah, man. I'm I'm I'm rooting for these guys to be successful against all odds because this it's like 99.97 that this is going to end in tragedy for me.

[00:51:21]>> Yes.

[00:51:21]>> But it's not 100. I'm giving 03 hope.

[00:51:26]>> So, you're telling me there's a chance?

[00:51:28]Um, we we get the just that final shot of the N1 launch at night, which is just >> music.

[00:51:34]>> Gosh, I I put in my notes. God, I love this rocket.

[00:51:37]>> Yeah.

[00:51:38]>> Roll credits.

[00:51:40]>> That that it was pure art. Pure art.

[00:51:44]>> It is. It's pure art, man. Like, they really exceeded all of my expectations with this series. I I wanted something fun, a summer watch. A fun summer watch.

[00:51:54]>> And I'm getting I'm getting Chernobyl in space, man. Like, it's it's that good.

[00:51:58]That's where we're at >> now. Now, the one thing we didn't really talk about, but you I feel like you didn't think this was a big deal. I texted this to you.

[00:52:06]>> Okay.

[00:52:07]>> Um but Valia literally is the reason that the dude died on Sasha's watch.

[00:52:17]>> Yeah. And now they're in a >> what 10?

[00:52:22]>> Yeah.

[00:52:23]>> 10 square feet tube.

[00:52:25]>> Yeah.

[00:52:26]>> Um for nine months.

[00:52:28]>> Yeah.

[00:52:28]>> And it's going to come up that he's a traitor. I don't know what their communication is. Um >> but like if they're able to communicate with the the shuttle as it, you know, goes uh towards Venus. Um, and they say anything about him being the traitor and Sasha puts that together. Like, that is explosive, dude.

[00:52:50]>> Um, >> you know what else is explosive?

[00:52:53]>> What?

[00:52:54]>> Sasha and Tanya.

[00:52:56]>> Like, dude's been sleeping with his wife.

[00:52:59]>> There's all kinds of explosive to happen. That poor Indian lady is just going to be stuck in the middle of it.

[00:53:04]>> She's making all the oxygen. It's going to create the explosions with the fires with these boys.

[00:53:09]>> Yeah. Like it's Yeah, it's a pressure cooker, man. The whole thing is a pressure cooker.

[00:53:14]>> Oh, the whole show is a pressure cooker.

[00:53:17]>> The whole thing.

[00:53:18]>> I'm here for it. There's only three more episodes of this.

[00:53:20]>> We're going to have an amazing soup at the end of this.

[00:53:23]>> Here's the thing, too, Brian. Okay, I mean, I was thinking about this, too.

[00:53:26]We're still in 1970.

[00:53:28]>> Yeah.

[00:53:28]>> Like, and and I assume that's we're not going to have any kind of a time jump or anything in this season. Like if they want to do another season after this, like they can. Like we're not even too like building the Sylvesta moon base yet. Yeah. Like that can still be like season two of like when Ed and Danny and Gordo are over there at Jamestown and you got the Soviets over there at the other side of Shackleton Crater. Like that can still be like season two or season 3 at the pace we're at. Like this is great.

[00:53:57]>> Yeah. And but it does beg the question of do we see the end of the the Venus me mission this season.

[00:54:07]>> I think they've got to wrap that up. I don't I don't know how >> they wrap it up. It's not nine months from now. And if it's not nine months from now, then it's wrapped up in a big ball of flame.

[00:54:17]>> Yeah, you're not wrong, dude.

[00:54:19]Yeah. I think you've I Here's what I think the most possible outcome is at this point. I I'm going back to that they have to do a burn when they get to Venus. Something's going to screw up with that and they're just going to drift off into space, like off into the solar system and they're just going to that's going to be it.

[00:54:38]>> And that'll give us an artifact for for All Mankind season six.

[00:54:42]>> And then like what they didn't show us was the the gravity thing that Mars 94 was like picking up like with the with the Sergey thing. It was actually the Vanera capsule like zooming by Mars 94 out in the outer solar system.

[00:55:00]Just saying.

[00:55:03]>> Book it, Dano.

[00:55:04]>> Maybe.

[00:55:06]>> Or >> I just came up with that. I don't know if that's >> the other thing, too. Well, no, no, no.

[00:55:10]But like if that ship is lost.

[00:55:12]>> Yeah.

[00:55:13]>> Forget what the what the what it said on the screen. It was something like something detected, right?

[00:55:18]>> Yeah. Oh gosh. I'd have to go back and back. Yeah, but it I mean that's an interesting theory that like Sergey programmed that in there to find something from this this trip >> maybe.

[00:55:32]>> Um that that's that'd be interesting.

[00:55:35]>> Yeah, it's possible.

[00:55:38]We just don't know, man.

[00:55:39]>> Yep.

[00:55:42]>> All right, man. Well, >> let's see. Cold booting after years of dormcy, blah blah blah. I'm going back to my notes from episode 10. Um the oh it says uh detection HB/GV which could mean gravid gravitational wave detection um some of the notes there.

[00:56:03]>> So I don't know who knows >> who knows >> but it could be something that would be embedded in any like long-term Russian mission that they were trying to detect what happened to this Venera capsule.

[00:56:14]>> Yeah. like that.

[00:56:16]>> Well, sort of what happened to his people.

[00:56:20]>> Just saying.

[00:56:21]>> Yeah.

[00:56:22]>> Okay.

[00:56:25]>> Well, Brian, we did have a couple of emails that came in, so wanted to get to those there. Sorry, I just took a big swallow of water here. Um, this first one was from Jason, and this was more of a reaction to the episode 4. Um, but he says, "Hi, Chief Designers Brian and Donnie. Wow, another great episode of Star City. good tension and continued character building, even without the action setpiece. I would give that a solid nine. I'm a little surprised Ina already figured out the value of the spy, but with only eight episodes in the season, I appreciate the show not dragging that out. And poor Sasha. Now he's consummated the marriage with manic pixie moon girl, which is kind of been Jason's term for her the entire time. I don't feel good about his chances of surviving the Venus mission. He says, 'I know you two touched on the British actors in the series before, but one reason I like the prestige dramas do this as a wide variety of British accents can actually give background on the character and their societal class.

[00:57:22]Um, with the factory manager in this episode, as talked about last week, having a workingclass accent, it furthered the power dynamics of Ireina being higher on the social ladder than him. with Ireina because of her posh accent. I could tell that she was from a privileged background before she ever told um uh Lu Miller, which um yeah, that's her name.

[00:57:45]>> Um that back in the first episode, speaking of the Colonel, uh sorry to derail things with a Miss Trunch Bowl reference from Matilda before. I've attached a picture of the character really is unfair to the actress playing um her, but it was really the first thing that popped in my head. Um, one thing it did do is send me down a rabbit hole about night witches. It turned out that they got their name because of the all female bomber regiment um that would do their runs by silently gliding over the enemy at night in biplanes like witches on brooms. That's fascinating.

[00:58:17]>> Um, another interesting thing that I learned um from that is that the colonel has the last name of the major that started the regiment and the first name of the night witch character from the World War II old history series called World War. Um, just thought that was neat and cool thing to share. Thanks again for all the two all the things you two do, Jason.

[00:58:36]>> Thank you.

[00:58:37]>> So, yeah, some ROVA backstory there.

[00:58:39]It's very cool. Um, and then we heard from Boomer Brian. Um, he says, "I think you were coming um at this from the wrong angle." This was talking about episode 4 here. Via didn't have to plan anything out. The CIA, yes, I think his handler is an American spy. would have handed handled the whole thing once it was announced that they were going to go to Paris. The CIA needed to get their part the spring/ superintendent to Valia and this was a great opportunity which they would take advantage of. The CIA was not able to have the courier smuggle it into Star City, but Valia was now coming to them. The CIA needed a way to get that part to Valia. They did it by replacing the spring with the transmitter in a bottle of perfume which was conveniently among the gifts made available in the fancy Parisian hotel.

[00:59:27]So basically he's saying here they didn't have to have some elaborate ruse because all they had to do was get it to Paris and then Val did all the work from there. Basically >> that that's actually not a bad point because I I guess maybe stupidly >> I'm assuming that the spring that comes in every French perfume bottle it could have been used in this transmitter or as a transmitter. Um so fair point.

[00:59:52]>> Yeah. Um he goes on to say at some point they needed to inform Valia about it that it could have happened through whatever communication channels they had already set up. So Valia didn't have to plan anything. our spies did all the heavy lifting. It It could also just be why he was annoyed with Tanya. Um that she was using the perfume as it might have added to suspicions about it. And then on the other hand, it might have added cover for why they had it, but Valia is rightfully paranoid about it drawing attention. Um he also goes on to say this. He says, "You refer to Valia as the quote bad guy, but I don't see it that way. I think he's blackmailed by the CIA because of Tanya's minor minorly subser sub subversive past. I'm having a hard time reading tonight. I just make the font bigger because old man eyes.

[01:00:38]Um, Valia is threatened with the release of the information the CIA and the Soviets using to coersse him into being a CIA asset. So, kind of goes with what we were talking about a few minutes ago.

[01:00:48]So, Brian Boomer Brian's going with that coercion uh theory as well. He goes on to say this. He says, "I think it is still an open question as to whether Tanya is actually a CIA asset as well, and that is why she married Valia. If she is, I would cut her some slack for being a horrible person for cheating with Sasha. I think you guys do come off as a little judgmental on that issue."

[01:01:12]I'm sorry, Boomer Brian, but you know, you make a vow to somebody and you you want to keep that. I mean that again I'm coming off as being a little harsh about that. You make a vow to somebody, I think you ought to keep it, bro. Just saying.

[01:01:29]>> Boomer Boomer Brian was not there when um Sergey cheated on his wife to get back to Margot and Donnie went on a 20minut rant about how Sergey was a piece of garbage.

[01:01:42]>> I did. I mean there but for the grace of God am I? first of all, because if you ever think you're above it, watch out because it's probably coming for you.

[01:01:51]But dude, purpose in your heart to do the right thing before you find yourself in a crappy situation. Okay? Hold yourself to a high standard. Obviously, Tanya can't. That's all I got to say about that.

[01:02:03]>> Cheating on your spouse.

[01:02:03]>> I am judgmental about it, Boomer Brian.

[01:02:05]And now you've got me worked up about it, dude.

[01:02:08]>> Cheating on your spouse is not uh is not a little thing. You are correct.

[01:02:13]>> Thank you. Thank you, Boomer Brian.

[01:02:15]You're not Boomer Bryant.

[01:02:16]>> Boomer Bryant says we're judgmental.

[01:02:18]Yes, I am judgmental.

[01:02:19]>> Say no, he's saying you're judgmental.

[01:02:21]>> Hold yourself to a high standard. That's all I'm saying. You make a vow to somebody, live with it.

[01:02:26]>> Do the right thing. Is it that hard in this world to do the freaking right thing?

[01:02:31]>> All they did >> I'm annoyed at this whole thing now.

[01:02:35]>> All they did was sleep with somebody that wasn't their their spouse. What's the big deal here? What's the big deal here? just a few minutes so you can feel good and you can you're you're freaking selfish and you're not thinking about the aftermath of that and the impact on all the people around you. So anyways, I digress. Uh he also goes on to say this.

[01:02:55]He says if she was a spy or an asset married to Valia for spycraft reasons, she may just be trying to ensnare yet another cosminant aka Sasha as part of her quote unquote job. Does this term quote unquote honeypot ring a bell?

[01:03:10]Tanya may be a bad wife, but an excellent CIA asset. I think it may be a bit of a reach to consider Tanya a spy, but I believe it to be a possibility.

[01:03:19]Time will tell. Boomer Brian.

[01:03:21]>> Well, I think after this episode, we see that she is not an asset.

[01:03:25]>> Yeah, I don't think that she is either.

[01:03:26]>> Um, that would be that would be the plot twist that we don't need >> at this point.

[01:03:32]>> Yeah, her shot is genuine.

[01:03:35]It was on uh it was on YouTube. Somebody commented uh they said that the picture remember in last episode when she like she's looking at a picture and Val comes in and she like hides the picture and it's >> her.

[01:03:48]>> They they kind of they surmise that u he doesn't know about her past.

[01:03:54]>> Yeah.

[01:03:55]>> Um and or she doesn't know that he knows about her past and that's why she was hiding it. And it feels like, well, I guess she does kind of. No, she doesn't.

[01:04:04]He does know because she she talks about it openly in episode two or three.

[01:04:10]>> I don't know where your brain is going anymore. I'm not >> I don't know either.

[01:04:13]>> I'm still back there. I'm still angry with being being told I'm being judgmental about, you know, people who aren't married having an extrammarital affair. Like, okay.

[01:04:23]>> Um, everybody does it, Donnie.

[01:04:25]>> No, they don't.

[01:04:25]>> Everybody does it. It's not a big deal.

[01:04:27]>> It's a huge deal.

[01:04:29]>> Okay. Our society has made it less so, but our society is wrong.

[01:04:35]There you go people. Welcome to Happy Valley Star City for All Mankind podcast. I'm Donnie on the late night edition.

[01:04:46]>> Uh thank you for listening to my sermon and indulging us an hour into this. H that concludes our emails. We'd love to hear from you. Of course, that email address is happy valleyfamgmail.com.

[01:04:59]Um, keep calling me out, Bamer Brian, and I'll keep responding.

[01:05:05]Thank you for having an open dialogue with us.

[01:05:07]>> Hey, no, we enjoy the we enjoy the feedback, and I enjoy especially when it's pointed at Donnie. So, thank you.

[01:05:12]Thank you.

[01:05:13]>> You've been inviting this for a while and here we are, right?

[01:05:16]>> Yes.

[01:05:16]>> Yep.

[01:05:17]>> Finally.

[01:05:17]>> You're right. You're right. You're right. Go watch Project Hail Mary to be even more right. What's that?

[01:05:24]>> Is that a >> I'm tired of saying >> is that on Apple TV?

[01:05:27]>> I You know what though? Like I've had several friends go see um Disclosure Day and I have not been in a hurry on that one. I'm not I'm not super excited about it.

[01:05:35]>> Yeah, I I'm'll see it, but I'm not I don't know. I Yeah, >> it's a SCOP. Just preparing us for the real news.

[01:05:42]>> Okay, that's that's what everybody says.

[01:05:46]Everyone's right except for people who think that I'm being judgmental about extra medical.

[01:05:53]I will let that go eventually.

[01:05:55]>> Okay.

[01:05:57]>> All right, Donnie. Anything else?

[01:06:00]>> Man, I can't wait to >> How do people write to us?

[01:06:02]>> Happy ValleyFamgmail.com.

[01:06:05]And um also u I feel like u you know Brian we've been kind of watching the numbers um and you've so more so have been really spearheading and leading the way on the YouTube engagement side but we're seeing a lot of comments there as well and I see you responding to stuff.

[01:06:21]So thank you for >> picking that torch up.

[01:06:24]>> Yeah thank thank you for the comments on YouTube. I try to respond to all of them. Um and uh yeah appreciate appreciate the the feedback and the ideas and thoughts and all that stuff.

[01:06:33]It's great. Yeah.

[01:06:36]Five down, three to go. Man, >> I'm in for it.

[01:06:40]>> Let's go. Let's do it. Well, guys, thanks again for joining us and uh we'll see you again next week as we cover all things Star City season 1, episode 6.

[01:06:50]But until then, bye, Comrade Bob.

[01:06:53]>> Bye, Comrade Bob.