We have a shorter review than usual this week, but much to discuss, as two small ships ponder taking on a navy, and a couple of characters bid “oyedeng.”
Title: Oyedeng
Director: Marisol Adler
Writer: Dan Nowak
Adapted from the novels by Ty Franck and Daniel Abraham (as James S.A. Corey)
Steven Strait as James R. Holden
Dominique Tipper as Naomi Nagata
Sandrine Holt as Oksana
Cas Anvar as Alex Kamal
Frankie Adams Roberta “Bobbie” Draper
Keon Alexander as Marco Inaros
Brent Sexton as Cyn
Bahia Watson as Sakai
Jasai Chase Owens as Felip
José Zúñiga as Bull
Olunike Adeliyi as Karal
George Tchortovas Leveau
Anna Hopkins as Monica Stuart
Hayley Pace as Pella Crew #1
Emmanuel John Malok as Pella Crew #2
Phi Huynh as Pella Crew #3
Wilex Ly as Serge
Premise
The familial relationships on board Inaros’s ship become strained, and we learn more of Naomi Nagata’s backstory.
The Rocinante and the Razorback explore certain problems. Can the proto-molecule be retrieved? And why would factions on Mars secretly support and arm Inaros?
High Point
Naomi’s final decision in this episode requires significant resolve and some unpleasant sacrifices. I was wondering how plausible (or even possible) her maneuver would be, but it appears to be within the realm of possibility.
Low Point
The first half moves at a slower pace than most, without being consistently interesting enough to justify that pace. The second half pays off.
The Scores:
Originality: 4/6
Effects: 6/6
Acting: 5/6
Emotional Response: 5/6 The episode gives us uncomfortable insight into Inaros, and the conclusion packs a powerful punch.
Story: 5/6
Production: 6/6
Overall: 5/6 We have another episode that sets up the pieces (to borrow a metaphor), while exploring characters. It is strong, but not as strong as the previous week’s installment.
In total, “Oyedeng” receives 36/42
I wanted to look up just how plausible that last scene was, too, and my wife was reading me a site before I even got my hands on something to search it up.
I was actually looking for a couple of key indicators that the producers had considered the plausibility. I saw two key indicators that they did (the puff of breath and I think I saw something in her eye that looked like a burst blood vessel). Add in the magical futuristic medicine they have which can probably do a great deal toward fixing any damage as a result, and possibly delay, with advance preparation, certain effects that made that scene feel just a bit too long. (Though that could be cinematography playing up the drama.)
It’s all on the meds/stims/juice or whatever was in the injector. There was an incident at a NASA facility where an astronaut (Jim LeBlanc) was accidentally exposed to an atmospheric pressure of 0.1psi at a test facility and loss of conciousness occurred around 14 seconds, so Cyn’s exposure to vacuum looked like it was probably very close to what would be expected IRL. Some handwavium on the meds, for sure, but I do think they thought it through for Naomi given the water/gas vapour and burst blood vessels shown.
I can accept the handwavium meds given what they did for Holden and Miller after the radiation thing. And the magic ship engines, protomolecule business, etc.
I just like that they have put some real effort into little details that they could have ignored and most people wouldn’t have noticed, or just shrugged and chalked it up to having to film on Earth.