Television Review: The Monster and the Rocket (The Expanse, S2X12, 2017)

The Monster and the Rocket (S0212)

Airdate: April 12th 2017

Written by: Mark Fergus & Hawk Atsby
Directed by: Robert Lieberman

Running Time: 44 minutes

It has become an almost axiomatic truth within contemporary prestige television that any ambitious work of speculative fiction, daring to scale the heights of epic storytelling, feels compelled to mirror Game of Thrones in its embrace of labyrinthine political intrigue. To witness the machinations within Season 2, Episode 12 of The Expanse, "The Monster and the Rocket," is to confront this tendency head-on. Here, the existential dread posed by the alien protomolecule and the protagonists' fundamental struggle for survival are inextricably woven, perhaps overly so, into a dense tapestry of power plays between Earth, Mars, and the Belt. The episode presents a world where navigating the treacherous currents of interstellar politics – replete with shadowy alliances, calculated betrayals, and the constant threat of backstabbing – proves as perilous, if not more so in the immediate term, than confronting the alien horror lurking in the void.

The episode opens with Chrisjen Avasarala seemingly at the zenith of her strategic campaign. Having successfully manoeuvred for a UN Security Council hearing where Undersecretary Sadavir Errinwright faces accountability for his complicity in the protomolecule disaster, she simultaneously secures a high-stakes audience with the exposed Jules-Pierre Mao aboard his opulent yacht. Sanctions have eviscerated Mao’s empire and shattered his family, leaving him vulnerable. Avasarala, ever the pragmatist, seeks his coerced cooperation, recognising his knowledge is vital. Yet, acutely aware of the viper’s nest she enters, she is by the formidable former intelligence operative Cotyar and the indomitable Martian Marine Bobbie Draper. Their presence is less ceremonial protection and more a tacit acknowledgment that Mao, cornered and desperate, might resort to anything – including assassination – to regain leverage.

Conversely, Errinwright’s position appears terminal. Haunted and isolated, he even drafts what seems a suicide note, sharing a moment of fragile vulnerability with his son. This apparent despair, however, proves a masterful feint. His invitation to Martian Defence Minister Piotr Korshunov reveals the chilling truth: the two men were co-conspirators all along, jointly facilitating Mao’s protomolecule research under the guise of planetary rivalry. Yet Avasarala’s aggressive move against Mao disrupts this fragile equilibrium. Korshunov, sensing a shift, prepares to abandon Errinwright, positioning himself as a Martian patriot sacrificing the corrupt Earther. Errinwright, however, strikes first with ruthless efficiency. He poisons Korshunov, expertly fabricating the appearance of a fatal heart attack induced by Earth’s gravity. Emboldened by this cold elimination, Errinwright immediately pivots, leveraging his regained control to accuse Avasarala of treason, timing it perfectly to strand her, isolated and vulnerable, aboard Mao’s yacht. The political landscape shifts with the speed of a knife in the dark.

Simultaneously, amidst the political viper pit, the Rocinante crew grapples with immediate, visceral horror on the surface of Ganymede. Holden leads the hunt for the human-protomolecule hybrid – the "monster" of the title – while the station itself succumbs to a cascading life-support collapse. Naomi and Amos locate Melissa, captain of the Somnabulist, offering aid to repair her ship and evacuate survivors. What begins as rescue swiftly devolves into a desperate race against time as the failing environment and panicked crowds threaten to overwhelm order. The emotional core of the episode crystallises here: the agonising necessity of triage. With the Somnabulist’s capacity limited, Naomi and Melissa make the brutal, heart-wrenching decision to prioritise children and the young. Organising the terrified masses requires immense skill and nerve, culminating in the ship’s harrowing liftoff – only to face the immediate threat of a Martian Navy blockade. Holden, reluctantly abandoning his hunt for the hybrid to protect his found family, brings the Rocinante roaring in for a timely, dramatic intervention.

Technically, The Monster and the Rocket functions with commendable efficiency. The script by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby adeptly juggles the disparate storylines – the high-stakes political gambits on Earth, the tense confrontation aboard Mao’s yacht, and the life-or-death struggle on Ganymede – ensuring the narrative flows smoothly without succumbing to excessive exposition. The intercutting maintains tension across all fronts, a testament to solid structural craftsmanship. However, this competence is undermined by significant flaws. Errinwright’s arc, while ultimately satisfying in its villainous payoff, suffers from an overly protracted and somewhat melodramatic setup. His initial scenes, steeped in apparent suicidal despair and paternal angst, feel less like nuanced character development and more like a clumsy misdirection, veering perilously close to soap opera territory before confirming his established diabolical nature. This unnecessary padding dilutes the impact of his subsequent, genuinely chilling actions.

Furthermore, the episode is hampered by stretches of noticeably uninspired dialogue. Conversations aboard Mao’s yacht, despite the high stakes, often lack the razor-sharp wit or profound weight one expects from The Expanse at its best, feeling functional rather than compelling. Similarly, the sequences involving the hybrid hunt on Ganymede suffer from exchanges that fail to fully convey the profound horror or existential weight of the situation. Compounding this, certain performances feel curiously flat. Dominique Tipper (Naomi) maintains her usual grounded intensity, but Steven Strait, as James Holden, delivers lines with a distracted, almost lethargic quality that undermines Holden’s characteristic moral urgency and leadership during the Ganymede crisis. It occasionally feels as if the actors were wrestling with material that hadn’t quite landed.

Yet, the episode redeems itself powerfully in the Ganymede refugee sequence. The raw desperation, the palpable fear, and the agonising moral calculus of who lives and dies resonate deeply. Central to this success is the character of Champa, portrayed with immense physical and emotional presence by Gugun Deep Singh. This colossal Belter, initially a potential threat, becomes the unexpected linchpin of order. Using his sheer stature for both intimidation and calming the panicked throng, Champa’s quiet authority and persuasive power during the chaotic boarding of the Somnabulist provide one of the season’s most memorable and emotionally resonant moments. He embodies the Belter resilience and community spirit that the political machinations so often overlook.

Ultimately, The Monster and the Rocket exemplifies The Expanse’s greatest strength and a recurring vulnerability. It masterfully constructs a complex, believable political universe where survival hinges as much on dealing through treacherous alliances as on firepower. The technical execution of weaving multiple high-stakes narratives is impressive. Yet, in its eagerness to deliver the expected Game of Thrones-esque intrigue, it occasionally sacrifices the depth of its character moments and the potency of its dialogue, leaning towards the soapy or the perfunctory. While the Ganymede sequence, elevated by characters like Champa, provides the vital human anchor, the episode serves as a reminder that even in the face of an alien apocalypse, the most dangerous monsters might just wear the suits of Earth, Mars, and corporate power – and their schemes, however intricate, can sometimes eclipse the very humanity the show strives to protect.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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