1-08. "Salvage"
Written by Robin Veith
Directed by Bill Johnson
First aired 26 January 2016
SYNOPSIS
When the Rocinante arrives at Lionel Polanski's last known location, they find a stealth ship hidden in a crevasse on a small asteroid. Holden and crew board it and find it deserted and vented. While retrieving a safe from the bridge, they learn it's the Anubis, the ship that destroyed the Canterbury; they also find a strange substance clinging to the ship's reactor. Fearing the substance is somehow a threat, they quickly leave, and nuke it on their way out to Eros Station.
Meanwhile, Miller arrives on Eros and learns from his old friend Sematimba, a police detective, that a shuttle arrived from the Anubis, and its passenger, Julie Mao, checked into a hotel called the Blue Falcon. Miller races off to the hotel.
In exchange for his freedom, Kenzo leads Holen and crew to the Blue Falcon, where Lionel Polanski had checked in. After they arrive at the hotel, they're ambushed by the Black Ops team sent by Errinwright, and Kenzo escapes. Miller arrives in time to help defeat the Black Ops agents; together they go up to Lionel Polanski's room, where they find Julie Mao dead, killed evidently by the substance found on the Anubis.
ANALYSIS
"Touch me again, there'll be another dead body on the floor."
What I found intriguing is how the writers were able to get Miller and Holden, both of whom are unknowingly looking for the same person, to arrive at the same location at the same time convincingly. Watching them trying to wrap their heads around what we just witnessed is strangely satisfying.
Once more there are some revealing character studies. When Kenzo asks Holden to please tell him in advance if he's going to be killed, one senses Kenzo's sincerity, even as one suspects he's not being entirely truthful—the dichotomy is delicious. It's also intriguing to witness Miller's transformation from a cynical, reputedly incompetent cop to a ruthless ex-cop.
I confess I didn't find Florence Faivre's performance (Julie) to be quite as strong as that of the others, but it wasn't objectionable by any means.
Best Scene: The Blue Falcon ambush is a kick-ass set piece.
Best Line: Kenzo is carrying on endlessly about the features of Eros Station, and Amos finally has enough. "Oh, shut your word hole!"
SCORE: 