4-08. "The One-Eyed Man"
Written by Dan Nowak
Directed by Sarah Harding
First aired 12 December 2019
SYNOPSIS
Condemned for her handling of the Pizzouza, Avasarala attempts to salvage her reelection by leaking images of the disasters on Ilus. But her UN General in charge of the attack resigns, and her husband accuses her of using their son's death to further her political agenda.
Because the intel about the Pizzouza was provided by Fred Johnson, Drummer resigns, while Ashford plans to hunt down and kill Inaros on his own. He asks Drummer to be his XO, but she declines.
On Mars, Bobbie is beginning to have doubts about their next job. She shares her concerns with Detective Martin, but he refuses to back out, claiming Mars is changing due to the Ring.
In orbit over Ilus, the Rocinante and Barbapiccola are successfully tethered.
On Ilus, everyone but Holden is blind. Okoye discovers Holden's immunity is due to the cancer medication he takes regularly, and prepares a cure. Holden finally sees Miller, but he's acting very strangely, and releases an ear-piercing scream.
ANALYSIS
"Who was the person I could hate?"
Although the story doesn't improve, this episode does offer some worthwhile, character-driven scenes that make it rise above the rest. Of note: the three-way between Ashford, Drummer and Fred Johnson; Ashford and Drummer's heart-to-heart after she quits; Amos' nervous breakdown after going blind, followed by Holden's touching plea ("I can't lose you"); and, most notably, Avasarala's heartbreaking memorial for the dead UN Marines, which singlehandedly earned this episode's top score. Regrettably, the "new Arjun" reminds us of his assholiness as he bellows at his wife about her memorial and leaking intelligence on Ilus.
Best Scene: Thanks to Shohreh Aghdashloo's deeply moving performance, Avasarala's memorial stands as the finest moment of the entire season.
Best Line: "So, know that I am to blame, and all I can say is, I am truly sorry."
Technobabble Alert: The biothreats continue—plausibly, I'll add. And Bones' "miracle cure" likewise does not strain credulity. Nice payoff, actually, for something introduced all the way back in the beginning of Season 2. But (and you knew there had to be a "but"), ProtoMiller has returned, in all of his noncorporeal nonsense. Thankfully his visit is brief enough to avoid ruining an otherwise fine episode.
Hard Media "After Show": Steven Strait; Executive Producer Naren Shankar; Co-Executive Producer/Writer Ty Franck; Cara Gee (Camina Drummer); Burn Gorman (Adolphus Murtry).
SCORE: 