Wilford finds that he hasn’t quite crushed the spirit of rebellion in his enemies, but can they hope to defeat him before it’s too late?

Back when I was watching season 1 of Snowpiercer, I worried exactly how they might continue the story beyond the initial inevitable rebellion against authority on the train. Throughout season 2, those fears have proved groundless, as the arrival of Mr Wilford and various other elements around it broadened the narrative out in new and intriguing ways. Now, as we come to the end of that second season, can the show stick the landing and give us another surprise equal to Alex’s arrival at the end of season 1 to whet our appetites for more?

Well, sort of.

Like the previous episode, this is mostly a strongly executed affair. Layton and Ruth’s unexpected alliance is a joy to behold, and both Daveed Diggs and Alison Wright sell the hell out of it, Wright getting to have more fun with little and big character moments here than she’s been permitted for the entire run of the show to date.

Roberto Urbina’s Javi also gets much more to do here than we’ve seen before, his position in Big Alice’s control room making him essential for the plan which our heroes intend to enact; slowing the train enough to pick up Melanie (and no, it doesn’t lessen the drama that we know they’ll fail at that particular goal, to the show’s credit).  But they are faced with the issue of being up against a man who will always do whatever he has to in order to get his way.

Where things fray at the edges slightly are the way in which Alex gets threaded into things here – which leads off the odd character turn in the previous episode – and how Josie fits into things, which again builds from odd choices last time. It’s a minor thing really against the backdrop of all the action and drama we get to see here, but it just feels like these were two small elements the writers wanted in a certain position at the end and they’ve contorted things elsewhere to get them there.

But the ending – that is a surprise and another bold choice that I honestly didn’t see coming. Things are set up perfectly for more conflict, more drama and a hell of a lot more intrigue going into a third season.

Verdict: Mostly gets things absolutely right and lays a solid foundation for the next season. Shame that some of the details escape the writers a little in getting there though. 8/10

Greg D. Smith