Television Review: Cascade (The Expanse, S2X10, 2017)

Cascade (S0210)

Airdate: March 29th 2017

Written by: Dan Nowak
Directed by: Mikael Salomon

Running Time: 42 minutes

While The Expanse rightfully thrills with its meticulously rendered zero-G combat, intricate political machinations, and the relentless propulsion of its space opera narrative, the series possesses a deeper strength in its willingness to occasionally throttle back. It recognises that the vastness of its universe, and the weight of its human drama, demand moments of respite – spaces filled with the quiet accumulation of detail, the slow burn of character revelation, and the profound implications of its worldbuilding. Cascade, the tenth episode of the second season, stands as a masterclass in this essential pacing. Far from filler, it is a deliberate, atmospheric, and deeply unsettling pause that utilises the aftermath of Ganymede’s devastation to explore the chilling reality of societal collapse and the fragile threads holding humanity together.

The episode’s central narrative thread follows the Rocinante crew navigating the shattered remnants of Ganymede Station, the former breadbasket of the Solar System. This setting, previously glimpsed only in the chaos of its destruction, is finally granted the grim scrutiny it deserves, and the view is profoundly bleak. What was once a thriving agricultural hub, vital for sustaining the Belt and beyond, lies ravaged. The inhabitable area has been catastrophically reduced, perhaps halved, by the initial battle and its chaotic fallout. Death and displacement hang heavy in the thin air; countless souls perished in the initial catastrophe, while countless more were forced into desperate flight. For those who remain trapped within the crippled domes, existence has become a daily struggle against pervasive scarcity. Shortages of food, medicine, and basic necessities are the norm, forcing inhabitants into increasingly desperate and morally ambiguous measures for survival. This desperation is crystallised in a chilling moment where Meng, inspecting the surviving plant life crucial for atmospheric regulation within the fragile domes, is informed that starving survivors have begun consuming these very plants. The tragedy is twofold: these plants possess negligible nutritional value, serving solely to maintain the delicate ecological equilibrium necessary for life support, and their consumption represents the beginning of a terminal "cascading failure." Ganymede, as Meng starkly declares, is effectively "dead" – not instantly annihilated, but succumbing to a slow, inevitable metabolic collapse, its lifeblood draining away.

Amidst this pervasive humanitarian crisis, Naomi’s investigation into the potential presence of the Protomolecule adds a layer of specific dread. The medical staff, still overwhelmed by the sheer volume of casualties from the initial disaster, report no immediate signs of the alien entity. Yet, this absence offers little comfort to the starving Ganymedans. Their immediate reality is one of gnawing hunger and fractured families, made exponentially worse by the exodus of supply ships carrying vital foodstuffs in the chaotic aftermath. The rupture of communication has severed countless connections, leaving survivors adrift and vulnerable, forced to seek information through exploitative intermediaries. Roma (Stephen Yaffee), a morally ambiguous hacker operating in the station’s shadows, exemplifies this grim new economy. He trades in the most basic human needs – locating missing loved ones like Mei Meng and Dr. Strickland – but demands payment in the only currencies of value: food or sexual services. Holden’s attempt to secure Roma’s cooperation through bartered rations is met with cynical indifference, ultimately requiring Amos’s characteristic, physically persuasive intervention to initiate the search. This scene powerfully underscores the erosion of societal norms; even the Rocinante crew, relative outsiders, must engage with the station’s brutal new hierarchy to achieve their goals.

Simultaneously, the episode shifts perspective to Earth, offering subtle but significant political tremors. Undersecretary Chrisjen Avasarala’s relentless pressure finally yields a crack in Undersecretary Errinwright’s facade. His reluctant admission of his shady dealings with the enigmatic Jules-Pierre Mao marks a pivotal moment, revealing the deep rot within the highest echelons of the UN and hinting at the vast conspiracy driving the conflict.

This political intrigue contrasts sharply with the plight of Martian Marine Sergeant Bobbie Draper. Despite ultimately adhering to Mars’s official stance on Ganymede, her superiors view her with suspicion and disdain. They coldly inform her of her imminent return to Mars, bluntly refusing her poignant request to see Earth’s ocean – a symbol of the planet she fought for but never truly experienced – before departure. True to her resilient nature, Bobbie refuses to accept this denial. She slips away from the Embassy, navigating the grim reality of Earth’s underbelly within a sprawling shantytown, where she is eventually directed towards the ocean. It is there, amidst the crashing waves, that she encounters Avasarala and Cotyar, who extend an offer of uneasy cooperation, recognising her unique perspective and skills in uncovering the truth behind Ganymede’s fall. This sequence, culminating in Bobbie’s silent communion with the vast ocean, is one of the series’ most resonant moments – a quiet, deeply human counterpoint to the political and military machinations, showcasing her adaptation to Earth’s gravity and light, and establishing her as the episode’s emotional anchor.

Scriptwriter Dan Nowak deserves significant credit for embracing this quieter, more contemplative approach. While Amos’s use of force to coerce Roma is present, it is notably restrained compared to the visceral bloodshed of preceding episodes. Cascade understands that the true horror lies not in grand battles, but in the grinding reality of famine, the bureaucratic indifference of the powerful, and the quiet desperation of the displaced. This deliberate pacing allows the narrative space to fully explore the dire ecological and social collapse on Ganymede. More significantly, it grants The Expanse its first substantial, ground-level glimpse into everyday life on Earth – not from the privileged vantage point of the UN elite, but from the perspective of the forgotten masses. The portrayal is starkly pessimistic; despite the existence of a Universal Basic Income designed to mitigate technology-induced unemployment, the episode reveals a society where countless individuals have slipped catastrophically through the cracks. The shantytowns, rampant drug addiction, and pervasive crime depict a vicious cycle of poverty and despair that appears stubbornly resistant to centuries of supposed progress, challenging any notion of Earth as a utopian haven.

Director Mikael Salomon complements Nowak’s script with a keen eye for atmosphere. While Alex’s solitary moment enjoying a beer in zero-G aboard the Rocinante might superficially resemble "filler," it serves a vital purpose. It is a moment of fragile calm, a brief respite for the crew amidst the surrounding chaos, showcasing the show’s technical prowess in depicting microgravity while reinforcing the theme of finding small pockets of humanity in the void.

However, it is the final sequence with Bobbie Draper that truly elevates the episode. Her journey from the Embassy’s sterile confines, through the lawless shantytown, to the ocean’s edge is a masterclass in visual storytelling. Salomon lingers on her physical adaptation – squinting against the unfamiliar sun, relearning how to walk under Earth’s gravity – culminating in that profoundly quiet moment of her simply looking at the ocean. There are no grand speeches, no sudden revelations; just a soldier, weary and displaced, finding a moment of awe and connection. This understated, emotionally resonant conclusion proves far more powerful and thematically fitting than the convenient cliffhangers the series sometimes employs.

RATING: 7/10 (++)

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