Ollie is my favorite new character, SEND HIM TO SPACE!!! Excellent episode, better than last week tbh, for me at least. Nice and focused, pushing through all of the characters narratives, vey well written, really sets up the season.
I enjoyed Margos sort of "heel" turn, and the shake up and bureaucratic change at NASA. It provides the needed conflict for the series, seems to be shaping up as Helios vs. NASA, as opposed to the US vs. Soviet plots of previous seasons. Honestly not a bad pivot, and really what the series needs to breath some new life into the plot. Sort of makes the viewers pick a side, Team Helios, or Team NASA. Smart...
Ellen's story is compelling, especially the personal life aspect. It's both sad, and very realistic, very true to life during that time period. I have a very strong feeling her plotline is going to absolutely explode in a tragic fashion.
At this point, how old is Ed? Like really... he'd have to be what, 55-60 by this point?! I'm sorry, I'm willing to suspend some belief when it comes to the aging of the characters over the timeline of the series, but it's becoming increasingly difficult. It gets brought up in the dialog, often self deprecatingly, but it's still there regardless. His Affirmative Action moment with Danielle was...well it was as uncomfortable. Not sure how they push the series further without some major cast turnover, I believe they want to do 7 seasons total.
Again, great episode.