‘For All Mankind’ Recap: ‘Glasnost’

11/10/2023

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Joel Kinnaman as Admiral Ed Baldwin in Episode 401 of ‘For All Mankind’ – ‘Glasnost’. (Photo Courtesy of Apple.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season Four Premiere of ‘For All Mankind’. To revisit the Season Four Finale, clickhere.

Over the course of its illustrious run, the Apple TV+ series, For All Mankind, has done a phenomenal job of exploring some fascinating topics regarding the human condition. For it has pondered upon how failure can in fact, be a great motivator and push us to new heights. How we can rise above our ugliest traits and accomplish wonders and how… regardless of the twists and turns society takes… we can find unity and we can forge ahead together if we’re willing to put the nonsense aside, and for its fourth season, the show is now ready to ponder deeply upon other important matters we face in life. Such as how we reconcile what life takes from us, and how hard a process that can be, and the impact it can have upon us, as evidenced by the show’s season four premiere.

For ‘Glasnost’ pondered deeply upon such matters… after once again offering up the show’s trademark time jump. For we were able to see what the 1990s and early 2000s looked like with mankind living on the surface of Mars, and they were indeed salad days, the kind that allowed for Al Gore to claim the presidency as he did not in our particular timeline, and well, the majesty of this new era didn’t end there. Because having a thriving human colony on another planet, prompted ingenuity and a realization that perhaps we don’t have to completely gore Earth of natural resources. That the stars would supply everyone with what was needed and that brought about, one powerful moment in this story, one that once again… is only on the drawing board in our world.

Wherein, Admiral Ed Baldwin led a group of astronauts and cosmonauts to a remote asteroid. One rich in everything humanity might need. And the plan was to tie it down, tow it back to Mars, and mine it for Mars, Luna, and Earth, and well… that’s something that’s only been discussed in the real world. Alongside planting a small base upon one, as a launching point for a mission to Europa and the fringes of our solar system. Which made for a proud and uplifting moment, and a heartbreaking one. All of which involved Colonel Grigory Kuznetsov. For he was the first human to stand on an asteroid, and he also died atop one. For the mission failed, and his and another life was lost and that… is when this episode took the time to begin to ponder upon the heavier matters, we made mention of a moment ago. Because this… this was eerily reminiscent of what happened in the 1990s at JSC, and that brought about some interesting truths for heroes of the last generation.

Because clearly, Ed, Danielle, even Aleida, struggled mightily with death and suffering in their world again. Giving rise to the reality that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder exists in this timeline as well, and one parallel we share… is that neither Earth was really addressing such matters in 2003. It was about being strong then, pushing ahead when clearly… not everyone can. Since Danielle left the service as quickly as she could to avoid those echoes, and Ed clearly has a hard desire to stay amogst the stars to not deal with the pain. Plus we even saw PTSD in live action here since Aleida froze when old wounds were opened again by disaster. Not to mention, even Margot felt some measure and need to react from her new home in Moscow, and well… this was brilliant to see in a sci-fi show. Since it is still something of a taboo topic, one that needs to have its stigma removed.

Because PTSD is real, and it has a grave impact upon people when it goes unaddressed, and this show has the opportunity to explore, what our future might look like if we finally see people confront and fix it. But while that gives us a lot to look forward to from a depth standpoint, there are still more wonders ahead for this season. Since the introduction of Miles Dale is clearly designed to explore the economic potential of interstellar mining, and well, in the end, this was… an amazing premiere. One that made it clear that we are at a crossroads for this story. Where the past and the present will finally collide, and the lasting impact of decades of interstellar travel and colonization will be explored in every way imaginable, and that is going to make for an incredible season. One that will be deep, powerful, and undoubtedly stunning as this show continues to showcase the wonder and the struggle of life amongst the stars. Until next time.

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