Ryan Shoots First: Snowpiercer (S1 Ep1) “First, the Weather Changed”

All aboard! The tale of the haves and the have-nots is back as Snowpiercer is reborn for the small screen thanks to TNT. The show is not entirely different from the Chris Evans lead movie of the same name but the long-form storytelling allows for it to also pull a bit from its graphic novel roots Le Transperceneige. Still, if you saw the movie you know the setup. Years back in the wake of an all-out nuclear war the earth was left overheating. The governments of the world decided to use an experimental technique to cool the atmosphere that backfired and left the planet frozen. Meanwhile, a rich eccentric entrepreneur named Elon Mu… sorry Mr. Wilford, built a luxury perpetually powered train that can circumnavigate the earth. This train became a pseudo ark for the last of humanity. The catch is before it could head off the train is rushed by the poor and downtrodden. Those that survived the rush now live in the tail of the train living off the scraps of the elites at the head 1000 cars up. Yes, just like the movie, the symbolism of rich vs. poor isn’t exactly subtle. The show revolves mainly around our Tailie hero Andre Layton who is played by Daveed Diggs and his feud with the visible authority figure on the train Melanie Cavill played by Jennifer Connelly. 

The premise of the show ticks all the boxes and sounds fun, I was a little reserved once it was announced the show would be on TNT. I get they do drama but I would feel a little better going into the series had it been on FX or any of the premium or subscription services. Still I couldn’t deny it after a few years ago diving down a dark rabbit hole fan theory. Essentially the theory goes like this, Snowpiercer is a sequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I would love to give credit to whoever created this theory but it has taken such a life of its own at this point I don’t know if I can track it down. I’ll leave you and Google to filling in the details but the cliff note version is that Wilford is actually Charlie Buckett the former owner and proprietor of Wonka Candy. You don’t have to look far beyond acid trip boats and endless elevators to see where his fascination with transportation came from anyway check it out cause it gets weirder. So I have to check this show out if nothing more than to see how it fits into my headcanon. 

The first episode starts with a graphic novel showing the fall of the earth and then transitioning to live action showing the storming of the train by the poor. We see families separated as the train leaves never to stop again. The refugees retreat as far back to the train as possible as they are slaughtered by the train military. The refugees are sealed in the final train as the opening credits roll. We open with Melanie Cavill greeting everyone 6 years and 9 months later. The show starts very similar to the movie with the crew bringing the steerage protein bars as Diggs character Andre times the time the gates are open. Diggs is depicted as the man in charge back there. He keeps the kids in line motivating them and making sure they keep up on math and studies. He then meets with an inner circle about plans to make a move as they are cutting rations and sterilizing the women. Diggs reminds everyone they tried in year 3 and did not get far. He is reluctant to try again with knowing so little but the people are desperate. The Tailies arm up with the weapons they have managed to stockpile and prepare to make their move. 

We cut to Melanie who is conferring with the elites in first class and of course they are snobs. Rebellious teens sneak away to third class to unwind. Hospitality heads down to the tail causing a disruption to their plans. They have asked to speak to Andre himself. This causes a stir in the train and he is removed and the revolt squashed for now.

Commercial break because this is Broadcast Cable

Back from break Andre is getting cleaned up and examined, He’s taken to a under section of the train that has a conveyor belt like transport system. I’m guessing to easily move supplies without disturbing the guests. He is taken to a common looking area in third class where he is blinded by a window as he sees the outside world for the first time in years. He is offered grilled cheese and tomato soup, you think it’s comfort food now try it after only eating protein bars which may or may not be made from roaches (we’ll see if the show follows the movie there). It turns out there has been a murder and before the train he was a homicide detective. They show them the body cut up and hide in a compartment. He tells them he will go back to the tail but on the way they throw him in a room and rough him up. The cops are interrupted however by their supervisor and Melanie Cavill. She apologizes and on behalf on Mr. Wilford and offers him anything he needs to do the investigation. This opens up an opportunity for him to gather intel for the revolution. It turns out there was a similar murder 2 years ago and someone is already doing time for it. 

Commercial Break

Coming back we see “The drawers” this is where they keep criminals in a type of stasis. A doctor there keeps them clean and trimmed while they remain sedated. The person there for the murder may be innocent but it would be the longest anyone has gone before being woken up. They go to the teen club area where kids have formed groups where they are living and “screwing” as the cop says. It turns out one of the victims group members Andre knows. Turns out she is the one that told them he was a cop. Zara was living in the tail and got on the train with Andre, she took a deal to work in third class. Andre is taken to an agricultural train where he sees kids learning and talks with Melanie again, the murder threatens the balance of the train and Melanie goes into a dialogue about balance and how everything even a single strawberry is calculated and grown for a singular purpose. Back at the tail they give the oldest guy back there an hour alone for his birthday. The music he was listening to stops and as everyone goes to check on him they discover he has hung himself.

Commercial Break

Coming back we see someone diving into a tank naked to get a sea urchin. She appears to be a sushi chef she has a drink with Melanie and Melanie tells her she is brining the former murder suspect out of stasis and once the real murderer is found they’re work can begin. Back at the tail they decide they are tired of waiting and go on with their plans. The cops come in to take the dead body and they make their move. Andre asks to speak with them and wants to calm them down. They Tailies think he is a coward that abandoned them. He tries to talk them down and knocks out their hostage. He tells them he has a chance to get crucial info they need but they need to wait. Andre offers to take the murder case in exchange for mercy on the tail. They still plan to take an arm as an example which anyone who saw the movie knows what that means. 

Commercial Break

Melanie heads into her quarters and winds down after a hard day. She has a hoodie from MIT and is analyzing chess strategies. She heads to the head of the train but there is no Wilford there, only a guy who is driving the train. She tells him he is in her seat and she settles in to enjoy her sushi. The man says enjoy your meal Mr. Wilford. Revealing it is Melanie who runs the train. It is unclear if there ever was a Mr. Wilford or not but I assume we will find out more as the season goes on. 

All in all an ok first episode. Being a series they have much more room to explore more dynamic aspects of the train and its inhabitants. I’m not crazy about Diggs as the lead, I just keep expecting everything he says to be a spoken word poem. Conley seems perfect for her role and with the revelation that she is Wilford that brings an interesting dynamic. The whole murder investigation thing as well grants the show more time to stall on the bug revolution angle and maybe even will give Andre reservations as he meets people in the head of the train that aren’t all bad. I hope the show doesn’t go so black and white as poor people good rich people bad but we shall see. All in all the premiere didn’t break new ground the movie didn’t explore but it did lay some seeds where you can see as the show develops it can do some unique things.