Welcome Back The Ark Science Fiction Lovers,
The superb first episode of season 2 sets the foundation for the new adventures moving the series story arc effectively after the creative cliffhanger conclusion of the first season of The Ark. As we reported last year, Team WHR is ecstatic that this science fiction space opera saga has been renewed since it represents the only space based science fiction series remaining on broadcast television! All other scripted science fiction series have moved to streaming services from broadcast television as we have recently reported.
The second season starts as our heroes deal with the aftermath of the Ark-1 and Ark-15 incident at Proxima B. In the beginning of the episode it appears that the two Arks will cooperate with each other after Ark-1’s now Captain Sharon Garnet (Christie Burke) helped save the life of Evelyn Maddox (Jelena Stupljanin) and the entire crew of Ark-15. This factor will not last long because Evelyn Maddox has no love for anyone, or anything, except maintaining her own power.
While we had hoped that the two crews would cooperate subsequent to the destruction of humanity on Earth, this will prove to not be the case. In the episode we will learn that Evelyn despises her daughter Kelly Fowler (Samantha Glassner), refering to Kelly as her “Failed Experiment”.
In this episode Evelyn turns her back on everyone, including her own daughter exhibiting her true evil self. Henceforth, we at Team WHR will refer to Evelyn Maddox as “Evil Evelyn” in our reviews, and during The Ark X live parties that we participate in.
Fortunately, most of The Ark main characters including Spencer Lane (Reece Ritchie), Lt. James Brice (Richard Fleeshman), Dr. Sanjivni Kabir (Shalini Peiris), Angus Medford (Ryan Adams) and Alicia Nevins (Stacey Read), Eva Markovic (Tiana Upcheva), Security Chief Felix Strickland (Pavle Jerinic), Sasha Novak (Milos Cvetkovic), Jelena Griff (Tamara Radovanovic), and Naomi Spencer (Jessica Yemi) have survived for the time being.
During the episode new characters join Ark-1 from Ark-15 after expressing their disdain of Evil Evelyn. These characters include Dr. Marsh (Jadran Malkovich) and Kimi Joma (Díana Bermudez) head of Ark-15 security.
In the episode we will learn that not everyone survived the cataclysm at Proxima B. Sadly, in addition to an unknown number on Ark-1 who were killed, most of the engineering division led by Eva are found dead or missing. Worst of all, a beloved season one character Cat Brandice (Christina Wolfe) is found unconscious and ultimately dies in the “Failed Experiment”.
Thanks to SYFY watch the entire season two opener below which we include below for your enjoyment. As such, our analysis will focus on the episodic highlights only rather than a scene by scene review.
Failed Experiment:
The second season opener of The Ark was written by India Sage Wilson and Jonathan Glassner. The episode was delightfully directed by Marc Roskin.
During the episode our heroes contend with the aftermath of the incident at Proxima B, subsequent to a full blown mutiny aboard Ark-1 led by William Trust (Paul Leonard Murray). Viewers will recall that William’s wife, Helena (Mercedes De La Cruz) was killed by Kelly in the previous season, leaving William Trust a rather bitter individual now that Cat will also die.
The opening sequence finds Ark-1 struggling for survival after many of the crew have been killed when debris from Proxima B slammed into the ship.
Captain Garnet and a select group including Spencer Lane, James Brice, and Alicia Nevins meet with Kimi Joma aboard Ark-1 who has orders to take Garnet and others directly to Ark-15 to meet with Evelyn Maddox.
Once they arrive, it is at this juncture that we begin to learn just how evil Evelyn actually is. “Evil Evelyn” informs Sharon Garnet that she cannot, or will not, help anyone else, and only offers sanctuary to the those who are present on Ark-15.
In effect Evelyn Maddox is perfectly willing to allow all survivors on Ark-1 to perish! In the meantime, Sharon convinces “Evil Evelyn” to allow Alicia to try and fix the damaged atmosphere systems on Ark-15. Efforts by Sharon to contact Ark-1 fail. Speaking of Ark-1, we segue to Felix and Naomi who are surveying the carnage. Cat is obviously very seriously injured. We observe that Cat is being aided by William Trust. In the few minutes that are left for Cat, she talks about her love for William. Cat then passes away.
Evelyn allows Spencer Lane and James Brice to return to Ark-1 where they find Angus severely injured. James finds Eva and helps her.
Dr. Kabir is found unconscious with Felix applying chest compressions to keep awaken her from an unconscious state.
Kabir regains consciousness asking about the now deceased Cat. Felix brings Angus and Dr. Kabir to Ark-15 for medical attention by Dr. Marsh. This enrages Evil Evelyn.
We are then with Kelly who subsequent to being revived by Dr. Marsh is begging Dr. Kabir to save Angus. Afterwards poor Kelly is further insulted by her mother.
Viewers will no longer wonder if Evil Evelyn loves her own daughter, it is tragically obvious that she does not.
Back onboard Ark-1 Eva, James, Sasha and the remaining engineering crew are able to fix the severely damaged systems on Ark-1.
Not accepting the bad news, or Evil Evelyn’s demands, Sharon begins to plan an escape from Ark-15 using the shuttle the injured arrived on to return to Ark-1.
It is here that we learn that Dr. Marsh, Kimi and Kelly are not pleased with Evil Evelyn either and plan to join Sharon. This is especially true when Kelly is referred to as Evil Evelyn’s “Failed Experiment”, a blood chilling statement from the megalomaniac mother, Evil Evelyn!
Each now accept the fact that they can no longer stay aboard Ark-15 and affect their escape. Evil Evelyn orders Kimi, Dr. Marsh and Kelly to return the shuttle. All refuse, including Kelly who refuses saying “The next time I see you I’m going to kill you”.
Heading back to Ark-1, Sharon sets about defeating the plan of Evil Evelyn. This includes disabling a kill switch armed with explosives embedded in Kelly’s neck that will kill everyone on the shuttle. Kelly shudders as then explosive device is armed. Dr. Marsh attempts to disarm the explosives.
Sharon then calls in her marker for saving the life of Evil Evelyn, begging to deactivate the explosive device.
Evil Evelyn agrees telling Sharon she is leaving with the remainder of the crew on Ark-15, but Evil Evelyn has one condition:
She will welcome Ark-1 when they arrive at Trappist-1D but “Don’t bring my daughter with you, from now on she’s dead to me!”
As the episode concludes, Brice, Sasha’s and Eva’s successful effort mean that all systems are repaired or are fixable including internal ships communications.
The last scenes of the episode finds us with James Brice telling everyone that they will be able to find an inhabitable planet “So let’s get to it. Start by reporting department status and casualties”. While we do not know everyone who has survived, in addition to the Ark-15 escapees, all are happy to be alive.
Ark-15 leaves the area by executing a Faster Than Light (FTL) jump heading off to Trappist-1D. Back on Ark-1, each escapee is given their assigned duties by Sharon becoming a part of the crew. There is now no doubt that they are now effectively on their own. Alicia posits “At least we have a destination”. Sharon responds with “Do we have a ship to get us there?”
Will everyone else survive on Ark-1? Does this mean that more casualties are expected?Find out next week in the exciting second episode of season two named “Kill or Be Killed” after our heroes grapple with some of the Ark-15 individuals that they saved from a fate with Evil Evelyn!
We will be back in the near future with more of The Ark as well as our favorite television series and movie analysis. In the meantime, please feel free to share this article with your friends, co-workers and or family and leave your comments! We look forward to you visiting our dedicated review and analysis web site here in the future! Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit TeamWHR on Twitter, or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story. I and TeamWHR look forward to Seeing You on The Other Side!“
Thank you. 
Best Regards,
Kenn of #TeamWHR
