Snowpiercer, Season 2, Episode 4 “A Single Trade”
Air Date: Monday, February 15, 2021 at 9:00 PM ET/PT on TNT
Reviewer Rating: 4 Stars
***WARNING: Some Spoilers Ahead***
“Trust me; he’s exactly where we want him.” – Audrey
“A Single Trade” is a ‘viewer discretion advised’ type of episode. There is even a PSA a the end of the episode. Disturbing things happen throughout the episode, especially in the famous “Night Car” with our singular hostess Miss Audrey (Lena Hall) and her long-awaited guest, Mr. Joseph Wilford (Sean Bean). Oh the confessions made in the Night Car… It seems Mr. Wilford’s unique penchant for a more daring intimate experience involving straight razors isn’t an isolated incident. Remember poor Kevin (Tom Lipinski) in episode two, “Smolder to Life.”
Every passenger on both Snowpiercer and Big Alice are teeming with nervous excitement and, dare I say, hope. A big fancy event takes place in the Night Car to see if they will make contact with Melanie (Jennifer Connelly) after launching a weather balloon. With “75 minutes” before the balloon reaches the correct altitude, tensions also rise.
Miss Audrey gives an outstanding performance in “A Single Trade.” Her colorfully checkered history becomes center stage. Her voice rings with beautiful anguish yet the look in her eyes is calculated. Again, what happens in the Night Car is jarring, to say the least. You recall, the Night Car changed from a palace of pleasure to a place to unveil your hidden regrets and misdeeds.
Meanwhile, there is still trouble brewing among the Tailies and Breachman. Lights (Miranda Edwards), Strong Boy (Kurt Ostlund), and Z-Wreck (Kwasi Thomas) lead the charge against head
Breachman Boscovic (Aleks Paunovic). He’s been an employee of Mr. Wilford since he was only 14 years old. His loyalty runs deep. But I’m not sure if he’s the one who cut Lights’ fingers.
As I noted in my review of episode three, “A Great Odyssey,” I have a nagging suspicion that former Brakeman John Osweiller (Sam Otto) (who hasn’t been seen since the season started) and disgraced socialite/mutilator LJ Folger (Annalise Basso) are doing more than janitorial work on their route. It can’t just be about other passengers versus the Tailies. Detective Bess Till (Mickey Sumner) believes something much larger is at play. It’s a juicy mystery yet the pieces are too scattered for me to see a pattern.
Layton (Daveed Diggs) and Ruth Wardell (Allison Wright) don’t seem to be getting along as well as they could be. Zarah (Sheila Vand) tries to bridge the divide by joining Hospitality just in time for the big shindig. I know her motives aren’t purely for peace among the trains; she seems to hope for a reconciliation with Layton. With Josie (Katie McGuinness) back in the picture, it doesn’t seem likely.
We finally get our first glimpse of Miles (Jaylin Fletcher) this season when he goes to visit Josie in the hospital car. While his screen time is brief, it’s significant. He’s still part of the engineers’ program so I know this isn’t the last we’ll see of young Miles.
And I knew they would get Josie some help with her frostbite. The Headwoods (Damian Young and Sakina Jaffrey) come to Snowpiercer to look at her and assess the damage. The treatment will be extensive and exclusively done on Big Alice in their lab – “no visitors” allowed. Interesting. Seeing Josie lying on a bed in their lab worries me, especially when you see Icy Bob (Andre Tricoteux) lying next to her just feet away. I get Bride of Frankenstein vibes, and not in a good way.
A few key things I noticed:
- It seems Larry, the Last Australian (Aaron Glenane) isn’t the last one. Emilia (Georgina Haig), a seamstress from Big Alice happens to be from Perth, Australia. They bond quickly over their mutual homeland. There is a significance to Larry giving Emilia is “lucky goggles.”
- Terence (Shaun Toub) and Pike (Steven Ogg) seem to have established a strange trade agreement – Weed for encyclopedias. I’m still not sure what the importance is about these relics of research, but I am sure we will find out before the end of the season.
- Ben (Iddo Goldberg) and Javier (Robert Urbina) count down as the balloon reaches the correct height and hear a glorious ping. It signifies they’ve made contact with Melanie at the Rocky Mountain station, much to Mr. Wilford’s chagrin.
- LJ takes Alexandra (Rowan Blanchard) on a little field trip to the observation bubble. LJ brings gifts – an encyclopedia that highlight things starting with “W” and highly coveted marijuana joints. I don’t trust LJ. Her statement, “Let’s not be friends” sounds like excellent advice. Let’s hope Alexandra heeds the subtle warning.
- Mr. Wilford’s right-hand woman, Sykes (Chelsea Harris), seems to always go wherever he goes. There is definitely a story there and I am eagerly awaiting to hear it.
Snowpiercer, S02, Ep. 4 “A Single Trade” Photos from A Few Key Things I Noticed
The Last Australian-s Larry meet Emilia, a fellow “Aussie” 
This trade agreement with Pike and Terence reeks of something foul. 
Ben and Javier, along with everyone else, anxiously await a signal. CONTACT – Success! 
LJ is up to something. Let’s hope Alexandra doesn’t reveal too many more secrets. 
Mr. Wilford must select Big Alice passengers/crew to join him for the big event. You know Alex and Sykes are going.
At the end of “A Single Trade,” Miss Audrey, dressed in a red ballerina dress, dances with such passion. The experience with Mr. Wilford haunts her, knowing that the scar on her wrist isn’t from her own volition. His monstrous appetite for sadistic pleasures is most vile. Miss Audrey tells Layton, “Trust me; he’s exactly where we want him.” Let’s hope she’s able to handle the mission ahead.
For more on Snowpiercer, go to https://www.tntdrama.com/snowpiercer
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Judy Manning
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