Snowpiercer, Season 1, Episode 8 “These Are His Revolutions”
Air Date: Sunday, July 5, 2020 at 9:00 PM ET/PT on TNT
Reviewer Rating: 4 Stars
*** WARNING: SOME SPOILERS AHEAD ***
“Tomorrow, you will be executed for your betrayal of Snowpiercer…” – Ruth Wardell
This week’s Snowpiercer episode 8, “These Are His Revolutions,” is the beginning of the end for Melanie (Jennifer Connelly). Her secret is about to be revealed in an epic way and by the one person she tried to help. There is much bloodshed and tragedy in this episode. To put it bluntly, shit is about to pop off!
The narration this week is from Hospitality’s number two, Ruth Wardell (Alison Wright). Throughout this season, she’s been Melanie’s right-hand, and a faithful devotee to the great Mr. Wilford. In her brilliant Geordie accent, she speaks her mind about some of Snowpiercer’s ungrateful passengers:
“I believe some folks on this train forget just how generous and wonderful a man Mr. Wilford actually is. Not me; I could never forget. It’s Wilford who has his finger on our pulse; who knows exactly what we need – how much food and water, how much heat and space, how much discipline. It’s Wilford who saved us from the bitter cold. He’s the only reason we’re alive, yet there are passengers who see fit to challenge him. Passengers who think they are better. Passengers who take for granted his great miracle that he’s given us.”
Ruth’s narration is interrupted by scenes of Miles (Jaylin Fletcher) who signals to LJ (Annalise Basso), of all people, that she can come to the engine and see for herself that Mr. Wilford is not on board Snowpiercer. Of course, LJ being LJ, she must test the very boundaries of her limits as she sneaks up on an unsuspecting Javier (Roberto Urbina) who is wearing headphones and reading. She walks behind him, then kneels before she turns back feeling a sense of euphoria at her little stunt. You know, there are just some characters that are not likable. As I’ve said before, Basso does a great job, too well in fact, of portraying LJ as a complete and utter pain in the ass.
Once inside Melanie’s less than tidy quarters, LJ laughs at the confirmation of Mr. Wilford’s absence. With a malevolent look of mayhem in her eyes, per usual, LJ takes one of Melanie’s photos from the cabinet to have proof of her being in the engine.
Ruth’s narration continues: “One day, I’ll know I’ll see Mr. Wilford again. And when I do, I will thank him from the bottom of my heart for everything he’s done…for me, for all of us. These are his revolutions, 1,001 cars long.”
Secret passages and entrances in Third Class lead to the Night Car where a clandestine meeting is underway with people from Third and Layton (Daveed Diggs), who represents the Tail, to discuss the impending uprising against First-Class and Melanie.
Brakeman Bess Till (Mickey Sumner) and her girlfriend Jinju (Susan Park) have a contentious conversation. Bess figures out that Jinju knew about Layton being put in a drawer. “I wonder, Jinju, just how many deep, dark secrets about this train you really do know.” Then Jinju says, “Please don’t make me choose between you and the train.” Hmm, I’m guess we know where Jinju’s loyalty truly lies. I was really rooting for these two as a couple.
Ruth is called to the Folgers’ car where she’s greeted by Robert Folger (Vincent Gale), his wife Lilah (Kerry O’Malley), Commander Nolan Grey (Timothy V. Murphy), and LJ. When Grey reveals the truth about Mr. Wilford not being on the train and Melanie is running Snowpiercer, Ruth stands firm, “Are you having a go at me?” She wholly believes Wilford is aboard the train. The Folgers and Grey call the First-Class Committee together and they send for Melanie to answer for these claims.
When Melanie walks down the stairs in the First-Class meal car, while you don’t hear it, but the way she looks, I’m sure Melanie’s heart is racing. As LJ reveals she’s been in the engine by showing a photo of Melanie with her “dead daughter,” I know Melanie wishes she never saved her during the trial.
Things get rowdy when First-Class Committee members are divided, not wanting to believe LJ who’s proven to be a duplicitous, conniving little gir. Grey calls for the Jackboots to head up-train for support. This is a greenlight for Third and the Tail that the revolution is a go.
Melanie is taken to the interrogation room, the same room where she basically murdered Miles’ “Tail Mom,” Josie (Katie McGuinness). Melanie manages to get a signal to Bennett (Iddo Goldberg) in the engine room to lock it down. Ruth enters the room. She feels betrayed and hurt. Melanie tries to explain that Mr. Wilford isn’t the man Ruth thinks he is. Melanie claims that Mr. Wilford didn’t care about saving humanity. Ruth doesn’t want to hear it. “Tomorrow, you will be executed for your betrayal of Snowpiercer.” With a wave of her hand in the shape of the letter ‘W’ across her chest, a tearful Ruth walks out.
Another key point of “These Are His Revolutions” is the reawakening of three Tailies that were taken in the first episode – Pike (Steven Ogg), Strong Boy (Kurt Ostlund), and Z-Wreck (Kwasi Thomas). While others are fighting, Audrey (Lena Hall) and Murray AKA The Last Australian (Aaron Glenane) go to the medical cars and work with Dr. Klimpt (Happy Anderson) to get the guys out of the drawers. Strong Boy experiences some strange side effects. Known for his silence, he begins speaking Mandarin. Z-Wreck seems to be coming out of suspension without too much issue. Then there’s Pike who is missing from his drawer.
The Folgers, Ruth, and Commander Grey removed Pike from the drawers to help them get a leg up on Layton and uprising. If they think Pike is an ally, they’re wrong. Pike would sell his soul if meant he could live it up in First-Class and get another slice of chocolate cake.
After getting Roche (Mike O’Malley) and the other Brakeman, minus the weaselly Osweiller (Sam Otto), on board. Layton and Till get through the cars to get up-train. They lie in wait in the Night Car as Commander Grey and the Jackboots come in. I think the head in the box is a bit much, but it sends a clear message. With the lack of guns on the train, most use make-shift weapons – knives, spears, axes – to inflict bodily harm. There is so much fighting and the production crew spared no expense on the buckets of fake blood needed to make the massacre scene in the Night Car.
Many Tailies and Third-Class folks lost their lives in a brutal way. After the dust settles on round one, a bloodied, battle weary Layton walks through the Third-Class café now used as a temporary hospital. As Layton walks, we hear Pike’s voice in the background, “The thing about Layton is he’s an idealist. The good cop…doesn’t have the stomach for sustained cruelty. He took a big risk today and he lost. Keep grinding; he’ll crumble.”
Daveed Diggs as Andre Layton in SNOWPIERCER, Ep 108 “These Are His Revolutions” — Photo ©2020 Justina Mintz/TNT 
Daveed Diggs as Andre Layton in SNOWPIERCER, Ep 108 “These Are His Revolutions” — Photo ©2020 TNT
Tune in to the season finale of Snowpiercer, Sunday, July 12 beginning at 9/8c on TNT.
For more on Snowpiercer, go to https://www.tntdrama.com/snowpiercer
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Judy Manning
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