The Ark 1×06 Review: “Two by Two”

The crew of the Ark attempts to mine fuel from a nearby planet, as a few members struggle with secrets in “Two by Two.”

Though the crises of The Ark have been constant, the crew can finally take a much-needed break after the radiation leak in “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back“. A time jump of three months at the beginning of “Two by Two” shows the Ark in a much more peaceful state. In particular, the news of Angus’ (Ryan Adams) first harvest lifts everyone’s spirits. Though watching the crew deal with crisis after crisis is compelling to watch, it’s also fun to see a few brief moments of a calmer life on the Ark.

Despite the tranquility, there is still drama in the crew member’s hidden secrets. After learning that the Ark’s founder William Trust (Paul Murray) and his wife (Mercedes De La Cruz) are hidden on the ship in cryogenic pods, Spencer (Reece Ritchie) still struggles with the revelation. To his surprise, Sharon (Christie Burke) invites him to share a drink with her and admits that his outing her clone status to the rest of the crew has made things better for her and their professional relationship. With all the fighting the two have done, it’s enjoyable to see how their dynamic has developed. Spencer almost tells her his own secret, but ultimately doesn’t, a decision that will likely once again strain this dynamic.

Spencer does tell Cat (Christina Wolfe) the truth during a therapy session, and she warns him not to tell anyone else. Half of the people on the ship blame Trust for their situation and want him dead. Trust and his wife apparently weren’t supposed to be on this iteration of The Ark, and it seems possible that Trust may have had ulterior motives for this mission. Upon examining the room containing Trust, Spencer finds a secret room with two DNA samples of each Earth species, hearkening back to the biblical story of “Noah’s Ark.” It’s an interesting reveal, and I’m looking forward to seeing how those DNA samples will come into play.

Elsewhere, Dr. Kabir’s (Shalini Peiris) habit of self-medicating has become a full addiction. Felix (Pavle Jerinic) gets her to admit that she has a problem, and she admits that being the only surviving doctor has been rough. He urges her to take a break while he uses his field medic expertise to relieve her. Though Felix initially seemed to be a one-note security guard, his caring nature has really shined in recent episodes. Meanwhile, James (Richard Fleeshman) collapses and is horrified to find that someone has carried him to his bed. He quickly finds out that Eva (Tiana Upcheva) is the one who found him and demands that she not tell anyone.

Those secrets become an issue as the crew of the Ark sets off on a mission to mine more fuel from a nearby planet. Alicia (Stacey Read) provides the calculations, but unfortunately jinxes the mission with her enthusiasm. Determining that anyone would burn up in the approaching atmosphere, Sharon volunteers to fix the ship part as she suggests that her clone DNA will enable her survival. Sharon succeeds but is badly burned upon arriving back on the ship. At the medical bay, Felix explains that Dr. Kabir is unable to treat Sharon and promises he is capable.

With Sharon indisposed, Spencer becomes the Ark’s acting captain. While Sharon made her leadership look effortless from the get-go, Spencer struggles once given the opportunity he clearly wanted. Alicia reveals that the sensor she and Angus built to detect the alien element is going off, and James offers to fly the recently repaired shuttle ahead to scope out the potential danger of the planet they are approaching. Eva, worried that James will pass out again, demands to go with him under the guise of dealing with the mechanical issues of the shuttle. James and Eva’s argument disguised as another argument is entertaining, but the surrounding crew members’ confused expressions make it more amusing.

Ultimately, Eva wins the argument and James passes out once again while manning the shuttle. After he awakes, Eva finally forces him to admit the truth. He has been dealing with a terminal illness and wants his remaining time to be meaningful. The conversation is a nice emotional moment, however, their decision to not tell anyone else will likely backfire in the future. In another great moment, Dr. Kabir confesses her addiction to Sharon and the two compliment Felix for his efforts while bonding over their shared mentor.

However, the crew of the Ark has an even bigger issue to deal with. James and Eva’s efforts to scope out the planet reveal an identical-looking ship on the other side of the planet by the end of “Two by Two.” Who and what is in that ship is one of the season’s most intriguing reveals, and hopefully, the answers will be revealed sooner rather than later.

Author: Jessica Wolff

Jessica Wolff is a graduate of Drexel University with a BS in Film/Video. She has a passion for entertainment and representation in entertainment. She currently resides outside of Washington, DC.

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