The Ark 2×06 Review: “Pretty Big Deal”

A distress call from a new Ark leads to a surprising discovery in “Pretty Big Deal.”

With questions raised about Eva’s (Tiana Upcheva) past and motives in “Museum of Death,” the revelations keep coming for the crew of Ark-1 in “Pretty Big Deal.” This time, Spencer (Reece Ritchie) is the one thrown for a loop, as he discovers that he is a clone when the crew of Ark-1 answers a distress call sent by Ark-8.

Before the distress call, the atmosphere of Ark-1 is an uncharacteristically calm one. With Ark-1 officially repaired, the crew can relax with the help of a locker recovered from Ark-3 filled with leisure items such as a guitar and games. Dr. Marsh (Jadran Malkovich) and Dr. Kabir (Shalini Peiris) successfully remove the bomb implanted in Kelly (Samantha Glassner), and Sharon (Christie Burke) officially takes the captain’s seat in the new command bridge. The brief lighthearted mood is a departure from the number of crises that the crew has had to face but is a welcome shift in tone.

The one person who is unable to relax is Eva, still reeling over the death of her brother. James (Richard Fleeshman) tries to cheer her up and get her to open up to him, but the forwardness of his attempts come on too strong. Both James and Eva will have other urgent concerns to worry about soon, as Kimi (Diana Bermudez) and associate Meir (Coral Mizrachi) suspect both of being Eastern Federation spies. Though there are a lot of questions about what the Eastern Federation’s objectives are, finding out that two characters we have grown to care about might not be who they say they are would put everything into question.

The peacefulness of Ark-1 doesn’t last for long, as the crew receives a distress call from Ark-8. The crew travels to a planet where the distress call originated, and the group is shocked to find out that not only is Ark-8 comprised of clones, but that Spencer himself is a clone. It’s an interesting twist, particularly given Spencer’s initial distrust of clones last season as well as his growing closeness to fellow clone Sharon. Face to face with a clone of himself, Ian, Spencer has difficulty processing the reveal.

The surviving clones of Ark-8 reveal that there are two generations of clones aboard, Generation 2 and Generation 3. As Generation 3 clones are considered defective as they eventually try to kill everyone else, the clones the crew encounter insist that they’re Generation 2. Though the clones could be telling the truth, it’s surprising that Sharon and the crew take them at face value without investigating any further.

Sharon decides to bring all the survivors aboard, even the Generation 3 clones despite some objections from the rest of the crew. The initial transport of the Generation 2 clones becomes a struggle as the ship’s control panel is sabotaged and Sharon must fight off an assailant in a thrilling sequence as James and Spencer work to fix the panel. The crew prevails and brings the initial clones aboard Ark-1.

As the clones settle in, Spencer discusses his clone status with Ian despite his continued disbelief. Ian shows him that all clones have an identification tattoo on the bottom of their foot. Later, Spencer shows Sharon a scar where his supposed tattoo would be and admits that he’s now questioning everything he knows about himself. Both the conversations with Ian and Sharon are nice moments of character development, and it will be interesting to see how Spencer comes to terms with the revelation and if there are more surprises yet to be revealed.

While the episode’s main plotline is engaging, the subplot of Angus (Ryan Adams) showing his value to the Ark-15 members of the farming crew, while getting the courage to tell Alicia (Stacey Read) how he feels with the help of Meir. Though Meir and her objectives with Kimi are still suspicious, the budding friendship between her and Angus is an enjoyable moment. Though I believed that the previous kiss between Angus and Alicia had already established their relationship, them finally being on the same page and sharing an even more passionate kiss than their first is a highlight of the episode.

Despite the enjoyable character moments throughout “Pretty Big Deal,” there are plenty of intriguing questions remaining. Are James and Eva truly members of the Eastern Federation, and what are their ultimate objectives? What will come of Kelly’s contentious partnership with Trust (Paul Leonard Murray) as he reluctantly helps her manage the control panel for her implants? Are the Ark-8 clones trustworthy, and who blew up the remaining clones left behind on the planet in the episode’s closing moments? Hopefully, we will get answers to these questions soon.

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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