#Snowpiercer finale brings chaos, character, and clunkiness

Leadership shifts on Snowpiercer. Character drama and cliffhangers ensue

As you would expect, TNT’s Snowpiercer goes for an intense finale which moves at a mile a minute. For the most part, this approach works to the show’s advantage, even if the preestablished flaws repeatedly drag it down.

The immediate problem going into these last two episodes was the flimsy foundation that they were built on. The show has had a recurring issue with developing many of its characters, so the impact of this climax is somewhat lessened by the fact that I only care about a small number of passengers.

This is especially painful with the Folger family. The on-the-nose dialogue is a problem throughout, but these guys seem to use that as an excuse to ham it up. Because of this, they are more obnoxious than usual, making it a relief when they finally bite the dust (or the ice).

Again, however, these problems are less prominent due to the breakneck pace. You’re almost never bored or annoyed for long since the story rarely slows down for any significant time. What’s more is that the visuals complement this sense of surface-level enjoyment. The direction here focuses largely on spectacle, often attempting to make the shots as striking as possible.

Steering Snowpiercer is not as easy as it looks.

During the few instances when the show does take a breath, it smartly focuses on the main characters rather than the supporting ones. In turn, it makes the drama more poignant and the conflict more palpable.

A prevalent theme of the show—these two episodes, in particular—is the cost of leadership being high. That theme manifests itself in both Layton and Melanie this week, and both characters’ struggles are equally powerful as a result.

You can tell that Melanie laments many of her previous actions. On one hand, she’s relieved to finally be free of the hard decisions, but this also means facing the sacrifices that she made for the good of the train. As always, Jennifer Connelly shines, delivering a heart-wrenching performance that transcends the blunt lines she’s given.

Daveed Diggs also makes good use of the material here. Layton finds out the hard way that running the train means making sacrifices. Since resources are limited, this is what fueled Melanie’s regime for years.

Interestingly, Diggs foregoes a showy approach and conveys much of Layton’s struggle internally, which is more effective. Beneath his nuanced sorrow and intensity, he clearly harbors a newfound understanding and even grudging respect for Melanie’s leadership.

This all poses a slew of intriguing questions which, as the show occasionally does, organically expand on the film’s premise and messages. What system do we install after overthrowing the current order? Is it even viable? If certain people are in danger, should we risk the lives of others to save them? Should we work to grow beyond the train, or are we content in our stagnant safety? How do you decide who lives and who dies?

Next time on Snowpiercer…

Sadly, these queries are interrupted by a last-minute development: an encounter with another train. To say this feels premature would be an understatement. The Snowpiercer survivors haven’t even had a chance to establish a new system of government yet. The series barely has time to breathe before thrusting this reveal on viewers, a reveal which would have been better saved for later.

Let Snowpiercer society get back on its feet. Give us a chance to see if Layton’s proposed democracy works or not. Say his plan to equally dole out resources causes the system and/or its people to deteriorate. Then, a second train with a different regime would make for a thoughtful comparison, hammering home the story’s themes about class structure and whether an ideal society is even possible.

As it stands, though, this whole sequence comes across as blatant setup for next season and a desperate plot device to keep viewers interested. In a way, it’s indicative of the series as a whole. The writers don’t seem to trust in the inherent power and thematic weight of its premise. Either that or they’re simply incapable of taking full advantage of it.

This drives them to add several other elements, plot threads, and characters in a bid to hold our attention, but it has the opposite effect and often makes the series an unengaging mess. Hopefully, like countless shows before it, Snowpiercer can learn from its hit-or-miss Season 1 and delve into deeper, more engrossing territory in the future.

What did you think of the Snowpiercer finale? Was it a satisfying end for the season? Are you curious about where the show goes from here?

Snowpiercer airs Sundays at 9 pm on TNT.