TV Review: NAUTILUS Episode 7, ‘Cold War'
Director Ben C. Lucas completes a hat-trick of spectacular episodes on Nautilus . 'Cold War' ties several plot threads together, combining jollity with tension and emotion.
RELATED: Read our review of the previous Nautilus episode, 'The Big Blue' Nautilus, Episode 7, 'Cold War'
Episode 7 of Nautilus is a cold affair. The Nautilus, followed by the Company ship, Dreadnought, is in icy waters. And when both Nemo and Captain Billy Millais (Luke Arnold) miscalculate the effect the ice will have on their respective vessels, a truce needs to be called.
The weird thing about Nautilus is that the show relies on narrative tropes to get by, but it's packaged as such a fun romp that one can't help but get swept up in the tale.
'Cold War' has plenty of familiar plot points – a friends-to-enemies storyline, a cartoonish fiancé character stealing a love interest away, and even, get this, a faux-sports match that turns into a brawl. Have we seen all this before? Yes. Is it still one of the most immersive and taut episodes of Nautilus ? Also, yes.
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While the storytelling is spare, and the characterizations aren't very innovative, I continue to be surprised by Nautilus. Through tiny moments, interactions, and performance choices, we have been invested in the show all this time. It wouldn't be possible without this set of characters. Immersive Fun
I use this word a lot when describing Nautilus – fun. The show really knows how to entertain the viewer. There is, admittedly, a lot of sadness and fear underlying the story, as seen in the previous episode. But the joy of life, living, and being free, is never far away.
Nautilus, Episode 7, 'Cold War,' captures that feeling in spades. This was one of the most humorous episodes so far. There are some great lines, but even better reactions.
Jacob Collins-Levy as Dreadnought's Captain Youngblood comes alive in this episode. He's been so one-note all this while, but with a little more screen time, he gives Youngblood more ambiguity than the character has been given so far.
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Of course, I may be biased about the proceedings because Nautilus throws in a random Lagaan -type cricket match into the mix. And it is so enjoyable to watch. No one has any technique; most of them have no idea what they're doing, but pride is at stake, so every run counts.
Beyond the fun part, however, the show leans on the emotional stakes of these characters. One character learns an uncomfortable truth about themselves. Another finds closure, but must battle a newfound problem. Face-Off
The creators of Nautilus have kept us guessing about the true motivations and intentions of Captain Millais. He doesn't fit in with the rest of the smarmy Company men – but, as we saw in the previous episode, he's no friend to the Nautilus.
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The hints dropped so far about Millais' connection with Nemo come to a head in Nautilus, Episode 7, 'Cold War.' The captain finally confronts Nemo, and it is a surprisingly emotional scene.
Despite the icy background and fake snow obscuring the actors, Latif and Arnold pull out all the stops to rend your heart in the stand-off. Again, none of it is brand new to storytelling. But they exude a significant amount of chemistry for the viewer to believe these two could have been friends in another life.
What was also interesting was how the creative team gave us more of Millais' perspective – he's the one who has to win the viewer over. Nemo has already done that. Or, has he?
The tensions aboard the Nautilus are heightened by the end of this episode. Nemo continues to be enigmatic, but reckless. This is in line with the book version of Nemo, whose doggedness turned his allies against him. The same fate could await the character in the show.
RELATED: Read our Nautilus reviews
Nautilus airs every Sunday on AMC and AMC+.
Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: CLAUDIA Monita has been championing diversity, inclusivity, and representation in entertainment media through her work for over a decade. She is a Tomatometer-Approved Critic. She writes for Bam Smack Pow and Geek Girl Authority. Her bylines have appeared on 3-time Eisner Award-winning publication Women Write About Comics, HuffPost, Reactormag.com (formerly tor.com), Soundsphere/Screensphere, FanSided's Show Snob, and Vocal. She was also a TV/Movies features writer at Collider.com. Alongside her twin, Monita co-hosts the pop culture podcast Stereo Geeks.
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