2059: Face of God

At the end of my review for the first three parts of Extrapolations, I predicted that I would be shouting at the telly during the remaining episodes, which may have been heard by the neighbours. Indira Varma plays Gita Mishra, a green tech developer, whose estranged husband (Edward Norton) discovers she is about to trigger a major geoengineering event in an attempt to cool the planet. There is an important debate about the pros and cons of geoengineering, but this is not enough to make for good drama. Instead, there is an improbable set-up for a clunky, melodramatic and extended face-off, similar to an I've-been-waiting-for-you-Mr-Bond denouement. The attempts to add a family dynamic to the episode, as well as the lecturing and counter-lecturing of climate change. This is done by bringing in names such as Edward Norton, Streep, Schwimmer, Sienna Miller and Kit Harrington, which gives the series kudos and attracts certain fanbases, but for me, it gets in the way. I have no idea who Edward Norton's character is supposed to be, as at the heart of the episode what we're really seeing is Edward Norton, famous film star, giving us a lecture on the follies of geoengineering. I don't like to be lectured by film stars, but more importantly, neither do the Trump voters and climate deniers for whom drama ought to be a persuasive tool in changing public opinion. The series should have a less dazzling cast to allow the characters to breathe and have their own stories, rather than making wealthy A-listers the mouthpieces for polemic. The planes on their maiden voyage change course and begin heading for Mumbai. Norton and Diane Lane, a friend at Alpha, find footage of Norton's son and ex-wife at the launch of the planes. Norton calls the FBI and is confirmed by Diane Lane, who finds footage of his son and ex-wife at the launch of the planes. The first part of 2059, written by Scott Z Burns and Dave Eggers and directed by Ellen Kuras, sets the stage for a race against time as Varma reveals her intentions, forces attempt to find those behind it, Norton discovers something he should have seen earlier, and there appears to be dealings that aren't above board. The arguments given over by both sides are understandable, with the question of whether radical action will save the planet or allow those who make profit to continue to do so. This sets the stage for what may follow.

Acknowledge geoengineering? Well, it was only invented yesterday. It certainly wasn't around back in 1947 or the American war in Vietnam or the 90s when the patents were taken out. Invest in sea walls. Perpetually aloft transport. Unmanned even. But run by a woman. There's a wrinkle Errol never thought of. Carbon removal devices (I think she meant plants). Bioevildoing and Norton's impassioned speech almost save the series. Predictions of things already past. Carbon parties. Wishy washy political bickering bickersons. Misandronistic rocket abuse, albeit deserved. Delusional holograms. Plausible deniability. Napkin philosophy.

This series has started to pick up since episode 1. The 4th episode in the series jumps to around 2059 if I recall, where drastic action must be taken to curb global warming, which is on track for 3 degrees above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. Norton faces off against his ex-wife, where the fate of humanity is at stake... along with his relationship with his son. The characters here are becoming more believable than earlier episodes, and the performance of Norton does not disappoint.

Similar to previous episodes, the characters use exposition and storytelling as analogies for the environmental problems they face, which are no different to the problems that we face, albeit we're looking at the barrel from a distance, and they're staring right down it. Again if you like story-telling, if you like hard sci-fi, and near-future dystopia, this one's for you. But this one actually leaves you looking up with a glimmer of hope.

For the most part, I thought this episode was very well-scripted.

Any serious discussion of the climate crisis will necessarily include geoengineering. And any discussion of geoengineering must consider what has been called the "moral hazard" that it entails--the possibility that, if we scatter some chemical into the atmosphere and it does lower global temperatures, we (we collectively--but more realistically, the major corporations that run so much of our civilization) will continue to use fossil fuels, digging us into an ever-deepening hole.

Thus even if geoengineering worked, it would ultimately make it all worse. The problem, as multiple characters in this episode point out, is humans. A real Pogo moment: We have met the enemy, and he is us.