Snowpiercer Season 4 Episode 5 Review: Sean Bean is King

Review: “The Engineer” is easily the best episode of Snowpiercer Season 4 yet because of one man’s return, actor Sean Bean.

Whether you’re a full blown ‘Wilfordite’ or can’t stand the sight of Mr. Wilford like Layton, there is no denying that Sean Bean is the antagonist that drives this whole series to new heights.

Sean Bean – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 5). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

This Snowpiercer Season 4 Episode 5 Review contains marginal spoilers for the purpose of reviewing. No major spoilers are revealed.

In basketball, you have players that make the whole team better, assisting in every play. Sean Bean is that point guard. From the moment Mr. Wilford just walks onto a scene, it noticeably brings out the best from the rest of Snowpiercer’s cast.

Unpredictability is what makes great TV and that’s what Mr. Wilford brings back to Snowpiercer in his grand return on “The Engineer”. Characters instantly have clearly defined motives and turbulent inner questions to layer them narratively.

Rowan Blanchard, Sean Bean – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 5). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Suddenly, Alex Cavill (Rowan Blanchard) might fall under Wilford’s spell once again. An unreliable ‘hero’ character torn between her new friends and her genius mentor & father figure.

Rowan Blanchard, Sean Bean – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 5). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Alex was practically in a holding pattern since Season 4 began pre-Wilford. Now the character has intrigue back, her loyalty in doubt.

Wilford brings up Audrey being missing as a point of disappointment to him in S4E5. Meaning, a Till vs Wilford showdown is in the mix. Could you imagine if Audrey chooses Wilford again if faced with the decision?

Sean Bean – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 5) Cast. Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

In our opinion, actress Lena Hall’s best work on the series were the scenes with Sean Bean. Miss Audrey has since become almost a full ‘goody-goody’ character and lost her shades of gray.

Our interviews with Lena Hall on Audrey’s relationship with Mr Wilford:

– Lena Hall Snowpiercer Interview: Miss Audrey & Mr. Wilford’s Tainted Love

– Snowpiercer’s Lena Hall on Miss Audrey ‘fixing’ Kevin (Interview)

Power Struggle on Snowpiercer

Rowan Blanchard – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 5) Cast. Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

A power struggle between Milius and Wilford looms over who Snowpiercer and its eternal engine truly belongs to. Is Melanie (who does not appear in this episode, sadly) on Wilford’s side? Is saving humanity bigger than personal squabbles or even New Eden?

Meanwhile, the return of Andre Layton’s rival in Wilford invoked a true emotional rage we haven’t seen in some time. Literally pouncing at the man. The closing shot of Wilford laughing at Layton (we won’t say about what) is TV gold. That’s what it means to be an antagonist.

Our only criticism this episode is that Melanie was not on-screen for a pivotal Ben scene with Till instead in her place. Don’t know if it was a contract thing but it’s become a regular fixture of Snowpiercer for Melanie Cavill to be out ‘working somewhere off-site’.

Sean Bean – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 5) Cast. Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

If it is indeed a contact issue, the studios should pay for Jennifer Connelly and Sean Bean to be on every single episode of this series. We’ll have a full recap of Snowpiercer Season 4 Episode 5 post-airing.

Review Score: 8.7 – It’s never been more obvious that Sean Bean’s Mr. Wilford is the on-screen eternal engine of Snowpiercer. “The Engineer” shows a night and day difference from the moment Sean Bean walks in the door. It’s so difficult to craft a character that stirs emotions and riles cast and audience alike instantly without a word.

Sean Bean – Snowpiercer Season 4, Episode 5 Cast. Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

More Snowpiercer Reviews, Recaps, and Interviews:

Sean Bean as Mr. Wilford in Snowpiercer Season 4 Episode 5. Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

– Tom Lipinski Snowpiercer Interview: Kevin, Mr. Wilford, Miss Audrey’s insidious triangle

– Snowpiercer Season 3 Episode 8 recap: Too late to be an Engineer

– Iddo Goldberg Snowpiercer Interview: Ben vs Mr. Wilford’s Tyranny

– Snowpiercer Season 4 Episode 4 Review, Recap: Truth vs Hope

– Snowpiercer Season 4 Episode 3 Review: Father vs Ruler

– Snowpiercer Season 4 Episode 2 Recap: The Sting of Survival

– Snowpiercer Season 4 Episode 1 Review: ‘Snakes in the Garden’

– Snowpiercer Season 3 Finale recap: Melanie’s Choice

Visit the Snowpiercer section for more exclusive interviews, reviews, recap and TV series coverage you won’t get anywhere else!

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