Snowpiercer Season 4 Episode 9 Review: So-so writing

Review Score – 6.0 – Snowpiercer Season 4 Episode 9 misses the mark in the writing department. There’s only so much you can ignore as a fan for the pizzazz of cool action scenes. “Dominant Traits”, so-so writing.

Warning: This Snowpiercer review contains spoilers for “Dominant Traits”.

Jennifer Connelly, Rowan Blanchard – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 9) cast. Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Alex Cavill does the opposite of Luke Skywalker when told who her biological father is, no passion, no agony, it barely registers. The revelation falls flat because Alex looks like she barely cares.

A lot of “Dominant Traits” just doesn’t make sense. Alex as we all saw to end last episode was threatened under gun point to do Nima’s bidding.

When she doesn’t follow through and sabotages the plan, not only does Nima’s guard not do anything, he asks Alex to fix it again under the threat of gun point. But if Alex Cavill didn’t follow through the first time, why is she now supposedly scared enough to work on it minutes later? The bluff was already called.

Mrs. Headwood raises a good point this episode on how the people of the New Eden colony ‘love the life they’ve been newly granted from Nima’s work but don’t want the rest of the world to have it’.

(Andre Layton) Daveed Diggs – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 9) cast. Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Why then as viewers, are we supposed to be cheering for Layton, Ruth, Josie, and Till’s group to win? Aren’t they kind of the bad guys in this situation, even if not intentional. On one side Melanie calls Nima a bad man now that wasn’t one when she knew him and hints that his plan will pollute the earth. But it’s not like Melanie suggests a counter-plan better than Nima’s gambit really.

(Melanie Cavill) Jennifer Connelly – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 9). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Side note, there’s something seriously wrong in a TV show when a ‘Mrs. Headwood’ side character type outlives Mr. Wilford’s screen time late into this series. How could you not make actor Sean Bean (Joseph Wilford) appear in every last episode of Snowpiercer Season 4?

Some fans might disagree but switching course from Wilford to Nima as the ‘final boss’ this late in the game was a crucial error. Nima is interesting but it’s too late to build him up the same way in one season.

Michael Aronov – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 9) cast. Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Layton telling Alex of Mr. Wilford’s fate doesn’t even evoke a tear from Alex by the way. No matter how emotionless and calculating you want Alex to be as a character, having Alex react blankly, “Oh did you kill him? I wouldn’t blame you” made for poor television.

That’s the kind of reaction you expect when someone forgets to pick up something you wanted at Trader Joe’s. Not a major character (maybe the biggest character of the whole series) and adoptive father’s death.

Jennifer Connelly – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 9) cast. Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

On top of everything, Nima releasing Melanie to work with him after holding her captive in a locked room just looked ridiculous. Like something out of an Austin Powers movie where Dr. Evil’s son mocks him for not just taking out Austin Powers right then and there.

Also, is Till supposed to be James Bond 007 out there? They’ve made her way, way too strong.

Michael Aronov – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 9). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

It’s not that there wasn’t anything to work with in “Dominant Traits”, there was some good foundational ideas to make this a great episode.

Nima’s plan is actually quite fascinating to think about as a whole and the cinematography work of the action scenes is pretty cool. There’s lots of great action visuals.

But overall it tried to be too grand and ended up messy. Big moments fell flat when they should have been huge.

Jennifer Connelly – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 9). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

More Snowpiercer Recaps and Snowpiercer Season 4 Reviews

(Melanie Cavill) Jennifer Connelly – Snowpiercer cast (Season 4, Episode 9). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Missed the beginning of Season 4? Check out some of our recent Snowpiercer Season 4 Recaps and Reviews!

– Snowpiercer Season 4 Episode 5 Review: Sean Bean is King

– 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 our Snowpiercer section for exclusive interviews with Snowpiercer cast members, reviews, recaps, previews, and much more! We’ll be covering the Sci-Fi’s frozen wasteland to the end of the series and beyond!

(Melanie Cavill) Jennifer Connelly – Snowpiercer cast (Season 4, Episode 9). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

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Jennifer Connelly – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 9). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

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