Ep 1. Chapter One
- TV-MA
- December 15, 2014
- 44 min
-
7.5 (733)
Ascension is a sci-fi series set in an alternate version of our world where during the height of the Cold War, in 1963, President John F. Kennedy authorized a secret mission to launch a multigenerational spaceship called Ascension into deep space. The show takes place fifty years into the mission, and the story revolves around the people living on the spaceship as they journey towards a distant planet called Proxima Centauri.
The first episode, "Chapter One," introduces us to the spaceship and its inhabitants. We meet Captain William Denninger, who is the commanding officer of Ascension and has been on the spaceship since its launch. He is the leader of the crew and is responsible for maintaining discipline among the inhabitants.
The episode begins with a glimpse of the life and routines of the passengers on board Ascension. We see how the ship has been designed with functionality and efficiency in mind, but at the same time, it's also created a pervasive sense of monotony and claustrophobia among the people living on board.
As the episode progresses, we are introduced to some of the other main characters of the series. Krista is the head of the ship's garden, and her job is to maintain the artificial ecosystem. She's ambitious and intelligent but yearns for a more exciting life. Gault, on the other hand, is a skilled mechanic who's been on the ship since he was a teenager. He's a bit of a troublemaker and has a rebellious streak.
The episode has its fair share of twists and turns. The first major plot point comes when a young woman is found murdered on board the ship. Her death sparks an investigation, and it's soon revealed that someone on Ascension is not who they claim to be. The crew is put on high alert, and tensions start to rise as everyone tries to find out who the killer is.
Meanwhile, on Earth, the project's founder, Harris Enzmann, is on edge. He's concerned that the truth about the Ascension project might come out and that all of their efforts will have been a waste. There are also hints that Enzmann has his own ulterior motives for the project.
Overall, "Chapter One" lays the groundwork for the series and establishes the central mystery that propels the plot forward. The episode also does a good job of setting the tone for the show - a claustrophobic, tense, and often bleak experience that explores the darker aspects of human nature.