Snowpiercer time jumps over its most interesting storyline in the season 4 premiere

It has been over two years since Snowpiercer's third season concluded on the exciting open-ending of Andre Layton's group landing in Eden and the confirmation that, at least in this spot, the Earth appears to be warming back up. AMC's decision to pick up the fourth and final season of Snowpiercer, which had initially been filmed and ready to air on TNT, finally offers the opportunity to finish this story.

Unfortunately, it does not take long for Snowpiercer to squander an opportunity to lean into the chance to develop world-building, choosing instead to jump ahead nine months to line up the timing of the storyline with Snowpiercer's arrival to be within radio distance to confirm their group is alive and offer the train's residents the chance to live their lives outside of the train for the first time in years.

Narratively, it is a decision that makes sense. Still, it would have been interesting to see how Layton's group builds their new society out of nothing rather than vaguely referencing events or showing food stations and other things in place without revealing how they came to be. It would have taken one episode, or even half an episode, to start establishing or giving a montage of events that explained what occurred in the early days of Eden before jumping into a storyline that lacks the heart of the first three seasons.

Snowpiercer's first three seasons are all about the heart, mystery, desperation, and political frustration over what it takes to lead and survive. However, "Snakes in the Garden" has none of that, replacing what made the show so intriguing with vague threats, an unnecessary kidnapping, and a death that is meant to be motivation for Layton to regain his fighting spirit. Alex's reference to earthquakes does suggest upcoming natural disaster stakes, but the lack of emotional investment that the season four premiere has in most of its characters prevents that from feeling like it is anything to be too concerned about.

"Snakes in the Garden" is not an action-packed event meant to make the audience curious about what happens next, nor is it an episode that fills in the blanks of how Eden went from empty to a growing society.

There are certainly questions that the season needs to answer, including what had gone on with Melanie and the train in the previous nine months, especially with the revelation of there being even more survivors out in the world.

Still, sadly, Snowpiercer's fourth season kicks off in a very rough start. Luckily, there is still more than enough time left in season four to turn it around and bring back the elements that allowed the series to flourish.