Ep 5. Last Call at the Broken Hammer

As the second season of the sci-fi television series Andromeda unfolds, we see the crew of the titular spaceship continue to navigate a complex and tumultuous universe. The latest episode, titled "Last Call at the Broken Hammer," takes place against this backdrop of political and interpersonal intrigue.

The episode begins with the Andromeda receiving a distress signal from an old friend of Captain Dylan Hunt (played by Kevin Sorbo). The friend, a man named Hohne, is the owner of a famous bar known as the Broken Hammer. The bar is located on a remote planet called Tarazed, which is known for its rich mineral deposits and its rough-and-tumble culture.

Upon arriving at Tarazed, the Andromeda crew discovers that the bar is under siege from a group of mercenaries. Hohne and his patrons have barricaded themselves inside, but they are running low on supplies and ammunition, and it seems likely that the mercenaries will soon break through.

Dylan and his crew decide to help Hohne, but the situation quickly proves to be more complicated than they had anticipated. For one thing, the mercenaries are being funded by a mysterious and powerful figure known only as the "Chairman," whose true identity and motives are unknown. For another, the Broken Hammer's patrons are not exactly cooperative.

Chief among them is a man named Drago Musevini, a notorious criminal with a long history of violence and coercion. Drago is keen to take advantage of the chaos on Tarazed to further his own interests, and he quickly sets his sights on the Andromeda crew.

Meanwhile, tensions between Dylan and his crew are beginning to boil over. Some members of the crew feel that Dylan is too quick to take risks and make decisions without consulting them, while others feel that his leadership style is too rigid and inflexible. As the situation on Tarazed becomes more and more chaotic, these tensions threaten to tear the crew apart.

"Last Call at the Broken Hammer" is a tense and action-packed episode that showcases the strengths of Andromeda's ensemble cast. Kevin Sorbo is once again compelling as Dylan, portraying both his courage and his vulnerabilities with equal skill. The other members of the crew also get their chance to shine, particularly Keith Hamilton Cobb as the enigmatic warrior Beka, and Laura Bertram as the sharp-witted engineer Trance.

The episode also features some impressive special effects and visual design. The Broken Hammer bar is a richly detailed environment that makes use of a wide variety of props and set pieces, while the mercenaries are outfitted with an impressive array of high-tech weapons and armor.

All in all, "Last Call at the Broken Hammer" is a standout episode of Andromeda's second season. It manages to balance action, intrigue, and character development in a way that is both satisfying and engaging. Whether you're a fan of sci-fi, action, or drama, this episode is well worth a watch.