Ep 9. Hollywood Blvd, Memory Lane

In “Manhattan” season 2, titled Hollywood Blvd, Memory Lane, the tensions are at an all-time high within the team as the war edges ever closer. The men and women of The Manhattan Project are all struggling with the uncertainty of the future, and personal relationships are fraying under the strain.

As the episode opens, we find Abby (Rachel Brosnahan) and her father Frank (John Benjamin Hickey) out on the streets of Los Angeles. They have come to Hollywood Boulevard, and Frank has brought his daughter here to try and jog her memory. As Abby appears to be suffering from recurring memory loss, Frank hopes that the bright lights and glitz of the Boulevard will be enough to spark something deep inside her.

Back in New Mexico, the work continues unabated. As the men struggle to refine their methods and build the perfect bomb, the atmosphere is fraught with tension. The addition of Colonel Darrow (William Petersen) and his team has only served to make things more difficult, with the newcomer clashing with some of the more established members of the Manhattan project.

Meanwhile, Science Team leader Frank tries to balance his work with his personal life, but finds himself slipping into old habits. When his wife Liza (Olivia Williams) starts to pick up on some of his peculiar behaviours, it seems his struggle to balance work and family may have reached a tipping point.

As the episode progresses, we see more of the deepening rifts within the Manhattan project. Women start to feel increasingly marginalised and undervalued, whilst the scientists themselves continue to be beset by infighting and jealousy. The arrival of Colonel Darrow only exacerbates this, as his military background and single-minded focus start to rub the other members up the wrong way.

All the while, Abby and Frank navigate the crowds of Hollywood Boulevard in search of some kind of breakthrough. Abby is haunted by visions and flashbacks of her past, while Frank tries to keep a lid on his growing frustration. As they progress deeper into the maze of streets, it seems increasingly unlikely that they will find the answers they're looking for.

As the episode comes to a close, things finally come to a head. Tensions within the project boil over, with power struggles and betrayals emerging from every corner. Relationships fracture irreparably, and the team is left wondering whether their work will ever bring them any closer to the goal of winning the war.

Overall, “Manhattan” season 2 episode 9 is a tense, atmospheric instalment that captures the growing sense of unease that permeated the Manhattan project during its darkest hour. The conflict between the characters is expertly portrayed, and the stakes have never been higher. In the end, it's an episode that will leave you on the edge of your seat, eagerly awaiting the next instalment of this gripping, historically significant drama.