'Constellation' Episode 4 Takeaway: Jo Ericsson's forced medication hints at bigger conspiracy
Contains spoilers for 'Constellation'
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN: In Apple TV+'s newest psychological thriller series, 'Constellation,' the intrigue deepens as Jo Ericsson (Noomi Rapace) becomes increasingly convinced of a conspiracy following her return to Earth.
Jo earlier claimed that she saw a dead cosmonaut during her spacewalk, and its collision with ISS caused the accident.
However, her assertions are brushed aside, with explanations ranging from mistaking a garbage bag for the orange spacesuit to potential hallucinations.
What did Jo Ericsson get diagnosed with?
After returning from space, Jo experiences disorientation and seeks therapy to cope. During a session, she confesses to suffering from hallucinations and memory lapses.
The therapist identifies her symptoms as indicative of PTSD, where one expects replays of stressful events, memory lapses and anger due to traumatic events.
The doctor recommends lithium medication to calm her condition. Jo is hesitant to take the pills, citing that she is not psychotic or depressed.
She further adds that consuming those pills would mean an end to her career.
Jo Ericsson alleges conspiracy against her
Upon arriving home, Jo inspected the capsule she received and compared it to her current medication.
After sampling its contents, she finds that both capsules contain the same ingredients. Curious, she visits the research lab late at night to conduct tests, confirming her suspicions that they are identical.
As she realizes that she was given lithium even before the diagnosis, she goes ahead to check the medical records of the astronauts.
To her astonishment, while her colleagues were prescribed "Vitamin A," she received "Vitamin B" alone.
Delving deeper, she uncovers a troubling pattern: astronauts who questioned space events were covertly given lithium disguised as "Vitamin B" to silence them.
She goes on to read about an astronaut who claimed to see angels in space while another adopted a false identity in an attempt to kill their ex-husband. In conclusion, each of these astronauts met with an unfortunate fate.
She also stumbles upon the name of Henry Caldera (Jonathan Banks), who was also given the same pills.
When she goes to meet him, she sees him engaging in what appears to be a conversation with himself in his cabin.
Later, Jo confides in her husband, Magnus Taylor (James D'Arcy), alleging a conspiracy by the agency to medicate her with antipsychotics to discredit her experiences in space.
However, Magnus remains skeptical and opts to pursue Frederic Duverger's (Julian Looman) suggestion of admitting Jo to an astronaut rehabilitation facility.
As Jo tries to stop him, she accidentally pushes him and his head hits a cabinet.
The episode concludes with a suspenseful moment, leaving viewers to speculate whether Magnus' injury is fatal.
How will Jo navigate the conspiracy and extricate herself from the impending turmoil?
'Constellation' Episode 5 will air on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, on Apple TV+.
