Jojoba oil, for one.
Maybe they want really good skin and hair?
I don’t know, but if I was a bartender in Albuquerque, I’d get on it pronto. Vodka and soybean oil, maybe. But what to call it…?
I don’t know why people are calling a hypothetical others-only episode a bottle episode - it would be the polar opposite of one: hundreds or thousands of extras, multiple sets, intricate world building… The scenes in the show that featured mostly others were the most expansive and complicated ones thus far (post-rapture cleanup, Zosia flying her plane, etc.).
If anything, this episode was more like a bottle episode: almost only Carol, comparatively few sets, just her trying to figure out what the milk is about. On the whole I don’t really get the impression that money is a huge limiting factor in this show, it’s been quite impressive.
As for de-programming Zosia, I don’t know if that would work - she is, as far as we know, some random woman from any middle-eastern country, only „chosen“ because she looks like the pirate lady. She probably couldn’t even speak English after the conversion.
Add me as another vote for „It can’t possibly be Soylent Green, it’s too obvious.“
I also laughed out loud at the drone crashing into the lamp - it reminded me of Crazy8 running into the tree and knocking himself unconscious.
Just rewatched latest episode and I’m still confused about the amber milk. How do we know it’s something the Joined have created? Since most of us don’t see an alien presence or outer space beings directly involved in this (yet), why can’t the powder they manufacture just be, I dunno, salt and protein? Or any other elements/ingredients we already produce and process? The radio code also contains a recipe for a new drink to disguise using milk cartons?
Of course, I doubt we can guess the full recipe until we know what the hell it does for the Joined. Keeps them in communication? Helps resist emotional outbreaks caused by Carol and other un-joined?
It seems to be the only form of nutrition they intake. At least, I don’t remember ever seeing anyone who is linked to the hive sit down for lunch or take a bite from an apple.
So how can humans suddenly survive on one nutrition and also never seem to wash their clothes? It has been over 10 days by now… 
I’ve used the term, adding “… showing a day in the life of The Others”. The first time I heard the term was “The Fly” episode in “Breaking Bad,” which just has Walter and Jessie trying to catch a fly in the superlab. It doesn’t really advance the plot, yet is a great character study of these two.
My meaning was an episode about a hive mind that would practically be silent and certainly not advance their “character” - just show what the 99.9999% of the world is like - perhaps just these Alberquerqians. Or extend it to whatever “science” they’re doing, and definitely show if they are following some biological imperative and planning the construction of a ring of giant radio telescopes, as I proposed might be most efficient around the sun as the sheer size and use of solar power would make it a “spotlight” or just doing it around the earth with nuclear power. Whichever. That sounds expensive to shoot, so in that sense the “opposite of a bottle episode.”
The former is probably like watching worker ants and could be boring. The latter - as I’ve said - could be what we see as the credits roll on the final episode.
The show thus far has been Carol-centric, and that’s fine. I’m glad she stayed put. At least, looking at the cul-de-sac she lives on in Google Maps, maybe some of The Others will occupy the other houses, if only to keep an eye on her. The return of Zosia would seem to be important, as if there’s any individuality left in the Others she’s somewhat “known” and Carol has a crush on her.
I just thought episode 6 might be a good time to do something different and keep the “Milk” mystery going. Or the Albuquerquei-ans (including Zosia) can return and pretend cartons of that yummy liquid are what make life worthwhile for them (though what she saw will figure in). Carol will not be pleased if she has not received any replies or we could spend the whole episode in the “before time” looking at Aurora from the Ice Hotel and then have the quintessential bottle episode.
Well…
This episode kind of recontextualizes Zosia’s response when the Unjoined asked if the Others were vegetarians in Episode 2.
She responded, “That would be our preference.”
Not a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ or anything more direct. Pretty interesting…
Regarding the Soylent angle, as Carol walks past the aisles in Sprouts we repeatedly see a bunch of reusable bags stocked on the end caps.
“REUSE. FOR YOUR GROCERIES. FOR OUR PLANET. FOR THE FUTURE.”
Of course, that’s what their reusable bags look like in real life, so take that for what it’s worth.
That would be a huge dick move, specially after the longer break.
In case future episode synopses are considered spoilers, the description for next Thursday’s episode says:
“Title: HDP
Carol shares a horrific discovery and learns new truths in the process. Mr. Diabaté lives life to the fullest in Sin City.”
So it would seem we pick right back up from where we were left dangling off that cliff. Whew.
I’m curious what HDP stands for.
Something dehydrated people?
Hydrogenated Dehydrated People.
Has to be it.
“Protein”, probably.
Delicious, unspecified protein.
Do we know how exactly Helen died? Did the fall kill her?
There’s a substantial Reddit thread about next week’s title.
Re: Helen. The implication is the stress of being taken over by the virus was too much for some people to take and they died. She joined became part of the Hive and then died from the process.
I agree the drone getting tangled was hilarious.
Yes, but then there are the millions who died the two times Carol became angry. It appears they are suffering Grand Mal seizures and one almost always falls backward and hits their head (and may repeatedly keep doing so). Plus problems with the tongue getting in the way of breathing and other stresses the brain goes under.
All of these can be deadly.
cite: Cousin with (really bad) Epilepsy who had a Grand Mal working in a supermarket and no one knew what to do and he died.
Also myself: Always injured the back of my head (even got metal staples one time). Alcohol withdrawal Grand Mal seizures (6).
I agree. Even to include the titles, though this next one gives nothing away, unless:
I’ll agree with that too. Human Decidual Protein.
They’d call the episode HDM
High Density Protein?
Wasn’t it stated that they were redistributing the food from Sprouts for the sake of efficiency? So they must be consuming things other than Soylent Moo.