I think the Arboghast getting pulled apart would make for a good oh shit moment to end the season with.

Re: the juice, it's explained a bit better in the books. It's actually a cocktail of drugs that keep your blood vessels from bursting, mixed in with (I think) stimulants and analgesics, all to keep a crew functioning (though not comfortable) during high G maneuvers. The crash couches monitor the crew's medical…

Can't figure out how to do spoilers, but maybe it ends with them peeking in the cargo bay.

Mild book spoiler: they do eventually get a gunner, and it lets them do more complicated maneuvers during combat.

They actually bring this up in the novels, that he's having to do double duty as pilot and gunner.