Genre: Sci-Fi | Action | Drama
Air Date/Time: Sunday, July 1 at 9/8c
Network: TNT
Created by: Robert Rodat
Written by: Heather V. Regnier
Directed by: Miguel Sapochnik
Summary:
Falling Skies chronicles the chaotic aftermath of an alien attack that has left most of the world completely incapacitated. In the nine months since the initial invasion, the few remaining survivors have banded together outside major cities to begin the difficult task of fighting back. Each day is a test of survival as citizen soldiers work to protect the people in their care while also engaging in an insurgency campaign against the occupying alien force, whose nature and purpose remains a mystery.
As the second season of Falling Skies opens, three months have passed since Tom Mason (Noah Wyle) went willingly with the aliens in one of their ships. Nobody has seen or heard from him during this time, and his absence has taken its toll on his sons. Tom hoped that by agreeing to a dialogue with the invaders, he would not only free his son Ben from the invaders’ influence but also get a better picture of the aliens’ overall plan.
Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation) also stars as Anne Glass, a pediatrician who works with the survivors to help them cope with the traumatic upheaval in their lives. Will Patton (Armageddon, TNT’s Into the West) plays Weaver, a fierce military leader of the resistance and Tom’s commanding officer. The series also stars Drew Roy (Secretariat) as Hal, Tom’s oldest son and a growing fighter in the resistance movement; Maxim Knight (Brothers & Sisters) as Matt, Tom’s youngest son; Connor Jessup (The Saddle Club) as Ben, Tom’s son who was captured by aliens and has since returned to the group; and Seychelle Gabriel (Weeds) as Lourdes, an orphaned pre-med student who helps Anne in the group’s makeshift medical clinic. Mpho Koaho (Rookie Blue) and Peter Shinkoda (The L Word) play Anthony and Dai, two resistance fighters in the 2nd Mass.; Colin Cunningham (Living in Your Car) is John Pope, the head of a gang of marauders called the Berserkers; and Sarah Sanguin Carter (Shark) is Maggie, a wary survivor from Pope’s gang.
This episode is so much better than the previous two in so many ways, I don’t even know where to start. Excellent opening. Excellent dramatic moments. Excellent “oh snap!” moments. And a perfectly pitched ending.
Yes there are still predictable plot points, but that’s the nature of most popular shows. I accept that intricate plots aren’t as popular, and this is TNT, not FX, so I move on from that area of criticism, to “how well do they do what they’re doing?” This week, they do it quite well indeed. The dialogue is a little more natural, which was definitely needed. But it’s the shaping of the scenes, through the story and through the direction, as well as the movement of the episode, and the echoes of a theme throughout, that really bring this episode up a level. And there are a couple of genuine surprises. And some real poignancies.
Weaver makes one comment that speaks volumes about his life before. It’s just said ironically now, but he wouldn’t have thought of it if it hadn’t been something he would have said in the old life. Remnants. That’s what this episode features a lot of: remnants. What survives and what doesn’t is always a question in a dystopian story; there’s a little more “remember when” in this episode, but it isn’t heavy-handed.
As the title suggests, a lot of it is about kids this week, and what has changed and what hasn’t changed for them. Children learn, and grow, and have issues with adults like they always did before the alien invasion, so that remnant of life continues in the new Falling Skies world. The fact that the consequences of their actions can be much more grave, however, is of course a big change, as well as the fact that they are forced to grow up extra-fast in many ways. The standout performance of the week comes from Will Patton. You’ll see. But everyone does a good job and those who were often a bit wooden in earlier episodes are not so this week. I really think it’s the material and the direction that allowed them these better performances.
As for the production, we’re in another new place this week, and the sets are really nicely done. One of my favorites is a long view of the sleeping quarters. Another, I can’t talk about, but it’s an interesting and fairly cool adaptation. The music is quietly supportive as always, except that there’s music montage. Ordinarily I despise these. This one was absolutely perfect. Elegant, and perfect.
Although this episode isn’t as action-packed as the first hour of this new season, it makes up for that and surpasses it in quality through other, more subtle touches, so if you only half-watch the episode you’ll miss it. It is simply crafted better. This is better than the “better” I asked for last week. Thank you writer Heather V. Regnier, director Miguel Sapochnik, and everyone who worked to make this such a quietly great episode.
I give Falling Skies: Season 2, Episode 4 “Young Bloods” Five Out of Five Stars.
