Genre: Sci-Fi | Action | Drama
Air Date/Time: Sunday, August 12 at 9/8c
Network: TNT
Created by: Robert Rodat
Written by: Mark Verheiden
Directed by: Adam Kane
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.
Better. Nowhere near as good as the best episodes, but it tries to accomplish something in a new setting, and that requires a fair amount of talking. As happens so often with this show, the dialogue isn’t great, so the talking brings it down.
But the storylines have more texture this week, and it’s harder to guess what’s going to happen next. In fact, much more happens, and that is a giant improvement. One of the primary stories seems a little unsupportable, but again, at least there’s something going on, and I’m grateful. Is “grateful that it isn’t as bad as last week” how we want to feel, though, heading into next week’s season finale?
On the acting front, we finally get to see Terry O’Quinn! That’s great news, and he is terrific as always. It’s a more complex character than he played in Hawaii Five-O, which is also great news. Losties know what he’s capable of, though, and this role was likely as easy for him as peeling an orange. Still, in lesser hands it could have been overly cartoonish, so again, it’s great to see him here.
There are two more guest stars of note this week. One is Ty Olsson, Capt. Kelly from Battlestar Galactica and the original Sheriff Andy on Eureka, and he does a nice job here. The character is fairly one-dimensional and the role is small, but it’s still nice to get a fresh if familiar face.
The other is someone whom I considered leaving out to retain the surprise, but it’s such odd casting that I want to spare you the “hey, isn’t that” and “hmm, is that who I would cast?” moments that were distracting to me. Matt Frewer, whom I adore, is known for his more wacky roles in Eureka and of course as Max Headroom but can easily handle more serious roles. It’s still somewhat jarring, though, to see him playing a military general. No edge, no irony, and nothing natural about it. There’s only one line and gesture that seems silly, and unfortunately that wasn’t on purpose but instead had to have been the director’s (odd) choice.
O’Quinn and Olsson alone are better than anything that happened last week. As for the season regulars, Drew Roy actually seems a little more relaxed in this episode, something that’s almost always needed. Noah Wyle is reliably terrific. We are once again denied any Connor Jessup, though, and that is not acceptable.
The new sets are really well done, and the music has returned to being unobtrusive, as is the directing, for the most part, and the editing. There is a much bigger cast in this episode, mostly atmosphere people, but they are used appropriately and even impressively.
Falling Skies this week takes us to a new bend in their journey, and while I’d wish for better dialogue, the premises were mostly sound and well executed. Still, I miss the old days of Season 2 Episodes 4, 5, 6, and 7.
I give Falling Skies: Season 2, Episode 9 “The Price of Greatness” Three Out of Five Stars.
