Genre: Sci-Fi | Drama | Action
Air Date/Time: June 26th, 2011 at 10/9c
Network: TNT
Creator: Robert Rodat
Director: Greg Beeman
Writer: Fred Golan
FALLING SKIES stars Noah Wyle (ER), Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation), Will Patton (Armageddon, Into the West) and Drew Roy (Secretariat), and is executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, along with DreamWorks Television heads Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank, Graham Yost (Justified, The Pacific) and screenwriter Robert Rodat. Rodat, who earned an Oscar® nomination for his screenplay for Saving Private Ryan, wrote the pilot from an idea he co-conceived with Spielberg. Mark Verheiden (Heroes, Battlestar Galactica) and Greg Beeman (Heroes, Smallville) are co-executive producers.
Synopsis:
Falling Skies opens in the chaotic aftermath of an alien attack that has left most of the world completely incapacitated. In the six 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 the care while also engaging in an insurgency campaign against the occupying alien force, whose nature and purpose remain a mystery.
Episode Summary:
Dr. Michael Harris (guest star Steven Weber – Happy Town) joins the 2nd Mass with a theory about what might save the teenagers abducted by the aliens. But the plan could be derailed when Tom starts digging for answers to questions that have haunted him since the early days of the invasion. The 2nd Mass comes face-to-face with skitters and mechs when they attempt to rescue Ben.
The Falling Skies premiere last week offered two episodes which combined to be a great introduction to the characters, the setting, and the overall feel of the series. How would we fare with the third hour? I’m happy to report, very well, thank you. The first hour felt broad and sweeping; the second narrowed its focus even while adding a new group of characters. This third episode literally and figuratively gives a feeling of settling in, in a good way, like one settles in for a good story.
Many of those viewers who appreciated the first hour for the setup but didn’t care for the relative quiet, enjoyed the second hour for its increased intensity and action. “Prisoner of War” strikes a good balance between the two and does it in one episode. If this is the pattern for the rest of the season then we are in for an excellent time. There are shocking moments, yet another new character, development of the existing characters, and movement of the story on a number of fronts.
We have nearly caught up with our characters’ knowledge of the aliens and of what is going on in the world outside of what was Massachusetts, and are now learning along with them. In the first hour our shock at the state of the world was nearly equaled by the characters’ apparent acceptance of it. That was a terrific device and really drove home the devastation, but would have become stale and just plain depressing if it had continued throughout the season. Learning along with them allows them to show surprise, which enhances our own. Surprise is a great way to make an often-quiet show more interesting, and it is managed well here.
Not that there aren’t some terrific action sequences in this episode. Never fear, you second-hour-was-better-than-the-first fans; as I said, this third hour strikes an excellent balance between action and character development, sometimes at the same time. You could actually begin watching the series with this episode and would likely really enjoy it, but if you haven’t experienced the first hour you haven’t felt the depth of the devastation of the invasion, and wouldn’t have the same appreciation of the developments shown in this third hour.
That being said, this hour was as good as if not better than the first two, which bodes very well for the rest of the season.
I give Falling Skies Episode 3 “Prisoner of War” Four out of Five Stars.
