TNT's FALLING SKIES has returned!
Those who watched the alien invasion drama last summer may have
forgotten how things ended, so first, a quick refresher. The 2nd Mass
attacked the aliens, resulting in serious consequences and quite a few
deaths. On the way home, Tom (Noah Wyle) was invited aboard the alien
ship by the alien-controlled Karen (Jessy Schram), leaving his family
and friends behind.
FALLING SKIES' two hour premiere picks
up three months later. Tom is still missing, but it soon found during an
attack, after being accidentally shot by his middle son, Ben (Connor
Jessup). Rejoining the group, who are happy to see him, and, strangely,
barely ask any questions, viewers see a little bit about what has been
going on with Tom via flashbacks.
It must be said that flashbacks have
been done to death, and aren't really necessary unless they add
something vital to the story. The events in Tom's life that unfold in
the first hour, "Worlds Apart," do not qualify as vital. Sure, there is a
very small look at what Tom goes through as a prisoner and the
circumstances of his release. But there are also unnecessary scenes
where Tom teams up with a young girl for a bit, before she takes off on
him that seem designed to be filler.
"Worlds Apart" is frustrating because it
does not live up to the potential of the series. There are some very
cool special effects, and character drama that profiles the new dynamics
of the group, including Ben and his older brother Hal (Drew Roy)
struggling for power. But Tom's bits slow things down from these more
intriguing stories, resulting in a lackluster installment.
Besides the family reunion when Tom
reconnects with his three sons, we also get to see just how much Anne
(Moon Bloodgood) has missed Tom. This is all well and good, as the
chemistry between the two is nice. Instead of consummating these mutual
feelings, however, there is only a hug. Yes, FALLING SKIES is family
friendly, and the Tom / Anne relationship will be a slowly built one, as
many television couples are put through to draw out the arc. But why
not be bold and go for the hook up now instead of unnecessarily delaying
the story? They're adults, and people act a little more impulsively in
such stressful times.
Those complaints aside, the second hour
of the FALLING SKIES season premiere, "Shall We Gather at the River," is
much more exciting. The 2nd Mass has to move, worried that they will
soon be attacked (again) by the aliens. Tom is concerned that he might
be under the aliens' influence, a fear echoed by Pope (Colin
Cunningham), so Tom removes himself from the game. Ben also gets to
demonstrate his new value to the group in front of his father by
conducting a solo scouting mission no one else can accomplish, using the
physical prowess the aliens gave him.
"Shall We Gather at the River" is full
of exploration of characters and how they relate to each other, which is
where FALLING SKIES is strongest. This is possible because we've gotten
to know who the characters are, so now there can be some
experimentation with who they might grow to be. Some of the dialogue may
be a bit cheesy, but the acting all around is quite good, especially
Jessup as Ben, a feat that belies his age. There are new people taking
power, with Tom missing and Weaver (Will Patton) seemingly grown soft,
and some new romantic connections might be forming. This provides a
shake up moving into the sophomore year.
Sadly, in between seasons, some
characters have been lost. Anne has a cabinet of pictures, and she and
Tom briefly discuss the fates of a couple of comrades. Rick (Daniyah
Ysrayl), in particular, is a question mark, as he shows loyalty to the
aliens before disappearing, making his motivations and mission
unknowable, but he is certain to be seen again. There are also a couple
of new faces to replace those lost, most notably Jamil Dexter (Brandon
Jay McLaren, The Killing), who is quite possibly forming a bit of a love
connection with Lourdes (Seychelle Gabriel).
Another strong point in "Shall We Gather
at the River," which is actually started in "Worlds Apart," is that
FALLING SKIES finally gives a face to the enemy. For most of season one,
fans get only glimpses of the skitters and other aliens. In the season
two premiere, one skitter individual, whom I'll nickname Scar because of
his disfigured face, stands out as a true antagonist. Scar is watching
Tom closely, and has a hand in nearly every problem that befalls the 2nd
Mass in these two hours. Having a face to root against kind of
energizes the series, and puts the stakes a little higher, providing
identity to the enemy, and a target for mankind's hatred.
Speaking of high stakes, it is clear now
that the aliens, or at least Scar, have a plan for the 2nd Mass. Do the
aliens hope that this particular group of people will agree to the
sanctuary arrangement that they propose, as a kind of reverse District
9? Why is Tom singled out as a focus for their attention? What is up
with the shape-shifting parasite? So many questions, and each one just
leads to new mysteries, pointing to a level of importance that the main
group holds in the minds of their conquerors. If this plot thread
continues to be followed, it may become clear exactly what the aliens
are doing on Earth, and why they act they way they do, sooner rather
than later.
Overall, there are flaws with FALLING
SKIES¸ but its still better than much of the summer fare being offered.
Tune in Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on TNT to see what happens next!
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