Article first published as DEFIANCE Review Season 2 on Seat42F.
Warning: This review does contain
some spoilers from the premiere episode, including how much time has
passed, but does not spoil any big twists, nor reveal the fates of those
whose continued survival is left up in the air.
SyFy’s DEFIANCE starts its second season
this week with “The Opposite of Hallelujah.” It’s been nine months
since the events of last spring’s finale, and everyone has settled into a
new normal. The city is being ruled by an outside force and most of the
residents that are still in the town seem to have accepted that,
finding ways to change and continue their daily routine. But rebellion
seems to be brewing just under the surface. Will those rumblings soon
erupt into full-scale insurgency?
Last season’s cliffhanger is a big one,
so many viewers might assume that DEFIANCE won’t make a significant time
jump. They would be wrong, but I think the writers are right to skip
over what they did. The ramifications of what occurs are far from over;
there just hasn’t been much action in the meantime. Instead, there’s a
sense of uneasy calm, where our heroes have had a chance to get used to
the changes. Viewers are dropped into a different world, which right
away infuses the proceedings with a sense of freshness and movement.
“The Opposite of Hallelujah” is an
interesting study of various characters. Much of DEFIANCE is
action-based, with plenty of fights and special effects. But this year’s
premiere is quieter, instead giving us some really cool ways for the
characters to grow and develop, which happens in season one, but is more
prevalent now. Rather than providing a bunch of OMG moments, though the
episode sure does end with one, DEFIANCE focuses on setting individuals
up in situations that will challenge them. I definitely dig this
direction.
Amanda Rosewater (Julie Benz) is no
longer the mayor, but her primary concern is still with the town and its
people. Amanda is given an opportunity in the premiere that might allow
her to effect positive changes in the community, but it would mean not
only swallowing her pride, but also partnering with a man she does not
trust in the slightest. Should she do it?
There is a justifiable debate here as to
whether a broken system can be affected from the inside, or if it’s
better to attack from the outside. Amanda is in a rare position to pick
which she’d like to do, something most will not be afforded. One can see
how some followers could see her as a traitor for working with the
enemy, but at the same, it might be her best chance to make their lives
better. We know Amanda can put the townsfolk first, but is that the best
option here, even if she’s willing to let others hate her while she
works for the good of the many?
Another person pondering power is Alak
Tarr (Jesse Rath). With his father no longer operating the family
business (don’t worry, I won’t reveal what’s happening with Datak (Tony
Curran) here), Alak is the male heir. His mother, Stahma (Jaime Murray),
has no official say in things, being a woman, though viewers will know
that rules are merely speed bumps for Stahma, not roadblocks. Alak now
has a choice on whether to listen to someone who might be wiser than
himself, or go in his own direction, fighting for his reputation and
seat along the way. Is this young man ready to step up as an adult?
I am still fascinated by the Tarr
family. Datak does a very unexpected thing in season one when he murders
a general, and while parts of what we learn about his situation in this
premiere are the weakest points in the episode, there’s also some meaty
stuff there. Stahma has a disposition that seems wholly alien, often
moved by motivations and loyalties that are far apart from those most
humans would have. And now Alak, who seems like a typical teenager in
the freshman year, is asked to take a bigger part in his father’s
dealings, so it’s intriguing to see whether culture or heritage will win
out within him.
If you’ve seen the five webisodes posted
on DEFIANCE’s official website, you will already know that Nolan (Grant
Bowler) is traveling around the country, searching for signs of his
missing daughter, Irisa (Stephanie Leonidas). This means Nolan is in
other settings, providing glimpses of what other areas of the former
United States look like. I don’t want to give away anything about his
story in “The Opposite of Hallelujah,” but it is cool to expand what we
get to see of the world, and how others outside of Defiance are handling
things.
This season premiere is pretty well done
overall. Aside from what appears to be an inexplicable element of the
Datak plot, the rest of the cast is allowed to be dynamic, and the story
has departed from any type of formula, providing an engaging,
serialized tale. This is a strong start to year two.
DEFIANCE airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on SyFy.
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