FALLING SKIES a "Machine"

Article originally written for Seat42F.
 

One thing I’ve noticed about FALLING SKIES is that it has never quite figured out what it is. Every time it seems to settle into some sort of routine, the writers make sure to knock the characters out of their situation, sending them somewhere entirely new. This does keep the show interesting, even if it seems to lack depth. I do wish the pacing would slow down a bit and explore each scenario a little more before moving onto the next one, but for now, that doesn’t seem likely, so just buckle up and enjoy the ride.

As season four starts this week with “Ghost in the Machine,” it all changes again. Our band of heroes is walking along, enjoying a rare, happy day in the sun as they approach Charleston, until they are suddenly attacked. The group is fragmented and sent in various directions, and as the action picks up months later, many have settled into a ‘new normal’ that they have no wish to perpetuate.

So it seems this season, more than the others, won’t be about bringing down the aliens. The characters will be fighting the invaders, yes, but with short-term goals of finding missing loved ones and achieving freedom from captivity, not the long-term mission of taking back the planet. This changes the scope, even while trying to elicit more emotional responses from the viewers tuned in. Will FALLING SKIES take full advantage of this, or gloss over it as it has done other set ups?

In the current season, there are definitely some new and interesting developments involving the conquerors. For one, we finally know what they are doing with the children. Matt (Maxim Knight) is placed in a re-education school where kids are being brainwashed to fit into a new world run by those who are not native to Earth. Apparently, this has worked in other places, and it is the next phase of the invasion, which makes sense, because perpetual war or outright extinction don’t seem like outcomes that gel with what we’ve seen before.

Of course, not all of the youngsters fall in line. Matt is smart enough to realize that he should at least pretend to, biding his time until he has the opportunity to stage a coup. It’s the boy’s first major arc that he’s central to, and Knight seems to be doing a pretty good when faced with this challenge. Matt is likely to cause as much trouble as his father ever has, learning from the best.

Speaking of Tom (Noah Wyle), he has become the Batman of the slums, sneaking around in a mask, spying on their captors, and doling out vigilante justice when needed against low-lifes like Pope (Colin Cunningham). I feel like this is a natural next step for the character of Tom, but also feels almost as ridiculous as some of the other leaps he makes. Tom is best when he is being a father or a negotiator or a professor, and whenever he takes on the super leader persona, it always feels just a bit false.

I think Tom seems even more out of place when put in a cell next to Weaver (Will Patton). Weaver is distraught that his daughter has been taken, understandably so, but goes a little bit too far off the rails when dealing with it, to the point of almost committing suicide-by-cop. While Weaver has been pathetic in the past, that is when his character seems least authentic, and by putting an uneven Weaver and Tom side by side, “Ghost in the Machine” highlights something FALLING SKIES has never gotten quite right.

Anne (Moon Bloodgood) has a cool arc, though. Off in the woods with Anthony (Mpho Koaho) and some other soldiers, she is staging a military operation to rescue her family. This is a tougher side of Anne, stepping up to be a leader in a desperate situation, and it’s welcome. As a mother, she has a reason to turn hard, tasked with protecting those she is responsible for. This other side of her isn’t nearly as false as the men’s.

I also believe the reverted Pope. He’s not fully back to his old ways. He may be acting selfish again, but other than hoarding some supplies, he’s not actively trying to hurt anyone. I think he just doesn’t want to risk showing he cares, having been burnt before, as he’s locked up now. He thinks if he acts the old way, he’ll be left alone or get back to surviving as he did previously. But in the manner Pope refuses to beat on Hal (Drew Roy) too much, we see that it will just take some motivating factor to bring back the mostly redeemed Pope viewers love.

Finally, in the strangest twist in the premiere, Ben (Connor Jessup) wakes up after months of sleep to a tranquil garden staffed with body-snatcher-esque versions of Lourdes (Seychelle Gabriel) and Maggie (Sarah Carter), seemingly run by a grown up version of his sister, Lexi (Scarlett Byrne, Harry Potter). I don’t know what’s going on here, but it’s weird and definitely not what it appears to be. Which just makes it all the more intriguing. Given what we know and don’t know about Lexi, it could very well be real, but as for what it means, that’s up for debate.

All in all, while I’m sad FALLING SKIES just jumps into yet another something new, barely checking in with the most recent abandoned (for now) plot involving Cochise (Doug Jones), it’s still a pretty cool season opener, with a lot to tantalize, and some fresh settings and new aliens to keep audiences engaged. It may move a bit too fast, but I guess that’s better than getting bogged down in slowness, and during the summer, when people want explosions and special effects, this program serves that purpose well enough.

FALLING SKIES airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on TNT.

Falling Skies still not quite hitting the mark

The second season finale of TNT's Falling Skies, "A More Perfect Union," evoked strong emotion. Striking several important moments, excitement coursed through viewers' bodies, and left them strung out. The ups and downs and twists and turns of the season came to a head in a highly entertaining and explosive way, ending the year on a series of big notes. But it still fell a little short of expectations.

Falling Skies is a popcorn series, to be sure. It's the television equivalent of a summer blockbuster. There are lots of characters doing daring things, with special effects and battles. But there is also a lack of depth to many scenes that should carry such, and sometimes turn arounds and achievements don't feel earned. Breaking into the facility where the big gun was being built was way too easy. Someone should have noticed that.

Take, for example, the 2nd Mass stepping in front of the Charleston army's guns to protect the rebel Skitters. This seems awesome, until one stops and thinks about it. This group has been through a lot, mostly at the hands of the aliens. Tom (Noah Wyle) decides to trust them because his son Ben (Connor Jessup), who has been living and fighting with the rebels, does. This means it is understandable that Tom and his family and closest friends step up to offer protection. But why does the rest of their group? Has Tom really inspired such loyalty? We keep hearing people question his reliability after his time as a captor, and we never see him interact with more than the central core of the survivors. For everyone to support Tom in this move, more needed to be done and shown for this scene to pay off.

Falling Skies does a good job with its leads, selling the relationships in the Mason family, and those of Weaver (Will Patton), Anne (Moon Bloodgood), Pope (Colin Cunningham), Margaret (Sarah Sanguin Carter), and Lourdes (Seychelle Gabriel). But practically no one else gets anything, and in a big picture series like this, there has got to be more for the supporting characters. In the showdown with the Fishhead, many of the rebels are captured, but only a handful are shown hanging and tortured, not even including Pope. Why put the blinders on? This is why when Dai (Peter Shinkoda) dies, someone who has been around since the beginning, but is barely seen, it has little impact. Ditto for Red Eye, the alien who should have been a much more central character before killing him off.

In "A More Perfect Union," and slightly before, there is another member of the group introduced. He is a former soldier who acts like a redneck. We learn his back story a bit, and all of the sudden he is deeply involved in the main plot. It comes out of nowhere, and it's so sudden I can't even remember his name when writing this review. But at least that's showing a bit of effort. It's past time to develop more characters like him.

Now, some of these considerations are budgetary, to be sure. TNT is already shelling out major cash for Falling Skies, and probably can't afford too large a cast, and certainly not one that includes a central alien. However, for this type of story to make sense, a larger world must be built, and keeping the number of characters who get any attention small is not the way to do it.

Another positive move Falling Skies makes is introducing the Charleston settlement. Bringing in Arthur Manchester (Terry O'Quinn, Lost) is a great move. It makes Tom question his morality and motivations, and appropriately deals with some real issues that would come up in a post-invasion world. But the constant switching of loyalties, and locking people up and freeing them, is confusing and unwarranted. Rather than pick a position for each character, the writing gets wishy-washy, and suddenly it seems like no one can make up their mind.

Then, before the power struggle in Charleston can be sorted out, Tom and Weaver decide they need to leave. Seriously? Here is a well-supplied haven, and they're going back on the road? At least tell me the civilians are staying behind! Tom has Matt (Maxim Knight) and a baby on the way to think about, and he's just intent on fighting more? The end of "A More Perfect Union" doesn't make sense.

Not to mention, Hal (Drew Roy) is asleep and won't wake up, but rather than being wracked with worry about him, Tom is continuing his other activities. Priorities do shift under circumstances like these, but to not show Tom as the concerned father is a big mistake. Especially when he handles leaving Matt behind from the mission so well earlier.

Of course, then there's the capper, where a new alien shows up and smiles at them. Could this be why the Fishhead was building a gun aimed at the sky? To keep this new guy away? So many questions, and such a cool way to leave things!

The problem with Falling Skies is that it aspires to something great, and has the potential to reach that height, but only succeeds about fifty percent of the time, at best. Part of the problem is a rushed pacing when it doesn't need to be rushed, and a meandering one at other times. Another problem is the way the characters are written, so ill-defined. But overall, it still manages to be a very enjoyable show that I look forward to watching each week. Imagine what it could be if it got its act together!

Falling Skies has been renewed and will return to TNT next year.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my new website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

Falling Skies - "Worlds Apart; Shall We Gather at the River"

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!

Falling Skies premieres

     TNT's newest drama is Falling Skies. Produced by Steven Spielberg, it is the story about a group of humans trying to survive six months after the Earth has been taken over by aliens, All the major cities and military bases have been destroyed, most of the population is dead. Survivors band together, but are forced to split up, as large gatherings attract unwanted attention from the new rulers of the planet. The fight seems hopeless, as the 2nd Massachusetts, which comprises almost all of the main characters of the show, packs up to leave Boston.


     By the time the first episode is over, a lot has gone down. Weaver (Will Patton, 24, The Agency), the leader of the 2nd, sets up camp at an abandoned high school. How long this will work for them is uncertain, but at least the military and civilians are operating on more equal footing. See, Weaver is a military guy, and he's not all that sympathetic to the non-soldiers of the group, often seeing them as a liability, even though he swears to protect them. When camping in a neighborhood, he lets the soliders sleep in the houses, but makes the civilians stay outside in tents. It's a duality that makes his character a bit unpredictable. What is clear, though, is Weaver will do his best to make sure mankind survives.

     But setting up a camp of nearly three hundred may not be the wisest idea. After all, there are between three and four thousand humans gathered in one settlement when Falling Skies begins. The leader of them all, Porter (Dale Dye, Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers), splits them up into smaller units because he fears the alien invaders will soon be able find their large camp. Three hundred is still a lot, and as the malicious creatures run out of humans to find in the cities, it shouldn't take long to locate that many people moving together along a road.

     What is unknown is the aliens' motivation for the take over. They destroy major cities and set traps to lure and kill humans in grocery stores, and yet, they are not hunting down or keeping a look out for packs moving along roadways. They also enslave teenagers, including Ben (Connor Jessup, The Saddle Club), the son of Weaver's second in command, Tom Mason (Noah Wyle, ER, The Librarian movies), with some kind of mechanical harness. So extermination is not their primary goal, but they show no remorse about killing any people they come in contact with.

     It makes sense for the aliens in Falling Skies to keep an eye on armories and stores, as small groups of humans don't post as much of a threat, and can get their food from houses. The types of bands that will be raiding larger storage spaces are those that might want to fight back. As such, some of what the aliens do makes sense. But the slavery does not, at least, not yet.

     Also strange is the fact that the aliens have six legs, but the mechanical robots they build are bipedal, like humans. Some students at the makeshift school in the 2nd ponder this, as humans build robots in their own image. Are these six legged creatures not in charge? Are there two legged aliens as well? It's a little confusing, and leaves plenty to think about.

     Tom Mason is really the main character of Falling Skies. He is a widower and former history professor with three sons, one of which, as mentioned above, has been taken by the aliens. Tom looks out much more for the civilians than Weaver does, but he also has studied military strategy, and so realizes that tough decisions sometimes have to be made. This is likely the reason why he allows his eldest son, Hal (Drew Roy, Hannah Montana, Greek), to come along on dangerous missions. The military needs every soldier it can get, and Hal is plenty old enough to hold a gun.

     In fact, Hal isn't even the youngest fighter working under Tom. Jimmy (Dylan Authors, Connor Undercover) is a mere thirteen years old. Tom doesn't seem all that comfortable allowing Jimmy in the field, but accepts Weaver's decision, knowing that every single member of their group is better off learning to defend themselves, and practical application is the only real way to learn.

     Also working for the 2nd are Dai (Peter Shinkoda, I, Robot) and Anthony (Mpho Koaho). Not much is known about these two yet, except that neither seem to have family in the group, which certainly makes them better fighters. Tom does what needs to be done, but should Hal be threatened, Tom will be distracted for his son's well being. Mike (Martin Roach, Aaron Stone) is like Tom, in that he has a son enslaved. This likely means things will not work out happily for him, as if only one of them get their kid back, Tom is a main character, so he has the better shot.

     Does this ragtag army have any chance against the technologically superior conquerors? Tom seems to think so, and as someone who has studied combat history, he may be onto something. But spreading out into smaller groups is more for survival than to fight back, and with the army on the retreat, they aren't even attempting to defeat the occupiers. Which is fine, for now. After all, it's hard to win a war when you're worried about finding something to eat, and taking care of a bunch of civilians. Settlement first, then regroup and attack.

     Of course, there have to be some love stories going on to make a series more interesting and give an element for people to care about in the long-term. Tom's potential mate is named Anne Glass (Moon Bloodgood, Terminator Salvation, Day Break), a pediatrician who lost pretty much her entire family, and is now serving as doctor to the entire group. She has a bit of help from med student Lourdes (Seychelle Gabriel, Weeds), but that is it, and there are three hundred people to care for. It's hard to see when Tom and Anne will even have the time to hook up, though they have great chemistry, and both of their spouses are dead, so they are available.

     Lourdes is a bit more aggressive than Anne, already letting the boy she likes know her intentions in a number of not-so-subtle ways. The boy is Hal, who doesn't notice, no matter how strong the signals being sent. He is entirely into his girlfriend, Karen (Jessy Schram, Life, Unstoppable). Karen and Hal have more in common, both being army scouts, rather than civilians, but the line is fuzzy here, and under the right circumstances, this triangle could erupt in a nasty way. It doesn't really bode well for Karen that she is recurring and Lourdes is a main character, even though Karen seems like a better fit.

     Do shows like Falling Skies need love interests to shake things up? After all, the focus is survival and aliens, right? Well, yes, but people are looking for physical comfort all the time, and none more so than when their lives are on the line. The danger keeps adrenaline up, and everyone needs someone at the end of the day. The little love bits make things real, and allow viewers to invest in the characters more, so it's tolerable, even enjoyable sometimes.

     Among the other civilians are Anne's two surviving relatives: her aunt Kate (Lynne Deragon) and uncle Scott (Bruce Gray, Medium, Traders), the latter of whom starts a school to educate the children, including Tom's youngest, Matt (Maxim Knight). This is the real human element, as Tom, Hal, and the others are very focused on combat. Scott and Matt are striving for something in their lives besides death and destruction. While that may be hard to understand for many, the very young and the very old have different viewpoints on life, and it's refreshing that those are represented in Falling Skies.

     The aliens are not the only threat the survivors face. Not everyone thinks it's a good idea to band together and help each other. In fact, some selfish jerks are just enjoying the chaos, finding fun where they can, and realizing it is easier to stay hidden and alive without caring for others. Falling Skies introduces a gang of rebels in the first two hours to represent these types of people, and provide a counter balance for the noble, do-gooder heroes.

     The gang is led by the notorious John Pope (Colin Cunningham, Da Vinci's Inquest, Stargate SG-1) Pope observes the 2nd, and would like to get his hands on some of the 2nd's bigger weapons, and will stop at nothing to do so. He lures Tom and a small team into a weapons depot, then kills one of their men and captures the rest. He tries to trade Weaver the hostages for some supplies, including a big, car-mounted gun. Weaver refuses.

     Should Weaver negotiate with terrorists? Probably not. As stated above, Weaver does understand his responsibility to the civilians, and won't mess with the safety of hundreds of people for the sake of a few. It's a smart tactical decision, and one Pope, with all of his self-interest, cannot understand. This leads to a showdown where Pope arrogantly attracts aliens to their position, figuring he can leverage the threat to get what he wants. The plan backfires, and Pope ends up in Weaver's custody.

     Weaver has Tom place Pope in a cell, rather than kill him, or send him away, where he might cause more trouble. In fact, Pope is listed as one of the main characters of the series. Does that mean he will soon be tamed into fitting in? If so, that will be disappointing. But Falling Skies doesn't appear to make anything easy on anyone, so hopefully that will not be the case.

     The last main character not yet mentioned, is Margaret (Sarah Sanguin Carter). She is part of Pope's gang, but doesn't seem all that happy about it. Margaret kills two of her comrades to help Tom escape. She implies she has been raped by her dead fellows, and that is plenty of motivation to turn her as soon as she has an option. What is unclear is how she will fit in with the larger group, since there has been almost no interaction between her and them. This is a wait and see thing.


     With a sweeping cast, intriguing plots, and great special effects, this is a show not to miss. Be sure to tune in to TNT every Sunday at 10 p.m. ET, the normal time slot for Falling Skies.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

Article first published as TV Review: Falling Skies - "Two-Hour Series Premiere" on Blogcritics.

Falling Skies premieres Sunday at 9 p.m. on TNT

     TNT's newst drama is Falling Skies. Produced by Steven Spielberg, it is the story of a group of humans trying to survive six months after the Earth has been taken over by aliens, All the major cities and military bases have been destroyed, most of the population is dead. Survivors band together, but are forced to split up, as large gatherings attract unwanted attention from the new rulers of the planet. The fight seems hopeless, as the 2nd Massachusetts, which comprises all of the main characters of the show, packs up to leave Boston. Sunday's two hour premiere begins at 9 p.m., and will not only introduce the main characters, but also set up a few arcs.

     Leading the 2nd is Weaver (Will Patton, 24, The Agency), a tough as tacks military man not very baby with being tasked to protect the civilians. Luckily for them, Weaver's second in command is former history professor and widower, Tom Mason (Noah Wyle, ER, The Librarian movies). Tom cares very much about others, including his three sons, one of whom has been taken by the aliens. The aliens are enslaving teenagers with some kind of mechanical harness, and Tom is determined to find and rescue his middle son, Ben (Connor Jessup, The Saddle Club).

     Also working for the second are Dai (Peter Shinkoda, I, Robot), Anthony (Mpho Koahu), and child soldier Jimmy (Dylan Authors, Connor Undercover). Tom's oldest son, Hal (Drew Roy, Hannah Montana, Greek), and his girlfriend, Karen (Jessy Schram, Life, Unstoppable), are scouts. Their pairing is threatened by medical student Lourdes (Seychelle Gabriel, Weeds), who shares an interest in Hal.

     The doctor for the small group is a pediatrician, who lost almost her entire family, named Anne Glass (Moon Bloodgood, Terminator Salvation, Day Break). Anne's surviving relatives are her aunt Kate (Lynne Deragon) and uncle Scott (Bruce Gray, Medium, Traders), the latter of whom starts a school to educate the children, including Tom's youngest, Matt (Maxim Knight).

     In the first two hours, the 2nd leaves Boston, knowing the city is lost, and looks for supplies. On their way, they encounter a group of rebels led by the notorious John Pope (Collin Cunningham, Da Vinci's Inquest, Stargate SG-1). Pope would like to get his hands on some of the 2nd's bigger weapons, and will stop at nothing to do so.

     The series evokes AMC's The Walking Dead, because of the conflicting personalities banding together to try to find some place to live, as well as defeating the seemingly unstoppable menace that now has control of their world. Not everyone is willing to help each other, and those that act out of selfishness threaten the existence of everyone. But there's also some of Battlestar Galactica's dark tones and conquered planet, as well as Terminator Salvation's underground army. It's really a compilation of a bunch of different stories, that results in something new and fresh. After watching only two hours, I am hooked.

    Be sure to tune in to TNT this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET for the two hour premiere of Falling Skies.

    If you are anxious to get a taste of the series, a sixteen chapter prequel comic book is available to view now on the official web site.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.