Summary : Decent premiere served by teasing historical references, immersive
special effects, an exciting Tom-driven twisted story and sci-fi
candies
Score : 6/10
I didn't really enjoy the few season 1 episodes I saw but at least
Eight Hours, the finale, intrigued me enough to give Falling Skies an
other chance. As expected it was back with its history and soft
sci-fi formula but for some reasons I can only admit that Worlds
Apart represented a decent entertaining escape. Of course the family
drama vibe and unbalanced acting is repelling for hardcore fans of the
alien invasion genre but once you accept the show for what it is, a
high budget production for a wide audience, then you start to focus
on its qualities.
History, history. You tend to repeat yourself my dear history. But
learning from our mistakes is part of the evolution process because
that's how humanity has both improved… and regressed. That's why
it's so vital to remember our past, educate the new generations and
of course try at all cost to reproduce the same error over and over.
The first minutes are dedicated to remember us how these activities
are important. In fact everything related to Tom Mason (Noah Wyle)
was good. From the thoughtful dialog he had to the very special room
he was in it was what made this first episode a success. Add
immersive visual effects, some dark moments and enough aliens to even
satisfy a sci-freak like me. In fact the VFX didn't blow my mind but
the outdoor sequence in bright daylight featuring many characters was
impressive.
As for the storytelling it was well done even if using flashbacks
is nothing original. But I prefer such a technique than the sharp
cuts we experience on shows like True Blood. In the end it really
felt like if the world was revolving around Tom, that the future of
mankind depended on him, making him an even greater emotional leader.
An other interesting character is Ben as his mutation is exciting to
witness. Half human, half alien. And as both sides are developed it's
even possible to relate his issues to real ones, like when you
struggle to enforce your opinion among people who aren't really open
minded.
Still I have one major complain and it's definitely the scene
featuring two characters drinking scotch. Alcohol on TV ? When kids
and teenagers are probably watching the show with their parents ?! It
totally jarred with the rest of the episode and proved that Falling
Skies hasn't find its balance yet, nor totally embraced what it's
supposed to be. Terra Nova had the same identity crisis and it ruined
it. But the rest had potential and once the episode was over I
instantly wanted to check out the next one. What's the invaders real
agenda ? How many motherships do they have ? The questions raised are
numerous and similar to the ones we had while watching films like
Independence Day and series like V. Last but not least as I clearly
identify with Tom, because I'll star in The Reviewer who Saved the
Milky Way, the cliffhanger hooked me and made the second part even
more intriguing.
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