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Finally got a chance to watch this. Yay for TiVo!
Good set up for this episode. The Skitters are coming - apparently they've decided that the smaller units ARE worth their attention. They've wiped out a neighboring unit, and are on their way to the location of our heroes. They've got to wait to join up with a neighboring unit, so there's some tension built in. The fighters are tossing around the idea of sending the children ahead to a rally point, but the civvies don't like the idea.
So we've got a good set up. Does the episode deliver? You bet it does - in what is easily the best episode yet. Click the link below to read more.
The Play-by-Play
Ben is up and about and seemingly quasi normal, and gives a bit of info about his time with Skitter Dad. Skitter Dad could read his mind and it wasn't half bad. He says that he misses it - sometimes. Son #1 is suspicious/worried...Ben seems like a different kid. Seems okay to me.
Meanwhile, fighters are fortifying the school for the Skitter attack. Sounds good to me.
Dr. Bloodgood gets robbed in the beginning of the episode and is moping around for the first while. Maggie gives her a gun (Italian stainless INOX Beretta 92 from the looks of it), and some not very good shooting instruction. Apparently only the Terminator needs a shooting stance. Girl time at the range is good though.
Civvies/feeders are causing a lot of problems and making a lot of threats this time around. Though I'm not sure why the guy with a shoulder holster is a "feeder" and the 14 year old kid is a fighter. Anyone have any insight on this?
The Skitter attack has begun. Oh...nice scene with the sneaky Skitter in the stairwell. I guess there's a reason Jimmy is a fighter...he's not going down without a fight. He does need to load more ammo into his sidearm, though.
Skitter crushing globe = classic.
Gun toss & simultaneous shotgun to the head = another classic moment.
So they've taken out the Scout Patrol and they're still waiting on the 3rd Mass. Skitter attack is imminent at this point.
Another civvy who should be a fighter is causing trouble. Ben is getting persecuted for his rehabed harness status. Son #1 and Maggie intervene.
Ben and Noah Wylie have a heart to heart. Ben tells his dad that yes, he is actually happy to be free from Skitter mind control. That's good.
Pow-wow is held and the decision is made to send kids ahead. Extra escots O'brien and Fuller are redshirts and will probably (definitely) die. We've got 10 minutes left so I smell a plot twist coming.
Son #1 is going ahead, too. And apparently everyone has forgotten about poor old Karen, stuck in Skitter mind control. Guess it wasn't true love, after all.
Final goodbyes are said. Mason (Noah Wylie) and Anne (Dr. Bloodgood) can be seen holding hands. Guess they're downplaying the romance, here.
Kids are marching ...marching, marching...new guy (Clayton) is taking them on a "shortcut" not on the map...hmm, they're far too trusting of him...Plot twist in...5, 4, 3, 2...
Looks like Clayton is in league with the Skitters, who have appropriately selected a creepy vampire-esque girl to be their mouthpiece. He's got a deal with the Skitters, giving them kids in exchange for safety, or so it seems. It's not clear if he's operating by himself, if the other kids are prisoners at this point, etc.
Oh, another twist - new guy has Pope prisoner, and it was our ol' buddy Pope who tipped him off about the kids at the school. Next week follows into this - our heroes have to go get their kids back from evil new guy.
Anyways, best episode so far, in my opinion. Didn't payoff on a massive Skitter attack, but lots of good stuff none-the-less. More of this, less of what we've seen in the couple weeks prior.
It looks like the show's creator, Robert Rodat, was the sole writer behind this episode, where in the weeks prior he's had a co-writer - maybe the co-writers are to blame? The next several episodes look to be just him, too, so I am hoping the means we'll see this higher quality level in the weeks to come.
It looks like TNT has renewed Falling Skies for another 10 episode season, slated for summer 2012.