****Terra Nova aired on the local FOX affiliate which is WTTE 28 and can be found on channel 8 . For HD channel versions, check your local cable or satellite provider for more information. ****
No bigger show let me down more than FOX’s TerraNova. I was greatly surprised by the show’s story which at first, I didn’t think much of, in terms of a log-line, but felt they properly set up a good story. And then about three episodes in, the weaker elements of the pilot began to be the full focus of the show, and I finally began to allow the show to build up in chunks over the show’s run. I will even admit to bowing out of a few episodes, which seemed to be critically the worse of the season compared to some television critics.
But, when I heard that the last four episodes or so were getting back to what made the show tick, I did decide to save the last four episodes, and give it a watch through. While TerraNova ended before the first of the new year, I still felt compelled to watch the show and divulge my final thoughts of the first season of TerraNova.
For those who don’t remember though or want a quick reminder; TerraNova centers on the Shannons, an ordinary family from 2149 when the planet is dying who are transported back 85 million years to prehistoric Earth where they join Terra Nova, a colony of humans with a second chance to build a civilization. But when the Shannons arrive, things are not what they seem. There is a terrorist cell called ‘The Sixers’ who are hell-bent on bringing down the colony (which is called, dur, Terra Nova). Protected and led by Commander Nathaniel Taylor (played by Stephen Lang) the colony of Terra Nova creates a new life for itself, amidst killer dinos, limited technology from the future, and attacks from the Sixers, who may or may not be led by Taylor’s son, who has a vendetta against his dad.
The bigger mysteries of the show have been rooted in the whole idea of who is controlling the sixers, and who is controlling Taylor’s son Lucas (Ashley Zukerman). And who, exactly, is the Sixer mole within the confines of Terra Nova? By all accounts, the mole has been found twice over, with multiple moles helping the Sixers, all of them usually having a deeper truth to them (they are being blackmailed against their will, etc) so there is no real finality to their betrayals. And then there is the Shannon family themselves, led by lead Jason O'Mara, who is climbing up the ranks as one of the few men that Taylor trusts.
Overall, TerraNova went a lot by case of the week for a while, and it was more than a bit frustrating. I get the idea that O’Mara’s Jim Shannon was a cop in the future, so he’s a cop today. And that’s great. But just don’t make it a case of the week kind of thing, which is just more than aggravating for me, who clearly sees this show as the next Fringe or the next L0ST. Luckily for the me, the last three episodes really strung together what made the pilot work well.
Sort of.
The actual attack against Terra Nova itself is skipped over, simply because Jim didn’t see it. And I get that. It’s more economical to do this, especially in a two hour finale that has tons of effects to compensate for. But at the end of the day, it felt like a cheat. But that is until Jim goes into the future and severs TerraNova from the future portal. Which was interesting. So overall it begs the question, if the show does continue to survive, what then will the show be? Will it be a dinosaur-like case of the week show? Which technically, is what it was? Or will it be about the warring sixers and Terra Nova colony?
While the show started strong, and ended strong, the middle was murky and muddled. Hopefully by Season 2’s premiere, if it gets one, then they will have those problems ironed out.
But what do YOU think, examiners?
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