CATCHING UP: Falling Skies (Season One, Episode Six – “Sanctuary: Part 1”)

First aired July 17th, 2011.

Ben (played by Connor Jessup) is back with his family, and it seems being abducted agreed with him: he’s no longer asthmatic and can do over 100 pushups without breaking a sweat. Unfortunately, the spikes from the harness are still in his back and he’s developed Stockholm Syndrome since he referred to his time with the Skitters as being with a “family.” People are also wary of having a “razorback” living with them and fear he will bring an imminent Skitter attack.

This plot is overshadowed by the arrival of Terry Clayton (Henry Czerny) from the 7^th Mass., a now decimated resistance camp. He conveniently shows up in time to recover medicine a fleeing family stole after assaulting Anne (Moon Bloodgood), and to warn them that an alien scouting party was nearby searching for resistance fighters and children to abduct. Sure enough, it arrives that night and Clayton suggests taking all the young boys and girls from the 2^nd Mass. to a nearby “secure location” for protection.

About two minutes after arriving, Clayton reveals himself as a traitor, taking the young boy of the family that earlier robbed Anne and delivering him to Skitters as part of a deal. His involvement with Skitters was heavily hinted at but was executed well. The scene where he hands off the little boy to a harnessed girl was really creepy. The ending of the episode nicely sets up a major showdown between the 2^nd Mass. and Clayton’s group.

We get to see more of Captain Weaver (Will Patton) than simply his gruff exterior. He has a soft side that comes out through a budding bond with thirteen-year-old soldier Jimmy (Dylan Authors). Jimmy has a desperate need to prove himself which almost gets him killed, twice. The second time he’s saved by Weaver. This could be the beginning of more emotional range for Weaver.

Anne is again pushed mostly to the side, but at least her assault taught her the importance of owning a gun during the end of the world. She put up a good fight (if she had access to a scalpel she might have beat him), but how anyone could feel safe without a gun is beyond me. Now that she’s packing, maybe we’ll see more of her fighting Skitters.

Sadly, over halfway through the first season, Falling Skies still can’t decide what to do with several of its main characters. Two glaring examples are Dai (Peter Shinkoda) and Anthony (Mpho Koaho), both of whom have been barely been fleshed out and do next to nothing when they appear on screen. Dai rarely talks, not because he’s the silent type but because the writers can’t seem to give him anything meaningful to say. If both characters disappeared from the show, it would have no impact on viewers at all. It’d be almost like Chuck Cunningham Syndrome.

Quotes/Thoughts

“I can’t stop talking. Am I in shock? I think I’m in shock.”

Pope (Colin Cunningham) is back! He was the one who gave up the 2^nd Mass. to Clayton but his smart remarks were missed.

There is a bright side to no television or video games: kids are playing outside again.

“I never liked guns.” “Neither did I. Then, after a couple of months, it’s as comfortable as a credit card. Don’t leave home without it.”

Why are the Skitters only interested in child labor and not taking adults?

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