Falling Skies Hits The Big Screen!

I Went To Watch A TV Show And A Movie Broke Out!!!

Imagine the horror!  Survive the unthinkable! Say goodbye to everything you know! And, oh yeah, grab your popcorn!

Falling Skies to a trip back to Seventies last Sunday night with the episode, "Journey to Xibalba".

This was actually a fairly decent episode.  Jonathan Frakes is no slouch when it comes to building dramatic excitement. To me, this one hour episode had all the flair and nostalgia of a 1970's disaster movie.  Let's start with the incident that sent everything tumbling downward when we experienced a...

Buildings toppled! Glass shattered! Lovers are trapped in a lasting embrace!

Actually, it was the Espheni ant farm also known as Lourdes.  That little sneak planted a bomb that brought down the house.  I think it was her plan to take out as many of the 2nd Mass as she could in hopes that her own limp frame would be placed some where near Cochise.  Guess that worked out pretty well.

Anyway back to the romance!

I think Frakes wanted to put some of our principle players in jeopardy so they could work out their respective difference and conflicts.  An experiment of sorts but on a smaller scale instead of the larger ensemble working together.

Naturally, Hal and Maggie found themselves together.  As it turns out Maggie did resent being left behind when  the Masons went off in search of Anne and Lexie.  She doesn't like being the lone wolf after all.  Hal, for his part, exorcised his demons about everything being his fault.  Now on top of all that he's doomed the one person he loves.  Maggie provides solace for the two of them when she exclaims that she'd rather go out like this instead of alone.  It seems to sooth Hal's guilt ridden heart.

But wait!  What of our leaders!?  Who's in control!? It's almost like were flying on a wing and a prayer.  Could this be a disaster at the....

Who's piloting this thing anyway?  Are they OK!!!????

The two pilots that are supposed to be leading our hardy band of survivors, Tom and Marina, are also trapped together.  Taking out the leadership of Charleston is a good way to topple the resistance.  Lourdes was pretty lucky in this regard.  Like any good disaster flick, one of the pilots is blinded.  Try landing your 747 of plucky outcasts without being able to see.  Fortunately for Marina, Tom has a knack for getting out of tough scrapes.  Did I tell you how Tom got back from Boston?  He managed to right the ship as if it were the....

So if Tom isn't the President anymore can we at least make him a Captain.

I was wondering how Tom was going to make it back to Charleston in a hurry.  It's not like he had the Fringe Monorail that could get from Boston to New York in the blink of an eye.  Sailing will do.  No doubt Tom made it in record time, probably sometime around the morning after. 

Tom's unique survival skills also set up the plot line wherein he can't be trusted again.  Sure is convenient how this guy keeps popping up.  Something that isn't lost on our resident berserker in chief.  It looks like Pope is ready for....

Hold it, hold it, hold it!  That's not a seventies disaster movie.  Nice try Pope, you're not the leader yet.  Can we get back on track here.

So where were we?  Oh yes, shattered glass, crumbling concrete, flames licking about!  It's as if the whole world of Charleston is about to come tumbling down like it was a...

Oh please, no one really dies in these movies.  Not if you're pure and innocent.

Or if you hang around with rats...

Do you suppose Kadar ever saw the movie Willard?

Happily, all's well that ends well.  Lourdes was finally outed and captured as the mole.

I guess you could say her plans went down like the......

Ha, ha, you knew I had to work that one in somehow!

I Dreamed I Saw the Best Falling Skies Episode of the Season.

Was that not the best episode of the season?

I'm not sure it advanced the plot line all that much but it gave us a window into what might of been, and where Tom's true love really lies.

Our favorite lapdog to the Overlords, Karen (I'm sorry Karen, was that harsh?) was up to her old tricks again.  This time she employed some face hugging technology in order to extract information from the captive Tom Mason.

The results were quite revealing.

Let's start with the most surprising reveal into the psyche of Tom Mason.

In this iteration of Tom's "world that could have been" his current love, Anne Glass, is the "other woman".  She's a temptress of sorts.  She knows all about him, and in a way, could lead to the destruction of the family life Tom holds so dearly.  She's intimate, sly, naughty and at the end, a little scary.

Why is this?  Is this the way Tom really sees Anne?  An interloper threatening to wreak havoc on his normal happy life?  We could excuse this paradigm shift as a machination of Karen's torture device.  Perhaps the face-hugger has a way of manipulating what you think and turns what you hold dear into something so unsettling.  That's not the way it played out for the rest of the characters so we'll have to keep an eye on the Tom/Anne relationship once they are reunited.

Speaking of the "Face Hugging Device" it looks a little Alien doesn't it?  Pun intended!  This device is obviously intended to delve into the sub-conscious mind.  In the movie Alien it was the host that impregnated the carrier with the Xenomorph entity. In this show it is the conduit to Karen's machinations.

Right?

I'm not sure of this but Karen does seem to have some influence on it's operation.  Maybe not total control but enough to "Police" it's purpose.  That's why we see her as pictured above. 

It's a tough question.  Is this Tom's mind acting independently or is Karen's device influencing his thought?  The answer to which will be crucial to the future of Tom and Anne's relationship.

Ok, before I get to spinning my wheels on that conundrum let's talk of the Greek Chorus that is Weavers' vagrant.

I loved this.  As the avatar of Tom's conscience, Weaver is constantly warning Tom to wake up.  This goes to show how close the two of them have become.  We've often heard from each of them how indispensable the other has become.  Here, Tom's sub-conscious seems to be acting independently of Karen's device.  Weavers' voice is full throated and ustakeable with it's intent, "Wake up Tom!"

So why is he a vagrant.  Filthy, downtrodden, abandoned by society.  Why should you trust him?  Ah, perhaps this is where the device has some input.  The message is getting through but make the messanger unreliable.  I think it's no coincidence that Karen is the trusted Cop in this scenario.

Devious.

So let's take a look at the rest of our cast and crew.

So Pope is a philosophy professor.  How charitable.  I guess that still makes him the free thinker in Tom's mind.  The agitator and counter culture voice that Tom deems invaluable.  Still a cad though!

What does Tom think of Lourdes?  Well, she's not working in the medical or counseling department.  Instead she seems second tier, a mere student.  One that is willing to sleep with her teacher also.  Tom doesn't seem to have a very high opinion of her.  Is this the Device's way of protecting her role as the mole?  Maybe so.  Pope"s "dream world" role seems about right but Lourdes?  Something doesn't ring true.  Device or dream?

How about Maggie's role?  She seemed a little flirty herself didn't she?  A little, in-your-face, I-know-what you're-thinking-professor type of gal.  Sure she's a confident go getter that predicts an easy A on the exam.  But, damn, that was a little too close girlfriend.  Dial back the charm a tad.  Is this how Tom sees Maggie?  We got a quick look on how Tom sees Hal's dream girlfriend.  Is this a bit of transference to Maggie?  I'm hoping not. 

Hopefully Tom sees Maggie as a true leader and that explains her can-do attitude.  It may come off a little strong but no harm intended.

It was funny how Tom saw Matt as his little "mole".  Tom's subconscious knows to look for the mole but under the influence of Karen's face-hugger his thoughts are sublimated to poor little Matt.  It's no surprise that "Mole Matt" is spying on Hal who was thought to be the original mole.  Nice touch.

Hal's a playboy in Tom's dream world and Ben is the sensitive one.  The boys seem happy and healthy just as Tom would wish them to be.  Hal seems independent but reckless (wear your rain coat son).  Ben is different now that he is harness free in real life.  The same but different, maybe better.  Is that why Tom's subconscious allows Ben to confront Tom in his office?  That's the professor's inner sanctum but Ben fears it not.

Impressive.

Let's look at the rest of the characters in Tom's dream world.

Good for Anthony to be held in such high regard.  He's leading the investigation to uncover the mole and according to Tom's subconscious he's the Dean of the School.

I miss Dai.  I still can't understand why they had to kill him off.  Well, he's back for this episode and he's the angry husband.  This could be some transference over Dai's death.  Tom feels responsible for the loss of Dai so his subconscious has brought him back to scold Tom for his irresponsibility.  Guilt can be an overpowering emotion.  You need to get over this Tom.  (And find more ways to bring back Dai.)

Jeanne Weaver plays a supporting role in Tom's dream world.

Literally.

She's his secretary.  OK, not to demean Jeanne, we could see her a as filter of sorts to protect Tom.  In that she is a gatekeeper to keep Tom from ill will.  It almost worked but Anne got through anyway.  (So if Jeanne is the Gatekeeper then is the Keymaster?)

Here's the toughest one of them all.

I love Jennifer Ferrin.  I first swooned over her for her role on "Life on Mars" (USA version).  I was happy for her when she landed a role on "The Cape".  When "The Following" came knocking I was thrilled to see her again.  Has that been cancelled?

Jennifer Ferrin gives such soulful performances.  Maybe it is her expressive eyes.  As Tom's wife, Rebecca, she still has a hold on Tom's memories.  This was the saddest part of the episode.  Tom finds his old home in Boston, complete with Christmas list left on the Fridge.  Tom wanders up to the bedroom when he hears a noise.  Finding nothing he lays his head on the pillow he once shared with Rebecca.

Her spirit pleads with him to move on, there is nothing here for him anymore.

"You're here".

Too bad they don't give out Emmy's to science fiction characters (right, John Noble?) Tom looked so incredibly sad and I'm sure everyone in the viewing audience felt his pain.

So, best episode of the season?

I still haven't decided which is more responsible for Tom's dream world.  The face hugging device or his subconscious.  I'm leaning towards the subconscious.  The device may have induced the state but the world building was up to Tom. 

It's a long walk back from Boston Tom, you're going to need the rest when you get to Charleston.  Try not to dream so much when you do.

I'm Bugged Over the Mole Problem *Updated!*

Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, Lourdes is the Mole.

It's not often I can be fooled by TV.  But they got me this time.  After weeks of speculation I had come firmly down on the side that Marina Peralta was the mole.  There was no doubt in my mind that Hal was a false flag and all signs pointed to Marina.

Wrong!

I fell for the ol' double false flag.  The ol' "pull the rug from out under you" TV trick.

Sucker!

I am chagrined.  So there are two things that I immediately gleaned from this.  (Aside from, one, being a sucker.)

1. I am so glad Marina isn't the mole after all.  I love Gloria Reubens in her role.  She's been such a great addition to the show.  Her chemistry with Noah Wyle has been unmistakeable.
2. Lourdes?  Seriously?  What is her connection with the Espheni?  Am I so jaded with the series by this time that I missed the interaction with Lourdes and the enemy?  When did she get "infected"?  (See Lourdes infection update below!)

Does this really work as Lourdes being the mole?  She just can't go on shooting everyone that is a threat.  Wouldn't she and the Espheni be better served if she just laid low and stole all their secrets?  Eventually, high profile murder is going to get you caught.  What kind of spy takes those chances?  Security is going to be so locked down now that no one would get even close to Peralta.  Well, except her doctor maybe and with Anne being gone I guess that leaves Lourdes.

Gulp!

We'll have to see how successfully Falling Skies pulls this off.  Are we going to get some back story into Lourdes interacting with the Espheni?  A series of explanatory flashbacks?

Or did she have sex with Hal and he infected her?

Yuck, I hope not!

So, now someone with the complete trust of all is their greatest threat.  Terrific.

I wonder what to make of the scene where Lourdes is knelt in prayer.  Is there a vestige of her former self still alive in there somewhere, the one that embraced Jesus as her savior?  Or was that another false flag just to perpetuate her cover for the benefit of the Charleston survivors and we the viewing audience?

Remember when Hal used to constantly fight with himself over the control of his tortured psyche?  The battle between good Hal and evil Hal?  Why doesn't that happen with Lourdes?  Shouldn't she stumble and out herself much like Hal did?

I'm guessing it's the sheer number of creepy crawly things that are now setting up shop inside Lourdes that is preventing this internal struggle.

She is way gone.

So now she is the savior of mankind right?

Cochise did say that once the Espheni Sky-Net goes up that all their Beings including their converted Skitters et-al will be immune to it's effects.  Humanity will die off within months according to our favorite Volm.  But what about the converted or hybrid humans?

Baby Lexie should be good right?

She's a product of the Espheni.  To a degree so is Ben and Tom.  Both infected.  Anne was infected also we have to assume.  Her baby was a product of her and Tom.  Tom was infected.  Hal was infected at one point and he slept with Maggie.  Are they both safe now?

It may well be that Lourdes intends on infecting everyone in Charleston with her bio-mechanical insects or perhaps even through some genetic level.  Everyone will be saved.  Infected and enslaved, yes, but saved none the less.

If Lourdes is outed as the mole we could also expect her to be captured.  This would afford Roger Kadar the "Rat King" to synthesize a cure either by getting Espheni DNA from Lourdes or taking the bugs from her and replicating and injecting them into the Charleston survivors.  Not a full dose, just enough to protect them from the Overlord Sky-Net.

Not a bad theory.

You may ask yourselves, "What if the Volm weapon is effective won't that save everyone?"

Eh, my other theory is that humanity with their mounting suspicions will drive the Volm away.  It'll turn out the Volm were the good guys all along but it will be too late for humanity and they will be left to their own devices.

C'mon Rat King!



Gif and tumblr photos courtesy of Classy but Sassy and Luihell.  Good stuff, check them out.

*Update!*

I was perusing the internet this morning for an image Lourdes for my Tumblr page when I happened upon this little gem.

It show Lourdes praying by the bedside of the recently returned Tom Mason from the season 2 opener, "Worlds Apart".  This answers my question when did Lourdes ever have the opportunity to be infected by the Espheni Bio-bugs?  I have to assume they came from Tom!  That means she's been infected since then and unbeknownst to Tom he was the carrier.

Twist!


Bedside picture courtesy of wormholeriders.net.

Oh No They Didn't!

They Smile in Your Face, All the Time They Want to Take Your Place, The Back Stabbers!

Did they just hand the keys to the kingdom to the mole in this last episode of Falling Skies?

I'm saying they did.  Back in my June 16th blog entry Karen, Karen, Karen I posited that Gloria Reuben's Marina was a good bet to be the mole.  She asks all the wrong questions and she's always where she shouldn't be.  Or as far as she's concerned, all the right questions and at the right place at the right time.

Well played Marina, well played.

The Falling Skies Facebook page has been listing various characters as suspects but much of the suspicion fell on Hal.  He even proclaimed himself as the mole once the bio-nano-bug was removed. 

Naturally, everyone bought into it, even the ever taunting Pope. 

By the way, earlier in the episode, Ben put Pope's lights out for a brash remark.  So when does this guy get a bullet?  Seriously, is he that important?

After rescuing Tom Mason the previous episode and sitting by his bedside for two days he is now running book on the Mason family survival during the hostage standoff.  He even gets close to Weaver with a gun when Weaver catches him at his grim game.

Is Pope a sociopath or does he just have a poor memory?

Sorry, back to Marina.  So now she is the new president, she has the plans to the Volm device and the entire Mason family is out of the picture.

How convenient.

If that doesn't scream mole what does?  Will she be outed as the mole by the next episode?  I think not.  We seem to be stretching things out a little this season.  My guess she'll be outed by the penultimate episode.

So what is our movie tie in for the week?  A lot of digital ink has been spilled over Hal being HAL, the homicidal computer from 2001 A Space Odyssey.  A natural enough comparison. 

I think rather, The Manchurian Candidate from 1962 is a better candidate.  The character of Shaw played by Laurence Harvey is similar to Hal.  Both were brainwashed to some degree and both are being manipulated by puppet`master women.  For Shaw it was his mother.  For Hal it is his former girlfriend Karen.

There is also a presidential angle to each entry.  Shaw was to assassinate the presidential candidate so his dupe step father could vie for the job.  In this past episode of Falling Skies, Tom, Hal's father is the president.  Remarkably similar. 

There is another amazing similarity between the two vehicles.  As pictured above, Laurence Harvey uses a scoped rifle to exact his nefarious deed.  In a bit of a twist, Falling Skies puts the nominal assassin, Hal, at the wrong end of the rifle.

In this case, Tector has Hal lined up but fortunately for all things Mason he doesn't pull the trigger.

There is a unique solution to the Manchurian Candidate conundrum.  Laurence Harvey's Shaw decides to fight the brainwashing and puts a bullet in his own head.  The mind controlled Hal follows a similar path.  His solution is also to put a bullet to his own head.  However the twist here is that mind controlled Hal doesn't want to be captured.  His aim is just a little off and good Hal eventually returns to the fold.

Too bad Karen, nice try.  Where has she been lately anyway?  Watching Sixties movies for her next plot?  We'll find out next week!

The Defiant Ones

Sunday night's episode of Falling Skies, "Search and Recovery" gave us a look at Hollywood's distant past and a lesson on how two opponents can learn to survive together.

The episode begins with the immediate aftermath of the plane crash involving General Bressler, Tom Mason and John Pope.  Bressler has died in the crash which means the two uneasy allies in the form of Pope and Mason are left to fend for themselves in the wild.  They are hundreds of miles from Charleston so they have to travel through difficult and unfriendly terrain in order to make it back safely.

While Pope and Mason fight along side each other the animus between them is no secret.  Mason sees Pope as an undisciplined wild card, a lone wolf that cares little for others.  For his part Pope sees Mason as a rigid authoritarian that is bookish and afraid of taking chances.

It's not long before their uneasy alliance for survival takes a bad turn and the two rivals come to blows as their latent mistrust for each other surges forth.  Their fight is a vicious one and it quickly turns from fists to knives.  I was a bit taken aback by this.  The knives signal this is a fight to the death.  While I knew Mason and Pope didn't like each other, I didn't think it would turn deadly.  There is a lot of hate there apparently.

 
 Before I continue let's take a look at the cultural antecedent that preceded this Falling Skies episode.

"The Defiant Ones" was movie released in 1958 and starred Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis.  It predated the Civil Rights movement of the Sixties and paired a white man and a black man in chains forced to survive with each other after their escape from a prison truck accident.  The conceit of the movie is the exploration of what would happen when two men that were seen as polar opposites were forced to depend on each other for survival.  At that time racial bigotry was still in full swing and the pairing of a white man and a black one learning to fend for each other was seen as an impossibility. 

This was actually a brave approach by the movies producers.  The pairing of these "polar opposites" drew great curiosity by the movie going public and garnered the movie eight academy award nominations winning two of the golden statues.  It seems while America was still steeped in racism the seeds of tolerance were beginning to bloom and many people were either secretly or openly hoping these two men could learn to live with each other.

The similarities between the two protagonists of "The Defiant Ones" and our "Falling Skies" heroes is unmistakable.  Polar opposites thrown into an extreme situation and having to rely on each other to survive.  By the time "The Defiant Ones" was coming to a close the two partners had come to an impasse and decided to part ways.  Mason and Pope had also reached their own impasse and parted ways. 

Yet as in "The Defiant Ones" our two heroes decided it was better to survive together than to go it alone.  The character played by Tony Curtis in the Defiant Ones learned his partner was in imminent danger and returned to rescue him.  Pope played a similar role in this episode and returned to defend Tom against the Skitters.  The bond they forged in their ordeal was too strong to break.

The Defiant Ones ended up back in prison but their friendship was sealed forever.  Mason and Pope made it back to Charleston and as Mason slept for two days Pope stayed by his side.

Perhaps now the two have learned something from each other.  The animus can be set aside as there are larger issues at stake.  A new stronger future can be built together led by a new generation of defiant ones.