Falling Skies Critique Thread

[Overmind One]

I thought pie took out your pappy so I stopped.

 

[Overmind One]

I agree.

SGU really did not change in the problem areas at all. Sanctuary on the other hand started out strong, wandered away from its own strengths but then in its last season largely fixed the problems by means of a deliberate full show reboot - unfortunately their financing got pulled just when we would have seen the benefits of the reset.

It seemed in SGU that despite the suggested changes being made by the people watching the show regularly, but not really liking it in season 1, the showrunners only made changes THEY wanted to make. In Sanctuary, they made the suggested changes, but they also changed the main character team too many times. The Inner Earth arc went too long. My favorite was the mini-arc with Tesla and the resurrection of the Vampires. But in Falling Skies, the changes to most every character is truly DRAMATIC. Maggie is a different character altogether. She went from the blonde shooter girl with a bad attitude and dubious skills, to a sensitive but strong woman with depth and self-confidence. They gave the youngest son some masculine traits befitting a much older kid. It looks good on him. They have removed the whiney, infantile brooding and hardened up the cutesy add ons. The son Hal was already a good character in season 1 so they left him alone with the exception of shipping him with Maggie. They completely removed all religious references, and they have evidently added several more overlapping tattoos on Pope's right arm to distract from the large Jesus tattoo. They have introduced a few more characters and paired up Lourdes with somebody. The aliens are starting to flesh out, the reason they are there, how they think, etc.

Im liking all of this.

 

[shavedape]

I thought pie took out your pappy so I stopped.

I've been repressing that thank you very much, but it does explain why I always cry when I eat a slice o' pie -- during Falling Skies of course. Ain't nuthin' like post-apocalyptic alien fightin' and pie. They go together like daddy and bordellos.

 

[SciphonicStranger]

I've been repressing that thank you very much, but it does explain why I always cry when I eat a slice o' pie -- during Falling Skies of course. Ain't nuthin' like post-apocalyptic alien fightin' and pie. They go together like daddy and bordellos.

I like ice cream with my pie. Most likely the 2nd Mass will soon find a fully operational Dairy Queen and everyone will enjoy some soft serve.

I think they are saving the big bordello scene for season four...

 

[Rac80]

I want to like it but......

I like the changes to the youngest son, Matt, he's turning into a regular boy-- sorry a IMHO a regular boy likes the goooey eewie stuff and whines less for his mommy! Mat getting splattered with skitter guts and loving it strikes me as typical kid-- in a Calvin & hobbes sorta way.
Hal still has too much hair-gel. I don't like the "softer" side of maggie- she had been gang-raped by pope's men-- she's not going to go all soft in a few short months...especially without intense therapy! I am still disgusted by the too coiffed and fashionably dressed wandering humans. by now they should all be looking a lot more ratty. tom has a very well trimmed beard-- sorry but Mr. Rac grew a beard the first year we were at Purdue and within 3 months (he didn't trim it) it was out of control! tom must have one of those nice beard trimmers--hmmmm wonder if it is solar powered or battery operated!
Also- it seems they are changing the skitters-- in season 1 it was obvious the harnesses turned the kids into skitters- skitters seemed to "mother" the harnessed kids by nesting with them and the kids became less and less human looking as the harnesses grew. now they are a totally different species? huh? okay confused here.
I really WANT to like this show, but they are losing me!

 

[Bluce Ree]

I thought pie took out your pappy so I stopped.

 

[Overmind One]

I like the changes to the youngest son, Matt, he's turning into a regular boy-- sorry a IMHO a regular boy likes the goooey eewie stuff and whines less for his mommy! Mat getting splattered with skitter guts and loving it strikes me as typical kid-- in a Calvin & hobbes sorta way.

The kid had the second most dramatic change of all, behind Maggie. Also, they gave Ben a big makeover too. We know why he can resist the aliens even though he has the spikes in his back. Maggie was a complete 180 from her character last season. Weaver is also much different. Hard men who lead others and are responsible for deaths under their command really DO cry. They dont do it in front of others unless they are very close to them, but they cry, tears and all. We saw it in SGU with Col Young, we saw it with Captain Picard, etc. Weaver is starting to seem much more human. The main commanding guy in Terra Nova seemed to lack this quality making him less likable to me. These showrunners seem to be aligned with their audience better than in Terra Nova or SGU.

Hal still has too much hair-gel. I don't like the "softer" side of maggie- she had been gang-raped by pope's men-- she's not going to go all soft in a few short months...especially without intense therapy! I am still disgusted by the too coiffed and fashionably dressed wandering humans. by now they should all be looking a lot more ratty. tom has a very well trimmed beard-- sorry but Mr. Rac grew a beard the first year we were at Purdue and within 3 months (he didn't trim it) it was out of control! tom must have one of those nice beard trimmers--hmmmm wonder if it is solar powered or battery operated!
Also- it seems they are changing the skitters-- in season 1 it was obvious the harnesses turned the kids into skitters- skitters seemed to "mother" the harnessed kids by nesting with them and the kids became less and less human looking as the harnesses grew. now they are a totally different species? huh? okay confused here.
I really WANT to like this show, but they are losing me!

LOL! I do agree about the heavily gelled look of Hal's hair. He looks like a model playing bad boy in this show. But I am concentrating more on his character in the show and he gives it some polish. They at least make certain he has a few smudges of grime on his face. But again, I am looking most at his character in the show and watching how he plays off the other characters. He provides almost as much leadership in the group as his father does. Magge, yes I know she had been raped by Pope's men (so they say) in season 1, but we did not SEE that. I did not like Maggie or Pope or several other characters in season one, so I didnt really care that much. All I got to see is a *leather-clad kickass blonde bad girl who has a matching gun collection cliche* like Ashley in Sanctuary, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aeon Flux (Charlise Theron), etc.

The beard thing is curious, to be sure. Men who can grow beards and any man who wears his facial hair knows that his neatly trimmed beard or mustache or sideburns will be "out of control" in a matter of HOURS! But the dirt smudges are there to throw off that effect. Im not as concerned with that. BTW, Rick, the black kid that died last episode, his hair would look like Greer's wig only 20 times worse! It would have those grass burrs with the spikes in them that we all know from walking through tall grass. And how do ANY of the females get to have highlights in their hair? Wouldn't all of the women with dyed hair have their natural hair back?

Still, I am able to successfully suspend belief and enjoy this show this season. I know I am in the minority here, but Im liking it now!

 

[captainfalcon]

you douchebags are really bitching that the guys beards arent long enough and the girls arent ugly enough? jesus christ if thats what you have to try to point out to really rip this show it has to be doing pretty well. you sound like jaded pricks and are nitpicking pretty damn hard. honestly, if youre trying to, or want to like this show like a few of you have said, you really should have no problem doing so this show has been great through both seasons so far

 

[SciphonicStranger]

you douchebags are really bitching that the guys beards arent long enough and the girls arent ugly enough? jesus christ if thats what you have to try to point out to really rip this show it has to be doing pretty well. you sound like jaded pricks and are nitpicking pretty damn hard. honestly, if youre trying to, or want to like this show like a few of you have said, you really should have no problem doing so this show has been great through both seasons so far

Gee, hello to you too.

 

[Bluce Ree]

you douchebags are really bitching that the guys beards arent long enough and the girls arent ugly enough? jesus christ if thats what you have to try to point out to really rip this show it has to be doing pretty well. you sound like jaded pricks and are nitpicking pretty damn hard. honestly, if youre trying to, or want to like this show like a few of you have said, you really should have no problem doing so this show has been great through both seasons so far

You must be one of the show writers. Welcome to Gatefans.

The show is about the aftermath of an alien invasion, a cataclysmic event that's left the world technologically and militarily crippled with 90% of the human species wiped out and follows a group of survivors who've banded together in the worst of circumstances. So, yeah, cry me a damned river if you find it whiny that I'd like to see the people actually look like they're "surviving" and not living a pampered life with coiffed hairdos and make-up, conveniently finding fully stocked, pristine hospitals and don't even try to be stealthy like lighting up the entire complex they're "hiding" in. That's the kind of shit I expect from General Hospital or Days of Our Lives not a post-apocalyptic sci-fi series with a multi-million dollar per-episode budget.

 

[Illiterati]

you douchebags are really bitching that the guys beards arent long enough and the girls arent ugly enough? jesus christ if thats what you have to try to point out to really rip this show it has to be doing pretty well. you sound like jaded pricks and are nitpicking pretty damn hard. honestly, if youre trying to, or want to like this show like a few of you have said, you really should have no problem doing so this show has been great through both seasons so far

They're not saying either thing, captainfalcon. They're saying that the people were too looking too "clean" and in good shape for the parts they were playing. As a woman, I can tell you that coming up with a tidy hairstyle can take some time to accomplish, and it's difficult to picture a woman spending time doing something like that, as well as applying makeup, when lives are on the line. If electricity is dicey, that makes it even more difficult for a woman to do her hair, as using a blowdryer is practically ubiquitous anymore.

Also, no one here has said that the men should be looking like Rip Van Winkle here, just that shaving on a regular basis also probably isn't a big thing for people afraid that the aliens are going to attack and either kidnap or kill them.

That the showrunner is now paying attention to the minutiae is a good thing. Keep in mind that fans can and do now watch shows over and over again, and have the opportunity to nitpick what they see as errors. Viewers are becoming very good at spotting errors in a show, and are known for pointing them out to the world at large. DVRs and the like are wonderful for slow motion and stop motion, and screen shots of errors are easier to get than a traffic ticket.

If you read the entire thread, you will see that several of the people watching this show are fans of it. They have been saying that they are seeing improvements.

They certainly are not "douchebags", and coming out and saying such a thing in your first post on the board (welcome to the Monkey House, by the way), isn't particularly cool.

 

[Joelist]

you douchebags are really bitching that the guys beards arent long enough and the girls arent ugly enough? jesus christ if thats what you have to try to point out to really rip this show it has to be doing pretty well. you sound like jaded pricks and are nitpicking pretty damn hard. honestly, if youre trying to, or want to like this show like a few of you have said, you really should have no problem doing so this show has been great through both seasons so far

Um....Welcome to the forums???



On a different note, I suggest you go back and reread the member commentary. The show has gotten better (last season stunk) but it does have its quirks (like all the women being neatly coiffed). One can mention these things while still thinking the show overall is improving. It's called objective and balanced commentary.

 

[Bluce Ree]

They're not saying either thing, captainfalcon. They're saying that the people were too looking too "clean" and in good shape for the parts they were playing. As a woman, I can tell you that coming up with a tidy hairstyle can take some time to accomplish, and it's difficult to picture a woman spending time doing something like that, as well as applying makeup, when lives are on the line. If electricity is dicey, that makes it even more difficult for a woman to do her hair, as using a blowdryer is practically ubiquitous anymore.

Also, no one here has said that the men should be looking like Rip Van Winkle here, just that shaving on a regular basis also probably isn't a big thing for people afraid that the aliens are going to attack and either kidnap or kill them.

That the showrunner is now paying attention to the minutiae is a good thing. Keep in mind that fans can and do now watch shows over and over again, and have the opportunity to nitpick what they see as errors. Viewers are becoming very good at spotting errors in a show, and are known for pointing them out to the world at large. DVRs and the like are wonderful for slow motion and stop motion, and screen shots of errors are easier to get than a traffic ticket.

If you read the entire thread, you will see that several of the people watching this show are fans of it. They have been saying that they are seeing improvements.

They certainly are not "douchebags", and coming out and saying such a thing in your first post on the board (welcome to the Monkey House, by the way), isn't particularly cool.

Long gone are the days where viewers just swallowed whatever was fed to them. I bet the networks and show-runners wished the 70's would come back.

 

[SciphonicStranger]

I feel bad now, I think I may have nit picked about the logic flaws in this TV show.

Sorry! :uncomfortableness:

 

[Illiterati]

Long gone are the days where viewers just swallowed whatever was fed to them. I bet the networks and show-runners wished the 70's would come back.

I've spoken with showrunners who HATE that the fans notice the screwups. It really really pisses them off.

But as I said before, DVRs and the like have enabled us, the fans, to see the mess ups. Like wandering levels in beverages during the course of a scene (I love it when they pop up and down like the tides, don't you?), moving pins, hair styles (keep an eye on those bits of hair that wander down onto a forehead. They can move up and down, depending on the camera angle), etc.

We should probably have a general thread somewhere with a title along the lines of "What Did The Continuity Department Miss THIS Time?"

 

[Overmind One]

Wha?

you douchebags are really bitching that the guys beards arent long enough and the girls arent ugly enough? jesus christ if thats what you have to try to point out to really rip this show it has to be doing pretty well. you sound like jaded pricks and are nitpicking pretty damn hard. honestly, if youre trying to, or want to like this show like a few of you have said, you really should have no problem doing so this show has been great through both seasons so far

How WOOOODE!, if you bothered to read the thread, you would see that several of us here like this show. I am one of them. I did not like the first season as much as I like the second, and I really dig the changes they made in the central characters and the look and feel of the show.

What is it with some people that they come into a new house and immediately start throwing themselves around? How about a hello or at least a properly punctuated sentence? Hopefully you will start reading some of the stuff here and then you can rant to your heart's content. Please read our Code of Conduct and Posting Guidelines. We are an outspoken, but polite bunch. No need to come in here with that log on your shoulders. So, you get the welcome wagon PLUS.

WELCOME TO GATEFANS!

+

Lets hear your take on the show instead of you attacking others for hating it.

 

[Graybrew1]

Insulting us on first post is pretty harsh. I have posted both good and bad about this show. I did not care for Noah Wylie's portrayal in this in the beginning. He was far too touchy feely, I think they have hardened him up more now and he is starting to grow on me. I loved him in "The Librarian" movies, so I am not a hater. I loved Pope's character at first and now they are taking him too far, IMO. I am very happy we got to see the aliens. I hated the baby showers and birthday crap at the beginning and glad to see that go. The youngest son is quite annoying at times. The head military guy is a bit over the top cheesy gung ho at times. Overall the show is okay. I know it is renewed and that is somewhat bittersweet. I would rather have gotten another year of Eureka or Sancturay. So be it, for now I will hope for more improvement and enjoy the good parts.

 

[shavedape]

Clearly middle school is on break

you douchebags are really bitching that the guys beards arent long enough and the girls arent ugly enough? jesus christ if thats what you have to try to point out to really rip this show it has to be doing pretty well. you sound like jaded pricks and are nitpicking pretty damn hard. honestly, if youre trying to, or want to like this show like a few of you have said, you really should have no problem doing so this show has been great through both seasons so far

Aw, someone didn't make the cut for cheer leading squad summer camp and now they've got nothing to do but sit in their room and illiterately pout online (No capital letters in your post? None? Seriously?).

Buck up lil' snowflake -- you are special! I know being 15 is a really confusing and troubling time and that you feel that no one understands you hence your need to lash out to get attention -- any kind of attention, even negative attention. The good news is that you've landed in a place where the folks really don't give a shit about your juvenile insults so why don't you carry your lame ass back over to GateWorld where it's all lollipop critiques and rainbow farts and nary a harsh word is spoken (for fear of angering the fanboys).

 

[Overmind One]

Aw, someone didn't make the cut for cheer leading squad summer camp and now they've got nothing to do but sit in their room and illiterately pout online (No capital letters in your post? None? Seriously?).

Buck up lil' snowflake -- you are special! I know being 15 is a really confusing and troubling time and that you feel that no one understands you hence your need to lash out to get attention -- any kind of attention, even negative attention. The good news is that you've landed in a place where the folks really don't give a shit about your juvenile insults so why don't you carry your lame ass back over to GateWorld where it's all lollipop critiques and rainbow farts and nary a harsh word is spoken (for fear of angering the fanboys).

View attachment 7421

 

[Bluce Ree]

Aw, someone didn't make the cut for cheer leading squad summer camp and now they've got nothing to do but sit in their room and illiterately pout online (No capital letters in your post? None? Seriously?).

Buck up lil' snowflake -- you are special! I know being 15 is a really confusing and troubling time and that you feel that no one understands you hence your need to lash out to get attention -- any kind of attention, even negative attention. The good news is that you've landed in a place where the folks really don't give a shit about your juvenile insults so why don't you carry your lame ass back over to GateWorld where it's all lollipop critiques and rainbow farts and nary a harsh word is spoken (for fear of angering the fanboys).

View attachment 7421