Falling Skies Discussion Thread *spoilers*

[Joelist]

I will be interested in seeing GF76's review of this show.

To me while it had a few spots of action (which were actually decently choreographed), it wound up being too slow. Too many ensemble characters make it hard to keep the story in focus and too much screen time spent on side issues not bearing on the overall plot.

On the good side it actually did not get overly soapy.

 

[shavedape]

I found myself flipping to a rerun of "Buffy" while watching "Falling Skies". It just got too boring and lame in spots. Perhaps it's me but just about every single beat of the show was telegraphed well in advance. It just didn't keep my interest.

I know I won't go out of my way to watch more of it. If it happens to be on while my butt is sitting in front of the TV I'll watch it but that's about it. I figure if I catch the last episode this season I'll be able to figure out what's going on just fine -- it's not that deep.

 

[Overmind One]

Shills are already being hired to pump this show.

I went to IMdB to see if there were any user reviews, and lookie what I found:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1462059/usercomments

Out of the blue, I was asked to watch this and give my review of the plot and actors via a telemarketer. I've never done that and I'm happy I did. Plus they gave me money for watching! The basic plot is humanity is on the verge of extinction with aliens kicking our butts all over the world, but of course we have the intrepid band of humans who are fighting back against overwhelming odds.

It took more time for me to hate SGU than it took for me to hate Falling Skies.

 

[Joelist]

I found myself flipping to a rerun of "Buffy" while watching "Falling Skies". It just got too boring and lame in spots. Perhaps it's me but just about every single beat of the show was telegraphed well in advance. It just didn't keep my interest.

I know I won't go out of my way to watch more of it. If it happens to be on while my butt is sitting in front of the TV I'll watch it but that's about it. I figure if I catch the last episode this season I'll be able to figure out what's going on just fine -- it's not that deep.

Yep.

It should have only been half as long, which could easily have been accomplished by stripping out all the silly stuff (5 minutes watching kids skateboard, 15+ on people folding cloth and eating, etc.). It did have some good points - what little action there was was choreographed decently and it did not descend fully in soap. But right now too many subplots and too many characters are bloating it.

 

[Overmind One]

Yep.

It should have only been half as long, which could easily have been accomplished by stripping out all the silly stuff (5 minutes watching kids skateboard, 15+ on people folding cloth and eating, etc.). It did have some good points - what little action there was was choreographed decently and it did not descend fully in soap. But right now too many subplots and too many characters are bloating it.

I just watched it. Not impressed at all. It needed to hook me in the first hour and it didnt. I dont like the character spread, I dont like the locales or the aliens or the ships or the weapons. The story is too "Swiss Family Robinson" for me. I guess Ill have to wait until the other torches are lit and the haterz posses are formed.

 

[Joelist]

I just watched it. Not impressed at all. It needed to hook me in the first hour and it didnt. I dont like the character spread, I dont like the locales or the aliens or the ships or the weapons. The story is too "Swiss Family Robinson" for me. I guess Ill have to wait until the other torches are lit and the haterz posses are formed.

See what I mean? At least it isn't soapy like SGU was, but the plot is way too slow and bloated with unneeded subplots. Also too many characters, none of which are especially memorable.

 

[Mr. A]

That is easy to explain. All the women in Falling Skies have a copy of this:

View attachment 4589

Yep.

It should have only been half as long, which could easily have been accomplished by stripping out all the silly stuff (5 minutes watching kids skateboard, 15+ on people folding cloth and eating, etc.). It did have some good points - what little action there was was choreographed decently and it did not descend fully in soap. But right now too many subplots and too many characters are bloating it.

See what I mean? At least it isn't soapy like SGU was, but the plot is way too slow and bloated with unneeded subplots. Also too many characters, none of which are especially memorable.

Now where have I seen this before in a premiere... :rononwhistle:

 

[Overmind One]

See what I mean? At least it isn't soapy like SGU was, but the plot is way too slow and bloated with unneeded subplots. Also too many characters, none of which are especially memorable.

I agree, not really soapy, but still too "wanna be family friendly science fiction" for my taste. The kid runs towards an alien to get his golden retriever after it chased a tennis ball? PLEASE! In apocalyptic times, people wont be keeping dogs as pets, but only as protection and possibly as food or both. And they wont be golden retrievers! The jarhead is okay, he is believable. But the main cast leaves much to be desired. I want more backstory on the ALIENS, not the Masons. I want to know where they came from, how they found earth, and how the invasion resulted in a total defeat for all human militaries...really? If that is true, why are people still running around like they can beat these things? But they are spending all the time fleshing out the backstory of the Masons. FAIL.

 

[heisenberg]

Hmm...so overall it was a 3/10 ? Shame, lets see how episode 2 goes.

 

[Overmind One]

Hmm...so overall it was a 3/10 ? Shame, lets see how episode 2 goes.

We need a ratings track of this show to be started. Im predicting failure after one full season. Its not science fiction yet because nobody is talking about the aliens or their reasons for coming to earth. That could be determined by the targets they hit and what resources they protect/harvest. The only cool mention was that the aliens have 6 legs and the mechs only have two. Also, we know that the "brace" thing they put on kids kills them when removed. But why would any alien want to control children? Lets project and speculate based on the tidbits:

Spoiler: Prediction

The mechs are bipedal, but the aliens have 6 legs. The children are having devices fitted to them to control them. (must I state the obvious?). We will have a "big reveal" that the children are inside the mechs, under the control of the aliens.

This show does not challenge my intellect or hold my interest. But the reaction to this show and his trajectory in ratings over its (assumed) single season should be interesting to watch. Its been done THREE times now (Caprica, SGU, BSG), and its always been the same...slow start, lukewarm reception, viewer dropoff, ratings crisis, imminent cancellation then the axe falls. It happens to good shows as well as bad shows, but some stand out because they were obviously going to fail (like the ones mentioned). I didnt expect V to get canceled, but it did, and looking at the ratings trajectory, it wasnt at all unpredictable. But SGU, Caprica and now this show seem to reveal their fail right from the first episode. I could be wrong, but the way its going....

 

[shavedape]

I agree, not really soapy, but still too "wanna be family friendly science fiction" for my taste. The kid runs towards an alien to get his golden retriever after it chased a tennis ball? PLEASE! In apocalyptic times, people wont be keeping dogs as pets, but only as protection and possibly as food or both. And they wont be golden retrievers! The jarhead is okay, he is believable. But the main cast leaves much to be desired. I want more backstory on the ALIENS, not the Masons. I want to know where they came from, how they found earth, and how the invasion resulted in a total defeat for all human militaries...really? If that is true, why are people still running around like they can beat these things? But they are spending all the time fleshing out the backstory of the Masons. FAIL.

I knew -- I mean I knew from the opening scene where they were doing an art therapy class with children and used their crayon drawings to depict the alien arrival and attack, that this would be a dog. Totally the wrong tact to take in explaining the alien invasion. I don't need cutesy cutesy finger paintings to explain the aliens I need an adult explanation. Even if the adults don't have all the answers they could have provided a much better (and cooler) opening for the show. I mean, are they trying to appeal to kids or something? If so, that never works in conjunction with an adult fictional show -- never.

Freakin' crayon drawings! :roll:

 

[Graybrew1]

I knew -- I mean I knew from the opening scene where they were doing an art therapy class with children and used their crayon drawings to depict the alien arrival and attack, that this would be a dog. Totally the wrong tact to take in explaining the alien invasion. I don't need cutesy cutesy finger paintings to explain the aliens I need an adult explanation. Even if the adults don't have all the answers they could have provided a much better (and cooler) opening for the show. I mean, are they trying to appeal to kids or something? If so, that never works in conjunction with an adult fictional show -- never.

Freakin' crayon drawings! :roll:

I saw that and I thought, well that is it then.......It probably won't last long. My "favorite" character if forced to pick is Colin Cunningham's. I am already dreading hearing about the search for the other boy every week. Please kill him off or get him back. The other one reminds me of the man child from V. The precious little one will wear thin soon. Overall, I give it a C- because at least we did see the aliens and some battle scenes.

 

[Mr. A]

We need a ratings track of this show to be started. Im predicting failure after one full season. Its not science fiction yet because nobody is talking about the aliens or their reasons for coming to earth.[/SPOILER]

...

This show does not challenge my intellect or hold my interest. But the reaction to this show and his trajectory in ratings over its (assumed) single season should be interesting to watch. Its been done THREE times now (Caprica, SGU, BSG), and its always been the same...slow start, lukewarm reception, viewer dropoff, ratings crisis, imminent cancellation then the axe falls. It happens to good shows as well as bad shows, but some stand out because they were obviously going to fail (like the ones mentioned). I didnt expect V to get canceled, but it did, and looking at the ratings trajectory, it wasnt at all unpredictable. But SGU, Caprica and now this show seem to reveal their fail right from the first episode. I could be wrong, but the way its going....

OK, good idea. I just started one

 

[Overmind One]

I knew -- I mean I knew from the opening scene where they were doing an art therapy class with children and used their crayon drawings to depict the alien arrival and attack, that this would be a dog. Totally the wrong tact to take in explaining the alien invasion. I don't need cutesy cutesy finger paintings to explain the aliens I need an adult explanation. Even if the adults don't have all the answers they could have provided a much better (and cooler) opening for the show. I mean, are they trying to appeal to kids or something? If so, that never works in conjunction with an adult fictional show -- never.

Freakin' crayon drawings! :roll:

The whiney blonde kid gets on my nerves. "I just want thing to be like they were". REALLY? Sure, daddy will kill all the bad aliens and rebuild earth...unrealistic much? Time to teach that kid reality. The other tough guy kid who packs the M-16 doesnt seem that much older than him, but he is out there fighting the aliens with a rifle. And the other older teen son he has...whats up with the swaggar and the smoochy kissy with the blonde chick? The inventive use of suburban neighborhoods is novel, but showing scene of them sleeping in clean beds and gingerly exploring curio shelves in other people's homes is OTT. If the motherships on the ground can be seen by the refugees, then the mothership can see them too. They only need to drop one of those bombs like we saw in the first half of the premiere, and wipe them all out. Why are aliens "baiting" them to enter warehouses or armories if they have air vehicles and weapons????

Falling Skies indeed.

 

[Joelist]

The whiney blonde kid gets on my nerves. "I just want thing to be like they were". REALLY? Sure, daddy will kill all the bad aliens and rebuild earth...unrealistic much? Time to teach that kid reality. The other tough guy kid who packs the M-16 doesnt seem that much older than him, but he is out there fighting the aliens with a rifle. And the other older teen son he has...whats up with the swaggar and the smoochy kissy with the blonde chick? The inventive use of suburban neighborhoods is novel, but showing scene of them sleeping in clean beds and gingerly exploring curio shelves in other people's homes is OTT. If the motherships on the ground can be seen by the refugees, then the mothership can see them too. They only need to drop one of those bombs like we saw in the first half of the premiere, and wipe them all out. Why are aliens "baiting" them to enter warehouses or armories if they have air vehicles and weapons????

Falling Skies indeed.

The "Aliens" are actually rather like the Thermians from Galaxy Quest. They picked up a signal and built their entire culture around it - unfortunately the signal was broadcasts of SGU which explains their bizarre behavior.

 

[Mr. A]

The "Aliens" are actually rather like the Thermians from Galaxy Quest. They picked up a signal and built their entire culture around it - unfortunately the signal was broadcasts of SGU which explains their bizarre behavior.

 

[Graybrew1]

The "Aliens" are actually rather like the Thermians from Galaxy Quest. They picked up a signal and built their entire culture around it - unfortunately the signal was broadcasts of SGU which explains their bizarre behavior.

Ouch, Don't hold back.

 

[Joelist]

Ouch, Don't hold back.

I know...forgot the emoticons again.

 

[Graybrew1]

I know...forgot the emoticons again.

No that one did not even need an emoticon. That was quite biting all on it's own. :icon_e_wink:

 

[Backstep]

I saw the first hint of the love triangle, it's between the oldest son, his girlfriend and the god girl. It appears the 'special' thing that will open the event to the fall of the aliens will be the device on the back of the kids. The scientists will find the way to remove a device from a child, that child will know all about the aliens, the who, what and why they are here.