Top 5 Falling Skies Season One Episodes

Now I will move on to Falling Skies for my favourite episodes list (about time I got round to it too) but since each season only has 10 episodes I will do a top five. SPOILERS

5. Eight Hours

We start with the finale and I guess I should start off by saying why it is in fifth place and that is because I am slightly disappointed that the battle with Weaver's group against the Skitters was not shown. I accepted that Falling Skies doesn't have a big budget for massive battles and it's more subtle approach does work for it for however the battle was pretty hyped and we saw none of it. But on to what I did like and that is the battle between those who stayed behind at the school against the Mechs because we had a great gunfight and tense moment when Ben tried to stop them with the frequency and I also liked Weaver's speech when asking for volunteers and seeing who was willing to go. I liked that because while we saw none of the battle the build up for it was really good like also during the trip when Weaver decides to push on despite hearing of the other Masses being destroyed. Finally it ended the season on such a big twist and cliff hanger where Tom goes aboard the Overlord ship that made me impatient for the new season so I can see what happened lol.

4. The Armory

I just had to include the episode that introduced my favourite fictional character; John Pope! I mean this episode showed straight away just how much of a badass he is, from his attitude, finger necklace and how he tired to take the 2nd Mass's supplies. I also like the episode because it also addresses the importance of Military vs. the Civilians and I liked Tom and Weaver's opposing views on the subject and Tom's talk about it with Anne. The only thing I didn't like was Maggie because overall I just don't like her and her whole reason for going along with Pope's gang until now and then just suddenly switching sides.

3. Live and Learn

The first episode was a great start to Falling Skies; it may start six months after the alien invasion but does a great job of introducing us to the characters and the state of the world. It establishes Tom as the main character and I've always really liked Tom because he has always been just a really likable character (despite his change in Season Five), he is not military but I history professor just doing what he can do against the alien menace. I liked all of the other characters as well and the whole situation of 2nd Mass; just a group of survivors each with their own differences and views working together. This also showed that the show can have some great action scenes when it wants to and I liked that they didn't give us that much info on the Skitters, leaving some questions for later episodes.

2. Grace

A great action packed and interesting episode early on in the season which had Tom, Hal, Pope, Dai and Antony trying to find gasoline. I liked the dilemma the group was in, whether or not to kill the sleeping Skitters but Pope escapes just to do it anyway lol and also when the harnessed group attacked them with guns. They definitely should have done that more often because it put the group in a desperate situation when they where almost forced to shoot kids to escape. Anne also got a good subplot with her experiments with the captured Skitter which was interesting to watch and Ricky getting the harness ripped off him was cringe worthy.

1. What Hides Beneath

This episode had two big twists in it and a compelling story that makes it worthy of the number one spot, with the first twist being that the Skitter are commanded by the Overlords. This was great because we finally got to see some form of leadership structure within the alien invaders and changed the whole game for the humans because they thought it was just the Skitters. There is also the reveal Anne makes that the Skitters used to be harnessed children because now we know the real reason for the harness and that Ben wasn't out of danger yet. The great story that was with Weaver going back to his family house and almost giving up on the war. We also found out that he accidently killed his youngest daughter by removing her harnesses and has been separated from the rest of his family ever since; not only was this a more bleak and dark turn for Falling Skies but creates a lot of sympathy for Weaver's character. Finally I also liked the subplot of Pope being kind of like the inventor for 2nd Mass by building the bombs and making the anti - mech bullets.

You know I don't really dislike any episodes in the first season because I think it kept a steady pace throughout but if I had to pick a worst episode it would be;

Sanctuary (Part 2)

I actually really liked part one but the second part didn't have much of a payoff as I thought it would have because while it had some decent gun fights I was disappointed there was no massive shootout between 2nd Mass and 7th Mass. I just think that the 7th Mass where wasted potential as villains when they waste a lot of time trying to make us sympathise with some of it's members.

Falling Skies Season Five: Stalag 14th Virginia

While Tom and his family await their execution Weaver tries to get the soldiers of 14th Virginia to turn sides and finds a shocking secret about Marshall.

I got to say that this two part arc has been really good, it may be late in the season to still be fighting humans in my opinion but still very enjoyable. First off Tom was great in this episode and proved why he is a leader by turning quite a few of the soldiers to his side, such as the guard and when Weaver showed his speech to the others. Speaking of Weaver he is another reason I really liked this arc because it has mainly been focused on him and how he has been this unstoppable force like chocking the Overload and taking out the Marshall Clone. Plus he also had a sad moment at the end, realizing that his old flame has been dead for a while and watching Marshall Clone die. I did like the twist that it was a clone; while the reveal that Marshall was working with an Overlord was obvious from the start the fact she was a clone was a surprise and not a far fetched one because the Overlords have been working with Human DNA for ages now. Despite liking this arc I am really glad the two forces are now marching on DC because the final battle is what I really want to see and it looks like we might see something new with the reveal of a "Higher Being" the Overlords are bowing down to.

As for everything else while Weaver was a badass for taking out the Overlord that did seem a bit too easy and I kind of wanted it to have a larger role. Then there is the scene at the end with Pope watching over a death match and finding out that Tom is still alive and while I am glad to see Pope again I am a bit disappointed. I mean really, this is what Pope has become now for the final season of Falling Skies? I don't know about anyone else but I really would have preferred seeing him staying with the 2nd Mass and marching to DC too. Again the fault in this lies with Tom for allowing Sara to die but what annoys me a lot is that Tom now seems to be back to his old self, the one that wouldn't have made Pope an enemy. We could probably expect some big battle between Pope's group and the 2nd Mass that should be fun to watch but I am still hoping Pope and Tom may ally once again. This is because I am sure a main character might die in the finale but out of all of them it really should not be Pope because he is the best character and has developed the most. Yet the writers are turning him into the villain who will most likely die, it is like they have thrown everything he has been through right out the window.

Overall a great conclusion to this arc and makes me look forward to the events of the last two episodes.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Tom proving why he is a leader
                   Weaver was great once again
                   The reveal of Marshall being a clone

Let - Downs: The Overlord was killed off too soon
                       Pope still after Tom     

Falling Skies Season Five: Episodes Six and Seven (Quick Reviews)

I recently came back from holiday, which is why I haven't posted lately, but I am back now with my reviews. I just thought I'd really quickly review the two Falling Skies episodes that I missed but managed to watch on catch up, I'm just listing their Highlights and Let Downs.

Episode Six "Respite"

Highlights

• I admit it was actually nice to see Tom interact with this family who have not involved themselves with the war and we had some good moments such as when Tom broke down crying at the dinner table or returning to his old self for a while.
• Glad that Marty wasn't just forgotten and managed to advance the plot by finding the communications device and it was funny that Weaver is a bit uncomfortable with him.
• Always good to see Cochise involved when he can and I liked how he offered to remove Maggie's spikes when Anne refused (because she was just wrong to).

Let - Downs

• No Pope!!
• While the scenes with Tom and the family where nice to watch there is no denying that it was just filler because in the end it didn't really contribute to the story overall; Tom was just there and he left with nothing changed. Plus I find it so unlikely that land wasn't touched for three years by aliens or bandits and that the children where kept in the dark for so long.
• I can't believe that Isabella is now being thrown in to the stupid love triangle; I have said it before but I am just sick of it now.
• And continuing on with the love triangle Ben's "I love you" confession to Maggie was just so pathetic when I heard it. He was the most interesting of the Mason children in the previous seasons but now he is ruined slightly by the damn live triangle.

Overall it was a nice watch but it was mostly just filler, a small distraction for the group on their way to DC.

SCORE: 5/10


Episode Seven "Everybody Has Their Reasons"

Highlights

• By far my favourite parts of the episode was Dingaan and Cochise working together on the communications device. This was such a great team up for two characters that defiantly deserve more screen time.
• Weaver actually had some great personal conflict to overcome when the person accusing Tom and the 2nd Mass was someone from his past.
• Tom was great in this episode when he defied the whole court marshal and brought up some good points on how it is a waste of time for humans to fight each other,
• It was a nice surprise to see the human collaborators brought up again when I thought they where just going to be a one off thing for Season Four.

Let - Downs

• No Pope!! (Not going to mark it down for this thought because they are obviously now saving him for the right moment)
• If I'm honest I am a little disappointed that Marshall is being controlled by the Overlord (saw that coming a mile away) and that all the military people are jerks (like the prick who tortured Ben). I wouldn't have minded if the military where actually some honest soldiers who just join the 2nd Mass straight away and continue the march. I am saying this because we have already had something similar in Charleston in Season Two where it turned out the military there wasn't fighting and then turned on 2nd Mass.
• I am not looking forward to this Maggie and Isabella team up because there are probably going to get on each other's cases about Hal.

Overall a lot better than the previous one because we had some great moments and more focus on characters like Weaver, Dingaan and Cochise.

SCORE: 8/10

Thought I'd mention that I am going to be really busy now so I probably won't review Agent Carter now and just review the season as a whole when I finish watching it.

Falling Skies Season Five: Non - Essential Personnel

The 2nd Mass leaves Chinatown to bring the fight to the Espheni while Tom tries to rescue Hal from Pope and his gang.

 

Well I got to say that this episode was better than the last one despite the fact that the story with Pope and Tom isn't going in a direction I would have liked. This is mainly because Colin Cunningham is such an amazing actor and he is really embracing the villain role now and makes for a really good one. I just think this would have been better for the early seasons because it feels like the show is going backwards now because I thought Tom and Pope had already moved past hating each other after Season Two? I would also have had an easier time accepting this if not for two reasons; first Tom being such a jerk these last few eps, sorry I just cannot side with him on this because he talked about the "greater good" but it does not apply to his family and he did cause Sara's death. Secondly Pope blames Tom getting lots of people killed yet he shot someone so he is just being a hypocrite, it would have been interesting if Pope actually ran a successful group and proved he was better than Tom as leader. As for everything else with this story I did like Isabella and her plan to free Hal and the action was cool at the end however Pope really needs to get better guards because Tom was all Big Boss sneaking in lol.

 

As for everything else the moments with Weaver an the 2nd Mass was great because Weaver got some more of the spotlight instead of the Masons and Pope for once. I like how Weaver said that Marty was similar to him and he would have become just like him if not for the 2nd Mass. This also touched upon the death of Weaver's daughters again and made for a really touching moment at the end, plus it is great to see 2nd Mass on the road again instead of stuck in Chinatown. It is a shame this subplot wasn't longer however it annoyed me that the damn love triangle was brought up again and if the preview is anything to go by Isabella is going to be thrown into the mix. I just do not care about this little subplot and I wish it was over already because I am getting tried tolerating it now. Also I just remembered Maggie wasn't in last weeks episode at all and she barely said anything in this one so how does she feel about Hal being kidnapped? It's like they forgot to include her reaction because they are focusing too much on her relationship with Ben.

 

Overall a more entertaining episode than the one last week and Tom being captured by the Hornet was a surprise that I am looking forward to seeing more of.

 

SCORE: 8/10

 

Highlights: Pope is a good villain despite me wishing he wasn't

                   Good amount of action

                   Weaver's subplot with Marty

 

Let - Downs: Pope is just a bit of a hypocrite now

                      That damn love triangle