Falling Skies Season 2 Episode 8 Review!

Season 2 of TNT’s Falling Skies is gearing up for the end with a very non-exciting, talking-filled, we-don’t-have-to-get-anything-accomplished-because-the-season-finale-is-around-the-corner type of episode entitled “Death March.” The entire episode follows the 2^nd Mass. as they travel to Charleston, a journey in which no one dies (at least no character with a name) despite the morbid name. With only two episodes left in the season we can only hope that things will pick up from here.

Here’s what happens in a nutshell:

Matt writes out a will in case he dies. What kind of important crap does a little KID in the middle of an APOCALYPSE have to leave behind? It’s not like he’s even got his normal kid stuff, like Pokemon cards. Dudes’ got nothing!

Maggie, Hal, and Pope go on their own to scout things while the 2^nd Mass. drive to Charleston. Maggie tells Hal that she doesn’t think he could kill Pope because he doesn’t have enough dark in him, and he takes offense to it. You’re upset that a girl thinks you’re not evil? I think you need to rethink that, Hal. Their truck breaks down, and while Hal is away looking for supplies, Pope asks Maggie, “What’s Hal going to do when he finds out exactly who and what you are?” Oooooh, intrigue. Pope tells her she might want to tell Hal the truth if she really cares about him. So after they get the truck fixed, she tells Hal her awful past: after she got out of the hospital she hooked up with a “bad” guy, broke into some houses, got caught and pregnant, and ended up in a women’s correctional facility. She had the child in jail where they immediately took him away. That’s it. That’s her big bad story. That kind of crap doesn’t hold water when there’s freaking aliens running around, folks! Hal says he needs time to think when someone stops their truck in the road.

Meanwhile, a harnessed kid gets hit by one of the 2^nd Mass.’ cars en route to Charleston. Even though she was hit by a high speeding car, the child is fine, but the harness is damaged. She makes friends with Matt and explains how all the harnessed kids are “siblings.” Then one of her “siblings,” Tyler, jumps on the side of the bus. The girl says she has to go with him, pushes Matt and Dr. Glass down and runs into the woods. This all felt very random, and hopefully pays off later.

After spending many episodes with the mission of getting to Charleston, they finally arrive! Except… Charleston’s main bridge is destroyed, along with the city itself. They mourn over their whole season’s mission being a waste of time. Then Captain Weaver gives an inspiring speech about how they should stick together and MAKE a place to live rather than search for one. Then army men appear from the bushes and say looks can be deceiving and that Charleston exists. Underground maybe? Hal and the rest are already there and Lourdes mourns over Jamil some more.

Likes:

• Crouching Hal, Hidden Charleston.

Dislikes:

• Boring, too much talking.
• Very random harnessed kid scene. Sure, that information is probably important for later, but it could have been introduced more skillfully.
• Hal needing “time to think.” Maggie’s reveal is a flimsy excuse to keep them apart.
• Maggie’s lame-ass “troubled past.” Boo hoo, she should’ve been on Maury. This show has bigger fish to fry than one girl’s jail-baby.
• Not a single alien in this episode.

This is the Action Flick Chick, and you’ve just been kicked in the ass!