TNT’s Falling Skies continued last night with episode three, “Compass.” Properly named, this episode has a lot to do with a compass; not their most exciting episode, granted, but there was a bit of plot progression. The 2nd Mass. now has a new focus of moving to Charleston where they hope to find other survivors. They started season one with 300 people and at the end of this current episode they count up only 176. Their numbers are dwindling faster than a pile of sugar free cupcakes at a diabetes support group. Better find more people fast before things get ugly.
Here’s what happens:
In the first scene, we learn that Matt (Tom’s middle child) gets off killing skitters. He goes out with pal, Jimmy, to hunt and kill the aliens. Captain Weaver discusses going to the Catskills Mountains to bunker down and rest for the winter. He also may be hoping to get some dirty dancing lessons.
Pope and his team, known as the Berserkers, kidnap Tom and try to get rid of him before he hurts the group (they don’t trust him thanks to his alien abduction). Pope tells Tom to walk away and never return, but Ben comes to his daddy’s rescue (he owes him one after what happened last episode), and they take the Berserkers back for the Captain to decide their fate. He says he’s tired of fooling with them, but then others point out that they, too, feel like Tom could actually be a threat and liability. Tom volunteers to join the Berserkers to keep an eye on Pope, and so that if he does get possessed by alien tech or something the only ones he’ll hurt are the Berserker jerkasses.
Ben goes out again with Jimmy to hunt skitters. They come across three of them and immediately take down two, but then one gets the upper hand and throws Jimmy up against a tree, impaling him with a branch, before taking control of Ben via his spinal implant. After a rather lengthy staring contest, the skitter inexplicably lets Ben go and retreats. Ben takes Jimmy back to Dr. Glass where he ultimately dies from his injuries.
Everyone finds out that he has been hunting on his own and could have compromised their position so the Berserkers decide to check the perimeter, finding skitters and mechs gathering up their dead. Tom says not to shoot them, leading Pope to suspect him all the more.
Back at base, a strange airplane lands at their airport and a woman says she’s been looking for the Captain. She reports there being a unified government and close to 3000 survivors in Charleston. She’s out searching for survivors and heading all the way to Europe.
Tom tells the Berserkers they should be packing up to move out like the rest of the group, and Pope says otherwise. The lip from Pope, and seeing Jimmy’s compass hanging around his neck send Tom into a rage and the two have a throwdown which ends with Tom as the victor. Pope tattles to the Captain, expecting Tom to be reprimanded, but the Captain gives no craps and tells Pope he’s free to leave anytime, which he does, but only after guilting one of the Berserkers into coming with him.
After Jimmy’s funeral, Ben gives Jimmy’s compass to the Captain before breaking down in tears. The Captain realizes they have to keep fighting or else the others would have died in vain, and ultimately opts to move the group to Charleston.
In the end we see Ben at Jimmy’s grave where he’s spotted and mind controlled by the red-eyed skitter, and like before Red Eye leaves without doing anything. You know, if a skitter is going to gaze into my eyes like that, he’d better make it worth my while and not just leave without doing something.
Oh, and somewhere along the way Tom and Dr. Glass make out on a bus.
Likes:
- Dr. Glass and Tom kissing. It’s been more than a season, time to get the show on the road.
- Pope leaving. I’m sure he’ll be back to cause problems later.
- Actual plot progression. There wasn’t a lot, but more than the premiere.
- I like the focus not being all about Tom this episode. Ben got a lot of screen time this go around.
- The preview for next week’s episode looks really good!
Dislikes:
- As much as I like the plot progression, it was rather empty of action. There can be a healthy balance, people!
- Ben’s surprisingly squeaky crying at the end.
- Jimmy’s oddly massive funeral. Did the six people who got gunned down in last episode’s firefight get such a sendoff? Didn’t think so.
What else did you like or not like about this week’s episode?
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Cross-posted: GeekNation.com
