"Falling Skies"

Are you glad the title isn't "You'll Fall for Falling Skies?" I am. It's got aliens and explosions. If that doesn't get you to watch, maybe the rest of this will.

In case you either haven't heard or guessed, it's a new show on TNT. The show follows a few characters in Boston after multilegged aliens have destroyed most major cities.

So where to begin with this critique exactly? How about the pilot? It was okay, but I haven't seen too many pilots that truly astonish me. They're busy with the set up, the background and many when they're filmed, aren't sure if it'll be picked up for broadcast. Shows don't "find themselves" until a few episodes to a full season.

However, there was enough going on to make watching the second episode worth it. (I work nights, so I actually DVRed it.) The premiere opens up with the solemn voices of children explaining what happened while drawings they made for counseling pan on the screen. It seemed to be a good way to open a story into a world that has already been changed without the necessity of flashbacks or giving too much away. You don't see the aliens or the ships until they appear because these are just crayon drawing by little kids. A small, though unique piece of storytelling.

The second half definitely had more action and some interesting character building- which is really important because I need to care about these people if I'm going to watch. If anyone is going to watch they need to make the characters interesting. And with sci-fi there's always a new aspect of humanity that can be explored through technology and possible futures. Something fantastic can be seen and experienced while in a way being promised of the future.

But I digress. Music is another big thing, at least for me. It can really make or break a scene. And I'll really only remember it if it's memorable, good or bad. In this case bad. There's this one scene towards the middle of the two-parter which is supposed to be a warm, family sort of moment, and the music just seemed too happy. Too daytime drama. The acting was nothing astonishing, mediocre at times, but the plot keeps you in it. The plot and the all around "stuff" that happens is really enjoyable, but I can't tell you without giving too much away. And of course, the questions we all need answered! Why are they here? Where did they come from? What are those space bug things on the backs of kids? 

While the shows has some faults for sure, the second episode remedies most of them. The plot deepens. Characters are built including the character of the aliens in general. There's the requisite action/explosion scenes, and some great unexpected things happen. (Not necessarily beneficial things.) 

Just watch it a few times. It's not perfect, but for every criticism, or nit-pick, I can find there's another plus to cancel it out and a few more to make it an entertaining hour.