Seriable Round is a round-up of stories and tidbits from the world of serialized TV that didn’t quite make the front page of Seriable.com over the past week or so.

In today’s round we have news, spoilers, tidbits, overarching story clues and cool stuff from Boardwalk Empire, Game Of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Doctor Who, Being Human (BBC), Grimm, Justified, Falling Skies, and more.

1. Boardwalk Empire

Bobby Cannavale has joined the third season of HBO‘s Boardwalk Empire. As reported by Deadline, he’ll play Gyp Rosetti, a charming but ruthless gangster who challenges Nucky (Steve Buscemi).

2. Game Of Thrones

Kit Harrington teases romance and action for Jon Snow in season 2 [MTV]:

“Yeah, Ygritte [pronounced E-greet or E-grit, according to Harington], it’s a tempestuous relationship. I’m not allowed to go into details. But I will say that it’s nice for Jon to meet a woman.”

“Episode nine is a big episode. Actually, I can’t tease anything. Jon gets to fight more. In the first season, it was all training-yard stuff, and the world he’s going into [this season] is very much more real. The fighting he has to do, it’s for real. It’s not play fighting.”

3. The Walking Dead

Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride talk to Collider about Sophia’s demise and how the group respond:

Norman Reedus: That took a lot of time to shoot. When we come back, we pick up where that left off. It sucked to lose Madison [Lintz]. We really liked her. She was part of our family. We also go in different directions, after that. It’s so devastating. Shane (Jon Bernthal) built that up to a huge point that he tried to make, and it just went horribly wrong. Hershel (Scott Wilson) saw his whole family, who he thought was sick and that he could resurrect, so to speak, massacred in front of his face. Carol (McBride) saw her daughter as a zombie. A lot went down, in so many different directions. It just exploded us off, in all different ways.

Melissa McBride: There will be divisions among the group.

Reedus: There’s a lot to talk about.

McBride: They will be re-thinking and re-evaluating everybody, for themselves and each other.

4. Doctor Who

Alex Kingston teases her Doctor Who return. [NME]

“You may see her again. Who knows? Let’s just say, Upstairs Downstairs and Doctor Who don’t film at the same time time.”

5. Being Human (BBC)

The BBC has released a new sneak peek at the series 4 premiere:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-q7hQAAe64

6. Grimm

Grimm co-creators David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf promise deeper mythology in the second-half of the season [The Morton Report]:

Kouf: It’s a pretty deep mythology and one that we’re just cracking the surface of right now. Some of that will become more apparent in the episodes that are coming up very soon.

Greenwalt: It was kind of our plan all along to bring in more mythology as the series goes on, but we don’t want to bring in so much that your average everyday viewer can’t just watch one episode, So there’ll certainly be a case of the week, if not a monster of the week, every time, but in the back nine episodes of this season, you’re going to see a lot more of the personal and back stories of everybody.

7. Justified

Justified EP Graham Yoast dissects “Harlan Roulette” in an EW piece:

The story Raylan told Wade about why he won’t go into someone’s house uninvited — that goes back to the pilot, when he met Dewey Crowe at Ava’s.
GRAHAM YOST:That goes back to the pilot, and the short story, and it might even have been mentioned in one of the books, too. One of the themes of the season is crossing the line. So here we have a scene where Raylan says this is why he doesn’t cross this line, why he won’t go into someone’s house uninvited. When Wade comes out and he can’t find the gun and Raylan’s got it, it’s like, “I thought you wasn’t gonna go inside?” “We all got lines we gotta cross, Wade.” It’s just exploring that notion. And, it’s a fun story to tell.

I’m so happy that Wade Messer lived. Why do incompetent guys like he and Dewey survive for so long in this world? Because they’re comic relief? 
You know, a lot of it has to do with just us seeing the performance. We had so much fun with Damon Herriman playing Dewey on the pilot. We just thought it’d be cool to bring him back. We always want to make sure when we use him that we remind ourselves and the audience that he’s a bad guy capable of bad stuff, but at the same time, not lose sight of the Elmore Leonard humor that’s involved with a character like that. We just sort of feel that Raylan has an odd affection for them. He would never say that. His affection for Wade is a little more apparent and pronounced since he knew him from growing up, but there’s just something about Dewey that he kind of gets a kick out of, you know, even though he’s a dope. With Wade, we got a call last year that James LeGros liked the show and said, “Listen guys, if there’s anything for me, count me in.” When we came up with the character of Wade Messer, we knew we needed someone in the last episode [of season 2] to play a pivotal role. We approached him and he said, “Great.” Then you see the scene between him and Raylan [in LeGros' delivery] “Hey Raylan, how are ya?” It was just wonderful. And so when we were kickin’ around ideas for this season, we thought, well, maybe Wade’s still in the wind and he’s a fugitive, and what he’s doing could pull us into this story and take us deeper into this Oxy subculture.

8 Falling Skies

Turner Broadcasting is being sued over the TNT series Falling Skies, report The Hollywood Reporter.

9. In Development

HBO is developing an untitled project from Training Day writer Davis Ayer and producer John Lesher. Deadline report that Ayer is set to write, direct and executive produce the untitled series project, now in development, which is described as a complex and provocative political thriller about U.S. Special Forces soldiers who take on new lives undercover inside the LA underworld, blurring the line between the war on terror and the war on drugs.

Falling Skies is about to get a whole lot more orange-smiley, with Terry O’Quinn booking a 2-episode arc on the TNT serial.

The LOST alum, who played one of serialized TV’s most iconic characters of the past decade, John Locke, will appear in the last two episodes of the alien survival drama’s second season as a former history professor and mentor to Tom Mason (Noah Wyle).

It’s no secret that John Locke was, and is, one of my all-time favorite TV characters, so it’s great to see O’Quinn back on another serial. The role sounds like a good one, given that it ties directly into Tom’s backstory.

Source: EW

Falling Skies Season 2 arrives Summer 2012 on TNT

A new photo from Falling Skies Season 2 pits three of the show’s main characters in an emotional situation.

The new Season 2 photo shows Captain Weaver (Will Patton) and Hal Mason (Drew Roy) holding a tearful Matt Mason (Maxim Knight) as they observe something rather sad off-camera. Check out the full image below (click to enlarge):

Question is — what are they looking at? A stricken/harnessed Ben? Tom reciting how history is full of civilisations resisting a superior force, for the 1000th time that day? An all too close call with a Skitter? We’ll be able to find out for certain this summer when Falling Skies continues with “Worlds Apart”.

Falling Skies Season 2 — 1st Promotional Image

Photo: io9 | HT: freddy

We’ve taken a look at our favorite and least favorite serialized TV trailers of 2011, now its time for the promotional posters. Like movie posters, TV one sheets are designed to capture a show’s most enticing/impactful visual message possible within the confines of a single sheet — but which posters rose to the occasion, and which failed to generate the buzz machine?

Worst Serialized TV Posters 2011

5. V — Season 2

The “V” represents the show’s title, but why is it floating and why are the characters casually sitting and standing on it? The disproportionate mother ship doesn’t help matters and there doesn’t appear to be a relevant theme in mind. Not even the presence of Queen Anna makes this blissful.

4. Alphas — Season 1

I understand and appreciate the desire to include the face of each Alpha team member — and that each face, in turn, represents its own separate poster, but there’s just way too much JJ. Abrams lens-flare going on. While this Alphas poster carries a ‘super’ element, it’s not very aesthetically pleasing and doesn’t convey a great deal about the show, beyond the fact that the characters are apparently great at doing the impossible. Can they fix this poster?

3. Once Upon A Time — Season 1

I quite like the idea of character-centric posters, but this Once Upon A Time poster of Prince Charming embellished in random purple isn’t just bland upon a time, it’s bland forever after.

2. Dexter — Season 6

Back in the early seasons, having Dexter about to take a sip of irony from his “have a killer day” mug, with blood splattered over his face and kill bag unzipped, might have landed a bit better, but this is season 6, people!

1. The Secret Circle — Season 1

The grungy look of this one sh..eet should have remained a secret. This Secret Circle poster doesn’t make me want to join the circle, but bury it forever.

Continue to the Best Serialized TV Posters of 2011..

Promotional trailers often provide the first tangible peek at the upcoming or returning serialized TV shows that we spend our days anticipating (mostly) and dissecting. Some hit the spot and get us excited for more, others confuse the issue, and a few dampen our enthusiasm.

It’s only right, therefore, that we take this time to look back at our Best and Worst Serialized TV Trailers from the past 12 months.

Our list is based on the effectiveness and originality of seriable TV trailers released in the past 12 months. We’re mindful of the fact that the primary goal of a trailer is to get the show’s target audience amped up for the finished product, ensuring their viewership for at least the first episode, and to create that most viral of sensations, buzz. Wearing retrospective goggles, we’ve looked back at every single trailer/spot released for a seriable TV show in 2011, and selected the 5 best and worst trailers at meeting this requirement from a serialized perspective.

So, which trailers got us excited for their respective shows, and which lowered our enthusiasm? Let’s find out..

WORST SERIALIZED TV TRAILERS OF 2011

5. V Season 2

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZNJ7aCD3Ns

This trailer automatically gets bonus marks simply for featuring Morena Baccarin, but you can’t live on that and expect to make the Seriable Top 5. Instead, this V season 2 trailer is relegated to the worst list because of its lackluster sequencing, contrived voice-over-guy narration, a jumping visitor made more for the trailer than the story, and a soundtrack that just doesn’t do it any favors. Although all of that is nothing compared to the sinful fake-out of Tyler’s early demise. I know it was in the show, but minus points for getting our hopes up!

4. Alphas Season 1

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RnYtm01Qn4

Not a fan of the music on this one as it makes the show feel too airy. Ironically, this is what the show went on to become, so perhaps that was the intention? A more serious, focused tone would have done more to sell the show’s best bits/concepts, which is what a trailer is supposed to do. We’re also taking off points for the utterly contrived cast commentary.

3. The Killing Season 1

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZg34UArZyM

The Killing is a bleak show, but that works because the topic matter is not a cotton candy one. But while we appreciate the long-format of this this preview/trailer, it does the show few favors. The final minute or so is actually pretty good, if you haven’t lost interest by then.

2. Once Upon A Time Season 1

www.youtube.com/watch?v=15__iA1MTqc

Anything that makes such bold use of “FROM. THE. WRITERS. OF. LOST” (along with horrible sound effects) as a means of promoting its series deserves to come in the bottom five. It’s distasteful, unoriginal, a waste of valuable trailer time, and my eardrums still haven’t recovered. By all means put a little insertion in there but don’t go crazy on it. Aside from that, the “Good vs Evil” grab was so 1990s.

1. Falling Skies (German TV Spot)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ulk-EMH2TE

It’s not technically a trailer but this ‘exploding walls’ TV spot always struck us as being a bizarre way to represent the series. It still makes little sense and gives virtually nothing about the show, story or characters. If this is your first time seeing this and you start suffering from ‘wall’ nightmares, we do apologise.

—

BEST SERIALIZED TV TRAILERS OF 2011

5. Falling Skies Season 1

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjroVVhe8G0

Take out the cliched cast quotables and that lamentable slow-mo footage, and we’re left with a really exciting presentation topped and tailed with one of the best trailer soundtracks of 2011. What makes this trailer particularly worthy of its place in the top 5 is that when it landed it shed a light on a project that suddenly seemed as though it had legs — and I don’t mean skitter legs. Well, actually I do, because while it would have been easy to play all cloak and cloverfield by concealing the aliens (nothing necessarily wrong with that), the trailer put them on the stage without taking away the mystery. Ultimately, this is a trailer that introduces the audience to an overarching journey of people vs an unknown force, and, once it gets going, reflects the best of what the show had to offer.

4. The Walking Dead Season 2

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vIL0VJiKGE

Cinematic and intense, while also eliciting grit and isolation — this trailer uses a variety of techniques deliver a truly excellent introduction to the second season. Reminding us of what happened in the first season, while driving forward into a transition mid-way through and (eventually) unleashing one of the most intoxicating soundtracks you’ve ever heard, over tense and fraught scenes from the season 2 opener. Once again we have effective narration, and by the time we’re done watching we realize that the trailer has told a story in itself, and we’re about ready to break open the popcorn. And did I mention the fantastic final image?

3. Touch Season 1

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvQ_qJYZ-7A

This trailer is great because it uses effective narration and involves the audience by asking the questions that the show itself will seek to explore. It doesn’t shy away from what you might call the ‘mystical/science’ aspects, instead highlighting the universal patterns and connections as mysteries, while giving enough attention to the family/relationship drama without overselling it. You want to go on this journey with Kiefer Sutherland and his kid, primarily because the material looks good, but also because the trailer packages it in a way that stimulates both the mind and the heart. The score is fantastic and — along with subtle sound-effects — helps sell the emotional beats, driving the trailer into an exhilarating final third.

2. Doctor Who Series 6

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vIsQ25Krq8

This trailer has just about everything: action, adventure, humor, romance, typical Doctor Who quirkiness, and a cliffhanger. The material is superbly pieced together and comes charging out of the gate with River Song’s narration and great sequences. The trailer does a fantastic job at teasing a story-arc-filled journey while underscoring key moments and themes of the upcoming chapter. Inclusion of the following line is the icing on the custard: “Fear me, I’ve killed all of them.”

1. Awake Season 1

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfPVoiQKFvk

From the first moment to the last, this Awake trailer draws you in and just doesn’t let you go. Set to a mesmerising soundtrack, the trailer skillfully blends organic narration and well-chosen scenes from the pilot to tell a story about a story — in-keeping with the show’s dual reality premise. The strength of the material is leveraged through great transitions and prominent focus on some fantastic lines from the pilot, lines like: “while your brain should be resting, you’re using it to hold up a detailed alternate reality,” and “..I have no desire to ever make progress.” This trailer is over 4 minutes long but what a four minutes. If there’s been a better trailer for a seriable TV show in 2011, you really have to let us know.

What do you think, do you agree or disagree with our choices?

The Falling Skies Season 2 premiere title has been announced, while filming photos and cast teasers provide an early feel for what awaits the 2nd Mass and viewers of the TNT alien survival series.

TNT has confirmed that the Season 2 premiere of Falling Skies will be titled “Worlds Apart,” and is written by the show’s executive producer/writer Mark Verheiden. Here’s a photo of the script title page:

“Worlds Apart” is an interesting enough title, but what does it tell us about the episode? Well, the first season ended on a dramatic note, with the bipedal aliens telling 2nd Mass resistance leader Tom Mason (Noah Wyle) that they didn’t anticipate “resistance on this level,” and inviting him to come inside their ship to..’talk’ (I’d like to think over tea and biscuits). Tom willingly entered the aliens’ ship in hope of finding a way to free his son from the invaders’ influence and to get a better sense of the aliens’ overarching plan.

So, we can already see several ways in which the title “Worlds Apart” could apply, both in the literal sense and the more searching, metaphorical sense. As we know, the show doesn’t really do flashbacks (at least in the first season), so I hope we actually get to see the meeting between Tom and the aliens, rather than a tell not show recount of what took place. I also hope the aliens have a good reason for letting Tom go, should that happen (it surely has to for the story, as I can’t see the protagonist and group’s best RPG-shooter, being couped up in that ship for long).

–

We also have some set photos from season 2 filming, courtesy of showrunner Rémi Aubuchon. The first provides a decent look at a Skitter, while the second provides a look at the (new?) 2nd Mass camp:

What else can we expect from Falling Skies Season 2? We already know that Brandon Jay MacLaren has joined in a recurring role for Season 2, as Sunil Chutani — a handsome and overwhelmed mechanic who has spent a fortune on an Ivy League engineering degree and was just days away from launching an IPO when the aliens hit.

New Season 2 insights come by way of the cast. First up, Maxim Knight (Matt Mason) tells The Celebrity Cafe that the tone of the second season will be more sci-fi orientated compared to the first:

I think that it’s definitely going to be more exciting, and a lot more action. In the first season, it was very much about humanity, but it has other elements to it. A lot of sci-fi fans are going to be pleased this season.

While Drew Roy who plays Tom’s oldest son, Hal, tells fans to look out for Episode 2.03:

We just shot quite an unforeseen twist on set today for Falling Skies season 2. Keep an eye out for episode 3.

I certainly wouldn’t turn my nose up at a more ‘sci-fi’ geared Skies, at least from the outset. The proof, as always, is in the pudding. But that little snippet sounds encouraging. We’ll keep you posted on more news and updates from Falling Skies as it lands.

Source: Falling SkiesTNT | Rémi Aubuchon | Drew Roy | The Celebrity Cafe

Falling Skies Season 2 is slated for Summer 2012 on TNT

Chicken Little is right, the sky is falling — Falling Skies that is. The TNT serial has commenced production on its second season.

As we told you back in July, the hit-and-miss series, that was ultimately a hit with its audience, has a second season in the bag. Interesting things are now taking place in that bag, namely the start of production on season 2. via press release:

TNT has launched production on the second season of Falling Skies, the epic series from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg and starring Noah Wyle. The show finished its first season as basic cable’s #1 new series for the year-to-date. The second season of Falling Skies will air as part of TNT’s summer 2012 lineup. Several cast members are providing Twitter updates using the hashtag #tntbackontheset.

Falling Skies takes place in the aftermath of an all-out invasion by an alien military force. Wyle stars as Tom Mason, a Boston history professor and the father of three sons, who must put his extensive knowledge of military history to the test as second in command of a regiment of resistance fighters protecting a large group of civilians. Falling Skies also stars Moon Bloodgood as Dr. Ann Glass, a pediatrician who has become the survivors’ primary physician; Will Patton as Colonel Weaver, the gruff and emotionally scarred commander of the 2nd Massachusetts, the team of civilian-soldiers whose job it is to protect the survivors; and Drew Roy, Tom’s oldest son who is just about to turn 18.

In the second season of Falling Skies, viewers will learn what happens to Tom after his decision to go with the aliens at the end of the first season. Tom hopes that by agreeing to a dialogue with the invaders, he will not only free his son Ben from the invaders’ influence, but also get a better picture of the aliens’ overall plan.

Falling Skies scored more than 6.9 million viewers in its first season and ranks as basic cable’s #1 new series for the year-to-date. The series also finished summer as basic cable’s #1 drama among key adult demos. In addition to Spielberg, Falling Skies is executive-produced by DreamWorks Television heads Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank. Remi Aubuchon and Greg Beeman also serve as executive producers.

We also have the first promotional photo for the new season: our sharpshooting leader Tom Mason, last season entering an alien spaceship bound for Planet Seriable:

Oh how I’d love to be a fly on the walls of that alien craft as Tom and the aliens talk about harnesses and the nature of human resistance.

The Killing‘s Brandon Jay McLaren has joined the second season of TNT‘s alien survival series Falling Skies in a recurring role.

THR report that McLaren, who played Rosie’s teacher Bennett Ahmed on the AMC serial, will appear in at least seven episodes of Falling Skies starting with the second season’s premiere.

The 31-year-old will play Sunil Chutani who’s described as a handsome and overwhelmed mechanic who has spent a fortune on an Ivy League engineering degree and was just days away from launching an IPO when the aliens hit.

Looking forward to seeing what McLaren brings to the series. I imagine we’ll start hearing a lot more Skies news as we head into production on the new season.We’ll keep you up to speed on developments.

Falling Skies returns for a 10-episode second season, slated summer 2012 on TNT.

The first season of TNT‘s Falling Skies drew to a close a few weeks ago, but as we say here on Seriable: story continues. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of that curtain closer came in the final moments. But what did the scene mean?

The following contains spoilers if you are yet to see the Falling Skies season 1 finale.

WHAT HAPPENED:

In the closing moments a harnessed Karen, flanked by a bipedal alien, asks Tom to come with them:

“They didn’t expect resistance on this level. They find that…interesting, and want to talk.”

After directing a verbal volley at the bipedal alien for having the temerity to want to talk, Tom reasons that going with them might help Ben, who still has a connection to the harness even though it has been removed.

Against the judgement of Weaver, Tom takes Karen’s hand and walks off into the lens-flaring spacecraft, along with the rangy alien. Fade to black.

CONSIDERATIONS

>”They didn’t expect resistance on this level.”

Resistance is both theme of the show and Tom’s mantra, but it raises the question — what were the aliens expecting?

It seems they were anticipating something of a walkover. It’s possibly the first time they have encountered such a resilient species, and may further contextualize the Skitters, who we know to be harnessed and speculate to be under the control of the bipedlers.

It’s intriguing though — what, or who, are they referring to by “resistance on this level”?

INTERPRETATIONS

• They could be referring to humanity in general. With communications down, this would give a perspective of the broader battle being played on across the world — are global resistance groups making an effective stand against the invaders?

• Alternatively, they could be referring specifically to Tom and the 2nd Mass. After all, he got Ben back, helped fry a bunch of Mechs, and he’s put a rocket up them.

CONCLUSION

Personally, I think it’s both. It has to boil down to the strength of humanity since Falling Skies has that sort of sentimentality. But I also think this will be harnessed, if you will, through the personal journey of Tom and the 2nd Mass.

That’s not to say the bipedlers are necessarily running scared or anything — it would seem they are still winning the war. But it’s possible they didn’t expect it to still be dragging on by this stage.

There seems to be a genuine curiosity amongst the invaders about the human spirit. Perhaps they see something in us that they lack within themselves? However powerful they seem, maybe it would be in their nature to roll over if the tables were reversed?

There’s a lot about them that we don’t yet to understand, so it’s a good thing that Tom is going to have this ‘chat’ (I’m sure tea and cream cakes will be on hand). I suspect that their overarching goal — which has yet to be revealed — will also come into play through the harnessing of children and interest in “resistance on this level.”

Do you have any thoughts on what this scene means?

Seriable’s Robert L. reviews the Falling Skies Season 1 Finale.

I’d like to once again apologize for the delayed review. I was eagerly anticipating watching the two season finale episodes, but an unfortunate trip to the ER and the follow-up medical care prevented me from watching them sooner.

I’d like to go through my criticisms (good and bad) of the episode, and look at them through the prism of what my hopes are for the second season. Full spoilers follow.

I had only three wishes for the season finale. And those were to kill off Margaret, Rick, and Jimmy. Unfortunately none of those things happened, and they, in fact, gave all of those characters quite a bit of screen time. Ah, well . . . maybe next season.

(Quick tangent: disappointment aside, I’ll admit that I loved the way that Jimmy was utilized to knock some sense into Weaver‘s character. Weaver looks at him like he would a son. He wasn’t surprised or hurt by the Mason family’s betrayal – it was Jimmy‘s betrayal that really stung.)

The opening montage where everyone is laughing at the cartoon was awful. Whichever inexperienced assistant director got put in charge of that scene should be fired. A cartoon isn’t going to be non-stop laughter for everyone. Sure, show us happiness but don’t stage it so obviously and melodramatically.

I get what they were trying to do – give us a contrasting scene to convey emotion, but it just didn’t cut it for me. If they’d opened the episode with the next scene, it would have been much stronger.

Early on in the episode, Tom gives us one of what I refer to as “talk-backs.” He says, “Do you remember what it was like, before Porter brought us together? Scrounging for food and water?”

This is one of those things that I’m simply aching to see. Much like the story of what happened to Tom’s wife, it would be so much more powerful to see the images of what happened, rather than see the words. This is why I pray season two will feature flashbacks of the things that have already been talked about (hopefully in a fresh and surprising manner), as well as brand-new flashback to accentuate and contrast with the current situation.

When our youngest protagonist, Matt, tells Pope he has hair like a girl, and Pope tells him that he’s going to have to work on his insults, I couldn’t help but snort a little. Pope isn’t exactly a silver-tongued devil himself, now, is he? I think these two episodes showcased some of the worst lines Pope has ever had to offer. Whether it be the performance or the writing (I’m inclined to blame both, but with an emphasis on the actor’s lack of charisma), it doesn’t matter: it still fails.

Another weakness I found was that the supposedly “crazy” character who’s taking it “too far” is much more sympathetic than the stated protagonist. I think that Weaver was completely right about Tom poisoning the ranks. There’s no good reason for Tom to act like this until after he finds out about Porter calling off the attack. But he doesn’t find out about that until after he breaks free from confinement.

Furthermore, once Hal gets back, he reports to Weaver, and is informed that the mission is still a “go.” This upsets him and the second Hal hears something he doesn’t like, his attitude is, “I’m gonna find my dad to fix it, because I disagree with what’s happening!” He has to be the worst soldier on the face of the planet! Orders, trust, compliance – this is everything in war. But he’s an entitled little whiner, so the solution is to break his dad out and stage a coup.

Then Jimmy tattles on Weaver, because he thinks locking up Tom was “mean.” Well, it’s pretty indisputable that Tom was poisoning the ranks, intentional or not.

This brings me back to something that happened earlier on in the episode. When Pope called Matt a “prince,” I think he’s onto something – a story thread that should be continued and emphasized in the second season. Normal people in the group probably hate the Mason’s, because of their sense of entitlement. The special treatment they get is a little ridiculous.

In the end, the resolution with Mason and Weaver was about as good as the situation they wrote themselves into would allow. I like the decision of asking for volunteers to fight.

Speaking of fighting, I hope that Porter really is dead, because it’s kind of a cool, realistic point to have a character die off-screen.

“My apologies, Cambridge,” was a bit of bad dialogue, obviously copying the way LOST‘s Sawyer would give people nicknames. Now we can officially say Pope can’t pull it off, but Sawyer can.

We also learn that if it wasn’t for Pope, Margaret would be dead — so we need another flashback explaining the ever-changing, hazy history between the two characters. It’s worth devoting an episode to, I think, because Margaret’s always going on about how the situation screwed her so much. It might even be the sympathetic plight I need in order to like the character.

It’d be nice to know more about how the Skitters are in Ben and Rick’s heads. They keep talking about some connection, but there’s never anything tangible for us to grasp. Sometimes Rick seems like an alien, or somehow possessed. But suddenly in this episode, the writers are treating him like he’s just a confused kid. That’s not the impression that earlier episodes gave off. There appeared to be more of an “I’m not human, what are you talking about?” message than we get in the finale.

Rick tells the Skitters “everything,” which seems a little absurd. If he’s that far gone, to tell them everything, why does he feel remorse? How can he have done this in the first place, if he actually cared that his dad died? You don’t turn on someone you love, just because they leave you. And he seemed very much addicted to the idea of being with them. It was a perverse sort of longing or a romantic addiction. That kind of thing doesn’t just go away when your trust is broken one time.

After several episodes of buildup to this big attack on the structure’s legs, it sucks that the actual attack doesn’t actually happen. Sure it’s a little satisfying to see Tom shoot an absurdly accurate rocket that blows up several ships, but the ending would have been way more believable (“they didn’t expect resistance on this level,”) had they been able to blow at least one of the structure’s legs. Because “resistance on this level” didn’t seem to involve a whole lot of damage being done to the aliens.

The opening of season two had better include the destruction of at least one of the structure’s legs. Knowing this show, though, it’ll probably start with some weird sequence with Tom on the alien ship. Were this show bold, it would pick up the second after the season one finale ends.

That’s the problem with this show – much like V – you get the feeling that not an awful lot has happened, or is likely to. V waited until the end of season two to change much. Let’s hope Falling Skies will shake things up at the beginning of season two, while the show has all the momentum. If they can do this successfully, they will retain a much higher level of viewership.

My (combined) final rating for the finale is: 8/10 Seriable Stars.

The first season of TNT‘s Falling Skies may have come to a lens-flaring close, but that doesn’t mean everything has been wrapped up on the alien invasion serial!

Below the jump we’ve listed the answers and mysteries from the show’s first season, giving you a picture of how much we learned and the type of mysteries yet to be explored, as we begin the journey towards season 2.

FALLING SKIES — SEASON 1 ANSWERS

• The story picks up 6 months after the initial alien attack. Tom Mason‘s wife was killed during the invasion. Anne Glass also lost her family to the attacks.

• The aliens have superior technology, including aircraft, munitions and robots of destruction called Mechs.

• Tom choose the book A Tale Of Two Cities by Charles Dickens over Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea, because — as pointed out by our own KatesFate – Tom is a military history professor, so it made sense that he would choose a book that is set before and during the French Revolution over a science fiction story.

• Dr. Harris left Tom’s wife to die during the first alien attack — hence their spiky relationship.

• The aliens use contraptions called harnesses to control the children they abduct. It’s suggested that if the children wear the harnesses for long enough they become one with the contraption. The aliens can also used the harness to communicate through the children. It is later implied that the harnesses transform children into Skitters.

• The Skitters communicate through radio waves. Harnessed children can tune into the alien’s frequency.

• The Skitters sleep upside down, like bats.

• The Skitters abducted Hal’s Girlfriend Karen. We later learn that she’s been harnessed.

• The Mechs are fully mechanical — they are remotely controlled.

• The harness is a transformation process.

• It is implied that the Skitters weren’t always Skitters — that the harnesses (embedded within their backs) transformed them into the creatures we see today.

• It is thought that a similar transformation process will happen to the harnessed kids. Ben is already displaying the tale-tale hardened skin over his spine which is similar to the Skitters.

• Ben and Rick are not free from the harness — the aliens can call them back at any time.

• Weaver believes that his wife and eldest daughter may still be alive because he found his wife’s glasses in their house — apparently they weren’t there before.

• The survivors have discovered that the Mechs recycle their bullets. They are now using Mech-coated bullets to fight back against the aliens.

• There are another set of aliens that are bipedal — they seem to preside over the Skitters. We can assume that the Mechs are bipedal because these bipedal aliens designed them similar to their own image.

• The bipedal aliens use a harnessed Karen to tell Tom that they didn’t expect this level of resistance. They find it “interesting” and want Tom to go with them to talk.

• Karen tells Tom that they could force him to go, “but they don’t want that”. Tom agrees to go in the hope of saving Ben from the transformation process.

FALLING SKIES — SEASON 1 MYSTERIES

• Where, specifically, did the aliens come from?

• Why are the aliens taking/transforming children?

• Did the harness really cure Rick’s cystic fibrosis?

• What, specifically, are the structures for? Are they landing strips/docks for aircraft, or is there more to them?

• What were the Skitters before they were Skitters? Where did they come from?

• What is the relationship between the bipedal aliens and the Skitters? Are the Skitters an enslaved alien race?

• In Silent Kill we see evidence that the Skitters care for human children. What is the nature of that bond and does it extend to the bipedal aliens?

• Where were the bipedal aliens throughout the previous 6 months?

• Why didn’t the bipedal aliens prefer not to force Tom to go with them?

• What is their ultimate purpose on Earth?

To be updated with any additional answers/mysteries.

Related Reading: Mech & Skitter Analysis
—

Have any thoughts or theories on any of the above Falling Skies answers or mysteries? Did we miss anything out? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

Falling Skies EP Mark Verheiden talks about that…I don’t want to call it iconic, but it was certainly intwisting..final scene from Sunday’s finale, and teases: “obviously, there are mysteries to come”.

And that’s one of the main reasons why our attention has been harnessed. Catch the video below.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQW_VwMdwOU

The Falling Skies season finale delivered rocket-propelled ratings on Sunday, making Jimmy a very happy boy. Or perhaps it’s because Maggie’s holding him?

 The two-hour finale scored 5.623 million viewers and a 2.5 adults 18-49 demo. Impressive numbers indeed, especially when we factor in the show’s premiere is still the most watched basic cable debut of 2011 and has suffered less than .3 million drop-off.

As for the finale itself, I thought it was one of the show’s weakest in a while, with character motivations all over the joint — but there’s plenty of time to get into the nuts and bolts of it.

At any rate, I’m glad the show’s coming back for a second season; it has given us one of the most iconic and intriguing mythology devices of the year (the Harness) and has a serialized approach that is most appreciated. Congratulations Falling Skies, I suspect we’ll have a lot to go over between now and season 2!

Here’s the TNT press release, celebrating the finale ratings:

Falling Skies Invades the World as a Massive Global Hit

Cable’s Biggest New Series of the Year Captures 5.6 Million Viewers for U.S. Season Finale,
Making it the Most-Watched Episode Since the Series Premiere

Falling Skies Earns Big Audiences and Record-Setting Performances in Markets that Include
The United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Australia and Latin America

TNT’s Falling Skies – the #1 new basic cable series in the United States – ended its first season Sunday night with 5,623,000 viewers, plus an outstanding 2,531,000 adults 18-49 and 2,835,000 adults 25-54. These Live + Same Day deliveries mark the show’s best performance since the June 19 premiere. After scoring cable’s top new series launch of the year, Falling Skies ranks as basic cable’s #1 new show of 2011 among viewers and tops all scripted basic cable series this summer with adults 18-49 and 25-54. TNT has already renewed Falling Skies for a 10-episode second season, slated for 2012.

Falling Skies – which stars Noah Wyle and comes to TNT from DreamWorks Television, TNT Productions and executive producer Steven Spielberg – also premiered in markets worldwide this summer, marking the first time a TNT series was launched around the globe. The series will ultimately appear in more than 115 international markets on a variety of networks. Falling Skies has been a hit in the United Kingdom, Australia and Latin America, among many other places. Falling Skies set records in numerous markets, including Spain, Germany and Austria, where the premiere ranked as the best series launch ever for TNT networks in those countries.

“The terrific performance of Falling Skies shows that a compelling series appeals to people of every background,” said Michael Wright, executive vice president and head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). “We’ve had the privilege of working with a terrific cast and crew, led by Steven Spielberg and our partners at DreamWorks. All of us are excited that Falling Skies has become a global success.”

Falling Skies premiered on TNT in the United States June 19, drawing 5.9 million viewers in Live + Same Day. For the season overall, Falling Skies averaged 4.8 million viewers in Live + Same Day delivery, with 2.1 million adults 18-49 and 2.5 million adults 25-54. The show has performed exceptionally well in time-shifted viewing, averaging a strong 48% boost among total viewers when comparing Live + 7 to Live + Same Day deliveries, with gains of 58% among adults 18-49 and 54% among adults 25-54. The Live + 7 total for the season finale will be available Aug. 22.

TNT partnered with Turner Broadcasting System International, Inc. for worldwide distribution of the first season. Warner Bros. International Television holds licensing rights for Canada.

Falling Skies takes place in the chaotic aftermath of an alien attack that has left most of the world completely incapacitated. Tom Mason (Wyle), a Boston history professor and the father of three sons, must put his extensive knowledge of military history to the test as second in command of a regiment of resistance fighters protecting a large group of civilian survivors. Falling Skies also stars Moon Bloodgood, Will Patton, Drew Roy, Maxim Knight, Connor Jessup, Colin Cunningham, Sarah Sanguin Carter, Seychelle Gabriel, Mpho Koaho and Peter Shinkoda.

Falling Skies is executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, along with DreamWorks Television heads Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank, Graham Yost and screenwriter Robert Rodat, who wrote the pilot from an idea he co-conceived with Spielberg. Mark Verheiden and Greg Beeman serve as co-executive producers.

Thanks Fay

Falling Skies returns for season 2 in 2012

“Mutiny“: As the assault on the alien base draws closer, tension builds. Tom struggles to come to terms with Annie’s new discovery.

“Eight Hours“: Tom stays behind to protect the camp and its occupants, while the rest of the resistance launch an attack on the alien base. Information regarding the aliens motives comes to light.

Season Finale “Mutiny” & “Eight Hours” Promo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjKAavoI-KA

It’s finale time on Falling Skies this Sunday. Ahead of the two-hour event, take a look at the promotional photos for the episodes — 1.09 “Mutiny” and 1.10 “Eight Hours”.

[TNT]

Thanks Falling Skies EU

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjKAavoI-KA

Seriable’s Robert L. reviews Falling Skies 1.08 “What Hides Beneath”.

First, let me apologize for having this review finished late. I was unable to view the Sunday airing, so I ended up catching the Monday night re-run after watching Alphas. Second, I’ve gotta say … this is the most complex episode of Falling Skies yet. It seems that I picked a bad night to sit down and watch two shows — both with incredibly complex storylines — to review.

I was wondering when we’d have an episode that starts off with a dream sequence. Luckily, it was rather short and startling enough, as there weren’t enough cues to recognize it as a dream at first. They made it clear from the get-go that this was going to be Weaver‘s episode.

This episode briefly continues with the story thread of Ben‘s absurd amount of exercise – jump-roping for two hours and forty minutes straight. The drugs the aliens gave him must be really good. I know that enough caffeine will about double my endurance when I run … this makes me wonder would morphine would do to that. But back to the bulk of the story …

Apparently the Skitters are all pulling back to the structure that lies in the heart of Boston. The story’s the same everywhere. We know this because Porter‘s made contact with LA and Chicago. This pushes up what was apparently already on the agenda of making a coordinated attack on the structure. What they’ll do is set off charges simultaneously on each of the four legs of the structure.

So while, after the events of the last couple of episodes, our heroes start off worried about the school being compromised, it appears they have some time, and a big, fat new priority which is a lot higher stakes than anyone seems to be recognizing.

Speaking of what our characters do and don’t recognize, I feel like Pope is being absolved of his sins a lot more quickly than people should.  Our favorite comparison from another show, LOST‘s Sawyer, took quite a bit of time, and quite frankly: Pope had done a lot more despicable things than Sawyer.

Weaver seems offended by Rick drawing pictures. I can’t help but feel he ought to be offended by the incredibly annoying stares Rick continues to have. But Rick offers the picture, and Weaver takes it. Weaver also seems to be popping pills – possibly something to keep him awake?

The picture looks generic enough, though, so I doubt it’s meaningful in the overall story – probably just him reading into something because of where his thoughts have been.

In the next scene, Hal tells his father, “I know that weight-of-the-world look, dad,” which made me laugh, because Tom Mason has only had a single expression on his face throughout the entirety of the show. I also got a bit annoyed with Tom, because starting to openly question a superior officer is rather stupid, regardless of whether or not he gets caught, because it sows discontent. I understand that the writers needed to show some external drama with Weaver, but this wasn’t the right way to do it. I have a hard time believing that our supposedly responsible hero is right to do something so irresponsible.

But this is forgotten easily enough, because when we see the new aliens through binoculars it leaves us with approximately a billion questions to fill our minds with. And why aren’t the harnesses disappearing on Ben and Rick? Is it really just that it’s “taking longer?”

The moment between Pope and Tom’s youngest son is a nice enough scene. The Mech’s parts keep providing us interesting enough reveals, but it takes a kid to think “hey maybe we ought to use these alien bullets that just happen to fit perfectly in a 40-calibur?” Huh.

In the meantime, Rick continues to say freaky stuff, like the idea that the Skitters love them and will return for them. I’m so glad that the Skitters love includes murdering their parents. Or killing a group of kids to “send a message.” They should all feel lucky to be so loved.

Hal, Tom, and Weaver run into a lady that leaves us a bit unsettled from the beginning. She was taken to a camp, and let go, which we know is bad news. And she confirms that yes, “they don’t want any of us here.” But why does the woman want them to come back?

Anne and Lourdes sawing into the Skitter was fun. Apparently, they’ve never had the chance to do something like that before, which is interesting. And they find a harness in the Skitter, which means the Skitters weren’t always Skitters!

That’s hands-down, the best reveal of the season.

Weaver quickly runs away from Hal and Tom — goes back to his home and starts drinking. And we find out that apparently Rick drew Weaver’s home. Like I said, probably him just reading too much into it. But Weaver insists that the aliens can read minds.

Sadder than Weaver’s paranoia, is what happened to his daughter Sophia. There’s blood all over the floor in his house, because he had tried to remove her harness, killing her, of course. It’s quite the sad scene, certainly the most moving of the season.

But Weaver insists on being selfish, sitting things out, because he’s been running on revenge, and revenge just isn’t good enough for him anymore. So he’s a jerk up until he accidentally finds some glasses that were his wife’s — and not there when he first came there a week after the invasion, effectively giving him something to hope for.

And we finally see Hal’s old girlfriend, whose name we’ve all forgotten by now. Hal seems maybe a little more concerned with this than he would if it were a complete stranger.

But more importantly, I’m very sad for the woman who’s now being used by both sides for their own purposes. It’s quite the devastating situation.

Back at the school, Lourdes comes up with a theory of her own: the process might be continuing in Ben and Rick, even though the harnesses have been removed. Maybe that’s why Ben has been exercising so much? His body has been working to develop its Skitter tendencies.

We end with Pope showcasing the Mech bullet, and how they can weaponize them. But we see Rick visibly pissed off, and running away.

In the end, this was as close as Falling Skies could get to having a perfect episode. They’ve certainly got us gearing up for the finale!

My final rating for the episode: 10/10 Seriable Stars.

Check out this new sneak peek for the Falling Skies two-hour season finale — “Mutiny” and “Eight Hours”.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6cBi4Zrb2s

This Sunday sees the two-part Falling Skies finale in which our heroes take the fight back to the aliens. Get a look at “Mutiny” and “Eight Hours” with co-executive producer Greg Beeman and star Noah Wyle (Tom Mason).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfpaFs2y4hA

Here’s a look at the Seriable TV shows we’ll be watching for the week August 1 – 7, 2011.

MONDAY AUGUST 1

ALPHAS 1.04 “ROSETTA” – 10PM ON SYFY

Rosen and his team move against a Red Flag stronghold, and they find an autistic woman who helps expose a plot to launch a terrorist attack that could change things for the Alphas.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgC9-cfGNRk

FRIDAY AUGUST 5

TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY EP 5 “THE CATEGORIES OF LIFE – 10PM ON STARZ

After going undercover, the unit learns what is really going on with the Miracle. And as the enemy draws nearer, mortality is about to make a comeback in a most unnerving way.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPVxdNdWyQA

SUNDAY AUGUST 7

TRUE BLOOD 4.07 “COLD, GREY LIGHT OF DAWN” – 9PM ON HBO

With Marnie empowered by spirits of the dead, Bill issues an unpopular order to save vampires from the light. Eric embraces his amnesia; Luna discovers Sam’s not the man she thought he was; Lafayette expands his consciousness; Pam gets a body peel; Andy’s date with Holly doesn’t go as planned; Jessica has doubts about her future with Hoyt; Alcide and Debbie join a new pack.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDSlfeKPIqA

FALLING SKIES 1.09  ”MUTINY” & 1.10 “EIGHT HOURS” – 10PM ON TNT

“Mutiny“: As the assault on the alien base draws closer, tension builds. Tom struggles to come to terms with Annie’s new discovery.

“Eight Hours“: Tom stays behind to protect the camp and its occupants, while the rest of the resistance launch an attack on the alien base. Information regarding the aliens motives comes to light.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjKAavoI-KA

BREAKING BAD 4.04 “BULLET POINTS” – 10PM ON AMC

The Cartel gain the upper hand; Walt and Skyler share a secret with the family; Jesse’s activities draw unwanted attention.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UhLgbi0Vyw

Most anticipating: Falling Skies — “Mutiny” / “Eight Hours”.

What will you be watching this week?

Well, that was interesting, wasn’t it?

Episode 8 of Falling Skies not only had the best title of the season, but quite possibly delivered the best episode. Not that we could have got to this point without the previous installments, but things look like they’re coming together after a hit and miss first season.

While most serialized TV episode titles contain dual-meaning, “What Hides Beneath” was particularly fitting as it harnesses many of the episode’s big reveals. Speaking of which, let’s take a look at them, shall we?

Beneath The Bullet

In this episode we discover that the aliens are “big on recycling”, re-using human bullets and coating them with Mech armor. Very resourceful of them, and a very fitting reference to the episode title. If a little surprising that the humans took this long to figure that out. They must have come across lots of Mech bullets since the invasion, and none of our army guys noticed? What’s Weaver paying them for!?

Beneath The Flesh

And then there’s the other big reveal — the discovery of a harness attached to a Skitters spine — which, coupled with Anne noticing Skitter-esque skin developing on Ben‘s back, suggests that the Skitters went through the same process as the human children. A link to my earlier theory that the Skitters aren’t ruling the roast (a few of our readers have also shared similar theories).

This opens up several possibilities, such as:

• The Skitters themselves are enslaved aliens who underwent transformation once they were harnessed, and have since been forced(?) to carry out the same process on the human children (with some displaying empathy towards the children, as illustrated in “Silent Kill“).

• The Skitters used to be human (or human-like life-forms), with the harness causing them to transform into the creatures we see today.

It raises the question, if the Skitters are indeed under the thumb of the other aliens, does the same fate await the harnessed kids? Will they be sent out to other planets to fight and harness other life-forms (not that I ever see the show going there) — or is there something very specific about Earth that the aliens are here for, beyond recruiting kids?

Beneath Their Commanders

We got a taste of the third big revelation prior to the episode, but it was still interesting to see these previously unseen aliens in the..flesh. They are more human-like to the eye than the Skitters, and appear to be their ‘commanding officers’.

We can assume at this stage that they are responsible for the design of the bipedal Mechs — since it makes sense for them to build robots that resemble their own anatomical structure.

The human-like structures also make more sense now. Were they hiding out in the structures until it was safe, like Tom suggested, or have they only recently arrived? The former would make a lot of sense to me, though those structures do indeed resemble aircraft runways, like Weaver said.

Either way, this is another good example of that ‘what hides beneath’.

Which brings us to Karen. I’m really glad to see her again, in fact I’m not sure who was more happy, me or Hal? (as I’ve said before, the emotional follow-through on her abduction hasn’t been great). It was interesting that one of the alien commander’s accompanied her to Nina’s apartment (she’s Nina to me). Is there a reason why that was, other than for the surprise moment at the peek-a-boo hole?

 Other points of interest:

• Rick still with aspirations of being a Skitter. He seems to have some kind of knowledge, perhaps because the harness was in for too long, allowing him to intuit certain things about the aliens and their intentions?

• It’ll be interesting to find out whether he knows about the other aliens? He’s big on Skitters, but does he know about their commanders/rulers? Where does he fall on the whole ‘new alien’ situation?

• Still on Rick, did he really pluck the image of Weaver’s old house from his brain? As well as incredible stamina, is intuition or mind-reading part of the ‘transformation’ gig? And why did he tell Weaver to ‘keep it’, apart from giving him a memory device in the absence of flashbacks?

• The Mechs are Machines — without organic interface (no ‘little green man’ inside). Pope jokes that they might have a “made in Japan sticker” somewhere inside. A possible hint towards human-involvement, or the writers playing with natural viewer suspicions.

• Good to see Nina from Fringe in this episode. Now we know where she really got her bionic arm from — she’s part Mech.

Have I missed anything out? Have any interpretations or theories on the recent developments? 

Go back inside last night’s Falling Skies with supervising producer Melinda Hsu Taylor and co-executive producer Mark Verheiden, as they offer commentary on this quite revelatory episode.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFH8QfkS1V4

++Falling Skies Season Finale Promo Teaser++

Catch the two-part finale, Sunday, August 7 on TNT

This Sunday sees the the two-hour season finale of Falling Skies — “Mutiny” and “Eight Hours”. Get a look at the promo to see what the final part of season 1 has in store for our survivors.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjKAavoI-KA

Captain Weaver’s mental condition continues to deteriorate causing trouble for Tom and Hal when he joins them on a reconnaissance mission, Back at the high school Pope constructs a potent weapon to use against the aliens and Anne makes a shocking discovery while performing an autopsy on a dead Skitter.

“What Hides Beneath” Promo:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_YS1d0xgbk

How did you rate this installment?

Something’s getting under Weaver’s skin — and it’s not the Skitters. Or is it?

Get another early look at tonight’s new Falling Skies (guest starring Fringe‘s Blair Brown), entitled: “What Hides Beneath”.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmqiu7KmChg

• Catch more sneak peeks for this episode.

If you thought Clayton handing children over to the Skitters in return for his own immunity was bad, wait ’til you see the “twists” that are coming up on Falling Skies — that’s according to Moon Bloodgood, who plays the unbreakable Anne Glass.

Head past the jump for more hints on the upcoming episodes from Bloodgood and her co-stars at the recent Falling Skies Paley Center Panel. Spoiler discretion advised.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybeg5Xs-2b4

I’m still betting on humans being behind the alien invasion — perhaps to establish a new world order, of sorts. As myself and others have previously suggested, perhaps the Skitters are not ruling the roost.

Breaking Bad, Falling Skies and True Blood were all hoping to pull big seriable audiences this past Sunday. But how did they do in the latest serial ratings?

Breaking Bad was down 18% from its season 4 premiere (which was a series high), attracting just under 2 million viewers with an 0.9 adults 18-49.

Falling Skies remained as steady as Tom’s trigger finger, scoring just over 4 million viewers with an 1.4 adults 18-49.

True Blood was up 10% on the previous episode, with 5.3 million viewers and 2.8 adults 18-49.

Source: The Wrap| TV By The Numbers

The cast and crew of Falling Skies took time out from tackling Skitters and Mechs to discuss the show and answer fan questions at the Falling Skies Comic-Con panel this past weekend.

Enjoy the panel footage right after the jump.

PART 1

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyVXjtq7gQI

PART 2

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF72DL3ecpw

PART 3

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMZ_t2wbAYo

PART 4

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQRS_2n6BOI

PART 5

www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6cVJeYtI84

PART 6

www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4zpgNgN1cI

PART 7

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTazKpzzj_4

[via]

We brought you the first-look stills of the new character coming up on Falling Skies the other day. Now, take a look at the actual clip that was aired at the Skies Comic-Con panel.

While the clip certainly looks to be one of the most intense and intriguing Skies moments to date, I have to warn you — it’s pretty spoilery. Follow the jump at your own discretion.

New Falling Skies Clip courtesy Fusion Comics (clip begins 23 seconds in):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9E1EnhXbks

via: Fusion Comics

So, Karen is indeed harnessed. And Hal actually remembers her! In all seriousness, if this scene plays this well in the episode (with context and all) then we could be in for something really good.

I’m really intrigued by this ‘new’ alien. I presume there are more of them? Have they been hiding out in the structures? Why is it with Karen? What does its bipedal nature say about the bipedal Mechs, not to mention the Skitters? Lots of questions, hoping for some forward momentum.

The clips looks to be “What Hides Beneath”, which airs this Sunday, July 31. 

We have two sneak peeks at Sunday’s new Falling Skies – “What Hides Beneath – including commentary from Noah Wyle (Tom Mason).

Head past the jump to check them out. This episode looks good.

What Hides Beneath sneak peek:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M5uWqqSASE

A Look Ahead to What Hides Beneath (Sneak Peek & Commentary from Noah Wyle):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs6fl5usOJ0

So they’ll play around with the narrative using dreams/nightmares. In the absence of flashbacks this should prove a useful way to convey Weavers memories and subconscious fears.

I’m also looking forward to finding out more about those alien structures, not to mention Duracell Ben. Things could be about to pick up.

Here’s a look at the Seriable TV shows we’ll be watching for the week July 25 – 31, 2011.

MONDAY JULY 25

ALPHAS 1.03 “ANGER MANAGEMENT” – 10PM ON SYFY

The team moves to new offices following the attack on Rosen; violent riots break out on the east coast, which are linked to a runaway teen. Airs Jul 25.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmp9e9Q0Imc

FRIDAYJULY 29

TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY EPISODE 4 “ESCAPE TO LA” – 10PM ON STARZ

The fight against PhiCorp takes the Torchwood team to California, where a trap is waiting. Meanwhile, Oswald and Jilly find themselves with an enemy of their own.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CZ4BpXJFwM

SUNDAY JULY 31

TRUE BLOOD 4.06 “I WISH I WAS THE MOON” – 9PM ON HBO

Sookie searches for Jason under a full moon; Marnie connects with spirits of the past; Arlene and Terry cope with a suspicious inferno; Debbie urges Alcide to join a new werewolf community; Tommy trades places with Sam; Lafayette feels the spirit in Mexico; Eric surrenders to his King’s will.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn4zoskvpX8

FALLING SKIES 1.08 “WHAT HIDES BENEATH” – 10PM ON TNT

Captain Weaver’s mental condition continues to deteriorate causing trouble for Tom and Hal when he joins them on a reconnaissance mission, Back at the high school Pope constructs a potent weapon to use against the aliens and Anne makes a shocking discovery while performing an autopsy on a dead Skitter.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_YS1d0xgbk

BREAKING BAD 4.03 “OPEN HOUSE” – 10PM ON AMC

Events spiral out of control. Skyler asks for Saul’s help, while Marie returns to an old habit.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xnFZ7hwmv4

-

Most anticipating: Breaking Bad - “Open House”.

What will you be watching this week?

If you’ve been following our Falling Skies coverage then you’ll know that we’ll soon be meeting a new character in the shape of a [SPOILER ALERT].

The most recent promo for the series also issued a fleeting, yet intriguing, look at our new friend – and in case you missed him, we have the first look right after the jump.

Note: Only follow the jump if you don’t mind spoilers. Nothing unofficial, mind, but nonetheless follow at your own discretion!

Now that we’re below the jump, we can talk freely about the new alien that’s set to take Falling Skies by the arms and legs. Sunday’s ‘next time’ promo gave us our first peek at our new friend (or friends) – take a look below:

Intriguing, but not much to go on. Here’s a closer peek-a-boo:

Again, not much to go on — but that eye that I spy does look pretty ‘human’.

Hopefully this scene plays as well as it appears in the promo, particularly with Karen apparently involved (and maybe harnessed?). Oh Karen, EVERYONE has missed ye. ESPECIALLY Hal.

Seriable’s Robert L. reviews Falling Skies — “Sanctuary Part 2″.

I’d like to clarify something about my relatively unkind review for Sanctuary Part 1. It was not that the episode was much worse than the episodes before it, mostly it suffered from many of the problems I was hoping they’d fix. It should be noted that these (unforgivable) problems, if continued, will lower my rating for each subsequent episode.

So with the pressure on, the question this week is: did Part 2 fix these problems and give us the badly needed sense of pay-off?  After all, they spent an awful lot of airtime last week setting our expectations high…

This episode starts off with many of the same motifs revisited week in and week out: Jimmy now has some inexplicable beef with Ben (presumably because he’s a “razorback”), Weaver showcases our military vs. civilian tensions with Margaret and the pregnant lady, and Hal is flirting with yet another girl.

I still can’t get over them allowing Jimmy to live after the two encounters (both Mech and Skitter) last week. Now that we know how interested the Skitters are in children, it makes a little bit more sense, but their “sending a message” by killing a bunch of children episodes earlier now makes slightly less sense.

We also are given more backstory on something that was alluded to (but never specifically stated) in the premiere: Weaver indeed had kids — two daughters.

As soon as we saw Hal’s latest flame, we knew it would be trouble, because of how close Lourdes was to them, being sweet, but somehow giving off a jealous vibe.  (The young actress really deserves a raise, in my opinion.  She has evolved from one of my least favorite characters to my second favorite character.) Then we find out that this new girl — Tessa — knows what’s going on with the child-trading deal.  Her father notices her affection for Hal, and tells her, “Don’t like ‘em too much,”  which is an awesome line, given the context.

Cut to Pope and he complains about Asparagus. They’re just dropping the ball with these laugh-lines. It doesn’t matter to me whether it’s the performance or the writing, even obscure references don’t have the same zing as LOST‘s Sawyer. (I wouldn’t make the comparison if the similarities between the two characters didn’t seem so intentional.)

We hear about how Pope got captured, and that he didn’t give up the location of the Second Mass voluntarily, which struck me as odd at first.  He seems to be completely self-interested in every other way, but it’s explained a little later in the episode. On the other hand, I’m still wondering: if he stabbed a guy just to get into the supply shed, why couldn’t he stab the guy’s brother, especially after being tortured?

Rick appears suspicious at first, and when he asked Ben, “How can you eat their food?” I thought it was because he was harnessed and somehow already knew about the deal Clayton‘s people had made. But that’s another observation that’s explained later on in the episode.

It’s a small tangent, but I have to say that I think Lourdes and her jealousy over Hal’s other flirtations is a really cute dynamic.  I’m guessing that they’re setting her up to be his long-term love interest (and I really hope they never kill her off). I just don’t understand why his girlfriend from the first few episodes has been completely ignored. (Maybe there were some contractual issues with the actress, but can someone at least talk about it?).

As promised, this episode also explicitly states the deal made with the Skitters. But it’s about as lame a reveal as it could be.  They were simply promised immunity for trading kids. Which I think is both lame and shallow. Plus, they’re going to run out of kids in the long-term, right?  So it’s not like they can hold onto their kids forever. The immunity has to have an expiration date.

Hopefully, we’ll soon find out why the kids are so important to the Skitters. It seems likely that the harnesses don’t work on adults, but the motivation behind and function of the harnesses are just two of the many questions in my mind.

We’re finally given some background (possibly a reason to care about) the pregnant lady. Apparently, she was a work-at-home designer who wanted to become a stay-at-home single mother. For me, it had the opposite effect of sympathy. It seemed more like a feminist-political statement than character background. Why couldn’t they have focused on the well-being of the child instead of making it about a woman’s selfish desires?

Not that I’m saying it’s selfish to want children, but she clearly sounded like the entire affair was all about her, including statements like, “I always have the worst timing.”  Having a child of my own, and being with my wife every step of the way, I can guarantee that it’s not normal to be focused on anything other than making sure you’re doing what’s best for the child. She should have been talking about how frightened she is for the child’s well-being or something to that effect.  But if the writers want an off-putting feminist stereotype as a character, I suppose you can’t fault them for it. There are people out there like that, I just can’t say I’d ever be friends with them.

Back to the likeable side of things, I was truly sorry about Mike‘s death. This was a great episode for a character whom I had thought was rather stupid previously, and his sacrifice added much to the drama of the show.

I still wonder how necessary his sacrifice was, though, if Tom Mason was able to figure out how fully they had been lied to so quickly. How long was Clayton planning on being able to trade kids, unbothered?

I know I keep coming back to Lourdes, but she has another Christian moment in this episode. Any hints of previous self-righteousness are now gone, and it also allows the writers to incorporate a thematic song: Once in Royal David’s City — a traditional hymn that most Christians will doubtless be familiar with. Here are the words for two verses that I find particularly relevant to their plight:

For He is our childhood’s pattern,
day by day like us He grew;
He was little, weak and helpless,
tears and smiles like us He knew.
and He feeleth for our sadness,
and He shareth in our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see Him,
through His own redeeming love;
for that Child who seemed so helpless
is our Lord in heaven above;
and He leads his children on
to the place where He is gone.

But the feel-good moments don’t end there!  Weaver is able to subdue some of the military vs. civilian tensions in helping out with the “breach baby” situation.  Seriously, though, I really was moved by this moment in the episode.  Unfortunately, they didn’t allow it to breathe much, but all is well, because it led us to our action sequence of this episode …

The encounter was written in the way that I love. First, I loved Hal’s, “Go to Hell!” Shooting is the first thing I want when a bad guy like Clayton starts moralizing.  Heroes questioning themselves is good to a degree, but not when so many lives are at stake.  So I think Hal made the right choice, especially if the children were able to get out the back. Otherwise he’d be surrendering them to the Skitters.  Sure, Lourdes may not have been too fond of the idea, because he was committed once he started shooting, but I think his logic wins in the end, because Clayton and his people really did need the rest of the kids alive.

Better yet, the second Pope came to the rescue, that odd moment of “why wouldn’t he give the Second Mass up?” was quickly resolved. He hated them because of the deal they made with the Skitters. And as narcissistic as he might have been, his hatred for the Skitters overruled those tendencies.

I was annoyed with Tom Mason’s surrender, but it was a necessity, and when Weaver pops out once they got back, he dished out appropriate brutality. I still feel like there was some sort of punishment or exile needed for the adults who were in on the deal, but these are the kind of complaints I’d be making on just about any show, even my love, Battlestar Galactica.

I was also getting extremely annoyed with Rick’s blank stares. It had been making me very quickly hate the kid, until the end when they revealed he identified himself not as a human, but as a Skitter, talking about how he couldn’t believe they would kill each other. (Don’t even get me started on why Skitters believe that them killing humans is great, but humans killing other humans is morally abominable. If they keep this up, they’ll get their own show on MSNBC or Al Jazeera.)

Granted, we know that all is right with the world when the episode ends, because Pope is back on kitchen duty. And I can’t help it — I am officially admitting the series into my “favorites” category.

My final rating for this episode is: 8/10 Seriable Stars:

Related Content:

• 1.01 Live & Learn and 1.02 The Armory Review
• 1.03 “Prisoner Of War” Review
• 1.04 “Grace” Review
• 1.05 “Silent Kill” Review
• 1.06 “Sanctuary Part 1″ Review

With only two episodes remaining (including the two-hour finale), Falling Skies continues Sunday with 1.08 — “What Hides Beneath”. Head past the jump to check it out.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_YS1d0xgbk

Last time on Falling Skies:

Hal finds himself having to take control and fight when an unexpected threat against the children of the 2nd Mass presents itself. Anne faces her own problems when Sarah goes into labor as the 2nd Mass is being evacuated in anticipation of an alien attack on the headquarters.

But how did you rate “Sanctuary Part 2″? Head past the jump to share your vote in our fan poll.

A new Falling Skies clip was previewed at Comic-Con, revealing that our survivors will soon get an eyeful of an old friend..and a new one.

Spoilers..

via IGN:

The final clip revealed a new alien. Tom and Hal are hiding in a house. The occupant who is hiding them has a visitor and lets the visitor know that she’s alone. She looks through the door peephole, and – we see that it’s Karen (Hal’s girlfriend who was captured by the Skitters). Tom restrains Hal from going after her. They take another look through the peephole, and something they haven’t seen before looks in. They jump back, but then watch Karen and the new alien walk away. It’s bipedal like the Mechs and has two arms. It’s skinny and tall, and it’s head is shaped a little like a classic Roswell alien.

So the Karen storyline hasn’t been dropped. Good. I thought she’d come back into play eventually, but the lack of emotion on Hal’s (or anyone’s) part had me worried. In fact it still does. Falling Skies has been solid so far and shows a lot of promise, but the emotional follow-through could be better.

Karen (the supposed love of Hal’s life) gets captured and it’s like she never existed. I know they’re desensitized to an extent and they have other stuff going on, but I don’t think that’s a strong enough excuse given the context.

That being said, the show is still in its early days and hopefully they’ll improve on those aspects with time.

As for the new alien — that is an interesting development, and may (or may not) validate some of the theories that myself and others have had. We’ll see, but I’m very curious to learn if Karen has a harness.

Noah Wyle (Tom Mason) says the second half of Fallies Skies is about “identifying some of the vulnerability in the aliens and turning the tables”. As for Season 2? He’s hoping for the “continuation of both our mythology in terms of the science fiction aspects and our character development,” which sounds pretty encouraging.

Head past the jump to see what else he had to say about TNT‘s alien invasion serial, along with 13 teasing teasers fresh from Comic-Con.

NOAH WYLE ON FALLING SKIES MYTHOLOGY & CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

13 FALLING SKIES TEASERS & FACTS

1. Hal and Maggie may have a close encounter of their own:

“They have respect for each other. Hal is still trying to get over the loss of Karen and I didn’t just want to jump to another girl. Karen was his first love ever and that was a pretty bit loss.” – Drew Roy.

2. Steven Spielberg was hands-on over the Skitters and Mechs

“The challenge was to find something incredibly unique … that was inspired by Steven Spielberg and a team of conceptual artists,” executive producer – Exec. Producer Justin Falvey.

3. Tom and Anne’s partnership plays “out in a crowded room” as the first season nears its end. – Noah Wyle.

4. Falvey puts forward his favorite Falling Skies episode: “I think I’m going to really like episode 98.”

5. There’s no quick fix in the Falling Skies world:

“Communications are all out. People have to learn as they go. Everything they learn is first person. They’re going to learn things but it’ll be parsed out slowly. We’ll learn some design of the Skitters in the first season.” – Exec. producer Mark Verheiden.

6. Bloody romance – Anne’s bloodstained handprint ”was the moment Tom falls in love with Anne.”

7. Show or tell?:

“We made a decision early on that we do no flashbacks. Everything we learn we learn as we move forward. There’s an episode coming up that reveals a lot about Weaver’s backstory. … It keeps the show propelling forward.” – Verheiden.

8. Moon Bloodgood on the Skitters: ”It’s harder to kill something that looks human-like.”

9. Change of clothes?:

“I don’t change very much … until we do an episode where we loot the Gap. … In Season 2.” – Wyle.

10. They have the ongoing Season 2 storylines “boarded out” – EP Darryl Frank

OTHER TEASERS

• The characters use the alien technology to aid their journey later this season
• We’ll find out why the Skitters are on Earth in the first place.
• Hal’s girlfriend Karen may not be as gone as one thinks.

After the soul-selling move by Clayton and with Pope back in play – what can we expect from tonight’s continuation of Falling Skies?

To get a picture of what’s cooking, take a look at these fresh promotional images for “Sanctuary Part 2″.

via: Digital Spy

Much has been said about the Terra Nova delays. Largely thought to stem from the extensive special effects required to realize the show.

Given the relative success of Falling Skies – another show that relies heavily on CGI to bring elements of its world to life – has some of the pressure been lifted from Terra Nova?

While we expect the Falling Skies special effects to fall a rung or two below that of Terra Nova‘s finished product, so far it hasn’t taken much, if anything, away from the TNT series. The aliens and Mechs aren’t distractions. Certainly, fans haven’t complained in any great number about the quality of the show’s visuals.

I feel this is testimony to the show’s intriguing premise, and the work done to make the aliens and Skitters appear as seamless as possible with their environment. But it’s also credit to the audience for appropriating their expectations – looking beyond just the visuals to appreciate what the story is trying to say.

With all that said, can the even higher-concept Terra Nova fare as well?

For me, it depends primarily on the story. Have a compelling, overarching story and viewers can forgive the odd visual blemish. That being said, Terra Nova‘s task may be even more challenging than that of Falling Skies because the show’s pre-Cretaceous world has to be created almost from scratch.

Like Skies, the story is set on Earth – but unlike the other Steven Spielberg-produced serial, it’s set between two distant times: the dystopian 2149 future and the prehistoric past. (the latter of which is set to dominate).

Then there’s the question of whether it’s ‘easier’ to realize dinosaurs than it is aliens? People have a general expectation of what dinosaurs look like (even though Nova has some of its own), whereas there’s no real rulebook for aliens – though this argument can swing either way.

Expanding on the expectations aspect, it could be argued that genre fans will demand more of Nova because they expect more from it. Perhaps due to the show’s enormous budget (not that Skies was cheap, you understand) – with the Pilot reportedly said to be even more expensive than LOST‘s.

There’s also the fact that the show is on FOX – a major broadcast network that is admittedly swinging for the trees with Nova. Not to mention the fact that they are still rebuilding their genre reputation (pretty well, of late) after canceling some fan favorites in years gone by.

And as much as we may try to avoid it, there is the LOST factor. While Fringe is, in my view, the real ‘successor’ to LOST’s weighty crown – in terms of ‘look and feel’, Nova is the closest thing to come along since JJ. Abrams and Damon Lindelof hatched an impossible dream.

Nova may be different in terms of narrative structure and story, but it also has the potential to be a universal campfire serial and ratings hit – something FOX needs if they’re to justify their investment.

So, there is a lot of expectation on Terra Nova. But all things considered, the special effects are not the be all and end all – even though certain quarters may try to paint it that way.

Of course, everyone wants it to look great and should the visuals turn out to be terrible then they will be called out. But if they can maintain – and possibly improve – the look presented in the trailers, then I think they’ll have done a good job. Assuming, of course, that the all-important overarching story and characters are worth investing in!

•  The Terra Nova Comic-Con Panel takes place Saturday, 11 a.m —Ballroom 20.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM7Bv293Ytw

Terra Nova premieres Monday, September 26 on FOX

With things not being as they seemed down at the ol’ sanctuary, Tom and Hal have to take matters into his own hands in this Sunday’s continuation of the Falling Skies two-parter.

We’ve had several promos and sneak peeks already this week, but get another sample of what’s coming up in “Sanctuary Part 2″ with this ‘first look’ video featuring additional footage and commentary from lead actor Noah Wyle.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r6alaC1q70

I’m hoping for big things from this one, particularly with it being the second part of a two-part package.

With a whopping 24 Seriable TV series descending on Comic-Con between July 20-24, you’re going to need something to keep those dates and times straight.

Enter the Seriable TV Comic-Con 2011 Guide – detailing the times, dates, destinations and activities of your favorite Seriable TV shows in San Diego this summer. To make it easy for you to keep track of your favorite shows, we’ve broken it down into a show-by-show listing. Have at it after the jump!

ALCATRAZ

WEDNESDAY JULY 20

SCREENING

• 6:00 p.m — 9:00 p.m.
• Ballroom 20

SATURDAY JULY 23

SIGNING

• 2:30 – 3:15 PM
• WB Booth
• Cast: Elizabeth Sarnoff, Jack Bender, Sarah Jones, Jorge Garcia, Parminder Nagra, Jason Butler Harner, Santiago Cabrera

ALPHAS

FRIDAY JULY 22

PANEL

• 6 p.m.:, Room 6A

AWAKE

THURSDAY JULY 21

CHUCK

SATURDAY JULY 23

DEXTER

THURSDAY JULY 21

SUNDAY JULY 24

FALLING SKIES

FRIDAY JULY 22

FRINGE

SATURDAY JULY 23

GAME OF THRONES

THURSDAY JULY 21

GRIMM

SATURDAY JULY 23

NIKITA

SATURDAY JULY 23

SATURDAY JULY 23

PERSON OF INTEREST

WEDNESDAY JULY 20

THURSDAY JULY 21

SONS OF ANARCHY

SUNDAY JULY 24

TERRA NOVA

SATURDAY JULY 23

THE RIVER

FRIDAY JULY 22

THE SECRET CIRCLE

WEDNESDAY JULY 20