Terra Nova this week? The Andromeda Strain

Last week on Terra Nova it was Hitchcock’s The Birds.

This week? It was Michael Crichton’s The Andromeda Strain.

It wasn’t quite so blatant and plagiaristic, but it was definitely comparative.

In a nutshell, there’s radio silence at Oupost 3, some science station off Terra Nova main. Taylor and Elisabeth head out on a quest to see what they can see. Once there, the good doctor discovers there’s some sort of disassociative disorder that’s run rampant, manifesting itself in three stages: memory loss, even more memory loss and, eventually, the ultimate stage, catatonia. (I think I may have been affected by the pathogens in question at one point as I was considering a catatonic state while viewing this little gem last night. *snort*)

In the end, we discover it’s something Jim’s been eating that comes to the rescue. No, no … that’s not it … it’s a passionate smooch to his wife’s kisser that saves the day. Wait! Wait! That’s not it either! It’s his annoyingly, slobbery cold he caught from daughter Zoe that does the trick! Yay … !!! Cripes! This episode had more twists in it than a half hour of 2 Broke Girls! *yeesh* 

I’ll say this: At least there were some comic elements in last week’s episode to make me chuckle. (And when I say “chuckle” I mean at the characters in Terra Nova, not with them.) This week’s was just a piece of throw away filler.

There was a bit of intrigue the writers tried to inject in the mix, however, that was more engaging than the story itself. The little side action taking place had Josh spurning Skye’s kiss in hopeless anticipation of getting his girl back home (or … is that “forward” home?) to his present location to experience all the wonder and joy of this strange, new world. Seems Skye “knows a guy” (insert wiseguy Mafia accent) who might be able to “get things” for a price. And, of course, this “guy” is some schlub who works behind a bar on Terra Nova and plays footsies with The Sixers on the bad side of the tracks. Stay tuned, folks: We could get a real story out of this little tidbit of information. Finally.

Michael’s Weekly Terra Nova Gripes:

• As is evident each and every episode thus far, the TN security leaves much to be desired. We found in this week’s airing they’re insubordinate, lovelorn, easily manipulated, not trained all that well and will drop classified information at the wink of a female adolescent eye.
• We’re 85 million years in the past, right? What are the chances a pathogen indigenous to this time is going to effect humans in the manner suggested in the story? (I know … might be a weak argument, but I’m definitely not inclined to purchase a case of said pathogens to distribute to the likes of the Jersey Shore cast, Oprah, any of the Kardashians nor others.)
• Take note: We learned at the start of the show if you go outside to smell the pretty flowers, you get eaten. Duh.
• That writing on those plastic screens Elisabeth found at Outpost 3 scribbled by the dino-consumed doctor? Plain old English. Not a problem there … but … the English on the consoles at the outpost was some kind of funky Sanskrit-ish, Asian-influenced angular script. Here’s my thought: The times of an era can certainly dictate popular influences and, yes, writing can be one of them. So I’m not buying the console lettering. Better: Why the hell would you want to make the console writing so difficult to freakin’ read?
• Taylor motorbikes under a dinosaur, probably a Diplodocus. I don’t know what was more dorky: That scene … or the fact I knew it was a Diplodocus.
• Was it me? Or did the dinosaurs look a little bit cooler on this episode? Not a gripe, but I thought I would leave things on a positive note.

Terra Nova is making me grumpy. Is Terra Nova making you grumpy? Because Terra Nova is making me grumpy.

Clacked by Michael Noble
on Oct 11, 2011 @ 11:30 EST5EDT