Ladies and Gentlemen: The series finale of Terra Nova.
*sigh*
No, no, no … I don’t have any insider information. I don’t know what the status is of the show. And we won’t know if “Resistance” was the season finale or the series finale for a while yet. (Not ’til next year according to The Powers That Be at FOX.)
Rather a big, huge 2-part mess of a finale, wasn’t it? Much was awash in explosions, strategically placed little fires peppering the disheveled compound and oddly marching several-man teams of Phoenix Group contractees. (Seriously: Why were they marching so much? Is this what they do in 2149? They march a lot there? And who was present to discipline them if they didn’t march?)
I’m going with an “all notes” version this time around. Well, I mean … except what I’ve written up to this point.
Notes:
- How good is Jim Shannon? Well, I don’t know about good, but the dude is fast. He can outrun a T-rex and multiple ‘splosions all while breathing the dank, thick air of 2149 Earth. That’s pretty damned good in my book.
- Did you think the inconsistencies would be a thing of the past when it came to the season-ender? Nah. How about the first few members of the 11th Pilgrimage to come over? Did you see any problems with them adjusting to the excess of light they’re bodies were subject to in the new world? Or how about the overwhelming amount of fresh air to breathe they’ve been craving their entire lives from being in 2149? If there’s one thing I can say about the inconsistencies in Terra Nova it’s that they are consistent in hosting them episode to episode.
- I don’t understand: Elisabeth holds the rather bumbling, cowardly member of the Phoenix Group “hostage” with a fake inoculation in order to free Jim. And … when she gets him free? What was stopping the Phoenix Group from simply rounding him up again? Oh, that’s right: Those gaping holes in the fence surrounding the compound.
- Did anyone have any doubt skeevy, creepy Lucas would come out of the entire 2 hours still alive and well and trapped in the past? (And yes, he’s trapped, folks. That is unless he had the wherewithal to bring his magical box with him to cause problems.)
- Of the 26 colonists in Terra Nova who got killed, not only did we not meet a single one of them, each was utterly and completely disposable. *whew* That should free up some much needed cash to use on dinosaurs if Season 2 rears its head.
- Yes, I’ll mention it: What angle are the writers of Terra Nova going for with the revelation of that ship prow? The Lost comparisons immediately jump to mind.
- Jim, dude … heads up: If you’re in a resistance movement, they’re going to be watching you. Methodically watching you. So don’t you think you could have hidden the VISIBLY BLINKING RED transponder in a bit more secretive place where it wasn’t so obvious on the transport?
- Consideration for Best Implausible Moment of a Finale: Carving coordinates into bullets to be found by medics back at Terra Nova so they know a resistance is alive and well and ready to commit monkey business against their enemies. Gotcha.
- Best Sure Bet In The History Of Television No One Will Remember: When Shannon told Elisabeth, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back. I always find a way,” of course you knew he’d be back. I ran and gathered my Monopoly money, all my poker chips and the entire contents of my coin jar, whatever I had in my pockets, wrote a check for $1 million bucks, tossed everything on the table and yelled “I’ll take that bet!” at my television screen. (Yes … sometimes I feel the need to amuse myself just for myself.)
- “Pyrosonic charges”. *hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm* So … are they “pyro” in that they have flames and fire and heat? Or are they sonic as in they call out to you of impending doom before the actual doom happens? Wait! Maybe they just yell out “I’m on FIAH over here!” before decimating whatever is going to go boom! That’s it!
Possibly The Most Ironic Quote Of A Season Finale Ever:
“We’ll survive … but first, let’s kick some ass …” — Taylor to Shannon regarding their future*
(*And, quite possibly, the future of Terra Nova)
Photo Credit: FOX
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I liked it more than any episode of Terra Nova all season long.
That, of course, isn’t saying very much, is it?
*POST AUTHOR*
. . . . .
Ivey: I actually enjoyed the penultimate episode more …
What about the antepenultimate episode?
*POST AUTHOR*
. . . . .
Ivey:
The “antepenultimate” episode was one of the few I really enjoyed.
But … let me explain: This week was a two parter – episodes 11 and 12. I don’t consider episode 11 (being it was a two parter) the antepenultimate episode … even though it was … technically.
Episode 10, “Within”, I got into a lot more. And I consider that chapter the antepenultimate episode.
So there …
I haven’t dropped by in a while, but I’m confused by your comment. If we consider the 2-hour finale to be 2 episodes (11 & 12) then the antepenultimate episode would be episode 10. If we consider the finale to be one episode then that classification would go to episode 9. That is if we’re taking “antepenultimate” to mean, essentially, 3rd to last or, more confusingly, “the one before the one before the last one.” “Ante” as a prefix basically means “coming before” and “penultimate” basically means 2nd to last.
Once again, Michael, you have confounded, confused, and just plain conned me somehow. I don’t know how, but I’ll find out even if I have to grab some meddling kids and their stupid dog. Dagnabbit, I’ll find out!
I was going to write the same as Dorv. The biggest bummer was the scene at the end with the moon shot confirming that there will be only marginal imagination going forward.
It’s a mess. Always was a mess and forever will be a mess of bad writing, cheap effects and scenery chewing acting. It would be perfect as an Action Pack serial on Saturday afternoons but that wasn’t what they were shooting for, was it?
I know the first season did have its boring moments, a fair few of them. Also a bit predictable. But im all for a second season. Looking at some of my favorite shows, the first seasons are usually not the best. But i guess it just takes some time for the actors to figure out how to play the characters consistently, and for the writers to start introducing some smart stories. I think it is a brilliant concept, and now that there actually cut of from the future, it might make things more interesting. And that ship prow. Bermuda triangle? Another time portal thing? Not sure, but ill be watching when, and if, it comes back for season 2.
Dear Michael,
Re: Pyrosonic
Pyrosonic [pahy-roh-son-ik]
(adjective)
A condition resulting from extreme digestive distress often precipitated by excessive consumption of spicy and/or exotic dishes. Said distress results in unparalleled gastric disturbance necessarily accompanied by uncontrolled vocalizations from the victim. The use of such techniques in warfare and espionage was banned by a recent revision to the Geneva Convention, but is widely believed to be eventually overturned in the next 130 years.