Falling Skies Season 4 Ep 1 Review

Okie dokie. As I mentioned a few posts back, I really love Falling Skies. And while I love the show, I do believe Season 4 will be the end of the series. Most sci-fi shows don't survive plus 4 seasons. And I wouldn't be surprised if the 12 episode season will signal the end.

I really like the new poster. Adds a whole LOTR/WWII/Star Wars feel

According to the websites and even their own claims TNT is releasing the first episode tomorrow, the 22nd. Problem is that if you have the show through Google Play or Amazon Prime or some of the other video streaming services, they already had the episode last Tuesday.

And as I am subscribing for the show through Google Play (which I also do for the Walking Dead) I have already seen the episode. But, for those who haven't seen it yet, avert your eyes.

The War Has Changed

With the Volm taking over the main military operations on Earth against the Espheni (better known as Skitters) the Humans are left to their own devices, heading back for good old Charleston. But, Alexis Glass-Mason, upon seeing the city mentions something about "Not everyone has to die here". Thus begins a battle in which the Espheni divide and scatter the Humans, capturing many of them and fencing them in a ghetto city which was Charleston, the old capitol of the Mason led USA.

Despite the advantage they had of surprise, they didn't wipe out everyone. Killed a few, yes. But mostly they took all the ones they could and settled them there. What is it that has changed? Why are the Espheni capturing humans and not murdering them (especially the adults). Leaders are put in solitary confinement, but why aren't they executed as examples for the rest of the people?

The Volm also picked up and left within weeks of the renewed Espheni offensive, leaving behind just a few patrols. They claim that the Espheni found the hiding place for their noncombatants and so are endangered to extinction. But...didn't the Volm just barely arrive, claiming they were making great strides in their war against the Skitters?

Youth Camps

We then see Matt Mason, the youngest of the Mason sons, in a Nazi like reeducation camp. We see propaganda videos being played, portraying the adults as the reason for the war. They portray themselves as helpers, going out to help the worlds they conquer liberate become giants in the interstellar communities. 

You even have a boy that looks just like the kid in this poster.

But just as we fear that young Matt has turned, comes to find out he's secretly building a small resistance in the school. We also learn later that entire conveys of children are being rounded up for these camps.

Why? Why have they changed from harnessing the children? Why are they working so hard at indoctrinating him? That can be broken much easier than a simple removal of harnesses.

Utopia

Alexis has grown, and become a leader of some sort of peace cult. Ben had been severally wounded during the ambush, and while he seems the only one to see anything wrong, everyone else is taken with him. Nothing enters the China Town, where war hasn't touched them. 

Theories

Why have the Espheni changed their tactics? Notice that after Anna Glass and her daughter were returned, and Karyn killed, that was only about maybe thirty days prior. Is it possible that the Espheni are somehow being influenced by Anna and her daughter in how they conduct the war? We don't know what they did with Anna, but it is quiet clear that Alexis is some sort of freaky alien-human baby. Heck, she's bent moonlight back!

Is it possible that the aliens don't want to accidentally kill them, so they are only going kidding gloves until they are back in the fold? Very possible.

At any rate, I like what I've seen so far. And this has a promising start.

Thank Goodness for the Day Off!