TV Review: TERRA NOVA 1.10, "Within"
This episode was pretty much everything I’ve come to expect of this series, and believe me, that’s far from a ringing endorsement.
rating: 2
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Well, another episode down. Only one more two-hour episode to go on the season and, I suspect, the series. Our current episode contains everything the series has done wrong and very little of what it has done right. We begin with Jim (Jason OMara) and Taylor (Stephen Lang) hanging out outside the portal, talking about the preparations that are being made for the upcoming 11th pilgrimage. As this is going on, Jim, who seems now to have the title of Sheriff, which I dont recall him having before, is continuing his investigation into the identity of the Sixer spy. We also find out that hes installing security cameras in the wake of the second break-in at the hospital, something that if hed done after the first, likely would have prevented a second. Meantime, Maddys (Naomi Scott), version of the iPad has died, and needs a new power core. If this sounds like an excuse to embark on an unnecessary, distracting quest to get a new one, thats because it is. She first goes to a man in the local market and tries to barter for a new core. The only thing hes interested in is a replacement wheel for his wheelchair, because the current wheel has gone flat. I find this odd on several levels. First, even here and now, its quite possible to make tires that dont go flat. On terrain like what we see at the colony, one would think youd want solid rubber tires, not air-filled ones. But more importantly, why is he in a wheelchair in the first place? I cant imagine that 140 odd years from now we wouldnt be able to repair spinal injuries. Even if we cant, weve already started developing tech that would enable people to walk normally without wheelchairs. Its not ready yet, but probably will be in the next couple decades. This is yet another great example of why the show should never have been set in 2149, and should have simply taken place here and now. But I digress, and in doing so, take attention away from the main focus of my review. Not unlike what this story does to this episode. Anyhow, the third plotline in this episode involves Skye (Allison Miller) and her efforts to avoid getting caught while also trying to still help the Sixers in order to protect her mother. When shes questioned by Jim about her whereabouts during the spys activities in the previous episode, she makes up a story and then ropes Josh (Landon Liboiron), into helping cover for her. One would think the boy would have learned better by now, but apparently not, since he agrees. Id mock him for thinking with the wrong head, but since hes not getting any from Skye and seems to have no interest in her, I have to conclude hes simply an idiot. On top of all this, we find out that Lucas (Ashley Zuckerman), who gets a reasonably large role in this episode, has completed his efforts to reopen the portal. He blackmails Skye into helping confirm his calculations and then begins to implement his sinister plan Once again, I find myself very annoyed, bored and frustrated by this series. The Maddy subplot was a distraction like you wouldnt believe, and served no purpose at all to the story. Skyes emotional story arc wasnt even remotely interesting because so far, nothing has happened to make me really care about her as a character. Josh continues to be an idiot. Lucas character is explained away through pop-psychology nonsense. Jim does finally seem to have begun learning how to be a decent cop, but as with many things on this show, its too little, too late. Im also very puzzled as to a few things about the ending, which was confusing and anti-climactic. Slight spoilers ahead. At the end, Skye is walking free around the colony like nothing happened. That makes no sense to me. Id think youd want her locked up where you could keep an eye on her. Im sure Taylor trusts her, but he trusted her before, and Jim is the cop on the beat. He should have say on whats happening to her before her trial. Im also puzzled by the fact that the Sixers were able to break camp. Its explained that this happened as a result of Skyes mom being rescued, but surely Taylor knew that would happen. Why not just launch an all-out assault on the camp, and if you save Skyes mom, great. But if not, youd end the Sixer threat and the colony would be much better able to deal with whats going to happen next. Really, this episode was pretty much everything Ive come to expect of this series, and believe me, thats far from a ringing endorsement.