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Review: #FallingSkies, Season 1, Ep 4 “Grace”

Air Date: Sunday, July 3, 2011 10PM E/P

Rating: ★★★★★

I kept looking for a specific meaning to the title of this fourth episode “Grace,” it essentially has multiple connotations for each varying story line. For Tom (Noah Wyle), it references the paternal grace he expresses with his eldest son Hal (Drew Roy) in helping him cope with the recent abduction of his girlfriend Karen (Jessy Schram). Also, it refers to Pope’s (Collin Cunningham) falling deeper into Anthony’s (Mpho Koahu) bad graces, especially since Pope continues to make racial slurs regarding his African-American ethnicity.

Pope: “Didn’t mean to piss off the company gangbanger.”

Anthony: “Black man with a gun – that’s your default?”

Pope: “I just call ’em as I see ’em. So…what were you – Blood, Crips, Slytherin?”

Anthony: “Actually, Mr. Pope, I was part of the biggest gang in the world. I was Boston P.D.”

Pope: “Thought I smelled a little ham.”

L-R: Anthony (Mpho Koaho), Hal (Drew Roy), Tom (Noah Wyle), and Dai (Peter Shinkoda) at the motorcycle dealership

The references to Harry Potter are very humorous. With everything electrical being rendered useless, one form of entertainment is reading. The power of your own imagination allows you to get lost in the pages of fiction.

I think I read a comment somewhere which states how unrealistic Pope’s character is; but I beg to differ. There are leeches among the human population – people who feed off others and care only for themselves with or without the preemption of an alien invasion. I think it’s surprising that there aren’t more people like Pope in Falling Skies but it’s still early in the season.

Dr. Harris (Steven Weber, L) and Anne (Moon Bloodgood) disagree on the treatment of the alien POW

I also think “Grace” refers to Dr. Michael Harris’ (guest star Steven Weber) arrogant and crass behavior earning him less favorable grace with Anne (Moon Bloodgood). He constantly belittles her field of study as a pediatrician. I know he’s just acting the part, but Weber does it so well I actually dislike him. He tells Anne to back off from trying to communicate with the Skitter Tom captured and I don’t understand why he’s so afraid. Anne tries to use pictures of Earth along with kind gestures, like giving the alien a bowl of water, but I think she underestimates their comprehension of what humanity means. The fact that the Skitter recognizes Tom as being the one who captured him is a clear sign that the creatures are capable of retaining information similar to our own process of recognition.

Mike (Martin Roach), Anne (Moon Bloodgood) and Scott (Bruce Gray) discuss the correlation of static to the Skitter while Dr. Harris (Steven Weber) looks on

Anne’s Uncle Scott (Bruce Gray) enlists the help of Tom’s youngest son, Matt (Maxim Knight), as a communications officer. They are receiving strange static through the crude radios Scott has devised. At first I was a bit confused as to why they even built radios. With the aliens disabling electronic devices, it’s not likely they would be able to listen to the top 40 hits. What’s interesting is how the static is directly related to the captured Skitter’s emotions. Harris provokes the Skitter by showing him a dead Skitter, which causes a significant spike in the static. And later Mike (Martin Roach) retaliates against the Skitter after his recently rescued son, Rick (Daniyah Ysrayl), exhibits a connection with the Skitter when he awakens briefly from his harness removal surgery.

One of the most enthralling moments of “Grace” is when Rick fully awakens and puts the harness back on. With the harness reattached, it’s like he’s one with the Skitter with whom he looks upon lovingly. Of course, Mike is dumbfounded but Harris is intrigued and attempts to communicate with the Skitter via Rick.

Harris: “What do you want from us?”

Rick: “You want to hurt me.”

Harris: “We just want to know why you’re here. So what do you want?”

Rick: “Let me go.”

Harris: “No, I can’t do that.”

Rick: “This child is one of ours.”

Harris: “Not anymore. We cut off the harness.”

Rick: “Then I’ll be punished.”

A restrained Mike interrupts.

Mike: “We’re gonna help you.”

Rick: “Help me?”

Mike: “We’re gonna help you, Ricky!”

Harris: “Shut up! He’s not your son. How can we help you?”

Rick: “Kill me.”

While I really do like Falling Skies, I have many questions. Why are the aliens taking adolescent kids and not younger children or even adults? Is it their pubescent hormonal imbalance that perhaps allows the spinal harnesses to work more efficiently? Although I can do without some of the cheesy moments, I think they are somewhat realistic. In times of crisis we all have those Kodak moments like at the end of “Grace” when everyone revels in the simplicity of fresh baked bread – a farewell gift from Pope.

Tune in to Falling Skies Sundays at 10PM E/P only on TNT.

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Photos © TNT – “We Know Drama.” All Rights Reserved.

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.

Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.