Throughout the first season, the show struggled at times with how to represent itself. Not so with the 2-hour season finale. Giving viewers some things, which they’ve asked for. Mixing perfectly the perfect blend of action, tense moments of suspense and sprinkled amongst the core is the family story that ties everything together. Occupation/Resistance was the two episodes that had the one element that was missing through the rest of the season, the fact that the characters lives were in actually peril. Calling on an enemy that was very powerful and heavily armed that would kill anything in the way to get its way. Unlike the dinosaurs these villains were more ruthless and coldhearted.
Starting off the first half of the finale rocketed quickly through what could have been some great episodes that would lead up to the finale. Instead we’re shown the 11th pilgrimage as they start to come through the portal. As Tyler has setup a defensive line at the portal, knowing that the sixers employers could make their move at anytime. As one of the colonists step through that has a bomb strapped to his chest. The effects team in conveying the explosion during prime time television did an excellent job. The focus of the following scene focuses from Jim’s view during the aftermath of the explosion. The writers did a good job in providing an explanation of what would happen if the portal was destroyed, causing the rift to jump to a new, unknown location three klicks away.
Following the opening the plot flowed very smoothly. As Jim awakes to fins that the colony has fallen and is now in charge by Lucas and a representative from the Phoenix Group. Unfortunately one of the things that stuck out was the use of an overly used trope that all evil corporations and groups use the same colors in their flags, logos, and other dastardly things. The black and red flags placed in several locations really did look out of place, yes, we know that they’re bad but the flags don’t work. The colony has been shelled as evidence of many craters and destroyed buildings still smolder. Finding out the surviving colonists are now hostages in keeping Taylor from attacking is good but with a group that has an unlimited amount of money at its disposal, it pretty much allows the hostages to roam somewhat freely during the day instead of keeping them contained to a few living quarters. The Shannon children are actually not annoying in the finale, in fact, after learning of Kara’s death at the portal, Josh shares a great moment with his father that builds up his motivations later on and brings a welcomed maturity during this very difficult time. Zoe is one of the sticking points as being the overly cute and insufferable child character has one of the big moments of the characters life during the second half with Taylor. Seeing that the Shannon family is bringing out a new and great family dynamic was welcomed and gave us hope that they would all come out of this safe.
Bringing the resistance, further against the Phoenix Group with two of the shows largest players. Jim and Taylor meeting in the jungle with a well camouflaged way of sending coordinates to Jim. Providing Taylor with locations and other Intel. Movements of troops and materials, hurting them in some big ways. Things begin to crumble when Lucas taunts Josh in Boylan’s Bar. When he snaps and begins to slug Lucas, Skye runs to Jim to alert him about what is happening. We see that Lucas is completely broken as a person, letting his goons beat Josh to death. With the bar fight between Jim and the Phoenix Group soldiers, Jim’s secret is busted giving Lucas the opportunity to exert his twisted sense of interrogation on the two Shannons. This gives us the first defining moment of Elisabeth Shannon. Giving us her resolve as a doctor but willing to take a risk just as Jim has done in order to protect her family. Bluffing Weaver into thinking she has swapped his injections of antihistamine with a deadly parasite. In exchange for the antidote. The release of her husband. As the Shannon family prepare to escape the colony, things become difficult once their attempted escape has been discovered. With help from Washington who blames herself for the fall of the colony sets off a diversionary explosion. As the Shannon family meet with Taylor in the outskirts, Washington is captured. For a character that really didn’t have her story told throughout the season. Giving final line that set her above others before Lucas executing her.
The final act is one that sets the tone for the last half and perhaps even into a second season if ordered. Knowing that their only chance of survival is to hatch a plan in which Jim takes an unbelievable risk in stowing away within a storage container with a bomb and a sleeping dinosaur. Skye manipulates Lucas perfectly, only to have Lucas escape later on. Informing Taylor that Lucas is heading back to the portal we have that moment we’ve been waiting for. The showdown of father and son. Now to think that Taylor is a very experienced military man only to fall victim to one of the oldest tricks in the book was a little off. Guessing the writers decided to use the action of Lucas stabbing Taylor as a means to show that Lucas is completely incapable to change and will continue his quest of destruction. As Jim faces some opposition in 2149 the dinosaur that he was traveling with has been taking care of a few Phoenix Group people, including Weaver. The scenes with the dinosaur filled that desire that we had during the lawyer munching scene in Jurassic Park. Without spilling an ounce of blood on screen only proves that you don’t need gallons of blood to make a scene intense or scary. Plus it wouldn’t have fit into the overall tone of the show of being a network family friendly show. With explosions tearing through the facility Jim runs for his life, literally. With fire, explosions, and an angry dinosaur at his heels. He barely makes it through the portal somewhere in the dense forest.
With being the season finale, Terra Nova really pulled it off as being action packed. The final scene without a doubt brings a new element that hopefully we may see if a second season is done. After the reveal of what was in the container that the sixers found out in the badlands, brings a bit of Lost feeling. Perhaps there is more to Terra Nova than everyone thought. This is where the episode should have ended, but we have to see the Shannon family share a nice quiet moment watching a meteor shower. This perhaps should have been left out as it sucks the mystery and tenseness of the past two hours out. It just didn’t fit or even felt as a scene that would have been an end scene. Overall the finale showed us that Terra Nova has merit and can carry itself on a major network with a very large budget. We only hope that next fall will bring us adventures of the Shannon family and the colonists as they survive in the dangerous world of dinosaurs, sixers and other unknown dangers.
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