Falling Skies Recap: “Death March”

by Merrill Barr:

Falling Skies Recap: “Death March”
Original Air Date (TNT): August 5, 2012
Season 2 Episode 8

When thinking about this episode of Falling Skies, the phrase that keeps popping in my head is “the calm before the storm.” The now revealed to be alive Col. Porter says the ruined Charleston is a diversion to protect was is probably an infrastructure living either within the ruins or beneath it. But it’s still my belief that this new found infrastructure is not the safe haven Tom and Weaver hope it to be.

I have a strong feeling that most of the Falling Skies audience will be upset with the lack of gun fire in this episode. But I rather enjoyed it because it’s a nice contrast from the balls-to-the-wall, Molon Labe. Instead of major deaths, new creature introductions and motivation reveals, we got glimpses into the personalities of the most prominent side-characters from this season.

Thanks to this episode we know that Pope isn’t some random rogue outlaw, but rather a (former?) father who just wants the aliens gone so the world can return to a peaceful state for its future generations. And all of that comes from a single line of dialogue about why Pope knows the location of a random river.

In addition to Pope, we also got a major glimpse into Margaret’s past learning that she’s a former convict. But truthfully, the fact that she’s part of Pope’s crew makes this not much a surprise. Margaret has always felt like someone that could have done time for some sort of crime. And thanks to Hal’s non-reaction, he served as a window for the audience to yell to Margaret “we don’t care, you’re cool.”

Then there’s Tector. A character who we really didn’t give two shits about until Molon Labe when he was forced to watch the brutal execution of his field partner (and probably best friend), Boon. There’s some speculation as to what would happen to Tector in this new state of grief, and in that state we learned that he’s former military. And being former military, it could be the set up we need to place him in a bigger role. Perhaps next season… If he survives that is.

And then there’s Matt. We start this episode with Matt handing a will to Tom. Remove the fact that Tom must have been heart broken to read that from his youngest son. The fact that Matt felt it necessary to write a will is the final nail in the coffin of his childhood. The innocence of being a kid is gone now that Matt has chosen the path of soldier instead of civilian. He has been forced to grow up too fast. And now Tom must weep for him instead of with him.

But character enlightenment wasn’t all. What’s up with Jenny? Will she come back? Who knows. But, it’s her appearence we need to worry about. What we sort of knew with Ben we now have confirmed with Jenny. The Skitter aren’t Skitters. They were transformed into their current state thanks to the harnesses. They are truly victims.

I can only imagine the battle that is about to ensue considering the true sense of relief that has now washed over the Second Mass with their arrival to Charleston.

~Merrill Barr, DarkMedia Resistance Group 49 – out~

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DarkMedia contributor Merrill Barr can also be found on his podcast, The Idiot Boxers and on Twitter @sonic43.

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[Photo Credit: Cate Cameron]