Terra Nova Canceled

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Fox-Cancels-Terra-Nova-Canceled-1044499.aspx

Not necessarily shocking news, but a bit disappointing nonetheless. Terra Nova always seemed like the type of show that needed a firm investment in order to succeed. That is to say, it needed a chance to grow, even if it didn't have a strong first year. Unfortunately, Fox isn't always the best place for that sort of thing.

News is that the show is searching for a new home, but does that ever really pan out? It seems to have a hefty price tag and honestly, I have nightmares of the immense decline Sliders took when it went from a powerhouse like Fox and moved to a smaller network like SyFy.

Let's see what happens, but you can always take a trip down memory lane and re-read my review of the finale:

http://acaseoftheblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/season-finale-thoughts-terra-nova.html

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Season Finale Thoughts: Terra Nova

Unfortunately, this review could potentially be titled "Series Finale Thoughts." Have they made a decision yet about renewing this series? I would imagine there's a lot of overhead with a show like this, and since it wasn't a ratings juggernaut, I have to assume that it's an uphill battle. I guess we should keep our fingers crossed, though.

So, with new episodes returning this month, I thought I would discuss some of the season finales that took place while I still have the time. I figured I'd start with Terra Nova. Spoilers after the page break, so click the link below for the full column.

Continue reading "Season Finale Thoughts: Terra Nova"....

Out of all the new shows I've watched and continued to follow, Terra Nova is probably the weakest, simply because it expects you to take major leaps of faith, and thus far they haven't really explained many of the bigger issues (the biggest being, "Why go to prehistoric times instead of, say, 2005?) However, I really, really enjoyed the finale. It allowed me to overlook all of the inherent faults and despite being two hours, it went by rather quickly. I don't particularly recall it answering any big questions, but that's not what the episode was about.

I might as well get a t-shirt that has this phrase plastered across the front, but the episode was strong and compelling because I cared about the characters. Honestly, I never felt particularly attached to any of the characters in the Shannon family, but there were several scenes that really hit me. The scene where Zoe comforts Taylor after Washington's death actually had me tearing up. And while Josh has mostly been an ass throughout the season, I couldn't help but cheer when he attacked Lucas for harassing Skye. And Elisabeth tricking that dude into thinking she had infected him? Kinda bad ass. And after a few episodes where things may have seemed tense and distrustful between Jim and Taylor, it was a lot of fun seeing them work together to overcome their foe.

Even the side characters had their moment in the sun. I liked seeing Malcolm assist Jim and the rest of the crew in overthrowing the Phoenix group. And Boyland, who has mostly been portrayed as conniving, was made pretty likable by attempting to assist Josh during his beating. Skye managed to redeem herself by not only setting up Lucas, but also saving Taylor. And Washington's sacrificial death was powerful as well (made even stronger by having Taylor struggle with the decision to not save her).

The closing scene, which implied that there were other instances of time travel, was intriguing, but I'm not convinced it was strong enough to make fans demand that the show come back. I was actually more compelled by the fact that they cut themselves off from the future. I think that's interesting. Let's see what happens, though. I'd still watch next season.

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New Shows to Watch - Part 1: Terra Nova

This is going to be a four part piece, and I thought I'd start with the bottom (as harsh as that sounds). Terra Nova is a really fun show and the premise is clever, but I can't help but feel like it's the weak out of the four new shows that have joined my television line up. Ultimately, the thing that bothers me most is that they haven't bothered to explain why going back to that particular time -- to a period in which modern technology does not exist and, ya' know, dinosaurs are roaming around -- in order to save society. For example, 2011 appears to be relatively safe, environmentally and socially. Why not bring people to that period instead? And, naturally, this can't possibly be a long-term plan. It may still be several million years away, but there's the matter of the extinction and ice age coming. If the purpose is to save the human race, why go back to a time that we know extinction is an inevitability?

That's a pretty major criticism, but to tell you the truth, that's probably the only one. The effects, while not perfect, are passable for television and don't really detract from the viewing experience. The characters are mostly likable and its easy to root for the family the show is built upon. Plus, I think I have a slight crush on Naomi Scott.

There are some interesting mysteries, as well. Who's the spy (hinted at heavily in the last new episode, but I'm not sure that was a confirmation)? Are the Sixers truly the "bad guys"? Is Taylor really the "good guy"? I wouldn't be surprised if the Sixers don't end up like the Others (of Lost fame), where we learn that they're not actually bad, however their methods may be.

Speaking of Taylor, I'm wondering if they're going to delve into the fact that one man holds ALL of the power in this society. He truly is the judge, jury, and executioner (literally -- he played the role of all three in one episode). It sorta makes me understand why people would want to limit his power.

Overall, I do recommend this show. There are some kinks to work out, but it's an enjoyable hour and I am interested in seeing how things play out. And hey, I'm giving the show its own tag, so at least that means I plan on discussing it again in the future.

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