Terra Nova: Episode 7- ‘Nightfall’ (spoilers)
Creators: Greg Silverstein, Kelly Marcel
Director: John Cassar
Writers: Terry Matalas, Travis Fickett
Starring: Shelly Conn, Jason O’Mara, Landon Liboiron, Noomi Scott, Stephen Lang
Reviewed by: Matt Wavish, official HCF critic
A low and behold Terra Nova finally delivers, and I for one am extremely thankful that I stuck with it and got as far as this episode. Now, I won’t say it is perfect, far from it, but for all the crap I have had to put up with thus far, ‘Nightfall’ finally has some goods to talk about. After the emotionally driven previous episode, here we get not only some touching family moments, moments of drama, moments of panic and Taylor doing what he does best, but we also get action, fights and, would you believe it, a proper Dinosaur!!! Thanks heavens for that!
In a bold move by the writers clearly knowing viewers up to this point may well be ready to give up, they do a sort of Fringe season One gimmick and suddenly everything falls in to place and some enjoyment can come out of watching this. A meteor explodes while falling from the sky and it lands right next to the colony. Problem is, since it exploded in the air it set off a an electromagnetic pulse which knocks out all of Terra Nova’s power and pretty much fries every micro chip and electronic device. The Sixers gets wind of what has happened and use this as an excuse to strike Terra Nova while it is down, but with Taylors orders to put extra soldiers on guard, Mira knows it will take more than just their small army to get in to the Colony. Taylor aint stupid, far from it, and knowing that anything can now get through, from Sixers to Dinosaurs, he’s taking no chances. Mira, however, has a plan.
During the blackout there are many other stories going on, one involves Maddy as she heads out into the paradise with Reynolds, and the pair finally share a kiss and after all the build up, it is actually quite touching. All that soon ends as they realise they have no power and have to stay out in the jungle all night. Reynolds has a plan, and the pair rub stinking mud all over themselves in a scene that is comical and, ever so slightly, moving. Then there is Elisabeth, working hard in the hospital and about to remove a giant tapeworm from Hunter, with the power out it must be done the old fashioned way, by slicing him open and ‘feeding’ the worm out, a job which Skye has to take over. The pair clearly love each other in an almost brother and sister sort of way, but Hunter expresses different feelings, upset at Skye’s clear love of Josh. In probably the most touching story, Jim takes daughter Zoe to a special underground chamber where a unique computer allows the user to pin point any date, place or object and it will find it for them. Jim brings up the house Zoe grew up in, and then takes her on a rollercoaster in a bordering on cheesy but just pleasant scene. With the power out, the pair are trapped and have to work together to find a way out, and the situation brings them closer together and it is, for want of a better word, a little moving.
Taylor takes control of the situation in his usual commanding and confident way, and even the site of a massive Empirosaurus barely phases him. The massive Dinosaur is being lead to their colony by the Sixers as they use fire to scare it and force it toward Terra Nova. Once again though, the show fails in its special effects as at times they look terrible, but at other points it looks rather impressive. The sound effects are fantastic, and a scene of the monster (which is a fictional version of the Spinosaurus)) surrounded by fire is postcard perfect. The already impressive episode leads to a satisfying, action packed climax as Sixers invade Terra Nova, intent on getting something which belongs to them. Taylor and Jim fight their way through some very large Sixers in a big spectacle fight scene that is great to watch, but borders on being too over the top as men get punched, kicked and crash through every window, table and object within ten feet. However, it is a step in the right direction, and all of a sudden Terra Nova has arrived, the stories are coming together (sort of) and we finally get what we have waited all this time for.
Dinosaurs, action, peril, double crossings and characters behaving unexpectedly (witness Boylan shock everyone with his actions). I wouldn’t go as far to say this episode makes up for the dribble that has come before, and there are many issues I could easily pick holes at, but I won’t, not today, because I am thankful that this dying series has suddenly sprung to life. If you have made it this far, then hopefully we have a great journey ahead.
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