Alien invasion show Falling Skies returned for its final season tonight. Last season was mostly a trainwreck, with confusing plot lines, unexplained jumps in character, and lots of WTF moments. Still, I've watched from the beginning so why not.

Show pretty much gave us more of the same in the season premiere. Tom is on a spaceship, then back in hi old house with his wifey, then in the ocean, then wanders through the woods back to camp with no idea how he got there. All he does know is that rage will win the war against the bad aliens. To that end, he's kind of awesome, especially at the end of the episode when he plugs the Overlord. Son Hal remains the most unlikable character in TV history, switching assignments to get his girlfriend away from his brother and unable to understand why said girlfriend isn't satisfied with him saying "I care about you."

Last night was more of the same "WTF is going on?" type stuff from me. I'm sure I'll watch the season (what else is going to fill that last night time slot on Sunday) but I'm not expecting this to be great.

I felt like missed a bunch of things, but I am in for the last season.

Oh, the one good thing about the show was the Volm announcing there are actually 317 human resistances worldwide, and they need a leader, so hello World President Tom Mason.

Frustrated they didn't reveal who/what Tom encountered on the other spaceship at the end of last season. They pulled the same crap at the beginning of last season, going straight from the Volm landing at the end of the prior season (awesome ending) to the Volm fighting along side them with no bridge between events.

ugg...show was so bad on so many levels.

Their initial "mech" objectives were miles apart, yet team B is able to cover team C in less than 10m with no motorized transportation. Also, Tom is able to run through a hoard of skitters, screw around at the tree with the dead guy (who is now bait???), set a bomb and run back through that same hoard with out a scratch.

As for the new plan to take out the Espheni....
Tom "It's at Woodrow Wilson HS"
Everyone: "How do you know"
Tom: "I just know"
Everyone: "OK, this is a situation where we could all die and we have absolutely no good recon. information about our objective, but we'll just go on Tom's 'gut' feelings. This is the same Tom who's been captured, assumed dead, and escaped like 10x in the last 18-months but it's all good".

Then Tom, inexplicably runs off on his own after they fry everything in the gym and his son is being controlled by the overlord who is hiding in the basement with no cover.

And when is he going to change that coat....it's got to stink to high heaven by now.

Also, what happened to the skitter rebellion?

The first two seasons were pretty good for 'low budget' television, but it's gotten to Sharkenado level of acting and directing quality.

..but now I'm in after catching up last year on Prime so I'll probably watch to the end to see what happens. It can't be more disappointing that Lost.

Nothing about the military part of the show makes any sense. The aliens have airborne fighters, there's literally no need for them to ever come on the ground for any reason.

What is the aliens reason for being on Earth? Part of their over-arching battle with the Volm? I have no idea and I've watched every single season.

Much like Lost (mentioned previous), the show was good early and is now just going through the motions of whatever cliche they can think of. I fully expect someone to have an evil twin this season, somebody to get amnesia (or go blind or both), some character from someone's past to pop up and make trouble, and black scientist to crank out some scheme that we only have one shot of it working and someone has to stay behind to pull the trigger - hopefully that someone is Hal. Also Matt will have his first girlfriend, and then that girl will get killed or kidnapped. And Lexi will appear in a vision to Moon Bloodgood.

I thought the shaky camera syndrome was coming to an end in Hollywood. Instead FS brings it back with a vengeance last week...ugg.

Not as bad as last week. But the eating of the skitter causing that guys face to fall off was a bit over the top. It's like they're trying to be gross just for the sake of being gross.

Yep, I've decided to drag this forum forward to the front page again as I wait on the car to get tuned up. Think we've missed about 4 episodes because like me, the others who watch this show struggle to care enough to actually write about it in a message board, but we're close to the end now.


Below I present actual highlights, tongue in cheek highlights and horrific observations of the last few episodes, feel free to contribute.

Actual highlights
1. Pope's chick dies and Pope blames Tom Mason, very justifiably, since Tom would have saved his own kin ahead of a mission, but doesn't do it for Lady Pope.
2. That's it, the rest of the show has been awful.

Tongue in cheek highlights
1. Maggie has very risky surgery performed by the Volm. The surgery takes 45 seconds.
2. A guy threatens to kill Weaver and is clearly unstable. After they disarm him, Weaver lets him come along and everybody's friends.
3. Pope and Tom get in a showdown. THey shoot each other at point-blank range. Neither one of them dies.
4. Pope shaves his head to make sure you know he's crazy now.
5. Tom disappears after getting shot and carried off. Pa Walton shoots down the alien, somehow carries an injured Tom back to his house which at least a mile away, up a flight of stairs with no help from anyone.
6. The Skitter Resistance hasn't been mentioned once this entire year.
7. Lexy has not been mourned by any family member since the first episode of the year.


Horrific observations
1. Even with the Espheni clearly on the down slope of their military strength, the Volm continue to only have 2 soldiers on the ground
2. Cochise and his dad meet, they speak English, totally normal for aliens from another planet, and his dad calls him Cochise which is not his name.
3. Gas and ammo continue to be unlimited in post-apocalyptic eastern seaboard USA.
4. Hal, the most unlikable character in TV history, continues to waste oxygen by not dying. I had really high hopes Pope would kill him, but he let me down, as usual.
5. Hal plays smooch face with some chick who rescues him from Pope. The idea that two Earth women both are attracted to Hal after knowing him for more than 30 minutes is more unlikely than us repelling an alien invasion.


There are four episodes left. No one major has died. Now that Hal has a new main squeeze and Maggie is spike-less. Pope will die, either badly or slightly heroically. Weaver will possibly die, but I've been saying that for 2 seasons. if TNT had any guts, they'd have one of the Mason boys die, but they clearly don't.

The first season of the show, it had a large budget for the special effects. The budgets have been severely cut. Now, instead of a point to an episode, we get people wandering around with really not much to do.

This went from a good show that I enjoyed and looked forward to, to a show that I don't mind rolling over and going to sleep during the show.

There is just no point to the episodes. In the first season, all of the stuff that's happened so far this season would have taken place in no more than 1.5 shows.

Last nights premise was awful. A family is isolated from the entire invasion? WTF! 15 year old kid has no idea what's going on.

"Mom, why can't I go to Jimmy's house to play."
"Uh..jimmy moved away."

"Mom, why do we have vegetables from our garden fir every meal. Can't we go out for pizza?"
"Shut up and eat your potato!"

"Mom, can I wander aimlessly around our 1000 acre farm even though Gramps just capped an adult sized locust less than a mile from our house?"
"Have fun, sweetheart!"

This show is just a beating. If not for the time already spent, I'd never finish an episode. I just want it to end. I was thinking there were only two episodes left, including last night's. I'm so disappointed the count is actually 3 from here.

Why did the Aggie beat his head against the wall?

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This went from a good show that I enjoyed and looked forward to, to a show that I don't mind rolling over and going to sleep during the show.

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I don't know if I ever really considered this a "good show" to begin with.

I'm with TX AG 88, if I hadn't already devoted this much time to the series I am sure I would turn it off and find something else on Netflix.

The first season was decent. It's gone down hill since then.

I don't get the point of this season. They start by saying that because of the moon base/power station blowing up that they have victory in their grasp. They've spent about one episode worth of clean up moving to the goal of finishing off the war. The rest of the season has been nothing but side stories about people in the 2nd Mass. It's like they are saying they only needed 2 episodes after last season to finish the war, but need to stretch it out a full season with filler to get to that point.

The preview for the next episode looks beyond stupid as well given how long this war has gone on for.

Well with 2 lines of dialogue last night, Falling Skies could have redeemed the entire series, but nobody had the guts (or smarts) to say so. So the 2nd Mass finds an operable military base in Norfolk, Virginia with army guys, a few humvees, ammo, the works. And the whole thing is led by a captain played by the actress who played Michael Scott's on-again, off-again flame, Jan Levinson, on The Office. And apparently at some point in the past she hooked up with Col. Weaver.

And as the two of them stumble through dialogue that makes no sense, they really, really really should have had had Col. Weaver, say, "What about Gould? Is Gould dead?" and had her confirm that was true, but of course that would have been smart and funny so it didn't happen.

In summary, Tom, Hal, and Ben get found guilty of treason, leading me once more to hope against hope that Hal will be killed, but I'm sure he won't. But it appears Jan Levinson is being controlled by an overlord who is conveniently hiding in the shadows of the base in plain sight. Seriously, why do 8 foot tall telepathic alien overlords know so little about stealth? They're always just standing around somewhere waiting to get capped.

Some of Jan's psycho troops capture Ben and pull out one of his spikes, and it hurts, but then he seems fine. Matt gets away using a motorcycle somehow, the rest of the 2nd Mass is just hanging out doing nothing except for cool accent black guy and Cochise who are trying to decrypt the overlord communication sphere of fire and fun.

And meanwhile Pope, who had the only interesting plot this season, is absent for a 2nd straight episode. Which means he'll show up, threaten the Masons, see the error of his ways, and sacrifice himself nobly to achieve some goal.

After following arcs for a while, this show has become V: The Series / original Battlestar Galactica - every week throw some of the characters into a new situation that can be wrapped up in 43 minutes, toss in a couple of guest stars, rinse, repeat.

With three episodes left before the series ends, unanswered questions include:

1) Where da fuq did the Volm go?
2) Who helped Tom get back to Earth?
3) What happened to the Skitter resistance?
4) Is the final battle going to be fought by people with rifles and pistols? No planes? No tanks? No missiles?
5) How did Pope survive getting shot point blank by Tom with only a flesh wound?
6) Why did Anthony go from super likable to Captain D-bag in 3 episodes?
7) How can there possibly be this much leftover gasoline and ammo sitting around?
8) Col Weaver banged Jan Levinson? Damn, that's outkicking the coverage.
9) Maggie is aging terribly. Not a question, just a disappointed observation.
10) Why did these aliens attack us again?

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With three episodes left before the series ends, unanswered questions include:

1) Where da fuq did the Volm go?
2) Who helped Tom get back to Earth?
3) What happened to the Skitter resistance?
4) Is the final battle going to be fought by people with rifles and pistols? No planes? No tanks? No missiles?
5) How did Pope survive getting shot point blank by Tom with only a flesh wound?
6) Why did Anthony go from super likable to Captain D-bag in 3 episodes?
7) How can there possibly be this much leftover gasoline and ammo sitting around?
8) Col Weaver banged Jan Levinson? Damn, that's outkicking the coverage.
9) Maggie is aging terribly. Not a question, just a disappointed observation.
10) Why did these aliens attack us again?

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I think number 2 was vaguely answered at some point in an episode. I can't really remember for sure. This show is just so... meh now. Honestly at this point, I wish this series would just end. Personally, I'm kind of hoping that the only one that makes it to the end and lives is Cochise. I lol'd at 8 btw. Regarding Maggie aging badly, Sarah Carter is still pretty good looking. I can't help but feel that they want the characters to look a bit worn and tired. I think they have just dropped the ball so hard with the skitter resistance. The rest of your questions yeah, this show man.... this show.....

This is the main issue to me: The plot got way to big and spread out. Instead of keeping it small, and rolling things out as we went, they routinely revealed too much, too quick. They try to reveal a big twist, and then wrap it up way to quick, and leave way to many questions unanswered.

What I loved most about the show to start, was the survival, and struggle for a family to stay together. Seeing situations in such unimaginable circumstances, and thinking...what would I do if that was my kid, etc..

But all that said....I still like it. As dumb as it's gotten, I want to know how it ends. If it was on during the fall, I'd have tuned out a long time ago, but it's a perfect mindless show for the summer.

God, this show is more of a beating every week, and i come back for more.

I didn't watch V the series or that much of the original battlestar galactica (after the first season or so) but I think I know that reference. It's almost like the original Star Trek series, to me.

Please just show us some military force on force and let the humans defeat the Ashphene (however you spell it). This "humans as the most dangerous enemy" has gotten SO old over the last 2 seasons.

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And as the two of them stumble through dialogue that makes no sense, they really, really really should have had had Col. Weaver, say, "What about Gould? Is Gould dead?" and had her confirm that was true, but of course that would have been smart and funny so it didn't happen.

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Col. Weaver should have asked her out to Chili's to settle their differences.

Thanks for this thread and keeping me from wasting time on seasons 4 and 5.
/well bye

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NLast nights premise was awful. A family is isolated from the entire invasion? WTF! 15 year old kid has no idea what's going on.

"Mom, why can't I go to Jimmy's house to play."
"Uh..jimmy moved away."

"Mom, why do we have vegetables from our garden fir every meal. Can't we go out for pizza?"
"Shut up and eat your potato!"

"Mom, can I wander aimlessly around our 1000 acre farm even though Gramps just capped an adult sized locust less than a mile from our house?"
"Have fun, sweetheart!"

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At this point me and the kids are just laughing at every episode....

I'm just hoping that they have been saving the special effects budget up for the final two episodes so that they can just go all out Bay-esque explosions and stuff. This season has been a bit of a let down with most of the episodes feeling aimless in intent. They just feel like there is nothing happening towards ending the war... This week's episode was just bleh.

So wait, now that there is only two episodes left they are going to introduce another new alien species? This show man....

Yeah, are you really an Overlord when you're bowing down to someone else, who is apparently either a spaceship, a robot, or 900 feet tall?

These Overlords are the most pathetic conquering alien of all time; a 61-year-old man killed one with a belt last night. A BELT! And damn, Will Patton is 61! Where did the time go? Wasn't it just yesterday he was Chick in Armageddon, hoping that maybe, just maybe, saving his entire species from annihilation from make his ex-wife love him again?

Other highlights from last night:

Col. Weaver kills Jan Levenson-Gould, fulfilling two-thirds of the old game: Kill, Marry, F&&k, all with the same woman. Attaboy, Dan!

Moon Bloodgood gives an inspiring speech that inspires no one. The army guys were already going to mutiny.

After YEARS with Maggie, Hal switches to Natasha or whatever her name is in a matter of hours. And now that relationship is rock solid, sorry Maggie.

Pope, who I seem to remember seeing shot point blank with an automatic rifle, is fine, albeit not sitting in an office chair correctly, and hosting his own personal Hunger Games with his buddies. And yet he's surprised to learn Tom Mason is alive, solely because he shot Tom in the leg?

Cochise has no problem being paraded around in a van to solve human vs. human problems; The overarching, interstellar conflict with their sworn enemies not as important as the problems of roughly 75 humans.

ha. I delete the entire season from my DVR last night, not having watched an episode. The comments here and elsewhere have lead me to believe this was a good thing.

There is a wound on the Cpl. neck that won't heal and bleeds every time she has to make a decision and no one thinks that's strange.

This show has made me root for aliens to wipe out mankind.

They've had enough material for about 2 episodes this season.

I did watch Sunday night for the first time in 3 weeks and really hadn't missed anything. I really don't know if watching the final two shows will be worth it, or maybe just watch the final 10 minutes of the finale and avoid all of the fluff that has been most episodes this season.

As dumb as it's been...I still like it.

The entire show from the beginning requires you to suspend reality.....so I guess even though it's more hokey than it has been....it's still the same show to me. Morbid curiosity won't let me not finish it.

This show has become a parody. I am to the point that I could care less which character in the 2nd Mass gets capped.
So here's my alternate ending: the humans make short work of the aliens next week and blow them all to hades.
The final episode takes place three years into the future. Hal blew off Maggie and broke her heart. So she teams up with Pope who now is a huge porn producer. She becomes the #1 porn chick in the world. Hal begs her to give him another chance. she says no and hell no So he goes back to his job at the car wash. Fade to black.

I look forward to Muck's breakdown of the episode.... I'm at the point that I'm just laughing now.

My quick recap:

• Lexi comes back (kind of)
• She's dead now
• The brewmaster who almost killed Dan Weaver is a master of both the terrestrial and intergalactic periodic tables
• Things are now looking up for the 2nd Mass!

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I look forward to Muck's breakdown of the episode.... I'm at the point that I'm just laughing now.

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This may be the nicest thing anyone on TexaAgs has ever said to me. Sadly it doesnt keep FS from sucking.


Time i watched last night's episode: 12:05 am. - 1 a.m.
Times I fell asleep during episode: 6
Times I hit rewind to see what had missed; 1

Highlights:
The opening scene with Ben in the tub of water, then writing down Espheni Cliff notes, then putting his hand back on the group chat button. That was actually well done. It showed an actual CONFLICT. Ben putting his life on the line to get intel vs. his family's concern for him. Wow, what a concept!

The way Pope and his guys launched the ambush. Playing on the Masons' willingness to help the wounded was great but ....

Lowlights:

Pope DIES off camera. You gotta be effin kidding me. The guy plots revenge for 5 episodes, then dies in an explosion? I guess maybe he's not dead, but that was a lot of smoke and fire. And the lesson learned here is what? Guy with justifiable point gets what he deserves by standing up to Noah Wyle and family?

Cochise. Continues to know nothing about everything. If it wasn't for the fact he has a ray gun, would be almost as worthless as Hal.

I'm bringing Lexi back: But only for about 40 minutes. And her hair is darker because .... huh? Just laying out in the woods hoping that the next patrol to wander by is pro-Mason family.

Bad-ass Maggie doens't plug Lexi right away. When is a bad-ass chick not a bad-ass. Just about every episode.

Maggie apologizes to Matt for all of the conflict she's brought to his family. Yeah, Matt saw his world annihilated, his mom killed, his dad abducted by aliens about 50 times, and was in a Nazi Youth camp for a while, but watching his brothers fight over the same girl has been TOUGH.

Anthony is pro-Pope until seeing that Anne might get shot. Then he changes sides, just like that. This dummy can't even defect right.

WTFs:
Tom decides the day before the invasion of DC is the right time to start talking to the other militias for the first time.

The entire show as predicated on Tom's knowledge as a history professor of how to execute strategies. But the final strategy is "Everyone show up a mile from Washington DC and we'll see what's going on there."

The entire military effort is being run by Tom, Weaver, Hal, and black scientist guy. Nobody from the actual military base they're using is invited to play.

Tom fully expects all this militias to drive hundreds/thousands of miles and then stop outside Washingtn and take orders from some guy nobody's ever met who isn't even military.

Despite being the most important alive at the moment, Tom wanders off to a lake by himself.

The ultimate weapon to kill the Espheni queen looks like a cat toy.

I still don't have a great understanding of the intelligence behind the visions of Tom's wife. It's the Skitter race's last survivor? And she has a huge ship to herself? Or she is AI? I have no idea.

Waiting until the last episode of the series to introduce the true "villain" seems like a bad idea.

Honestly this list could go on forever.

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WTFs:

Tom decides the day before the invasion of DC is the right time to start talking to the other militias for the first time.

The entire show as predicated on Tom's knowledge as a history professor of how to execute strategies. But the final strategy is "Everyone show up a mile from Washington DC and we'll see what's going on there."

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They have been talking with other militias for a while. Early in the season they referred to them as "Mason Militias" after Chochies' folks helped them to communicate with them across the country.

only the volm have talked to them though. You telling me we'd get routed by one group of aliens then totally trust another group to handle all of our communications with our own people?

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only the volm have talked to them though. You telling me we'd get routed by one group of aliens then totally trust another group to handle all of our communications with our own people?

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With everything else that has happened in the series, sure.

Oh and to this:

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This may be the nicest thing anyone on TexaAgs has ever said to me. Sadly it doesnt keep FS from sucking.

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It sucking totally right now is what is still making it slightly entertaining.

Last scene is Tom waking up and it's all been a dream.