"Paul Levinson's It's Real Life is a page-turning exploration into that multiverse known as rock and roll. But it is much more than a marvelous adventure narrated by a master storyteller...it is also an exquisite meditation on the very nature of alternate history." -- Jack Dann, The Fiction Writer's Guide to Alternate History

Monday, August 11, 2014

Falling Skies 4.8: Spike

Finally, a decent episode of Falling Skies - 4.8 - on TNT last night.

The best part was the Maggie story.  As I suspected, she was not killed last week, only badly wounded and paralyzed.   The only way to save her is by grafting some alien spikes into her back, which Ben is more than willing to provide, at great risk to himself.  Maggie tells Hal she'd rather die than have anything alien be a part of her, but Hal correctly ignores this, and Maggie recovers.

Two significant things happen after that.  Maggie slaps Hal for ignoring her wishes, then passionately kisses him for saving her life.  That was the right response.  (Anne, in one of her better lines, comments "back to normal" as she watches this with Tom.)   Meanwhile, a beat or two before, when Hal thanks Ben, we get this significant line from Ben in response: I didn't do it for you.   So Hal is now aware of how Ben feels about Maggie, if he wasn't before.  That's a good thing for the narrative arc.

Meanwhile, the other person who struck me as really notable in this episode was Weaver.  He has evolved from the gruff military man into perhaps the most sympathetic and supportive characters on the show.   His support of Matt, digging for Tom, when Weaver himself didn't have much hope, was commendable, winning, and quietly moving.

So what's left for this series?   Speaking of Weaver, you can see just how far the human military response to the aliens has declined in the past few years.  Our heroes are little more than a rag-tag group of survivors, holding on for dear life.   What can we see, now in evidence, that will enable a human victory?

Maybe Lexi will revert her loyalty once again, this time back to her mother.  Maybe our people will discover some weakness in the bad aliens that they and we don't already know.   Or maybe there won't be a victory at the end at all.

But I think not, and I'm looking forward to seeing how this all plays out, this year and next.

See also Falling Skies 4.1: Weak Start ... Falling Skies 4.2: Enemy of my Enemy ... Falling Skies 4.3: Still Falling ... Falling Skies 4.5: Cloudy ... Falling Skies 4.7: Massacre Indeed

And see also Falling Skies 3.1-2: It's the Acting ... Falling Skies 3.3: The Smile ... Falling Skies 3.4: Hal vs. Ben ... Falling Skies 3.6: The Masons ...Falling Skies 3.7: The Mole and a Likely Answer ... Falling Skies 3.8: Back Cracked Home ... Falling Skies Season 3 Finale: Dust in Hand

And see also Falling Skies Returns  ... Falling Skies 2.6: Ben's Motives ... Falling Skies Second Season Finale

And see also Falling Skies 1.1-2 ... Falling Skies 1.3 meets Puppet Masters ... Falling Skies 1.4: Drizzle ... Falling Skies 1.5: Ben ... Falling Skies 1.6: Fifth Column ... Falling Skies 1.7: The Fate of Traitors ... Falling Skies 1.8: Weaver's Story ... Falling Skies Concludes First Season

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