Colony Season 1 Finale: Not Quite Enough

Colony concluded its first season last week, much as it has been conducting itself in the previous nine episodes: excellent action on the ground, and between the major characters, but not enough in what's happening above and on top of all of this.

In the case of Colony, that's more than metaphor.  The Earth has apparently been invaded - we've become a colony, or maybe a series of colonies would be a better way of putting it  - but by whom?  In episode 9, we were treated to what looked like a robot arm.  Or, was it really just some sort of cybersuit?  Concealing ... what?  An alien?  Or maybe a human?

In the season finale, we get to see more or less of this complete exterior of the alien - but with no further indication of what was inside it.   This lack of revelation is a clearly a deliberate decision on the part of the show's creators.

One of them, Carlton Cuse, has a history of television series with a lack of sufficient revelation - in fact, his series (with Damon Lindelof), Lost, is justifiably the most celebrated series with insufficient revelation throughout its narrative.   And this led to a profoundly uneven story, with some of the best episodes and even seasons ever on television in any series, and also some of the worst.

The frustrating thing about Colony is that it's doing a fine job down here on Earth.  I'd have no complaints at all if the story was not about a presumed alien invasion, but maybe a fascistic revolution in the near future right here in the United States.  (Hmm...  looking at what's going on in the Republican Party these days, that's all too plausible.)  But everyone in the action keeps telling us that's not what's going on.

And that being the case, I really wish we'd see a little about the invaders.   Well, I'll give this show at least one more season to see what it does - and maybe that was the idea in the first place.

See also Colony 1.1: Aliens with Potential ... 1.2: Compelling ... 1.5: Questions ... 1.6: The Provost ... Colony 1.7: Broussard ... Colony 1.8: Moon Base and Transit Zones ... Colony 1.9: Robot Arm


not exactly aliens, but strange enough ...  The Silk Code

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Colony 1.1: Alien Occupation with Potential

Hey, I saw the first episode of Josh Holloway's latest series, Colony, on the USA Network last night, and liked it.  Definitely has potential.  (I saw it On Demand - the series will premier this Thursday, January 10.)

With the demise of Falling Skies and the success of Childhood's End (it got pretty good reviews, though I wasn't thrilled with the ending of novel in the first place, but that's just me), we're definitely due for another alien occupation of Earth series.   Colony could well be it.

Holloway's Will Bowman and his wife Katie (played by Sarah Wayne Callies = Lori Grimes from The Walking Dead) play the pivotal couple in the story, and do it well.  It's good to see both back on television, as well as more work from Lost co-runner Carton Cuse.

[spoilers below]