Falling Skies Season 1 Episode 1 Live & Learn

This is the new Sci-Fi actioner brought to us by FX UK every Tuesday at 9pm, the show is produced by none other than Steven Spielberg and has been getting massive hype both here and Stateside.  We knew enough about the show from preview that it relates to an alien invasion of earth and is based on a group of survivors staging a fightback against them.


The first episode aired here in the UK last night and as promised I watched it, the first episode of the show had some real promise and I really think this could have a successful run, being produced by Spielberg the show is sort of an extension of War Of The Worlds, without Tom Cruise.  The big aliens aren't quite as big as they were in the movie but the similarities are there to be seen.


I was really impressed with how the show opened, I was expecting something a bit like Independence Day, you know.  Everyone going about their business then all of a sudden some mother ships cast a shadow upon the earth before smaller crafts stage an attack.  Not this time, the beginning of the show is shortly narrated by children who are part of the surviving group.  Along with their narration are there drawings of the night the aliens came.  Jumping from that you are straight into the action with Tom Mason (ER'S Noah Wyle) and his son Hal (Drew Roy), they are in the middle of a battle with the invading aliens.  They have been out to collect food for the surviving Human population, this is the first glimpse really of the World's comparison as the aliens metal structure and big beaming light searches the street obliterating anything in it's way with a laser.


We learn quickly that there are around 600 survivors, or at least that's what they suggested in the first episode.  The aliens have developed a way of detecting larger crowds so they decide to  split up and leave the city to find more food, go to ground and be safe whilst they come up with a strategy to defeat the alien's superior army.

This sets up the story really.  Tom is put 2nd in command of the unit 2nd Massachusetts a group of 300 survivors who are lead by Commander Weaver (Will Patton), and some great back up from Dr Anne Glass (Moon Bloodgood) who will surly become the love interest of Tom as the series unravels.  Also you have Tom's son's firstly teenager Hal, who is helping out with the fighting then the younger son Matt (Maxim Knight), the family aren't without their troubles as Tom's other son Ben (Connor Jessup) has been taken hostage by the aliens.  As with all of the children the aliens have attached some sort of spinal device to them which allows them to control their minds, if the device is removed from their backs then they die.  The show has a great mix of everything you would want, not only do you get great action but you also get a story of the characters you are watching.  The special effects are also good but, bear in mind it is a TV show and not a movie therefore the budget is not as big.


The show really looks like it's going to be worth an hour or so of your time every week, nothing to thought provoking just a good Sci-Fi actioner as I've said that's provides you with exactly what you want in a TV show.  Entertainment.