Review: TERRA NOVA 1.6 - Bylaw

"Terra Nova HQ, this is Foster".  "Terra Nova command, copy that".  "I just pulled up at communications station 19a" I'm thinking it's extremely dark, creepy and wet I'm in the middle of a prehistoric jungle full of Dinosaurs and am undoubtedly about to be eaten, no shit! There has been a murder in the seemingly peaceful community of Terra Nova and I have a feeling that the person who is ultimately responsible is yet to be caught.

Terra Nova is back from it's week break and it has reverted to the promise it showed during it's pilot episode "Genesis Part 1 and 2".  This episode really opened up a few avenues for break away story lines and was definitely good enough to get you watching next weeks show.

First this week you have to take off your hat to the Dinosaurs who seem to have come back from extinction, since the pilot there really haven't been to many of them kicking around.  Maybe that's the writers idea, like in Lost you didn't see the polar bear every week, or the mist for that matter.  Terra Nova's security finally managed to kill one this week too as they needed to recover the futuristic USB pen from the Raptor's stomach that is used by citizens to keep personal photos.

Jim Shannon also seemed like a fully fledged member of the security team this week, finally slipping into the Terra Nova issue combat equipment.  He was told this week to do his job by Commander Taylor and find the person responsible for the murder of his soldier Foster, it seemed at first that this was all going to be a bit of a bore once again as the murderer was found and banished very quick.  Then come all the little twists and turns.

It was clear even to me that Howard Milner (Steve Rodgers) was not responsible for the murder of Foster, something a lot more sinister and deep rooted is going on here, and clearly Sixers leader Mira is not the only person who has issues with Commander Taylor leading Terra Nova.  We may finally have figured out who is Mira's informant inside the Terra Nova gates, and there may well be more than one.

The investigation into Foster's murder lead Shannon to Boylan (Damien Garvey) the owner of Terra Nova's only bar, his character has been touched upon briefly and if it wasn't clear then that he doesn't like Commander Taylor, then it is now.  Boylan is into some pretty shady stuff, other than the illegal gambling who allows to take place at his bar he is clearly in contact with Mira but, is he her informer?  Maybe he is but my money wouldn't be on him as the main contact.

From this episode I'm gathering that Mira is the only person who has contact with 2149, that's why Boylan is in contact with her.  For money he will arrange to have certain people from 2149 sent back to Terra Nova, his latest mission is to get Josh Shannon's girlfriend to Terra Nova.  Mira had issues though and needed to speak with Josh first, informing him that he has to be available for a favour when ever she asks, no questions asked he must carry out what ever her request is.  That probably won't go down to well with his dad but like any teenager (or man) young Josh really isn't thinking with his head.

We finally found out that Mark Reynolds (Dean Geyer) a fellow soldier of Foster's was the person responsible for the murder.  Was he acting alone though?  No way, there were way to many shifty looking people this week and Boylan would come top of that list.

So this episode went back to basics if you like and I have to say I really enjoyed it, fair enough it's not prime time gold but the potential came back this week.  Terra Nova's mask is starting to come off and the seemingly peaceful new world has all the problems of 2149.

Terra Nova continues Monday November 7th at 8pm on Fox (US) and Sky 1 (UK).