Last week, Tom managed to effectively end the democracy of
the remaining US government in, what, 3 days? I am impressed. Though, I
suppose, to be fair we have to admit that the forces of democracy were doing a
very good job of screwing themselves.
So we open with the coup. And General Bressler is making it clear that he’s doing this because he thinks the whole tactic of “let’s hide and pretend the aliens aren’t there” is not the wisest of military strategies. Tom, however, has principles (apparently. Last week I seem to recall him ignoring the civilian authorities and urging Bressler to do the same. That was different. Somehow) and doesn’t want a new US built on a military coup (hey, just a reminder guys, ALIENS. Nation building is a pipe dream when your species is near extinction). Tom, Weaver, Hal et al get themselves locked up again, this time by the military. Honestly, in the middle of a military coup and you piss of the civilian government and the military. Impressive.
But there’s another proximity alarm before people can be
locked up. There’s chaos and screaming because the lunch hall is full of
Skitters (and no-one is firing?)! Of course, it’s the rebels – including Ben
and Red Eye. Tom tells Bressler to order his men to lower their weapons – which
he doesn’t do. So Tom stands between the Skitters and Bressler – as does Ann
and Lourdes. Followed by Weaver and the entire 2nd Massachusetts.
Time for some diplomacy in a side office with Bressler,
Tom, Weaver, Prestly, some extras and, of course, Red Eye and his little
glow-in-the-dark translator, Ben. Time for an info-dump. The Ustheni
(Overlords) are incredibly intelligent creatures that don’t need computers or
the like – and one of them can have vast influence and control because of it. The
Ovelord the 2nd Massachusetts captured was in charge of all
military operations in the Eastern US and probably should have been killed.
They also don’t share information with anyone but other Overlords because they
work through Harnessed species which can’t, entirely, be trusted – which means
if you kill this Overlord, all military operations in the area falls apart since
they don’t keep back ups.
This isn’t just a great big “damn guys, you screwed up,”
because they have a second crack at the Overlord. He’s going to inspect the
creation of a big big big weapon at a place that, coincidentally, has nice,
sneaky caves under it, ideal for an assassination. Except the Harnessed
Skitters don’t have the weapons (they had Mechs before…) and their harnesses
will be detected anyway… the humans, however.
Bressler doesn’t believe it and refuses to send any
troops – and wants everyone back in their cages. But Weaver points out the 2nd
Massachusetts can do it – and it’s not like Bressler wants them around being a
nuisance anyway. So Bressler agrees – and when they’re gone he talks to his
sergeant about hitting the Rebel Skitters.
Hal sneaks out to go and meet with Ben – to make up and
make nice. They rebuild their bridges but Ben also confirms that his place is
with the Skitters, that’s where he belongs.
And Ann confides in Lourdes that she’s happy to be getting back into the fight – they’ve been part of the fight for so long it’s what she’s used to. Oh, and she’s pregnant.
Tom talks to Manchester about how he screwed up and how
Tom and Weaver found a middle ground – when Ben bursts in to tell them they
were attacked. At the camp Bressler passes it off as someone getting carried
away and attacking. So many had lost loved ones to the Skitters, he considers
it natural that some went out of control – he doesn’t admit to ordering the
attack. And he calls off the mission to kill the Overlord because… I have
absolutely no idea, because they were drawing lost when the title of “general”
came up, because I can’t think how else Bressler got the job.
Captain Weaver informs Bressler that, actually, the 2nd
Massachusetts is doing the mission whether he agrees or not
We have lots of 2nd Massachusetts moments –
Weaver convincing his daughter not to come because he can’t stand to lose her
(which, I accept, but as she pointed out, why should she risk losing him? I
would have much preferred her talking him round, especially since Tom also
convinces Matt to stay by saying he has to keep Lourdes safe. There’s far too
few female fighters on this show). In a moment of semi-hemi-demi redemption Ann
comes along as medic and pokes at his “little woman stay at home” idea. Tector
and Weaver changing into their old clothes and out of uniform, Tector meeting
back up with the Berserkers and Dai and Anthony getting their first speaking
lines in, what, 4 episodes?
They creep through the close tunnels, Tom reassuring Ann
and her fear of close spaces and Hal reassuring Maggie (Crazy Lee has been left
to guard the cars with Lyle, but I’m sure he’ll be reassuring her as well).
They blow into a main chamber and split up, lacing the whole place with
explosives – around the great big weapon pointed at the sky. Ben tells them it’s
aimed at the sky because it’s not meant for humans. Oooh, ominous foreshadowing.
It’s at this point the aliens attack – Skitters, and not
friendly rebel Skitters. In the fighting, Dai dies and they’re quickly
overwhelmed and evil-Skitter translator Karen steps into the room. Followed by
the Overlord and lots of questioning with the shiny torture stick. As Karen is
wandering around torturing Weaver and Tom and kissing Hal, she discovers Ann is
pregnant and announces it. To spare Ann, Tom agrees to tell them everything.
Then the rebels attack – their bonds drop them and we get
some nifty Skitter on Skitter fight scenes, including Red Eye going for the
Overlord. The Overlord throws Red-Eye off and slashes him with a retractable
blade – but Tom grabs the torture stick, knocks him over and beats him
repeatedly into mush – Karen runs off using Harnessed leap-y powers and
spouting clichés. Before everyone gathers round for a sad goodbye to the dying
Red Eye (hey, Dai’s dead – anyone remember this?)
They leave, taking their dead and wounded, and blow up
the massive weapon and return to Charleston. Bressler gives them a heroes
welcome because… I dunno, maybe he’s been drinking, mood swing, drugs, who
knows with this guy?! Cheering and rejoicing time!
Hal is unconscious in the hospital after Karen kissed him
(damn, that’s some SEVERELY bad breath their Karen, you might want to talk to
the Overlords about oral hygiene). He’s unconscious and Ann doesn’t really know
why.
Hal does wake up and check himself in the mirror – there’s
something moving under his skin. It’s another little spy creature that was used
on Tom and it emerges from his eye (uckies) before entering his ear. Hal then
practices his evil smiles and sinister looks in the mirror (evil’s a good look
on him).
Ann and Tom have the “how can we bring a child into this world” discussion, but it’s just a prelude to Tom being all reassuring and hopeful. Tom goes to speak to Manchester who has made a deal with Bressler – civilian rule will be restored so long as the civilian ruler isn’t Manchester. Manchester hopes Tom will take up the reins but he declines. He and Weaver have decided that they need to be out there, fighting the aliens and he will build governments when they’ve won the war.
It’s at this point that there seems to be an earthquake
and a storm – everyone rushes to the exist to look up at giant pods falling
from the sky. Out of which steps something completely new – a new alien with
monumentally cool armour…
Ok, this episode. The conflict of Charleston is entirely
build around people having the common sense of concussed lemmings. Bressler’s
actions throughout this episode have just defied description – maybe for an
emotional, angry man acting out. But a general who presumes to lead all of the
US’s remaining military? Some tactical expertise or clue would be ideal. It
frustrates me because it feels like the conflict of the episode was
manufactured, not entirely realistic. I actually think Bressler may be Jekyl
and Hyde or have an evil twin the number of times he changes his mind.
So this was the season 2 finale – time for a resume
They went to Charleston
…
..
.
Hmmm… yes, that’s about it. I don’t think there was even
a central theme of survival against the aliens in this season because they didn’t
seem to be all that common or overwhelming. The Overlords seem more interested
than the rebels than humanity. We see a lot of running from the aliens now and
then, but actually fighting them is fairly rare. I don’t know, there seemed to
be less of a survival horror feel to the series and more a generic “let’s get
by”.
I think there were some great storylines that would be
fascinating to follow up – freeing Harnessed kids and their conflict. Red Eye
and the rebels. Even Charleston and the nature of rebuilding society – whether it’s
even appropriate to do so while still at war. These all could have become
fascinating storylines and maybe one of them needed to step in and be centre
stage – rather than they be side events on the journey to Charleston. Or make
the journey more epic – a desperate trek across occupied territory, maybe
picking up pockets of survivors as they went.
As it was we seemed disjointed without a unifying storyline – and I almost don’t want these new aliens because it means the scrappy coverage of those issues is going to be it. I did like these stories – but it’s because I like them that I wanted them developed.
Now let’s get some of the elephants in the room. Firstly –
2 series, no GBLT people. The Skitters killed GBLT folk first, it seems. I think straight, cis people need to keep their eyes on GBLT folk - the minute the GBLTs start dying in droves, you know a dystopian is on the way - GBLT people are dystopian canaries.
Secondly, race. The treatment of POC on this show has been poor – they started unrepresented (except for crowd scenes) and Charleston is even worse since even the crowd scenes aren’t that mixed. But the casualty rate among the POC has been much higher than the white characters – which follows a trend from season 1. We’ve taken that – introduced Jamil and killed him, brought up Anthony then have him disappear after Pope for half the season. Dai had maybe 6 lines the entire season – this is a character who has been on the show since episode 1 season 1 and he barely got a part. And now he is dead – not only dead, but dead in a foot note and less mourned than a damn Skitter. And this is before we consider Ben the Harnessed representative of the Skitter rebels vs Rick the dangerous spy (remember Rick?)
The only POC on this show who can be remotely considered
a major character is Ann – and Ann is at least 70% love interest. Speaking of –
women
are also still largely underrepresented in the army. We have 4 female
characters: Ann (caregiver), Lourdes (caregiver), Maggie (fighter, major love
interest of Hal) and Crazy Lee (bit part, we don’t even see her in the fight
scenes). And yes you can have a big strong character who isn’t a fighter –
fine, let’s have Tom as the heroic bandage roller and Ann out there shooting if
they’re both regarded as equally strong. It’s not that caregiver roles aren’t
important, it’s that we have a stereotype being followed here with women
repeatedly kept out of the fight even when children have been armed.
I like the show, it’s still exciting and interesting. But
I think it needs to develop its plots a little more and it has a serious
problem with its depiction of marginalised people.
