Terra Nova "Genesis" Review

Terra Nova is a paradise--a quasi-garden of Eden with plentiful food and drink, abundant plant life, various kinds of flowers, and air so sweet and pure that one never need an oxygen mask to breathe again. The base also exists 85 million years in the past, when dinosaurs roamed the earth and the moon looked close enough to touch. Life in the 22nd century's essentially unlivable. The air quality's nearly toxic. The smog's so thick that children cannot see the sky. The portrayal of 22nd century life isn't uncommon in science fiction--it's only a matter of time until civilization destroys the earth.

The series is ambitious. The two hour pilot's more of a movie than a two part TV episode. The graphics alone probably cost more than two or three episodes of any other TV series. The dinosaurs look terrific. The territory surrounding the terra nova base was wonderfully designed by the graphic arts team. The series might struggle to sustain its look on a weekly TV budget. The second part features an epic action piece that lasts nearly three acts. There were chase scenes, rebellious groups of outlaws, near-gun fights, and overwhelming set of stakes for the principal characters. The visual display's impressive. A TV show hasn't looked so movie-like since the LOST pilot in 2004.

The story and characterization isn't so rich in detail, though. The Shannon family boasts five archetypes instead of formed characters. The father is a do-whatever-it-takes-for-my-family kind of guy; the mother's a brilliant, loving mother willing to sacrifice her safety if it means safety for those she loves; the teenage son's a miserable bastard with daddy issues and a tiresome rebellious streak; the daughter's a wealth of expository knowledge about dinosaurs and the dawn of civilization; the youngest daughter's the illegal fifth spawn of the Shannon parents but she represents a sort of hope for Terra Nova, which is a place where a family of five can live peacefully, and a world where children won't be killed by a destroyed earth. Before Terra Nova, the father was sentenced to six years in prison after physically harming an officer who discovered the existence of a third child in a strict two child world.

The Shannon family came to Terra Nova because the mother was recruited to be one of the doctors. Jim, the father, escaped from prison with the help of his wife. He then successfully traveled back in time with his youngest daughter without much complication. Jim used to be a cop before prison. Jim used to be a present father, too. The prison time didn't help his youngest daughter remember him while Josh loathed him for attacking the cop because he and the family fended for themselves for two years. Jim's work is an up-hill climb. He needs to earn the trust of the military outfit, led by Nathaniel Taylor, as well as the trust of his children. Not only does he need to assist in the re-building of a livable world but he needs to re-build his family.

The military and his children need Jim, of course. Commander Taylor balked initially when asked by Jim to return his badge and gun. Josh sauntered off into the unknown of Terra Nova with a group of people his own age. Once the dinosaurs and the Sixers pose a dangerous threat to the base, Jim proves his worth to the Commander. Likewise, once Jim saves his son's life from carnivore dinosaurs, Josh isn't so mopey and miserable anymore. In fact, he compliments the sky and smiles.

The mythology's predictably mysterious. The time-travel aspect isn't an issue. The butterfly effect won't ruin the future because the effect doesn't exist. Instead, Terra Nova's exists in a fracture of time-and-space, in a completely new time stream that doesn't threaten the future at all. The sixth pilgrimage to Terra Nova produced a band of outlaws involved in a conspiratorial plot from the future. The depths of their plans aren't known but they rely on geometrical equations to communicate with one another about the "controlling the past and future." The words are ominous. The sixers are a rugged group who use aggression and intimidation to re-stock their supplies. Their mission will no doubt involve something deadly.

The series is about civilization. Civilization's responsible for the desolation of Earth in the 22nd century. Civilization could fail just as badly 85 million years ago in the past. In fact, the show seems poised to portray civilization in such a way. The sixers have no issues with death; ditto the police in Terra Nova. Commander Taylor's a man of peace, someone who believes in the mission of Terra Nova but he's opposed by carnivorous dinosaurs and rebel pilgrims. The Shannon family's similarly noble and they’ll help Taylor in his fight.

I didn't like the two hour pilot. The second part dragged despite the action. The sixers were too wooden on screen. The pilot sought to resemble LOST in its scope, presentation, and structure. The sixers resembled the others with their cryptic coded language and propensity to point guns at the heroes. The episode could've been exceptional with better character development. The series boasts a ton of executive producers but the well-paid writers couldn't create a single compelling character in the two hours. The creative discord's responsible for that, though. I don't have much optimism that characterization will improve. The series is fixated on the graphics and the mythology. Eventually, these writers will learn the staple of successful storytelling--great characters. Terra Nova doesn't have any.

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