Falling Skies – “Prisoner of War” – review

I enjoy watching Falling Skies quite a bit, but not on an “OMG YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!” level. The second episode, “Prisoner of War,” had some pretty slow moments, made only vaguely interesting with expository dialogue about the alien’s mind controlling harnesses. There were a handful of times where the action heated up; tension filled the air. It was enough to keep me on the hook, at least.

What caught my interest were three events. The first was Tom taking on a Skitter one-on-one. Surprisingly, the Skitters still look good even close up, although for some of the tight shots you could tell it was a guy in a suit or perhaps a puppet. Rough ’n’ tough Tom took down that alien fool with a couple of shotgun blasts to the leg and then knocking it out with a flashlight. Then Tom does the hotshot thing and drags the alien through the resistance base (a nice little shout out to Will Smith in Independence Day).

Secondly is John Pope. Colin Conningham somehow makes this scoundrel so likeable. He’s oddly sophisticated for a redneck criminal. It’s a personality quirk you wouldn’t have expected, but it comes off well. Previews have shown Pope playing a bigger role in the resistance, but for now he’s been made the cook.

Finally, the big reveal at the end that the alien Tom captured is in control of one of the harnessed kids they rescued. I saw it coming a mile away, yet when the Skitter opened his eyes, I was skeeved out by how green they were. That’s what made it hit.

Those moments made “Prisoner of War” another solid episode. Now here’s the thing about solid shows; they don’t stand out. There’s nothing to separate them from other similarly solid shows. A series should strive to be extraordinary, and so far Falling Skies is pretty by the books. It does its thing very well, but it isn’t anything to get worked up over.