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Falling Skies: The Complete Third Season Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood, Drew Roy, Connor Jessup, Maxim Knight
  • Producers: Steven Spielberg, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Remi Aubuchon, Greg Beeman
  • Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
  • Number of discs: 2
  • Rated:  Not Rated
  • Studio: Turner Home Ent
  • Release Date: June 3, 2014
  • Digital Copy Expiration Date: June 3, 2016
  • Run Time: 440 minutes




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    If you like “The Walking Dead” but want more sci-fi and less horror, “Falling Skies” may be the show for you. If you repeatedly watch “Battlestar Galactica” but don’t find the melodrama cheesy, “Falling Skies” may be a perfect fit. For all of the rest, this show may have too much melodrama and sci-fi geekiness to overcome. It may sound as though I’m being harsh on the show, but it is on-par with TNT programming, and it is better than some of the other alien projects Steven Spielberg has attached himself to in the past decade.

     


    The storyline itself has some similarities to “The Walking Dead,” though this show is heavy on sci-fi and gets even more entangled in other-worldly characters by the close of the second season. Season three not only has an additional race of aliens, these are capable of communicating in English. In this aspect, the series drifts even deeper into sci-fi territory as the narrative develops. Noah Wyle heads up the cast as a former history teacher who has learned to become a leader with the alien invasion. He and his sons fight the aliens with their group, but the alien’s ability to take over human bodies complicates this fight along with the introduction of ally alien forces.

     

    There are several types of aliens, including the typical tall and lanky ones who are the main invaders. They first attacked and stole many of the human children, so that they could be harnessed and made to integrate into the invader’s army. The second season makes it clear that the other type of alien doing destruction on earth are actually harnessed from another planet. The close of season two brings the arrival of yet another species or race of aliens to earth, battling to save all planets across all universes from the tyranny of the original aliens. If this sounds complicated, just watch the series for the alien effects and occasional battles.

     

    Despite advancing the story seven months from the close of the second season, little seems to have changed for the human resistance fighters. Human advisors and leaders refuse to believe that any of the aliens can be there to help, postponing an inevitable alliance against the invaders. There are many frustrating aspects to the narrative, including some annoying melodrama, but the good mostly outweighs the bad. The introduction of new weapons is not nearly as predominant as you might imagine, especially when we are given sight of what they are capable of in the opening episode. It is as if the series creators realize that the only way to continue the storyline is by having the humans remain the underdogs.

           

    There are ten new episodes in season three, all of which are included in this two-disc Blu-ray set. There are also a handful of special features, including Digital HD copies of all episodes. There are also several featurettes, with special focus given to the new alien race introduced to the series this season. Also included is “2nd Watch,” which examines the series with host and sci-fi actor Wil Wheaton. There are several additional featurettes and behind-the-scenes footage for the more dedicated fans of the series.

           

    Entertainment Value: 7.5/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 6/10

    Historical Significance:  5.5/10

    Special Features: 7.5/10


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