Falling Skies season 2 explained

Season Number:2
Bgcolour:
  1. F0DC82
Num Episodes:10
Network:TNT
Episode List:List of Falling Skies episodes

The second season of the American television drama series Falling Skies premiered June 17, 2012.[1] It consisted of ten episodes,[2] each running approximately 42 minutes in length. TNT broadcast the second season on Sundays at 9:00 pm ET in the United States.

The season's plot focuses on the 2nd Massachusetts' discovery that a large community of survivors has formed in Charleston, their journey there, and their reception once they arrive.It also focusses on the discovery that the Skitters are themselves "harnessed" and mind-controlled by the invaders, but that some of them are resistant to the effects and are rebelling against their Overlords..

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Production

Falling Skies was renewed on July 7, 2011, for a second season. TNT announced production had begun on the second season on October 24, 2011.[3] For the second season, Brandon Jay McLaren joined the cast in October as Jamil Dexter,[4] a mechanic. McLaren will feature in seven episodes.[5]

Filming took place in Vancouver and at the Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam from October 2011 to March 2012.[6] For the first season, production took place in Hamilton[7] and Toronto.[8] [9] Noah Wyle said that the change in location made filming significantly different.[10] A new crew came in for the second season, with only "two or three people on staff that were there in season one."[10] The new staff includes a new writing staff and showrunner.[10]

Remi Aubuchon was hired as the showrunner for the second season in May 2011 before the first-season premiere.[11] [12] Once Aubuchon entered the writer's room, he began speaking of the cliffhanger "it became a really fun challenge." Out of that cliffhanger, says Aubuchon, "came some really positive things that propel a lot of the storytelling in the second season. And the writers came up with a pretty cool way for Tom Mason to get off that spaceship again." "You'll always catch people after a huge trauma saying, 'Oh, it wasn't that bad.' Or, 'It was fun,' Or, 'It was cool falling off that cliff,'" says Aubuchon. "The truth is, at first it was like, 'Oh my God, should i just say I can't do this job?' Ultimately, though, I think it turned out cool."Series lead Noah Wyle received several phone calls after the first-season finale aired. The number one question was "What the hell were you doing getting on that spaceship?" He said that they "wrote themselves into a corner". Moon Bloodgood, who plays Dr. Anne Glass, says she was sort of daunted but impressed by the writing. Aubuchon added that Tom Mason's capture helped the writer's change the character slightly. He stated: "Tom comes away from that experience feeling used and manipulated. It wasn't the experience [he expected]. He thought he was going to be having a nice conversation with an extraterrestrial being. It turned out to be worse than that. More than that, I won't say. But that's what made it fun."

Greg Beeman, who directed the episode, spoke about Remi Aubuchon's hiring. He said that Remi had "a lot of ideas about how to keep the good stuff we'd established in Season 1", and "diminish the things that weren't as strong".[13] Steven Spielberg's original conception of Falling Skies was that the characters in the series would be nomadic.[13] The idea for the second season was to "create a mobile refugee camp made up of vehicles and rag-tag tents."[13] Chris Faloona, who was the Director of Photography in the first season, was unable to return due to commitments on another series, and Nate Goodman was hired.[13] He worked with Greg Beeman on the NBC series Heroes. Aubuchon and Beeman discussed what was ahead for the characters this season, and soon after, Beeman called Connor Jessup, who plays Ben Mason, and said "I've just heard what the plans are for you for this season. And my strong advice is that you get a trainer and start eating your Wheaties! You are in a HUGE storyline is going to revolve around you… You're a warrior, you're a skitter killer and you're a badass!"[13] Jessup hired a trainer that very day.[13]

Promotion

Promotion for the season includes a digital comic book, entitled Falling Skies: The Battle of Fitchburg. The comic was published by Dark Horse Comics and was launched on April 18, 2012.[14] Bridging the gap between seasons, the comic picks up where the first season left off. TNT launched a webseries titled 2nd Watch on June 17, 2012 to air after the second-season premiere. Wil Wheaton hosted the show, which ran throughout the entire second season of Falling Skies. The episodes are available on the Falling Skies official website.[15]

Episodes

See also: List of Falling Skies episodes.

Reception

Reviews

The second season was well received by critics. Many praised it as being stronger than the first, noting a step-up in quality. Maureen Ryan of The Huffington Post compared the second season to the first by saying "Season 2 is a different animal, a much leaner and meaner machine that allows sentiment to be present but unexpressed and depicts a darker world in which innocence is a luxury that no one can truly afford."[16] Chuck Barney declared "Sunday's explosive two-hour opener boldly delivers on the promise by TNT producers to rev up both the pace and the firepower in Season 2."[17] Screen Rant's Anthony Ocasio lauded the season premiere. "While further episodes will reveal more, the type of character development, intriguing storylines and exciting action that will be contained in Falling Skies season 2, there's no doubt that TNT's hit drama will likely become an epic adventure, spanning many seasons," he said.[18]

Ratings

Episode numberTitleOriginal air dateRatings share
(Adults 18–49)
Viewers
(in millions)
Rank per week
on Cable
1 "Worlds Apart" 1.5 4.46
  1. 10
2 "Shall We Gather at the River" 1.5 4.46
  1. 10[19]
3 "Compass" 1.3 3.81
  1. 18[20]
4 "Young Bloods" 1.2 3.39
5 "Love and Other Acts of Courage" 1.2 3.64
  1. 13[21]
6 "Homecoming" 1.2 3.61
7 "Molon Labe" 1.2 3.45
  1. 25[22]
8 "Death March" 1.3 3.34
  1. 15[23]
9 "The Price of Greatness" 1.3 3.46
  1. 15[24]
10 "A More Perfect Union" 1.4 3.84
  1. 18[25]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: TNT Announces Premiere Dates for 'The Closer', 'Falling Skies', 'Leverage', 'Rizzoli & Isles' 'Franklin & Bash'+ Four Brand New Series . https://web.archive.org/web/20120318003653/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/03/15/tnt-announces-premiere-dates-for-the-closer-falling-skies-leverage-rizzoli-isles-franklin-bash-four-brand-new-series/124573/ . dead . March 18, 2012 . TV by the Numbers . Kondolojy . Amanda . March 15, 2012 . March 15, 2012.
  2. TNT Orders Second Wave of Falling Skies, Cable's #1 New euSeries . Turner Tekgroup . Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. . July 7, 2011 . July 7, 2011 .
  3. Web site: TNT's 'Falling Skies' Second Season Production Under Way. Bill . Gorman. October 24, 2011 . TV by the Numbers . https://web.archive.org/web/20111026184243/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/10/24/tnts-falling-skies-second-season-production-under-way/108239/. dead. October 26, 2011.
  4. News: Terry O'Quinn & Brandon Jay McLaren To Guest Star On Falling Skies. https://web.archive.org/web/20120417104657/http://www.tvwise.co.uk/2012/04/terry-oquinn-brandon-jay-mclaren-to-guest-star-on-falling-skies/. dead. April 17, 2012. Patrick. Munn. TVWise. April 15, 2012. May 28, 2012.
  5. Web site: 'The Killing's' Brandon Jay McLaren Lands Recurring Role on 'Falling Skies' (Exclusive). October 14, 2011. The Hollywood Reporter. February 4, 2012.
  6. Web site: BC Film Commission List - Feb 14, 2012. British Columbia Film Commission. February 14, 2012. February 19, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121114095057/http://filmingvancouver.blogspot.com/. November 14, 2012. dead.
  7. Web site: Spielberg series shot on Hamilton debuts Wednesday. https://archive.today/20121208152038/http://www.thespec.com/whatson/article/558703--spielberg-series-shot-in-hamilton-debuts-wednesday. dead. December 8, 2012. July 11, 2011. Yeo. Debra. The Hamilton Spectator. February 29, 2012.
  8. Web site: Falling Skies . June 16, 2011 . Lowry . Brian . . https://web.archive.org/web/20110621041203/http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117945457?refCatId=32 . June 21, 2011 . June 18, 2011 . mdy .
  9. News: Noah's arc. Amy . Amatangelo. June 19, 2011 . .
  10. Web site: Noah Wyle Previews FALLING SKIES Season 2. Vogt. Tiffany. May 22, 2012. The TV Addiction. June 8, 2012.
  11. Web site: FALLING SKIES Looking To Invade Season 2, Remi Aubuchon Showrunner. May 11, 2011. February 4, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20110613062612/http://seriable.com/falling-skies-looking-to-invade-season-2-remi-aubuchon-showrunner/. June 13, 2011. mdy-all.
  12. Web site: Development Update: Tuesday, May 10. May 10, 2011. The Futon Critic. February 4, 2012.
  13. Web site: SEASON TWO BEGINS!!!!!!!. June 16, 2012. July 14, 2012.
  14. 'Falling Skies': New Dark Horse digital comic shows aftermath of Tom's abduction -- EXCLUSIVE TRAILER. Entertainment Weekly. April 11, 2012. Blauvelt. Christian.
  15. Web site: TNT to Launch Post-Episode Webisodes for 'Dallas' and 'Falling Skies'. https://web.archive.org/web/20120608232542/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/06/06/tnt-to-launch-post-episode-webisodes-for-dallas-and-falling-skies/137074/. dead. June 8, 2012. June 6, 2012. Kondolojy. Amanda. TV by the Numbers. June 6, 2011.
  16. Web site: 'Falling Skies' Review: Sci-Fi Drama Kicks More Alien Butt In Season 2. The Huffington Post. Ryan. Maureen. June 15, 2012. June 19, 2012.
  17. Web site: Chuck Barney: 'Falling Skies' is TV's version of the summer blockbuster. Mercury News. Barney. Chuck. June 13, 2012. June 19, 2012.
  18. Web site: 'Falling Skies' Season 2 Premiere Review & Discussion. Screen Rant. Ocasio. Anthony. June 18, 2012. June 19, 2012.
  19. Web site: Cable Top 25: 'Dallas' Tops Cable Viewership For Week Ending June 17, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120622054012/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/06/19/cable-top-25-dallas-tops-cable-viewership-for-week-ending-june-17-2012/138652/. dead. June 22, 2012. TV by the Numbers. Kondolojy. Amanda. June 19, 2012. June 20, 2012.
  20. Web site: Cable Top 25: 'Good Luck Charlie' Tops Cable Viewership For Week Ending June 24, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120629053458/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/06/26/cable-top-25-good-luck-charlie-tops-cable-viewership-for-week-ending-june-24-2012/139229/. dead. June 29, 2012. TV by the Numbers. Bibel. Sara. June 26, 2012. June 27, 2012.
  21. Web site: Cable Top 25: NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing Tops Cable Viewership For Week Ending July 8, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120712075027/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/07/10/cable-top-25-nascar-sprint-cup-racing-tops-cable-viewership-for-week-ending-july-8-2012/140811/. dead. July 12, 2012. TV by the Numbers. Bibel. Sara. July 10, 2012. July 11, 2012.
  22. Web site: Cable Top 25: 'The Closer' Tops Cable Viewership For Week Ending July 22, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120727004231/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/07/24/cable-top-25-the-closer-tops-cable-viewership-for-week-ending-july-22-2012/142360/. dead. July 27, 2012. TV by the Numbers. Bibel. Sara. July 24, 2012. July 25, 2012.
  23. Web site: Cable Top 25: 'The Closer' Tops Cable Viewership For Week Ending August 6, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120812002455/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/08/07/cable-top-25-the-closer-tops-cable-viewership-for-week-ending-august-6-2012/144010/. dead. August 12, 2012. TV by the Numbers. Bibel. Sara. August 7, 2012. August 8, 2012.
  24. Web site: Cable Top 25: 'The Closer' Wins the Week Again, Topping 'WWE Entertainment' & 'True Blood'. https://web.archive.org/web/20120817221224/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/08/14/cable-top-25-the-closer-wins-the-week-again-topping-wwe-entertainment-true-blood/144870/. dead. August 17, 2012. TV by the Numbers. Kondolojy. Amanda. August 14, 2012. August 14, 2012.
  25. Web site: Cable Top 25: 'The Closer' Series Finale Tops Cable Viewership for the Week Ending August 19, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120824020139/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/08/21/cable-top-25-the-closer-series-finale-tops-cable-viewership-for-the-week-ending-august-19-2012/145417/. dead. August 24, 2012. TV by the Numbers. Bibel. Sara. August 21, 2012. August 22, 2012.