BATTLEGROUND EARTH! 'FALLING SKIES' SEASON TWO ARRIVES IN THE UK...

Balance of power? A decisive meeting between Alien and Human in Season Two of sci-fi war drama FALLING SKIES. Images: TNT/FX.

Making a promising first season impression, enough to win over the ratings race against Steven Spielberg's other competitive show, the pretty much universally trashed Dino-epic TERRA NOVA, the alien invasion saga FALLING SKIES, created by Robert Rodat, returns exclusively to the UK's FX HD channel from tonight for a brand new set of ten exciting episodes, of which the survival stakes have never been higher for mankind and our main band of heroes- the grizzled and exhausted 2nd Mass- in their weapon atrophied war against the Skitters and their various incarnations of flesh and metal-all of them deadly and all yucky looking! Last seasons noteworthy finale saw our main hero, college teacher turned warrior Tom Mason (a noble and relatable performance from Noah Wyle) forced into a meeting with the alien race after their first major skirmish caught the enemies attention in a big way-no longer the inconsequential insects easily taken out in their first sneak attack. As the new series starts, three months have passed since that genuine Close Encounter, and Tom eventually returns. But is he the same man that he was before after the incredible, life altering experience? And can his family, friends and co-fighters rely on his judgements any more?

Second Time Around for our 2nd Mass heroes and heroines.

The alien firepower continues its assault on planet Earth.

One of the eerie teaser posters for the new season. 

Trailers: Falling Skies Season 2 - Official Trailer - YouTube
Falling Skies Season 2 Trailer - YouTube
Falling Skies Season 2 - YouTube

In a new season already acclaimed by US critics for its leaner, meaner, stronger storytelling (under the guidance of new producer Remi Aubuchon), look out for bigger, bolder action sequences, more character development for the main and supporting cast (including Tom's once abducted child, Ben, and his integration back into humanity as a fierce, revenge fuelled resistance fighter and series rogue anti-hero/trouble maker John Pope (Colin Cunningham, in a stand out role), who wants out from his capture by the 2nd Mass), more on the alien backstory and their motives/plans for Earth, and the welcome guest star inclusion of LOST/HAWAII FIVE-O's Terry O'Quinn, who brightens any series he's attached to, as Wyle's once mentor, Arthur Manchester. Oh, and another new face to watch out for is Brandon Jay McLaren, joining the series for at last seven episodes as mechanic Jamil Dexter.

More about the aliens and their unique abilities is promised this season.

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About - Falling Skies - Shows - FXUK.com
Moon Bloodgood And Colin Cunningham Talk 'Falling Skies' Season 2
Exclusive: Connor Jessup of 'Falling Skies' talks Terry O'Quinn, season 2 - National Falling Skies | Examiner.com‘Falling Skies’ trailer for new comic | Shelf Life | EW.com

Season One of FALLING SKIES is out now on UK DVD (though a Blu-ray set is noticeable by it's absence!) 

Look out for FALLING SKIES continued presence on KOOL TV soon...

THEY DON'T WANT PEACE! 'FALLING SKIES' SEASON TWO

One of the new and mysterious aliens seen in the Season One finale of FALLING SKIES. Images: TNT

Expecting a quick and easy subjugation and pillaging of the planet Earth- its environment and inhabitants (specifically children)- those formidable and as yet to be properly named aliens of the popular Steven Spielberg executive produced sci-fi invasion drama FALLING SKIES failed to anticipate the long-term spirited courage, selflessness and overall ingenuity of the gathered human survivor resistance forces that, by the end of the shows first season, had dealt an unexpected and critical blow to the "Skitters" plans- led by the courageous military historian Tom Mason (Noah Wyle). It was a daring attack which made the alien force astonishingly pause to reevaluate their game plan in the face of such unusual and effective retaliation, and soon having them communicating, albeit threateningly with force of arms and human captives to back themselves up, with their human enemies, resulting in an unwilling Tom going into the heart of enemy territory, where his chances of return or rescue seemed unlikely. Where this unusual, game-changing situation will lead, and what further revelations may unexpectedly ensue, will surely be revealed with the return of the series, created by Robert Rodat, for ten more episodes (its two hour opener intriguingly titled Worlds Apart) on the American TNT channel later in the summer, from June 17th 9pm (and no doubt shortly afterwards in the UK on the FX HD channel, too).

Will Tom Mason (Noah Wyle) find a new chink in the aliens armour?

Resistance fighters Captain Weaver (Will Patton) and Hal Mason (Drew Roy) plan new strategies.

A pause in the conflict for Hal and plucky, machine gun toting Margaret (Sarah Carter).

Ultimately, let's face it, there's nothing really remotely new or original about the show-it's definitely a familiar mixture of the grungy and almost hopeless post apocalyptic/action elements and last stand for humanity aspects witnessed in THE TERMINATOR saga, soaked up with the last legs of isolated humanity feeling that's prevalent to THE WALKING DEAD, but FALLING SKIES is enjoyable enough small-scale blockbuster TV fare which I'm glad got a second season. Early episodes in the premiere year were a little underwhelming and, despite a reasonably large budget, looked a little too filmed on the backlot for my tastes, but it soon picked up and found a voice to become quite involving, often with some good CGI and alien scare moments, whilst Noah Wyle became an effective and likable, often quite vulnerable, leading man/father figure hero, surrounded by a good enough supporting cast. For the new year, that supporting team gets some strong new credibility with the welcome inclusion of LOST/HAWAII FIVE O's Terry O'Quinn, who should add some fine acting chomps in his roles as one of  Mason's former teachers. In fact, the actor is starting to get pretty good at playing human Yoda type roles these days!

Captured and alien harnessed teenagers work for the mysterious race in Season One.

Season Two teaser trailer: Falling Skies Season 2 Trailer - YouTube

Look for more on FALLING SKIES Season Two on KOOL TV in the not too distant future.


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UNDER ATTACK FROM THE "FALLING SKIES"!

An extra-terrestrial invasion brings shattered dreams for Tom Mason (Noah Wyle) and his son Matt (Maxim Knight) in the new sci-fi epic FALLING SKIES. Images: TNT 

Despite his seminal and iconic work with his UFO's are here on Earth sagas, what with the big budget epic, but also humanistically personal (perhaps even at times part autobiographical) dramas of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND and the slightly smaller, but no less spirited fairy tale of a friendly alien, three million light-years from home, stranded on Earth meeting an equally lonely young child, E.T. : THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL, I still deep down think that mega entertainment guru Steven Spielberg has never really gotten over the fact-perhaps still kicking himself right now-that he never made before his friendly rivals, Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, an antithesis flip-side project to his two tales of alien contact: a pure unadulterated world invasion movie soon successfully generated with the epic action and adventure saga INDEPENDENCE DAY- truly one of the world biggest grossing films of 1996, and the film that cemented Will Smith's name in Hollywood ever more firmly on the radar!

TV's newest alien invaders: the Skitters!

True, Spielberg would later get to do an alien invasion movie with his acclaimed WAR OF THE WORLDS modern-day 2005 adaptation with Tom Cruise, based on the original, ultimate grand daddy of invasion epics from the distinguished pen of H.G. Wells- a creative decision which would go some way to soothing his troubled brow- but the kinds of long-term storytelling and its repercussions and conflicts linked to such drama and the way it would shape Humanity, beyond the confines of a mere two hour movie, were obviously an area that the film-maker wanted to see developed and found too good to pass up, with only television being able to effectively bring such ambitions to reality. Enter: FALLING SKIES, his new Executive Produced epic, one giant big budgeted ten-part series, following in the footsteps of other creative success showing man fighting against the odds, like THE WALKING DEAD, and airing exclusively in the UK on the FX HD channel from next Tuesday evening, which may finally, finally put pay to Spielberg's competitive yearnings.

In his first full time series role since leaving E.R., Noah Wyle plays Tom Mason, a normal History teacher soon thrust into the limelight for his vast military knowledge during a vicious and fast moving alien invasion of Earth, where the majority of the Human Race has been quickly exterminated by its arachnid aggressors, named Skitters, and the survivors, many of which are in their own conflicting and aggressive core groups, have to gather together to survive and fight back as best they can!

The main cast of FALLING SKIES: L-R: Captain Weaver (Will Patton), Hal Mason (Drew Roy), Ben Mason (Connor Jessop), Tom Mason (Noah Wyle), Matt Mason (Maxim Knight) and Anne Glass (Moon Bloodgood).

TNT Trailer:YouTube - ‪Falling Skies - First Trailer‬‏
TNT Sneak Peek:YouTube - ‪Falling Skies - Sneak Peek‬‏

Beware the Beast Man! Colin Cunningham as the clever but psychotic John Pope.

With a cast that includes a stand out performance from Colin Cunningham as a creepy and adaptive ex-convict Human baddie, John Pope, who proves just as nasty as the alien invaders, as well as two other veterans of the apocalypse related genre- the lovely Moon Bloodgood, an action heroine last seen opposite Christian "Get out of my eye line, Man!" Bale and Sam Worthington in the McG directed TERMINATOR 4 sequel, and the very dependable character actor Will Patton as ex-Gulf war commander Captain Weaver- alongside a core group of newcomers playing Mason's sons (including Connor Jessup as Ben, captured by aliens and held in a savage slave labour camp, Drew Roy as Hal and Maxim Knight as Tom's youngest, Matt), fighting for space alongside what will surely be state of the art special effects and CGI, just how popular FALLING SKIES will ultimately be, and just how many seasons it will last, will depend on, as usual, how fickle, attentive and caring US audiences will be to the project, which, despite Steven Spielberg's and Wyle's names attached, must catch their enthusiasm pretty much from the offset with strong characters and enthralling drama in equal measure if it is to survive.

Another intriguing piece of key poster art for the series.

Personally, if I had to choose between watching another boring cookery/reality show, one of those seen it all before cop shows that has a slightly different spin, or watching a brand new, dark and hard edged sci-fi action epic with an intriguing premise, cool looking aliens and a dependable lead, I know which option I would go for!

Look out for more on FALLING SKIES on KOOL TV in the not too distant future...