Falling Skies Episode 1x06 Review

Episode Title: Sanctuary
Overall Season Rating: B
Episode Rating: A-

This week Falling Skies upped the tension, and contained the story a better then they've been doing in the past. Now that Ben is with the Humans we can finally move on to other missions. I have no problem with that story, but when every single week had the same mission it tends to get a little stale. The rescue did make up for much of that though. This week thought, it's all about the possibility of danger, what should they do about it.

This episode also has some excellent moments. One shot of a Skitter crushing a globe in its hand was particularly entertaining, and terrifying at the same time. I also liked that they stopped focusing on things that have no bearing on the events of the show. Like religious girl always walking around in a daze, or pregnant women. They do mention her, but 5-10 min of the show are not devoted to a character no one cares about. Even Anne, who is one of the worst developed characters ever gets some great scenes, and actually acts IN character. Shocking I know.

The action looks to pick up again next week, but more on that in the spoilers. Read on for the recap.


The episode starts off in the medical bay. I know it's somewhere in a school, but I like calling it that. Just then a man bursts in with a gun, and plans to take all the medicine and pain killers. Anne reluctantly hands them over, but not before trying one last attack. She fails, and he runs off with his family. I didn't fully understand his actions. Does he think he'll be safer...alone...on the road...with his wife and son, safer than in a large building with a lot of military men all around? Maybe he's just an idiot.

Weaver and Tom go after him, but he's stopped by a man named Terry Clinton. He's from the 7th Mass, and after getting the medical supplies back he tells our boys that the 7th Mass is all gone. He tells them that the Skitters have changed tactics and are now attacking camps to take the kids, rather than just snatching them up. We can assume now that this is a lie since it's all a ploy, but I wonder what did happen to his group. Maybe it is the truth, and his deal is more complex. More on this later though of course. He gives them the plan that Clayton has apparently formed. Clinton, and some men will take the kids to their camp ahead of the main body of the 2nd Mass. Then a few hours later, the 2nd will follow. This will separate them, and protect them if the Skitters do in fact attack. Seems like a good plan, but Tom is not happy about it, he doesn't want anyone taking his kids.

Following the events in the medical bay, Anne is a little shook up. Karen gives her a gun and offers to help her learn to use it. A bit later in the episode Anne takes her up on the offer, and turns out to be a pretty good shot. It was in one of these scenes that the pregnant lady was mentioned, but I honestly don't care. When she gives birth to a Skitter, I'll care.

We have a great scene where Ben is talking to his younger brother, and tell him about the Skitters. He says "It's like someone is thinking with you", and that the Skitters really cared about them like they were "family". This was so fascinating, and goes back to the sleeping scene. The Skitters are the bad guys, but they are using the kids for more than simple slave labor. This just keeps getting stranger and stranger. Hal obviously is disturbed by this, and tells Anne that Ben doesn't seem right. Anne then rushes to ask Tom if Ben has been acting normal. Tom says he has been, but he's not sure if the reason he's against sending the kids ahead is that he wants to protect them, or he simply wants them close to him. I would say it's a little of both, and when you're talking about your children that's perfectly fine to want to hold on to them.

People are starting to get a little antsy about the situation, and Tom tells them he, not Weaver will make the final decision. People seem to accept this. That night there is a Mech attack, Parker is killed but the kid he was with survives and escapes. Once in the school, he looks, but can't find anyone. Suddenly he's grabbed by a Skitter, but again manages to pull away. We then get another amazing scene. The Skitter holds a globe of the Earth in its hand and crushes it. I liked this cause for a while now we've been getting mixed signals about the Skitters. They clearly are highly intelligent, but the show makes them seem like animals. This scene let us know they are intelligent, and know exactly what they are doing. The scene ends with Weaver saving him, and he runs to him crying. Weaver is surprised, but also touched by this. I look forward to learning more about Weaver's past.

Then, at meal time Ben is getting harasses by an asshole who says the Harness kids are the reason the Skitters are attacking. I don't really understand his argument, is he suggesting that if they didn't bring the kids back, then the group at the school would be safe? 5 episodes have proven that is not even close to being true. So, I assume this guy is just an asshole. Ben however, suggests that they would be safer if they did send the kids on ahead like Clinton is suggesting. Tom decides he is right, and the kids plan to leave. Hal, then says he wants to go with them so he can protect Ben.  Tom then watches all his kids march off with Clinton.

The group arrives at a small house, and things seem fine. I'll admit, I had a huge feeling things were not on the up and up. It was very clear to me that something was wrong. That night, Clinton leads a small child named Eli out to the woods to "see his mom and dad".  There he meets a girl named Meagan who also says she can bring him to his mom and dad. Eli sees she has a Harness, and thinks about running, but before he can a Skitter arrives and takes him. Clinton has made a deal with Skitters, and part of it is to hand over as many kids as he can. It's then revealed that he is holding our old friend John Pope prisoner, and it was he who told Clinton about the school full of kids.

I'm thinking the deal he made might be something like, "Give us all the kids you can find, and we'll let you keep yours".   At least I'm hoping it's something like that.

A very good episode. Apparently, this is the first of a two-parter. A random two-parter in the middle of a season eh? Very Doctor Who!