First let me say that all of you out there who instantly rate any new show as bad simply because it is a repackaging of a familiar story need to get a life. There is nothing new under the sun. Yes, this story is a combination of several other stories that have been done in the past every show, movie, song, etc is. Get over it.
Now with that said let's talk about this show specifically. Terra Nova is part Avatar, part Star Trek, and part Jurassic Park. In general, I found it to be enjoyable and extremely high on the entertainment value. There is enough action to keep you from getting bored, enough mystery to keep you asking why, and enough drama to tie it all together.
The low points: The show starts in what appears to be a post apocalyptic Chicago. There is very little background on how things got the way they are, what life is like in this time and place, and what the rules for living in this time and place are. You are kind of just thrown in to the middle and have to try and figure it all out. In the first part of the show one of the main character gets caught breaking a law that was never explained and ends up in a maximum security prison. Then almost instantly two years pass and he some how breaks out of this maximum security prison and into a high security building where he is going to be transported to Terra Nova with his family. There was way too little story/character development in this part. How exactly did he escape from the prison without getting caught? Where did all the money that was left to him come from? How did he evade security and get into the transport building? The writers really scrimped on the details of this part and could have made it a much better show if they had spent a little more time developing this pre-story. Another hole is just before the son leaves we see him talking through a window to some girl, apparently a girlfriend, he developed at some point but there is no explanation, just a tearful and reluctant goodbye. The trip from the future to the past is a bit anti-climatic as is the arrival in the past where you are left with a lot of questions and very few answers. Apparently, this is a one way trip with no return option but there is never any discussion as to why. Upon arrival the adjustment to a new life is a bit sketchy and moves a long just a bit too fast. There appears to be some kind of unresolved problem between the main character and his wife that has not yet been revealed. The main character goes from being punished for being a stowaway to being honored and reinstated as a cop/security officer way too quickly and with way too little difficulty.
The high points: The special effects are pretty good for a TV show. This is not a high budget movie it is a TV series so with that in mind I found the special effects to be pretty good. The characters are for the most part believable and realistic. The teenage son is a typical adolescent looking for independence and the actor plays it well. There is some sort of mystery surrounding a group of people who all came in one of the pilgrimages and are now exiles called sixers, it has yet to be revealed exactly who they are and why they have been exiled. This is part of the mystery that gives this show great potential. Another mystery revolves around the leader of Tera Nova, how he survived alone for 118 days before the others arrived, and his missing and apparently delusional yet brilliant son. There is the obligatory boy leaves girl boy meets new girl story but the New girl has some mystery surrounding her as well that could potentially lead to an interesting sub-plot. The dinosaurs are new twists on the classic dinosaurs from the fossil record. They are friendly and ferocious depending on species. It will be interesting to see how the people learn to live with the dino's. The action sequences are very well done and often have you sitting on the edge of your seat.
Overall: There are some things that could have been done better and this is a repackaging of an age old story but it is very entertaining and well worth the time it took to watch. I think that the show has the potential to turn into a real success and draw a huge following from sci-fi fans. There is something there for almost everyone. I will be intrigued to see how it plays out through the first season. If you have not given it a chance yet tune in and check it out. If your are one of the many who hate it just because it is not "original" then plug yourself back into the matrix and go back to sleep not everything has to be brand new to be good.
Now with that said let's talk about this show specifically. Terra Nova is part Avatar, part Star Trek, and part Jurassic Park. In general, I found it to be enjoyable and extremely high on the entertainment value. There is enough action to keep you from getting bored, enough mystery to keep you asking why, and enough drama to tie it all together.
The low points: The show starts in what appears to be a post apocalyptic Chicago. There is very little background on how things got the way they are, what life is like in this time and place, and what the rules for living in this time and place are. You are kind of just thrown in to the middle and have to try and figure it all out. In the first part of the show one of the main character gets caught breaking a law that was never explained and ends up in a maximum security prison. Then almost instantly two years pass and he some how breaks out of this maximum security prison and into a high security building where he is going to be transported to Terra Nova with his family. There was way too little story/character development in this part. How exactly did he escape from the prison without getting caught? Where did all the money that was left to him come from? How did he evade security and get into the transport building? The writers really scrimped on the details of this part and could have made it a much better show if they had spent a little more time developing this pre-story. Another hole is just before the son leaves we see him talking through a window to some girl, apparently a girlfriend, he developed at some point but there is no explanation, just a tearful and reluctant goodbye. The trip from the future to the past is a bit anti-climatic as is the arrival in the past where you are left with a lot of questions and very few answers. Apparently, this is a one way trip with no return option but there is never any discussion as to why. Upon arrival the adjustment to a new life is a bit sketchy and moves a long just a bit too fast. There appears to be some kind of unresolved problem between the main character and his wife that has not yet been revealed. The main character goes from being punished for being a stowaway to being honored and reinstated as a cop/security officer way too quickly and with way too little difficulty.
The high points: The special effects are pretty good for a TV show. This is not a high budget movie it is a TV series so with that in mind I found the special effects to be pretty good. The characters are for the most part believable and realistic. The teenage son is a typical adolescent looking for independence and the actor plays it well. There is some sort of mystery surrounding a group of people who all came in one of the pilgrimages and are now exiles called sixers, it has yet to be revealed exactly who they are and why they have been exiled. This is part of the mystery that gives this show great potential. Another mystery revolves around the leader of Tera Nova, how he survived alone for 118 days before the others arrived, and his missing and apparently delusional yet brilliant son. There is the obligatory boy leaves girl boy meets new girl story but the New girl has some mystery surrounding her as well that could potentially lead to an interesting sub-plot. The dinosaurs are new twists on the classic dinosaurs from the fossil record. They are friendly and ferocious depending on species. It will be interesting to see how the people learn to live with the dino's. The action sequences are very well done and often have you sitting on the edge of your seat.
Overall: There are some things that could have been done better and this is a repackaging of an age old story but it is very entertaining and well worth the time it took to watch. I think that the show has the potential to turn into a real success and draw a huge following from sci-fi fans. There is something there for almost everyone. I will be intrigued to see how it plays out through the first season. If you have not given it a chance yet tune in and check it out. If your are one of the many who hate it just because it is not "original" then plug yourself back into the matrix and go back to sleep not everything has to be brand new to be good.