Terra Nova kicked off with a scene very similar to one in the 70's film Soylent Green, as cop Jim Shannon presents an orange to his amazed family. Yep, this is another dystopian view of the future. The world is crumbling, pollution is suffocating the population and Barack Obama's face is on the bank notes. Not that it's my place to say, but wouldn't George W Bush have been a better joke?
Anyway, Jim is arrested for striking an officer of the population police, or something like that, apparently you are only allowed two kids and Jim and his doctor wife Elisabeth have three (zero population growth, another 70's si fi tradition) So Jim is sent to some mad looking futuristic prison (sure it sounds harsh, but I don't make the rules) Two years later and Elisabeth comes to visit, announcing she has been nominated, as a medic, for the Terra Nova project, then hands Jim a futuristic version of a file baked into a cake. So, hey presto, before you can say 'seriously?' Jim has escaped and is queueing up for Terra Nova. Well, after some predictable shenanigans the family get through the, Stargate, type portal to start their new life. I've made this seem long winded, but it was over and done with in under twenty minutes. This would have been an excellent opportunity to see the family struggle and get to know them, understand the need to escape, but the rush to Terra Nova was obviously paramount.
So next thing you know, we are 85 million years back in the past. But before the more geeky amongst us could shout at the telly about time-lines effecting the future, we are informed Terra Nova is on a different time stream. Phew, so it's only that possible future they are screwing up. At first glance, the compound of Terra Nova looks like a cross between Glastonbury and a garden centre. Quickly the Shannon family fall into their roles: Medic, cop, rebellious son, awkward geek daughter. Then we are introduced to the shady, keeping secrets, Commander, Nathaniel Taylor (Stephen Lang, obviously in it to give it an Avatar feel) the first man to set foot on Terra Nova or something. But here is where the problems started. We learn that there is a break away colony, the Sixers. Oh no, the Others by any other name are the Others and there are strange markings on the rocks outside the compound. My heart sank, please God don't let this be another Lost!
There was distractions with big dinosaurs and big guns, but the Lost thing wouldn't leave me. All those wasted hours following Jack and co made me break into a cold sweat. If those high levels of tosh can be avoided, we might be alright. It's a big if. Terra Nova is not as much fun as the Flintstones, but it will do.
Over
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