‘Proof’ is the seventh episode of Terra Nova which is produced by Steven Spielberg. So far the show has been a mixed blessing, the special effects are good but some of the plot elements are either too familiar or are simply not as enticing as other shows like ‘Lost’. However, slowly Terra Nova is starting to iron out the problems. As an example, the children of the Shannon family are becoming less of a burden on this show with their teenage angst but instead seem to have discovered their stride. They are at this moment mostly used to make the main characters (Taylor and the Shannon parents) connect to other characters.
Other plot elements such as the ‘Sixers’ (a stand-in for ‘The Others’ from Lost) are somewhat ambigue at this moment, the characters such as the Shannon’s seem to pretend to know a great deal about the ‘Sixers’ while the viewer is still left guessing. At this moment viwers can alredy guess the nature of the reveal all episode that is surely to come.
As for this weeks’s episode. “Proof’ is pretty straight forward. It mostly focuses on Josh and his continued efforts on getting his girlfriend on the next pilgrimage, as such he has to make a deal with the leader of the ‘Sixers’ and steal valuable medicines from his mother’s hospital. I can’t seem to figure out whether Josh is clever or stupid. He does question the motives of those arounf him but doesn;t ask the right questions. For example, does his girlfriend work for the ‘Sixers’? Do the ‘Sixers’ really need the medicines or is it an effort to sabotage the colony?
In the end he manages to steal the medication rather easily, yet somehow both his father and mother suspect it is him, but the show doesn’t elaborate on how they know. Points like these either makes me suspect the writers think the viwers are simpletons or they are playing a very deep game. Either way the merits of this show makes me view to find out.
As for this weeks plot…
Josh strikes a deal with the Sixers to bring his girlfriend, Kara to Terra Nova on the next pilgrimage, but Mira demands that he first steal a certain drug from the medical center using his mother’s identity card. Meanwhile, Maddy suspects that Dr. Ken Horton (Robert Coleby), a renowned scientist who has just returned from a long research mission, may be harboring a secret about himself. When Maddy uncovers evidence that can expose him, Horton kidnaps and tries to kill her, but Jim, tipped off by Zoe, arrives in time to save her. Commander Taylor encounters Curran, the banished murderer, in the jungle, and offers him an opportunity to return to Terra Nova if he can successfully infiltrate the Sixer’s camp and discover who Mira’s spy in Terra Nova is. After Josh reveals to his parents that he stole the meds, Jim confronts Boylan about the Sixers, and learns that Mira is able to communicate with 2149.
Score; 8.5 /10.
Viewer rating; 7.01 million.
The ratings for Terra Nova seem to be seesawing around the 7 million mark, somehow I doubt it that the shows producers are happy with that figure during it’s first season. Other shows manage better figures and cost only a fraction of the roughly 10 million dollars per episode for Terra Nova.
