Shades of "Jurassic Park," "Lost," "Avatar," "Stargate," and the dysfunctional Robinson family of the "Lost in Space" theatrical feature, the pilot for the new Fox series brings in a lot of the familiar.
The episode kicks the show off with impressive special effects that definitely have the Spielberg stamp on them. All that's missing is the sweeping underscore of John Williams' music.
As an "introduction," the pilot doesn't waste too much time to get the principals transported to the era of the dinosaur, eliminating some "explanations" and plot development to get the Shannon family in the past.
Don't ask how Papa Shannon got out of the maximum-security prison...unaided.
Once there, the family discovers that all is not happy in paradise. Including the threat of being on a T-Rex's menu, residents of Terra Nova must contend with a offshoot branch called "The Sixers," hellbent on the downfall of TN.
The cast is pretty good for a show of its type, headed by Jason O'Mara as the patriarch of the new family to the prehistoric community and Steven Lang as its leader.
Hopefully, as the season progresses, the writers will come up with some intriguing and original story lines that will make the show unique and an exemplary entry into the history of television sci-fi.
The pilot's liberal "borrowing" from other shows and films is acceptable but for a long life, the show needs to come up with something of its own.
The episode kicks the show off with impressive special effects that definitely have the Spielberg stamp on them. All that's missing is the sweeping underscore of John Williams' music.
As an "introduction," the pilot doesn't waste too much time to get the principals transported to the era of the dinosaur, eliminating some "explanations" and plot development to get the Shannon family in the past.
Don't ask how Papa Shannon got out of the maximum-security prison...unaided.
Once there, the family discovers that all is not happy in paradise. Including the threat of being on a T-Rex's menu, residents of Terra Nova must contend with a offshoot branch called "The Sixers," hellbent on the downfall of TN.
The cast is pretty good for a show of its type, headed by Jason O'Mara as the patriarch of the new family to the prehistoric community and Steven Lang as its leader.
Hopefully, as the season progresses, the writers will come up with some intriguing and original story lines that will make the show unique and an exemplary entry into the history of television sci-fi.
The pilot's liberal "borrowing" from other shows and films is acceptable but for a long life, the show needs to come up with something of its own.