Terra Nova (TV Series) Genesis: Part 1 (2011) User Reviews

Familiar and sometimes awkward, but may become a hit

[gizmomogwai · 6/10 · 2 October 2011]

And so Terra Nova debuts with a two-hour pilot introducing us to what producer Steven Spielberg probably hopes will become TV's next big hit. Terra Nova starts in the future with a dying Earth and an oppressive regime (particularly with population control). To save itself, humankind begins sending people 85 million years into the past, where they keep a colony called Terra Nova in an alternate time line.

With the jungle atmosphere, the band of survivors, the monsters (ie., dinosaurs), an opposing band of Others (here called the Sixers) and a number of mysteries (writing on the rocks? The leader's missing son?), this all feels very much like Lost. However, the drama isn't as good as Lost's. The acting and writing don't help the familiar themes (the father has been away, the son hates him for it, the son doesn't want to go and the mother is unsure). The whole opening where the father goes to prison for having and hiding a third child and then breaking from the prison is immaterial. Why he attacked his fellow-police is a mystery when he would have simply gotten away with a fine. In either case, all is forgiven after the father illegally enters Terra Nova. This beginning could have just as well not happened. Anyway, in part 2 we naturally have a first attempt at adventure and suspense when the son goes outside the gates and is threatened by dinosaurs.

In defence of the show, people have been asking why we should go back 85 million years when the planet will just be facing extinction 20 million years later. But let's put this in perspective: 20 million years is a long time. Human civilization now isn't anywhere close to being that old. The nerdy daughter is awkward at times, explaining what's going on, but that seems to be intentional. Will the show be a hit? If Lost could make it big, surely this show can too. Flawed shows can still become beloved by the masses. However, personally I don't think I'll be a regular viewer.

The Tenth Pilgrimage

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 11 January 2023]

In the dawn of the Twentieth-Second Century, Earth is depleted with the environment completely destroyed. The cop and family man Jim Shannon is happily married with Dr. Elisabeth Shannon, and they have the teenage son Josh; the teenage daughter Maddy; and the three-year-old daughter Zoe. However, the law only allows two children per family and when the police officers find Zoe, Jim hits the commander of the operation and is arrested. He is sentenced to six years in the prison, but two years later, Elisabeth visits him and says that she was invited to go to Terra Nova, a settlement 85 million years in the prehistoric Earth. The problem is that he is in prison and Zoe is not allowed to go. Elisabeth plots a scheme and Jim flees and is transported with his family to the past. On the arrival, they meet the leader, Cmdr. Nathaniel Taylor, who gives an opportunity to Jim to stay in Terra Nova.

"Genesis Part 1" is a good beginning of "Terra Nova", with a full of action episode. The combination of sci-fi and dinosaurs is funny and now we will see how the life of the Shannon family will be in this new environment. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Genesis Parte 1"

An entertaining and well produced sci-fi TV blockbuster but nothing really more

[igoatabase · 27 September 2011]

With Stephen Lang leading the cast and considering how much Avatar was flawed in many ways I worried that Terra Nova would just be a brainless blockbuster adapted for TV. Well it would be the case if it didn't have enough qualities to appeal hardcore sci-fi fans like me. But to go back to Lang the problem wasn't his acting in the film but definitely how his character Colonel Miles Quaritch was written. One dimensional, 99% evil, really dumb and just plain annoying. He's probably on the hate list, right after Jar Jar Binks, of the many people who were disappointed by James Cameron's work.

Comparing Terra Nova to Avatar is inevitable because they have a lot in common. First their respective budgets are insane and I don't even need to check how much it cost to produce Genesis. The CG futuristic city, designed after New-York if I'm not mistaken, is impressive and they made it so glaucous that it actually reminded me of Brazil and all these interesting dystopian productions. As for the past its production is nearly perfect in terms of immersion and exoticism. From the jungle to the bugs it really felt like Jurassic Park (1993) or King Kong (2005). Still the dinosaurs could have been well more polished considering their rendering isn't flawless and jars at times with the real settings. Comparing them to Steven Spielberg's film I would say that they're almost as good and it's definitely an achievement even if nearly 20 years have past so I was expecting something far much more convincing. Otherwise some scenes will definitely wow you. Their first appearance was intense and unexpected. Still like in Jurassic Park things are really taken to the next level at night ! So we should prepare ourselves for some really jaw dropping moments once they will decide to unleash their creative fury upon us.

An other element to mention is the environmental one. Like in Avatar it's really a cheap excuse, almost black washing, to fuel the story and point out the real issues we have to deal with. […] In fact if you think about it the story doesn't make sense because between saving our planet and creating a time machine the easiest and best solution is obvious. It's even more obvious when you consider they chose the Age of Dinosaurs instead of just going back right before our impact on the environment became irreparable. But it doesn't pretend to reinvent the wheel so let's not be too much picky. An other thing that will probably annoy part of the audience are the forced heartbreaking moments. At times it felt like if the director was raising a panel with "cry" or "smile" written on it. Overall it just lacked substance and emotional intelligence to make it work. Some questionable acting didn't help either and it seems we will have to wait for the characters to grow on us and the chemistry between performers to increase. The family that drives the story isn't authentic enough and I found it hard to relate to any of its members. What the show desperately needs are empathic characters like Hurley or Jack Sheppard (Lost). Commander Nathaniel Taylor could actually be one of them and that's why I mentioned Lang in the first place. Indeed his charisma is inspiring and the actor's performance was by far the best. A girl who broke the rules, the doctor and a few other characters like the black woman also have potential.

As for the story it was predictable and not twisted at all but I have to admit that the possibilities are endless and it could last for seasons if the writers keep surprising us. A few intriguing arcs were opened so let's just hope that it won't have the same episodic issues than Falling Skies. However the second part proved that the recipe can work if the script is well binded to the main story and exciting enough. Moreover it features many elements that should remind you of productions like Mad Max and Stargate. Such a diversity isn't necessarily a weakness because Genesis succeeded in establishing the show identity. Otherwise nothing should really blow your mind if you're not new to the genre. There's a reason why the smart Virtuality only remained a pilot. To content the majority, so to produce such blockbusters, you have to make compromises. And in the end I think they almost found the right balance between decent sci-fi and a simple popcorn seller. I have already listed some cons but others also deserve our attention. For example it's all about not making the same mistakes but the first thing they do are using weapons and locking themselves behind barriers. But as the survivalism topic was covered I suspect we'll learn more about what happened before as the Commander was the first man sent there. I don't expect a Lost featured character format but his story is definitely intriguing. Sadly the behavior of some characters will surely ruin your pleasure. You already know who they're. The pretty girl from some silly horror film convinced it's safer to split up. The guy who just heard a scary noise in a bush and checked it out instead of running for his life. We know them too well.

To sum things up my opinion is mixed but you have to consider that I'm not a heavy fan of blockbusters. It's just not challenging, moving or original enough. Moreover it's tainted with an endless list of flaws. Also I worry that the upcoming episodes won't be as well produced as the pilot. It would really be disappointing if they jarred with Genesis so let's hope the visuals won't be cheap for instance. However despite all that I'm still ready for an other session. It's specially true considering the upcoming episode is titled Instinct so if we're lucky it should be about the Commander first steps.

Where is Steven Spielberg ????

[mapyzme · 4 October 2011]

Please Mr Spielberg save this show, the writing of Tera Nova is so, been there-done that-a million times, I just cannot understand these networks, do they even watch this crap? There is nothing about this show , absolutely nothing that is original, entertaining , or even half azz good. Just a pathetic attempt of Fox to sell us crap that we have already purchase. The rebellious teenage, oh pleaseee , the jealous dad ? or you kidding me, and whats with the birds , can we come up with something better than that and the dad's wonderful advice on love to his daughter,"thats how you know a boy likes you", almost made me cry, Not!

Though derivative, there are possibilities there

[garrard · 1 October 2011]

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.