A Review of Terranova
The series flaws and all is an interesting take on time travel and parallel universes, with a decent amount of drama. If you dropped Sliders into a blender with Jurassic Park and , you would be left with Terra Nova.
The opening shots offer you a steam punk backdrop, gout’s of steam and towering buildings. A world that is clinging to survival, after centuries of over population there has been a population limit enacted. The Shannon family has chosen to disregard this limit for reasons that are not elaborated on.
The family make up is predictable: Jason Shannon is the rebellious son, Maddy Shannon is the intellectual and cute daughter, the youngest child Zoe rarely has an opportunity to distinguish herself. The mother Elisabeth shines seemingly a placid foil to her hot tempered husband, she quickly distinguishes herself as the driving force behind the family. Jim is an excop who aided by his wife escapes imprisonment to join his family on Terra Nova.
The only option left to human kind to survive is either in self sustaining “Domes”, which only the rich can survive. Or “Terra Nova” a human colony pioneering a parallel past Earth, complete with impressive vistas and of course dinosaurs. It is an invitation only arraignment, only people who would be useful for maintaining and expanding a human colony are welcome. The mother a respected medical doctor receives an invitation, with the exception of the youngest daughter and her imprisoned husband.
To save this review from being a straight block of exposition, the family arrives on the colony safely. Quickly working to integrate themselves in the pioneer colony and are introduced to the implacable Commander Taylor, who provides us a character possessing an iron will that he uses to safe guard the colony. The show can be flawed but the characters are likable and surprisingly light hearted, considering the environment.
There are a number of mysteries that due to the show’s cancelation we do not get to explore.
Jason finds a series of algebraic equations written out on cliffs, the shadowy organization undermining the Terra Nova project. It’s a shame that the first season does not get to explore the plot further, instead you it is sidelined by immediate threats. A colony escaped colonists called “Sixers” are a constant threat, looking to attack or weaken the colony by any means necessary.