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Terra Nova Season 1 Episode 1

Genesis - Part 1

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 9/26/11

In the first part of the two-part series premiere, the police raid the Shannon home and arrest the father, Jim Shannon. Shannon realizes he must take drastic measures to keep his family together after his wife, Elisabeth, is selected to travel back to prehistoric times to create a new civilization and, hopefully, help change the future.

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FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (11)

Genesis

7.5

By arkanitoo, Jul 17, 2012

Future catastrophic. The Earth's days are numbered and the future of humanity passes by abandoning the sick planet in search of a fresh start. Be another planet or the Earth 85 million years ago - no one ever imagined that paradise quickly reveals its true nature and inhospitable cruelty - any avid science fiction fan recognizes the premise of "Terra Nova" features a lot of other fiction written within the genus.

There is nothing new, it is not disputed this fact and the first [about] hour and a half of the series. The human being is on the brink of defeat by any condition (as always). The human being is an alternative and sees a new beginning where you can avoid all the mistakes he made in the past and led to the catastrophe (of course, but as always only during the first five minutes of your new life, these moments quickly corrupted by greed and avarice that both it is natural). The human being is a survivor by nature, just need something that will test your physical and mental capacity (either an infection that turns people into walking corpses, a voracious alien invasion that we want to eat or sodomize, original inhabitants of the new planet that there were not very pleased to have been invaded or just dinosaurs that count as the dominant force on the planet ... moves the antagonist but the disc always turns the same side). There are many series, there are many movies, the books are many, many more are the other existing platforms to tell a story where you can easily recognize the premise of "Terra Nova". That I think no one doubts. Now, even before the repetition of ideas and concepts, "Terra Nova" is not the worst series of the kind that appeared coming from the U.S. television recently. It is not. But we already there.

The story: We have had it. The Earth is dying. Blah, blah, blah. Let's return to the past by a time slot that we discovered. Blah, blah, blah. To avoid paradoxes we say that this is an alternative timeline and will not influence the present. Blah, blah, blah. There is a group of renegades who want to take over Newfoundland. Blah, blah, blah. Flee, there are hungry dinosaurs. Blah, blah, blah.

Mythology: In addition to hungry dinosaurs and human renegades who want to take possession of Newfoundland, the series also introduces some elements of mystery, surely develop in future episodes. Since then, the enigmatic cave drawings, which supposedly have been placed there long ago (I bet that by the end of it all, yet we find that the author is Baltar or Six) and will be key to unlocking something great . Then, and apparently relates to the drawings, we have to compose the scene the disappearance of the son of Captain Nathaniel Taylor (Stephen Lang). From all that I had this driver, which really captivated me was clearly the mystery surrounding these symbols marked in stone. Not the renegades. No dinosaurs. Much less the family drama. And yes this mystery.

CGI: The CGI is an integral part of this series. It was he who (reportedly) the debut of the series was postponed twice and that he would (presumably) make a difference, to revolutionize the use of special effects made for television. But he did not. Apart from the dinosaurs, which could even be worse than they were, truth be told, the funds, the landscapes (especially the city in the first half of the episode where they are as bad as in most other series of U.S. television ) are noticeable in such a way that ultimately distracting, something that, of course, is terrible for those who want to go with the story. For this time of preparation, production planning and hoping for something better.

The family drama: In addition to the mystery and adventure, "Terra Nova" promises even some drama. We have parents. We have children. We have parents and children, so expect some attempts to draw a tear here and there. The problem is that I do not see enough strength to get these characters engage in dramatic ways. Although not so shallow or flat like those of other series that have ventured into the genre, are not deep or multidimensional enough to get the series to give the much needed emotion. At least for now. We will see in the coming episodes they can not grow or will mere empty containers.

The scene: That must be the girl of five years lighter than ever, to be loaded on the back with a tremendous ease! And that's okay for the father not so much because it is a relatively strong man, but his mother, who is so frail, he took the bag as if it had almost nothing in there ...

The best: Being the beginning and therefore a first step, leaving only know in which direction it will be given.

Worst: Having potential but for now, seem like just another "FlashForward" or "The Event".moreless
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Truely a great show.

9.0

By MitchellFrond, Feb 13, 2012

I think they have something going for them on this. They should dig in a bit deeper, and try to widen the shots. Maybe include more shots near the ocean or sea.

I really hope they have a second season.
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Absolutely one of the best shows of this year can't wait what they bring more this year. And lets hope they don't cancel this one, they already canceled enough good en very good series. The special effects are spectaculair and the storyline is a great one.moreless

10

By wsca, Nov 04, 2011

Absolutely one of the best shows of this year can't wait what they bring more this year.

And lets hope they don't cancel this one, they already canceled enough good en very good series.

The special effects are spectaculair and the storyline is a great one.
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Loved it!!!

9.0

By danny7277, Nov 04, 2011

I really loved this pilot episode of terra nova, i have been so excited for this show to start for ages and i have to say this episode certainly lived up to my rather large expectations, i thought this pilot did i nice job of setting up the story and droping hints and mysteries of things to come like the markings on the cave, the pilot also did a ok job of introducing the characters ok the actors and characters wernt all that spectactular and they wernt all that well developed but they were ok and i still cared about them(well except for the annoying teenage son) The special effects were ok not spectacular but certainly good for t.v but i think the most impressive thing about this episode was the set of terra nova it really was a beatiful set and from the looks of it thats where most of the money was spentmoreless
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Not sure about this show

5.5

By Animus000, Nov 04, 2011

I'm watching the pilot and I have some serious issues with both the characters and the science.

Warning: Spoilers ahead...

While I admit it's got an interesting concept there are some major flaws right off the bat. First the concept of the cop who breaks population laws seems pretty dumb. I mean he's got to know that hiding contraband is hard enough but hiding a kid is nigh impossible. The wife sneaking a laser powerful enouh to cut through the plexiglass cells indicates some serious deficiencies in prison security.

Terra Nova itself seems to be misrepresented, it looks far more like they have shifted dimensions rather than traveled back in time, the info about the probe and the cave markings seem to give much stronger evidence of dimensional travel rather than time travel. Either way Zoe and Jim should be dead within a few days since they couldn't have gotten innoculated against the microbes present 85 million years ago, or in another dimension, or whatever... Yes I know, they have the aqua-goo to drink but you can't innocluate against something you've already been exposed to.

The "sixers" indicates another huge security failure, how does and entire pilgrimage of radicals manage to get through the background checks? The fact that the sixers control the quarry makes me wonder how the last hope of humanity set up shop without back up plans for important things like mining sources. At least Mira seems to be a pragmatic and competent leader, I get the feeling she and Taylor are not all that different.

I can't understand how none of the medical staff noticed the melon sized leech on the back of a patient until Doctor Shannon examines him. The kids who sneak outside seem completely oblivious to the mortal danger they put themselves into in order to make moonshine.

Sadly show falls back on the old "the black guy dies first" (and second it seems) when we meet the slashers and I noticed the stale joke referring to Aliens earlier in the show. The slashers seem to be remarkably clever hunters, able to co-ordinate attacks and lure prey into the open yet somehow allowing wounded and untrained prey escape. A strange mix.

Considering the danger level during the day, a nocturnal search and rescue seems like and unacceptable risk from a tactical point of view considering even the medium size creatures are capable of tearing through the armor of the vehicles used, and not all the vehicles had side armor or even doors at all.

While I dislike a lot of things, I did like the hint of the hidden agenda at the end, even it makes little sense if the "seperate timeline" explanation had any truth to it.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Jason O'Mara	Jim Shannon
Stephen Lang	Commander Nathaniel Taylor
Shelley Conn	Elisabeth Shannon
Landon Liboiron	Josh Shannon
Naomi Scott	Maddy Shannon
Alana Mansour	Zoe Shannon

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Mido Hamada	Guzman	Guest Star
Dean Geyer	Reynolds	Guest Star
Damian Walshe-Howling	Carter	Guest Star

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Featured Episode Clip

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Welcome To Terra Nova

3/18/11 (00:31)
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New World Promo

3/18/11 (00:21)
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Welcome to TERRA NOVA

2/7/11 (00:31)

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (1)
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- The photo Jim Shannon uses to get past the security in the beginning of the episode is a promotional photo of Jason O'Mara from the unaired pilot of Life on Mars
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NOTES (2)
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- Original International Airdates:
  Slovakia: January 6, 2013 on JOJ
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- Terra Nova was set to premiere in a special preview event on May 23, 2011 and May 24, 2011. FOX decided the producers needed more time for the special effects, so the network moved the premiere date to Monday, September 26, 2011, where Terra Nova aired in a two-hour debut event.
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