# Terra Nova Season Finale 12/19/2011



## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

So that just happened!

Season 1 is over ... will there be a Seaon 2? 

Do you want a Season 2?


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

The finale was good, but they didn't explain how Skye became part of the plot to swap cargo carriers. I guess she had a communicator but they skipped over it.

I really liked the first season and hope there's a second.

If it does come back, boy are Mira and [strike]Josh[/strike] Lucas going to be looking to settle some scores with Taylor...


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

_Terra Nova_ definitely improved as the season progress.

Hope they don't leave us hanging.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Despite some of the family melodrama which I would expect on some Disney/ABC show, I like the show.

Where they've left it has a lot of story potential and given the situation the sweet family melodrama might be far less in future seasons as everyone gears down for survival in a story situation much more akin to "Lost" and I'm totally confused about the whole time line issue here.

Also I think we have a wild card with the Mira character - is she really going to hang out with those other guys when there's no incentive for her?


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

Yeah, the Badlands is a new mystery. How does someone from 2149 know that these artifacts exist in the Badlands, when the folks who live on Terra Nova have no idea there is anything there? 

And how does a ship's prow from the 19th century end up in the Cretaceous era?

They did say that they are on a different Earth, so perhaps that will play into it...


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## gpg (Aug 19, 2006)

Seems to me the artifact indicates there must have been another "fracture" in the time continuum in the 19th century. My guess is there's a portal out in the badlands that can be used to get back to the future.


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## dmspen (Dec 1, 2006)

Aw crap. I missed the last several minutes of recording. Seems like I missed quite a bit. I'll have to look online for it.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

gpg said:


> Seems to me the artifact indicates there must have been another "fracture" in the time continuum in the 19th century. My guess is there's a portal out in the badlands that can be used to get back to the future.


That would be my guess too.


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## John Strk (Oct 16, 2009)

I thought it was great!!! Best episodes so far. I hope there is a Season 2. Fox better do the right thing and renew it!


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

TVline.com is reporting a ratings uptick for the finale, so that's good news.

However, they also said in their article about the finale that the artifact was from the 18th century, when I recall hearing Malcolm say it was from the mid-eighteen-hundreds, which would make it a 19th century artifact. So either my hearing and memory are off or TVline.com doesn't know how to name centuries!


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Let me quote myself:



phrelin said:


> Thought I'd note the ratings for the season (?) finale of "Terra Nova" last night:
> 
> 8:00 ratings 2.1/ 6 - 7.23 million
> 8:30 ratings 2.1/ 6 - 7.25 million
> ...


The big question for Fox is whether to try the show on another night - perhaps, Friday as it has with other scifi shows which as a genre doesn't work too well particularly on a network that cannot maintain a consistent schedule. Or maybe they'll settle for ratings like this as it seems to be about the best they can do except for sports and game shows.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

I liked it and thought it was a good ending. Hopefully, it will be around for another season.

- Merg


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## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

phrelin said:


> The big question for Fox is whether to try the show on another night - perhaps, Friday as it has with other scifi shows which as a genre doesn't work too well particularly on a network that cannot maintain a consistent schedule. Or maybe they'll settle for ratings like this as it seems to be about the best they can do except for sports and game shows.


I think the cost of this show is going to be a major factor in the decision.
This was one of the most expensive shows launched this fall, along with Pan Am.
Does Fox really want to continue to invest in a show with mid-level ratings?

Then again, Fox's schedule is starting to look mighty old and creaky...


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

I really enjoyed this show. Much more than I thought I would. The finale was great. I just wish they would have killed off that little twirp. I cheered when I thought he was dead.

At first I thought they did a "Planet of the Apes" on us. Terra Nova is actually in the future rather than in the past. 

I hope the show is renewed. Would like to see where they take it.


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

"mreposter" said:


> I think the cost of this show is going to be a major factor in the decision.
> This was one of the most expensive shows launched this fall, along with Pan Am.
> Does Fox really want to continue to invest in a show with mid-level ratings?
> 
> Then again, Fox's schedule is starting to look mighty old and creaky...


High cost is what caused Eureka to be canceled, not lack of quality. Terra Nova might suffer the same fate. I hope not.


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

Chris Blount said:


> I really enjoyed this show. Much more than I thought I would. The finale was great. I just wish they would have killed off that little twirp. I cheered when I thought he was dead.
> 
> At first I thought they did a "Planet of the Apes" on us. Terra Nova is actually in the future rather than in the past.
> 
> I hope the show is renewed. Would like to see where they take it.


FOX has deferred it's decision to renew Terra Nova until next month or later keeping everyone in suspense. I too like the show and would like to see it renewed.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

Chris Blount said:


> I really enjoyed this show. Much more than I thought I would. The finale was great. I just wish they would have killed off that little twirp. I cheered when I thought he was dead.
> 
> At first I thought they did a "Planet of the Apes" on us. Terra Nova is actually in the future rather than in the past.
> 
> I hope the show is renewed. Would like to see where they take it.


I thought the same thing. That they were actually in the future and not the past. That would also explain why the probe that was first sent through was never found in the present as it was really sent to the future.

- Merg


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

The Merg said:


> I thought the same thing. That they were actually in the future and not the past. That would also explain why the probe that was first sent through was never found in the present as it was really sent to the future.
> 
> - Merg


The moon being closer to the Earth would be contradictory to that plot line, however.


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## HIGHWAY (Apr 11, 2007)

i hope that they have a season 2


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## TBlazer07 (Feb 5, 2009)

Haven't watched it yet but I guess I can just delete it since it's all here. :bonk1:


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

TBlazer07 said:


> Haven't watched it yet but I guess I can just delete it since it's all here. :bonk1:


I'm not following this ... 

(This is a discussion thread about the finale that was broadcast on 12/19/2011, so if you didn't there there'd be plot points discussed you might have tried to avoid this thread! )


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

I liked it and hope they get another season. Really wish Lucas had died. 

According to this Fox has signed up Jason O'Mara and Stephen Lang just in case. I read somewhere a couple weeks ago that Fox had good results selling the series overseas, so maybe there is more to it than just ratings in the US.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

I'm very glad Lucas did NOT die, as the show needs a strong foil to Taylor, someone stronger than Mira.


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## lucky13 (Nov 27, 2006)

My wife and I liked the series, and I agree that it improved as the season went on.
Some of the plot lines were less than original, but that's not unusual.
Personally, I kept looking for the tribbles.


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## Church AV Guy (Jul 9, 2007)

Drew2k said:


> I'm very glad Lucas did NOT die, as the show needs a strong foil to Taylor, someone stronger than Mira.


He survived out there alone, not with the 6ers, for a very long time. First, it shows that it can be done, so the Terra Novians won't necessarily die with the gate to the future destroyed, and no I don't believe that they are permanently cut off from the future. Second, it shows that Lucas is as much a tough survivor as his father. I hope it's renewed, and if so, that it improves. Even *I* could have lived without that spider song.:lol:

I really want some back-story, like how he got out of the prison, where the sizable stash money came from, and how he infiltrated Hope Plaza. I expected that they would address this some time, but they haven't yet.


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## puckwithahalo (Sep 3, 2007)

Church AV Guy said:


> like how he got out of the prison, where the sizable stash money came from, and how he infiltrated Hope Plaza. I expected that they would address this some time, but they haven't yet.


He's a former cop, he has connections. My best guess anyway. Also she's a doctor in a very sick world, she probably made a pretty good amount of money. Some combination of the two maybe?


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

Entertainment Weekly has an article on 6 ways to save Terra Nova:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/12/20/terra-nova-save/?hpt=hp_c2

I don't disagree with anything they said, but I didn't have quite the problem with the CGI effects that others did. I didn't expect Avatar-quality CGI, and it was better than Original Series and TNG Star Trek, so I took it for what it was and just enjoyed it.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

You want to have some real fun, read the first lost thread and the season 1 finale thread for comparison.

Of course, you have to ignore Post #14 and a few that follow:


Bowtieman said:


> I think that they are all dead.........


It's like all these shows offer the basic "what do you really know" puzzle approach and then end with a "Battlestar Galactica" controversial closing.

Nonetheless, I do hope Fox picks it up or it is moved off to cable (say FX though its a bit too family oriented), as opposed to being dropped. Its international distribution started off a little slow, but it has broad distribution now. So I have hopes.


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

Too late now but I wonder if a summer season would have been a better choice? Stargate did better on Syfy when it ran mostly in the summer. Terra Nova's compact season also might fit better in summer.


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## Draconis (Mar 16, 2007)

Guess I better watch it. I DVR'd the entire series but have not had the time to watch a single episode.


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

Draconis said:


> Guess I better watch it. I DVR'd the entire series but have not had the time to watch a single episode.


Slacker.


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## renbutler (Oct 17, 2008)

Just watched the full two-hour finale last night. The show never _really_ got me excited this season, but there I was, up way past my bedtime because I had to see how it ended. The only problem is that the finale seemed very rushed, as if it was 4-5 episodes in a 2-epidode slot.

Lucas. Dang, I can't stand him. There's nothing redeeming about him. Ben Linus was an outstanding character on Lost -- sure, he did horrible things, but he was complex and interesting, and at times you felt as if he was doing bad things for the right reasons. You get none of that with Lucas. But, of course, you HAVE to have a bad guy to have a show, don't you? I just wish he weren't so disgusting.


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## Kentstater (Jun 18, 2004)

It's got my vote to continue.
I wouldn't have said that 4 weeks ago though. They need to sit down and craft storyline and a good ending. One that can finish off the series at any time.

I'm a big believer in a two or three season story that isn't being made up as you go along. I think viewers can sense when they are telling a story and when they are flying by the seat of their pants.


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## puckwithahalo (Sep 3, 2007)

renbutler said:


> Lucas. Dang, I can't stand him. There's nothing redeeming about him. Ben Linus was an outstanding character on Lost -- sure, he did horrible things, but he was complex and interesting, and at times you felt as if he was doing bad things for the right reasons. You get none of that with Lucas. But, of course, you HAVE to have a bad guy to have a show, don't you? I just wish he weren't so disgusting.


Well, he did see his mother raped and murdered when he was 13 if I recall his age at the time correctly. And that was done to her because he got chosen to live instead of her. That'd mess a lot of people up.


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## renbutler (Oct 17, 2008)

puckwithahalo said:


> Well, he did see his mother raped and murdered when he was 13 if I recall his age at the time correctly. And that was done to her because he got chosen to live instead of her. That'd mess a lot of people up.


Sure, he has reasons for being a giant ******, but that's _all he is_. There is no greater depth than that. That doesn't make for a very interesting character, especially for an antagonist.

Ben Linus had similar daddy issues, and he took the blame for his mother's death. But he was one of the most compelling TV characters in recent memory.


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

renbutler said:


> Ben Linus had similar daddy issues, and he took the blame for his mother's death. But he was one of the most compelling TV characters in recent memory.


And now he tries to save people in NYC with the help of Jesus.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

renbutler said:


> Ben Linus had similar daddy issues, and he took the blame for his mother's death. But he was one of the most compelling TV characters in recent memory.


And Michael Emerson first appeared in "Lost" Season 2, Episode 14, which was the 38th episode of the show. With 13 episode arcs, that would mean at the end of season 3 of "Terra Nova" we might first see, but not learn anything about, "one of the most compelling TV characters in recent memory."

And that is one of my concerns about 13 episode season arcs - by the time we first met Ben Linus in season 2 of "Lost", we knew a lot about a number of other characters. I don't know enough about any character in "Terra Nova" yet.


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## pfp (Apr 28, 2009)

hilmar2k said:


> And now he tries to save people in NYC with the help of Jesus.


:rotfl:


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

Lucas clearly has a soft spot for Skye, and did release Josh because she asked (although we don't knwo if there was more than "asking"). Lucas also saved Sky'es mother - although it was more likely as a means to control Skye, so I guess you could discount that! 

Really the only path to redemption (so far) for Lucas is Skye but I think he won't trust her now, so it will be interesting to see if they even attempt to show a different side of Lucas. The should would be better for it if they tried to fill in his story more.


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## Kentstater (Jun 18, 2004)

Sylar with a degree in physics.


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## russ9 (Jan 28, 2004)

Drew2k said:


> And how does a ship's prow from the 19th century end up in the Cretaceous era?


No kidding! Who could imagine a 19th century ship mysteriously ending up in the middle of the jungle.................


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

"Drew2k" said:


> And how does a ship's prow from the 19th century end up in the Cretaceous era?
> 
> They did say that they are on a different Earth, so perhaps that will play into it...


Enter The Bermuda Triangle. 
I wouldn't be surprised if they find planes and Amelia Earhart there.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Well, if a season two does get picked up, it will be for 20 some episodes, not 13, so its a bigger commitment than this season was money wise. Hopefully fox bites...


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## dmspen (Dec 1, 2006)

russ9 said:


> No kidding! Who could imagine a 19th century ship mysteriously ending up in the middle of the jungle.................


I'm Lost...


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

dmspen said:


> I'm Lost...


!rolling

I wonder if it's the Black Rock.


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

I finally got to see the finale last night.

Clearly, Phoenix's "Plan B" involves the Badlands. My guess is that there's another Rift or Tear or Whatever out there that isn't as 'nice' as the Fracture that the Terra Novans have been using. I think some ship from 18-whatever dove into it and ended up in the Cretaceous.

So...

...are the Terra Novans REALLY cut off? Or did the explosions at Hope Plaza provide a way for the conspiracy to be revealed to the public?

...what do the Phoenix bad guys think they're headed for?

...and the Sixers? What about them?


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## makaiguy (Sep 24, 2007)

russ9 said:


> No kidding! Who could imagine a 19th century ship mysteriously ending up in the middle of the jungle.................


Whereas, we ALL envisioned a bunch of 22nd century people ending up in a jungle surrounded by dinosaurs.


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## RASCAL01 (Aug 2, 2006)

BubblePuppy said:


> Enter The Bermuda Triangle.
> I wouldn't be surprised if they find planes and Amelia Earhart there.


That was my thought also


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

Do we know if the Earth in 2149 actually shares the same timeline as "us viewers"? Sure, we know they're from 2149, but it's known that Terra Nova is in an alternate timeline, so for all we know these clowns are messing with "our" Earth, kind of like how the reboot of Battlestar Galactica did ... Think about it!


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Drew2k said:


> Do we know if the Earth in 2149 actually shares the same timeline as "us viewers"?


Does anything on TV really share the same timeline as "us viewers"? 



Drew2k said:


> Sure, we know they're from 2149, but it's known that Terra Nova is in an alternate timeline, so for all we know these clowns are messing with "our" Earth, kind of like how the reboot of Battlestar Galactica did ... Think about it!


Oh that would peeve me off big time...


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

RunnerFL said:


> Does anything on TV really share the same timeline as "us viewers"?


Yeah, that's a toughie! 

A lot of Sci-Fi tends to share out timeline and history, though. For example, "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" and "Star Trek" (all series).

I think it's probably rarer that a Sci-Fi show *doesn't* follow our timeline, and Caprica and BSG are the first that come to mind, but there could be others.

Terra Nova could go a lot of ways with this alternate timeline thing - we know there are at least 2 Earths, maybe there are others and the portal/fracture in the Badlands is from a 3rd Earth. I really hope this show comes back!



> Oh that would peeve me off big time...


I'm right there with you - I wasn't a fan of the ending.


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## Kentstater (Jun 18, 2004)

RunnerFL said:


> Does anything on TV really share the same timeline as "us viewers"?


South Park?


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

Kentstater said:


> South Park?


24 Hours came close.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Drew2k said:


> Yeah, that's a toughie!
> 
> A lot of Sci-Fi tends to share out timeline and history, though. For example, "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" and "Star Trek" (all series).


All what I would consider "old" Sci-Fi. While older Sci-Fi had a tendency of working off of our timeline I'm finding that most "new" Sci-Fi doesn't. New Sci-Fi seems to prefer working with an alternate reality.



Drew2k said:


> I'm right there with you - I wasn't a fan of the ending.


I went as far as sending Ron Moore a handwritten letter letting him know of my displeasure over his ending. (I RARELY send handwritten anything anymore) He took a great show and made it crap. I also gave away the BSG blu-rays I had from prior seasons because of his ending.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Kentstater said:


> South Park?


Close, but not really. I wouldn't expect South Park to though.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Drew2k said:


> Terra Nova could go a lot of ways with this alternate timeline thing - we know there are at least 2 Earths, maybe there are others and the portal/fracture in the Badlands is from a 3rd Earth. I really hope this show comes back!


But do we really know there are 2 or 3 Earths??? It could be something like BSG and they are in a future time where cycles repeat, including evolutionary cycles.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

phrelin said:


> But do we really know there are 2 or 3 Earths??? It could be something like BSG and they are in a future time where cycles repeat, including evolutionary cycles.


For all we really now that's how it works in real life too.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

phrelin said:


> But do we really know there are 2 or 3 Earths??? It could be something like BSG and they are in a future time where cycles repeat, including evolutionary cycles.


From what I recall, early in the season there was a scene that covered this, relaying that they ran some tests by having the Terra Novans bury some markers that could be read in 2149, but in 2149 they were unable to locate any of the markers. They took that to mean that the Earth where Terra Nova resides is NOT the Earth where the population lives in 2149. So not only did the portal send them "back in time", it sent them to a different "timeline", which is why they don't have to worry about the butterfly effect - their actions on Terra Nova can NOT alter their future by accident or on purpose ...


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Drew2k said:


> From what I recall, early in the season there was a scene that covered this, relaying that they ran some tests by having the Terra Novans bury some markers that could be read in 2149, but in 2149 they were unable to locate any of the markers. They took that to mean that the Earth where Terra Nova resides is NOT the Earth where the population lives in 2149. So not only did the portal send them "back in time", it sent them to a different "timeline", which is why they don't have to worry about the butterfly effect - their actions on Terra Nova can NOT alter their future by accident or on purpose ...


Well also keep in mind that during the time Terra Nova is set in we had "Pangea", or the "Super Continent", not the continents we have today. They may not have found the markers in 2149 because they weren't 100% sure where they would be in "Terra Nova time". That could have been easy to mix up.


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

RunnerFL said:


> Well also keep in mind that during the time Terra Nova is set in we had "Pangea", or the "Super Continent", not the continents we have today. They may not have found the markers in 2149 because they weren't 100% sure where they would be in "Terra Nova time". That could have been easy to mix up.


Yes, the whole missing markers and alternate timeline explanation made no sense to me.

Regarding if the Terra Nova colony is really cut off.... I can't recall if it was explained, did the time rift just happen or did man create it?


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

To address some of those...

Missing Markers: Terra-2149 sent back "markers" powered by some form of nuclear reaction that would allow them to still be detected millions of years later. They presumably wanted to know when/where the rift's other end was. In sending these markers back, they could pinpoint their location based on the signal. They never found any trace of the signal in 2149. This means that the markers made the journey back 85M years (instantaneously), but NOT the 85M years back (the old fashioned way) to the Terra-2149. With no trace of the markers on Terra-2149, and the moon looking the way it does in Terra-Nova, the conclusion is that it IS Earth (Terra) but in an alternate timeline - and there are no end of alternate timeline or multiple universe stories in science fiction (Back to the Future probably being the most popular)

The Rift: In the first episode, they said they "discovered" the rift so that implies it was created by nature. For all we know, Hyperdimensional Space Aliens could have done it - those mice are crafty little buggers - but humans didn't have a hand in it. Hope Plaza was constructed to exploit the Rift.

Cut Off: Are they really? The Phoenix bad guys seem to have a Plan B in place and the ship's prow seems to indicate another Rift or another use of the existing one.


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

I just don't buy the assumption that the markers would still exist and be detectable after 85 million years. Tectonic activity might have wiped them out.

If man didn't create the rift why would blowing up Hope Plaza do anything to it? I suspect it is still there.


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

djlong said:


> .....and the moon looking the way it does in Terra-Nova, the conclusion is that it IS Earth (Terra) but in an alternate timeline .....


And the whole moon looking so close to them when they got there was screwed up. The moon is leaving the Earth at about 3.8 cm per year. Over 85MM years, that works out to be about 2000 miles, or 0.84% of the average distance between the moon and the Earth. There is no way that a 0.84% change in distance would be noticable.


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

hilmar2k said:


> And the whole moon looking so close to them when they got there was screwed up. The moon is leaving the Earth at about 3.8 cm per year. Over 85MM years, that works out to be about 2000 miles, or 0.84% of the average distance between the moon and the Earth. There is no way that a 0.84% change in distance would be noticable.


Hollywood is more concerned with effect then with being accurate. Hence the larger moon. Ever notice the streets are always wet in a night scene? Reason being it photographs better.


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## mrdobolina (Aug 28, 2006)

klang said:


> I just don't buy the assumption that the markers would still exist and be detectable after 85 million years. Tectonic activity might have wiped them out.


Or large, Dinosaur eliminating meteor strike! That's what I see as the beauty of this show: If FOX does decide to cancel it mid season, they can tie it up nicely with a well timed, extinction level meteor strike.


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

Oh the rift is still there. Blowing up Hope Plaza puts a kink in Phoenix's plans. With luck, the Phoenix Conspiracy might make it out to the public - but would the public care?

Imagine the vote to be taken if however-many-billion people still on Earth 2149 are polled.. In their lifetimes, how many people would have a chance to emigrate to Terra Nova - provided they even wanted to? Remember the dipwad from 2149 complaining about EVERYTHING at Terra Nova?

9 billion or so on a dying Earth. 100 at a time emigrating to Terra Nova. The numbers do NOT look good.


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

Drew2k said:


> Yeah, the Badlands is a new mystery. How does someone from 2149 know that these artifacts exist in the Badlands, when the folks who live on Terra Nova have no idea there is anything there?
> 
> And how does a ship's prow from the 19th century end up in the Cretaceous era?
> 
> They did say that they are on a different Earth, so perhaps that will play into it...


They did say it was a different time stream because of the probe but...I'm not so sure. There a a lot of reasons is never showed up in the future. I can think of 85 million right off the bat. :grin:

What if...since the Phoenix Group knew something and it was a cover story that they could use to explain some peculiarities they might come across; like a bow spirit in the bad lands.

Mike


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

This is why I love Sci-Fi... so many ways a story can go!

I just hope Fox renews it so we can be part of the journey.


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