Tuesday, January 31, 2006

TV REVIEW: Surface, Episode # 14

Based on last night's very exciting trailer for Surface's fifteenth episode, I'd guess NBC hasn't decided yet the ultimate fate of this program (which - I admit it - I love.) Last week, it seemed we were perched to get "all the answers" leading up to a series finale. But last night, the advertisement was plugging the season finale. There's a world of difference in that distinction, so I suppose we can hope that Surface may see a sophomore season.

This is a good thing, because the show improves every week. Last night, more pieces of the puzzle came together. We now know that Lee is not the same guy who appeared in the archival film in last week's installment. Though, by incredible coincidence, he has precisely the same crew-cut. Instead, Lee's a clone, and he's not too pleased about that fact. I liked this twist, and I suppose I should have seen it coming. I had thought the scientists were doing longevity experiments or something, but that guess was off the mark.

Secondly, Rich traveled to North Carolina and found a SPECTRE/Blofeld-ian-type "scientific headquarters" for a mysterious company that specializes in cryo-stasis. After (easily) hijacking a truck, Rich learned that this company is freezing and storing samples of every life-form on Earth...a kind of Noah's ark, as he suggests to Daughtery in a hurried cell-phone call. I hope they're also including one of those rabid Cha-Ka creatures from last week...

Meanwhile, in Wilmington, Miles' spider-senses are really developing. Er, I mean, he gets back at a nasty bully by electrocuting the guy. Nimh also makes a guest appearance in a local diner. He's still adorable. I know his species is about to unleash holy hell on the human race, but Nimh would be a welcome pet in my house any time. As long as he promises not to eat my cats, like he did that poodle a couple of months ago.

The episode ended on a crescendo of tension as a massive earthquake (apparently caused by the sea monsters...) rattles Puerto Rico and the Eastern seaboard. It's the Day After Tomorrow redux, as a huge tidal wave approaches land. Carnage candy!

I can't wait for next week's season finale...

Here's my guess on what's really going on: The tidal wave is a planned event, a predicted outcome based on the creatures' behavior - a way of removing some of the pesky human population. In fact, I think the scientist behind this (Kessler, the 110 year old guy) is furthering his own "final solution" and the monsters are but a means to that end. He's using the monsters to devastate the planet and kill off the human race, but then after the tidal waves and other disasters subside, I predict the monsters will die off (a pre-programmed gene in their DNA) and Kessler will now have the opportunity to begin life on the planet all over again with his Noah's Ark of specimens. And he will be the master of his domain, if you know what I mean.

Of course, I'm probably wrong. Forgive me, I just watched Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow not long ago, and it featured roughly the same plot. If Kessler turns out to be a computer-generated Laurence Olivier, I'll be really disappointed.

See, I like to make all these snarky comments about Surface, because it's so cheesy and derivative. The special effects are cheap-o (but I love 'em), and the plot plays like a dozen or so cinematic blockbusters of the last quarter century. But I just can't help it, I'm addicted to the program and really enjoy it.

No comments:

Post a Comment

My Father's Journal, Epilogue: "My Cancer"

My friends, we have reached the final entry in my father’s journal of his battle with cancer.     I want to thank all the readers who have c...