‘Falling Skies’ 3.4 Episode Recap And Review: At All Costs

Welcome back Falling Skies fans! Did you enjoy last week’s review by Dawn? I know that I did. I am sure that ‘Badlands’ is going to be my personal favorite episode of Season 3! I tell you, everyone involved with Falling Skies has really stepped up their game this season. I am falling in love with this show all over again! Now, let’s get started with our review, shall we?

“At All Costs” opens with Charleston in full battle mode! The Espheni are throwing everything they have at our heroes, but it doesn’t seem to be enough. Tom, Weaver and Bressler are in the war room when Anthony brings in Lt. Fisher. She is sure that Charleston is about to be wiped off the map and wants to be cut loose to fend for herself. Tom has other plans and takes her topside so that she can witness the Volm shooting down the Espheni “beamers”. Lt. Fisher is in shock at the simple fact that the humans and Volm are truly working together and that they were able to drive back the Espheni attack and survive. She wants to contact President Hathaway and Tom is in agreement. He arranges for her to use the shortwave radio. A face to face is scheduled.

Hal did his part in the attack, saving Lyle’s life. But that has not dissuaded him from wanting to tell his dad all about his fears that he is the mole. He stops Tom and tries to have a private word with him. Tom is a busy man though and Maggie takes advantage of his hesitation to step in and head off Hal’s confession. She is not convinced that Hal is the mole and is determined to protect him, even from himself.

Anne is up to something. She is taking a cheek swab from baby Alexis and seems intent on hiding actions from Lourdes, who stops by for a quick visit before heading to work. We have another super creepy moment when Anne picks Alexis up for a cuddle and tells the baby “I love you” and Alexis responds, “I love you too, mommy”. Ann looks at her, wondering aloud “who are you?” and when she puts Alexis back to her shoulder in the typical baby cuddle Alexis grins in a very non baby way. I will say it again….CREEPY.

In the hospital Lourdes is talking a group of kids including Ben and Denny about using the Volm machine to permanently remove the spikes and internal fibers of the harness. This would essentially make these kids once again normal. She explains that while they would lose their super powers they would most likely live longer, healthier lives. All of this sounds great, except that for Ben at least, it would mean he would no longer be special or needed. Reluctantly he agrees to this procedure, but we can see he has doubts.

Hey, did you know that Pope has a plane? Turns out he does, and Tom want to use it to get to his planned meeting with President Hathaway. Pope agrees to this only if he can go along, “Listen gentlemen, either I am on that plane, or there will be no plane”. Tom agrees because he simply doesn’t have time to argue about it. Everything is in place for their secret rendezvous and they have to get in the air. Pope isn’t happy when he sees Lt. Fisher (the murderer of Crazy Lee) or a “Bubblehead” (Cochise) but accepts their presence on his precious plane well enough. Cochise seems leery of the plane, wondering aloud if it is “capable of flight” but Tom reassures him (sort of) and with Bressler piloting they fly off into the night.

Ben and Denny discuss the things they will miss about their spikes. Ben expresses his worry of not being needed. It is obvious that he doesn’t really want to go back to being normal. Later he has a short conversation with Matt about the procedure and Matt gives him some great advice. He says simply “keep ‘em. Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”. Smart kid.

Speaking of kids, Anne has one kid in particular on her mind. She sneaks down to see Dr. Kadar to request his help in performing a DNA test. Of course she wants to test Alexis, but she gives him 11 other samples to test as well; the deharnessed kids. Kadar doesn’t like the interruption but agrees to help. It is becoming more and more clear that his personality quirks are due to the loss of his child (or children?).

Hal goes to Weaver to find out where his dad is and when he will be back. Weaver asks if he can help, seeing that there is something bothering Hal, but Hal says he will wait for his dad. Back in his room Hal breaks down, literally. He is in front of the mirror and his image begins a conversation with him. This is evil Hal versus good Hal at it’s finest. Evil Hal gains control of the body and good Hal is sent packing. He seeks out Maggie to reassure her of his sanity and “thank” her for supporting him.

Tom makes his meeting with Hathaway and causes quite a stir with Cochise. He had not warned Hathaway that he was bringing an alien along, or for that matter his mechanic, John Pope. Hathaway is not at all convinced that the Volm are not a threat but he is intrigued by the possibilities they represent. He has spent much time and effort in making contact with other rebel cells across the country and Charleston is the first to show such promise in actually taking back the planet. After speaking at length with Tom and then Cochise, Hathaway asks Tom to accompany him back to his home base to address “the people”. Tom agrees to this knowing that it means he will be gone from home for an indefinite time.

Anne goes back to Kadar to get the results of the DNA tests. It is as we all suspected, Alexis has some sort of alien DNA (it is worth noting that the other kids are clean). Kadar realizes that the sample is from Anne and Tom’s child and insists that Tom must be told. When Anne tells him Tom is not in Charleston he says they must tell someone. Anne agrees, at least for as long as it takes to find a weapon with which to bash Kadar in the head with. She leaves him lying there and returns to her quarters, where she drugs Lourdes and takes Alexis. It is obvious she has no real plan beyond escape and protecting her child. As she flees the city she is confronted with a skitter and a harnessed girl who greets her by name, and then greets Alexis as well. She turns to run from them only to find Hal cutting off her retreat. He tells her “it’s okay Anne, everything’s gonna be fine”. Yeah, somehow I doubt it.

Ben, who has decided not to have his spikes removed, goes to the hospital to see Denny. She was scheduled to have her spikes removed but she has changed her mind as well. They retreat to their preferred roof top to star gaze and Ben delivers one of my favorite lines of the night when Denny wonders aloud which star the Espheni are from, “It doesn’t matter, they’re here now.”.

The Espheni have discovered where Hathaway and Tom are meeting and a beamer strike force is on it’s way. Everyone rushes to their planes with Cochise being put on Hathaway’s plane over Tom’s objections. Bressler, Tom and Pope watch as Hathaway’s plane is shot down. Tom wants to land to look for survivors but Bressler is more concerned with their own survival. He does his best to out fly the beamers, but it’s no use. He ends up crash landing and then we see the 3 most dreaded words to a die hard fan.. “to be continued…”.

This was a very suspenseful and action packed episode! I will say it one more time, they have really stepped up their game this season! Great action, great graphics, and great dialogue. I even find myself being drawn into the alien baby storyline, albeit against my will. I am intrigued to see where this storyline and evil Hal take us in the coming weeks.

Are you enjoying this season as much as I am? And what about the mole? Do you have any idea who it might be? Hal seems a bit obvious. I have been leaning toward Marina or Bressler, but now I don’t know. It looks like Bressler may be a goner in that crash, and anyway, I am starting to wonder if the mole might be closer to home. What do you think?