Friday, March 3, 2017

Colony

"To turn crisis into opportunity.
Even the most successful men make two or three critical mistakes in their lives.
It's what they do afterward that defines them."
-Proxy Alan Snyder-

If you aren't already watching USA Network's Colony (2016-present) you should be. Created by Carlton Cuse (Lost) and Ryan Condal, Colony is now in its second season and the unrelenting story, often grim, surrounding an alien occupation of Earth, is likely in need of greater viewership.




If any science fiction series warrants your attention its Colony. I've vacillated between The Expanse and Colony, viewing them both all season, over which series I enjoy the most.

The Expanse is pure outer space science fiction saga. The Expanse, Season Two, Episode Five, Home, was stunning science fiction and truly elevated The Expanse to an even more extraordinary level of imagination ripped from the pages of James S.A. Corey.

Meanwhile, Colony is a deliciously engaging burn and rips its earthbound suspense straight from our own internal human struggles with all of the accoutrements and credentials of science fiction to salt and flavor the excitement. And it is riveting drama thanks to original ideas and writing by Cuse, Condal and company. Questions of trust and loyalty permeated the work of Ronald D. Moore's reimagined Battlestar Galactica (2003-2009), and Colony takes things to the next level muddying the waters of human behavior further and fusing such murky questions and associations with real science fiction.



This writer was initially hesitant to visit this Colony and yet highly anticipated The Expanse. The Expanse is ultimately worth your while, but Colony surprises and does so with each viewing. The prequel styled contents of Colony, Season Two, Eleven. Thirteen offered gripping suspense but the overarching mystery delivers all of the series' allure. Great writing and great performances are at the heart of Colony. Along with The Expanse both science fictions are driven by mystery.



The reimagined V (2009-2011) was abysmal, Falling Skies (2011-2015) was ultimately disappointing and thus I was resistant to the alien invasion story of Colony. This was a mistake. Colony is easily the best written and imagined alien invasion story in some time. Well into two seasons there is plenty of potential to come and I am savoring every minute of it. If I had to pick which science fiction I'd like to see stick around Colony would be at the top with The Expanse. All others wouldn't come close save for maybe The 100, but season three of that series lacked the focus of its previous two efforts.

If you're a fan of science fiction, please consider viewership colonization of the expertly driven Colony series before its too late. And ladies who preferred to get Lost with Sawyer always have Josh Holloway to go easy on their eyes.
 

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