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In this 18th episode of Berserker Cast, Darrell and I (Emilee) take a look at Falling Skies season 5 episode 3 entitled “Hatchlings”. Aside from being a little disappointed by the misleading nature of the episode title, based on the word as it was used in season 4, both Darrell and I were very happy with this installment of the post-apocalyptic drama! Tension between the characters was excellent, we got some great information about the alien species communicating with Tom, and, as always, an exploration into family and making connections.
This isn’t to say the episode didn’t have a few hiccups, but in comparison to last week, the high points both outnumbered and out performed the low points. We address a couple such hiccups in the podcast, amongst which is my question about the discrepancy between my–or our–assumptions of what the skitters are (a harnessed race of aliens) versus the newly discovered capability of the Espheni to actually mass produce their slaves. Back in season one, when Anne and Lourdes do an autopsy on a skitter, they find a harness beneath the layers. My assumption, at the time, is that the original form of what we now call skitters was transformed by the harness.
But, as Anne said in the last episode, the Espheni are obsessed with DNA and have already begun experiments on humans. Perhaps the Espheni have been studying the race of aliens they enslaved long enough to clone them into the creatures they want, rather than enslaving only the number they originally captured.
And that lends to yet another intriguing aspect of the episode. Tom recruits Ben to sketch out the alien that he saw in his visions and Cochise states that the creature Ben has drawn is, in fact, an extinct race. The very race the Espheni enslaved. The very race we now call skitters.
Whether it was Darrell who called it, or another listener from the end of last season, I cannot quite remember. Regardless, I am so happy the theory was thrown out and that it seems to be coming to fruition! The enemy of my enemy is my friend. The Espheni did a number on this alien race, whom we think Cochise called Dorian (please, please correct me if I’m wrong), to such a degree that most of the galaxy believe it to be extinct. But Tom definitely saw that creature! Seriously, he couldn’t make that up.
We are 30% of the way through the season and direction is beginning to form for the Final Battle. It seems like everyone is headed toward D.C. Which likely means that nothing good is happening!
Next Week
Season 5 Episode 4 “Pope Breaks Bad”
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