Review: Terra Nova: “Within” (Season 1, Episode 10)

This week, Terra Nova begins readying for a time war as the 11th Pilgrimage journeys through the portal and control for the colony seems up for grabs – all this coming, natch, as we head for this dynamite sci-fi series’ two-hour season finale next week. (Too soon!)

We have learned – but Jim Shannon hasn’t – that Skye is the mole in the compound and is feeding intel to the Sixers because they are holding as hostage her believed-deceased mother, who is very ill. This time around while Skye is paying one of her occasional visits to Mom – how does she keep getting out of the compound? – she meets Bad Boy Lucas, son of Commander Taylor, and the whiz kid tells Skye he wants her to feed his portal reversal equation into the Eye or Mom is toast.

However, Jim discovers through security footage that Skye is indeed the mole and takes the matter to Taylor, who is hesitant to act on the intel until Curran, his man inside the Sixers, does come conformation on his ward. Good job, Detective Shannon!

As Jim goes on to deduce that the Sixers must be blackmailing Skye, she once again visits Sixers camp and is threatened (twice in one episode) by leader Mira that, yep, Mom is gonna be toast unless Skye does a better job of intel gathering and communications. (She failed to tell Mira about an approaching TN convoy that was a trap hatched by Taylor.)

Taylor Jr. also learns that his equation did work and his portal-reversal device is prepared. As the portal is about to open, Lucas tells Skye to stay with the Sixers since arson will soon be committed at Terra Nova by the new arrivals if his father should resist. Still ailing, Skye’s mother tells her to run back to Terra Nova, tell Taylor everything and never come back. With urging, Skye heads back to the compound but encounters Jim and Taylor before reaching it. She tells them the truth of Lucas’ plan and they rush toward the locale of the portal!

As the portal is activating, Lucas rants mad scientist-like about how happy he is that his father is there to see his “success.”  The prodigal son then leaps through the hole in space, saying to Dad that the next time Taylor sees him he will not be by himself.

Skye is beside herself (lucky Josh!) about leaving her mother to the Sixers, but soon learns Taylor’s own mole, Curran, has brought Mom to Terra Nova for treatment. Although Jim isn’t fond of the idea, Taylor tells Curran his brave deed has earned him a second chance in the colony.

The people of Terra Nova now stand together as their leader tells them of the pending storm, saying he knows their strength and tenacity can indeed protect their colony and their very way of life from the time-invaders, their own kind.

A cool and action-packed beginning to next week’s two-hour finale as Lucas returns with his promised army and Taylor and Jim rally the troops to defend the families (with children!) of Terra Nova.

I’ll be there and I hope you will too. Looks like it will kick butt!