"The Armory" | |
---|---|
Falling Skies episode | |
Tom and his team go in search for Ben.
|
|
Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 2 |
Directed by | Greg Beeman |
Written by | Graham Yost |
Production code | 102 |
Original air date | June 19, 2011 |
Guest appearance(s) | |
|
|
"The Armory" is the second episode of the first season of the TNT science fiction drama Falling Skies, which originally aired June 19, 2011, alongside the pilot episode. The episode was written by Graham Yost and directed by Greg Beeman.
Weaver sends Tom and a squad to scout out a possible weapons armory, but they are taken hostage by a group of outlaws who then try to use Tom and his team as leverage to acquire food and weapons. The trade is interrupted by an alien ship, which kills most of the outlaws. Their leader, Pope, is taken into custody. Margaret, another one of the outlaws, agrees to fight for the 2nd Mass and help Tom find his enslaved son Ben, who was seen at a nearby hospital only days before.
In the United States, the two-hour series premiere achieved a viewership of 5.91 million, making it the most-watched series premiere of 2011. The episode garnered a 2.0 rating in the 18–49 demographic, translating to 2.6 million viewers according to the Nielsen ratings.
At the Armory, Tom and the other members gather to see if aliens are present. Hal throws a tennis ball to the entrance, hoping that the dog will go for the ball. The dog moves forward, barking and a "mech" appears. Before it can kill the dog, Jimmy stops it, compromising their position. They all move before the Mech attacks.
The next morning, Tom informs Weaver about the previous night's events. He tells Tom to return again tonight. Anne then confronts Weaver about the current sleeping situation, where civilians are living in tents and the fighters in houses. Anne deems it unfair, yet Weaver believes the soldiers need proper rest. Anne and Tom then discuss "civilians vs the military". The pair then watch Uncle Scott teach the young kids about biology. Later, Uncle Scott talks to Tom about the aliens. He points out that robots humans created were made to look human, with two legs, yet the Skitters' mechs also have two legs, despite a Skitter having six. Tom theorizes the Skitters may have studied Earth before the invasion, and deployed bipedal machines as a form of psychological intimidation. After running in to Lourdes, Karen talks to Hal about her intention. Hal doesn't seem to care about Lourdes and kisses Karen. Tom interrupts, telling Hal they are due to return to the Armory later.
Later that night, the group get ready. Jimmy is told that Click will be going in his place which disappoints him. At the Armory, Click is shot and killed by two arrows and as he goes down, he shoots someone in the leg. It is revealed to be not aliens, but a group of outlaws who capture the group. The outlaws, led by a man named John Pope, take the group to an auditorium, tying them up. Pope interrogates them and Tom responds to all his answers. Pope pulls a gun on Tom, but Hal tells him that they can help him get weapons. Hal is led out of the auditorium by Margaret, a woman in Pope's gang, who gives him one hour to go back and get guns from the 2nd Mass. Tom and Pope discuss the aliens and Tom discovers that Pope is a gifted fighter. Tom asks for a beer and untied by Pope, who notices Tom eying his brother's sidearm. He confronts him about it and Tom asks "What would you do?"