Who do You Trust? Falling Skies ‘Homecoming’ Review and Recap

By Jamie Krakover

Each week Falling Skies ups the ante, and this week’s episode ‘Homecoming’ was certainly no exception as we explored the biggest question yet… who can we really trust?

The 2nd Mass has been at the hospital now for two weeks. Tom and Anne comment on how “normal” everything seems. But how normal are things really? Tom reminisces about how mornings used to be in his house and even awkwardly brings up his wife, Rebecca. Anne, however, says it’s okay to bring up passed loved ones as she had a family once too. Now at least they’ve managed to find happiness with each other. But honestly, how long can this state of bliss between them last? There’s a war going on after all.

Weaver’s (Will Patton) morning meetings. Image © TNT

Their whole encounter makes Tom late for his morning meeting with Weaver, and this apparently isn’t the first time. Maybe Anne isn’t so good for Tom. In a tense start to the meeting Weaver says the 2nd Mass has become lazy and gotten way too relaxed. Tom however argues that R&R is exactly what everyone needed, but Weaver says they can’t afford to let their guard down. We have to side with Weaver; the next attack could be right around the corner. Unfortunately, before Weaver can talk plans he starts shaking and collapses with a strange alien rash. This event really grabs the audience’s attention and sets the tone for the rest of the episode as we worry about Weaver’s future. Weaver in heroic fashion wants Tom to leave him and get the 2nd Mass out, but Tom and Anne refuse. When Tom discovers Anne has been hiding Weaver’s spreading infection from him, the heat rises. Guess the honeymoon is over.

Hal and Maggie are on patrol again. In a charming encounter Hal thinks Maggie must like him, but  she disagrees, saying they can’t be together. Sadly we are back to this again. Then she shocks Hal and viewers by explaining she requested to move units. Their discussion is cut short when they stumble upon an extremely disturbing mass grave of deharnessed teens, until Maggie uncovers Karen who is miraculously still alive.

Back at the hospital Weaver’s situation is dire, and Tom wants to move him out immediately. Hopefully someone in Charleston can help him. The bad news is they’ve drained all the fuel from the trucks to run the hospital generators and those will only run for another twelve hours before the whole place will shut down. Looks like the 2nd Mass is in terrible need of resources and won’t make it to Charleston without them. Tom, taking command, changes the top priority to looking for more fuel. As the plans are being set, Matt charges in and announces that Hal and Maggie are back with injured Karen. But Ben runs out to stop them saying they can’t trust Karen (no kidding!) because she is still attached to the aliens.  So who do we trust at this point, Ben or Karen? Neither has a squeaky clean record. Tom errs on the side of caution and has Karen sent to a secure room.

Karen (Jessy Schram) and Hal (Drew Roy) Image © TNT

When Karen wakes up, she’s extremely frightened but seems relieved to see Tom alive. But is it all an act? She recounts how awful it was to watch Tom get tortured and not be able to do anything. When questioned though, she conveniently doesn’t remember much. She seems to think she’s served her purpose, but odds are the aliens are not done with her, even if she says all she wanted was to be back with the 2nd Mass.

Everyone is rightfully suspicious of Karen and Ben asks to stay with her to see if he can pick up on any weirdness. Tom thinks it’s a bad idea, and we have to agree. Two formally harnessed teens in the same room is a recipe for disaster. Too bad Tom agrees to let Ben stay. But before he can take up his new post, Hal corners Ben and they are at odds again. Ben never met Karen because he was harnessed when she was taken, so Hal wants to know how Ben is able to tell she’s bad and how Ben’s situation is any different. Ben fires back that Hal won’t be able to resist her manipulations like he will. Two very low blows for the brothers as the tensions mounts. Hal leaves in a huff and Maggie thinks Ben has a point. This all feels a bit too coincidental.

As Weaver gets worse, Anne speculates about what’s going on, but they are dealing with the unknown. Tom’s solution is to load Weaver on a truck and get him to Charleston as fast as possible with the remaining fuel, but Anne disagrees, starting a massive argument that ends with Tom calling Anne by his dead wife’s name. Whoops! But after all the bottled up rage, they are too quick to apologize  and come to a compromise. Tom and Anne are trying too hard to be the perfect couple and it just isn’t working.

Back in the secure room Ben and Karen chat about her situation, while he plays bad cop trying to get her to give up some valuable information. She doesn’t give in and swears she’s not still connected to the aliens, recounting how horrible it is to be harnessed. She’s near tears when she says Ben’s being paired with the skitters was a walk in the park compared to her connection with the aliens being ten times worse. It’s really hard to feel sorry for her though when we can’t tell if she’s trustworthy or not. She’s acting a bit on the creepy side and has a ravenous appetite since her return.

As Weaver looks like he’s on his death bed, Lourdes has an idea how to save him. They look to Jamil to help develop a makeshift blood warmer to fight Weaver’s alien infection. Fingers are crossed that it works as they hook him up to the Macgyvered device. The 2nd Mass can’t afford to lose their leader. The process seems to be working well when the power goes out. Time for the generator as they race to save Weaver. Outside the scouting party returns with no fuel, but they managed to find Pope and Anthony. Thank goodness Pope is back! We’ve been seriously missing him.

Karen (Jessy Schram) and Ben (Connor Jessup) Image © TNT

As Karen tries to reel Ben in with some reminiscing, they start to bond over “nicknames” he gets called now because of his spikes and their new found abilities. But Ben flat out lies to Karen about the 2nd Mass’ next stop, saying they don’t tell him information like that. At least Ben is thinking smart. When they get close their spikes mysteriously light up and all hell breaks loose. They can suddenly feel each others emotions and move in for a kiss as Hal busts in to stop the freak show. Yikes, those two need to be separated stat! Unfortunately, Karen collapses right after Hal’s arrival and cries in his arms as Ben takes off. Why is Hal such a sucker?

Outside it’s Tector to the rescue when he returns with a ton of fuel! We knew we liked that guy!

Maggie (Sarah Carter) Image © TNT

Hal is worried about Karen and he confesses to Maggie that he thinks Ben is trying to convert Karen to help the skitter uprising. We Hope Hal isn’t right because if he is Ben is in some serious trouble. Maggie however has other plans and visits Karen with guns blazing…literally! With her two guns pulled she tells Karen to crawl back into her alien hell. Karen the master manipulator manages to get under Maggie’s skin by bringing up her tortured past with Pope. In a moment of shear insanity, Maggie fires on Karen, who scales the walls and takes out Maggie. That was a serious chick fight! As Ben arrives, Karen hurls herself into a wall making the encounter look a lot less one sided. Look out Ben, she has her hooks in you! Ben believes the whole charade and says he knows a place they can go and be accepted. They take off, leaving the injured Maggie on the floor. On the roof Hal tries to stop them but Ben does the unthinkable and incapacitates his brother. Hand in hand and spikes glowing, Ben and Karen jump off the roof and run off into the night. If Ben is headed back to Redeye, he could be revealing the location of the skitter rebellion to Karen, who in turn might lead the aliens right to them.

When Weaver finally wakes up, he’s not too happy about all the fuel used to save him, and promises to have words with Tom later. Pope however interrupts, saying the aliens are after Ben. In a heart pounding race, Tom runs to find Ben but he’s already too late. Ben is running through the woods with Karen – no doubt headed into some serious trouble.

So there you have it Falling Skies fans. Who do you trust in this episode? And where are Ben and Karen headed? Light up those spikes and let’s talk Falling Skies.