Terra Nova
Dinosaurs! YAY! Family drama. Fuuuuu-

What the hell is Steven Spielberg's obsession with family all about? Taken, A.I, Jurrasic Park, Falling Skies, War of the Worlds and now Terra Nova. All feature family themes in some form or other. I've got a family Steve! It ain't all what its cracked up to be! Let it go! Look..forget it, were here for the dinosaurs.

Pictured: Better than family bullshit...also why you don't mess with dinosaurs

We begin in 2149 were the Earth is, for lack of a better word, fucked. Luck would have it that a portal is found in Chicago that leads back to the late Cretaceous period. It is explained that paradoxes won't happen since it is a different time stream which is handy since I had another plot hole kicking me in the face the entire time screaming "What about this dumb ass!?!" What happens when the thing that killed the dinosaurs comes? OK yes it isn't for another 20 odd million years but it's still going to happen. What if the people around then have forget that little detail?
The Shannon family (father Jim, his wife Elisabeth, and their three children Josh, Maddy, and Zoe) join the tenth pilgrimige of settlers to Terra Nova, becoming part of the first human colony on the other side of the temporal doorway. (Thanks Wikipedia!)
As I said before Spielberg continues his family themes Jim having escaped from jail which he was in for having a 3rd child, and his son hates him for it blah blah blah. I didn't sign up for this! I wanted to see how humanity struggles against nature at its most savage and large! I want to see how people cope with their new surroundings. Not how a teenager left his girlfriend behind and has daddy issues. Mercifully this is mixed with excitement when the Sixers turn up. Sixers are members of the 6th pilgrimige that for reasons currently unknown are trying to sabotage Terra Nova.

If dinosaurs fucking up your day wasn't bad enough

 We also get a look at some new dinosaurs created for the show when Josh and his new friends sneak out to go exploring outside the settlement. I'm sorry what? I can't believe I said that. I very much cannot believe that a bunch of teenagers, who are unarmed I will add and one who arrived THE FUCKING DAY BEFORE AND MISSED ORENTATION, would leave a protected settlement to explore when the place is filled with fucking dinosaurs! I don't care how long you've been there Skye that is a stupid idea and I was rooting for the dinosaurs to kill your stupid asses. Oh wait you did it so you could gather some of your moonshine? That makes it all better of course...

This picture cannot sum up my argument more!

I won't spoil anymore storyline. The special effects of the dinos are really impressive for a TV series but its the sets and the shots of the city that win the prize. A fantastic blend of future tech and pioneer style building. Although at some points you could see obvious use of green screen. Despite my many gripes at the characters I still watched the first two episodes and I was entertained. At least enough to put off watching Wilfred. It has action, drama and few laughs here and there. The mystery revolving around some strange carvings is what I'm coming back for. With enough plot lines started in the first two episodes to keep me interested this could become a decent series to watch and perhaps a replacement for Stargate that I've sorely been needing.
Give it a go. It might be good when it hits its stride.