V Series Season Two Episode One: Red Rain

Hello V Series fans!

Firstly I would like to thank everyone for your continued support, for reading my reviews and your wonderful feedback, I love you all! After what has been an agonizing wait, we welcome the return of V Series produced at Warner Brothers facilities in Vancouver British Columbia in the glorious second season finally ‘transmitting’ to our screens.

For a refresher of what happened last season (Season One), please take a look at my Red Sky review.

Please note United Kingdom fans this review and analysis contains extensive spoilers so do not read any further if you do not want to see any spoilers!

Red Rain:

We start the episode panning upwards in New York, to a view of the Mother Ship; everything seems to be engulfed in a hazy Red mist. We find Erica… Is she dead? She wakes suddenly; she seems very confused; everyone around her seems to be dead. She grabs for an abandoned Peace Ambassador jacket, and starts yelling for Tyler. At this point I was thinking that the haziness and brightness was indicating a dream sequence.

Erica continues her frantic search, stepping over dead bodies; becoming more and more worried for her son. She eventually finds him sitting weakened on a bench, alone, everyone around them … dead. “Mom what is this? What did you do to us?” He asks.

Red Rain begins to fall, Tyler has a look of agony spread across his features as drops fall on his face, and his face begins to grotesquely melt. This point confirmed to me that this was a dream sequence because Erica is a very emotional being; she didn’t seem as upset as she should have been. I really love that Erica is so emotional, almost too emotional, it makes such a stark contrast to her Arch Enemy Anna, who is stony and emotionless (Mostly). Anna comes into view; Erica hopelessly asks why she did this… Anna replies: “You killed my Children, so I killed yours” with a classic Anna smirk. I loved the spooky music, it really added to the whole nightmarish dream sequence.

Erica wakes suddenly in her office at the FBI, she had fallen asleep at her desk, she spies a photo of Tyler on her desk, you see the relief play across her face. She leaves her office and approaches Kendrick and Malik. It‘s indicated that this is four days after she season one finale Red Sky. Erica asks if anyone had cleared a meeting with Anna, the answer was obviously ‘no’. Anna wouldn’t have wanted to let anyone see her during her ‘emotional’ time. Kendrick: “World leaders continue to reach out but her Majesty Anna remains silent”

Up on the Mother Ship Marcus is with Anna discussing Red Sky, he tells her that the longer she remains silent about Red Sky, the more chance there is of the humans finding answers of their own. Over confident Anna thinks that even if ‘we’ found out the compound ‘we’ would never be able to determine the true purpose. Marcus tells her that one of the ‘top’ Environmental Scientists has got rather close to the truth. Dr Ellis Watts. Anna orders Marcus to eliminate him.

Marcus tells Anna that there is something else they need to discuss. He tells her that the Captains of the twenty-nine ships were a little taken back by the premature release of Red Sky, and are concerned that her herself has become effected by Human Emotion. And that she is losing the ability to rule, effectively… Anna looks very unimpressed. She slowly approaches Marcus and asks: “Do you also feel I am losing control Marcus?” Marcus looks as if he is thinking, ‘Oh Crap’ but answers “Of course not my Queen”. Anna orders him to set up a holographic conference right away, but Marcus tells her that they are already on their way to see her in person. To me Anna looks as if she is being betrayed, ‘how dare’ her subjects question her ability to rule, effectively. She stands her ground and tells Marcus to inform her as soon as they arrive. As Marcus goes to leave, a Security agent informs Anna that there is a problem with the prisoner.

We see Ryan in what looks like Blue Pajamas 😉 run into another strange room within the Mother Ship. He approaches a tank of some description, within the greenish fluid we see the Hybrid Baby properly for the first time, she is definitely reptilian, but you can see a hint of Human within her features.

Ryan vows to get his daughter out, but he is then apprehended by two security Visitors, and a third pointing a lazer weapon at him, Anna enters, with Marcus trailing behind her. Anna has the third Visitor step down, he puts his lazer away. She then tells Ryan how disappointed she is with him, after all she has given him; Including Bliss. Ryan tells her he doesn’t want her Bliss, he wants to see his daughter. Anna accuses him of wanting to take the Child, he agrees, he wants to take her away before Anna kills her like she did Valery. Anna does not deny it. Anna calls the baby a miracle, which is funny, only a few episodes back she was referring to the baby as a Mongrel. Ryan tells Anna that his baby was born because of something Anna will never understand, ‘Love’. So Anna says: “If it is Humans that you love so much you should be with them” She orders that Ryan is to be taken to earth and never permitted to be allowed on the ship again.
“Your Daughter, stays with me” She tells Ryan he is then roughly removed from the room.

We then Cut to our Prime Focus Chad Decker, (I know, it was an intended pun 😉 ) who is reporting extensively on the Red Sky issue. He seems different, almost happy to report that Anna is probably the cause of Red Sky.

He tells of how when the Visitor’s arrived how welcome they and their wondrous gifts were, but now there is unrest, and fear engulfing the population of the world. Even the Military is getting ready in case this is an indication of all out war. There is looting, and stock piling, the people are scared.

Some have gone to ‘Places of Worship’ to seek sanctuary. We see Father Jack enter the Church, to help the people, with an air of, ‘What Did I tell you’ about him. Chad reports that The Peace Ambassador Centre has become a powder keg waiting to explode, we see Tyler looking longingly up at the Mother ship, then Lisa looking down at earth with the same longing expression. Erica, Kendrick and Malik are watching Chad’s report, She says there has to a way to get to Anna, so Kendrick says there is nothing they can do through official channels. Erica tells them that Kendrick is right; she needs to go home and rest. She leaves and mutters under her breath: “I’ll do It on my own”

Marcus approaches Anna on the Mother Ship, he tells her that Ryan has been sent back to Earth; Anna thinks Marcus is questioning her reasoning, so she explains why she has done this. She tells him that they tested Ryan and there were no answers to how the Baby came about so the answers would be within the child herself. Marcus asks what if he was to join the Fifth Column, Anna responds with a smirk; that is exactly what she wants, she wants Ryan to get deep within the fifth column, so that she can use the child against him.

Erica is with Jack and Hobbes at the secret resistance base… She tells them she needs to get to Anna, Hobbes and his (Scarily like my) humour responds with: “It’s not like you can ring the lizard queen on her cell and say Hello Anna Fifth Column here may we have a word” Erica states that she really needs to get on that ship. They are all on alert drawing weapons as the door unexpectedly opens. It’s Ryan!

Erica asks where he’s been, so he tells the truth, on the Mother Ship, Hobbes is suspicious of him right away. Ryan explained that a solider found Val, took her to the ship where she had the baby. He tells them that val is dead. Erica hugs him. Erica asks after the Baby, Ryan reveals that Anna has her. He tells them that he tried to get her out, but he was caught and Anna through him off the ship. Hobbes again very suspicious he says: “Interesting story. What? He shows up outta the blue and we’re supposed to just believe him?” Very valid point there from the Hobbenator (Kyle Hobbs), I would feel the same, and I am glad that Ryan was questioned, makes it more believable. Ryan retorts that if he had sold them out a battalion of V soldiers would have been right behind him. Hobbes states: That Anna just let him go, and wants nothing in return? He is positive that there is something more sinister going on.

Tyler calls Erica at that point, telling Erica that there is rioting at the Peace Ambassador centre. Erica sees this as a possible opportunity to get on the ship, so goes to him. Back on the Mother Ship, Anna with Marcus, enters a side room, we see the twenty-nine captains standing at ease, One is whispering to another, I am assuming it is Pierre the French Captain, (Who obviously started the rumours) Anna looks less than impressed.

Anna walks down the centre of the Captains, stating that she knows that there are questions among the ranks due to the release of Red Sky, She assures them it is part of her plan. “No one, Human or Visitor can comprehend the magnitude of what is coming” She says with a pointed look at Marcus. It seems she is being tested here, and I’m pretty sure Marcus is the only V who has got away with anything like this. She goes on that there are rumours that she has been infected by the human skin, again another pointed look at Marcus. She assures them that she has everything under control.

She stands before the French captain, and caresses his face, tells him that she so appreciative of his trust, Confidence, and loyalty. We see Anna’s back, something is moving under the skin. A tail… Anna’s tail, with a very sharp serrated blade on the very end slashes at his face, repeatedly. She is really enjoying this, which shows how inherently evil she is. I have been telling everyone since V started that Anna would me more evil then Diana was in the 1980’s show, and I think this proves it. Anna kills the French Captain

Massive props go out to Morena Baccarin here, she played this so well, moving her body as if she ‘is’ making that tail do the work for her. Quote My friend Angie “Excellent Tail Acting indeed”. Anna: “I may wear this skin but I never forget what we are beneath”. Anna throws Marcus another pointed look, my interpretation is she is asking him if this was a good move, he nods ever so slightly, then Anna kills the captain with her tail through his heart. Marcus smiles broadly; obviously Anna did the right thing. I think the guy that the French Captain whispered “how lucky he is right now”. Anna then drops the body and leaves the room, licking away the blood from her mouth as she goes.

We then find ourselves with Erica at the Peace Ambassador Head Quarters, the sight of a riot, of sorts. She finds Tyler among the crowd of angry Humans; he tells her he was trying to get on the last shuttle to see Lisa. She promises to get a pouting Tyler out of there.

A protester lashes out at the Peace Ambassador Jacket, and Erica lets him have it, great right hook Erica. Tyler is pushed further into crowd, Erica pushes and punches her way to him, and in the process he is whacked by a protesters sign. Very superficial, but Erica sees this as a great opportunity to get up on the Mother Ship to confront The Lizard Queen. I would have done the same if I was Erica. Erica calls V security over and tells him she is FBI, Fifth Column task force, and that Anna knows her, she explains that Tyler is hurt and needs immediate medical attention, and needs to get up to the ship, Anna would want this, she yells at him to call her (Anna). I picture Anna telling the Security agent that Tyler is very important, and needs to come aboard.

He tells Erica that he is permitted to bring only Tyler on-board, she is adamant that not without her. The Agent sees that Erica is not one to be argued with so agrees. As they make a move to go to the shuttle, there are two nasty cracks of thunder, and then… Red Rain, Erica looks to make sure Tyler’s face doesn’t melt off… The security agent grabs Erica and tells her they have to go now. They make a mad dash to the shuttle. The Security agent is played by Aleks Holtz

We are now at the Church Chad Decker comes to see Jack. Jack asks why he is where; Chad tells him the sky is bleeding.He also said that he has come to Pray, Jack obviously thinks that is a massive lie,Jack tells him that Chad is not welcome there, he looks like thunder. Chad stops him, Jack wants to know what he wants. Chad says: “Redemption” He tells of what he saw, that Anna is torturing the “Live Aboard Visitors”. “They’re put into some kind of needle machine”

Chad looks devastated. His conscious is playing on him now, he helped to get people on that ship, he got people to go to the healing centres because they saw him getting healed. “News Flash Father, Anna gave me that aneurysm” Jack looks a little sorry for Chad. Chad goes on to say that Anna played him and used the trust that the people had in him, just as she wanted him to. Jack says: “I’m not sure how I can help you Chad, or if I want to” And walks away. Chad follows, persistent.

He begs for another chance, to fight with the fifth column, Jack responds telling him that Only God can offer Chad forgiveness. Jack then turns back to Chad and says “You want my trust? Then earn it” I am SO glad that Chad is turning out to be a good guy! This is what I personally wanted with him from the beginning, i knew he had it in him. We see the shuttle land on the Mother Ship. I quite often have random thoughts when watching television, this time I pondered which poor cleaning Visitor would have to clear the Red Rain off the Shuttle, and the Mother Ship. 🙂

As soon as they are on board Tyler is taken by medics and Lisa rushes to Erica, with a very concerned face, asking if he is okay. (She really does love Tyler). Erica tells her its not as bad as it looks, she needed a way on the ship to talk to her, she needed a contact on the ship, with Joshua gone Lisa is that contact. Erica questions her about Red rain, she wants to know what Anna is doing, but Lisa doesn’t know. She said that the only other person she can think how would know was Marcus, and she would do her best to find out and get back to her.

We then see Lisa go immediately to Marcus’ office on the Mother Ship, she moves through the holographic display searching for information. She finds the information about the Environmental Scientist Marcus had told Anna about. Back with Tyler who is easily healed, Erica very motherly, checks him over, telling him he could have been seriously hurt; Anna comes into the medical bay, wanting to check on Tyler. She pretends to be caring and Motherly as Erica, saying that every Mother can understand how it feels when their children are hurt. Then adds “You would have done the same for my Children” I giggled, Erica did great, she didn’t blink: “I would”. Erica questions Anna, who obviously does not want to be questioned and walks away. Erica yells at her to “STOP” Anna stops and looks a little miffed, I would imagine no one has ever spoken to her in this way before.

Erica approaches Anna and tells her that it’s her job now to protect her, but how on earth is she able to do that job if Anna won’t tell her what is going on? So Anna asks if Erica wants to know what Red Sky is, Erica asks when, so Anna tells her now. Erica and Tyler follow Anna to the room where she makes her Broadcasts from the bottom of the Mothership. Anna has a lovely speech. We see the Rain stop as the Mother Ship begins to Morph for Anna’s announcement.

“Please don’t be frightened. I’m aware of your concerns, the time for answers has come, Red Sky and Red Rain are not to be feared, just the opposite, like the healing centres and blue energy, Red Sky is meant to form a trust between our people. But instead, to my surprise and sadness, it was met with anger and fear. That is why I was forced to wait until I had Proof. To show you what it truly is. Red Sky is a gift to Mankind. A gift of a new beginning, Red Sky will heal your oceans, make fertile your baron lands, and reverse global warming. It will undo a century of damage and give Earth a new beginning. We came in peace, and you welcomed us, we will not betray you. We are of Peace. Always” Anna tells the world, and as her speech is playing we see the effects of Red Rain, Oceans are cleaning themselves of oil spills, and Deserts are blooming. People start to cheer. My thought was: Oh My Gosh how gullible are you people?? I totally called terraforming, and it fits perfectly, this is exactly what I imagined, Anna will wants to make the Planet as close to possible to perfection because it is perfectly obvious that the Visitors have no intention of leaving. So why not make it to her liking.

Anna and Lisa are escorting Erica and Tyler to the shuttle bay, Anna makes sure that she has convinced Erica that she means no harm, Erica lies of course. Tyler thinks Erica should apologise to Anna, but Anna insists that it is fine, and grips Erica’s hand in a slightly eerie way. Erica indicates that she and Tyler should go, but he wants to stay with Lisa, Anna of course insists that he will be fine, and very creepily says she will keep her eye on him. Erica reluctantly agrees, but only because she knows that Lisa is fifth column and Tyler is safe with her. Erica hugs Tyler, hiding her concern, and then Lisa hugs Erica, as pretence to tell her the information about Dr Ellis Watts at the New York State University, Erica nods her thanks but said her bye’s to cover up this fact.

As Erica walks away Anna calls Lisa away for a wee chat, she looks like thunder, did she hear? Anna tells Lisa she is to perform ‘all’ her duties with Tyler. And that he should know how much Lisa missed him. Lisa would obviously be okay with this; she can get away with loving Tyler, because her Mother said she should make him believe she has feelings for him. Back on Earth: Erica, Ryan and The Hobbenator are at the New York State University. They obviously do not believe a word Anna said, Erica thinks Anna trying to cover up something. So she asks Hobbes to stay outside and cover her and Ryan, and they go into see this Doctor.

They approach Dr Watts office, and a young man turns to them with his ear phones in, music blasting, asks in a loud voice if he can help, Erica takes out his ear phones and pop them on his shoulder before telling him they are looking for Dr Watts. He says he’s not there. He introduces himself as Sidney Miller. Ryan spots a Tracker, and tells Erica that they need to stop him; if he reports back to Anna they will be in massive trouble, and so a chase sequence ensues. We see here how agile the Visitors are, the Tracker easily jumps a flight of stairs, Ryan right behind him. More agility as the Tracker leaps over more stairs and walls, he is taken out by Hobbes slamming the car door in his face. Then Ryan knocks ten barrels of crap out of him. Hobbes pulls him away, and tells Erica he has some anger issues. Ryan then shoves a Suicide pill back the Tracker’s throat. Sid catches up, he’s let’s just say more than a little shocked. He then divulges that the Tracker wasn’t after Dr Watts he was after him.

Sid takes them to his personal laboratory he said it would be easier to show them why he thinks that they might be after him and not Dr Watts. He explains that he was at a dig in New Mexico; he found a mass grave site, in a crater of some description, by carbon dating the site was at least fifty years old. Most of the remains were human, except for one. I named him Alpha. Ryan confirms that it is one if his people; so Sid starts to ask many questions, is it a suit Ryan is wearing… Ryan tells him that it is Human flesh bio-engineered to look real, and not cause suspicion.  Erica wants to know about Alpha, Sid explains he has run many tests but everything comes back inconclusive. Hobbes asks if anyone else knows about Alpha, Sid says this is his private laboratory, Erica says what we are all thinking, “We need him” Sid is a little confused as to what he’d be needed for. Hobbes tells him it’s his brainpower they need not his fists, and if he doesn’t join then he’d kill Sid, maybe… I love Hobbes Humour. Now as soon as I saw Alpha my thought was… Crack Pot theory alert: That Alpha is/was Anna’s Father. I cannot go more into my theory as it might give away what is to come, though of course I’m not sure what is coming, I just would not want to give away spoilers even inadvertently. But I will be sure to come back to this is I can. Chad: “Use this Father, use me in your fight”

Back at St. Josephine Church Chad brings a Lap top computer to Jack, with interviews he shot with nineteen “live aboard victims”, men, woman and children, all with the same accounts of the corridor with the bright lights, and the Machine with hundreds of needles, a nightmare. Chad tells Jack that is what he saw, that is the machine he was talking about (The Needler was a suggestion from a V fan which made me giggle) that it is our people being tortured up there. He wants to broad cast the footage so people will begin to question Anna. Back up to the Mother Ship, Lisa with Tyler, she tells him how much she has missed him, which for her is truthful. They get down to business; Anna ordered Lisa to perform all her duties, which means Sex with Tyler. We see that Tyler’s Peace Ambassador Jacket was capturing this all. We then cut to Anna watching them. (I actually shuddered when I saw that, the thought of a parent watching their child).

Marcus enters as Anna is watching, she, it looks, reluctantly shuts the holographic monitor down with a flick of her wrist, and tells Marcus that “Lisa performed well”. (Insert another shudder here). Anna also tells him: “She will make an excellent Queen, one day”. Anna asks where they are with ‘The Plan’ Marcus tells her everything is as it should be, but there is something they need to talk about. Anna looks at him with question, and I detect an edge of worry. He tells her that her ‘Children’ the soldiers that had survived, have taken a turn; and that she needs to see them. Anna seems to totally ignore him and talk of Red Sky, and that the levels of Phosphorous would soon be high enough in Humans, “Red Sky may be gone, but its impact will endure”

Back with Erica, Hobbes, Ryan and Sid in Lab, they are wondering how Dr Watts is on the Visitors hit list and not Sid, when it suddenly dawns on Sid that it is a compound that he discovered on Alpha, and that he had found its presence show up when Red Sky did, but he had no clue what it was, he had to use Dr Watts computer and ID to do the necessary tests. Erica asks him to show them what he has on the compound, he does, and Ryan tells them it is a high concentration of Phosphorous only found on their home planet.

Ryan explains that Phosphorous is used to form a hard shell around V eggs. The come to the conclusion that Anna is changing the planet and us, why? For breeding. Another Crack pot theory: I think that Anna wants the Breeding between Humans and Visitors so that she has an Army of Hybrids that she doesn’t care about. If they are hybrids then they are dispensable. Perhaps there is an enemy, and that is what she wants the Hybrid Army. Hobbes: First they want to invade us then they want to Shag us?

I must say I giggled at that classic Hobbes line and loved the few beats of silence. Erica looks worried, I do not think she even heard Hobbes comment. She explains why. When she was pregnant with Tyler, she was told that she had high concentrations of Phosphorous in her blood test, she is worried that the visitors were experimenting on her when she was pregnant. So this would explain why Tyler is important. She asks how they could find out, Sid said they he would have to run some blood tests on her and her son, Erica takes a scalpel to her hand huts it open and commands him to do it.

Back on the Mother Ship: Lisa goes to her mother, who had sent for her. Anna complements her that her work with Tyler was convincing; and instructs her to keep her control over him, and not allow any Human or Visitor to interfere. Lisa looks a little confused. Anna goes on to tell her that there are traitors but they won’t be an issue for too much longer because Joshua was revived, and soon he will be able to talk.

Jack is now showing the others the footage that Chad gave him, he tells them that Chad wants to play this to the world, expose Anna; he wants to join them in fighting. Erica tells them that the best thing Chad can do is keep his position with Anna; they can use him. Jack said that Chad is terrified of Anna, and he is unsure if he would do it. Erica is worried it could backfire Chad betrayed them before, but Ryan is willing to take the chance, his Daughter is up there after all, and Tyler is so tangled up with this. Ryan needs to leave, and Jack tells Erica that he is worried about him, how long before Anna uses his daughter against him?

Back up on the Mother Ship Lisa goes to Joshua, she tells him she is glad to see him alive, and that she could not do this without him, but Joshua does not understand, he seems disgusted that she touched him, “This is not behaviour fitting a future Queen” Lisa asks him is he remembers anything? He remembers nothing. Lisa leaves with a worried expression.

Chad is back to see Jack, asking if he talked to the Fifth Column, Jack tells him that he cannot publish the report, telling him that the Mother Ships could overpower us, and when they make the move it needs to be “A knockout blow” Chad wants to know what he is supposed to do. Jack tells him he needs to maintain his position with Anna, Chad asks if they want him to be a spy. No Chad as a member if the Fifth Column, Jack states that this is what Chad wanted. Is he ready, he smiles, I think he is!

Back on the Mother Ship; Anna enters a medical bay, to see her Children. Anna looks rather upset, she approached one of the Soldiers, and holds his hand tenderly, it is a visitor hand she grips, and they have no Human Skin. Marcus enters and Anna pulls away, though facing away from Marcus the entire time, she looked close to crying. Marcus explains that only six of the twelve survived, and these core stability was severely affected, they would live but they would be “Flawed”.

I feel here that Anna is once again being tested by Marcus; she tells him that the soldiers were the cause of her outburst, and proceeds to switch the Visitor version of life support off, killing them one by one. She leaves fighting not to cry.

Anna then goes to (I think this was her personal quarters) and uses a hidden control panel, and steps into a V lift, she is taken to the bowels of the Mother Ship. I thought the Music here was reminiscent of the Mummy Movies and I loved that!

The place Anna enters looks eerie and is a simulation of the home world, she approaches a pod. This is the moment everyone was waiting for…

As Diana emerges from the pod. Anna says “Hello Mother!”

And that concludes my recap/review of Red Rain. I cannot wait to see the rest of this season! Thank you for reading! V Series returns this Tuesday January 11, 2011 at 9 PM on ABC with a great season two second episode, “Serpent’s Tooth”.

I hope you have enjoyed this review. As always thank you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency.

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Until next time:

Kelly