ORBzine - "Threshold" TV Review December 2005
Threshold [Season 1, Episode 1]
Trees Made of Glass (1)
shown 16th November 2005 - Wednesday
Carla Gugino is a beautiful scientist called in by MIB boss Charles Dutton [ Alien 3 ] to investigate an unexplained incident aboard a ship at sea. She sets up a team of ... different stereotypes of geeks, really. Brent Spiner [ Star Trek, Independance Day ] is the bio-medical expert, while others are included.
The first ep mainly takes place aboard the ship. It's deserted, except for a few mutilated corpses ... and Ethan from Lost . Is he good or evil? Or just plain crazy? Well, the good guys have Navy SEALs to protect them. Typically, Ms Gugino proves a much better fighter than all of them put together.
Threshold [Season 1, Episode 2]
Trees Made of Glass (2)
shown 16th November 2005 - Wednesday
Ep 2 is mostly in the US City the MIBs [and the show, one presumes] are based in. They analyse the evidence, and come up with a startling conclusion. The ship's crew were exposed to an alien signal [like in Species, Astronaut's Wife ] that alters their DNA [like Evolution , itself a rip-off of Ian McDonald's Chaga ].
The up side? Aliens now walk the streets of America. But like most of these TV Shows [ The Invaders, "V", First Wave, Odyssey 5, Codename Eternity, Lexx ] they look just like humans, and can thus be done cheaply.
Notably, the second episode was directed by Peter Hyams . Typical of a TV show that promises alot with a big-budget pilot, but can't necessarily guarantee quality in the subsequent show.
Threshold [Season 1, Episode 3]
Blood of the Children
shown 23rd November 2005 - Wednesday
Carla Gugino is still having nightmares about the Alien menace. She is given a fake ID as a US Marshall - Ironic, since that's what Gugino played in her last TV show, cop drama Karen Sisco.
She investigates an Alien conspiracy at a Military school.
Threshold [Season 1, Episode 4]
The Burning
Shown 30th November 2005 - Wednesday
Carla Gugino discovers that the alien invaders have been around a lot longer than anyone suspected. A man who's been in an asylum since 1979 was put there because of an encounter with one of their devices!
Threshold [Season 1, Episode 5]
Shock
Shown 7th December 2005 [Wednesday]
One of the mutants is running an asian street-gang in Baltimore. They are stealing microchip shipments, and get involved in a cop-killing. Worse, their involvement with terrorists draws the attention of Homeland Security. Of course, DHS feels a few bombers are a greater threat than alien insvasion!
It turns out the aliens' aim is to convert as many people as they can. They can actually use human technology to reproduce their signal!
The nerd who was infected in the first ep discovers that his eyesight has healed, and he no longer needs contact lenses.
Threshold [Season 1, Episode 6]
Pulse
Shown 14th December 2005 [Wednesday]
Carla Gugino still believes she can save the infected humans. She's not just a do-gooder, she's slightly infected herself!
A Blonde DJ plays the Alien signal in Miami nightclubs. She's a real villain. She chose a defenceless alkie as a boyfriend, and when he sobered up long enough to see through her she steals his CD collection and throws him out a window!
The Alien signal is now not only MP3-compatible, it can be transmitted by cell-phones and ATM machines! The answer? Use an EMP bomb to destroy every microchip in Miami!
[Season 1, Episode 7]
The Order
Shown 21st December 2005 [Wednesday]
Ms Gugino has to make the toughest decision, in order to prevent further spreach of the infection. It's noce that the writers don't cop out, but since we're only 6 eps into the show we don't really know or care about any of the characters.
Threshold [Season 1, Episode 8]
Revelations
Shown 30th December 2005 - Friday
One of the crewmen is traced to his mother's house, in a small town in Midwest USA. Unfortunately, it seems that the local Preacher has been infected and is turning it into a religion.
This is the religious ep, which asks the question - is the Alien threat part of the doomsday scenario foretold in the bible?
[Season 1, Episode 9]
Progeny
Shown 4th January 2006 [Wednesday]
3 women, without any apparent links, simultaneously flip out in manners implying they were infected.
Of course, the Aliens have discovered a new way to infect people. Odd how they only try one method per week.
Elizabeth Berkley , one of the infected women, is the wife of a Billionaire. She has money, bodyguards, superhuman strength and the will to save the human race!
Threshold [Season 1, Episode 10]
The Crossing
Shown 11th January 2006 [Wednesday]
3 Prisoners try to escape from the basement cells. It turns out one of the guards has become infected. As his condition deteriorates, the others try to work out how it happened.
The new political leader orders Molly to move the prisoners simultaneously, even after she points out the dangers.
The infected ship's captain was an ex-USN Seal. And with the money he got last ep, he's recruited a team of mercs!
Threshold [Season 1, Episode 11]
Escalation
Shown 18th January 2006 [Wednesday]
We discover a couple of things. Firstly, even the Threshold members realise the plan is flawed - there is only one staff member for every job, so there are no backups and no way of doing shift-work. Secondly, the aliens are slaughtering their own and using the blood to infect crops, thus contaminating the food supply.
Catherine Bell is a botanist called in to help Brent Spiner. He's having trouble with his ex-wife and tattle-tale brat, but CB's mother was one of his students so he's out of luck.
Molly discovers a couple of things herself. One is that her bureaucrat boss is undermining her. Another is that the Aliens claim to be HELPING Humanity. And finally, First Contact may have occurred in the USA about 150 years ago!
Threshold [Season 1, Episode 12]
Vigilante
Shown 25th January 2006 [Wednesday]
Totally ignoring last ep, we must forget everything about Catherine Bell and the 1860s aliens.
Someone is killing off Aliens. In fact, he attacks anyone with elevated brain-waves - including slightly-infected people like Molly, Nerdy and square-jaw.
The Alien SEAL commander works on his big attack.
Threshold [Season 1, Episode 13]
Alienville
Shown 1st February 2006 [Wednesday]
The aliens are tracked to a small town. Molly and square-jaw go undercover as a married couple thinking of moving into the area.
Back at HQ, the pregnant alien is about to give birth. With the guards all off to give Molly backup, the 3 Nerds are left in charge!
Threshold [Season 1, Episode 14]
Head Trip
Shown 8th February 2006 [Wednesday]
The show was cancelled at ep 10. Eps 11-13 were not aired in the USA, and this ep was never even filmed.
