| "Silent Kill" | |
|---|---|
| Falling Skies episode | |
 Tom thanks Anne for saving Ben. | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 5 |
| Directed by | Fred Toye |
| Written by | Joe Weisberg |
| Production code | 105 |
| Original air date | July 10, 2011 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Silent Kill" is the fifth episode of the first season of the TNT science fiction drama Falling Skies , which originally aired July 10, 2011. The episode was written by Joe Weisberg and directed by Fred Toye.
Hal and Margaret return to the school after scouting the area near the hospital where the drugs they need are kept. They hand the drugs over to Anne for the operation. Anne speaks to Tom about the risks of the procedure, letting him know that there is a chance Ben could die.
Later, Scott tells Tom that he can try and pick up a Skitter transmission on his radio as the Skitters communicate using radio waves. However, just one Skitter in the hospital will not be transmitting.
Tom and Hal practice shooting targets with crossbows as a crossbow can kill a Skitter silently. Margaret offers her assistance and tells Tom that she knows the layout of the hospital where Ben is kept.
Dr. Harris prepares to inject the Skitter with a lethal serum. He fails to do so and the Skitter kills him. After this, Weaver tells his soldiers that the Skitter needs to die. Anne asks for more time to study it and Weaver gives her 24 hours.
Hal speaks to Rick who sits quietly on a bench outside. Hal asks him about the "harness" and the Skitters. Rick tells Hal that if they go and find Ben, they will be killed. Hal then comes up with a new plan for rescuing Ben, wearing a "harness" himself to avoid detection. Tom protests against this idea, but Hal convinces him. The pair goes to see Anne, who tells them of the "pressure point" that Dr. Harris found earlier when Mike knocked the Skitter out. She tests this theory by shoving her scalpel in its mouth, driving it hard enough that she penetrates the soft tissue into the brain and kills it.
Later that night, Tom's group arrives at the hospital. Hal enters the hospital and finds a group of kids following a Skitter and he joins them. When the kids and the Skitter are asleep, Hal successfully stabs the Skitter in its mouth and kills it. The group then escapes, bringing the kids with them.
Anne begins to operate on the kids. She removes most of the harnesses successfully, but one child dies. Ben wakes up later, apparently recognizing his father.
Silent Kill was written by Joe Weisberg and directed by Fred Toye. Toye previously directed the fourth episode, Grace. This is the first episode that Joe Weisberg wrote. He later writes the ninth episode, Mutiny.
The scene where Hal enters the hospital with Rick's harness was shot in an abandoned hospital in Toronto. During the scene where the actors had to react to the mech walking by, a crewmember walked through the space with a large pole with a light on it. This gave the actors the basic size and speed to track to. A scene was later shot without the crew member. Whenever the mech was meant to contact the shrubbery, the effects crew attached fishing lines to the bushes, which were shaken in sync with when the interaction was meant to happen. [1]
In its original American broadcast, "Silent Kill" was seen by an estimated 3.90 million household viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. The episode received a 1.4 rating among viewers between ages 18 and 49. [2]
Ryan McGee from The A.V. Club gave the episode a B−, stating: "...since this show will certainly have time to improve itself now that there’s definitely a second season, let’s hope the show figures out how to excise what currently holds the show back from being more than simple summer entertainment." [3]
Matt Richenthal of TV Fanatic said: "We're never far removed from the heart of the series. Tom isn't running around screaming, shooting, panicking. He's just a loving father, never failing to be there for his kids, who has been thrust into the role of quasi action hero. He also seems to have come a long way from the premiere, when he said his wife always said the right thing to their sons. Tom did a pretty solid job here with Hal, didn't he?" [4]
Falling Skies is an American science fiction television series set in a post-apocalyptic era, created by Robert Rodat and executive produced by Steven Spielberg. The series stars Noah Wyle as Tom Mason, a former history professor who becomes the second-in-command of the 2nd Massachusetts Militia Regiment, a paramilitary group of remnant US military personnel, military veterans, civilians and various fighters fleeing Boston, US, following an alien invasion that devastated Earth.
The first season of the American drama television series Falling Skies commenced airing on June 19 and concluded on August 7, 2011. It consisted of ten episodes, each running approximately 40 minutes in length. TNT broadcast the first season on Sundays at 10:00 pm in the United States.
"Live and Learn" is the first episode of the first season and the series premiere of the TNT science fiction drama Falling Skies. The episode was written by series creator and executive producer Robert Rodat and directed by Carl Franklin. The episode first aired in the United States on June 19, 2011, alongside the second episode.
"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.
"Prisoner of War" is the third episode of the first season of the TNT science fiction drama Falling Skies, which originally aired June 26, 2011. The episode was written by Fred Golan and directed by Greg Beeman.
"Grace" is the fourth episode of the first season of the TNT science fiction drama Falling Skies, which originally aired July 3, 2011. The episode was written by Melinda Hsu Taylor and directed by Fred Toye.
"Sanctuary" is a two-part episode, consisting of the sixth and seventh episodes of the first season of the TNT science fiction drama Falling Skies. The first part aired on July 17, 2011, and the second part aired on July 24, 2011. Part 1 was written by Joel Anderson Thompson and part 2 was written by Melinda Hsu Taylor, both episodes were directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan.
"What Hides Beneath" is the eighth episode of the first season of the TNT science fiction drama Falling Skies, which originally aired July 31, 2011. The episode was written by Mark Verheiden and directed by Anthony Hemingway.
"Mutiny" is the ninth episode of the first season of the TNT science fiction drama Falling Skies, which originally aired August 7, 2011, alongside the season finale.
"Eight Hours" is the tenth episode of the first season of the TNT science fiction drama Falling Skies and the season finale, which originally aired August 7, 2011, alongside the ninth episode.
The second season of the American television drama series Falling Skies premiered June 17, 2012. It consisted of ten episodes, each running approximately 42 minutes in length. TNT broadcast the second season on Sundays at 9:00 pm ET in the United States.
Tom Mason is a fictional character and protagonist of the TNT television series Falling Skies. The character is played by Noah Wyle. Falling Skies tells the story of the aftermath of a global invasion by several races of extraterrestrials that neutralizes the world's power grid and technology, quickly destroys the combined militaries of all the world's countries, and apparently kills over 90% of the human population within a few days. Mason is one of the leaders of the 2nd Massachusetts Militia Regiment, a group of survivors fighting against the aliens.
Anne Glass is a fictional character on the TNT television series Falling Skies played by Moon Bloodgood. She is the de facto female lead. Falling Skies tells the story of the aftermath of a global invasion by several races of extraterrestrials that neutralizes the world's power grid and technology, quickly destroys the combined militaries of all the world's countries, and apparently kills over 90% of the human population within a few days. Anne was a pediatrician before the invasion. She is very inclined towards the civilians, and believes that they should do all they can to help them. Her husband and son were killed at home in the bombings during the invasion.
"Worlds Apart" is the second season premiere episode of the American television drama series Falling Skies and the 11th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on TNT in the United States on June 17, 2012, as a two-hour season premiere with the second episode of the season. Written by the first season showrunner Mark Verheiden and directed by Greg Beeman, "Worlds Apart" was the first original Falling Skies episode in 10 months.
"Compass" is the third episode of the second season of the American television drama series Falling Skies, and the 13th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on TNT in the United States on June 24, 2012. It was written by Brian Oh and directed by Michael Katleman.
"Young Bloods" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American television drama series Falling Skies, and the 14th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on TNT in the United States on July 1, 2012. It was written by Heather V. Regnier and directed by Miguel Sapochnik.
"Love and Other Acts of Courage" is the fifth episode of the second season of the American television drama series Falling Skies, and the 15th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on TNT in the United States on July 8, 2012. It was written by Joe Weisberg and directed by John Dahl.
"Molon Labe" is the seventh episode of the second season of the American television drama series Falling Skies, and the 17th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on TNT in the United States on July 22, 2012. It was written by Bradley Thompson & David Weddle and directed by Holly Dale. The title is drawn from the defiant cry reportedly uttered by Sparta's King Leonidas I to Persians demanding that he surrenders his army's weapons, Molon labe.
Falling Skies was renewed for a fifth and final season, which began airing June 28, 2015, and concluded August 30, 2015.