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Episode Studies by Clayton Barr

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"The Man Who Fell to Earth (Two)"
Written by: Mark Levin
Directed by: Felix Enriquez Alcala

 

The Eden Advance team encounters a man stranded on G889 claiming to be an astronaut from a past scouting mission.

 

Read the full summary of "The Man Who Fell to Earth (Two)" at TV.com

 

Didja Know?

 

The title of this episode was inspired by the 1963 science-fiction novel The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis.

 

Didja Notice?

 

During the opening titles of this episode, actress Jessica Steen is credited as Dr. Julia Stern instead of the character's actual name of Dr. Julia Heller.

 

This episode is narrated by Danziger.

 

While Yale is adjusting the holographic emitter in his robotic hand at 5:36 on the DVD, images of the planet Earth, a mushroom cloud, and Adolf Hitler appear in the air above his hand.

 

While he and True are walking through the scrub with Zero to collect wood, Uly tells her that while he was with the Terrians they told him all sorts of things about themselves, like being to stretch their arms really long to pick up something out of reach. We never see this particular ability of the Terrians. He also says that their caves wind around so they can confuse their enemies. What enemies are these? The (not yet revealed to the group) penal colonists?

 

Gaal tells the Eden Advance team he was an astronaut with the Pontel 7 project. Yale later responds to Bess' queries, informing her that the Pontel 7 project was a mission by over three dozen single-person ships to explore an 11 light-year radius from Earth. He notes the project ended in 2168, having made no significant discoveries. You would think the team would find his story suspicious considering he's claiming his ship, intended for an 11 light-year voyage, traveled twice that distance and just happened to crash on G889, the only habitable planet thus far found by humankind.

 

Yale comments that the days are much shorter and the years much longer on G889 than on Earth.

 

As Gaal washes his face at 15:01 on the DVD, we see some kind of design, like a tattoo or brand, on the back of his right hand. We never get an explanation of what it is, or its meaning. (In "Life Lessons" we see he has an "E2" brand on his neck and learn its meaning, however.)

 

While introducing himself to Gaal, Morgan reveals that he was Deputy-Secretary of Interstellar Development back on the stations.

 

Upon learning from Gaal that Commander O'Neill may still be alive, the group heads back to his gravesite. They set up camp in the area, so why do they not camp next to the cargo pod like they were when they buried him in "First Contact" Part 2? They're camped on a sloping hillside instead, nothing like the flat area they were at before. A possible explanation is that when they left the area the first time, they had to go around some hills to begin their trek to New Pacifica and now find it quicker to stop the group at one of these hills and send a smaller party to run over the hills to check the grave. 

 

The campsite scenes were shot at Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, about 40 miles southwest of Santa Fe, NM.
Campsite Tent Rocks (from Wikipedia)

 

The image on the monitor in the background from 20:56-21:43 on the DVD is an image of the continent the Eden Advance team is on, including the region of New Pacifica.

 

Gaal tells Danziger that the Grendlers are capable of carrying 7 times their own body weight and could crush a man's skull with one hand if they wanted to. Of course, we don't know how much we can trust what Gaal said; it's possible he exaggerated their strength to scare the group into thinking they needed his knowledge of the creatures and this world that much more.

 

At 26:39 on the DVD, we can see that the implant on the side of Yale's head has "Yale" printed on it, as well as a number that is too difficult to make out. (In "Better Living Through Morganite" Part 2, we are able to identify the number as 61162.)

 

At 35:31 on the DVD, Commander O'Neill is carrying a case that has the universal radiation symbol on it. We're not told what is inside.

 

At 45:25 on the DVD, notice that Gaal has left a piece of a Terrian staff next to the Commander's dead body to implicate the alleged culprits.

 

Notice that at 45:35 on the DVD, Zero's robotic head is resting on the front of the DuneRail. Leather Wings reveals that his head can be attached to the guidance mechanism of the vehicle to steer it; the same novel reveals that his body can continue to walk along with the group minus the head (though we do not see that here; possibly Zero's body is packed away in the TransRover at times to conserve energy and prevent additional wear-and-tear). 

 

Unanswered Questions

 

Is there a reason that the Eden Advance team just happened to crash their escape pods in the same region that the penal colonists were put down 15 years ago?

 

Memorable Dialog

 

nomad on a six-wheeled camel.wav

the Terrians are my friends.wav

I'm not the welcoming kind.wav

do the monsters visit in your dreams?.wav

you know a lot, Yale.wav

I could just command them.wav

you're right, True.wav

I'm trusting you don't have to learn your lesson a third time.wav

I see how you manage your own daughter.wav

who else to rescue you from your demons?.wav

we were craven.wav

I can accommodate you.wav

at least we have a guide.wav 

 

Back to Earth 2 Episode Studies