The show starts out in the future where humans due to "greed and ignorance" have destroyed Earth's environment. The rich live in domed cities (Logan's Run) to protect them from the bad air and the overpopulated poor. The main family, the Shannons, consist of two parents and their 3 children, the third being illegal. Since the planet (America) is overpopulate, families are only allowed 2 children. The police come in to search for this law infraction and the dad ends up getting arrested for fighting with the police. We find out later that the family would have only gotten a fine. Plot Hole: If there is such a strict law, then they probably would take the child and euthanize it, not just a small payable fine. If it was just a fine, the family would have just paid the fine earlier, because the mother has a very well paying job. It is her job qualifications that allows her to be selected to go to Terra Nova (without her husband) and not have to worry about winning a lottery selection.
Since the Earth is dying, scientist accidentally find a crack in the time/space continuum that allows them to go back in time millions of years. This is apparently a one way trip. We also find out that there is a probe sent, but never found, which leads scientist to believe that whatever they do in the past won't affect the current time line. It isn't explained how they know how far back the crack in time goes, since they can't find evidence left back in time. They also don't explain how they can communicate with whatever is sent back. Plot Hole: if they can't confirm that they are actually sending things back in time, how do they know they aren't disintegrating whatever they send through the event horizon? Obvious Future Spoiler: The probe has been found, which is why they know that they can affect the future from the past and why the "Sixers" were sent.
The Shannon family breaks out Dad from a "maximum security" prison with a simple laser cutter and not much else. Dad breaks into the "maximum security" time travel center using stuff left out in the open crowded train station by the family. Dad brings illegal daughter in a backpack and family goes through time crack. So many 'deus ex machina' moments in that sequence. Where was the illegal child being held during the 2 years Dad was in prison? If everyone is given provision when they get to the camp, then why do individuals bring backpacks with them? This is a science/military expedition, everyone would probably be issued clothes and other things and only allowed a few personal items.
Plot Hole: We also learn from the leader of Terra Nova camp that the difference between one person stepping into the time crack and the next is months. Yet, when 200 people go through, they all appear on the same day, not delayed. Did they improve the process and just leave that part out? Also, you hear announcements about more oxygen in the air and how much brighter the sun will be when they go back in time. There is no mention of how everyone in the current barely visible sun time line will require major amounts of sunscreen when they encounter clear skies and a blazing sun.
After everything is straightened out with the stowaway Dad and child, we get into the predictable plots. Teenagers living on their own who spend the after work hours (apparently the writers never worked on a farm) jumping the fence to go drink moonshine at the only restricted area near the camp. The group of teens enter a restricted area and get into trouble.
The family is clichéd out the wazzu. The boy teenager hates the Dad for going to jail for 2 years, which according to him is a very long time. Future Obvious Spoiler : The girl teenager is a science geek who will later figure out the drawings on some rocks left by the missing son of the camp leader. The illegal youngest child is inquisitive and calmly goes and feeds a brontosaurus, having never seen any animals in her short 5 year life. And the most that the Dad and Mom show for emotion is a little hand holding. They've been apart for two years!
Since there has to be more than every day life problems on Terra Nova, there are the "Sixers". The "Sixers" were sent in the 6th wave of time traveling pioneers by some unknown group determined to change the past, to control the future. In the end, you are given the feeling that the "Sixers" are good guys, while the camp leader is a bad guy.
The biggest plot hole is the mass extinction event of the dinosaurs. What is the point of creating a new civilization that could be possibly wiped out when the dinosaurs go belly up?
So far the show has been predictable and at times boring. I am sure most will find it entertaining enough to continue watching the series.
Since the Earth is dying, scientist accidentally find a crack in the time/space continuum that allows them to go back in time millions of years. This is apparently a one way trip. We also find out that there is a probe sent, but never found, which leads scientist to believe that whatever they do in the past won't affect the current time line. It isn't explained how they know how far back the crack in time goes, since they can't find evidence left back in time. They also don't explain how they can communicate with whatever is sent back. Plot Hole: if they can't confirm that they are actually sending things back in time, how do they know they aren't disintegrating whatever they send through the event horizon? Obvious Future Spoiler: The probe has been found, which is why they know that they can affect the future from the past and why the "Sixers" were sent.
The Shannon family breaks out Dad from a "maximum security" prison with a simple laser cutter and not much else. Dad breaks into the "maximum security" time travel center using stuff left out in the open crowded train station by the family. Dad brings illegal daughter in a backpack and family goes through time crack. So many 'deus ex machina' moments in that sequence. Where was the illegal child being held during the 2 years Dad was in prison? If everyone is given provision when they get to the camp, then why do individuals bring backpacks with them? This is a science/military expedition, everyone would probably be issued clothes and other things and only allowed a few personal items.
Plot Hole: We also learn from the leader of Terra Nova camp that the difference between one person stepping into the time crack and the next is months. Yet, when 200 people go through, they all appear on the same day, not delayed. Did they improve the process and just leave that part out? Also, you hear announcements about more oxygen in the air and how much brighter the sun will be when they go back in time. There is no mention of how everyone in the current barely visible sun time line will require major amounts of sunscreen when they encounter clear skies and a blazing sun.
After everything is straightened out with the stowaway Dad and child, we get into the predictable plots. Teenagers living on their own who spend the after work hours (apparently the writers never worked on a farm) jumping the fence to go drink moonshine at the only restricted area near the camp. The group of teens enter a restricted area and get into trouble.
The family is clichéd out the wazzu. The boy teenager hates the Dad for going to jail for 2 years, which according to him is a very long time. Future Obvious Spoiler : The girl teenager is a science geek who will later figure out the drawings on some rocks left by the missing son of the camp leader. The illegal youngest child is inquisitive and calmly goes and feeds a brontosaurus, having never seen any animals in her short 5 year life. And the most that the Dad and Mom show for emotion is a little hand holding. They've been apart for two years!
Since there has to be more than every day life problems on Terra Nova, there are the "Sixers". The "Sixers" were sent in the 6th wave of time traveling pioneers by some unknown group determined to change the past, to control the future. In the end, you are given the feeling that the "Sixers" are good guys, while the camp leader is a bad guy.
The biggest plot hole is the mass extinction event of the dinosaurs. What is the point of creating a new civilization that could be possibly wiped out when the dinosaurs go belly up?
So far the show has been predictable and at times boring. I am sure most will find it entertaining enough to continue watching the series.