colony
Credit: Isabella Vosmikova/USA Network
Colony
S2 E1
Show MoreAbout Colony
type
- TV Show
network
- USA Network
genre
- Adventure
The first season of Colony dropped us right into the thick of “the occupation” and never bothered to explain how things got from Point A (normal, modern society) to Point B (cities dominated and even encapsulated by alien “hosts,” with pre-selected humans helping them to the point of running an extreme police state on their behalf).
The result of that mayhem immediacy was that while the reality of these characters was just as terrifying as the onslaught of decimation drones and outright riddance of the First Amendment and our other inalienable (ha!) civil liberties should be, we simply had no idea what in the world was going on at any given time. It was all the more terrifying for that confusion, of course, but it looks like season 2 is going to finally, mercifully fill in a few important blank spots in our understanding of this — as Helena so despicably described it — “brave new world.”
The premiere episode opens with a callback to pilot’s first scene — only this time, it’s Katie breaking eggs, and there are plenty to share amongst the family. That nutritional bounty is thanks to a flashback to the halcyon days when Will’s biggest worry was whether his FBI partner Devin was getting a little too cozy with some local Armenian baddies. And look! Charlie was still well and with the family and musing about fun kid things, like who’s on deck to pitch at the next major league match-up.
Meanwhile, future-Proxy Alan Snyder is mired with divorce drama and taking his shabby desk as the Stanford provost when he gets a visit from the Men in Black. That’s not what they call themselves, of course, but their suit game is basically the same. They tell Snyder he’s been put on some algorithmic list by the Institute for Global Advancement and that if he’s willing to meet their client, his whole career will enjoy an unexpected uptick. If those promises of posterity aren’t enough to convince him, they’ve also got a little blackmail stuffed up their spiffy sleeves — Snyder here has apparently been embezzling money from a foundation for years. Now he’s listening.
NEXT: The beginning of the end
Snyder agrees to their request and is taken to a remote hideaway with a refrigerated chamber. He has to wear earphones to communicate with the “host” he meets, who looks an awful lot like the “VIP” who was killed in last season’s rebel explosion attack — is it too early to say all aliens look alike in this show? We don’t get to hear the alien’s pitch to Snyder or what their exact plans for him entail, but it must’ve been serious enough to get his noodle wiggling because he jumps on the opportunity to have his daughter (forcibly) evacuated with him, with the ex-wife-to-be left to linger in that house she wanted so badly. Ouch.
Before the you-know-what can really hit the fan, Will and Devin have one more stare-fight over her potential authority abuse and corruption before being sent on a mission to scout out one of seven VIPs who’s gone missing overnight. Among the disappeared? Major military officers, central intelligence officials, and some engineers. One of these things is not quite like the others, so when they find their particular target — an engineer who had the sense to make himself a panic room to hide in when the would-be kidnappers came and murdered his housekeeper — they have to ask. Why the engineers? Well, he tells them, he was on a list of those who were meant to be sequestered in the event of a world-ending event. It doesn’t exactly explain why he had a target on his head in this instance, but it certainly proves he was worth more than just some airplane blueprints.
Will and Devin take him back to the department, and the place is pure chaos. Devin wisely makes a break from the city because she can sniff major trouble ahead — and besides, this isn’t even her department — but Will’s got a family to think of first. He calls on Katie to round up the kiddos and Maddie and Hudson (poor Rob’s on a flight during all of this, RIP). Katie’s just finished having a nice chat with our friend Broussard at the bar; he was freshly back from the East Coast on an unexpected visit for reasons we don’t get to know. She manages to grab Gracie first, and on the way to snag Bram from school, all electricity goes out. Charlie’s been dropped off 10 miles away, so without a car…?
Will tries to make it out to him on a mountain bike, but that’s when the giant wall starts to unfold and plant itself right before him, encircling and entrapping the city of Los Angeles. Despite all the horrors we’ve seen on this show so far, it’s still a jaw-dropping and terrible sight.
Also deeply unnerving is the moment when Broussard’s endless sense of dread comes into good use. He dutifully reports to the VFW, armed and ready, as he has been instructed to do by … someone. But once he realizes there’s no real plan or direction in place, he finds that categorically suspicious. “We just put every real operator in the city under one roof,” he tells an old friend, whose arrogance about how prepared they are for trouble lands him in a pile of rubble once the aliens level the place in one shot.
NEXT: Back to the future
We flash-forward to present time and get to see what’s become of Will and Katie since the events of season 1 transpired — obviously, it’s not good news. Will has indeed made it past the wall to the Santa Monica Bloc, but he’s having no luck finding Charlie. In fact, he gets stabbed in the arm just for asking to speak with his rumored boss, Solomon. Luckily for him, he’s able to locate his estranged partner Devin to ask for her help. Judging by her face, she’s still not quite over their strained parting the day all this madness started, but something tells me she’ll let it slide and do the right thing for the man whose back she spent half a decade covering for the Feds.
Oh … and Bram’s in custody, and he ain’t getting out, even with Maddie’s new boy toy helping the family via an in with the new Proxy. One unanswered question from the first season was what exactly has been going on at that Factory on the moon, and if Bram’s heading that way, we’re probably about to find out. Will he and Carlos team up to form some kind of sweet moon-rebel squad? Or will Carlos punish the kid for the sins of his father? We’ll find out.
Overall, the season opener certainly sets the tone for just how fast and furiously this all went down. What started out as a normal, scrambled-eggs-and-coffee kind of morning quickly deteriorated into utter chaos and destroyed more than just the electricity grid. We’re still only one layer deeper into the onion of how society devolved into accepting and yielding to this otherworldly control, but lo, we’re at least starting to get somewhere on that track.
Meanwhile, the future looks just as bleak as the past, if Katie and Will’s brief look-ahead is any indication. If Will can rescue Charlie, there’s no way he’ll still be that sweet, ballcap-wearing kid they last saw; whatever Bram’s about to endure at the hands of these literally inhuman authority figures is going to be similarly devastating. As for Gracie, well, she’s in with the in-crowd now, so to speak — she’s basically living with Maddie and her Green Zone guy — so is she going to flip altogether? It’s almost bittersweet to get to see the Bowman Five in their original state because, if this new season premiere is any indication, that serene scene will never return to them again.
So … yeah. Sweet dreams, everybody!
We wrote a react for this episode, which means we’ll just be checking in occasionally, but if this is a show you’d like to read about each week, please let us know! You can email chat@ew.com with your feedback and suggestions.
Episode Recaps
Colony
2016 series
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FAQs
What happened at the end of Colony? ›
After landing on Earth, Blake is taken captive by human survivors, descendants of those abandoned when the elite escaped. Her captain, Tucker, survives the landing but is attacked by the Muds (the dismissive name for those left behind) and later kills himself because of the seriousness of his injuries.
Did Colony end or cancel? ›...
Colony (TV series)
| Colony | |
|---|---|
| Original release | January 14, 2016 – July 25, 2018 |
New competition and a longer period of time between episodes would be enough to hurt any show's ratings and Colony was not the exception. While the drop off in total numbers wasn't huge, it was a drop. Enough of a drop to make Colony the least watched show on USA Network in the key demographic (adults 18-49).
Will there be season 4 of Colony? ›On July 21, 2018, the cancellation of Colony was announced; there would be no fourth season. Is it possible that Colony will be brought back from the dead by Netflix, Amazon Prime, or some other streaming service?
Who is the villain in Colony? ›The Global Authority, also known as the Interim Global Authority, serve as a major antagonistic faction in USA's science fiction drama series Colony. They are a global government overseeing the humanity (who now live in isolated colonies throughout the world) on behalf of an alien species known as the Hosts.
Does Charlie come back to life in Colony? ›He has been separated from his family since The Arrival with no contact. By the time of the events described in most of Season 1, his family have had no idea where he is for nearly a year. It's not until the Season 1 finale, "Gateway" that we get confirmation he is alive.
Is the colony staged? ›Beers said that unlike “Survivor,” “The Colony” will not ask volunteers to compete in staged contests. Still, the environs have to be staged for obvious reasons. (“Fortunately, there is no group of people left stranded like this,” the Discovery Channel president, John Ford, said teasingly.)
Is Colony being picked up? ›Here's one “Colony” that is no longer a part of USA. The USA Network has canceled “Colony,” starring “Lost” alum Josh Holloway. The Season 3 finale, scheduled for Wednesday, will now also double as the series capper.
Did Netflix Pick Up Colony? ›36 episodes across 3 seasons ultimately aired and came to Netflix on an annual basis shortly after each season finale aired. The show moved its production for season 3 to Vancouver to help with costs but ultimately, the show wasn't renewed for a fourth season.
What does RAPs stand for in Colony? ›The invaders are usually referred to as "our hosts" by the Occupation. The security forces are generally referred to as "Red Hats" or, more formally, "Homeland Security" and "Transitional Authority". They're commonly called the RAPs which is short for Raptors, because of the bird of prey logo on their pins and flags.
What is the point of the show Colony? ›
From executive producer Carlton Cuse (Lost, Bates Motel, The Strain) and show creator Ryan Condal, the USA Network drama series Colony is set in the very near future and is centered on one family's struggle to survive and bring liberty back to the people of an occupied Los Angeles.
What was the point of the colony Netflix? ›Netflix's official synopsis reads, “A colony in space sends an astronaut back to Earth to decide the fate of the planet's remaining inhabitants after the colonists become infertile.”
Is The Colony finished? ›Colony was cancelled by USA Network in July 2018, the same month that the season 3 finale aired.
Does Colony have a book? ›There are 14 books in the The Colony series.
Is Colony worth watching? ›Our Call: STREAM IT. The Colony offers a hodgepodge of themes, but achieves physical scale for its sci-fi premise with moody cinematography and a probing screenplay.
Who killed Phyllis in Colony? ›Homeland Security boss Phyllis (Kathy Baker) was the unlucky victim. In the final moments of the episode, she was gunned down in her own home by Broussard (Tory Kittles), one of the key members of the Resistance fighting against the Los Angeles occupation, right at the height of her power in the story.
Is Katie a double agent Colony? ›Katie is a double agent, but in a broader sense of the term: she pretends to be a player in the game, but she controls it. She's practically the chessmaster of the show now, and in the midst of such a large social struggle, that's impressive.
Who controls the drones in Colony? ›The Colony Police Department's drone team is a group of highly trained and certified pilots that come from both The Colony Police and Fire departments. The team was formed in 2018 and has a total of four pilots who operate four different drones.
What happens to Rose after Charlie dies? ›After Charlie had "died" Rose became romantically interested in Walden Schmidt and was invited to live in his house.
Who ends up with Charlie? ›Charlie tells her that he loves her, but she just says "Thank you." Charlie proposes to Chelsea so he can get her to say she loves him. Chelsea says yes to the proposal. The couple move in together at the end of the season.
What happens to Maddie in Colony? ›
She was later lost in the Total Rendition of the Los Angeles bloc. Maddie was sent to The Factory, and months later, when the Demis arrive, they obliterated it. This suggests Madeline is dead.
Is the colony about zombies? ›The Colony is a sharp-looking survival thriller that's actually a zombie movie in disguise. The baddies here aren't technically zombies, but they're set up just be be mowed down and massacred much like they are in the horror fare that's so popular today.
Where is the colony filmed? ›| The Colony | |
|---|---|
| Production locations | 516 S Anderson St, Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Editor | Kevin Nibley |
| Camera setup | Multiple |
| Running time | 44 minutes |
Critic Reviews for The Colony
A zombie by any other name is still a zombie in this utterly routine horror pic. The filmmakers' aversion to any hint of storytelling originality means that the main impression "The Colony" leaves is one of almost stupefying over-familiarity.
Rob Johnson said he dropped his best friend Grover off to be boarded late last month. Just six days later Johnson was at the vet to get Grover euthanized. "He was my road dog. He was there with me through good times, through death of parents, through major transitions in your life," Johnson said.
Does will get his son back in Colony? ›Much of Colony is built around smoke and mirrors, and Snyder's deal, as good as it is, also seems to be a little suspicious. But we all know Will's going to take the deal, and he does…on one condition: He gets his son back. Snyder is cagey but basically says he'll help as long as Will does his job.
What time is curfew in the colony? ›The City of The Colony has a curfew for all persons under the age of 17. Sunday through Thursday, all persons under the age of 17 must be home by 11 p.m. They must remain home until 6 a.m. On Friday and Saturday nights, the time is extended by one hour.
Was the 100 Cancelled? ›On April 24, 2019, The CW renewed the series for a seventh season, that would consist of 16 episodes and premiered on May 20, 2020. In August 2019, it was announced the seventh season would be the final season, finishing the show with a total of 100 episodes across all seven seasons.
Who built the wall in colony? ›History. The Wall was built by the Hosts, after The Arrival. The Walls came from space and folded out around certain areas.
What is the greatest day in colony? ›The Greatest Day is a religion, founded by the Hosts. People in this religion believe that the Hosts are here to help. It is based on The Hosts and The Arrival and attempts to merge all other religions into one.
Who are the red hats in colony? ›
Homeland Security is a fictional organization in the TV series Colony, also known as the Redhats, or the Red Berets. They are also sometimes called the Raps, apparently a reference to raptors (the Homeland security logo features a stylized bird of prey).
What was the arrival in Colony? ›The Arrival was an invasion by a mysterious occupying force which has occupied Los Angeles and the entire world. The Arrival began in November 13, which was seen in an episode, Eleven.
Why is it called The Colony? ›The name "The Colony" was chosen by Fox and Jacobs because they wanted its new development to share a sense of kinship with Texas' early history and "to create a living monument to the spirit and courage of the Peters Colonists ...
Why is The Colony called The Colony? ›The name The Colony was chosen because F&J felt a strong sense of kinship with Texas' early developers and also to memorialize the spirit of Peters Colony providing a new way of life - a goal Fox and Jacobs wanted their new development to share, as well.
Is The Colony Based on a true story? ›A true to life account of life under subjugation, abuse and torture. 44 years of repression. In late 2015, a film entitled “Colonia” also known as “The Colony” made its way into theaters around the globe.
Is Colony like Lost? ›USA Network's latest show, "Colony," has two very clear connections to "Lost": Carlton Cuse is a cocreator and Josh Holloway is a star of the sci-fi series. Both served the same purposes on "Lost." But that's not where the similarities end.
Is The Colony OK for kids? ›Parents need to know that Colony is a tense, gritty sci-fi show about townspeople in the grip of a shadowy foreign enemy. Violence is relatively light but may be more disturbing to kids because it frequently involves family members: young people, moms and dads.
Why is the colony rated R? ›The Colony is rated R by the MPAA Rated R for some violence. Violence: Individuals are injured in a crash landing, and one is killed. A character is stung by a jellyfish. Other individuals are stabbed, shot, or hit with flares.
What language are they speaking in the colony on Netflix? ›Tides (also known as The Colony) is a 2021 English-language German-Swiss science fiction thriller film directed and written by Tim Fehlbaum. The film stars Nora Arnezeder, Iain Glen, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, and Joel Basman.
What is the explanation of the movie The Colony? ›After a global catastrophe nearly wipes out humanity on Earth, Earth's elites fled to Kepler-209 space colony. A young astronaut named Blake from the Kepler colony returns to Earth with fellow astronauts Tucker and Holden. Their mission is to test whether Earth is suitable for human habitation and reproduction.
What happens to Maddie on Colony? ›
She was later lost in the Total Rendition of the Los Angeles bloc. Maddie was sent to The Factory, and months later, when the Demis arrive, they obliterated it. This suggests Madeline is dead.
What happens to Kynes in Colony? ›The IGA locked down Seattle after learning of Kynes' true motives and issued Martial Law. Kynes was wounded in the parking garage at the Bonzo Blacksite by Scott Garland. It is unclear if he'll survive or not.
Why did Netflix remove Colony? ›Why is Colony leaving Netflix? As we discussed above, the show ultimately is owned by NBC Universal who sold the streaming rights to Netflix for a fixed period of time. Once that time is up, it's down to both parties to renew the streaming license or the show will be pulled.
Where did Beau go in Colony? ›On the night when Beau, Will and the Bowman family were to escape the L.A. bloc, Katie refused to go and Beau had to leave on his own. Beau's current location is unknown, but it seems likely that he left through the Dept of Water and Power tunnel and is now at his property in Big Bear or he was transferred.
What happens to Bob in Colony? ›Bennet refuses to abort but Burke tries to get Will to stop anyway. This convinces Will that his children must be free and he stabs Burke in the stomach with a broken bottle.
Does Snyder betray the Bowmans? ›Snyder continues to be an interesting character, which is likely one of the reasons he's so popular in Colony circles. He betrays (Geronimo), he helps, he falls, he rises again, he makes deals, he keeps his word, then he seemingly betrays the Bowman clan on the way out of town.
What happened to Broussard? ›Heidi Broussard's body was found strangled inside the trunk of a car owned by 33-year-old Magen Fieramusca in northwest Harris County in December. Broussard's baby, Margot Carey, was found alive and well inside the home. Source: Austin Police Dept.
Does Maddie survive the explosion? ›Madison returns in the season finale, having survived the stadium fire shown in the fourth season, although how she escaped remains unexplained.
Is Kynes a man or woman? ›Because Liet Kynes, a woman, is such a respectable scientist, it makes a statement about the position of women in that world, as well as shining an interesting light on Chani's character.
Why did they make Liet Kynes a woman? ›“Liet Kynes is now a woman —From Vanity Fair: "What Denis had stated to me was there was a lack of female characters in his cast, and he had always been very feminist, pro-women, and wanted to write the role for a woman,” Duncan-Brewster says. “This human being manages to basically keep the peace amongst many people.”
Did Liet Kynes survive? ›
In the book, however, she's left to fend for herself in the harsh Arrakis desert without so much as a stillsuit or water for survival. She ultimately dies from exhaustion, dehydration, and delirium while in the throes of a spice blow.