V: Season 2

V: SEASON 2 (DVD)
Warner Bros. Home Ent.

Release date: October 24th, 2011
Certificate (UK): 15
Running time: 408 minutes

Creator: Kenneth Johnson
Composer: Marco Beltrami

Cast: Elizabeth Mitchell, Morena Baccarin, Joel Gretsch, Scott Wolf, Laura Vandervoort, Mark Hildreth

There are some things in life we cling to and fight for. Our sense of security, good health, our families and loved ones are among what we hold dear to us, but in Season 2 of V, we see the fight for something else that lately we take little notice of…the soul.

By the climax of Season 1 we learned much about what the reptilian visitors had in store for Earth and its inhabitants, but as Anna (Morena Baccarin) smiled and professed to the cameras “We are of peace always”, there was another plan unfolding and it had nothing to do with peace or Blue Energy.

With Erica (Elizabeth Mitchell) thwarting a plan to raise an army, Season 2 uncovers the full truth about what role Anna’s daughter, Lisa (Laura Vandervoort), will play in what’s to come, but as alliances continue to shift it becomes unclear who to trust and who to fight. There are times as well when the humans displays traits which are no better than those of the enemy they’re fighting.

This is perhaps most evident in the episode Laid Bare. Malik, a sleeper agent, is abducted, tortured and eventually killed by the resistance group lead by Erica in an attempt to gain information about Anna’s plan.

As it turns out, Anna’s fighting for a way to breed hybrids for the survival of her dying race, and while she sees human emotions as a weakness she becomes keen on the idea of the soul, and in some ways even envious of the humans because they have one.

It’s of little consolation to her that while the humans may very well have a soul they don’t seem to be using it. In some cases it would even seem they don’t have one or doubt the existence of it altogether.

Jack (Joel Gretsch), a priest and former soldier, is the one who acts as the moral compass for the group, and more so when Erica assumes command of the militant Fifth Column, but his sermons fall on deaf ears. Assasination attempts, terrorism and hostage taking all ensue.

It’s interesting that in the year 2011 we turn to a show like V to see and to hear how it tackles these contemporary themes of war, the blurring of the lines between civilians and combatants, terrorism and how the media feeds an image that in no way reflects the truth.

In this way V succeeds in the transition from science-fiction to social commentary in a very compelling and relevant way.

It should then come as no surprise to learn that ABC cancelled the show in May 2011. Though the series got off to a rocky start and continued to suffer with Season 2 in terms of production values, there were some interesting ideas in these 10 short episodes. Without making much of an impact, V goes just as it came, in peace.

Patrick Samuel

The founder of Static Mass Emporium and one of its Editors in Chief is an emerging artist with a philosophy degree, working primarily with pastels and graphite pencils, but he also enjoys experimenting with water colours, acrylics, glass and oil paints.

Being on the autistic spectrum with Asperger’s Syndrome, he is stimulated by bold, contrasting colours, intricate details, multiple textures, and varying shades of light and dark. Patrick's work extends to sound and video, and when not drawing or painting, he can be found working on projects he shares online with his followers.

Patrick returned to drawing and painting after a prolonged break in December 2016 as part of his daily art therapy, and is now making the transition to being a full-time artist. As a spokesperson for autism awareness, he also gives talks and presentations on the benefits of creative therapy.

Static Mass is where he lives his passion for film and writing about it. A fan of film classics, documentaries and science fiction, Patrick prefers films with an impeccable way of storytelling that reflect on the human condition.

Patrick Samuel ¦ Asperger Artist

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