This week was all about the Shannon kids, and more so Josh. Many have complained that Josh was too angsty and whiny about his girlfriend, but so is the mantra of most teenage characters in shows these days. This week was Joshs turn to step it up a bit and get into some trouble. Boylan tells Josh what Mira wants, she wants Josh to steal some controlled meds from the pharmacy for a sickness sweeping through her village. Josh decides that he wants proof that Mira can deliver on her promise to bring his girlfriend back from 2149. Boylan doesnt think thats a smart move but takes Josh anyways to see Mira. She gives Josh a stern warning reminding him of the promise he made to do anything she asked without question. Just after that she uses a device which projects the holographic image of his girlfriend and he seems to talk to her in real time. She is excited to hear she will be coming to Terra Nova and Mira turns off the device just as Josh is going to “touch” her hand. Mira asks if thats proof enough and Josh agrees to get her what she wants.
Boylan copies Dr. Shannons key card, which Josh stole and gives him a pulse gun in case someone catches him stealing the meds. He of course tells Skye what he plans to do and she doesnt like it and is rather upset with Joshs choices in this matter. Josh breaks into the lab and goes for the locked cabinet with the meds, but his keycard copy doesnt work and he is too afraid to use his mothers real card as it might get traced back to her. He decides to use the pulse gun to break open the locked cabinet but doesnt think about the recoil from such a weapon in close quarters and is launched back into the wall behind him. He takes the meds and runs. That morning Jim investigates and at first thinks its a med junkie who broke in but mentioned if they used a pulse gun they will be very sore this morning.
We break away to josh lifting his shirt to show a serious set of rib bruises from the gun and he is in serious pain. Boylan tells Josh he will see his girlfriend soon and tells him to go home and he will take care of the fact that his father Jim is not going to give up easily on finding out who broke in. Boylan decides to use a guy who owes him a lot of money and to injure him in the same way Josh was and give him a few viles of the meds to be found on him when Jim comes searching. Jim doesnt buy into the story and finds out Boylan is behind it and he shacks him down. Josh finds out a patient of his moms is in desperate need of the meds he took and since he took them all, there werent any left. Joshs guilty conscience got the better of him and he sets a vile on the counter in front of his mom and dad much to their shock. He explains what he did and why.
Jim breaks the news to Taylor who seems to take it well, but is concerned by the news that Mira seems to have a way to talk to the future, something that was suppose to be impossible. Jim hints at Taylors son being somehow involved, to which Taylor agrees, knowing his son was a genus. Taylor then mocks Shannon saying if all you have to worry about is your son making a stupid decision over a girl, your not doing too bad.
A subplot this week was also Maddies character development when she becomes the Junior detective of the family discovering that a famous writer and researcher she admired was not who he said he was and she ends up catching him when he nearly kills her with a deadly spider bite.
All and all it was nice to see the story move away from Mr and Mrs. Shannon, Taylor and the youngest Shannon kid. Josh and Maddie gained some good character depth and I hope they continue it as we move into next weeks episode. In an off and color moment, below is probably the funnest scene we have seen from Terra Nova so far. A break from the serious nature that is Terra Nova.
