Suns & Shadows

Sci-Fi Friday Presents - Space : Above and Beyond ; Who Monitor's the Birds?

“Wounded and all alone in enemy territory, Hawkes struggles to stay alive as he recalls his past In-Vitro education and how he was scheduled for termination because he asked too many questions.”

Welcome back to Sci-Fi Fridays here at Suns & Shadows and our continuing coverage of Space : Above and Beyond. Of which begins the second half of it's first season review here. Who Monitor's the Birds is the official halfway point, which starts with a brand new narration by Rodney Rowland as Hawkes. It's very fitting for this episode because a lot of the world is shifting before our very eyes. Who Monitor's the Birds, is a true pivot point for the series and a radical departure from the normal story-telling you've seen so far.

This episode is a one person episode and relies on Rodney Rowland to carry it in a large degree and without much speaking. Yes, you heard this right... Space : Above and Beyond pulled off the movie Soldier (1998) long before it was a thought. The influences are strong, but not straight up. Rodney nails this performance through-out emoting, body presence and facial expressions everything beyond actually speaking more than a sentence or two through the whole episode. He's not only playing off aliens, he's playing off his early days and education. Not to mention a fantastical dance with a creepy girl haunting him or is she actually helping him. It sounds crazy but it works amazing. In one of the un-intentionally funny moments he puts on a Chig helmet and has to try and remove it.

This is a sight to see, witnessing a covert two-man operation gone wrong and survival. It's not nearly as bleak as it could have been. The pictures tell the story exceedingly well and drive the episode forward. As good as everyone else is in the series, this was a great episode to showcase Rodney's talents and chops for carrying the show by himself. This did not feel like, nor was it, a throwaway episode or a one-off for the sake of a one-off.

The story is constantly moving and evolving, including a vital moments for not only the Hawkes character but the series as well. We see The episode dives into key and deep themes about questioning everything, what makes a human being tick and surviving, etc.. The background for Hawkes goes into greater detail which is outstanding and unique to give a character at this point. It's compelling and intriguing to get this level of detail with In-Vtroes. We see the birth from the gestation tubes and into his education and later on recruitment for this mission. The writing is on point and stellar!

Overall, it truly feels like the show has learned from it's missteps and while trying something new brings an incredible story to life. Cooper Hawkes has taken a huge step forward in this series as a character, his new haircut, his relatability, his amazing growth in this episode alone. Hawkes is vital to this series! The pacing, directing, imagery and score are downright impeccable. This is a flawless episode. When I saw this the first time years ago, I was floored and it became one of my favorite episodes then. As I watched it again for this review, it's just as amazing and timeless as ever. This is the perfect example of what makes Space : Above and Beyond an incredible but vastly overlooked series. 10 / 10 Hammerheads.