“Terra Nova,” Season 1, Episode 6, “Nightfall,” offers another plug-in plot that has been used many times before in television science fiction: temporarily take away the protagonists’ technology and put the cast into danger.
Spoilers surely follow.
The device is a meteor that explodes in the air and causes both an EMP and a sonic wave, frying the electronics at Terra Nova. This sets a number of subplots into motion that places our heroes in peril.
First, Jim and Zoe are trapped in a room that contains the colony’s equivalent of a holodeck. While auxiliary power keeps some things on, Zoe, the little girl, has to overcome her fear of spiders to crawl through an access tunnel to get to the other side and manually open the door to the outside.
At the infirmary, a lad who had the bad luck to get a parasite has to have it taken out the old fashion way, with getting cut open and the very long thing pulled slowly out. As Elisabeth has to deal with a more seriously hurt patient, this job is allocated to Skye, who is somewhat grossed out by the operation.
Meanwhile Maddy and Reynolds are trapped outside, their vehicle now useless. Spending the night outside with hungry dinosaurs about proves to be a bonding experience.
The Sixers, led by Mira, see their chance has arrived. They herd a very large dinosaur to attack the fence. While Taylor and Jim, newly freed from the holodeck, are able to ward off the big lizard, the attack turns out to be a diversion.
A commando team infiltrates the colony and grabs the box which Mira holds some store in. Despite the best efforts of Taylor and Jim, they get away with the box.
At the end, with the electronics replaced, the power goes back on, Maddy slips back into the colony, none the wiser, and all seems well.
Except the box contains holograms of equations. For what purpose, one is uncertain. One is certain that it does not bode well for the colony. But, barring the show being canceled, that will likely be the subject of another episode.