This ambitious Syfy original series—set in the future after an alien attack has destroyed Earth's cities and seeded the planet with plants and animals of extraterrestrial origin—returns to find the once-independent city of Defiance (built over the ruins of St. Louis, whose arch still stands) controlled by the authoritarian Earth Republic. Former mayor Amanda Rosewater (Julie Benz) is now running the local saloon, while cowboy lawkeeper Nolan (Grant Bowler) is on the road searching for Irisa (Stephanie Leonidas), his adopted alien daughter. The central storyline concerns the fate of Irisa, who becomes increasingly disconnected from her father and her community as she's transformed into a bloodthirsty messiah who is intended to wipe out the human population. Nolan is determined to save both the world and Irisa without sacrificing either. Meanwhile, power struggles roil the criminal underworld, leading to accommodations made with the Earth Republic officials running the town. This set also introduces a new character, Pilar (Linda Hamilton), who shifts the power balance. Created by Rockne S. O'Bannon, Defiance offers an interesting melting pot of creatures, and the frontier attitude playing out amidst the devastation is interesting. Although popular among sci-fi fans, it's nevertheless not quite inventive enough to attract viewers from across the genre divide. Compiling all 13 episodes from the 2014 second season, extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette, webisodes, deleted scenes, and a gag reel. A strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)
Defiance: Season Two
Universal, 3 discs, not rated, DVD: $59.98, Blu-ray: $69.98 Volume 30, Issue 1
Defiance: Season Two
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