As the Cold War deepens and new political threats loom for Project Blue Book, Dr. J. Allen Hynek and Captain Michael Quinn must delve further down the UFO conspiracy rabbit hole in their dangerous quest for the truth. Soon, cover-ups from the past (including at Roswell) collide with new UFO cases in the present (including at Area 51), forcing our duo to not only question the broadening global conspiracy but the very nature and origin of UFOs themselves in an increasingly unstable world.
Picking up where its predecessor left off, “Project Blue Book: Season 2” keeps the engine humming along nicely. Robert Zemeckis headlines a team of executive producers that know how to assemble a fresh piece of suspense, despite likely audience familiarity with some of the material. Across a seven-hour plus runtime, the charming and beguiling mysteries take hold and never let go.
Perhaps more than Season 1, mood and pacing count for a lot here. Wafting cigarette smoke reminiscent of “Mad Men” blends with upscale 1950s suburban housing and office spaces sporting a variety of period set pieces. Sporadic bits of salty language serve to keep things real. Taken as a whole, Season 2 is deadly serious, yet oddly breezy in its delivery.
The series was inspired by Dr. J. Allen Hynek (Aiden Gillen) and his investigations into the existence of UFOs for the U.S. Air Force. His assigned liaison, Captain Michael Quinn (Michael Malarkey), seems a little stiff-necked at first – no doubt by design. However as the case facts come to light, his stolid skepticism seems more than appropriate.
Laura Mennell plays Allen’s wife, Mimi Hynek. Ksenia Solo also returns as the cryptic Susie Miller. Unbeknownst to Mimi or Allen, their friend Susie works for the Soviets. Her presence and those of other Russian agents in the context of UFO investigations begs the question about who American’s fear most – aliens or Russians. It’s a sort of “Spy vs. Spy” where Russian espionage attempts to find out what those sneaky Americans are up to next – or vice versa.
So many nagging questions confront Doc and the captain. The black and white photos – are they real or altered? Perhaps not surprisingly, much of the evidence points to natural or manmade explanations. Yet something deeper underpins the ongoing efforts of Hynek and Quinn as they canvas the globe seeking answers to one question after another. In seems clear that in several instances, the existence of aliens constitutes the only plausible conclusion given the evidence at hand.
In this regard, Neal McDonough as General James Harding and Michael Harney as General Hugh Valentine return more conspiratorial than ever. Always waiting in the wings, Harding and Valentine stand ready to put the kibosh on anything hints at a national security threat. If the investigators and television stations don’t always get a look at the anomaly, at least the audience and the military does. Not only is the series chock full of discussion about flying saucers, several of them actually do show up in flashbacks or credible eyewitness reports.
Years later in a flash-forward, Professor Hynek finds himself on the set of Steven Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” which sort of begs a few questions of its own. If there are aliens, why would humanity expect them to be benevolent? First contact with aliens from other lands or continents here on earth typically hasn’t gone well for the locals. Rather than “E.T.,” the more correct analogy probably should look something like “Independence Day.” Though “Project Blue Book” doesn’t necessarily take a side, it tends to lean toward the former.
Acting, cinematography, music, and visual effects all exceed those of the standard television series. In several instances, rapidly intercut scenes ratchet up the tension superbly. In addition, a generous portion of crane, dolly, and overhead shots – all in the Zemeckis wheelhouse – further elevate the production values. Each episode is mostly self-contained, with some character threads and extended plotlines weaved in to tie things together. Stolen files, secret files, hidden files – so much information to work with, so little time.
The conundrums, the 1950s attire, the sets, the chisel-faced actors – it’s all great fun. Each scene is choreographed to cinematic precision making them a joy to watch and ensuring the journey is at least as entertaining as the destination. In the end, there’s simply something to be said for good old fashioned storytelling. A+E’s “Project Blue Book: Season 2” provides a welcome follow-on to Season 1, with more than a hint of an upcoming Season 3. Can’t wait.
Now available on DVD from Lionsgate
