USAs new dramaColonyis not your typical alien-invasion drama.
Thats because the initial incursion is long over.
In short, its much like Nazi-occupied France.
Credit: Paul Drinkwater/USA Network
How will this family soldier on?
Why dont they give up on this bleak existence?
CARLTON CUSE:The whole point is our characters dont know whats happened to other places.
They dont even know very much about whats happened outside of their own bloc.
Those three blocs together are all walled in and comprise the L.A. colony.
Are there other colonies that exist outside in the world?
Is the rest of the world colonized or a wasteland?
To what degree is this happening in other places?
Those are all mysteries that will unfold across the life of the show.
Is it that uncertainty that helps perpetrate fear and keep the humans in line?
The sense of not knowing things is really the most fearful condition that we exist under.
Thats part of how these occupiers are functioning.
First of all, they dont really care very much.
They need to control this population, but theyre not too concerned about their obligation to inform them.
These invaders, these occupiers, are not omnipotent.
Another example would be the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in 1980.
They fought the Russians out of their country.
He figures, the more he knows, the better he will be able to exploit whatever opportunities exist.
The Hosts are, what we assume, of alien origin.
Will we learn more about when they first arrived and what they want?
Those mysteries are not what the shows about.
Those mysteries will be answered.
Theyre not really whats at stake.
Whats at stake is can this family survive in a world thats been completely upended?
Will we ever get to meet the Hosts?
Again, its not a show about us versus the aliens.
We feel like that shows already been done.
Youve said before that you were inspired byNazi-occupied Paris.
Theyve empowered this other group of people to be in charge.
Thats really the central idea.
And we start exploring what other character conflicts arise out of that.
How different are the blocs that are separated by the walls?
To some degree, we very intentionally did not start with the L.A. bloc in a very dystopic state.
Things are pretty good.
There are clear exceptions.
For instance, under this occupation, there is very little tolerance for people who are sick or weak.
But people have jobs.
He opens up the bars.
you’ve got the option to take a bus across Los Angeles in six minutes.
The sun is shining, theres palm trees, theres no street crime.
His attitude is, Im going to make things pretty good for the people who live in my bloc.
Is that going to be effective for him?
He traverses a lot of ground.
The vast majority of people are just trying to lead their lives.
Thats what was interesting about Paris in World War II.
Thats really interesting because, in those circumstances, youre constantly put in moral dilemmas.
What are the compromises each individual is willing to make for their own survival?
Why go on in this world?
What is the point of living if youre just living under subjugation?
Where do they find the hope to go on?
Interestingly, right in the pilot, proxy Snyder says, This great day is coming.
The Hosts have propagated this message that this great day is on the horizon.
What does that mean?
Does that mean theyre going to be gone?
Are they going to do something thats fantastic for humanity?
Its a mystery what that means, but theres definitely hope in that message.
Honestly, I think people dont give up under tough circumstances.
Tell me about the dynamic between Katie and Will as they raise a family in this new world.
Thats what the first season is all about.
Will is coerced into working for the government, and that upends this family.
Really, at the center of the season is this examination of this relationship.
Will it survive all the twists and turns that come to it as a result of this occupation?
Thats really where the focus is.
I have to imagine that being a collaborator is probably frowned upon by most people.
Yeah, they have a huge stake in this.
That seems like the best option he has right now.
Theres nothing more important for him than to get the family reunited.
He has to take that promise on face value.
Is the ultimate goal for the resistance to purge the world of the Hosts?
Colonydebuts Thursday at 10 p.m.
