That was not only unexpected, but completely satisfying.

I'm not entirely sure what the title of Colony Season 2 Episode 1 is at this point. Originally it was "Eleven. Thirteen," but when I visited the press site today, it became "Preoccupation." 

If the second title had been present at the time I viewed the hour, I wouldn't have been at all confused about the timeline. Yet, I was.

With an ambiguous title and no time splashed upon the screen at the beginning, I was easily swayed to believe things had really changed for the better, especially for the Bowmans. 

When we last saw Will, he was heading off to find Charlie. I thought, oh, wow. They have Charlie back. Will has a better job. He's wearing a suit. Everyone is happy!

Me and that crazy optimism I (so very infrequently) allow to run wild.

Instead this was preoccupation. A world filled with cars, cell phones, happy kids and a time when Katie and Will didn't keep secrets from each other, but instead shared their worries about the day.

Knowing things changed and seeing it for ourselves is much different.

It makes the loss of trust between Will and Katie far more tragic, for instance.

But Will was was always a man driven by his commitment to the job and doing things by the book. Katie knew that and supported her husband in his beliefs, even suggesting to him a transfer away from a potentially problematic partner would be best.

It never quite came to that, because before Will had to make a move, the invasion began. That's not really true. The invasion had been in progress long before the day Los Angeles became aware of what was happening.

Devon: What kind of engineer needs a panic room?
Will: Good question.

• Permalink: What kind of engineer needs a panic room?

It was pretty terrible timing for Broussard to return, but at least he got to see his mother one more time.

He was one of the smarter of his bunch, though, as when he realized all of the most battle ready vets had been called to local VFWs, they were sitting ducks. The minute he walked out that door, the building exploding was a nonevent. 

I'd love to know more about people like Helena, such as how long they were working with the aliens to prepare the world for the invasion. 

Laying the groundwork for such an endeavor had to overwhelming. And the VIPs who were going to put the world back together in the event of an end of world type scenario...was that only after the EMP, or was that just in general? 

If they were gathered for the case of the EMP, that means they were probably aware of the impending invasion. Can you imagine carrying that kind of weight on your back while still living a relatively normal life?

They were looking for people with secrets and who otherwise might be willing to lie. It was fun seeing how Snyder considered his Stanford provost position.

Suit: Alan, even great men make two or three critical mistakes in their lives.
Alan: You don't get where I am by making two or three mistakes.

• Permalink: You don't get where I am by making two or three mistakes.

It didn't take him long to start blending in with the rest of the group or to choose his daughter to live a good life rather than his ex wife. At the very least, he would have given her more information if she had just closed her mouth.

I'm still very unimpressed with the aliens looking like skinny little men who are ready for some motocross. What they can do is far more powerful than how they look doing it.

Their ability to make humanity work on their behalf is pretty impressive, and to create a wall with dimensions so perfectly cut that it could drop from the sky and immediately be activated. 

While I know the story isn't about the invaders' plans for humanity, it's hard not to be interested when we're given such glimpses into their capabilities.   

When you think of how long the invasion was under development, that makes the fight against it seem even more hopeless. Until now, we had no idea to what extent all of this took to get to the ground. Now it's mind boggling.

But they have to have an Achilles heel. Will it have something to do with feelings, friendship, love? They have the tactical and strategical sides of the fight covered. The will and courage of the people has been underestimated because they've spent so much time with liars and thieves.

I'm ready to dive back into the grey areas of Colony. Let's find out how much has changed between Devon and Will. What will she think when she discovers he was working for the collaboration? She might shoot him before he gets through the fence.

Is Bram going to be taken away so we'll get an inside view at what happens to the imprisoned? How would Katie handle losing another child? Should we expect Will to get close enough to take Charlie home?

Colony is smart, full of surprises and excels at generating discussion. Let's get one going now! What do you think of the premiere, and what are your hopes for the second season? 

If you foolishly didn't see this before, you can watch Colony online right here via TV Fanatic. 

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.