Entertainment

Let's Hope The ETU On 'Hunters' Isn't Real

Syfy latest series deals in an allegory for terrorism that may seem almost too real at times. Is there really an Exo-Terrorism Unit like on Hunters ? Um... I certainly hope that there's no need for one! However, I suppose this is the entire point of the series. The ETU is a secret government organization on the show, so maybe I, as a civilian, just don't know about it — or maybe I do and I'm not telling.

I'm kidding. It's fictional, just like The X-Files and the Magical Congress of the United States of America. Not to be confused with eco-terrorism, this task force on Hunters deals with alien terrorists, called hunters, who look more or less human and have infiltrated seemingly every level of society. These alien terrorists are also shrouded in mystery. One of the reasons the ETU exists is to figure out simply what the hunters want and what they're doing on Earth. They are an intelligence agency first and foremost.

Gale Ann Hurd, who wrote The Terminator with James Cameron and is executive producing the Syfy series, is most recently known for being one of the most recognizable executive producers of The Walking Dead. She definitely knows how to infuse science fiction, fantasy and/or "genre" landscapes with realism. This is the type of threat that you might be familiar with if you grew up reading Animorphs books, or even Stephanie Meyer's dip into science-fiction The Host. It's that fear that aliens, or something dangerous, has been living under our nose for who knows how long. What if your nosy neighbors were actually sent from another planet to kill you?

So, if the ECU feels real to you on Hunters — the show is doing its job right. It's modeled after real counter-terrorism and covert operations, which should make the series even more terrifying to watch.

Image: Ben King/Syfy