I was recommended this "Mormons in space" series from several sound sources, who claimed that it was a science fiction show with characters, acting and scripting on a level with the highest rank of non-sf tv.
Don't believe the hype.
Maybe things get better when we go into the series proper, but this seems to offer the same level of one-note acting, cliché characterizations and "the audience is stupid so we need to tell them everything three times" storytelling ("She's going to open the coffin!"/"She's opening the coffin now!"/"Good lord, she opened the coffin!") that I expect from your typical mediocre tv show.
This is not surprising to me, as everyone else seems a lot more impressed by "new and improved" American tv than I am. What is surprising is that the action scenes are so flat and uninvolving. The human interaction scenes were quite watchable in a mindless sort of way, but every time they scrambled fighters I was in serious danger of snoozing.
Mary McDonnell and Edward James Olmos have done excellent work elsewhere, but are clearly slumming it here. The "change a guy character to a hot chick" element is obviously going to work with the geekboy fanbase that this sort of show requires, but changing the lead cylon to a hot chick was probably some sort of genius. Shame they cast a stereotypical magazine cover blonde who can't act.
The twist at the end was kind of obvious (who else was it going to be?) and the miniseries's biggest flaw is that it doesn't seem to notice that it's a dumb sci-fi programme and takes itself Seriously.
I've got borrowed copies of seasons one & two at home, and there's been so much positive buzz about this show that I am going to continue for a little while, just in case.
Posted by joey at September 25, 2007 10:32 AMYeah, the miniseries is meant to be rubbish, the ongoing is meant to be great. Thus speaks the geekworld. I have not watched any of it.
Posted by: morgue at September 25, 2007 7:37 PMIt beats watching Dirk Benedict kick the shit out of a robot made of tin-foil.
Or does it?
Posted by: Martin at September 26, 2007 9:08 AMGenerally agree Pearce - though I actually like the space combat scenes because they actually follow the laws of physics a bit better than most shows (ala Star Trek - what laws of physics!). Flat acting, flat story lines wasn't impressed myself (except for some of the battle scenes).
Posted by: Scott C at September 26, 2007 9:29 AMMartin: I have a long-time love of tinfoil, originating in my teenage years.
Scott: I have little knowledge of physics but I know there should be no fiery explosions in space, and no sound either. Oops.
Posted by: Joey at September 27, 2007 6:30 PMI'll speak as a geek who has watched the ongoing first and second seasons, and I declare them verilly good. You're spot on with the faults you pick out from the introductory mini-series - in particular the characters were horribly broad-brushed stereotypes.
Everyone's mileage will vary, of course, but I would recomend watching at least the first season; it might hook you like it has I.
Posted by: Scott A at September 28, 2007 6:27 PMI watched the first season first, and found it good enough to make me go back and watch the mini-series. I thought the mini-series was fairly crap and figure if I'd seen it first I might not have bothered watching the first season.
But I'm cautious about enthusiastic recommendations for SF. A lot of what people recommend is good, but a lot of people seem to mistake Ogden Nash for Shakespeare... so you have to detach the recommendation from the recommended.
Posted by: Andrew at September 30, 2007 5:17 PM"I have little knowledge of physics but I know there should be no fiery explosions in space, and no sound either. Oops."
Yeah you're right there but at very least they follow a vector style of flight, which is probably the biggest start for any sci-fi program out there.
Posted by: Scott C at October 1, 2007 11:47 AM