Defiance

[Sixshells]

What you call "soap opera," many of us call human drama here. People have feelings, emotions, and build relationships - even in space. I had no issue with that. It's what made the show for me, actually.

Shows neutered from the drama of life (and yes, these things can happen under extraordinary circumstances, probably moreso than the show portrayed), always fall flat for me and enter the realm of clinical, too-squeaky clean, sterile life. Life isn't that neat and tidy. It's messy. Emotions and all.

Clearly we have different expectations. I do like good human drama, messy and all. But I think the drama in SGU was godawful and dragged the series down instead of uplifting it. Like I said, nice enough ideas, terrible treatment and rather little thought. They tried to produce something they were unable to deliver and surprise, it didn't work.

I don't think the writing or the characters were strong, the visual problems were just an observation, if the show was great otherwise,they would not be an issue. The acting was mostly fine with what little they had to work with, but the children of those two rich guys were not so good.

I also don't think the world building was handled all that well. They tried to throw a bit too much into a two hour premier rather than letting things breath a little and develop.

I have the same opinion on the worldbuilding. They seem to have tried to show a lot at once to make the series start on a strong impression, with the battle and everything, but it was clearly too much. I hope That as the show develops the initial reservations about exposition and the clichés in the intrigue are dissipated. After all it's only a first episode, it can't be perfect.

[Alia of the knife]

not impressed, but I might give it another shot.

Why did the main character have to be similar to Sheriff Carter of Eureka, I have no idea.

Also I was expecting more from the special effects, seeing as how they kept talking them up in the previews and the guy who worked on the special effects for BSG is involved.

Not to mention that it's not helping when a character is overdoing his driving by constantly moving his hands on the wheel like he was steering a ship, yet the vehicle keeps going straight.

And the whole Romeo & Juliet thing is also nothing that I care about. Yes, in shows like these a common theme is what draws different races together, but I would like to see more of their differences first and then see them drawn together.

That is a great observation.

What is different that they had to overcome to reach a point they could not just live together, but love each other.

Though, I will say I saw a little bit Rhaegar/Lyanna/Brandon in that fight.

Her mom dies in childbirth, hmmmmmm.

And now they are secretly betrothed beneath the trees. :wideeyed:

Okay, so a long way from "Elric of Melbone," but I guess from that to GOT, to "Defiance," that Elbino look is working for them. :thumbsup:

[Ouroboros]

I'd just like to make a note about the creator's previous show: Farscape. It also started out very dense and wonky, damn near impenetrable at first because it just threw you right in with very little explanation throwing the whole universe at you all at once. And a lot of folks even called it a Blake's Seven rip-off right away. But it went on to become a great tv show. I'm willing to see where Defiance goes, but my money is on it developing into something engaging like Farscape.

[karaddin]

The main guy even had a guest appearance in one of the first season episodes of Farscape :P

Yeah it definitely did well enough for me to give it more time to see how it develops.

[red snow]

I'd just like to make a note about the creator's previous show: Farscape. It also started out very dense and wonky, damn near impenetrable at first because it just threw you right in with very little explanation throwing the whole universe at you all at once. And a lot of folks even called it a Blake's Seven rip-off right away. But it went on to become a great tv show. I'm willing to see where Defiance goes, but my money is on it developing into something engaging like Farscape.

That's true. When I read sci-fi I actually appreciate it when things seem overwhelming at first and then the world becomes clearer as I come along, rather than being spoon-fed. It's also more "natural" to be thrown into the middle of things than each species or supporting character meeting the new sherrif one by one. It's not to everyone's tastes and the opening was still a massive info-dump but it makes me feel like they have a lot to play with at least.

[denstorebog]

For whatever it's worth, Defiance is now the 4th best selling game on Steam. This is no mean feat for a €50 MMO that doesn't build on an established brand. I'm looking forward to seeing what the ratings effect will be, but if the game sells well overall, that alone could keep the show alive for longer than otherwise.

[Black Wolf Smith]

I'd just like to make a note about the creator's previous show: Farscape. It also started out very dense and wonky, damn near impenetrable at first because it just threw you right in with very little explanation throwing the whole universe at you all at once. And a lot of folks even called it a Blake's Seven rip-off right away. But it went on to become a great tv show. I'm willing to see where Defiance goes, but my money is on it developing into something engaging like Farscape.

Don't forget Tales from a parallel universe/Lexx on this bandwagon.

I like the first ep. I like that they did not tell you everthing that happened. One problem many Sci/fi shows do is they give you too much info in the first few ep, and then change half of it the 2nd season. I rather that they feel it out, before giving it to us.

[red snow]

For whatever it's worth, Defiance is now the 4th best selling game on Steam. This is no mean feat for a €50 MMO that doesn't build on an established brand. I'm looking forward to seeing what the ratings effect will be, but if the game sells well overall, that alone could keep the show alive for longer than otherwise.

It shows that spending a lot on advertising pays off as well. Are reviews for the game strong?

[elmis]

I thought the pilot was weak.. The initial CGI driving looked like a cut-scene from Command and Conquer (the first one from the 90s), the acting was so-so, the plot was weak and the characters were all very stereotypical.

You have unexperienced leader, the whore that is clever and kinda likes her job, the hardcore ex-military toughguy as the main character and his female ninjaesque sidekick. Troubled teen relationship between to feuding families, and the list goes on and on.

I might check out the second episode, but it has to get better, quick.

[Black Wolf Smith]

Well the second ep was pretty weak. It at best was a set up, but its way to soon to have a set up ep. There is no point in "furthering" the story line, when you haven't got one yet. The only thing they got is "who is the mayor working for" and that seems like something they should build the rest of the story before this.

On a rewatch of the first ep, the whole scene where they are firing down from the hill was awlful.

[Corvinus85]

yes, the second episode did nothing to improve on the pilot.

[Ouroboros]

I disliked a lot of stuff in the second episode. But I still liked/found interesting a few things, primarily the alien culture stuff that didn't involve the emo-kid and his girl, and other township stuff.

Feels like the show is actively fighting itself. There is good stuff there, but you gotta get through a lot of bad at the moment to get at it. I feel it would be a stronger show if it just focused on the town as a town rather than shoe-horning in the conspiracy stuff so heavily along with the teen romance stuff.

[Sci-2]

Kinda surprised people disliked this episode so much. My one major beef was that it seemed they should have known about the nuclear plant below the city.

Besides that, I thought it was pretty well done.

[Jerol]

I wish show-runners would figure out that teen romance is a mortal blow for sf/f shows. I know they think it broadens the audience but most fans really hate that shit.

[Alia of the knife]

I actually think the second did a better job of fleshing out the characters, especially the "Targaryen-like," awkward hug between the half-naked Mother, and her Son, as well as the Dateks origins.

(Can I assume she was the one that flushed her betrothed out the air lock, or whatever it was)?

And I'd actually like to see a conversation between them WITHOUT being in the bath? Maybe in an office, or study?

The whole bath scenes are getting a little obvious.

I do wish the Aliens were just a little less like us in manner and speech. I suppose I see that kind of adjustment taking a little longer.

But, I do think with the added suspense, it will become more interesting.

[red snow]

Kinda surprised people disliked this episode so much. My one major beef was that it seemed they should have known about the nuclear plant below the city.

Besides that, I thought it was pretty well done.

Same here. I actually enjoyed it on a "stargate" level of harmless entertainment. Some people must really hate teen romance as it doesn't dwell om it all that much for me and from what I've seen of it so far the emphasis is clearly on the alien woman manipulating both children so that they can get access to the mine. I also liked how the new sheriff was happy to stamp all over the other's culture even when the "victim" was a willing part of it. I actually liked the ending of the victim still sacrificing himself so all that was achieved was a bit more tension between them and the humans.

The "oh, there's a nuclear power plant down there" moment was pretty stupid especially since they dismissed the explosives as unable to cause much damage underground.

I hope there's a bit more on the other aliens as so far they seem to pale in comparison to the "pale" ones. From what we've seen none of the others seem to club together (except for the species in the badlands) which strikes me as a little odd as it claims not that much time has passed since the terraforming went haywire. The oranguatans seem to be servants and that's it. We could do with some more background on how this group of aliens functioned. Was their a dominant species and how comes they don't seem to form an "us and them" mentality with regards to the humans?

Still early days though and nothing has offended me too much yet. Even better there were no need for crappy special effects this episode.

[Morpheus]

It's Stargate-ness is part my problem, I never like the cookie cutter sci-fi of that franchise

[Winterz]

I've watched the two episodes and I'd give it a 6.5/10 so far.

I really hope it doesn't turn out like Terra Nova.

The story needs evil badasses.

[Horus Ex Machina]

DVRed the first episode but it didn't hold my interest long, but it's got enough class for me to give it another go. Happy to see David Peterson involved in this.

[sologdin]

am enamoured of ass-kicking daughter.

good to see that the channel is supporting the show by rerunning episodes twenty times during the week. they blew it, by contrast, by running farscape just twice each week.