Pilot (101)

[Killdeer]

Finally got around to watching this. I'm not overly thrilled with it, but I'll give it another couple of episodes I think. As Skydiver says, things often change from the pilot.

I'm not really sure what I think. The first half hour it had a hard time holding my attention, but it did get a little better after that. I can't really say I care about any of these characters yet, but I don't hate any of them either so I guess that's a plus. They do need to cut out the squabbling/talking all at once stuff though - the fighting between Bill and Gary was getting really old.

The hints at some sort of background conspiracy were also far too thin to be of any interest. And no one really seems to have any sense of humor on the show either. I don't know - after Eureka and Warehouse 13 it just seems to take itself a bit too seriously. I could deal with that if it were more intriguing in a Fringe sort of way, but I'm not getting that so far. But as I said, I'll give it another couple of episodes.

[Gollumpus]

I saw a whole lot of cliche plot lines forming up. Hopefully the show will get past these sooner rather than later.

The show struck me as being a bit of "X-Men" meets "Alias" meets "The Matrix" meets various other shows already mentioned.

The actors seem fine, but the they and the writers/directors are still developing their characters. It is interesting that they are limited in their use of gun play.

Callum Keith Rennie as Don Wilson looks to be a very interesting character, if he can ever get past caring about not caring. He'll be this show's "Cancer Man".

David Strathairn as Dr. Lee Rosen is annoyingly passive/aggressive. Prof. X with hair. I'm assuming he's "normal" but there's always the chance he will have some kind of ability which will be dragged out when the writers have painted themselves into a corner.

Warren Christie as Cameron Hicks is the typical "Neo" character suddenly thrown into a whole new world. Look to see him become the object of infatuation for the female characters and the object of confrontation for the male characters. Eventually, he will be one of the gang, possibly even become the field leader.

Laura Mennell as Nina Theroux is a typical casting for a gal who is supposed to be an "alpha female", able to dominate others with her physique, appearance, smarts and the force of her personality. It might have been nice to have her character not be tall and attractive, but rather some kind of nebbish. It is interesting to see her take a protective/big sister role towards some of the other group members (Pirzad and Bell). I suspect there will be a story-line involving her not being able to get a date on Saturday night, or perhaps just not wanting to go out because she can have any guy she wants so there is no interest on her part (or something like that). Expect to her to be come interested in the Hicks character.

Ryan Cartwright as Gary Bell is an interesting character, in small doses. The actor does his job well, but that doesn't mean I want to see a lot of him, which, I guess means he's doing his job really well. His ability is interesting, but I could see this character's role being reduced to more of a stay-at-home rather than in the field operative.

Azita Ghanizada as Rachel Pirzad is a walking CSI lab. What gets me is that the group allows her to go anywhere, alone, when she might be using her hyper-senses (as seen in the pilot episode). Her character will develop over the season and she will do things to shape up her relationship with her father and her interactions with her co-workers (eg. Harken and his lack of boundary issues. Expect to see her "poison" some food which doesn't belong to Harken to help her establish these boundaries).

Malik Yoba as Bill Harken has perhaps the worst power of the group. If he revs up too soon and too much then he becomes a bag of jello. Not sure why the writers want him to taunt the Bell character. I suspect he will have continued animosity towards the Hicks character until they get it resolved after a mutual life-saving episode.

I think there is supposed to be a certain amount of uncertainty as to just who are the "good guys". Having the mind controlling alpha the group is hunting run some poor schmuck off the roof of the hotel kind of rules them out as being the good guys. When he says, just before dying, "You're on the wrong side", it more like a Magneto and his mutant brotherhood kind of side, rather than it being good vs. evil.

regards,
G.

[Gollumpus]

And no one really seems to have any sense of humor on the show either. I don't know - after Eureka and Warehouse 13 it just seems to take itself a bit too seriously. I could deal with that if it were more intriguing in a Fringe sort of way, but I'm not getting that so far.

Yeah, come to think of it, I could have done with at least a little bit of off-beat humour. Maybe the writers think the early interactions between Dr. Rosen and Wilson (the swimming scene) was supposed to fill that humour component.

regards,
G.

[Linda06]

Started watching the first ep the other day. Got bored after 15 minutes and turned it off

[Delenn]

I watched the pilot last week & I found it a little boring. The story wasn't as original as I hoped but I think I'll watch the second & the third episodes because I'm curious. Maybe I'll have a good surprise!