Reviews by Alexandra Benedict 2000-2001 new shows
Subject: Eastlant Sci-Fi Group - 2000-2001 Season Short Reviews
Eastlant Sci-Fi Group - 2000-2001 Season
Short Reviews by Alexandra Benedict
I think the reason this falls to me every year is that I'm the only one who doesn't suffer from Sci-Fi Tunnel Vision. Some of my colleagues are so tightly focused on genre shows that the very thought of watching a drama or a comedy has them hacking in a bucket.
What it means for you is that you get my opinions like them or not. But then, that's the idea, so in order to give you some sort of benchmark against which to judge whether or not you are likely to agree with my opinions, let me give you a quick list of my likes and dislikes from existing shows.
Genre shows:
Likes:
X-Files; Xena; Babylon 5; Farscape; Voyager; Buffy and to a lesser extent Angel;
Dislikes:
Invisible Man; First Wave; Lexx;
Mainstream Shows:
Likes:
Ally McBeal; Law & Order; West Wing; The Practice; Frasier;
Dislikes:
ER; Friends; Drew Carey;
For obvious reasons, I am not going to comment on shows returning for a second or later season, as you will already know what these shows are like, nor am I going to waste time commenting on shows that we are not taping, so this will focus solely on the new season shows that have been requested, and I am using the template of David's New Season Outline as a guide, so they will appear in the same order as they did in that newsletter.
Genre Shows:
Mainstream Sci-Fi Shows
DARK ANGEL - I am less impressed with this than I expected to be. The show is very well made, and has a movie feel to it, but so far the story lines have been a little bland. However, I was informed today that Fox have ordered a full season, so the show has obviously gained the approval of the audience.
If I have any real criticism of the show, it’s that Jessica Alba plays the part with far too much confidence. Given the background of the character, you would expect a little vulnerability, but that seems to get lost in motor cycle chases and groin kicking.
Perhaps we just expected too much from James Cameron. After all, he couldn't do Terminator on a weekly basis. Maybe I just need to give this time. However, I am a sole dissenting voice in this. Everyone else seems to think it's great
GENE RODDENBERRY'S ANDROMEDA - So far, the critics have come out about 50/50 on this show. Some love it some hate it. Personally, I think the show overall is very good, but some of the characters are a little questionable. The stories so far have been very reminiscent of early Star Trek, although of course the sfx are 21st century and very well done. However, once again I had to grit my teeth and refrain from screaming when the captain (Kevin Sorbo) allowed an enemy warship to beat the hell out of his ship while he tried to hail the for peace talks. This show is definitely Roddenberry, not Straczinski.
David tells me that he is still, waiting for a guest appearance by Ming the Merciless.
Borderline Sci-Fi Shows
FREAKYLINKS - Suck! Suck! Suck! Suck! Suck! This is the worst piece of television I have ever seen. It is incoherent, annoying and BORING! I would love to take a baseball bat to the smug, supercilious face of the female lead. She couldn't act her way out of a wet paper bag, and her fellow cast members are a bunch of dead fish.
Anyway, I am reliably informed that this show has died the death. If it does reappear, perhaps we can find some way to avoid it, otherwise, I will find some reason to be elsewhere when it is on.
Die! Die! Die!
FREEDOM - I wasn't going to comment on this show, as we have only seen two episodes (the pilot that aired this week + one preview copy that Bob brought back from Centra-Con). However, I am gong to anyway. I LOVED this show. It reminds me not only of The Matrix (the fight scenes etc are very similar) but also of Harsh Realm, last year's Fox rip-off of Chris Carter. If I were to rank this week's shows in the order in which I am looking forward to them, it would rank #2 (after The West Wing).
LEVEL 9 - Again, a pleasant surprise. I expected this to be a cross between Freakylinks (Yuk!) and The Net - a failed borderline shows from two seasons ago, but it actually turned out to be a fairly decent show. The story was credible, the characters were fairly well defined and the technology was interesting. It left me wondering if such things are possible.
Even after just one episode, I am certainly prepared to give it time to grow on me.
Fantasy Shows
SHEENA, QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE - I started watching this show with the usual jaundiced preconceptions that attach themselves to any new syndicated fantasy show. I am not a fan of Beastmaster, Conan, Lost World, Mortal Kombat, etc, but I was totally surprised by this show. I have now seen 3 episodes (they managed to miss episode 4 dammit!) and I am hooked. I love this show. This is definitely on my to-see list.
QUEEN OF SWORDS - This is also not bad. It includes a fair number of people form the Highlander TV series, and is a lot of fun. If you are looking for something to fill a gap, this might be what you are looking for.
Non-Genre Shows:
Courtroom and Lawyer Shows
Ed - This is a good diversion. The show is lightweight enough to be undemanding fun, and uncluttered by the too-large cast of a show like Ally McBeal, so it moves along nicely. It is inhabited by a bunch of eccentric characters that are reminiscent more of Picket Fences than any other show that comes to mind. We have seen 4 eps so far and I have now taken to editing this one off-air as come Sunday night, I am waiting for it to appear rather than just dropping in when it is being edited.
Police and Detective Dramas
The Fugitive - The producers of this show claimed that they were doing a TV series in the vein of a movie every week. So far they have lived up to that promise. 4 eps in, we are all watching this one, so even some of the tunnel visions crowd are prepared to stretch a point. Well worth a look, as long as it avoids becoming too "cause of the week".
CSI - I am not normally inclined to saying "I told you so", but I really can't resist the temptation. David commented on this show in his new season outline, as follows:
"Unless the audience takes a shine to the cast, this series is likely to go the way of last season's high-cost shows techno-techs, Snoops, and the fun but very underrated "Now and Again" and last only until the mid-season break"
This show is the surprise hit of the season. The viewing figures have far outstripped those for The Fugitive that immediately precedes it and it has already been renewed for a second season. I love this show, as it gives an insight into what really goes on behind the scenes of police work, and is not dependent on chases and gun fights for its appeal.
It was suggested that the national interest in the O J Simpson trial and all the forensic evidence involved, has led to many people tuning in to this show. In my opinion, it's because it is well acted, well written and above all, interesting. The different focus of the show is allowing the writers to explore story lines that have previously been peripheral to the main story, but which are now relevant in this day and age of technical evidence.
Again, if you are looking for a show to add to your list, this could be a good choice.
The District - I thought this show was just an attempt to ride on the coattails of The West Wing, being set in Washington as it is. However, it stands very well alone. The show is a good blend of shows like West Wing and NYPD Blue and is extremely entertaining. My only reservation is that as the show focuses very firmly on the character of the Chief of Police, I am not sure how long they can hold the standard of the writing before it becomes repetitive.
Other Drama Shows
Boston Public - It has been a long time since we had a series set principally in a school (unless you count Buffy, but this is a different sort of show). This show from Ally McBeal writer David E Kelley is already engaging after only two episodes. I am looking forward to seeing how the characters develop and where the writing can lead them in this melting pot about to boil over.
The Street - One episode so far. Didn't understand it. The entire show seemed to revolve around who was sleeping with who, and stock trading done in a high-speed gabble that we could hardly make out, followed by lots of people slapping themselves on the back. We can only assume they did well.
Bull - This show is also about Wall Street brokers, but at least it seems to make some sort of sense. Perhaps it's just because I have seen more episodes. Given an entire season, I might even begin to understand some of these ads for on-line trading. Not bad drama however.
That's Life - I am not keen on this. It hasn't yet made it mind up whether it's a comedy or a drama. Again, I seem to be a lone voice in this, as everyone else is enjoying it.
My biggest objection is that it is a total rip-off of "Pearl" from two years ago, right down to the mature woman returning to a college full of kids and having some sort of relationship with her tutor. At least Pearl had the decency to admit that it was a comedy. I am told by my colleagues that I am being unfair and should give it a chance.
To them I say - Get back to your corners and watch Sailor Moon.
Sitcoms
Madigan Men - This is the only new sitcom that we are taping, and even then, it was requested after the season began, so we never saw the pilot. Nevertheless, it is amusing. Gabriel Byrne is surprisingly good in a comedy role, but the majority of the laughs come from Roy Dotrice as the crusty old Irish father who has basically dumped himself on his son and grandson. Another cast regular is Sabrina Lloyd of Sliders.
Not bad
Overall
Without a doubt, this is the best new-season line up in 10 years. A lot of these shows are going to last out, which does not bode well for some of the tired old favorites which may well be retired next year.
Perhaps the most significant point of this season so far is that in week 5/6, the only show that has fallen is Freakylinks, which was virtually doomed from the outset.
So far, not one drama or sitcom has been canceled, although a couple are looking shaky (not ones in which we have any interest), and several were either held up or temporarily withdrawn for revision.
We would not be surprised if a lot of these shows ended up on TV screens in Europe and Australasia in the next year or two, and we genuinely expect several of these new shows to get at least a mention in next year's Emmy Awards.
If anyone would like more detailed info on any of these shows, drop an e-mail to David and he will point you to some Websites.
Best wishes,
Alexandra Benedict, Entertainment Industry Liaison Officer
Eastlant Sci-Fi Group
Fans Working for Fandom, Not for Profit.
Subject: Eastlant Sci-Fi Group - 2000-2001 Season Short Reviews
Eastlant Sci-Fi Group - 2000-2001 Season
Short Reviews by Alexandra Benedict
I think the reason this falls to me every year is that I'm the only one who doesn't suffer from Sci-Fi Tunnel Vision. Some of my colleagues are so tightly focused on genre shows that the very thought of watching a drama or a comedy has them hacking in a bucket.
What it means for you is that you get my opinions like them or not. But then, that's the idea, so in order to give you some sort of benchmark against which to judge whether or not you are likely to agree with my opinions, let me give you a quick list of my likes and dislikes from existing shows.
Genre shows:
Likes:
X-Files; Xena; Babylon 5; Farscape; Voyager; Buffy and to a lesser extent Angel;
Dislikes:
Invisible Man; First Wave; Lexx;
Mainstream Shows:
Likes:
Ally McBeal; Law & Order; West Wing; The Practice; Frasier;
Dislikes:
ER; Friends; Drew Carey;
For obvious reasons, I am not going to comment on shows returning for a second or later season, as you will already know what these shows are like, nor am I going to waste time commenting on shows that we are not taping, so this will focus solely on the new season shows that have been requested, and I am using the template of David's New Season Outline as a guide, so they will appear in the same order as they did in that newsletter.
Genre Shows:
Mainstream Sci-Fi Shows
DARK ANGEL - I am less impressed with this than I expected to be. The show is very well made, and has a movie feel to it, but so far the story lines have been a little bland. However, I was informed today that Fox have ordered a full season, so the show has obviously gained the approval of the audience.
If I have any real criticism of the show, it’s that Jessica Alba plays the part with far too much confidence. Given the background of the character, you would expect a little vulnerability, but that seems to get lost in motor cycle chases and groin kicking.
Perhaps we just expected too much from James Cameron. After all, he couldn't do Terminator on a weekly basis. Maybe I just need to give this time. However, I am a sole dissenting voice in this. Everyone else seems to think it's great
GENE RODDENBERRY'S ANDROMEDA - So far, the critics have come out about 50/50 on this show. Some love it some hate it. Personally, I think the show overall is very good, but some of the characters are a little questionable. The stories so far have been very reminiscent of early Star Trek, although of course the sfx are 21st century and very well done. However, once again I had to grit my teeth and refrain from screaming when the captain (Kevin Sorbo) allowed an enemy warship to beat the hell out of his ship while he tried to hail the for peace talks. This show is definitely Roddenberry, not Straczinski.
David tells me that he is still, waiting for a guest appearance by Ming the Merciless.
Borderline Sci-Fi Shows
FREAKYLINKS - Suck! Suck! Suck! Suck! Suck! This is the worst piece of television I have ever seen. It is incoherent, annoying and BORING! I would love to take a baseball bat to the smug, supercilious face of the female lead. She couldn't act her way out of a wet paper bag, and her fellow cast members are a bunch of dead fish.
Anyway, I am reliably informed that this show has died the death. If it does reappear, perhaps we can find some way to avoid it, otherwise, I will find some reason to be elsewhere when it is on.
Die! Die! Die!
FREEDOM - I wasn't going to comment on this show, as we have only seen two episodes (the pilot that aired this week + one preview copy that Bob brought back from Centra-Con). However, I am gong to anyway. I LOVED this show. It reminds me not only of The Matrix (the fight scenes etc are very similar) but also of Harsh Realm, last year's Fox rip-off of Chris Carter. If I were to rank this week's shows in the order in which I am looking forward to them, it would rank #2 (after The West Wing).
LEVEL 9 - Again, a pleasant surprise. I expected this to be a cross between Freakylinks (Yuk!) and The Net - a failed borderline shows from two seasons ago, but it actually turned out to be a fairly decent show. The story was credible, the characters were fairly well defined and the technology was interesting. It left me wondering if such things are possible.
Even after just one episode, I am certainly prepared to give it time to grow on me.
Fantasy Shows
SHEENA, QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE - I started watching this show with the usual jaundiced preconceptions that attach themselves to any new syndicated fantasy show. I am not a fan of Beastmaster, Conan, Lost World, Mortal Kombat, etc, but I was totally surprised by this show. I have now seen 3 episodes (they managed to miss episode 4 dammit!) and I am hooked. I love this show. This is definitely on my to-see list.
QUEEN OF SWORDS - This is also not bad. It includes a fair number of people form the Highlander TV series, and is a lot of fun. If you are looking for something to fill a gap, this might be what you are looking for.
Non-Genre Shows:
Courtroom and Lawyer Shows
Ed - This is a good diversion. The show is lightweight enough to be undemanding fun, and uncluttered by the too-large cast of a show like Ally McBeal, so it moves along nicely. It is inhabited by a bunch of eccentric characters that are reminiscent more of Picket Fences than any other show that comes to mind. We have seen 4 eps so far and I have now taken to editing this one off-air as come Sunday night, I am waiting for it to appear rather than just dropping in when it is being edited.
Police and Detective Dramas
The Fugitive - The producers of this show claimed that they were doing a TV series in the vein of a movie every week. So far they have lived up to that promise. 4 eps in, we are all watching this one, so even some of the tunnel visions crowd are prepared to stretch a point. Well worth a look, as long as it avoids becoming too "cause of the week".
CSI - I am not normally inclined to saying "I told you so", but I really can't resist the temptation. David commented on this show in his new season outline, as follows:
"Unless the audience takes a shine to the cast, this series is likely to go the way of last season's high-cost shows techno-techs, Snoops, and the fun but very underrated "Now and Again" and last only until the mid-season break"
This show is the surprise hit of the season. The viewing figures have far outstripped those for The Fugitive that immediately precedes it and it has already been renewed for a second season. I love this show, as it gives an insight into what really goes on behind the scenes of police work, and is not dependent on chases and gun fights for its appeal.
It was suggested that the national interest in the O J Simpson trial and all the forensic evidence involved, has led to many people tuning in to this show. In my opinion, it's because it is well acted, well written and above all, interesting. The different focus of the show is allowing the writers to explore story lines that have previously been peripheral to the main story, but which are now relevant in this day and age of technical evidence.
Again, if you are looking for a show to add to your list, this could be a good choice.
The District - I thought this show was just an attempt to ride on the coattails of The West Wing, being set in Washington as it is. However, it stands very well alone. The show is a good blend of shows like West Wing and NYPD Blue and is extremely entertaining. My only reservation is that as the show focuses very firmly on the character of the Chief of Police, I am not sure how long they can hold the standard of the writing before it becomes repetitive.
Other Drama Shows
Boston Public - It has been a long time since we had a series set principally in a school (unless you count Buffy, but this is a different sort of show). This show from Ally McBeal writer David E Kelley is already engaging after only two episodes. I am looking forward to seeing how the characters develop and where the writing can lead them in this melting pot about to boil over.
The Street - One episode so far. Didn't understand it. The entire show seemed to revolve around who was sleeping with who, and stock trading done in a high-speed gabble that we could hardly make out, followed by lots of people slapping themselves on the back. We can only assume they did well.
Bull - This show is also about Wall Street brokers, but at least it seems to make some sort of sense. Perhaps it's just because I have seen more episodes. Given an entire season, I might even begin to understand some of these ads for on-line trading. Not bad drama however.
That's Life - I am not keen on this. It hasn't yet made it mind up whether it's a comedy or a drama. Again, I seem to be a lone voice in this, as everyone else is enjoying it.
My biggest objection is that it is a total rip-off of "Pearl" from two years ago, right down to the mature woman returning to a college full of kids and having some sort of relationship with her tutor. At least Pearl had the decency to admit that it was a comedy. I am told by my colleagues that I am being unfair and should give it a chance.
To them I say - Get back to your corners and watch Sailor Moon.
Sitcoms
Madigan Men - This is the only new sitcom that we are taping, and even then, it was requested after the season began, so we never saw the pilot. Nevertheless, it is amusing. Gabriel Byrne is surprisingly good in a comedy role, but the majority of the laughs come from Roy Dotrice as the crusty old Irish father who has basically dumped himself on his son and grandson. Another cast regular is Sabrina Lloyd of Sliders.
Not bad
Overall
Without a doubt, this is the best new-season line up in 10 years. A lot of these shows are going to last out, which does not bode well for some of the tired old favorites which may well be retired next year.
Perhaps the most significant point of this season so far is that in week 5/6, the only show that has fallen is Freakylinks, which was virtually doomed from the outset.
So far, not one drama or sitcom has been canceled, although a couple are looking shaky (not ones in which we have any interest), and several were either held up or temporarily withdrawn for revision.
We would not be surprised if a lot of these shows ended up on TV screens in Europe and Australasia in the next year or two, and we genuinely expect several of these new shows to get at least a mention in next year's Emmy Awards.
If anyone would like more detailed info on any of these shows, drop an e-mail to David and he will point you to some Websites.
Best wishes,
Alexandra Benedict, Entertainment Industry Liaison Officer
Eastlant Sci-Fi Group
Fans Working for Fandom, Not for Profit.
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