I haven't been writing much about the stuff I've been watching on TV. So far, the fall TV season has been underwhelming. Most of the shows I still watch have become crappy (THE OFFICE) or mediocre at best (30 ROCK). There are a few gems, like SONS OF ANARCHY or THE VENTURE BROS, but overall, I'm watching less and less TV this year. When I do, I don't feel compelled to be in front of the TV when the stuff is on. I can wait for DVR, or if I forget just download the show (watch/delete).
The only new show that I decided to give a chance this year was V, since I loved the original when I was a kid.
Like I mentioned in a previous post or two, I had re-watched bits of the two original mini-series. I also caught a few bits of the (horrible) regular TV series since SyFy (ugh) was marathoning it over the last few days. The original mini-series was really good, the hammy terrible acting from Marc Singer aside. (Diana became a soap opera villain by the regular TV series, but in the mini-series she was a cold, calculating monster.) Seeing the original mini-series, which was great become a laughably terrible (and boring) TV show, I wondered (and still wonder) if the concept is better suited to a finite run than a regular show.
So, figuring the new show would be an improvement, given modern special FX (even on TV) and somewhat more sophisticated writing than TV had 25 years ago, I was looking forward to a reboot of V.
The only new show that I decided to give a chance this year was V, since I loved the original when I was a kid.
Like I mentioned in a previous post or two, I had re-watched bits of the two original mini-series. I also caught a few bits of the (horrible) regular TV series since SyFy (ugh) was marathoning it over the last few days. The original mini-series was really good, the hammy terrible acting from Marc Singer aside. (Diana became a soap opera villain by the regular TV series, but in the mini-series she was a cold, calculating monster.) Seeing the original mini-series, which was great become a laughably terrible (and boring) TV show, I wondered (and still wonder) if the concept is better suited to a finite run than a regular show.
So, figuring the new show would be an improvement, given modern special FX (even on TV) and somewhat more sophisticated writing than TV had 25 years ago, I was looking forward to a reboot of V.
An interview or two hinted that they might've changed what the Visitors actually were beneath their human appearance, I was pleased to see they didn't. The lizard concept is solid. We still don't know if their motivation for coming to Earth is the same as the original show though. (To take all of our water and use us as food.)
I really liked the idea that they had sleeper cells here on Earth already. I always thought that would've been a smart way to invade. Of course in the original the Visitor's had that distinctive harmonized pitch shift effect on their voices when they spoke. (Which disappeared in the TV series. I guess it was a hassle to add that effect on for every episode or budgetary concern. Lots of cost cutting there though, since all of the space ship footage on the regular series was recycled from the minis.)
I thought the ships, and Visitor uniforms looked better in the original.
I figured out the twist with a certain character immediately. His (minor spoiler) being listed as a guest-star instead of regular cast member, which is contrary to everything I had read in advance about the show meant one of two things... killed off or Visitor. By the halfway point of the show I knew which.
I was a bit surprised with this version's "Martin" reveal. I honestly thought the Visitor there would've been his fiance.
I can tell already that I'm going to hate Juliette from LOST's kid on this one. It seems like these shows love to shoe-horn in annoying teenagers that the audience prays get killed off.
Unrelated to the show itself: I was annoyed by my local ABC affiliate shrinking the show to a small box on the screen to show incoming election info. Just wait until you have the results, and waste commercial break time with that stuff. I don't care who is going to be on the city council two towns away.
I really liked the idea that they had sleeper cells here on Earth already. I always thought that would've been a smart way to invade. Of course in the original the Visitor's had that distinctive harmonized pitch shift effect on their voices when they spoke. (Which disappeared in the TV series. I guess it was a hassle to add that effect on for every episode or budgetary concern. Lots of cost cutting there though, since all of the space ship footage on the regular series was recycled from the minis.)
I thought the ships, and Visitor uniforms looked better in the original.
I figured out the twist with a certain character immediately. His (minor spoiler) being listed as a guest-star instead of regular cast member, which is contrary to everything I had read in advance about the show meant one of two things... killed off or Visitor. By the halfway point of the show I knew which.
I was a bit surprised with this version's "Martin" reveal. I honestly thought the Visitor there would've been his fiance.
I can tell already that I'm going to hate Juliette from LOST's kid on this one. It seems like these shows love to shoe-horn in annoying teenagers that the audience prays get killed off.
Unrelated to the show itself: I was annoyed by my local ABC affiliate shrinking the show to a small box on the screen to show incoming election info. Just wait until you have the results, and waste commercial break time with that stuff. I don't care who is going to be on the city council two towns away.
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3 comments:
The Venture Bros. Is so wrong that it has been awesome so far! That whole Capt Sunshine was creepy but hilarious.
WONDER BOY!!!!
I dug it, had to add the mini series to my Netflix queue so my memory can be completely refreshed.
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