PREAIR
"Come with me if you want to live"
- The Terminator
A few years ago pilots for new series and first episodes for new seasons started leaking out to the net during the summer off-season. While I'm pretty sure this was all pretty sneaky at first, during the last two years I'm getting the impressions that some producers are doing the leaking intentionally, either to gauge reactions to new shows or create "buzz". I don't really know how this "buzz" thing works, and I'm guessing most of them don't know either, but it's not like they have anything to lose.
And from my side, it is the off-season, which usually dwindles my watchables (is SO a word) reserves down to the point where I'm watching anime. And this is not the good kind of anime. Year-round broadcasting my @$$.
And so I sat down to watch the preair pilots for two new shows with hot women kicking ass. My impressions (with very light spoilers) follow:
Bionic Woman - meh. The lead actress carries the role well enough, but the rest of the pilot left me distinctly underwhelmed. Characterization was weak, a lot of the more "emotional" interaction seemed forced, and I felt that a few of the characters weren't sufficiently based, which made it difficult to relate when, for example, they got horribly wounded. The fight scene, indicative of the special effects, was unimpressive. BW is not a very FX show (and no reason it should be) so this is not a major problem, but a better fight scene between the two bionic women would have been a nice saving grace. The show did seem to show a lot of potential for growth in both the characters and action departments, so I'm not giving up on it just yet, but as an opening episode it leaves a lot to be desired.
This seems like a good place to note that last year I was similarly underwhelmed by the Heroes preair pilot, to the point of only picking up the show when the regular broadcast hit episode 6. Which is to say, a weak pilot does not a bad series make.
The Sarah Connor Chronicles - wow. Frankly, I did not hold high hopes for The Terminator TV show (set 2 years after T2, ignoring T3). I knew I had to watch it because of the rule that says I have to watch anything with Summer Glau beating people up while naked (oh, such harsh laws I live by...), but I was not expecting much else from this pilot. I was very pleasantly surprised. The characters were very well presented, and their interactions felt very real and immediate. All 3 leads do a great job (Glau makes an adorable terminator, and Dekker manages to portray John without making me want to punch him). The action was excellent, and completely in line with the Terminator movies (you don't see that many 90's action sequences nowdays). Best of all, this pilot does an excellent job of introducing the show, it's premise and it's characters. Finally, I have to note the small touches - Sarah and John's alias surname is Reese, the new terminator is called Cameron, the "come with me if you want to live" line... it's nice to show the viewers that you actually like the franchise you're developing a new show for.
I do wonder if Summer Glau ever gets to play a normal well-balanced (happy - optional) human being, but for the moment I am not complaining.
Also on PREAIR:
Pushing Daisies - a guy can bring people back to life for 1 minute freebie, or forever if he lets someone else die. But if he touches them again they die permanently. Cute and weird, slightly reminiscient of Dead like Me. Can't really see this one find it's niche like DLM did, and subsequently I expect it to fail.
Californication - David Duchovny is a no good writer addicted to drugs and sex, with an ex-wife and a 12 year old daughter. Hilarity ensues. I don't see why this is billed as a comedy seeing as it's not one bit of funny, but it's not bad drama. I do not recommend watching this alongside Dexter, or you might become Warren Ellis and start planning the murder of all mankind.
- The Terminator
A few years ago pilots for new series and first episodes for new seasons started leaking out to the net during the summer off-season. While I'm pretty sure this was all pretty sneaky at first, during the last two years I'm getting the impressions that some producers are doing the leaking intentionally, either to gauge reactions to new shows or create "buzz". I don't really know how this "buzz" thing works, and I'm guessing most of them don't know either, but it's not like they have anything to lose.
And from my side, it is the off-season, which usually dwindles my watchables (is SO a word) reserves down to the point where I'm watching anime. And this is not the good kind of anime. Year-round broadcasting my @$$.
And so I sat down to watch the preair pilots for two new shows with hot women kicking ass. My impressions (with very light spoilers) follow:
Bionic Woman - meh. The lead actress carries the role well enough, but the rest of the pilot left me distinctly underwhelmed. Characterization was weak, a lot of the more "emotional" interaction seemed forced, and I felt that a few of the characters weren't sufficiently based, which made it difficult to relate when, for example, they got horribly wounded. The fight scene, indicative of the special effects, was unimpressive. BW is not a very FX show (and no reason it should be) so this is not a major problem, but a better fight scene between the two bionic women would have been a nice saving grace. The show did seem to show a lot of potential for growth in both the characters and action departments, so I'm not giving up on it just yet, but as an opening episode it leaves a lot to be desired.
This seems like a good place to note that last year I was similarly underwhelmed by the Heroes preair pilot, to the point of only picking up the show when the regular broadcast hit episode 6. Which is to say, a weak pilot does not a bad series make.
The Sarah Connor Chronicles - wow. Frankly, I did not hold high hopes for The Terminator TV show (set 2 years after T2, ignoring T3). I knew I had to watch it because of the rule that says I have to watch anything with Summer Glau beating people up while naked (oh, such harsh laws I live by...), but I was not expecting much else from this pilot. I was very pleasantly surprised. The characters were very well presented, and their interactions felt very real and immediate. All 3 leads do a great job (Glau makes an adorable terminator, and Dekker manages to portray John without making me want to punch him). The action was excellent, and completely in line with the Terminator movies (you don't see that many 90's action sequences nowdays). Best of all, this pilot does an excellent job of introducing the show, it's premise and it's characters. Finally, I have to note the small touches - Sarah and John's alias surname is Reese, the new terminator is called Cameron, the "come with me if you want to live" line... it's nice to show the viewers that you actually like the franchise you're developing a new show for.
I do wonder if Summer Glau ever gets to play a normal well-balanced (happy - optional) human being, but for the moment I am not complaining.
Also on PREAIR:
Pushing Daisies - a guy can bring people back to life for 1 minute freebie, or forever if he lets someone else die. But if he touches them again they die permanently. Cute and weird, slightly reminiscient of Dead like Me. Can't really see this one find it's niche like DLM did, and subsequently I expect it to fail.
Californication - David Duchovny is a no good writer addicted to drugs and sex, with an ex-wife and a 12 year old daughter. Hilarity ensues. I don't see why this is billed as a comedy seeing as it's not one bit of funny, but it's not bad drama. I do not recommend watching this alongside Dexter, or you might become Warren Ellis and start planning the murder of all mankind.