Terra Nova
I've been chasing the TV series [Terra Nova] for a little while now. I'm up to episode 4.
I really had high hopes for this series. I mean, dinosaurs. Steven Spielberg. Plus, it's a series, so I get to anticipate new episodes. Seriously, I think I was at a point where as LONG as the dino effects are decent, I'll overlook anything else in the series. But...well, now that I've watched episode 4, I finally have to admit it to myself:
I just don't love it. I'm not sure I even like it much.
Somehow I just CANNOT get into the series, if you know what I mean. I feel that the story progressed very shakily, with very odd leaps in logic and plot points. The effects are okay, sometimes excellent, and rather mediocre at other moments.
But the biggest issue I have is the characters. The main characters are a family of five, you'll THINK they should be easy to identify with. Nope. The chemistry between the husband and wife feels VERY awkward, the kids are unbelievably annoying. I have to say, most times, all I wanna do is send the kids back to year 2049. I think every possible stereotype you can dream up has been slapped onto the kids' characterisation. Eldest son Josh - angsty, brooding, dark, good-looking, rebellious, but undeniably charming, with an issue against his absent father. Check. Second daughter Maddy - dorky, awkward, but VERY pretty, and somehow also VERY brainy. Check. Youngest daughter Zoe - cute, pouty, more cute and pouty. Check. WTF?
And the next biggest issue - the obsession with teen romance. O.M.G. Don't get me wrong. Yes, of COURSE with teenagers as main characters, you WILL have to deal with the unavoidable teen romance aspect. But there are OTHER things to worry about when you're a bunch of humans thrown back 85 million years in history, yes? The audience has already gotten over a huge suspension of belief in watching a series about humans in the dinosaur era, I should think we can focus more on things like...survival, maybe? Coming to terms with a new world? New societal order? New rules of living? Shady areas of humanity and survival? But instead, we get to spend moments indulging in Josh and his love triangle with Skye and the chick he left behind, Maddy (who is 15 and underaged) and her budding romance with one of the SOLDIERS, the love triangle between the husband Jack, the wife Elisabeth and her university love Malcolm (who also happens to be the chief science officer at Terra Nova). Oh, so the adult love triangle isn't a teen romance, but that's probably why I'm annoyed with it as well! Of all the relationship issues we have to watch between husband and wife, it has to be the one with the past love. Nice.
I just have to say it again. O.M.G.
It's not that it's all bad with Terra Nova. There ARE exciting and inspired moments in the show, but really, they just aren't good enough to balance the mediocrity of it. When I see the giant brachiosaurus in the family's backyard and they're ooohing and ahhing over them, I can't help but think that I've ALREADY been there and done that for THREE [Jurassic Park] movies. You know what I mean? There's nothing really that special about dinosaurs on screen anymore, so everything else better be kickass to sell the show. And they aren't.
Ok, rant over. I think I'll just watch it for the dinosaurs. =_=
I really had high hopes for this series. I mean, dinosaurs. Steven Spielberg. Plus, it's a series, so I get to anticipate new episodes. Seriously, I think I was at a point where as LONG as the dino effects are decent, I'll overlook anything else in the series. But...well, now that I've watched episode 4, I finally have to admit it to myself:
I just don't love it. I'm not sure I even like it much.
Somehow I just CANNOT get into the series, if you know what I mean. I feel that the story progressed very shakily, with very odd leaps in logic and plot points. The effects are okay, sometimes excellent, and rather mediocre at other moments.
But the biggest issue I have is the characters. The main characters are a family of five, you'll THINK they should be easy to identify with. Nope. The chemistry between the husband and wife feels VERY awkward, the kids are unbelievably annoying. I have to say, most times, all I wanna do is send the kids back to year 2049. I think every possible stereotype you can dream up has been slapped onto the kids' characterisation. Eldest son Josh - angsty, brooding, dark, good-looking, rebellious, but undeniably charming, with an issue against his absent father. Check. Second daughter Maddy - dorky, awkward, but VERY pretty, and somehow also VERY brainy. Check. Youngest daughter Zoe - cute, pouty, more cute and pouty. Check. WTF?
And the next biggest issue - the obsession with teen romance. O.M.G. Don't get me wrong. Yes, of COURSE with teenagers as main characters, you WILL have to deal with the unavoidable teen romance aspect. But there are OTHER things to worry about when you're a bunch of humans thrown back 85 million years in history, yes? The audience has already gotten over a huge suspension of belief in watching a series about humans in the dinosaur era, I should think we can focus more on things like...survival, maybe? Coming to terms with a new world? New societal order? New rules of living? Shady areas of humanity and survival? But instead, we get to spend moments indulging in Josh and his love triangle with Skye and the chick he left behind, Maddy (who is 15 and underaged) and her budding romance with one of the SOLDIERS, the love triangle between the husband Jack, the wife Elisabeth and her university love Malcolm (who also happens to be the chief science officer at Terra Nova). Oh, so the adult love triangle isn't a teen romance, but that's probably why I'm annoyed with it as well! Of all the relationship issues we have to watch between husband and wife, it has to be the one with the past love. Nice.
I just have to say it again. O.M.G.
It's not that it's all bad with Terra Nova. There ARE exciting and inspired moments in the show, but really, they just aren't good enough to balance the mediocrity of it. When I see the giant brachiosaurus in the family's backyard and they're ooohing and ahhing over them, I can't help but think that I've ALREADY been there and done that for THREE [Jurassic Park] movies. You know what I mean? There's nothing really that special about dinosaurs on screen anymore, so everything else better be kickass to sell the show. And they aren't.
Ok, rant over. I think I'll just watch it for the dinosaurs. =_=