Defiance- does this look good or what?

EC, it warms my heart to know that you're on "watch" duty (I'm smiling as I write this)...........

My gut reaction to Defiance: Universal/SyFy did their homework, but I have a few minor quibbles.

1. I felt they took things a bit too seriously, a bit much with the drama.

2. I felt they rushed the storyline of Nolan becoming the sheriff; the poor actor who played McCawley's eldest son (see I can't even remember his name) he was killed off rather abruptly and so I didn't really care, very little build up (what I call the set-up to the payoff, it has to make sense and develop). They could've taken more time - it's a TV series.

3. Nolan bedding Kenya right off, ok, I give 'em that one - She's fine
(she's no Inara, but on a cold night, hubba, hubba!)

4. Sorry but Graham Greene didn't convince me, at least in the pilot, that he's this angry hothead father who like a frontiersman/landowner (that's a John Wayne role if ever I saw one). Maybe he'll be better in future episodes.

2 reasons why here: a) When they killed his son, I wasn't convinced he cared
and b) when they killed his best friend, the sheriff, I wasn't convinced he cared (I'm sensing a pattern here).

Part of it is due to the set-up. If the sheriff wasn't going to be a main character, why write him in at all. Why not just infer his death and have Tommy, his deputy, take the reins and try and stop McCawley from killing Alak.

Score: C-

Enough with the negatives, let's see what I did like:

I like Nolan. I like Irisa. Both are solid and their chemistry is spot on.
I like them as characters and how their story flowed, it was natural (not rushed or forced) and set the tone almost immediately. The studio did the right thing casting these two as leads. They are both good together and separately, each has gravitas, but each has that little spark in their eye that can lead to comic situations when needed within the show's storyline.

I like Julie Benz as the mayor. She's solid as well.

I really like the Tarrs. Both of them are solid actors and drive the show's more wicked side. Solid casting there as well. I could do without the star-crossed lovers bit between the 2 teens, but the jury's out on that working or not (at least for me).

Jury's out for me on Kenya (horrible name) Mia Kirschner is fine but....

Grade: B-

That's about it, not much but I still liked it. But please note that I'm a sci-fi geek and watched Flash Gordon when I was a boy. Despite the terrible FX (wires flying the ship) I was in heaven. 100 hundred years later, along comes Firefly and everything seemed to gel and make sense.

The potential is there. Good thing about it is that they can make it anything they want, but hopefully will listen to fans and incorporate what makes us smile. Time will tell.

Similarities:

Nolan - former soldier, salvager, father figure to a wounded teen, lovable scoundrel (tightpants not included)

Irisa - wounded teen, special skills with knives, may have other special powers (that may yet come to the surface)

Amanda/Kenya - they took Inara and split her into 2 women/the ambassador and the whore

Need/Want Bar - Maidenhead Bar anyone, good choice and I like the name

Datak and wife - Badger x 2

Earth That Was - well, we all knew that was coming

Pale Wars - The Alliance didn't have those cool Arks floating about

Defiance - named after a battle for freedom, hmmmmm, where have we heard that before (I actually like that part of the storyline in the show)

Reavers? - didn't quite catch the name of the baddies at the end, but Nolan fought them during the war, not sure about this part of the story.

Well, you get the picture. Universal couldn't, or wouldn't, get Firefly so they create a similar vibe with this show. Well, not quite, but they use elements of our beloved series. Smart move, they have a ready-made audience clamoring for our BDH and do their best not to ruffle any feathers

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Quote:

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Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
It's filmed in Canada, I guess to reduce overall costs and for it's terrain.

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That would explain the mountain range that suddenly appeared in Missouri.




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"We will never have the elite, smart people on our side." -- Rick "Frothy" Santorum

"Goram it kid, let's frak this thing and go home! Engage!"

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Quote:

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That would explain the mountain range that suddenly appeared in Missouri.

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Yeah, that one bugs me a bit too. Sure, it LOOKS cool, but explain to me the tectonic forces which would uplift a mountain range in St. Louis, in just 30 some years, but some how that arch still remains standing ?

Not likely.

And w/ the tech that's available, is there really no way to find out what Antarctica is REALLY like with out having to travel all the way there to find out ?

This isn't the world of Mad Max, where the current apex of technology is a gas powered engine.

But over all, I really dig ( most of ) the characters and early plot lines. That the smokin' hot mayor is sister to the town doxy, and Nolan has already nailed one, and looks to be wanting to hook up w/ the other, is a situation ripe w/ sexual tension.



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" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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