I've always been a reluctant sci fi geek. When I try a show I embrace it and geek out all the way, however I'm generally reluctant to try new shows that have a very hard line sci fi look and feel without a specific recommendation.
Since Battlestar Galactica took its final bow I've been itching for a new sci-fi show to fill the empty spot on Friday nights. Many reviews claimed that this new Stargate resembles BSG in with heavy militaristic themes and darker content. This comparison was so prevalent that the creators of the show addressed this in an interview with INNERspace (Spacecast.ca).
I'm not familiar with the previous Stargate franchise and that put me at a serious disadvantage. There was no point at which I was able to grasp a comfortable understanding of the rules that governed the SGUverse. It was either not explained or so quickly skimmed over certain key points that I'm still scratching my head over.
- What exactly is a Stargate; is it the wormhole or the ship itself?
- Who are the "ancients" and what is their significance or relation to the contemporary society?
More importantly, who are these people, and why should I care? Maybe I'm being too harsh, but none of the characters really appealed to me as relatable. Even Eli Wallace (David Blue) seemed difficult to really grasp as the everyman.
For me there was a sincere lack of the sense of urgency despite the dire circumstances the people on the ship were facing. We saw little consequences of the events that catapulted the ship carrying military and civilians into the depths of space. I didn't believe in the desperation, and disconnectedness (communication stones anyone?). Everyone and everything was just a little too polished to seem real. Perhaps in the SGUverse everyone's hair stays neat and clothes clean regardless of the situation.
I prefer my sci fi dirtier and grittier, I wasn't surprised, but felt a bit cheated by the reviews that promised a semblance to BSG, which didn't deliver. I definitely think my feelings toward this show were partially mired by this expectation. But more importantly I felt there wasn't enough room for a new viewer such as myself to enter into this world in the premiere and probably wont be returning to the show in the near future.
Do you think that as a new viewer there should be more exposition defining the rules in a series premiere?
Will this series suffer or gain from the constant comparisons to Battlestar Galactica? Or as the series chugs along maybe the comparisons will taper off.
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