Terra Nova

[Pottsey]

How long before a deadly bacteria/virus affects the colony episode happens?

That’s already happened in a way so they might not play that card again. Wasn’t it EP2 that explained the batch of teenagers living together without parents was due to a fever that killed so many in the years before?

 

[HighlandeR]

Just give it another few episodes and we will get that one where aliens visit earth and discover the humans camp...

 

[Radiation]

I don't get it, are tv writers just lazy and unimaginative or don't they care about details and believability?

They get the opportunity to create something special but they seem to fail time and time again, it's getting annoying to see scifi that doesn't even try to explain anything or just makes up rubbish as it goes along, i wonder what could be if they had a team of scifi fans go over the scripts looking for junk science or dumb ideas, things should at least be believable or make sense within their own shows universe.

It seems like more and more scifi is turning overly family friendly or just plain silly, take Eureka for example, it's got a lot of interesting science and tech but it's rather silly and too family friendly, entertaining enough in it's own way but they also go and do a cross over with Warehouse 13 making them both part of the same universe which is just dumb, for those that don't know Warehouse 13 is more like magic than science, basically items get someone infused with weird magical like powers for reasons that are never actually explained, probably because it's so stupid, however they can be disabled by putting them in a antistatic bag, trying to mix reason with the ridiculous is what's wrong here.

 

[MissChief]

They keep wimping out because the big networks want ratings so they can sell advertising. Serious and technical Sci-fi might be your cup of tea but it turns the majority of Americans off. No ratings, no advertising, show gets canned.

 

[HighlandeR]

lol you got some points about warehouse 13.... however am enjoying that series while its more magic I guess, but there are many scifi aspects to that show. Yeah its not always explained or they explain it very quickly relating to who owned it or what it was used for its done quite fast and can be missed. I think they mentioned about the bag and tag bit in season 1 just cant recall why it worked !

I think the cross over thing was interesting but ive not watched eureka.... Regardless warehouse 13 is scifis most watched series and is renewed for next summer

I find Sanctuary and warehouse 13 refreshing scifi.... but its quite clear scifi channel can axe it at anytime both shows have only survived by being cut down in episode length and cast reductions over the years.

Scifi has been dieing sadly, reality shows and drama/comedy shows are way cheaper and can handle poor episodes/times, + they dont need to spend millions on cgi effects.
I hear the new BSG blood and chrome spin off series is now a webisode series or a mini film/series.... These are recession and bad times

 

[drunkenmaster]

Hell, the fact they've set the show where they have instead of in the distant future is an attempt to try and tell a story free from the baggage sci-fi often brings.

Not really, its not even definately a different planet or alternate reality, its scifi, theres plenty of reasons.

They sent back a device they thought they could find 85billion years later, heres a hint, maybe they just couldn't find it, maybe it died maybe it was purposefully destroyed at some point, maybe they didn't change the timeline by going back because they always went back.

Even that was VERY loosely gone over, we made this thing that we could definately detect 85billion years later, so we know its not earth............ in what universe does chucking something through a portal and not being able to find it 85billion years later prove its not earth.

The whole thing is laughably bad and cheap.

Realistically a "great" show, or one with potential would have been writen FAR better, would have been in far less of a rush to move the location of the show with no real build up, and wouldn't be a teen drama which is what its focusing on.

As someone pointed out, the stories aren't different in basis to parenting troubles in suburbs with bullies or drugs being what the kids all sneak off for, and the dad the kids don't feel connected to or respect, and the oh so original hot head personality + midget version who doesn't realise he's the same till some inciteful hotty points it out to him.

 

[Glaucus]

So basically what your saying is you want all the question answered strait away. That isnt story telling. That doesn't happen in any film, series or book.

It's set up a fairly good premise with a enough info to get on with whilst leaving huge questions.
As the story is told we get those senders.
I predict the captains son, the device and those equations on the rock are all linked and are the main story.

Yes it is fairly teeny, but that's it's audience. Why does it need a build up with a episode or two in the future. That isn't the main story.

Is star wars also rubbish, as it gets straight to the point with no build up?

 

[THMRK]

Not really, its not even definately a different planet or alternate reality, its scifi, theres plenty of reasons.

They sent back a device they thought they could find 85billion years later, heres a hint, maybe they just couldn't find it, maybe it died maybe it was purposefully destroyed at some point, maybe they didn't change the timeline by going back because they always went back.

Even that was VERY loosely gone over, we made this thing that we could definately detect 85billion years later, so we know its not earth............ in what universe does chucking something through a portal and not being able to find it 85billion years later prove its not earth.

The whole thing is laughably bad and cheap.

Realistically a "great" show, or one with potential would have been writen FAR better, would have been in far less of a rush to move the location of the show with no real build up, and wouldn't be a teen drama which is what its focusing on.

As someone pointed out, the stories aren't different in basis to parenting troubles in suburbs with bullies or drugs being what the kids all sneak off for, and the dad the kids don't feel connected to or respect, and the oh so original hot head personality + midget version who doesn't realise he's the same till some inciteful hotty points it out to him.

I don't disagree with any of that. I'm just after saying that it's a terribly written show.

But it might get better. It must do in order to keep going. I doubt it'll happen, but there you go.

Also, drama is inherent in storylines regardless of where it is set. Surely you can tell that by this show isn't particularly concerned with the sci-fi element and more concerned with the drama element? Bad writing aside, this is still first and foremost a family drama and it is fairly competent in that regard.

 

[Freakbro]

Not seen it yet but I'm getting the feeling this is a waste of my hard drive space

 

[No1newts]

So basically what your saying is you want all the question answered strait away. That isnt story telling. That doesn't happen in any film, series or book.

It's set up a fairly good premise with a enough info to get on with whilst leaving huge questions.
As the story is told we get those senders.
I predict the captains son, the device and those equations on the rock are all linked and are the main story.

Yes it is fairly teeny, but that's it's audience. Why does it need a build up with a episode or two in the future. That isn't the main story.

Is star wars also rubbish, as it gets straight to the point with no build up?

No. People are saying they want a correctly fleshed out back story which makes sense. There is a massive difference between "telling everyone everything straight away" as you put it and having a basic premise without more holes in it than a policemans stab vest after a visit to the bronx.

 

[Glaucus]

What plot holes? Were two episodes in.
Why does the future world need fleshing out? And who says it won't be qbxk filled in later episodes.

I think viewers have lost the plot recently and have forgotten what story telling is and what everything on the plater from the first episode.

Yes it is teeny and pretty obvious but then it looks like that is the target episode.

Did you guys hate BSG, because you didn't get the back story all at once?

 

[drunkenmaster]

So basically what your saying is you want all the question answered strait away. That isnt story telling. That doesn't happen in any film, series or book.

It's set up a fairly good premise with a enough info to get on with whilst leaving huge questions.
As the story is told we get those senders.
I predict the captains son, the device and those equations on the rock are all linked and are the main story.

Yes it is fairly teeny, but that's it's audience. Why does it need a build up with a episode or two in the future. That isn't the main story.

Is star wars also rubbish, as it gets straight to the point with no build up?

Sorry but, learn to read, where did I ask for all questions to be answered straight away, the ANSWERS WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN....... are utter turd.

The script..... is utter turd.

The cast/script........ is 95% turd.

The first 3 ep's........ have been crap.

Better story, scripting and cast would fix most of these problems together.

When you base a new show on a SOLID BASE, which means, not complete tosh science and forgetting to do basic things right, you get better shows, its really very simple.

As for answering things straight away not happening in any film, books or tv, what utter utter utter beyond ridiculous crap.

I think Lost happened, and suddenly everyone thinks you never have to answer a question ever again, nothing need make sense, the writers don't have to come up with a series storyline ahead of time, just make it up on the fly, and anything other kind of show never happened before.

Hell, even if you go with Buffy, the first shows explained the premise, explained who she was, why, what she should do and why she was where she was.

These are simple things to get right, there are still things that weren't answered till far later, and established story arcs throughout the season, but the individual storys, scripting, dialogue and premise were all established straight away.

Think of it this way, Terra nova, they have tech to slice through anything with a tiny laser, later on all the weapons aren't lasers, its like Buffy steaking something in the first episode, and no longer having steaks later on in the show, its not an unanswered question, its stupid.

They seem to be able to take anything across, (though they didn't, this is beyond unexplainable, its stupid), they might not have power to charge energy weapons, thats an assumption.......... would you not still take them through because you're establishing a new outpost and eventually, even if 100 years later, be getting power? You can take "ammo" of some kind to use them for a while. Again, its not unexplained, its not a mystery that will be explained later on, its stupid.

Every other show EVER "why aren't we using better weapons from home dad, wouldn't we be safer" "yeah, it turns out they don't work in this atmosphere", or "our battery tech means they don't keep a charge for more than a day and use far more power than we'll have for decades".

 

[Glaucus]

They are no longer in the future, they don't have huge power plants as well as the whole, we don't won't to destroy the world again.

They have set out the premise. The world is dying, they acedentaly created a time machine with no choice where to go.
Theyve also also set out a story with his son, the probe and the writing on the rocks.

It's nothing like lost. Lost didn't answer anything ever. How do you know this is the same.
Lost sucked.

Did you find everything out about buffy in first episode, no. Or how about films with jumpy time lines. Or most media.
That's the point you tell a story and along the path things fall into place and you are told.

At least pic holes where there are holes. Like the bad cgi the teenyness, well I suppose you have picked up on that. But some of that stuff You've said is just bs.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

The latest Southpark episode featured an advert about Terra Nova in the cartoon.

 

[Radiation]

lol you got some points about warehouse 13.... however am enjoying that series while its more magic I guess, but there are many scifi aspects to that show. Yeah its not always explained or they explain it very quickly relating to who owned it or what it was used for its done quite fast and can be missed. I think they mentioned about the bag and tag bit in season 1 just cant recall why it worked !

I think the cross over thing was interesting but ive not watched eureka.... Regardless warehouse 13 is scifis most watched series and is renewed for next summer

I find Sanctuary and warehouse 13 refreshing scifi.... but its quite clear scifi channel can axe it at anytime both shows have only survived by being cut down in episode length and cast reductions over the years.

Scifi has been dieing sadly, reality shows and drama/comedy shows are way cheaper and can handle poor episodes/times, + they dont need to spend millions on cgi effects.
I hear the new BSG blood and chrome spin off series is now a webisode series or a mini film/series.... These are recession and bad times

Don't get me wrong i actually quite like Warehouse 13, unlike some i can usually enjoy a show for what it is but i don't think they should try to mix a scientific show with a more magical one, not to say Eureka is serious scifi, far from it but they at least try to make sense in their own way, shows like Warehouse 13 and Doctor Who don't bother, they come up with the most absurd weird stuff and don't really care whether any of it makes sense.

I'll watch Terra Nova and hope it improves, im just disappointed with the lack of serious scifi about these days, Fringe is about all there is now but even it goes too far with some of it's ideas, great show though.

 

[HighlandeR]

Only scifi I liked recently was Caprica recently... was a show I hated at 1st but then peices and events started to unfold and then I noticed the characters are actually well written and this could be something quite amazing..... and then scifi channel did what they always do and drop it.

Then again I liked sarah conner chronicles, if people are bored you can try Alphas which is good so far, its like heros but there more real and different and its just been renewed

 

[Cold_And_Miserable]

Very disappointing so far:

-Time travel is impossible due to cause and effect.
-The time fracture/portal device isn't very convincing. Only brief, vague explanation is given. No idea how it works.
-It is unkown how communications are sent from Terra Nova to 2159.
-Dinosaurs shouldn't be a threat against 22nd century weaponry.
-Why doesn't the commander wipe out the Sixers given they're outnumbered at least 9:1?

 

[No1newts]

Very disappointing so far:

-Time travel is impossible due to cause and effect.
-The time fracture/portal device isn't very convincing. Only brief, vague explanation is given. No idea how it works.
-It is unkown how communications are sent from Terra Nova to 2159.
-Dinosaurs shouldn't be a threat against 22nd century weaponry.
-Why doesn't the commander wipe out the Sixers given they're outnumbered at least 9:1?

Because it's paper thin Spielberg garbage. I tried re-watching the first 2 episodes hoping I missed something, that was a mistake, completely destroyed the desire to bother with the third episode

Will keep an eye on the thread in case things improve but up until I hear rave reviews i'm keeping away. Disapointing but just got Big Bang Theory box set so I'll watch that instead

 

[Swordfish]

-Time travel is impossible due to cause and effect.

It's TV - everything is possible.

-The time fracture/portal device isn't very convincing. Only brief, vague explanation is given. No idea how it works.

It's TV - people don't want to know how it works.

-It is unkown how communications are sent from Terra Nova to 2159.

It's TV - People don't care.

Very disappointing so far:
-Why doesn't the commander wipe out the Sixers given they're outnumbered at least 9:1?

It's TV - this will cut down the number of episodes.


Otherwise it's fine for a watch.

 

[HangTime]

I'm keeping an open mind. I think they managed to do enough in the first episode to draw me in in terms of the bloke sneaking into the facility, although I wasn't entirely sure how he'd managed to escape from prison.

Reminds me a bit of Outcasts crossed with Jurassic park. I think it could be one of those flawed shows that has a big enough budget to tag me along for a bit.