(potential) T2K tv series starting

[kcdusk]

Allot of new tv shows coming out, pilots and stuff. These 2 have T2K potential. Info from Grantland.

On ABC
PERPLEXING: Last Resort, from cable capo Shawn Ryan (The Shield, Terriers), is the ballsiest rookie on anyone’s schedule. Starring Andre Braugher as a guy who speaks sternly, it’s a high-concept, higher-budget serial about the crew of a rogue nuclear sub who set up a new, deterrent-dangling nation on An Island That Conveniently Looks Like Hawaii. It’s got great credentials, a great cast, and is exactly the sort of all-or-nothing gambit the network drama departments should be trying before sliding into complete procedural irrelevance. So why has Lee beached this thing on Thursdays at 8 p.m.? It’s either savvy counter-programming to CBS and NBC’s sitcoms or a high-stakes game of brinksmanship. One way or another, somebody’s getting blown up.

On NBC
INTRIGUING: Speaking of polar bears, J.J. Abrams has bestowed the Peacock with another big-ticket idea from his brain freezer. Revolution picks up the story of Earth 15 years after all the power went out: The U.S. government has fallen into rebel factions, horses are under more strain than they were on the set of Luck, and people growing food in their backyards in Brooklyn are essential instead of annoying. Despite a recent graveyard of serialized sci-fi stinkers, I think our still-powered world is ready for another mutual obsession, and a little more Giancarlo Esposito is always a good thing. But the biggest red flag here is the sword-and-crossbow-wielding cast, a worryingly white collection of jutting jaws and bland good looks. Total societal breakdown? These pretties would barely survive a Patagonia catalog photo shoot.


Its probably been said before elsewhere, but a tv show i loved was Falling Skies. Not sure if there will be a series 2. But the first series was great. Better than Walking Dead as far as post-apoc goes.

[Matt Wiser]

Fallling Skies was renewed. Season 2 premiere is 17 June.

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by kcdusk

INTRIGUING: Speaking of polar bears, J.J. Abrams has bestowed the Peacock with another big-ticket idea from his brain freezer. Revolution picks up the story of Earth 15 years after all the power went out: The U.S. government has fallen into rebel factions, horses are under more strain than they were on the set of Luck, and people growing food in their backyards in Brooklyn are essential instead of annoying. Despite a recent graveyard of serialized sci-fi stinkers, I think our still-powered world is ready for another mutual obsession, and a little more Giancarlo Esposito is always a good thing. But the biggest red flag here is the sword-and-crossbow-wielding cast, a worryingly white collection of jutting jaws and bland good looks. Total societal breakdown? These pretties would barely survive a Patagonia catalog photo shoot.

This one sounds like its got a good deal of T2K potential.

I watched Falling Skies season 1 but before every episode, I told the wife "if it doesn't get a whole lot better fast, this is probably the last episode I'm going to watch." If space-faring aliens can't find and eliminate a civilian militia unit camping out in a school... it's just not at all realistic. 200 Spanish Conquistadors conquered the entire Inca Empire in just a couple of years- I just can't suspend my disbelief enough to really enjoy the show. I'm a little bit curious with what they do to start off season 2, but I can't imagine sitting through another full season.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Raellus

200 Spanish Conquistadors conquered the entire Inca Empire in just a couple of years- I just can't suspend my disbelief enough to really enjoy the show.

Unintended biological warfare helped with that a whole lot. The diseases the Conquistadors brought with them were killing the Incas in waves as outlying tribes spread both the news of their arrival and the pathogens they had brought. There were times as the Conquistadors moved inland where they would find villages with 95% of the population dead in their huts.

[raketenjagdpanzer]

Didn't they already do the "US loses infrastructure, winds up fractious" with Dark Angel like fifteen or sixteen years back?

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by Targan

Unintended biological warfare helped with that a whole lot. The diseases the Conquistadors brought with them were killing the Incas in waves as outlying tribes spread both the news of their arrival and the pathogens they had brought. There were times as the Conquistadors moved inland where they would find villages with 95% of the population dead in their huts.

True. And the Spaniards likely very little idea how it had happened and what role they played in it. Alien pathogens could be even deadier to human populations and they would most likely know how to cook up really nasty, selective ones too.

Also, I just want to point out that it wasn't just disease that allowed the Spaniards to demolish New World empires. At the "battle" of Cajamarca, a handful of Spaniards massacred thousands of Incans. Mounted troops, guns, and Toledo steel, although not as prolific killers as Old Word diseases, proved decisive weapons. The Inca had no answer for mounted attacks. Time and again 2-3 dozen mounted Spaniards were able to route 10-100 times their number of Inca infantry.

All in all- and I don't want to hijack this thread so I'll drop it after this- trans-stellar travellers would have technological and biotic advantages over humans to a much greater extent than Europeans had over Native Americans. How 100 or so humans armed with guns could evade and defeat extraterrestrial invaders just beggars belief.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Raellus

All in all- and I don't want to hijack this thread so I'll drop it after this- trans-stellar travellers would have technological and biotic advantages over humans to a much greater extent than Europeans had over Native Americans. How 100 or so humans armed with guns could evade and defeat extraterrestrial invaders just beggars belief.

Agreed.

[Medic]

Originally Posted by raketenjagdpanzer

Didn't they already do the "US loses infrastructure, winds up fractious" with Dark Angel like fifteen or sixteen years back?

And had Jessica Alba in tight clothes.

[Legbreaker]

mmmmm, there's only one thing better than Jessica Alba in tight clothes...

...Jessica Alba naked and wiggling on my lap!

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

mmmmm, there's only one thing better than Jessica Alba in tight clothes...

...Jessica Alba naked and wiggling on my lap!

You have fine tastes in women. I'll let you have her when I'm done

[kcdusk]

Originally Posted by Raellus

If space-faring aliens can't find and eliminate a civilian militia unit camping out in a school... it's just not at all realistic. I just can't suspend my disbelief enough to really enjoy the show.

I thought each episode of Falling Skies dealt with a real (T2K) issue or two, and did it in a believable way. Issues like
1. is the large friendly force where they are meant to be?
2. do we attack now, or conserve our forces?
3. we need more food & medical supplies
4. does a character try and save a loved one or look after the larger group?
5. Character A wants to lead, Character B wants to lead, a bit of leadership rivelry
6. Bandits/marourders.
7. "Undefined" group - friend or foe? You want to contact another human group, but can they be trusted?
8. Over time, finding out more about the aliens and any potential weakspots.
9. Previously onside humans stealing food & medicine and running away from the group thinking they stand a better chance on their own.

I know where you are coming from with your quote. Making a base at a school .... it wasnt my first choice. But i can suspend disbelief enough to figure that aliens might not know where all the larger shelter facilities are. And just like the resistance in WWII, i can totally believe that a small group of resistance fighters can remain hidden and carry out small scale sabatage. In some ways, fighting a smaller group is harder than a larger more defined group. The aliens simply have other priorities, and likely targeting larger groups of people while building their own bases. If this is the biggest issue the show faces, i think its doing well.

Most shows get my 9 dot points all screwed up and have nothing going for it. In this case, i can understand a small group of humans being able to exist on the fringe of an alien invasion. Maybe only the one scene near the end, where the aliens attack the school and are driven off just a little bit too easily, that was a bit hard to believe. But the rest of the show offers so much i can let it slide.

[Tegyrius]

I think most of the issues I'm seeing y'all express regarding Falling Skies can be 'splained with a few factors:

1. Aliens are alien. This means they do not think like we do - neither technologically nor tactically. What's obvious to us may not be evident to them and vice versa.

2. Interstellar supply chains are a bitch. We haven't seen if the invaders' stardrives are quick or cheap.

3. The alien opposition seen on the show may be the invaders' equivalent of MPs or National Guardsmen, left in place as a garrison after the maneuver forces smashed terrestrial resistance and were rotated out.

- C.

[Canadian Army]

Originally Posted by kcdusk

On ABC
PERPLEXING: Last Resort, from cable capo Shawn Ryan (The Shield, Terriers), is the ballsiest rookie on anyone’s schedule. Starring Andre Braugher as a guy who speaks sternly, it’s a high-concept, higher-budget serial about the crew of a rogue nuclear sub who set up a new, deterrent-dangling nation on An Island That Conveniently Looks Like Hawaii. It’s got great credentials, a great cast, and is exactly the sort of all-or-nothing gambit the network drama departments should be trying before sliding into complete procedural irrelevance. So why has Lee beached this thing on Thursdays at 8 p.m.? It’s either savvy counter-programming to CBS and NBC’s sitcoms or a high-stakes game of brinksmanship. One way or another, somebody’s getting blown up.

On NBC
INTRIGUING: Speaking of polar bears, J.J. Abrams has bestowed the Peacock with another big-ticket idea from his brain freezer. Revolution picks up the story of Earth 15 years after all the power went out: The U.S. government has fallen into rebel factions, horses are under more strain than they were on the set of Luck, and people growing food in their backyards in Brooklyn are essential instead of annoying. Despite a recent graveyard of serialized sci-fi stinkers, I think our still-powered world is ready for another mutual obsession, and a little more Giancarlo Esposito is always a good thing. But the biggest red flag here is the sword-and-crossbow-wielding cast, a worryingly white collection of jutting jaws and bland good looks. Total societal breakdown? These pretties would barely survive a Patagonia catalog photo shoot.

Here are the Trailers:

Revolution : http://youtu.be/JwfCRAtkYEI?t=1s"]http://youtu.be/JwfCRAtkYEI?t=1s[/URL]

Last Resort: http://youtu.be/3twbzs85V7A

[Cdnwolf]

Speaking of good series.... Jericho is now on Netflix.


Revolution looks more TWL2000 style while the other one is more of a one shot campaign idea. But will definately watch both.

[Medic]

Originally Posted by Cdnwolf

Speaking of good series.... Jericho is now on Netflix.

Too bad they decided not to make the third season. Got both seasons of it on DVD and even my wife, who usually doesn't really care for such series, found herself watching it.

[Cdnwolf]

Speaking of Jessica Alba....

[Raellus]

First off, I think that Jessica Alba could really do with a sensible belt.

Second, I don't want anyone to think that I am being judgy or patronizing or anything in my criticisms of Falling Skies. If you like it, enjoy it. I really wish I could.

One last thing and I promise I'll let it go. I was reading about the U.S. drone strike campaign in Rolling Stone today while I was in the waiting room waiting for my wife's shoulder surgery to end (it went well but she kind of freaked out when the anesthesia wore off) and it reminded me of one of my biggest "yeah, right" moments while watching the show. If the aliens don't seem to have basic technologies that we humans already have... I mean, they should at least have drones with thermal imagers. If they can build interstellar spacecraft, why are they walking around using nothing more advanced than their mk. 1 eyeballs to find these human guerilla fighters? They stand around outside, for Pete's sake.

Sorry. That is all.

[Panther Al]

Originally Posted by Cdnwolf

Speaking of good series.... Jericho is now on Netflix.


Revolution looks more TWL2000 style while the other one is more of a one shot campaign idea. But will definately watch both.

Jericho was about the closest I have ever seen a TV show get to TW2K in my opinion. Great Great show. I think they rushed it in the second season, but I understand why... and I am very glad we got even that. I would love to see though what would happen next though...

[Legbreaker]

Originally Posted by Panther Al

Jericho was about the closest I have ever seen a TV show get to TW2K in my opinion.

Jeremiah had potential too....

NUTS!

[Panther Al]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

Jeremiah had potential too....

NUTS!

*grins*


That was the most awesome way I ever heard of anyone trying to keep a show going.

[Tegyrius]

Originally Posted by Raellus

If the aliens don't seem to have basic technologies that we humans already have... I mean, they should at least have drones with thermal imagers. If they can build interstellar spacecraft, why are they walking around using nothing more advanced than their mk. 1 eyeballs to find these human guerilla fighters? They stand around outside, for Pete's sake.

I have a horrible suspicion that the aliens we've seen so far are the invaders' equivalent of drones.

- C.

[kcdusk]

Originally Posted by Raellus

I mean, they should at least have drones with thermal imagers. If they can build interstellar spacecraft, why are they walking around using nothing more advanced than their mk. 1 eyeballs .

Intersteller thermal imagers mk1 eyeballs were made by the lowest bidder?

[Legbreaker]

Originally Posted by Panther Al

That was the most awesome way I ever heard of anyone trying to keep a show going.

Shame it didn't work. The show was just starting to get interesting.

[Adm.Lee]

Originally Posted by Raellus

If the aliens don't seem to have basic technologies that we humans already have... I mean, they should at least have drones with thermal imagers. If they can build interstellar spacecraft, why are they walking around using nothing more advanced than their mk. 1 eyeballs to find these human guerilla fighters?

There's no rule that all technology HAS to develop at the same rate everywhere.

Harry Turtledove wrote a great sci-fi story, "The road not taken." The Earth-invading aliens in there had a faster-than-light drive, but still used candles and matchlock muskets. Just a little thing that Newton could have invented, but just never thought of.

Then the landed in California, ca.1990, and got pwned....