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Sanctuary

Discussion in 'Archive: SF&F: Films and Television' started by Jedimarine, Sep 17, 2008.

  1. Jedimarine

    Jedimarine Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Feb 13, 2001
    It's getting closer.

    I'm not going to say I'm "excited" particularly...but I'm at least intrigued.

    Anyone watch the webisodes? Is there any retooling from what those were to what the series is going to be like?

    Amanda, Amanda...you just can't leave my TV alone, can you?;)@};-
     
  2. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Never got around to watching a webisode, but I'm curious to see what Amanda can do here- she's shown a surprising range through her various AU/hallucinatory Sams on SG1/SGA.
     
  3. Darthkat76

    Darthkat76 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 21, 2007
    I've seen a couple webisodes and really liked them. I kept forgetting download them though. :p

    From what I can remember, her character is definitely a lot different than quirky/geeky Sam.
     
  4. Rebel_Padawan

    Rebel_Padawan Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 11, 2003
    So did anyone watch the pilot?
     
  5. NJOfan215

    NJOfan215 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    May 17, 2003
    yeah i enjoyed it. I think there are enough questions set up in this episode to keep me coming back.
     
  6. Jedi_Reject_Jesse

    Jedi_Reject_Jesse Jedi Grand Master star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 26, 2004
    Is the plot not exactly like Torchwood?

    Don't get me wrong, I like the show...
     
  7. Jedimarine

    Jedimarine Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Feb 13, 2001
    I missed it and forgot to DVR it!

    Curse my having a life!
     
  8. Rebel_Padawan

    Rebel_Padawan Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 11, 2003
    Overall I enjoyed the pilot but I thought the set-up was very slow...

    I know Amanda Tapping was born in England but it was really weird hearing her with and English accent, it may take some getting used to.

    Chris Heyerdahl is awesome!
     
  9. Jedi_Reject_Jesse

    Jedi_Reject_Jesse Jedi Grand Master star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 26, 2004
    There were moments when I swore Robin Dunne looked exactly like Michael Shanks.
     
  10. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Yeah, the Daniel jackson comparison is difficult to avoid (similar looks, glasses, brought into a secret base of operations by a mysterious woman who approaches him in the rain, etc) but the character is definitely different so most of it is superficial.

    Overall, I was pleased by the pilot and even surprised how evenly toned it was. The Ripper flashback was a nice surprise and introduces an unexpected element for content variety I wasn't expecting. The Athosian Guy playing the villain was surprisingly effective as the villain, and I loved the teleport barrier moment, neat idea. The daughter might need to be toned back a bit but otherwise, it was quite solid.

    There are similarities to Torchwood, but the tone an feel of the two shows is very very different. Torchwood takes a silly-fun approach to things with a dash of juvenille adult content interjected amongst the occasional adult storyline with it's characters. But it still leans towards the camp edge. Sanctuary plays things a lot more serious so far. It feels less "We're the Official X-Files Squad- come join us!" and more "We do this for a purpose where you may find truth and pennace."

    Plus there's just the different feel to the bases- Torchwood is an underground Office/Bunker/Mini-Jail, Sanctuary is an aboveground mansion/zoo/habitat/specialized jail it seems.
     
  11. Kimball_Kinnison

    Kimball_Kinnison Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 28, 2001
    Why wouldn't he be effective as the villain? In addition to playing the Athosian Halling, he also plays everyone's favorite Wraith pseudo-ally: Todd.

    Kimball Kinnison
     
  12. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Holy crap- I never realized he was Todd!
     
  13. Rebel_Padawan

    Rebel_Padawan Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 11, 2003
    It sounded as though he was also the Neanderthal, but I don't know for sure...
     
  14. Jedimarine

    Jedimarine Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Feb 13, 2001
    Okay, I caught it rerun last night:

    Thoughts:

    1) Will Zimmerman was suppose to be Michael Shanks...it's just stupid obvious...I watched it with people who don't watch Stargate and they pointed it out without any comment by me...it's THAT obvious.

    2) Amanda accent is bizarre...do we have any UK people following this? Does it sound strange to you? I mean, I've had sizable experience with dialects and accents of our haphazard language, and I have no idea what she was doing. She speaks in American (or North American) euphemisms and terms, put even that isn't as strange as her accent, which seems almost too "clean" to be believed.

    I guess what it comes down to, is "Helen" speaks exactly like "Carter", only with a inflection that I can't identify.

    3) Was every comment she made a generality about existence or the unknown...she's like a quote book of bad philosphy...bet she's slept with shrinks for a century.

    4) anyone else notice the "workstation" off the central area of the sanctuary...was that the "carter/Jackson's lab" at the SGC? the work lamps, the computers, the tables...it was an obvious set recycle.

    5) Stay AWAY from action sequences! This show's strength will be in the mystery and the resolution...the worst part of the pilot was the girls "fight" with Druitt...it was like a bad anime fight, with terrible interspersed dialog...only in anime, some of the action can be cool. Stick to creative ideas and imagery...and leave the guns and fight sequences at home.

    6) I get the green screen stuff...but does it have to be blurry? I mean when a commercial break hits, it's like "I CAN SEE STRAIGHT AGAIN!" I know it's probably helping make it less artificial, and they may even think it provides atmosphere...but honestly...I couldn't even tell what they were looking at at times.

    was that a window to the outside? Oh...it's a cage? They're up that high, why is the sky as blurred as the building? etc. etc.

    7) So which show are they "channeling" the most...X-men...Buffy...X-files...Blade? Instead of thinking "this is different", I kept thinking how "this reminds me of..." and filling in that blank repeatedly throughout the show. I'm not saying it's bad...it just is what it is.

    8) Tapping as brunette...jury is still out...but being a brunette fan in general, Carter is hotter then Helen (although Helen dresses better)

    9) Anyone else waiting for the "geico" joke a couple episodes down the road?

    It wasn't awful...but it wasn't spectacular...I'll probably set the DVR to catch a couple more...see where it goes. Amanda is enough to come back for.

    It gets a definitive "meh"...which is pretty good praise from someone who despises 95% of shows.:cool:
     
  15. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    I agre ethe action sequences seem a little tacked on (though the "hunt" through the warehouse with "Todd" teleporting all over was pretty effective, the actual hand-to-hand, while not bad, felt out of place).

    Are you referring to the blur-effect at each commercial break? Didn't mind that actually, think it's a neat way to transition out.
     
  16. Jedimarine

    Jedimarine Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Feb 13, 2001
    no...I did notice that...the "grey out" transition...I wonder if that will be annoying in a DVD release...perhaps they omit it.

    No, I was talking about the general "blur" of things...most particularly when they were in bigger "areas"...the conversation on top of the tower was the worst one...the blur was the same for the sky and the building...that doesn't make any sense at all, and it ruined the affect they were trying to achieve...crop in a real night sky or something, there is a spacial difference that green screen cannot capture without careful manipulation...it's probably the PT best feat...convincing us that sets were "outside"...sanctuary may not have the budget to be so convincing.

    Or maybe it's an HD thing...did anyone see it in HD?
     
  17. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    I suspect, since it's some of the same production crew and producers, they may omit the grey-outs for comemrcial breaks and take a "seamless" approach like they do with the SG-1/SGA DVDs.
     
  18. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Well, this week's episode was really quite good- in fact, if they can keep this up, I think I'm sold on the series based on this episode.

    It was very atmopsheric and a little creepy- it'd make for good halloween viewing (though the end tends to be less horror as the threat of the girls diminishes once they become the object(s) being saught/protected). I also really loved the music in this episode- I hope a soundtrack comes out at some point.

    I will say it did seem slightly redundant to have two defensive measures-breaches back to back with the pilot, but the nature of them is so different that it's not so bad. The digital backgrounds did betray themselves ona couple occasions here as well.

    I'm curious- is this set in a future or alternate univere or something? What was up with the destroyed bridge?


    Oh, and the Neanderthal is definitely Todd. The SG folks must really love that guy.


    The series debut pulled in a 2.2, btw. Very good start.
     
  19. Jedi_Reject_Jesse

    Jedi_Reject_Jesse Jedi Grand Master star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 26, 2004
    I couldn't even watch this last episode. I'm able to forgive Aliens in Stargate speaking english but not otherworldly creatures.
     
  20. Darthkat76

    Darthkat76 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 21, 2007
    Oooook, please explain this? You would think it would be the other way around. Also, even though they are otherworldly creatures they are in fact from Earth, so I'm not sure why they should be speaking anything other than English (except maybe if they're from other countries).

    I don't know why people have to be so nitpicky about languages. :p
     
  21. Juliet316

    Juliet316 Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Apr 27, 2005
    I agree. Their terran - based supernatural creatures. It makes sense that they would speak the language of whatever prey they are targeting.
     
  22. Jedimarine

    Jedimarine Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Feb 13, 2001
    I caught 10 minutes of Friday's episode.

    I may be done here already.
     
  23. Aragorn327

    Aragorn327 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 20, 2001
    I gave up 20 minutes in. I think I'm done.
     
  24. Jedi_Reject_Jesse

    Jedi_Reject_Jesse Jedi Grand Master star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 26, 2004
    Fine...fine...maybe that's not the reason. But I dislike this show nonetheless. It just doesn't seem fresh at all. Just a rehash of all the same conventions we've seen since SG-1.
     
  25. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    The 3rd episode wans't as great as the second, but it may have been better than the first/pilot. This one seemed to flesh out the world of Sanctuary beyond it's walls a little bit better. And I like how they utilize the one room for Zimmerman to do his stuff- which generally allows for an interesting exploration of the variety of guest star characters. Hopefully they won't overdo it, but will recognize it as one of their major strengths.

    There is an air of "this is SG-1 without the military/space sci-fi trappings" about the show, but in a good way, I think.

    The feel of the show is falling somewhere in the middle of Fringe and Torchwood. It's not as "realistic drama" or as quiet/slow as Fringe, but that's a plus as the use of the sci-fi/fantasy elements doesn't stick out as much; nor is it as campy as Torchwood. Being in the middle allows Sanctuary to leverage the realworld setting of Fringe (albeit it with a dash of Blade-esque "subculture just behind the door you're unaware of") with the fun action of Torchwood.

    Which, in a way, IS where SG-1 falls in the spectrum- SG-1 wasn't super-serious like BSG but nor was it LEXX.