New SyFy miniseries(es), "Childhood's End" and "The Expanse"

[+ poolboy48220]

For this viewer Childhood's End was better than I feared. I can understand the difficulty of adapting it ( I read that Kubrick wanted to but abandoned it as too difficult, and ended up collaborating with Clarke on 2001). I had some issues with the compression of time ( the SyFy adaptation took place over 35 years, the novel over 100 years) which seemed to have been done to allow the continued involvement of Stormgren ( the always beautiful Mike Vogel). That character is gone after the first third, or less of the novel. The pivotal Ouija Board scene in the book is turned into some high tech E.T. Extravaganza. Most missed was Karrellan's eloquent final address to mankind. The best thing about this adaptation was Charles Dance as Karrellan. Although the look they settled on was a bit too overtly Satanic, his voice was just as I'd heard it while reading the book. Still, they got most of the big themes across. I'd give it a C+.

 

I enjoyed The Expanse, I like complex plot lines, and liked the cast, and the sense of moral ambiguity. I think this will be fun to follow.

 

I'm just grateful to SyFy for giving me something other than another dreadful Holiday special to watch.

Finished episode 2 & waiting for episode 3 to rerun (my DVR didn't catch it). Liking but not loving it. I really didn't like the changes to the Ouija Board sequence, it was much more understated & effective in the book, I thought - and turned the Overlords into much more active participants with what was happening with the children, rather than just stewards & watchers. I confess I'm looking forward to seeing if they show the Overlords flying, just from a special effects geek standpoint.

[caliguy]

I'm into Sci Fi and loved the Expanse. Only thing I didn't like was that it was only one episode. Hell I was getting ready to binge on that.

[Rudynate]

I'm looking forward to watching "Expanse." I like anything with Thomas Jane in it on principle.

 

 

Watched the first episode last night. It really meanders - difficult to follow. I'll watch one more episode, mostly to get another look at Thomas Jane and my new favorite eye candy Steven Strait, but I'm not hopeful.

[+ Hoover42]

Anyone still watching The Expanse? I just finished season one episode nine. There are plenty of problems (the sound mixing is terrible---people are often almost inaudible), but I love the story. Once season one is over, I plan to read the first book--Leviathan Wakes--to flesh out the world.

 

Oh, and Amos is my new pretend boyfriend. Swoon.

[+ Truereview]

Anyone still watching The Expanse? I just finished season one episode nine. There are plenty of problems (the sound mixing is terrible---people are often almost inaudible), but I love the story. Once season one is over, I plan to read the first book--Leviathan Wakes--to flesh out the world.

 

Oh, and Amos is my new pretend boyfriend. Swoon.

Hey Hoover, I watched the whole season and I'm liking most aspects of it. I'm intrigued as to how season 2 will unfold - if there is one. I kinda like the earth scenes. Amos is cute. I think he was in Hunger Games ? I swoon for Thomas Jane and Steven Strait.

 

PS- have checked ou Colony in USA?

[+ Hoover42]

Hey Hoover, I watched the whole season and I'm liking most aspects of it. I'm intrigued as to how season 2 will unfold - if there is one. I kinda like the earth scenes. Amos is cute. I think he was in Hunger Games ? I swoon for Thomas Jane and Steven Strait.

 

PS- have checked ou Colony in USA?

 

There IS going to be a season 2...I just noticed that the series has been renewed.

 

Thanks, haven't see Colony, but I'll check it out. Any cute guys on it?

[+ Truereview]

There IS going to be a season 2...I just noticed that the series has been renewed.

 

Thanks, haven't see Colony, but I'll check it out. Any cute guys on it?

Yea on expanse! The main male character in Colony Is ruggedly handsome. Plus he has some steamy (straight) sex scenes. My only gripe is seeing Rick's wife from the walking dead alive again. Her character in this one is slightly better tho.

[body2body]

I have really enjoyed The Expanse I enjoyed the complexity and dark nature of the story. Strait and Jane are terrific, but the most fascinating character is the UN under-secretary as played Shoreh Aghdashloo. Her voice sounds like she smoked a carton of cigarettes at one sitting and followed it up by drinking a quart of Gin. The only dissapointment for me was that the series was only 10 episodes. Variety says that it has been renewed for a second season of 14 episodes which will premiere on SyFy in 2017.

I am enjoying Colony too. There are some interesting themes being explored. I am hoping at some point soon we will get to see the Aliens.

I am also enjoying SyFy's The Magicians adapted from Lev Grossman's best selling novels. Harry Potter for grown ups, with doses of sex and violence. There is a scene at the end of the first episode taken from the novel that I was sure would be toned down for TV. I was pleased and shocked that it played pretty close to the scene as written.

We seem to be enjoying a bit of a Science Fiction Renaissance.

[+ Truereview]

I am also enjoying SyFy's The Magicians adapted from Lev Grossman's best selling novels. Harry Potter for grown ups, with doses of sex and violence. There is a scene at the end of the first episode taken from the novel that I was sure would be toned down for TV. I was pleased and shocked that it played pretty close to the scene as written.

We seem to be enjoying a bit of a Science Fiction Renaissance.

I've only seen the first episode of the magicians, and looks good. Plus Arjun Gupta - formerly of Nurse Jackie- is great eye candy!

[+ Hoover42]

Yea on expanse! The main male character in Colony Is ruggedly handsome. Plus he has some steamy (straight) sex scenes. My only gripe is seeing Rick's wife from the walking dead alive again. Her character in this one is slightly better tho.

 

In case anyone else has cut the cord and needs to see The Expanse or Colony, season passes for both are available from Amazon. Just bought the season pass for Colony and looking forward to watching the first episode tonight!

[Rod Hagen]

A friend who knows my tastes well said I should delete all the unwatched episodes of, and stop recordings of, The Expanse. I have t say I'm relieved, there's just too damn much to watch and read in this life. Ultimately I though Childhood's End was a waste of my time. Not horrible, just not substantive. I'm sure the book is amazing.