SyFy's Defiance Season 1 (1 Viewer)

[Parker Clack]

This is one of those shows that is going to keep getting better or fall flat. My only worry is they can it just as it is
becoming popular. I hate becoming invested in a show just to have them cancel it.

Is it me or does the Rath race remind you of the Wraith? They are even pronounced the same.

 

[doug zdanivsky]

I didn't like it either, Walter..

The sets and the lighting is 'off', somehow, the frakking "shtaako" bombs are annoying, dialogue is lazy and derivitive, the fueding families and 'ornery' doctor shtick has been pretty much been done to death..

I dunno.. My bet is another ambitious sci-fi series is going to crash and burn, unfortunately..

Am I getting so hard to please in my old age? Maybe.. I haven't seen a good sci-fi series since Galactica..

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Yeah I baled after episode 2 , I can't stand Julie Benz either.

 

[Walter C]

The show has been renewed for season 2.

I was only able to catch part of the Pilot, as I tuned in, mainly for Grant Bowler, knowing him as the host of The Amazing Race Australia. In this show, he speaks with an American accent and shows a lot more emotion, which was interesting to see. At least to me!

 

[DaveF]

Defiance continues to defy my expectations. It was in my mind that this was "family" show. it is not. The murder, two episodes ago, in the Need/Want had a surprisingly twisted sado-masochistic sex scene. The Castili (Castani?) women are barely dressed in the bath scenes. The gore is unsettling at times. I think they could dial it back a bit without loss, but I appreciate that the show is not sacrificing its edge to be too safe. I feared that seven alien races would be overwhelming and indistinguishable. But they're doing it smartly. Each major character is a different race. In fact, it makes each character and race even more distinct. And the writers are filling in the races through the season, fleshing out their cultures. However, the seven races are not getting equal time. The Bioman is minimally used, dumb muscle. The benefit is it keeps the show focused. Presumably, this leaves room to expand those characters in later episodes. The stories have been good. Defiance isn't revelatory, like BSG. But it's not iPad-TV like Revolution, which I watch when I want to catch up on web browsing. The characters make it work. Particularly, I watch for Stahma, Datak's wife. They are the most interesting pair in the show. She is mesmerizing. Their story is a sci-fi take on mobsters seeking respect, and she's the manipulating wife. For me, it is completely engaging. I enjoy every moment with that family, and her silky-voiced back room dealings. I'm particularly enthused after the last episode, A Well Respected Man. It built on everything I enjoy in the show.

 

[todd s]

I just wish they would explain the outside world a bit more. For example they show a giants force field to protect the town from bandits. Yet, in tonight's episode. They show a "bus" that takes people, mail and supplies from town to town. Yet, the bus is basically unarmed or not that armored.

 

[mattCR]

I just wish they would explain the outside world a bit more. For example they show a giants force field to protect the town from bandits. Yet, in tonight's episode. They show a "bus" that takes people, mail and supplies from town to town. Yet, the bus is basically unarmed or not that armored.

The force field came down in the first episode, it no longer works; there was a tower by it in the first episode, I assume it could go up/down in order to let people in and out.

 

[ScottH]

I think I'm out.

I wouldn't say it's bad...I do like the idea of the different species living amongst eachother, almost as if different human races. Some of the characters are even likable. The problem is the show is just bleh. Not sure if it's the writing, the fact that there isn't a single really good character that stands out, or that the characters have no depth, but by the end of the episode I just find myself not all that interested in the next week's episode. Kind of the way I felt with Continuum, but at least with that show there was an eerie darkness to it.

 

[Stan]

I guess I'll be the lone voice of dissent in the thread.

There have been so many apocalyptic / near apocalyptic SF shows that it felt like I had seen most of the plot elements in one venue or another before. Part Falling Skies, part Babylon 5 and maybe even part Alien Nation (going back to the late '80s) to list some of the shows that could be named as influences.

I realize that originality is a rare thing these days and while parts of the show work, other parts of Defiance remind me of better iterations. I guess we are supposed to unravel the nature of the world as the series plays out because I thought that Dave's wiki post (# 8 in this thread) was a much more coherent explanation of the world view of Defiance vs.anything I encountered in the pilot.

It feels like it has a lot of tropes from Westerns with the two feuding powerful families, the new sheriff with a past, and the cantankerous doctor. I'll probably stick around (especially since so much television is winding down for the season) but I hope they begin to flesh out the world building aspects of the series.

I'm glad most of you liked the pilot but it did not resonate with me.

- Walter.

I'm with you Walter. I just watched the first four episodes and although I'm enjoying it, seems a lot like a mish-mash of other shows and movies.

Pieces of Aliens, bits of Doctor Who, Falling Skies as you mentioned and many others.

I'll keep up with it, but it's not particularly original.

 

[mattCR]

I read threads like this and remind myself of TNG Season 1. Or Stargate S1. Etc. I think the core concept is pretty good, it's going to take writers a while to really get a feel for the characters and we'll have to see where it goes. I like the core character setups, so I'm hopeful this thing turns into something special.

 

[DaveF]

I'm still interested. It's not up to the level of ST:TNG or BSG, but it's far better than Revolution or Terra Nova. Maybe I'm desperate for a decent scifi show since Lost...but Defiance works for me so far. I'm was surprised in the last episode that the son killed the ex-mayors sidekick, and dumped him into the blue lava. I expected multiple episodes of lurking about and then the likely death of the son. Not this way around and so quickly. The story with Uncle Eddy, I mostly enjoyed. But his emotional story was like a tilt-a-whirl ride, whipping me around without reason..

 

[mattCR]

Yeah. Same here Dave. It's not perfect but its building a lot of characters no myths from scratch. If this really gels, season 2 or 3 will be fantastic. We write off shows too early anymore. To me, a lot of my favorite shows of all time had a first season that struggled to find sea legs and found greatness much later. The concept, characters nd setting are all good. So I'm sticking with it.

 

[mattCR]

Really liked tonight's episode a lot. We got into a lot of the realities of the constantly falling debris and war remains. We addressed culture clash issues, and we defined a few characters. Action was pretty good as well; and the through line plot made some big steps forward. This is still a really young series, but I think it has a lot of potential..

 

[Hanson]

The end with Mia Kirshner and Jamie Murray was like something out of shipper fanfic.

I'm starting to struggle with some of the acting. Lots of OTT hamminess from Finoula Flanigan and Graham Greene, and neither actors who plays his kids are any good. The daughter is especially boring to watch. I even found Irisa cringe-worthy in spots.

Defiance is better than Terra Nova, but not as good as something good. I feel like this is one of those shows that will need an entire season just to find itself, and I'm not sure if I have that kind of patience.

If this were a fall show, I would have dropped it for time constraints.

 

[mattCR]

We're getting into a much better rhythm with the cast; the storyline still has a lot of ground to grow, but the further we get, the more we establish characters and I'm really enjoying the flow to the story.

And, FYI, Jamie's dress during the wedding processional... DAMN

 

[Hanson]

That was actually a good episode. Hopefully, it's found its footing and it wasn't simply an aberration.

 

[mattCR]

Two pretty darn good episodes in a row. This show is really starting to figure out what it wants to do with itself, and the ongoing setup has a lot of great possibilities. Really great setup for the finale.

 

[DaveF]

This show is going great! It is improving through the season, and fleshing out a rich set of characters. It is also making big changes early on. Mayor Nikki, an Indogene,and now dead?!Alak, trapped between two brutal fathers? (Who used to be, if not friends, not enemies)The confrontation between Stahma and Kenya over Stahma's deep manipulations was chilling. Stahma we knew was the brains of the marriage, but now we fully understand how deep her pathos goes. Also, definitely, willfully, not a "family" show. The bachelor party for Alak, and comments about tasting "pink" and being ruined as a Castan...ahem.... And it works! With a little bent language, some obvious sexual situations (without much flesh actually shown) and some gratuitous gore, Defiance has a more adult, and raw feel, without becoming raunchy or middle-school-ish. I'm getting more excited about Defiance. There's lots of fun to be had here.

 

[mattCR]

They certainly spent effects money on the finale tonight. I love the score to this show, really good stuff.

 

[PatW]

I don't think I've enjoyed a series this much since Babylon 5. I love the way they are fleshing out all the various character. So glad it was renewed but waiting a year will be agonizing.