Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Jamisjockey on June 20, 2011, 10:05:54 AM
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Bravo, TNT, bravo. Well done, mostly well acted (a few of the actors aren't very good), entertaining with a hook right off the bat.
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I watched it, too. Like you said, most of the acting was good, but there were a few stiff scenes. It will get better as the actors get comfortable in their roles.
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Link, summary, or something for the ignorant?
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Link, summary, or something for the ignorant?
http://www.tnt.tv/series/fallingskies/
The two hour pilot was last night.
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Glad to hear it was well done.
I taped it . . . will watch it tonight or tomorrow and fast forward through the commercials. ;)
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Not on Hulu or TNT's website, and I got rid of cable last year. :'(
Sounds promising. I've been without a decent show to watch for awhile. If I have to wait for DVD release, so be it.
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Dammit - you guys are supposed to post about it BEFORE it airs, not after! :P
Off to check for the next rerun so I can DVR it.
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Link, summary, or something for the ignorant?
Alien bugs invade Earth. Kill 90% of humans. The remaining humans start a resistance movement. Based in and around Boston. Lots of guns, explosions, space ships.
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Alien bugs invade Earth. Kill 90% of humans. The remaining humans start a resistance movement. Based in and around Boston. Lots of guns, explosions, space ships.
Can't be, if it's based in and around Boston. Sure the folks in Taxachusetts are allowed to have some guns, but no explosion-type stuff and spaceships are reserved for the ruling class only.
I will look for rerun times and see if I can suspend disbellief about the Boston locale.
stay safe.
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I have to give the pilot at B+. Most of the acting was well done, but some of the manerisms were overdone, such as Noah Wyle's character's constant dropping to history lessons. The premise of the story and its execution worked quite well, even with some overly sappy Father/son moments.
The visuals were more of a mixed bag. In the opening sequence, it looked like ALL the wrecked cars were on their sides and set just so to be perfect concelment. The long distance shots of the alien garrison was a thing of beauty, but the closer shots of the alien Mech's was more on par with quick and dirty stuff that the SyFy channel puts out these days. The few shots of the actual aliens were much better executed, although I do hope the reptilian Xindi gave the Skitters a good deal on those used ships.
It will be worth watching to see how it develops. At least until Breaking Bad resumes next month.
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Thankfully I remembered to set my VCR to tape it..... :facepalm: I TOTALLY forgot about it when it started last night. Now I can watch it and zap the commercials. [popcorn]
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Dammit - you guys are supposed to post about it BEFORE it airs, not after! :P
Off to check for the next rerun so I can DVR it.
If you have FIOS, it'll be coming on several times between now and next Sunday. I set my FIOS DVR to record all episodes, new and rerun so I make sure I get the pilot. After I watch it, I'll reset the schedule to first-runs only.
Chris
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If you have FIOS, it'll be coming on several times between now and next Sunday. I set my FIOS DVR to record all episodes, new and rerun so I make sure I get the pilot. After I watch it, I'll reset the schedule to first-runs only.
Chris
No Fios here yet, but my hidef box lets me do that. Good idea, I'll just grab them all till I get the pilot then set to first run.
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Thankfully I remembered to set my VCR to tape it..... :facepalm: I TOTALLY forgot about it when it started last night. Now I can watch it and zap the commercials. [popcorn]
VCR? Tape? Is this something new? =D
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VCR? Tape? Is this something new? =D
I have three video recorders in my house; all three consiste of a DVD recorder in combo with a VHS recorder & digital/analog tuner.
I have been a videophile since the mid 1980s and went through Betamax to VHS and now DVD. I like DVD but I still maintain a lot of VHS material; in some ways VHS is simpler than DVD for recording.
For video storage DVD is superior.
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I use DVR to record shows, then dump the stuff I want to keep to DVD. You can't beat DVR for the ease of scheduling, especially TV serials.
Chris
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Better than I expected. Far better than BBC America's "Outcasts" pilot aired Saturday, which was like a propaganda piece for exporting Britain's spineless socialism to the stars. ;/
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Can't be, if it's based in and around Boston. Sure the folks in Taxachusetts are allowed to have some guns, but no explosion-type stuff and spaceships are reserved for the ruling class only.
I will look for rerun times and see if I can suspend disbellief about the Boston locale.
stay safe.
Don't they have gun shows in Taxoftwoschitts? Everybody knows you can buy full auto magnum assault grenade launcher pump action death pistols at gun shows.
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Better than I expected. Far better than BBC America's "Outcasts" pilot aired Saturday, which was like a propaganda piece for exporting Britain's spineless socialism to the stars. ;/
Right the frak on the money right there. Jamie Bamber has a very short lifespan though, I expect that was all the BBC could afford.
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Well, I managed to watch my VHS tape of "Falling Skies" this afternoon. A fairly decent treatment of a science fiction type first popularized by H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds.
The only really bizarre ... "new" idea was the use of those devices to control the children. Why and how... and why not use them on adults? Maybe this will become clear in future episodes, should the series last.
I enjoyed the show. The outlaw character in the second hour was given a bit too much credit. The commander of the resistance movement had the right idea to get his people out of "Dodge" but was too slow to implement his orders. If these guys don't get their "act" together I see trouble in the future.
Personally I'd dispense with the outlaw as I don't think I'd ever trust him.
But according to the previews ... like a bad penny, he sticks around.
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Can't be, if it's based in and around Boston. Sure the folks in Taxachusetts are allowed to have some guns, but no explosion-type stuff and spaceships are reserved for the ruling class only.
I will look for rerun times and see if I can suspend disbellief about the Boston locale.
stay safe.
Don't you listen to Deval Patrick and Martha Coakley? Everybody just drives up to NH and brings whatever they want back over the border! ;/
If Falling Skies shows up on Hulu, then I'll check it out. Other than that I'll have to wait until it comes to Netflix.
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We turned it off at the halfway mark. Predictable TV stuff...
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Someone at TNT must not like Steven Spielberg. They moved "Falling Skies" to the 'TV series death' slot, 10:00 PM Sunday nights, starting with the second episode. If were an adult series like "Mad Men", that would be understandable, because they can do well at that time. But "Falling Skies" is intended for a wider audience, much of which won't be up at that time.
Oh, well. At least the pilot episode was decent, and I'll DVR whatever episodes they manage to air before it's cancelled.
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Well, I don't like it anywhere near as much as "the walking dead," but I'll probably still watch it.
The alien invasion thing has been done so much that I don't know if they will be able to figure out a new and surprising take on it. The only movie I have seen recently that did anything new and different with the theme was "District 9," which I thought was very entertaining.
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Cross "War of the Worlds" with a sprinkling of "The Puppet Masters" and maybe a little of "V" thrown in, add a couple of characters from "Jericho" and you've got "Falling Skies." Show has potential, but the outlaw sub-plot isn't promising, and the BG should be just put down.
Interesting how the aliens took out ALL military . . . but the civilians are still fighting. And the group focused on says they have RPGs, but warned another resistance group against using AT4's?
For "90%" human casualties, the cities and towns aren't wrecked enough . . . bioweapons of some kind?
Coming attractions suggest that next week they're going to start scavenging some alien weaponry . . .
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Well, I don't like it anywhere near as much as "the walking dead," but I'll probably still watch it.
The alien invasion thing has been done so much that I don't know if they will be able to figure out a new and surprising take on it. The only movie I have seen recently that did anything new and different with the theme was "District 9," which I thought was very entertaining.
Speaking of which, does anyone know when in sweet baby chutulu's name the walking dead will be back out?
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Halloween is what I heard.
Chris
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I also heard Halloween for Walking Dead.
I agree with Hank that the"post apocalypse outlaw leader" should have gotten a bullet to the brain pan. I'm sure they have a twist lined up there, but sometimes I like a simple solution. I'm also hoping they don't go overboard on family / kid plots. It seems like a show that cries out for action.
I'm not completely sold from just the pilot, but will definitely watch some more episodes.
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I'm disturbed by the "fighters vs. eaters" subtext. I don't need to see Will Patton reprising his role from The Postman and a major inter-human squabble or dictator wannabe sideline in the face of the main plot would be stupid.
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I'm disturbed by the "fighters vs. eaters" subtext. I don't need to see Will Patton reprising his role from The Postman and a major inter-human squabble or dictator wannabe sideline in the face of the main plot would be stupid.
No wonder he reminded me of the jerk in the Postman...
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No wonder he reminded me of the jerk in the Postman...
No wonder this is the first decent role that he has had since then, and he is still the same.....
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I'm disturbed by the "fighters vs. eaters" subtext. I don't need to see Will Patton reprising his role from The Postman and a major inter-human squabble or dictator wannabe sideline in the face of the main plot would be stupid.
Which was the reason the General put NW as the second in command. Anyone else get the veiled threat when he told him to do the right thing? I took it to mean even if he had to frag the leader over the civilians.
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Firstly, spoiler alert.
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Good first episode. Reminded me a bit of the scene from Independance Day, except Noah Wiley's character is building a slow quiet confidence in his ability to kick alien ass, where Will Smith was just obnoxious. I loved the looks he got from the other refugees, that was classic.
Only thing bugging me is that they are on it real quick. They're going to have to have some major setbacks to keep the plot going more than a season. Of course, at the rate some other cable series go, one season a year might be all we get.
Anyways, good *expletive deleted*it this.
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Color me surprised. Despite being in the "let's kill off the series" Sunday 10:00 PM slot, TNT has renewed "Falling Skies" (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/falling-skies-renewed-season-2-208866) for a ten episode second season.
Supposedly, it's been a "...phenomenal success when it comes to international and time-shifted viewing” (http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/falling-skies-tv-series-season-two-20283/). Interesting that TNT took that view.
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I haven't missed an episode, but I also don't watch it during the Sunday 10pm slot (about to fall asleep by then).
I like it, though I'd like more back-story about the invasion.
Chris
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the birthday cake molding in the perfect condition, seven month dusty, suburban home kinda points to a mass disappearance of the human population
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It needs to pick up speed.
And have less kids in it.
I'm disturbed by the "fighters vs. eaters" subtext. I don't need to see Will Patton reprising his role from The Postman and a major inter-human squabble or dictator wannabe sideline in the face of the main plot would be stupid.
With 90% human casualties at this point, I agree with Patton's character. There's no room for "eaters." The weepy crap at the memorial bulletin board in the school needs to end RFN. Every single character, including the fighters, have lost nearly everyone and everything in their lives. Time for the "eaters" to man up (or woman up) and learn to fight, or work in a supporting role to help the fighters. As it is right now, the fighters have three jobs: scavenge supplies for the eaters, defend the eaters, and figure out a means to fight an offensive war to win the planet back.
Eaters suck.
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I'm disturbed by the "fighters vs. eaters" subtext. I don't need to see Will Patton reprising his role from The Postman and a major inter-human squabble or dictator wannabe sideline in the face of the main plot would be stupid.
This is one of the major problem I have w/ the show. For once I'd like to see people pull together in a post apocalyptic situation. On TV they never do. Granted the people on the show are yankees but even I would give them the benefit of the doubt. =D
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So, what is the plot twist that will make us want to watch next season?
I'm thinking the Skitters empathic connection to the children leads to something. I have to ask why the Mechs are bipedal, but the Skitters are multi-legged, almost like octopi.
[popcorn]
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Can't be, if it's based in and around Boston. Sure the folks in Taxachusetts are allowed to have some guns, but no explosion-type stuff and spaceships are reserved for the ruling class only.
I will look for rerun times and see if I can suspend disbellief about the Boston locale.
stay safe.
Must be the Southies.
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It needs to pick up speed.
And have less kids in it.
With 90% human casualties at this point, I agree with Patton's character. There's no room for "eaters." The weepy crap at the memorial bulletin board in the school needs to end RFN. Every single character, including the fighters, have lost nearly everyone and everything in their lives. Time for the "eaters" to man up (or woman up) and learn to fight, or work in a supporting role to help the fighters. As it is right now, the fighters have three jobs: scavenge supplies for the eaters, defend the eaters, and figure out a means to fight an offensive war to win the planet back.
Eaters suck.
Not if they're pregnant, or rearing small children. Of course, they can still do certain logistic functions, as can small children who are old enough to walk and follow directions, however any reasonable expectation is that gestation and care will occupy most all of their time.
Thinking long term, you've got to outbreed, or at least maintain replacement levels for your own side. There's no guarantee there'll be sufficient women of fertile age left if you wait for the fighting to be over.
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Not if they're pregnant, or rearing small children. Of course, they can still do certain logistic functions, as can small children who are old enough to walk and follow directions, however any reasonable expectation is that gestation and care will occupy most all of their time.
Thinking long term, you've got to outbreed, or at least maintain replacement levels for your own side. There's no guarantee there'll be sufficient women of fertile age left if you wait for the fighting to be over.
Agreed. Breeding, child care, cooking, scavenging. Heavy science/electronics/mathematics education for youth, biology/chemistry/physics/war tactics for juveniles.
Seems more appropriate for the current "eaters" to be doing the scavenging and base camp maintenance, and at least minimally conversant with arms and techniques to perform basic sentry/OP/LP/perimeter duties, leaving the "fighters" to perform enemy recon, hostage rescue and guerilla tactics.
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There shouldn't be any "eaters". Everyone should be pulling their weight one way or another. What's left of humanity should be pulling together. They're not even able to grow food much less mine for resources to create electronics and weapons. Scavenging is only going to go for so long. Something big will have to change or they just won't have a show.
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the skitters have a quota of human children to acquire
there is an upper class of invaders
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There shouldn't be any "eaters". Everyone should be pulling their weight one way or another. What's left of humanity should be pulling together. They're not even able to grow food much less mine for resources to create electronics and weapons. Scavenging is only going to go for so long. Something big will have to change or they just won't have a show.
I've started watching the first few shows on my DVR....seems like the "eaters" are doing important work like logistics, medical, and getting the next generation educated for the fight. And, unless the CO wants to start losing "fighters" to malnutrition and lack of medical care, he'd better get on board with the program.
It's a decent show.....but not a great show. It takes the better parts of the old "V" series and nu-BSG....but it doesn't have any likeable or stand-out characters. Plus the "military tactics" are pretty weak. I'd like to see more info on what the other units are doing against the aliens.
And I agree with slugcatcher.....unless they find ways to start producing their own food and weapons, they're done. I wonder if the skitters are edible...... =|