Enterprise gets rebranded as “Star Trek: Enterprise” and is given a revamped theme song in its third season as it attempts an unprecedented season long story arc. In the wake of a deadly attack on Earth by an unknown alien race called the Xindi, the Enterprise is sent on an urgent mission into unexplored space to find them and prevent them from launching any further attacks. It’s a really interesting idea, but the execution is a bit lacking, as the Xindi story is broken up by a number of stand-alone episodes that disrupt the momentum. Yet, these breaks allow the show to balance out the main story arc with more traditional episodes about character development and exploration. Incredibly ambitious, Season 3 of Star Trek: Enterprise pushes the limits of the series and asks some very provocative moral and ethical questions.
From the creators of Battlestar Galactica comes the prequel series Caprica. Set 58 years before the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, the show follows wealthy industrialist Dr. Daniel Graystone as he works to develop a sentient robot based on a living avatar that his daughter created of herself before her death in a terrorist attack; meanwhile mob lawyer Joseph Adama, whose daughter also died in the terrorist attack, reconnects with his cultural roots. The casting is really good and they deliver some extraordinary performances. Additionally, the special effects and set designs are especially well-done, and give the show a unique visual aesthetic. Also, the writing does an impressive job at addressing sociopolitical issues such as scientific ethics, racism, and religious fanaticism. However, the storytelling is a little weak in the season’s second half. Caprica is a different kind of show than Battlestar Galactica, but it’s still a compelling and provocative series.
New mysteries and horrors await the town of Hawkins in the second season of Stranger Things. It’s been several months since Will Byers’ return, but he still has visions of the Upside Down and a mysterious root system has been growing throughout the town killing off vegetation; meanwhile El runs off to find her mother and discovers that she has a sister who also has abilities. Once again the show does an excellent job at using the 1980s aesthetic and incorporating it into the story. And the soundtrack too is especially well-done. However, there are a few misfires with some of the story arcs for the new characters not really going anywhere. Also, there’s more gore and violence this season (a typical horror genre move). Season 2 of Stranger Things isn’t quite as strong as the first, but it continues to deliver exciting and chilling adventures.
Stranger Things is a fresh and exciting Netflix series that homages ‘80s horror. In Season 1 a 12-year-old boy named Will Byers mysteriously disappears, leading his friends to band together to find him, and during their search they run across a girl with telekinetic powers who claims that Will has crossed over into an alternative dimension called the Upside Down; meanwhile the sheriff uncovers a government conspiracy to cover up Byers’ disappearance. Set in 1983, the show plays on ‘80s nostalgia extremely well; looking and feeling exactly like a horror film straight out of the 1980s (it even makes references to such ‘80s classics as The Thing, Evil Dead, Cujo, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Poltergeist). Also, the performances are really quite impressive; especially the child actors, who are incredibly charming and charismatic. Extraordinarily smart and well-crafted, Stranger Things delivers a remarkable first season.
Second seasons are notorious for surpassing their predecessor, and Dead Like Me is no exception. After an excellent first season, Dead Like Me takes it up a notch. With a solid foundation set, Dead Like Me extends itself by pushed the limits, and finding the endless possibilities of the show. Season two moved the series away from being about a girl named George who adjusts to life after death as a grim reaper, and instead becomes an ensemble show; following the struggles of all of the members of the grim reaper group that George belongs to, and explores the various stages of their afterlives. But even in the mist of all these heavy dramatic themes, the comedy remains as clever, witty, and hilarious as ever. Dead Like Me has an extraordinary quality and an ability to connect with people, giving them new perspectives on life, death, and the afterlife; and Season 2 sends the series out on a high note.
Stephen King’s epic apocalyptic thriller The Stand is brought to television as a four part miniseries. When a plague wipes out 99% of the population a number of survivors begin to receive mysterious dreams calling them to Boulder, Colorado, to begin anew, but a rival community rises up in Las Vegas lead by the demonic Randall Flagg. Featuring Gary Sinise, Laura San Giacomo, Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, Shawnee Smith, Matt Frewer, and Ed Harris, the cast is quite impressive. Yet the performances aren’t very good, and neither are the production values. The storytelling’s also rather weak, failing to capture the dyer tone of this apocalyptic tale. The Stand clearly has an ambitious vision, but it’s unable to deliver on it.
“A journey into a wondrous land of imagination…Next stop,” The Twilight Zone: Season 3. Delivering some of the most iconic episodes of the series, such as “It’s a Good Life,” “Deaths-Head Revisited,” “Five Characters in Search of an Exit,” “Kick the Can,” “Little Girl Lost,” “To Serve Man,” and “I Sing the Body Electric,” this season marks the end of an era as Serling and Houghton step down as producers. And their exhaustion is quite noticeable on-screen, as many of the stories are rehashes of previous episodes (through often done better). Yet the list of guest stars is extraordinary and features a nice mix of established and up-and-coming stars; including Charles Bronson, Elizabeth Montgomery, Jack Klugman, Peter Falk, Lee Marvin, Buster Keaton, Robert Redford, Carol Burnett, and Donald Pleasence. While Season 3 of The Twilight Zone explores a lot of interesting ideas and fantastical concepts, it came at a price and it nearly ended the series.
Star Trek: The Next Generation carries on without creator Gene Roddenberry in its sixth season. Season 6 also marks the launch of Trek’s first spin-off series, Deep Space Nine, and its first cross-over episode “Birthright.” Yet this branching off comes with the loss of Colm Meaney from the recurring cast, along with several others from TNG’s creative team. Still, the writers deliver a number of impressive episodes, including “True Q,” “Chain Of Command,” “Ship in a Bottle,” and “Rightful Heir.” And, such guest stars as Olivia d’Abo, Ronny Cox, and original series cast member James Doohan beam aboard. Season 6 of Star Trek: The Next Generation continues to deliver entertaining adventures, but somehow it seems a little less ambitious than previous seasons; sticking to what has worked in the past rather than boldly going where no one has gone before.
One of the most ambitious seasons of the series, Season 5 of Star Trek: The Next Generation launches the franchise to new heights. This season original cast member Denise Crosby returns to the show as a recurring character, Leonard Nimoy guest stars in a two part movie tie-in for Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and Michelle Forbes joins the show as the fan favorite character Ensign Ro. Additionally, the writers attempt some daring and unconventional episodes, including “Darmok,” “Cause and Effect,” “I, Borg,” and “The Inner Light.” However, some of the episodes get a little preachy, such as “The Masterpiece Society” and “The Outcast.” Still, the season’s strong focus on high-minded sci-fi concepts and contemporary sociopolitical issues provide plenty of opportunities for creative and compelling storytelling. The last season under the helm of creator Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 5 does an extraordinary job of realizing his vision.
Planet of the Apes comes to television as a sci-fi/action series. Re-envisioning the original film, two astronauts end up marooned in the distant future where apes have taken over and enslaved humanity; and the astronauts travel from town to town, getting into adventures and running from the military police. The series seems to follow the new continuity setup in the alternative future created in the later films, and some of the characters established in the films, such as Dr. Zaius and Galen, appear throughout the episodes. Seasoned Apes series actor Roddy McDowall leads the cast, and is joined by James Naughton and Mark Lenard. The episodic nature of the series limits it, and makes it rather repetitive; with the astronauts constantly being captured and escaping. Additionally, the astronauts use their 20th century knowledge to save the day a few too many times. Unlike the films, Planet of the Apes the television series is formulaic, heavy handed, and overly concerned with action.
Glen A. Larson’s Battlestar Galactica is an epic sci-fi television series that, while only lasting one season, became an instant cult phenomenon. The show follows a ragtag fleet of ships in a distant galaxy as they flee a tyrannical alien race called the Cylons, and search for Earth, the fabled home of the long-lost thirteenth tribe of humanity. It’s a compelling story that’s incredibly rich and full of intrigue. Additionally, the cast, which stars Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, Maren Jensen, and Anne Lockhart, is quite impressive. Also, the writers do a good job at worldbuilding; creating a culture with a history and language all its own. However, the show does get a little formulaic at times as the fleet continually comes across planets with human settlements facing one Cylon problem or another. And in the last third of the season the series takes a new direction and almost completely forgets about the Cylons. Though exciting and action-packed, Battlestar Galactica had problems finding its footing and was cancelled after one season.
Continuum is an exciting and thrilling science fiction television series from the SyFy network. In Season 1 law enforcement agent Kiera Cameron accidentally time travels from 2077 to 2012 with a group of terrorists known as Liber8 during their prison escape; and now in the past Cameron must stop Liber8 from changing history if she’s to have any hope of returning home. Rachel Nichols leads the cast and brings a lot of charisma to the show. The writing is also quite impressive and creates compelling characters. Additionally, the series does a good job at worldbuilding and handles the complexities of time travel paradoxes especially well. A promising science fiction drama, Continuum: Season 1 delivers a smart and action-packed adventure.
From the USA Network comes the exciting sci-fi series Colony starring Josh Holloway and Sarah Wayne Callies. In Season 1 a former FBI agent makes a deal to join the new occupation police force of an alien invader in exchange for help finding his missing son; however, unknown to him, his wife is secretly helping the resistance movement. Both Holloway and Callies give excellent performances, and are backed by a strong recurring cast, which includes Carl Weathers and Adrian Pasdar. Additionally, the show does a great job at setting up mystery and intrigue about who the invaders are and what they want (which is to be expected from creator and executive producer Carlton Cuse). Also, the action is especially well-done, delivering a lot of intense chases and gun battles. Only 10 episodes, Season 1 of Colony is an on the edge of your seat thriller that leaves the audience wanting more.
Haven shifts into high gear in Season 5 as the show comes to an end, getting darker and grittier than ever before. Picking up where the Season 4 finale left off, Mara (Audrey’s original personality) takes over Audrey and searches for ether to open a portal to escape to another dimension, and creates new “troubles” in people; leading to the town being cut off from the outside world and tearing itself apart. The character dynamics once again undergo some interesting changes as friendships are tested and trust is lost. Also, the mythology gets deeper as new revelations come out. Yet the dueling personality thing is a bit cliché, and the “troubles” get a little formulaic and don’t have the same impact that they once did. Several previous guest stars return (making for some nice continuity), and William Shatner comes aboard for a multi-episode story arc and delivers an especially strong performance. Season 5 of Haven takes on a little more than it can handle (and was extended to 26-episodes), but overall it’s entertaining and a fitting end for the series.
Robert Rodriguez adapts his cult horror film From Dusk Till Dawn into a 10-episode season of television. However, it becomes quite clear very fast that the material just isn't suited for a television format. And, the cast that is put together doesn't measure up to their film counterparts. Additionally, the mythology that is developed for the "vampires" is terrible (as they actually turn out to be snake people), and there's a bunch of clichéd nonsense about prophecies and gods. But even as its own thing, the show is poorly constructed; bouncing around between different characters and their backstories without clear transitions. And the backstories all feel like filler, adding little to the main story. From Dusk Till Dawn: Season 1 has some entertaining action and few intriguing mysteries, but it's mixed in with a lot of garbage that drags down the show.
“For me death was just a wake-up call.” Dead Like Me is a brilliant series with a most unique concept; a comedy about death. Season 1 follows the story of a young girl named George Lass as she joins the ranks of the undead, and is chosen to be a grim reaper; all the while learning to cope with her new life and her death. The show encompasses many dramatic themes, and can be very poignant about life and death, but it stays rooted in comedy. Additionally, the show’s mythology is very creative in how it depicts reapers and the afterlife. The ironic thing about Dead Like Me is that it teaches life lessons through death, and Season 1 does a fantastic job at delivering unique and insightful commentary.
The Bates family begins to tear itself apart in Season 3 of Bates Motel. This season Norma makes a desperate play to save her motel by blackmailing the town’s main powerbroker with a flash drive that has incriminating evidence on it; meanwhile Dillon tries to go straight as a marijuana farmer and gives his father a chance to mend their relationship. Additionally, Norman’s psychosis becomes more apparent as he begins to regularly talk to and interactive with his alternate mother personality. However, despite some really interesting storylines, the writing is inconsistent; starting and stopping several subplots that don’t come to much. Yet there are some incredibly powerful scenes and exciting plot turns that are quite engrossing. While it’s a bit disjointed, the Bates Motel delivers a chilling and suspenseful third season.
Season 4 of Haven marks the beginning of the endgame for the series. Heavily focusing on mythology, the season reveals the nature of the Barn and the origins of the Troubles. After the destruction of the Barn, Duke re-emerges six months later in Boston and works his way back to Haven only to find that the Troubles have gotten worse; meanwhile Audrey has taken on a new identity and a mysterious stranger must help her realize who she is and get her out of the Barn before its destruction. The show sticks to its procedural format, with a Trouble being solved every week, and the episodes have a nice organic flow to them; as the over-arcing storylines are continually built upon. Additionally, there are some impressive guest stars in recurring roles, including Christian Camargo, Emma Lahana, and Colin Ferguson. Taking some interesting turns, Haven's fourth season is exciting and action-packed.
Bates Motel delivers an impressive second season that really opens up the series. The overall story arc follows Norma Bates as she unwittingly becomes involved with a local mobster when she enters into city politics in an attempt to stop the construction of a bypass that will ruin her motel; meanwhile Norman struggles with the trauma of his teacher’s murder and slowly begins to realize that there's something wrong with him. Additionally, there's a side plot about a drug war that erupts when the local boss is killed. The serial storytelling is especially good, developing a smart and compelling story over the 10 episodes. The show also does a great job at building suspense; ending each episode on a gripping cliffhanger. And once again there are several surprisingly strong performances from the supporting cast, including, Paloma Kwiatkowski and Michael Eklund. Dark and edgy, Season 2 of Bates Motel is provocative and full of intrigue.
Full of thrills and suspense, the first season of Bates Motel is a well-crafted re-imagining of Psycho. The series follows Norma Bates and her teenaged son Norman as they attempt a fresh start in a new town by going into the motel business, but complications arise when Norma kills a home invader in self-defense but choices to cover it up. Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore are fairly well-cast as the leads, but it’s Max Thieriot as Norman’s step-brother Dylan who really stands out and brings charisma to the show. Additionally, Keegan Connor Tracy plays an interesting recurring character that ends up having a significant impact on the season. Yet, there are some storytelling issues with underdeveloped plotlines and abrupt transitions. Though only 10 episodes, Season 1 of Bates Motel delivers a compelling and mysterious noir drama.
Though it tries to emulate the first season, Dexter: Season 6 is poorly written and unfocused. As Dexter’s sister Debra is promoted to Lieutenant and takes over the homicide department, a new serial killer known as the Doomsday Killer emerges; meanwhile Dexter forms an unlikely friendship with an ex-con, street minister who shows him that a killer can be reformed. Unfortunately, the episodes are full of tangents and inconstancies that really hurt the storytelling. This poor writing also decreases the effectiveness of the two major twists/reveals that the season is built on. Yet, the characters remain compelling and keep the audience engaged. And, the acting is very strong, particularly by the guest stars: Mos Def, Colin Hanks, and Edward James Olmos. Season 6 of Dexter is very uneven and is full of unrealized potential; however it gets by mostly on the high production value and the goodwill that the series has engendered.
In Season 3 of Haven all the answers are finally revealed (or at least most of them are). This season Audrey must find the Colorado Kid before a meteor shower hits Haven; meanwhile a secret order known as the Guard arises. Some new characters are added to the show that broadens the scope of the series, and new mysteries are introduced that deepen the show’s mythology. Additionally, this season features some interesting themed episodes, including a Halloween episode and a time travel episode. Season 3 continues to deliver thrilling science-fiction adventures that make Haven the fun and entertaining show that it is.
Kevin Bacon stars in the Fox crime-drama The Following. In its first season former FBI agent Ryan Hardy is recalled when charismatic serial killer Joe Carroll breaks out of prison; but this is just the beginning as Carroll puts into motion an elaborate plan to exact revenge on Hardy (who was responsible for his capture) that involves dozens of his cult followers that he's been building up during his imprisonment. The show follows a 24-esque type structure as every 3-4 episodes the focus moves to a new cell or stage in Carroll's plan. And this adds an air of excitement and intrigue; as the plot is constantly building and shifting in direction. Bacon does an incredible job at carrying the series and develops Ryan Hardy into a compelling character. Still, the show takes a lot of liberties and stretches the bounds of believability. While Season 1 of The Following may be a little over-the-top, it's full of thrills and suspense.
Elena must choose between her family and her pack in the third and final season of Bitten. As Jeremy tries to strength his pack by bringing in all the rogue wolves Elena is tracked down by her biological father who is on the run from the alpha of the Russian pack, which leads to a confrontation between packs when the Russians come looking for him. Once again it’s all about Elena (even more so than in previous seasons) and Laura Vandervoort steps up and gives a strong performance. However, there are some rather strange plot turns (particularly the ending) that don’t seem in keeping with the established mythology (probable cause they’re breaking away from the books). And the finale seems forced; likely do to the show’s cancellation. Yet despite its problems, Season 3 of Bitten is exciting and action-packed, and provides a thrilling conclusion to the series.
Laura Vandervoort stars in the supernatural SyFy series Bitten, a tawdry and inane melodrama. The show is poorly written and has an absurd mythos that's confusing and hard to follow. In Season 1 the Stonehaven wolf pack comes under attack from several rogue wolves that seek to overthrow them; meanwhile Elena Michaels, the only female of the pack, struggles between her loyalty to the pack and her desire to live a normal human life. Unfortunately, the series does a poor job at making the pack sympathetic and doesn't really provide a reason to root for them. Additionally, the show is rather sexually explicit, and it feels especially gratuitous. Cashing in on the recent trend of supernatural thrillers, Season 1 of Bitten tries to get by on derivative storytelling devises and generic themes.
Bitten expands its mythology with the introduction of witches in the second season. After the attack on Stonehaven the Alpha Council questions Jeremy Danvers’ ability to lead his pack, and in order to put his house in order he’s forced into an unlikely alliance with a coven of witches and soon discovers a common enemy that threatens them both. Bringing witches into the mythology is exactly what the series needed; as the werewolf mythos just wasn’t that interesting and is pretty nonsensical. Witchcraft however, allows the show to explore more of the supernatural and has less built-in limitations. The Elena and Clay romance plot, on the other hand, doesn’t work at all and comes off as extremely forced and overdramatic. Still, Laura Vandervoort gives a strong performance, and recurring guest stars Tommie-Amber Pirie, Sean Rogerson, and Kiara Glasco are quite good and bring new energy to the series. Thrilling and action-packed, Season 2 of Bitten is a definite improvement over the first.
Lifetime's supernatural drama Witches of East End delivers an impressive second season that's intense and exciting. In the wake of Freya calling off her wedding and the seam breach the Beauchamps discover that their long lost brother has crossed over from Asgard; meanwhile Dash and Killian Gardiner begins to realize their powers. The cast seems to be more comfortable with their characters and give better performances this season; particularly Madchen Amick and Eric Winter. And, there are some nice additions to the recurring cast; including James Marsters and Sarah Lancaster. Also, the writers do a good job at using the serialized format to build suspense and mystery over multiple episode arcs. Taking the series in a new and interesting direction, Season 2 of Witches of East End is entertaining and full of intrigue.
The supernatural series Witches of East End plays a little like a Harlequin Romance, but comes through with some excitement and adventure. In Season 1 two sisters, Freya and Ingrid Beauchamp, discover that they are immortal witches that have been reincarnated over a dozen times, and their aunt Wendy returns to warn them that a shape-shifter is coming after their family. Overall it's a compelling story that's full of mystery, but unfortunately there's a horribly clichéd and trite B story with Freya torn between two brothers in a convoluted love triangle. However, Madchen Amick and Rachel Boston really shine and have an incredible amount of charisma that overcomes the weaknesses in the episodes. And, there are some fun guest appears from Tom Lenk, Freddie Prinze Jr., and Virginia Madsen, who play interesting characters. Season 1 of Witches of East End has a bit of a rough start, but eventual creates a fascinating mythology that's full of intrigue.
In its second season, Travelers sets a new direction that takes the series into new territory. After McLaren’s team learns that there’s a rival group of Travelers calling themselves the Faction that are working against the Director, they attempt find and destroy the Quantum Frame devise that they’re using to transport their people from the future into host bodies; meanwhile a rogue Traveler is killing off teams in order to preserve the new life he’s built. Enrico Colantoni and Amanda Tapping join the cast as recurring characters and have rather compelling story arcs. And, the writing is a lot better this season, especially at crafting multi-episode arcs and exploring the moral quandary of living a double life. Additionally, there’s more intense and exciting action. Thrilling and full of intrigue, Season 2 of Travelers is a game changer.
Travelers is an incredibly confusing science fiction series that delivers an uneven yet compelling first season. The series follows a group of time travelers from the distant future who have come back to prevent a catastrophic event from occurring, but in the meanwhile they have to maintain their covers by living out the lives of the people they were implanted in. The time travel rules don’t make a lot of sense; especially given that the travelers (who are imprinted in people in the present at the time of their deaths) are causing hundreds of butterfly effects by continuing the lives of people that are supposed to have died, keeping the future constantly in flux. Not to mention how highly unethical it all is. The writers don’t seem to have a clear plan, as the show kind of loses direction midway through the season; although the finale is remarkably strong, bringing several plot threads to a head. And, logic problems aside, the concept of the series is interesting and the show does a good job at building suspense and intrigue. Travelers: Season 1 is a bit of a mess, but it has high ambitions and explores some thought-provoking issues.
