Maggie over Universal Spectator has a great take of the show:
For an example of this all you need to do is look at today’s sci-fi offerings, like the Netflix series, “Another Life”. I binge-watched it a couple weeks ago and was so mad at how unimpressed I was with it. What an absolute waste of Starbuck— er, Katee Sackhoff who has primo chops in sci-fi but is dealing with a weak script wasting the techno-production it is afforded while smothering under the bullshit onboard sexual hijinks relationships and the transsexual ship’s doctor, and the incessant mentions of the gay partners some crew members left behind on Earth in order to seek-out the aliens that are trying to make direct contact with Earthlings … but the crew is bored to pissing itself in just about every damn scene in their GAP and Aéropostale togs not retrofitted for space flight, but for LA/NYC clubbing casual. I mean, come-the-fuck-on!
(There will be spoilers, red at your own risk)
We are still watching (one a day dosage) and I think we are past the midway point by now, but it is such a bad joke I don’t mind spoiling the crap out of it. The series is about an alien ship/crystal that lands on Earth and sends a signal to what people think is home. A ship is sent out to find that home and see if the sentient lifeforms are threat to the planet. Katee Sackhoff is the captain of the ship and she is experienced and tough as nails as a captain should be… and that’s it. The rest of the crew is a bunch of Millennials that rather than go “Aye Aye Cap” after getting an order, immediately begin to argue and question the order, almost to the point of asking for an environmental impact study and a Safe Space. The Pilot of the ship hates the Captain so he mutinies with the support of the rest of the crews who had their feelings hurt and puts her in “soma” hibernation. Pilot takes over and basically runs the ship against a star (don’t ask me about astrophysics and the technical aspects, I know it smells suspicious.) One of the crew, scare shitless about dying waked the captain who proceeds to drive the ship to safety but not before the damn thing looks like a reject from a demolition derby. Danger passes monetarily and believe it or not, the captain does not punish the effing mutinous pilot who 10 minutes later, tries to kill her but she manages to return the favor first.
Ho-Lee Shit! Millennials lose it! “Why did you have to kill him?” and other usual complains erupt from their mouths. People, this dumb ass removed the righteous leader of the ship, almost kill you all driving like a drunk Korean (Yes, Koreans suck at driving and I know from personal experience) and playing bouncy ball against a star and then almost knifes the captain in a moment of spite after she gave him a break.
And that is episode one. I was screaming at the screen for the absolute lack of logic and wondering how stupider it would get in the next episodes. I am sorry to say that it is getting worse. The away crew land in one planet to collect a much needed crystal for the ship (dilithium crystals idea theft anyone?), disregard safety protocols and bring to the ship a virus which allows them to do a Alien Crew At The Mess Hall “homage” of something coming out of somebody’ body. Everybody gets infected and may die but are saved by the plucky fat smart guy who figures by chance how to kill the bug. Next, they have to go to another planet to get food and water, so what do they do? Land without any frigging health safety protocol, not even a mask.
We are going to try wand finish watching it to see how stupider it still can get…. and I did not even mention the subplot back on Earth which is a bad musical rehash of Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
I believe Netflix is like HBO: One great production smothered in a passel of really bad ones. Narcos and Mindhunter are great series, but that’s about it. We also watched The Highwaymen nd it os OK; great acting but the script came up short a bit.
Oh yes, I almost forgot: They ruined Lucifer.
All of the above is why we only do Netflix for a month, squeezing the good stuff and leaving the empty worthless body in the culvert.
Mrs B and I usually give a series a 3-episode grace period … That’s enough time for the cast to start to gel and the writers start to hit their strides with the characters. But it’s not long enough for us to get “invested” in finishing the series if the above doesn’t happen.
Thx for the review. Was thinking about watching this but I’ll skip it fir something else.
I had the same reaction watching this….so first contact, we put together a crew for the most important mission ever, and you pack the ship full of whiny millenials? I got through 4 episodes and am done. The crew would have trouble running a Starbucks…they would never pass the psych test to go into space.
For a smart scifi show on Netflix, watch Altered Carbon. It’s for adults, and treats you like one all the way through.
Thanks, we needed something before the end of the month and to validate the $12 expenditure 🙂
Seconded on “Altered Carbon.” Good series.
Longmire didn’t start on Netflix, but Netflix finished it. Really enjoyed it for the most part.
Last season was a bit weak IMHO, but not bad
Next, they have to go to another planet to get food and water, so what do they do? Land without any frigging health safety protocol, not even a mask.
Futurama hit this one, in the episode, “The Problem with Popplers”.
Leela: Well, it’s a Type M planet, so it should at least have Roddenberries.
Ironically, they also landed on the planet AND exited their ship without safety gear, BEFORE Leela scanned it.
(For non-sci-fi fans, “Type M planet” is a Star Trek reference, meaning suitable for human habitation, with suitable gravity and atmospheric pressure, a non-toxic and oxygenated atmosphere, rocky land surface [not a gas giant], liquid water, etc. “Roddenberries” refers to Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry.)
Kinda reminds me of an old series from the ’70s, “Space 1999”. Abysmal science, acting to match, a Commander who couldn’t decide to use the restroom without consulting the crew resulting in a long (boring) discussion. I think I got through two episodes. By then, I was hoping that the whole cast would blunder into a black hole.