"Having watched this recently, I feel it should come with a warning that it is incomplete.
The first series is very watchable, about a landing on Mars, with an up-to-the-minute take on millionaires funding space missions, There are some more surreal/abstract elements, but I expected these to be resolved in series 2. Having watched series 2, it seems less coherent than the first series, with a lot more flashbacks to explain things. Nevertheless, I persisted to the end, only to find that there was no ending, just setting the stage for a third series (which might have explained everything...?).
Online it is suggested that there was to be a third series, but it seems it was not made. As a consequence, the show lives up to its description on iplayer as "enigmatic". In my initial enthusiasm I recommended the show to Woodsy and Wotan (sorry, folks), my warning to others trying it would be, don't expect many answers!"
Andy B.
Wotan responds:
Well after Andy kindly flagged this up, I eagerly watched series 1, all the way through. Initially, I felt the first episode was a bit ham fisted, as everything that could go wrong with the landing, promptly did and it put me in mind of all the other disastrous Mars mission films. But where it succeeded, even excelled - was with the enigmatic inclusion of the russian cosmanaut Alexei Komarov. Tha actor who plays Komarov is an amazing likeness for the tragic hero of the Soyuz programme and plays the part with a gripping intensity, that counterpoints the somewhat lacklustre performances by most of the rest of the cast, Its a french production, subtitled, but the audio slips back and to between english and french dialogue, as a second team of astronauts are brought in, making it a little confusing at times.
The opening titles are excellent and overall, the effects are first class. The main ship design is a bit weak, looking like something a child would construct from toilet rolls, but the rest of the production is spot on.
Before Andy's caveat, I set to and watched the first episode of Season 2, which put the entire show on its head. Knowing the show was cancelled before a third series has put me off pursuing it, although in lieu of anything else worthwhile, I may go back and see where it goes. But Series one is excellent and as a set up for a show, certainly delivers. Try it yourself, if you can get Iplayer and see what you think.
I watched the first couple of episodes of series 1, but found it un original, cliched and dull, so stopped.
ReplyDeletePlus the Mars lander is a terrible design, looking as if it were from the Muppets' 'Pigs In Space' Sci Fi parody, not a serious drama.
Last week, years later, I caught the last two episodes of series 2, by accident.
The whole thing seems to have become an over complicated, confusing 'Lost' / 'Stargate' rip off, with a cliff hanger deliberately concocted to prolong the show, rather than explain it.
In other words, the whole thing seems to have been pointless. If it has been cancelled, I'm not surprised.
I do like the theme tune though !
Yep - the music is quite good, thats why I enjoyed the opening credits!
ReplyDelete