Anybody Else Tuning in to Flash Gordon Tonight?

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Spanky The Dolphin
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Anybody Else Tuning in to Flash Gordon Tonight?

Post by Spanky The Dolphin »

Starting out asking a simple question and dropping awareness, and when the time comes around this could serve as the discussion thread for the pilot episode if it deserves it.

Anyway, Sci Fi Channel's new series based on the Flash Gordon property is finally airing tonight with a 90-minute premier at 9 PM EST/8 PM CST.

I haven't been monitoring the development of this series at all, so I only know how a very small portion of it looks like, but am somewhat curious to see what the series is like and whether it may end up being worth watching or if just another waste of time like Painkiller Jane.

So who's with me? :P
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Re: Anybody Else Tuning in to Flash Gordon Tonight?

Post by Stuart »

You bet. At worst it'll be a good nostalgia trip, at best a good reinvention, Hope it'll be the latter (and this time the good guy - ie Ming The Merciless - wins)
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Post by Bounty »

I picked up a few whispers about it, but I didn't know it was already starting. Let's hope they get it right, eh? I'd love to see a retro-serial done right.
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Post by Darwin »

Certainly giving it a chance, but the possibility of it becoming another 'Hercules in Space' looms large and dark.

I hope I'm wrong.:D
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Post by TimothyC »

I've got the VCR set for my parents and younger brother.
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Post by Drooling Iguana »

The possibility of a science-fiction series that doesn't have a stick shoved a lightyear or two up its ass it too good to pass up.
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Post by LaserRifleofDoom »

Well... it was a little cheesy. But good. Effects were about typical for SciFi Original.

I have to say, they better not get too into love-triangles. I want to see rocket ships firing space cannonballs. Not a cast of brunettes fighting over a blonde.

Also, I wonder how many of Flash's Earth buddies will get involved. I'm betting on Joe Fiancee getting killed off before the end of the season and the black guy getting an alien girlfriend within the next two episodes.
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Post by LaserRifleofDoom »

Ghetto edit: I totally stumbled upon this show, and had no expectations.

I turned off the Tigers game in the 4th, and managed to catch a glimpse of Dr. Who as I channel surfed while I waited for my computer to turn on. So I watched that and saw a commercial for Flash Gordon, the series premier.
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Post by Spanky The Dolphin »

I was actually somewhat impressed, for it being a series premiere. Visual effects are definitely of a lower caliber than nBSG or Stargate, but they seem to make up for it alright.

Honestly, the only thing that really bugged me was how Flash's mom looked like she was only about ten years older than he was. :P

Worth giving it the seven-episode chance, at the least.
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Post by LaserRifleofDoom »

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:I was actually somewhat impressed, for it being a series premiere. Visual effects are definitely of a lower caliber than nBSG or Stargate, but they seem to make up for it alright.

Honestly, the only thing that really bugged me was how Flash's mom looked like she was only about ten years older than he was. :P

Worth giving it the seven-episode chance, at the least.
Yeah, I was definately expecting a gray-haired person from all the talk about xrays and doctors. And his dad actually looks like the appropriate age...
And yeah, they managed to make the poor visual effects not too noticeable. I liked the robot-assasin's look.
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Post by Alan Bolte »

I was quite amused by the proton gun.

Overall, there was nothing really wrong with it, but it failed to be awesome or hilarious to a significant degree. Just a bit 'meh'.
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Post by DPDarkPrimus »

Isn't the premire still on?
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Post by Spanky The Dolphin »

No, it ran from 8:00 to 9:30.
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Post by Spanky The Dolphin »

Ghetto Edit: Unless they're repeating it right after.
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Post by neoolong »

I believe they are replaying it.

It's pretty decent so far. I like that Flash is pretty likeable. And that Ming isn't some evil Asian stereotype.

It seems kind of like Stargate. It can get serious, but has a sense of humor.
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Post by CaptainChewbacca »

I'm sure it will be on many times over the coming week.
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Re: Anybody Else Tuning in to Flash Gordon Tonight?

Post by Starglider »

Stuart wrote:You bet. At worst it'll be a good nostalgia trip, at best a good reinvention, Hope it'll be the latter (and this time the good guy - ie Ming The Merciless - wins)
Much as I like Ming the Merciless, I am unaware of any rationale under which he could be considered a good guy. Conquering space around Mongo is one thing, but utterly destroying any species that achieves space flight (but not before torturing a good number of them to death for personal amusement) isn't really a 'good guy' activity.
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Post by Knife »

Meh, it was watchable. The acting was a bit cringe worthy at times, and the SFX's were kind of crappy, and the whole thing had a thick layer of cheese upon it.

Mom could have been Flash's girlfriend by age though, as has been pointed out. I'll watch a couple more and see if it settles down a bit.
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Re: Anybody Else Tuning in to Flash Gordon Tonight?

Post by Stuart »

Starglider wrote:Much as I like Ming the Merciless, I am unaware of any rationale under which he could be considered a good guy. Conquering space around Mongo is one thing, but utterly destroying any species that achieves space flight (but not before torturing a good number of them to death for personal amusement) isn't really a 'good guy' activity.
Tongue was very deep in cheek there. Not intended as a serious comment.......

I thought the Flash Gordon premier was OK. The cast haven't shaken down yet and they need a few episodes to get everything sorted. I thought Ming was weak, he should be chewing up the set in that role, to me he came across as a bureaucrat with a bad temper. They're going to have to be careful with RVman, that character could turn into a buffoon if they don't take care.
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Re: Anybody Else Tuning in to Flash Gordon Tonight?

Post by Starglider »

Stuart wrote:Tongue was very deep in cheek there.
Maybe the press will buy that, but from my orbital spy platform I could see you hastily pulling a tarp over your atomic death ray just before they arrived.
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Post by The Dark »

It looked like it has potential. Some of the cast (Aura and Ming in particular) don't seem completely comfortable with their roles at this point, but I'm willing to give it a chance. After all, I was about ready to write off Battlestar Galactica after the mini-series :P .
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Post by Jade Falcon »

And what was the actress like who played Aura, after all, Ornella Muti set the standards pretty high..... :)
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Post by The Dark »

Jade Falcon wrote:And what was the actress like who played Aura, after all, Ornella Muti set the standards pretty high..... :)
It's Ann van Hooft as Aura. I think at the moment she's the weakest link in the cast, but it's due to Aura's introduction to the story and apparent motives being really off-the-wall. So far, I'm preferring Gina Holden's take on Dale.
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Post by neoolong »

Was Flash's mom played by one of the actresses from Battlestar Galactica? She seemed familiar.
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Post by The Dark »

neoolong wrote:Was Flash's mom played by one of the actresses from Battlestar Galactica? She seemed familiar.
Yes. Flash's mother is Jill Teed, who was Sgt. Hadrian in the episodes Litmus and Act of Contrition. She's also been in two episodes of Stargate (the two Wormhole X-treme! episodes)
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