Terra Nova

[FaxModem1]

I watched the pilot, and I'm a bit worried. I enjoyed the pilot a lot, but think back to the Enterprise pilot, which is where they spent the majority of their money on the special effects of that episode, and for the rest of the season, made as many bottle shows as possible.

Consider how many special effects shots we saw of future(old?) Earth and its dystopian look. Now consider that unless they do flashbacks or have subplots taking place on future Earth, they won't be using any of that setting again, and the rest of the season will suffer for it special effects wise.

This is what happened for shows like Lost in Space, Battlestar Galactica(the old one), Enterprise, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager.

I'll judge this series by its second and third episode for a better feel of it.

[Guardsman Bass]

Would she be able to get away with that kind of clothing while working as a doctor ?

Good point. Maybe she resigned from her position once they decided to keep the third child, considering that their apartment seems rather small and sparse (although it's possible that having the third child would make it impossible to get more luxurious conditions due to the social stigma).

I watched the pilot, and I'm a bit worried. I enjoyed the pilot a lot, but think back to the Enterprise pilot, which is where they spent the majority of their money on the special effects of that episode, and for the rest of the season, made as many bottle shows as possible.

The per-episode budget is supposedly around $4 million - and that's after all of the sunk costs involved in making the set. That leaves them with some decent money for occasional special effects, although you're probably right in that we'll get a couple of "bottle shows" set within the base. Or they'll use small-scale Sixer infiltrations for that purpose so they don't have to constantly show new CGI dinosaurs.

[weemadando]

HOLY SHIT THOSE PEOPLE ARE DUMB.

I just watched up to the brachiosaurus part.

Did they seriously build a compound where the outer wall is timber railings (albeit thick ones) set 2 or so feet apart? No wire mesh, no moat/trench, nothing else?

And that you have allowed the jungle to grow RIGHT UP to the wire?

Oh yeah, and then have allowed their settlement to be built so that their residences are LITERALLY WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE OF THAT OUTER WALL?

Not to mention shit like their drop off point being in a wooded area requiring a fairly treacherous hike to get back to the compound - or is this point random each time?

GAAAWD. What a fucking nightmarish place.

*edit* This is without me getting started on how horrifically porous their security is on what should be THE MOST FUCKING SECURE FACILITY ON THE PLANET.

[Themightytom]

I could not get into this, it was so poorly reasoned. They have a population ban, which is Srsly and the consequence of violating it is imprisonment? For at least two years? What the fuck sense does that make, are vasectomies out of style? When the doctor gets approved to go through the portal, thus removing her from the population, they don't want her to take all of her kids?

What would have been the intended fate of the illegal kid.
Ugh I could go on but I have to work, this shit smells like Voyager.

[DarkSilver]

*edit* This is without me getting started on how horrifically porous their security is on what should be THE MOST FUCKING SECURE FACILITY ON THE PLANET.

Pretty much in agreement on all that, but without seeing the Sixer base....well..

Technically, Terra Nova IS the most secure facility on that planet...by virtue of it being the only facility on the planet.

[Guardsman Bass]

Did they seriously build a compound where the outer wall is timber railings (albeit thick ones) set 2 or so feet apart? No wire mesh, no moat/trench, nothing else?

And that you have allowed the jungle to grow RIGHT UP to the wire?

Oh yeah, and then have allowed their settlement to be built so that their residences are LITERALLY WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE OF THAT OUTER WALL?

That was definitely one of the more stupid parts of the colony's set-up. Maybe they've braced the fence somehow, but it still looks like a charging dinosaur (like one of the Carnotaurs) could break it open. That's not to mention that it's porous as hell. Any smaller dinosaurs that might serve as pests could simply walk right into the base, and I'm betting that we'll have a "Slashers get inside the base" episode at some point this season (as I mentioned above).

I could not get into this, it was so poorly reasoned. They have a population ban, which is Srsly and the consequence of violating it is imprisonment? For at least two years? What the fuck sense does that make, are vasectomies out of style? When the doctor gets approved to go through the portal, thus removing her from the population, they don't want her to take all of her kids?

The dad is in prison because he assaulted the police searching his apartment, not necessarily because of the third child. One of the family members mentioned at one point (I can't remember which one) that if he hadn't punched out the police, they just would have been hit with a fine.

[Guardsman Bass]

It looks like the ratings for the show were mediocre:

It had dinosaurs and Steven Spielberg's name attached, but costly Fox drama "Terra Nova" settled for average numbers in its bow Monday. Star of the night was CBS' "Two and a Half Men," which topped 20 million viewers in Ashton Kutcher's second week and seemed to lift the net's entire comedy block.

Opposite a big "Monday Night Football" game on ESPN and potent CBS comedy numbers, "Terra Nova" averaged a 3.1 rating/8 share in adults 18-49 and 9.22 million viewers from 8 to 10 p.m. -- holding steady at a 3.1 in each half-hour, according to Nielsen.

. . . .

I'm sad about that, but not surprised. It has some stiff competition on Monday Night, both from "Two and a Half Men" and "Dancing with the Stars". On the bright side, Fox ordered an entire slate of 13 episodes for the season, so we'll get that (even if they end up re-scheduling it away from any decent time-slot).

[weemadando]

*edit* This is without me getting started on how horrifically porous their security is on what should be THE MOST FUCKING SECURE FACILITY ON THE PLANET.

Pretty much in agreement on all that, but without seeing the Sixer base....well..

Technically, Terra Nova IS the most secure facility on that planet...by virtue of it being the only facility on the planet.

No, I was referring to the Portal facility in that line. What a shambolic bit of security work.

[weemadando]

Did they seriously build a compound where the outer wall is timber railings (albeit thick ones) set 2 or so feet apart? No wire mesh, no moat/trench, nothing else?

And that you have allowed the jungle to grow RIGHT UP to the wire?

Oh yeah, and then have allowed their settlement to be built so that their residences are LITERALLY WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE OF THAT OUTER WALL?

That was definitely one of the more stupid parts of the colony's set-up. Maybe they've braced the fence somehow, but it still looks like a charging dinosaur (like one of the Carnotaurs) could break it open. That's not to mention that it's porous as hell. Any smaller dinosaurs that might serve as pests could simply walk right into the base, and I'm betting that we'll have a "Slashers get inside the base" episode at some point this season (as I mentioned above).

Yeah, I looked at it and went: "Well fuck - that fence is easily open enough to let even the largest members of the raptor family just waltz right into camp."

This is without mentioning additional stupid shit like having trees next to your perimeter fence WHICH ARE HIGHER THAN YOUR FENCE AND OVERHANG YOUR FENCE. Because that isn't instantly negating having the fence there...

[FaxModem1]

To be fair, could it be because the agricultural workers are undermanned and apparently the jungle grows rather quickly, leading to them getting a lot of brush on their fences? The fact that there aren't layers of fences or fences made of stronger material is inexcusable, I'm just saying it could be that the jungle is rather hard to fight.

[Guardsman Bass]

I wonder if the series would be stronger if we had two plot lines: one in Terra Nova, and one back on the polluted Future-Earth. Part of the reason why I liked the first half of the series was because Future-Earth was fascinating in its own way.

[Meest]

Thought they tried to make it appeal to a family or wider base and it suffered, teen angst and drama was terrible and cliche. Thought it would be more serious but it seems it will settle into sheriff dad solving crap each week with whatever those runes or markings lingering in the background.

[DarkSilver]

*edit* This is without me getting started on how horrifically porous their security is on what should be THE MOST FUCKING SECURE FACILITY ON THE PLANET.

Pretty much in agreement on all that, but without seeing the Sixer base....well..

Technically, Terra Nova IS the most secure facility on that planet...by virtue of it being the only facility on the planet.

No, I was referring to the Portal facility in that line. What a shambolic bit of security work.

Oh, well then, completely and utterly agreed. That was some shitty ass security there.

[CaptainChewbacca]

I think the reason why the 'drop point' for the portal was so far away was that its manifestation was semi-random. That is, they know approximately where it will be, but they can only narrow it down to a few square miles before its 'synchronized'.

[Wing Commander MAD]

The wooden fence doesn't bother me, as most of their construction looks to be primarily wood. Practicality has always outweighed efficiency, and it would appear that resupply from the future is limited. Most likely supplies from the future are limited to stuff that cannot be produced locally. The fact that raw iron is valuable enough to be traded for medicine would seem to reinforce the idea that they aren't receiving supplies often. After all, a source of iron would be a valuable strategic asset in the long term survival of Terra Nova, but nowhere near as valuable as medicine in the short term unless supply was limited in some way. They traded a very insignificant amount of ore for a prisoner and meds.

[weemadando]

Except its not practical.

That's the issue.

But I suppose it won't be on screen because of magic sonic barriers between the railings or something.

[Wing Commander MAD]

I was referring to the comment that it was inexcusable the fence isn't made out of a stronger material. Primarily wooden construction when wood appears to be the only readily available building material is very practical. The lack of defense in depth and overall design are altogether separate issues.

[weemadando]

The concrete anchors with steel pillars and wood railings is resource efficient. A simple wooden palisade with a moat probably would have been even better.

[Knife]

I really wanted to like it but it was so bad I couldn't. All those security types and the angst teens can just slip through that awesome fence they've got going, good thing something like bad guys or bad dino's don't try to slip in. lol.

The teen angst was just horrible, jaw cringing, and eye rolling-ly bad. The silly girl that made a break for it, was attacked right after leaving the car, but some how made it so far away that it still took a lot of time for the rescue party to get to the rest after they found the runner. And after the big bad rescue team pulled out the big guns and the green glow in the dark crap that can beat the tar out of bad dino's, the bad guys can sneak in through all that and take their guy back. Couldn't do it with just bad dino's around, need to wait till bad dino's and rescue team are all around. The ham fisted shadowing of the daughter drooling over the security kid. Gah.

It was bad.

[Flagg]

I liked it until they went back in time.

[Vympel]

Eh - I'm about to finish the episode (I started last night, had to stop cos bedtime) - it was ... fine. I didn't think it was awful, nor did I think it was excellent.

Spartacus Blood and Sand has taught me to give shows a chance even after they have a mediocre pilot.

And hell, I sat through all of Boring Skies, and this was way more interesting.

Still, those repainted nerf guns (I'm serious) can't kill shit.

[Wing Commander MAD]

The concrete anchors with steel pillars and wood railings is resource efficient. A simple wooden palisade with a moat probably would have been even better.

Agreed.

[Guardsman Bass]

I liked it until they went back in time.

The world they left behind is interesting. We'll probably see bits and pieces of it in flashbacks, but it would have been cool to get a longer perspective on that world (albeit impractical for budgetary reasons).

[Flagg]

I liked it until they went back in time.

The world they left behind is interesting. We'll probably see bits and pieces of it in flashbacks, but it would have been cool to get a longer perspective on that world (albeit impractical for budgetary reasons).

Would have been more interesting if Terra Nova were a big secret for a couple of episodes and then suddenly the family gets selected and we discover what it's all about, but then, the whole series concept would have to have been hidden. I dunno, I just like the concept of the future world more than the one with dinosaurs that can't seem to kill anyone.

[Meest]

Eh - I'm about to finish the episode (I started last night, had to stop cos bedtime) - it was ... fine. I didn't think it was awful, nor did I think it was excellent.

Spartacus Blood and Sand has taught me to give shows a chance even after they have a mediocre pilot.

And hell, I sat through all of Boring Skies, and this was way more interesting.

Still, those repainted nerf guns (I'm serious) can't kill shit.

Really want to but look at the upcoming episodes descriptions, screams episode of the week cheesiness.