I think you'll find that there are a lot of fans of the show (myself included) and that there have been many threads here on the show over the years.
True. I did look around, but didn't want to whip out the shovel to dig up a dead thread.
It's long since pruned but way back in the olden days (circa 2007ish maybe?), there was an long ongoing thread about the many behind-the-scenes issues, much of which came from TemporalFlux's extensive research on the topic (maybe even insider knowledge, I don't remember). It's a pity the thread (or threads since they couldn't be longer than 100 posts back then) no longer exists because I remember that being a huge eyeopener for me about how incredibly messy things got and how that effected the quality of the show and how certain actors left/fired (like John Rhys-Davies, Sabrina Lloyd, and Jerry O'Connell).
Definitely unfortunate, on all counts.
I haven't watched the show in many years but I remember loving the hell out of it, especially the first couple of years with the original cast. Some day I'll get back to it and watch it again.
After my next perennial "Red Dwarf" marathon it's next on my list as well. At least seasons 1, 2, and 5.
I might give 3 and 4 another shot while pretending "Joe's Apartment" never got filmed.
Season 1 was good. Season 2 was decent, but suffered by the network's insistence that alternate history alone wasn't "sci-fi" enough and they had to throw in psychic powers and dinosaurs and random weirdness, which undermined the concept. Season 3 had some worthwhile stuff in the first half ("The Guardian" in particular), but degenerated into one of the worst things I've ever seen on television. The season 3 finale was an ordeal to watch.
The difference between season 2's use of dinosaurs and season 3's is as impressive as it was unexpected. With season 2 winning by a sizeable margin. And all due to Jerry O'Connell wanting to make "Joe's Apartment", allowing the other characters to carry the episode.
Hated the pseudo-scifi shoehorned into season 2 and 3. It did undermine the concept and didn't fit in.
I recall Tracy Torme hating the idea of the Kromaggs, especially as a recurring villain, which FOX wanted. I dunno. The introduction is utterly brilliant, if not choppy in one scene from what I recall. Torme fought to even have Bennish mentioned by name, but had to be content with sneaking in the actor and wiggle the dialogue just enough in hopes the audiences would realize.
Guardian and Double Cross definitely are the standouts, which almost feel out of place in what that season became. It didn't help that one of the stuntmen died while filming one of the most unoriginal, lamest episodes of that season. Wasted talent that didn't need to end so soon.
I recall Roger Daltry as stunt casting for "The Exodus", a story I couldn't believe was truly written by John Rhys-Davies, though I later read the script had been altered. He sorta made the show in ways none of the others could, despite each of them bringing something special to the table.
FOX also had a good recurring villain for Quinn via Logan St Claire, but never made use of her ever again.
Season 4 was excellent, much better than its reputation. I don't think I've ever seen a show sink so far yet rebound so well.
I'll have to rewatch it. I vaguely remember some episodes, but the new Kromaggs were as off-putting as they were over-relied on. Quinn now being
special, instead of just a wanderer, was about as "nails on chalkboard" bad as season 3's changes too. And, of course, he has a little brother now to make it all more epic.
Sure, O'Connell's brother was a weak actor, and adding him to the show was pure nepotism and a bad idea. But season 4 brought in actual science fiction writers who knew what they were doing, so the concepts and storytelling were vastly improved from seasons 2-3. And the character work improved too. Kari Wuhrer's characterization was all but nonexistent in season 3, but in seasons 4-5, with good material to work with, Wuhrer proved for perhaps the first time in her career that she was actually a really good actress and not just a sexpot.
That's true. Kromaggs aside (IMHO), the show definitely felt like it was trying to undo season 3's missteps.
Season 5's writing wasn't as strong as season 4's, but I'd still put it above most of seasons 2 & 3. The circumstances that brought about the cast changes were unfortunate. But despite that, the season 5 ensemble cast really clicked and had a terrific rapport and chemistry. It seemed like they really enjoyed being together, so they were very enjoyable to watch.
5 was more hit or miss, but the cast's rapport was an easy win for me as well.
