I saw this show for the first time last night. What episode number is this and can someone give me some background to it? They are going to Venus? How are they going to survive the extreme temperatures?
This was the 6th episode of a planned 13-episode season. (All 13 episodes have been filmed, so if the US network cancels it, there will still be a complete arc for DVD and international broadcast - the show is co-produced with Canada, the UK and Germany).
In a nutshell, the show takes place in the mid-21st century. The Antares is on a 6-year "grand tour" mission that is to take it to Venus and several other planets. In the first episode we learn that the mission -- including the choice of crew -- is being influenced by something called "Beta" which has not been explained but which at present appears to be some sort of alien or spirit, which may in some way be connected to an incident on Mars 10 years earlier in which the captain of Antares and his No. 2, Maddux, were forced to leave 2 astronauts behind (one of whom was Maddux's girlfriend)..
The show alternates between "present-day" and events from 5 years earlier when the crew of Antares was being chosen and undergoing training.
A few pieces of the puzzle that have so far been revealed:
- The crew of Antares (and a few people involved on Earth) are having their DNA resequenced, and they don't know it. Everyone apparently has the same DNA now, or something (not fully explained yet).
* Beta has chosen the crew, causing qualified individuals to be not chosen, while including puzzling choices such as the out-of-shape computer geek guy.
- The crew of Antares are required to wear "HALO" devices, which inhibit libido. The oversexed German astronaut, Nadia, seems to be either immune or not bothering to wear one.
- A storage pod on Antares apparently contains either Beta itself or a link to Beta. When the captain opens the pod, he finds himself back on Mars.
- In this episode and last, crewmembers are starting to see hallucinations of people they've lost.
- Zoe (the blonde) is experiencing long-term guilt over taking an abortion pill in order to remain an astronaut. She was impregnated by Maddux, although he'd gotten a vascetomy (it's implied that Beta has, for reasons unknown, reversed it).
- Only the captain (Shaw) and a few people on the ground know the true nature of the mission. According to last episode the crew is supposed to be filled in on what's really going on once they get to Venus.
There are more bits and pieces, but those are some good ones to get started on.
The show is not intended to be an action show. It's meant to be a drama about the people, with the whole Beta thing just being a macguffin. Folks tuning in expecting to see BSG or Star Trek will be disappointed. Those expecting a slowly unravelling puzzle like that on Lost will find it worthwhile, at least IMO.
I don't expect to see it survive all 13 episodes on the US network, but hopefully, like Merlin, it'll be a big hit elsewhere so those of us who do like it can at least get the DVDs for later seasons or catch it on a cable network.
Alex
