Flashforward Pilot - Thoughts/Grade?

[thedude]

Well, I can't believe there wasn't a thread for this, so I thought I'd start one. It looks like ABC might have a pretty good series on their hands here. It's based on the novel by Canadian author Robert J. Sawyer (loosely based, I should say) and dealt with the entire population of the planet collectively losing consciousness for 137 seconds (2 minutes, 17 seconds) and in that time many had "visions" of the future 6 months away (April 29/30, 2010).

I think there is HUGE potential for this show, and if it's anything like the novel is going to do very well, but I'm afraid ABC will kill it before it can hit it's prime as many people will equate it to Lost and expect the same garbage that show has produced lately and not tune in. I was reminded heavily of the webfilm "What's in the box?" from Tim Smit, among other great recent Sci-Fi.

Oh, and it's David Goyer and Brannon Braga... so at least it has good sci-fi people behind it.

So, thoughts?

EDIT: Didn't see a similar thread over in Sci-Fi/Fantasy here:

http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=104392

 

[Guy Gardener]

This show makes defying gravity look like a circus being fire bombed by nazi monkeys from a mirror universe.

 

[sojourner]

Well, the opening scenes of mayhem strongly evoked the "Lost" pilot.

Open on lead character waking up in a state of confusion, he quickly recovers himself only to find the world around him turned into a scene of chaos. He quickly takes stock and starts doing his best to help those around him and gain control of the situation.

I half expected to see Hurley wandering around in a daze.

With only an hour we barely had time to introduce the major characters. With more time it may develop. I'll give it a few more looks.

 

[Roshi]

Oh, and it's David Goyer and Brannon Braga... so at least it has good sci-fipeople behind it.

Sci-Fi threads go to Sci-Fi forums...

 

[Peach Wookiee]

I thought it looked pretty good.

 

[Starbreaker]

There is a thread. It's huge.

 

[Zachary Smith]

I thought the concept had promise but so far I really do not like the execution. I really don't like the way the program takes the audience so carefully by the hand and WALKS you pedantically through every little point as this is some REALLY complex stuff. Yeah, so it has non-linear aspects. Do we REALLY need half a million flash-BACKS in order to remind of something that was in a flash-FORWARD when it actually appears in the context of episode "real-time". There were some aspects of sexuality that seemed overtly gratuitous also.

I was really hoping to like it but was quite disappointed. I'll watch one more episode to see if it improves . . .