Outcasts (BBC) series 1 discussion thread

[Starkers]

I don't get the complaint that nothing happens at all. A lot has happened. What's wrong with people? Are their attention spans that short that they can't focus if there isn't a big boom every 10 minutes? If this were a US show trying the same thing we'd probably still wouldn't know for certain what the ACs were, they'd still be hinting that there was someone or something outside the compound. "We're not the only ones on this planet, and we all know it."

I know, it's crazy isn't it! In episode 4 alone there were a whole heap of things going on! Like you say, a show like The Event would fanny around for about 15 episodes before it got close to revealing as much as we've seen in Outcasts!

Anyway, for what good it'll do, I've set up a Facebook group...

Save Outcasts

 

[Angel4576]

I rewatched the 4th episode again earlier with the wife as she missed it the first time around.

Again, whilst it's not the greatest show in the world, it's also far from the worst. I don't really understand the bile that some are (not particularly here) levelling at the show. Some folks appear to be personally offended by it!

I feel though that it was a bad move putting it in primetime on BBC1.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I've sent an email not complaining about the move but saying how I appreciate the show and would like to see more of it, and how nice it is to see something like this on the BBC.

 

[JoeZhang]

I feel though that it was a bad move putting it in primetime on BBC1.

Swings and roundabouts, if it wasn't made for prime-time, the show wouldn't have had the budget it does and would have been filmed in a quarry in the UK. The one goes in hand with the other.

 

[Angel4576]

Yeah, that's a fair point.

Perhaps the alternative was to lighten the tone and slap it on during the early Saturday evening slot.

Moot point though I suppose. Sundays at half ten probably won't and wouldn't have worked under many scenarios!

 

[Starkers]

I rewatched the 4th episode again earlier with the wife as she missed it the first time around.

Again, whilst it's not the greatest show in the world, it's also far from the worst. I don't really understand the bile that some are (not particularly here) levelling at the show. Some folks appear to be personally offended by it!

I feel though that it was a bad move putting it in primetime on BBC1.

Yeah it's really odd, a whole raft of people in the media seemed to have queued up to give it a kicking as soon as it started, and this was on the "we" and "not we" front! (SFX were particularly disparaging about it, only focusing on the negatives). I guess the big budget and adult nature of the show were always going to mean it had to really sell itself (With Doctor Who you at least have the advantage of everyone being able to watch it).

At the end of the day I'm a sci-fi/fantasy fan, I'm used to shows being canned before their time (Earth 2, Space Above and Beyond, American Gothic, Alien Nation, SGU, Survivors to name just a handful) but I don't recall a show that's been effectively written off quite as quickly or as emphatically as this! Especially one that wasn't that bad.

I honestly believe in a few years Outcasts will be looked back on fondly.

I've sent an email not complaining about the move but saying how I appreciate the show and would like to see more of it, and how nice it is to see something like this on the BBC.

Nice one. I'm going to do likewise, though I probably will (politely) mention the shift to Sunday

I wonder if the 2.6 million follow it to Sunday that'll make a difference?

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I rewatched the 4th episode again earlier with the wife as she missed it the first time around.

Again, whilst it's not the greatest show in the world, it's also far from the worst. I don't really understand the bile that some are (not particularly here) levelling at the show. Some folks appear to be personally offended by it!

I feel though that it was a bad move putting it in primetime on BBC1.

Yeah it's really odd, a whole raft of people in the media seemed to have queued up to give it a kicking as soon as it started, and this was on the "we" and "not we" front! (SFX were particularly disparaging about it, only focusing on the negatives). I guess the big budget and adult nature of the show were always going to mean it had to really sell itself (With Doctor Who you at least have the advantage of everyone being able to watch it).

At the end of the day I'm a sci-fi/fantasy fan, I'm used to shows being canned before their time (Earth 2, Space Above and Beyond, American Gothic, Alien Nation, SGU, Survivors to name just a handful) but I don't recall a show that's been effectively written off quite as quickly or as emphatically as this! Especially one that wasn't that bad.

I honestly believe in a few years Outcasts will be looked back on fondly.

I've sent an email not complaining about the move but saying how I appreciate the show and would like to see more of it, and how nice it is to see something like this on the BBC.

Nice one. I'm going to do likewise, though I probably will (politely) mention the shift to Sunday

I wonder if the 2.6 million follow it to Sunday that'll make a difference?

Problem is on the form there was only 350 characters to say what I wanted to say.

Yeah, I'm not sure what the beef is but people really seem to have decided quickly this isn't worth it. Don't know whether the "Not sci-fi" comments have got people's backs up or what, but it's weird.

 

[Starkers]

Yeah I see what you mean! After a fair bit of editing I managed to get most of what I wanted to say down (all that flash fiction story writing really helped!)

I just wanted to say how much I’m enjoying Outcasts. It’s refreshing to see the BBC making well written, adult science fiction. I’m disappointed you’re moving it to Sunday. This won’t help a show already hampered by curious scheduling (I know people who didn’t realise there was an episode on Tuesday) & I hope you haven’t written the show off.

 

[JoeZhang]

Yeah, I'm not sure what the beef is but people really seem to have decided quickly this isn't worth it. Don't know whether the "Not sci-fi" comments have got people's backs up or what, but it's weird.

The first episode was really really boring and the mystery it tried to set-up didn't seem very interesting. I already have more shows recorded than I actually have time to watch, so I watched one of them instead.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Yeah, I'm not sure what the beef is but people really seem to have decided quickly this isn't worth it. Don't know whether the "Not sci-fi" comments have got people's backs up or what, but it's weird.

The first episode was really really boring and the mystery it tried to set-up didn't seem very interesting. I already have more shows recorded than I actually have time to watch, so I watched one of them instead.

I can understand "I thought the first episode was boring, so gave up." but the shit getting flung at it doesn't seem deserved.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

I won't be lobbying for a second series or to stop the change in timeslot. It's nice that the BBC spent some money on sci-fi other than Dr Who or Torchwood, but the story just isn't very gripping and we're already 4 episodes in. I shall persevere until the finale, but it's a struggle to maintain my attention.

 

[Starkers]

Interesting, SFX have published the second blog in as many days defending the show.

Spartacus on Carpathia

the first one was here

 

[Dac]

Don't get me wrong, I want Outcasts to thrive and do well, I just want it to be justifiably so. The creators have said the show picks up, and if it does i'll be more than happy too. My point is that the show, while interesting isn't exciting. Like I said, I found the last episode to be unbelievably dull. The hulk out AC plot was boring and been done to death a million times in other shows. I was more interested in the human skull they found, which of course was hinted at at the head of the show then ignored till the very end. I'll watch it through till the end, but if it don't give a shit about any of the characters before the inevitable cancellation, I can't say i'll miss it.

 

[Starkers]

Well so far I definitely give a shit about Cass and Fleur, and oddly Tipper. Tate's interesting but I would like to see more from Stella.

 

[AJ86]

I think it's been fantastic so far. I feel that science fiction is in a sad state of affairs though when shows like this, SGU, Caprica etc are slammed as 'not sci-fi' while the philistines are lapping up bubblegum crap like Dr Who thinking that rubber faced aliens and pew pew lasers are the epitome of the genre. Depressing.

 

[Dac]

Well so far I definitely give a shit about Cass and Fleur, and oddly Tipper. Tate's interesting but I would like to see more from Stella.

I see where your coming from with Cass, Fleur and Tipper, but at first I couldn't remember who the hell Tate and Stella were

Stella is the security chief with the bitchy daughter and Tate is the president with the crazy dead kid visions right?

 

[Starkers]

Got it!

As for the post before last, I'd quite like a world where I could watch Dr Who at 7, Outcasts at 9, and a whole new inbetweeny Blakes 7 like show at 8!!

 

[Angel4576]

I'd quite like a world where I could watch Dr Who at 7, Outcasts at 9, and a whole new inbetweeny Blakes 7 like show at 8!!

Contrasting with the reality of Dr Who at 7, the National Lottery Show at 8, and Casualty at 9. Woohoo! Suddenly I remember why I don't go anywhere near broadcast television on Saturday nights!

 

[Listener4]

There are some things I like about this show, and a lot that I don't.

I'm not surprised at all this isn't doing well.

I was hoping I'd like it more.

Been quite a while since there's been a scifi show that I really liked. While I enjoyed the first season of BSG, in my opinion, it was all downhill from there. Unfortunately I don't know of anything coming out anytime soon.

As far as I know both the Star Wars series and the Blakes 7 remake aren't going to happen now. Maybe there will be a new Star Trek someday.

 

[AJ86]

There are some things I like about this show, and a lot that I don't.

I'm not surprised at all this isn't doing well.

I was hoping I'd like it more.

Been quite a while since there's been a scifi show that I really liked. While I enjoyed the first season of BSG, in my opinion, it was all downhill from there. Unfortunately I don't know of anything coming out anytime soon.

As far as I know both the Star Wars series and the Blakes 7 remake aren't going to happen now. Maybe there will be a new Star Trek someday.

Check these out:

"Falling Skies"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP7vrlvu9qk

"Terra Nova"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoI6NDblT84