Ron Moore's Virtuality on tonight

[Agent Richard07]

Loved Billie's Buckaroo Banzai fantasy.

The pilot wasn't the most engaging thing I've ever seen, but it did get a bit more interesting toward the end and it had some good hooks. The commander is dead, yet his "character" lives on in a virtual world. I take it that if this were to go to series, that's where our "commander" would be, but to what end? Another good hook is that Tibadeau seems to have a different kind of relationship with this mystery man in the machine than everyone else. A lot of other stuff started developing, but still, I don't know if all this is enough to build a long-running series around.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

It was okay. I could see tuning in next week to see what happens. Even though I don't watch reality shows, and think they are morally ambiguous.

Uh...it wasn't a reality show.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

A lot of other stuff started developing, but still, I don't know if all this is enough to build a long-running series around.

If this pilot was in fact representative of what the series would be like, I would watch it without fail every week.

And apropos of nothing, I can't recall having seen another "space show" that felt plausible in the way that this one did - like it might be somewhat possible that something like this ship and mission could exist in reality - since I was a kid. Yeah, there's a lot to argue with about the science, but tremendously less than with Star Trek or Galactica or anything else one cares to name.

On a light note, ending the thing with Frank riding off in the Civil War get-up gave me a little Firefly flashback.

 

[CommodoreKong]

I found the show to be pretty fun. It wasn't perfect but it had some good ideas and if it does get picked up as a series I would watch it.

 

[Trent Roman]

I liked it. Plot isn't Moore's strong suit, but he does manage to create interesting characters in a short amount of time, which in this case was most everybody except the gay couple and Kenji (I have no idea if I spelt that correctly). So far Clea DuVall's Sue Parsons character is my favourite, although Roger is interesting as well. I was all ready to see him as the loathsome prick of the piece the way Baltar was for most of BSG's run, but his reaction to the rape and confrontation with Commander Pike endeared him to me. Speaking of which: I really thought he was going to be the show lead, and with him dead there doesn't actually seem to be one waiting in the wings. I guess it would be a real ensemble show.

Oh, and I liked the launch sequence mid-way through. The combination music/visuals actually made it seem like an inspiring moment.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[DarKush]

I liked it, though of course I wish there had been a bit more resolution since I fear that FOX will not pick it up, though it would make more sense to team this with Dollhouse or Fringe if they did greenlight it. I was shocked that the commander died (liked that they had the stones to do it), but the virtual commander is an interesting twist. Also, I think Ron Moore, etc. did a good job establishing a lot of characters, giving them just enough distinction to stand apart from the others for a pilot. And they left me wanting more, which is a good thing.

I had my doubts about the use of VR. I thought it was a conceit that would grow old fast, but I do like how it is being used in the show. The show doesn't revolve around VR like I thought it would, though it is an important part of the show in the sense that it a tool to show us more of the characters, a neat way to do character development.

As I was watching it I couldn't help but feel that I wish Enterprise had been more like Virtuality, the look and feel of it. A nice mix of high and low tech.

I didn't like that we didn't get to see enough exterior of the ship. I would've liked to see more of that.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

It looks like our views of the ship exterior are confined to fixed hull cameras.

It's true that they established the twelve characters as distinct and all of them are at least potentially interesting.

Now, nitpicking - did anyone catch an explanation of how and why they're continuing to do the reality broadcasts when their ability to communicate with Earth is now - according to the computer programmer - so limited that they can "barely receive engineering packets?"

 

[sojourner]

I am wondering if it's too late for FOX to reverse it's decision and pickup the show, or if the ship has sailed, so to speak.

 

[Trent Roman]

It looks like our views of the ship exterior are confined to fixed hull cameras.

Too bad there wasn't a satellite near Neptune too make some long-distance snaps.

Now, nitpicking - did anyone catch an explanation of how and why they're continuing to do the reality broadcasts when their ability to communicate with Earth is now - according to the computer programmer - so limited that they can "barely receive engineering packets?"

I don't think they gave one. But anything sent from Earth is trying to get to a vessel constantly moving away from them at 1/15th the speed of light, whereas Earth and it's satellite network are a relatively fixed target, however longer it will take for messages sent to reach it. It could see it being easier to send than to receive under those circumstances.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

That makes a lot of sense.

Before the "Civil War" scene I thought they were setting up a fairly prosaic murder mystery - there were a couple of folks who might want to bump Frank off - and the goggles turning up in his married girlfriend's quarters was intended to point a finger at her husband. There would also be the possibility, of course, that the corporation behind it all had set the computer up to eliminate anyone who "flunked the test" in their response to being virtually murdered.

 

[backstept]

dammit! I forgot to set my DVR

 

[sidious618]

dammit! I forgot to set my DVR

Me, too, and I really, really want to see it. Hopefully FOX will put it up online.

 

[David cgc]

So, just to be sure, this is going to be the spoiler discussion topic? Because people are saying things about the end, and other people are saying they haven't seen it yet, and I think we should be sure. I'm going to go wit the crowd, though, and leave my comments untagged.



So, there seem to be two mysteries on this show with direct BSG analogues, namely, what's with this religious awakening Pike had and the possible third party behind it, and what's with Earth? Is the entire apocalypse just Mission Control screwing with everyone's heads?

I'm inclined to believe Pike punched his own ticket. The second VR-death and post-death vision of going out the airlock and into heaven, the fact that he'd copied himself into his module (and we can guess that's what it was, since the scene with the virtual son established that was quite doable), and the really, really bullshitty excuse with the crate that wouldn't open makes it look like a very staged suicide. Now, whether that was something he decided to do on his own, or if he did it because creepy VR guy made him, that's another question.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I'm inclined to believe Pike punched his own ticket. The second VR-death and post-death vision of going out the airlock and into heaven, the fact that he'd copied himself into his module (and we can guess that's what it was, since the scene with the virtual son established that was quite doable), and the really, really bullshitty excuse with the crate that wouldn't open makes it look like a very staged suicide.

Yeah, that's what appears to be going on I agree.

 

[Kelso]

I thought it was great.

I'm really looking forward to next week's epis... oh.

 

[Mr Light]

I dunno if I would have stuck with this as a series. While it's an interesting premise, it was slow and pretentious and boring and I couldn't stand the reality TV angle. The only thing that kept my attention was the mystery of the AI Killer and whether there were gonna be aliens or not to save the Earth.

 

[Kelso]

I dunno if I would have stuck with this as a series. While it's an interesting premise, it was slow and pretentious and boring and I couldn't stand the reality TV angle. The only thing that kept my attention was the mystery of the AI Killer and whether there were gonna be aliens or not to save the Earth.

I think you're right... you wouldn't have liked the series.

 

[Icemizer]

Not one of these people would have passed a simple psych exam, much less be allowed to go on this long mission. Nevertheless I will continue to watch every week....damn.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I dunno if I would have stuck with this as a series. While it's an interesting premise, it was slow and pretentious and boring and I couldn't stand the reality TV angle. The only thing that kept my attention was the mystery of the AI Killer and whether there were gonna be aliens or not to save the Earth.

I think you're right... you wouldn't have liked the series.

No, no he probably wouldn't. Aliens are about as likely in this set-up as they were on Galactica.

 

[Endymion]

Michael Taylor has said that if the reviews are strong enough and the ratings are solid, there's a good chance FOX will pick it up. If you liked it, come post your thoughts here...

http://goodshipphaeton.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/virtuality-open-thread/