Terra Nova

Movie, DVD, and TV reviews and discussion

Moderators: Abelard, Drolgin Steingrinder

Post Reply
User avatar
Winnow
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 27525
Joined: July 5, 2002, 1:56 pm
Location: A Special Place in Hell

Terra Nova

Post by Winnow »

So Spielberg's Pilot cost 15-20 Million.

I watched it. I thought it was mediocre. Not horrible but pretty generic scripting stuff.

I thought Stephen Lang did an OK job (the mean guy from Avatar). He's looking a little old though.
User avatar
Bubba Grizz
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 6121
Joined: July 3, 2002, 12:52 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Bubba Grizz »

I heard proclimations of this being the next Lost. I hope it doesn't go totally that route. I enjoyed it though and will dvr it until Fox ultimately cancels it right when it is getting great.
User avatar
Boogahz
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 9438
Joined: July 6, 2002, 2:00 pm
Gender: Male
XBL Gamertag: corin12
PSN ID: boog144
Location: Austin, TX
Contact:

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Boogahz »

dvr'd and waiting for a couple episodes before watching it. I almost chose to boycott it just because of the non-stop ads for it several months before it was airing.
User avatar
Canelek
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 9380
Joined: July 3, 2002, 1:23 pm
Gender: Male
XBL Gamertag: Canelek
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Canelek »

Think I'll grab a episode or two as well, in a few weeks.

If it is anything like Lost, that is enough for me! Loved that shit!
en kærlighed småkager
Fairweather Pure
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 8509
Joined: July 3, 2002, 1:06 pm
XBL Gamertag: SillyEskimo

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Fairweather Pure »

I think it looks absolutely horrible. Nothing about the previews makes me remotely interested in the show. Let me know if it's actually good, I'll give it a shot!
User avatar
Winnow
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 27525
Joined: July 5, 2002, 1:56 pm
Location: A Special Place in Hell

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Winnow »

Canelek wrote:Think I'll grab a episode or two as well, in a few weeks.

If it is anything like Lost, that is enough for me! Loved that shit!

It's definitely not like Lost yet. There's some mystery scribblings and some outcasts from the main encampment but it's going to take another episode or two to see if it gets interesting.

They had to lay a lot of groundwork in the pilot going from the future to the past. I'm giving it two more episodes to hook me. Spartacus took awhile to get going so I'll give this the same opportunity.

As for Science Fiction shows, I thought Stargate Universe was a great show. (The one where they were on the Ancient Ship traveling throughout the universe, finding stargates along the way.
User avatar
Kluden
Way too much time!
Way too much time!
Posts: 1827
Joined: November 13, 2002, 7:12 pm
Location: D.C.

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Kluden »

It has a shot, but its fox, so they won't "let it happen". It will just get cancelled as said above.

With that said, I watched the pilot on demand, and of course i couldn't fast forward thru the commercials they inserted...and they put a fucking lot in there...so I was a little bitter watching the show.

With that said, it looked better than the commercials made it out to look (in regards to the FX). The only cheese are the future guns look timed incorrectly and aimed wrong, so its all clearly acted and drawn in later...so its a little off (think queen almadalla with that glowing orb/ballsack thing in phantom menace ending).

I'll give it a shot, because it could be good. Potential is there, its just if FOX can keep their hands off it, and have patience with it, would be my guess on its success or failure.
User avatar
Winnow
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 27525
Joined: July 5, 2002, 1:56 pm
Location: A Special Place in Hell

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Winnow »

Kluden wrote: With that said, I watched the pilot on demand, and of course i couldn't fast forward thru the commercials they inserted...and they put a fucking lot in there...so I was a little bitter watching the show.
I haven't seen a commercial except for sports programming in a long time.

New episodes for TV shows are posted on newsgroups and torrent sites the same night they air. Terra Nova pilot was about 1:30 in length after all the commercials were taken out.

Even for free over the air shows, I won't watch them unless I download them commercial free. SIt's such a better viewing experience.
User avatar
Bubba Grizz
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 6121
Joined: July 3, 2002, 12:52 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Bubba Grizz »

It will probably run its course until the beginning of December and then the holiday programing begins and then in January we'll have the almighty American Idol. That will eat up 3-4 days of the week. We won't see this show again until maybe late March or April and it will run about 4-5 more episodes then will be gone for summer and we'll all have forgotten about come September next year and it will be cancelled.
User avatar
Jice Virago
Way too much time!
Way too much time!
Posts: 1644
Joined: July 4, 2002, 5:47 pm
Gender: Male
PSN ID: quyrean
Location: Orange County

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Jice Virago »

I refuse to watch any network sci fi shows anymore, because no network has the patience to let the show gather steam as it builds its storyline.

That stated, this show sucks complete balls. I am so tired of the Spielberg canard of retarded screaming kids being a central character to save all the time. They also do not seem to have set any ground rules on how time travel works for their series, since in theory the first person who walks through the portal would render the future completely changed the moment they arrived in the past. Thats even ignoring the whole erasing yourself by changing the past paradox. The other problem with the show was that the stuff set in the future was actually more interesting than what is going to be their primary setting, which is just a crappier version of Lost with Dinosaurs. Special effects were ok.

I predict that this show will last 18 episodes, because Spielberg is behind it, then it gets shitcanned.
War is an option whose time has passed. Peace is the only option for the future. At present we occupy a treacherous no-man's-land between peace and war, a time of growing fear that our military might has expanded beyond our capacity to control it and our political differences widened beyond our ability to bridge them. . . .

Short of changing human nature, therefore, the only way to achieve a practical, livable peace in a world of competing nations is to take the profit out of war.
--RICHARD M. NIXON, "REAL PEACE" (1983)

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, represents, in the final analysis, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children."

Dwight Eisenhower
User avatar
Kluden
Way too much time!
Way too much time!
Posts: 1827
Joined: November 13, 2002, 7:12 pm
Location: D.C.

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Kluden »

Oh, they gave a 20 second explanation on the time line thingy...they sent a "probe" thru the time "hole". Since they didn't hear from it billions of years later, scientists discerned it was a DIFFERENT TIME LINE! Theory turned law, bitches! Boom! So it doesn't matter what they do, they are not changing their time line, only the time line of the one they traveled to, which hopefully isn't ours! zomg!

How exactly is Spielberg involved? its just his producer creds and investment money they got, right? he doesn't actually do anything, does he?

Winnow, I usually just EZTV all tv shows and watch them on my tv that way. But I forgot to download it, and the HD torrent was looking to take an hour to DL, so I watched shitty comcast on demand. I've never actually been forced to watch commercials though...that was a first for me. I was watching The Killing via on demand, and you could fast forward thru the commercials just fine. So it was a fox/comcast cash grab as usual...which is what I will be telling them is why I am switching to fios when its finally done being installed here...I'll just say "nickle and diming" or some such shit.
User avatar
Bubba Grizz
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 6121
Joined: July 3, 2002, 12:52 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Bubba Grizz »

So they go back to the time of the dinosaurs to jumpstart a new humanity. Wasn't there a cataclysmic event that wiped out the dinosaurs? Wouldn't that happen to them as well? Or will that be written off as because it is a new timeline that won't happen or might not.
User avatar
Winnow
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 27525
Joined: July 5, 2002, 1:56 pm
Location: A Special Place in Hell

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Winnow »

Bubba Grizz wrote:So they go back to the time of the dinosaurs to jumpstart a new humanity. Wasn't there a cataclysmic event that wiped out the dinosaurs? Wouldn't that happen to them as well? Or will that be written off as because it is a new timeline that won't happen or might not.

no no no man, it's a different time stream! All is good! Just don't cross the streams!

Funny you say that about the cataclysmic event. I'm pretty sure they said in the show they went back 65 million years. The asteroid that hit off the coast of mexico is estimated to have struck about 65 million years ago. What a great way to end the show! If it starts tanking, just have the asteroid hit!

Considering how rapidly humanity has developed over the past 2-4K years, they just needed to go back around 65,005,000 years and they probably would have the tech to stop the asteroid by the time it arrived! Either that or shove a special asteroid killing rocket space bomb through the portal from the future for them to take it out.
User avatar
Sylvus
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 7033
Joined: July 10, 2002, 11:10 am
Gender: Male
XBL Gamertag: mp72
Location: A², MI
Contact:

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Sylvus »

Actually, I thought they said they went back 85 million years, which would give a good 20 million years before the cataclysm. Plenty of time to spread out into the universe.
"It's like these guys take pride in being ignorant." - Barack Obama

Go Blue!
User avatar
Xouqoa
Way too much time!
Way too much time!
Posts: 4101
Joined: July 2, 2002, 5:49 pm
Gender: Mangina
XBL Gamertag: Xouqoa
Location: Dallas, TX
Contact:

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Xouqoa »

On the fence with this one. Pilot was just okay, nothing spectacular.

Like Winnow said, I'll give it a few episodes to see if it gets better. After all, I gave 'The Event' five, before I gave up. *facepalm*
"Our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings." - John F Kennedy
User avatar
Chidoro
Way too much time!
Way too much time!
Posts: 3428
Joined: July 3, 2002, 6:45 pm

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Chidoro »

Image

Loved that game. Looking Glass had some great great games
User avatar
Winnow
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 27525
Joined: July 5, 2002, 1:56 pm
Location: A Special Place in Hell

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Winnow »

Episode 3 (pilot was 1 and 2) was OK.

Overall it's still weak but was watchable. The show needs to keep improving. So far, very basic character development and this week's "threat" was pretty corny.

I'm hoping it gets better. Right now, it feels more like a family Nickelodian show with the exception that they must have the same special effects person that did the "blood on face" work Battlestar Galactica had. There's blood everywhere but no one really seams to be hurt.*


[Show]
(except for the three soldiers with gouged out eyes in this episode!)
User avatar
Kluden
Way too much time!
Way too much time!
Posts: 1827
Joined: November 13, 2002, 7:12 pm
Location: D.C.

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Kluden »

I feel tricked into watching episode 2. Nothing moved forward, and we barely learned anything new about the cast, except for the addition of the love triangle...but its a weak triangle, cause the new guy is a huge pussy.

This is clearly a Nickelodeon family show...I am done watching it after this week. If it turns out to be awesome, I'll just catch up on it later. The biggest determining factor to me to forsake it is that this week felt like a filler episode (2 weeks in, filler already)...and the preview for next week is CLEARLY more filler. How do you have filler episodes after one week?

Fox really has no clue how to make and market shows that aren't cartoons. They are lost as a broadcasting company, and really should hire people who know this shit before putting time and money into a doomed effort. The FX almost ruin the show by themselves. Like someone else said, how can't you even match Jurassic Park I...a 10+ yr old movie!
User avatar
Boogahz
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 9438
Joined: July 6, 2002, 2:00 pm
Gender: Male
XBL Gamertag: corin12
PSN ID: boog144
Location: Austin, TX
Contact:

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Boogahz »

lol, bitching about "filler" for episode two? Guessing you don't want any background/story development either? While I cut this show from my DVR schedule, blasting a show for "filler" when it is just a couple episodes in is just silly.
User avatar
Kluden
Way too much time!
Way too much time!
Posts: 1827
Joined: November 13, 2002, 7:12 pm
Location: D.C.

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Kluden »

I guess that the pacing is already abysmal, and will clearly be drawn out, is better to say what I mean. The filler comment is more applicable in a sense that last week they introduced a story arc, the mystery of the place and the dudes son scrollign wierd shit on rocks. It wasn't even remotely discussed/talked about. To me, you introduced your main story arc for season one, then ignored it completely, making it a filler episode.

Backstory and such is not filler. episode 2 didn't have a whole lot, that's for sure. did you watch it?
Lynks
Way too much time!
Way too much time!
Posts: 2774
Joined: September 30, 2002, 6:58 pm
XBL Gamertag: launchpad1979
Location: Sudbury, Ontario

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Lynks »

It was and it wasn't. There certainly was character development, but the main arc did not budge a bit making this a bit of a filler episode.

I don't recall Lost writing about wild toucans stealing people's lunches in the first few episodes.
User avatar
Xatrei
Way too much time!
Way too much time!
Posts: 2104
Joined: July 22, 2002, 4:28 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Boringham, AL

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Xatrei »

This show is pure awful. Bad writing, uninteresting characters, goofy premise and marginal special effects all combine to make something that would be at home with any of the dozens of giant mutant (bug|snake|gator|fish) flicks that show non-stop on Syfy.
"When I was a kid, my father told me, 'Never hit anyone in anger, unless you're absolutely sure you can get away with it.'" - Russel Ziskey
User avatar
Aslanna
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 12372
Joined: July 3, 2002, 12:57 pm

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Aslanna »

Boogahz wrote:lol, bitching about "filler" for episode two? Guessing you don't want any background/story development either? While I cut this show from my DVR schedule, blasting a show for "filler" when it is just a couple episodes in is just silly.
Actually it's not. At least to me. The first few episodes of a show should have good pacing and not bore the pants off of people so that they stop watching. When you lose half your audience by episode 3-4 that's what gets shows cancelled. Unless you can make the 'filler' interesting than don't bother.

Having said that I have not watched this program and don't plan on it.
Have You Hugged An Iksar Today?

--
User avatar
Winnow
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 27525
Joined: July 5, 2002, 1:56 pm
Location: A Special Place in Hell

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Winnow »

It gets one more episode! If Barney attacks them in #3 it's over for me.

Things they need to improve:

Mystery: right now, who gives a shit. They're back in time but that's about it. Focus on the scribblings they showed in the pilot. Have some ancient aliens show up or something. A show that relies on dinosaurs attacking each episode is going to fail.

Drama: We all love it (check this board's slogan). The second show had none of it.

Cliff Hangers: None so far. Stand alone episodes suck...no one is wondering what happens next in this show and there's really no reason to wonder what happens to a particular character. They pretty much lined up the relationships the first episode with some hasty introductions for boyfriend/girlfriends for the kids.

Sixers: make them less boring.

There's no compelling reason to watch the show. Battlestar Galactica had the promise of Earth. Each episode they'd find clues and if they didn't they were busy fucking each other over or fighting cylons. They almost always had huge decisions to make each show with big consequences. Lost had weird shit going on all the time. Tons of mysteries that made the first two seasons rock and even after that, it was still pretty good.

The show lacks an edge to it. It's way to "cute". It really is one step away from being perfect for Saturday morning cartoon time if they cut out the blood.
User avatar
miir
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 11501
Joined: July 3, 2002, 3:06 pm
XBL Gamertag: miir1
Location: Toronto
Contact:

Re: Terra Nova

Post by miir »

I tried watching an episode of this and found it pretty boring.
Cliff Hangers: None so far. Stand alone episodes suck...no one is wondering what happens next in this show and there's really no reason to wonder what happens to a particular character.
Yes this!
I've got 99 problems and I'm not dealing with any of them - Lay-Z
User avatar
Xouqoa
Way too much time!
Way too much time!
Posts: 4101
Joined: July 2, 2002, 5:49 pm
Gender: Mangina
XBL Gamertag: Xouqoa
Location: Dallas, TX
Contact:

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Xouqoa »

miir wrote:I tried watching an episode of this and found it pretty boring.
Cliff Hangers: None so far. Stand alone episodes suck...no one is wondering what happens next in this show and there's really no reason to wonder what happens to a particular character.
Yes this!
Yep, that's exactly how I felt last night when I watched episode two.

I was hooked after the first episode of LOST because I wanted, no.. HAD to know what would happen next. This show? Eh. Not so much.

To be fair though, Fringe didn't pull that off either the first few episodes, but once they unveiled the overall story arc, things got more interesting. Same with Spartacus, to a degree. So, that's why I'll give it 4-5 episodes to see what happens.
"Our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings." - John F Kennedy
User avatar
Kluden
Way too much time!
Way too much time!
Posts: 1827
Joined: November 13, 2002, 7:12 pm
Location: D.C.

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Kluden »

Yeah, but Spartacus had massive amounts of killing, and a shit ton of tits to make up for any slowness! :)
User avatar
Winnow
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 27525
Joined: July 5, 2002, 1:56 pm
Location: A Special Place in Hell

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Winnow »

On my god....they're breaking out the amnesia episode already with the third show. I saw the preview during football. That's pathetic.
User avatar
Winnow
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 27525
Joined: July 5, 2002, 1:56 pm
Location: A Special Place in Hell

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Winnow »

After the Amnesia episode they had the "Newt" episode where a little girl looking like Newt from Aliens 2 was found. She proceeded to do Newtish type stuff.

After 4 episodes, it's not looking too good so far.
User avatar
Aslanna
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 12372
Joined: July 3, 2002, 12:57 pm

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Aslanna »

A Newt?

I hope she gets better.
Have You Hugged An Iksar Today?

--
User avatar
Winnow
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 27525
Joined: July 5, 2002, 1:56 pm
Location: A Special Place in Hell

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Winnow »

Yes, I'm still watching this series.

Episode 7 had its first carryover plot point from one episode to the next. Progress!

It's still targeted for kids and family. I watch it after MNF while falling asleep.
User avatar
Tegellan
Way too much time!
Way too much time!
Posts: 1278
Joined: July 5, 2002, 8:41 am
Gender: Male
Location: DK
Contact:

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Tegellan »

I am still watching it too, rather enjoying it, but there is so much potential that hasn't been used yet. On the other hand it is nice for once to see a show that takes time to develop.
Fortune favors the brave!
User avatar
Bubba Grizz
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 6121
Joined: July 3, 2002, 12:52 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Bubba Grizz »

That would be nice but this is on FOX so that means they have about 2 seasons before they get canceled. Fox can't tolerate a show that isn't idol related.
User avatar
Winnow
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 27525
Joined: July 5, 2002, 1:56 pm
Location: A Special Place in Hell

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Winnow »

Episode 8:

Not bad. Finally some story developing. Not great and mostly self contained episodes but bits and pieces are beginning to connect between episodes.

I will keep watching. It's a good late night show to watch before bed. Still rates something like a 6.5/10, below the recommendation 7/10 line.
User avatar
Winnow
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 27525
Joined: July 5, 2002, 1:56 pm
Location: A Special Place in Hell

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Winnow »

Episode 9: This is still improving with each episode. There's a movement away from self contained episodes.

Viewing recommendation:

Watch episode 1

Condense episodes 2-6 into one hour

Start watching full episodes again with #7
User avatar
Winnow
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 27525
Joined: July 5, 2002, 1:56 pm
Location: A Special Place in Hell

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Winnow »

Episode 10: Still improving. Finally some drama.

There's nothing noteworthy but at least it's better than when the series started.
User avatar
Winnow
Super Poster!
Super Poster!
Posts: 27525
Joined: July 5, 2002, 1:56 pm
Location: A Special Place in Hell

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Winnow »

Final episode was 2 hours (90 mins without commercials)

Episode 12/13 was solid.

The pilot and the final episode were good. It's a shame the show took so long to get going because of the self contained crappy/corny episodes before it turned darker in the second half. FOX hasn't picked the show up for a second season and it had crap ratings. They wrapped up the show pretty well while leaving a cliffhanger in case the show does return.

For once, I wouldn't blame FOX for dropping a show. I'd keep watching if it was picked up as there were a few moments when the show was good. There were plenty when it wasn't though so you'd hope they'd learn from season one if it continues.
User avatar
Chidoro
Way too much time!
Way too much time!
Posts: 3428
Joined: July 3, 2002, 6:45 pm

Re: Terra Nova

Post by Chidoro »

hope you liked it as it's cancelled now
#gamewaswaybetterthanthestupidtvshow
Post Reply