Anybody catch this show last night? I think of all the new fall shows, I was looking forward to this one the most. Overall, I don't think it disappointed.
Sure, the whole 'technology stops working' thing has been done before (S. M. Stirling's Change novels, for example, though the series has become a slog), but it's a cool entry for post-apoc TV fare. To me, it was a question of if the combination would be the best of Abrams and Kripke or the worst. Luckily, it seems to be mostly the former—Abrams desire to go big, but Kripke's sensibility when it comes to audience expectations.
On the plus side, Billy Burke is a decent badass and reluctant hero. On the minus, if you start by killing a score or two of armed opponents single-handedly... Well, you have to keep that up (I was hoping for an Equilibrium-like moment (as in, 'hey, I just killed 20 of your best people; you think one guy is going to slow me down?') when he faced off against the leader, but it wasn't too bad). I think the biggest problem this series will face, besides attracting and keeping a big enough audience to keep up with the cost of making the show, will be managing the details. And hey, Gus Fring. What's not to love about that?
I'm a bit disappointed in the whole 15 years after. To me, the biggest excitement about post-apocalyptic fiction is the transition. Hopefully there will be a lot of flashbacks to this aspect, but that won't be the same. And the kids—er, young adults (damn I'm getting old)—are a bit too squeaky clean for my tastes. I want to see more of a world struggling to survive, but mostly it's glimpses, like two guys fighting in a street.
Revolution
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[Syl]
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Revolution
"It is not the literal past that rules us, save, possibly, in a biological sense. It is images of the past. Each new historical era mirrors itself in the picture and active mythology of its past or of a past borrowed from other cultures. It tests its sense of identity, of regress or new achievement against that past.”
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-George Steiner
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Menolly
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*nod*
I really haven't been a follower of t.v. for at least a decade, probably two, but given my changed circumstances I was hoping to at least give this show a try. Last night being second night Rosh Hashanah, I wasn't home to watch any television.
Does anyone know if it will be shown online, or repeated before next week's episode?
I really haven't been a follower of t.v. for at least a decade, probably two, but given my changed circumstances I was hoping to at least give this show a try. Last night being second night Rosh Hashanah, I wasn't home to watch any television.
Does anyone know if it will be shown online, or repeated before next week's episode?
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[Syl]
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So, after the second episode, I'm still thinking this could go either way. There's some things that don't make sense (ok, fine, your little USB dangle can make computers work locally, but how are you transmitting data. and why don't you have a gun with all this hidden computer stuff) and the girl and her brother suck. But still, the set-up has a lot of potential and the supporting characters are good.
"It is not the literal past that rules us, save, possibly, in a biological sense. It is images of the past. Each new historical era mirrors itself in the picture and active mythology of its past or of a past borrowed from other cultures. It tests its sense of identity, of regress or new achievement against that past.”
-George Steiner
-George Steiner
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Zarathustra
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After giving it two episodes, I don't think I can hang in there any longer. Every single actor sucks. Without strong characters or powerful drama, this is a one-trick pony.
It bugs me how clean and pretty everyone is. All of society has broken down, and yet all the main characters are fit, attractive, clean, with perfect teeth, sculpted biceps, and shampoo-commercial hair. When they were looking for the bomb expert girl among the chain gang, I had a feeling I'd be able to spot her by looking for the prettiest, healthiest, cleanest one there. And of course, there she was. Not even sweaty while she performs slave labor. What a gal!
And the implausibility doesn't stop at appearance. Just about everyone seems to be an expert swordsman or bow hunter. Everyone is super good at tracking. They have no trouble finding each other in the middle of post-apocalyptic America. I thought the bomb girl was supposed to be in a prison camp, but she's hauling a helicopter in the middle of the woods, which they just happen to stumble upon, and then just happen to rescue her in about 2 seconds, even with half a dozen armed guards. Good thing they didn't search her and find her instant gun-making kit! Good thing that untested piece of crap worked on the first try without blowing off lead-girl's hand!
And that doesn't even address the main premise ... if the laws of physics had broken down so much that electricity was no longer possible, I'm not sure the human body would still work. How could nerves send electrical signals? This would have to be something more transformative than an EMP. We're talking about the forces that hold atoms together, electrons and protons. You can't simply shut off electricity without canceling one of the fundamental forces of nature. If electrons themselves no longer function, no longer have an electric charge which could be used to harness electricity, so much more would break down, I don't see how life (or matter as we know it) would be possible.
It bugs me how clean and pretty everyone is. All of society has broken down, and yet all the main characters are fit, attractive, clean, with perfect teeth, sculpted biceps, and shampoo-commercial hair. When they were looking for the bomb expert girl among the chain gang, I had a feeling I'd be able to spot her by looking for the prettiest, healthiest, cleanest one there. And of course, there she was. Not even sweaty while she performs slave labor. What a gal!
And the implausibility doesn't stop at appearance. Just about everyone seems to be an expert swordsman or bow hunter. Everyone is super good at tracking. They have no trouble finding each other in the middle of post-apocalyptic America. I thought the bomb girl was supposed to be in a prison camp, but she's hauling a helicopter in the middle of the woods, which they just happen to stumble upon, and then just happen to rescue her in about 2 seconds, even with half a dozen armed guards. Good thing they didn't search her and find her instant gun-making kit! Good thing that untested piece of crap worked on the first try without blowing off lead-girl's hand!
And that doesn't even address the main premise ... if the laws of physics had broken down so much that electricity was no longer possible, I'm not sure the human body would still work. How could nerves send electrical signals? This would have to be something more transformative than an EMP. We're talking about the forces that hold atoms together, electrons and protons. You can't simply shut off electricity without canceling one of the fundamental forces of nature. If electrons themselves no longer function, no longer have an electric charge which could be used to harness electricity, so much more would break down, I don't see how life (or matter as we know it) would be possible.
Success will be my revenge -- DJT
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[Syl]
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Yeah, three episodes in, and I don't think I can go any farther. It's a good premise, but they just used it to build a playground. A safe, clean playground.
I can look past the cheesy (unlikable) characters. I can suspend disbelief. But I just don't see any scope behind it. The only story that has any depth is the militia thing, and it's just not enough to carry the show.
If it's still on in a year or two, I'll give it another shot. I tuned out Supernatural for years until my wife started watching it, and it actually became a decent show.
I can look past the cheesy (unlikable) characters. I can suspend disbelief. But I just don't see any scope behind it. The only story that has any depth is the militia thing, and it's just not enough to carry the show.
If it's still on in a year or two, I'll give it another shot. I tuned out Supernatural for years until my wife started watching it, and it actually became a decent show.
"It is not the literal past that rules us, save, possibly, in a biological sense. It is images of the past. Each new historical era mirrors itself in the picture and active mythology of its past or of a past borrowed from other cultures. It tests its sense of identity, of regress or new achievement against that past.”
-George Steiner
-George Steiner
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Hashi Lebwohl
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Watching this show fall apart reminds me of Heroes, another show that had an amazing premise and started out with really interesting and well-defined characters but which fell apart quickly when 1) it couldn't answer its own questions (how did abilities appear?) and 2) started killing off its own central characters for no reason.
The reality of a post-apocalyptic situation would be this: urbanized people would degenerate into barbarism and cannibalism within 6 months, presuming they can live that long in their urban post-ap environment, which I doubt. The non-shelf-stable food in stores and houses would disappear within 2 weeks and the shelf-stable food would be gone within two months. During this time, of course, they are having to avoid the roaming packs of now-feral dogs, cats, and rats, not to mention other people. The only benefit to an urban environment would be the availability of gasoline--providing you can get it out of the tanks in the ground at gas stations--and cars, trucks, or motorcycles. Oh, and cigarettes--in a post-ap world you might as well take up smoking since your lifespan won't be that long, anyway.
Rural people will have a slightly better time of it. Yes, they will wind up having to steal food animals from each other, but at least they won't have to face roaming packs of now-feral humans who would rather cook you for dinner than look at you. The arable land will be useful for growing crops and access to uninhabitaed areas allows for hunting meat. Because of the usual remoteness, if any gangs escaping a city come into your area you are simply on your own--you'd better hope you are a better shot than they are.
The people who will survive will be the ones who are able to recreate older technology for themselves. There is a series of books called "How Things Work" and it describes simpler machines and how to build them; if you don't have books like this in your collection now then you will need to get them after the apocalyptic event occurs--raid the book stores and school/university libraries, some of which can also double as relatively-secure housing. I know how to build and fire ceramic kilns; extrapolating this knowledge into a forge for metal shouldn't be too difficult, as long as I can find enough stuff to burn to get it hot enough.
The other people who will have an increased likelihood of surviving a post-ap situation will be the ones who have already put some thought into how to survive a post-ap situation.
The reality of a post-apocalyptic situation would be this: urbanized people would degenerate into barbarism and cannibalism within 6 months, presuming they can live that long in their urban post-ap environment, which I doubt. The non-shelf-stable food in stores and houses would disappear within 2 weeks and the shelf-stable food would be gone within two months. During this time, of course, they are having to avoid the roaming packs of now-feral dogs, cats, and rats, not to mention other people. The only benefit to an urban environment would be the availability of gasoline--providing you can get it out of the tanks in the ground at gas stations--and cars, trucks, or motorcycles. Oh, and cigarettes--in a post-ap world you might as well take up smoking since your lifespan won't be that long, anyway.
Rural people will have a slightly better time of it. Yes, they will wind up having to steal food animals from each other, but at least they won't have to face roaming packs of now-feral humans who would rather cook you for dinner than look at you. The arable land will be useful for growing crops and access to uninhabitaed areas allows for hunting meat. Because of the usual remoteness, if any gangs escaping a city come into your area you are simply on your own--you'd better hope you are a better shot than they are.
The people who will survive will be the ones who are able to recreate older technology for themselves. There is a series of books called "How Things Work" and it describes simpler machines and how to build them; if you don't have books like this in your collection now then you will need to get them after the apocalyptic event occurs--raid the book stores and school/university libraries, some of which can also double as relatively-secure housing. I know how to build and fire ceramic kilns; extrapolating this knowledge into a forge for metal shouldn't be too difficult, as long as I can find enough stuff to burn to get it hot enough.
The other people who will have an increased likelihood of surviving a post-ap situation will be the ones who have already put some thought into how to survive a post-ap situation.
The Tank is gone and now so am I.
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Vraith
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yep, those are the worst, and very common in this stuff...hasn't anyone realized yet they're epic tropes that fail? I mean, they pop up continuously even in stuff in this genre that "works" cuz of great story or some other aspect? [which this thing doesn't have] It's extra-special annoying cuz it is REALLY EASY TO FIX!!!Zarathustra wrote:Every single actor sucks. ....
It bugs me how clean and pretty everyone is. All of society has broken down, and yet all the main characters are fit, attractive, clean,....
Just about everyone seems to be an expert swordsman or bow hunter. Everyone is super good at tracking. They have no trouble finding each other in the middle of post-apocalyptic America.
[spoiler]Sig-man, Libtard, Stupid piece of shit. change your text color to brown. Mr. Reliable, bullshit-slinging liarFucker-user.[/spoiler]
the difference between evidence and sources: whether they come from the horse's mouth or a horse's ass.
"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation."
the hyperbole is a beauty...for we are then allowed to say a little more than the truth...and language is more efficient when it goes beyond reality than when it stops short of it.
the difference between evidence and sources: whether they come from the horse's mouth or a horse's ass.
"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation."
the hyperbole is a beauty...for we are then allowed to say a little more than the truth...and language is more efficient when it goes beyond reality than when it stops short of it.
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Zarathustra
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Maybe it's because of my extremely rural childhood, but I honestly don't think it would be all that hard to survive without electricity. My brother and I came up with exactly the same joke for this show, "Oh, you mean the whole planet is reduced to how we grew up?"
The only thing that would be difficult would be feeding everyone. Modern farming is the only thing that allows us to feed the global population with our current land usage. Of course, we could always use more land. But we could also use diesel powered farm vehicles (diesel engines don't require electricity, right?), and steam powered water pumps for irrigation. Humans had a highly advanced, technological society long before electricity was invented or widely used. Doesn't steam power still work in Revolution world? Things still expand when they get hot, right? Liquids turn into gas? That sort of thing?
We could still have cars, planes, trains, boats, etc. Society would not fall apart. You don't need electricity. We have more scientists and engineers alive on this planet than ever before in history of mankind. We could easily devise solutions to work around this limitation, and people would team together, pool resources, and be fine.
This show is dumb.
The only thing that would be difficult would be feeding everyone. Modern farming is the only thing that allows us to feed the global population with our current land usage. Of course, we could always use more land. But we could also use diesel powered farm vehicles (diesel engines don't require electricity, right?), and steam powered water pumps for irrigation. Humans had a highly advanced, technological society long before electricity was invented or widely used. Doesn't steam power still work in Revolution world? Things still expand when they get hot, right? Liquids turn into gas? That sort of thing?
We could still have cars, planes, trains, boats, etc. Society would not fall apart. You don't need electricity. We have more scientists and engineers alive on this planet than ever before in history of mankind. We could easily devise solutions to work around this limitation, and people would team together, pool resources, and be fine.
This show is dumb.
Success will be my revenge -- DJT
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Hashi Lebwohl
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The electricity question depends upon the show's premise. Is the electric grid completely down and can't be repaired? If so, then you are correct--any completely grid-independent electrical system should still work so gasoline-driven generators, motor vehicles, etc. would still work, as would anything that runs off steam or some other purely mechanical power. Modern solar panels and solar film would help immensely here, as would wind turbines.
If, on the other hand, the shows premise is "all electrical devices have failed and cannot be repaired" then the show is just stupid. As you noted earlier, if electric currents themselves have failed then we would all be dead--our nervous system runs on electricity.
If Heron of Alexandria (I think he is the one who did this) can devise a thermodynamic system such that lighting a fire in an altar will heat water, change pressure, trigger a counterweight, and appear to open a door by "magic"...can design a rope-driven automated play...and can design the aeolipile...then we can begin with his results and continue from there.
I not even going to begin watching this ridiculous mess.
If, on the other hand, the shows premise is "all electrical devices have failed and cannot be repaired" then the show is just stupid. As you noted earlier, if electric currents themselves have failed then we would all be dead--our nervous system runs on electricity.
If Heron of Alexandria (I think he is the one who did this) can devise a thermodynamic system such that lighting a fire in an altar will heat water, change pressure, trigger a counterweight, and appear to open a door by "magic"...can design a rope-driven automated play...and can design the aeolipile...then we can begin with his results and continue from there.
I not even going to begin watching this ridiculous mess.
The Tank is gone and now so am I.
So wait, it's only electricity?
I haven't watched the show, as Post Appocalyptic isn't really a genre I generally favor (except with something special added like Zombies in The Walking Dead). So, I was going to wait and see what opinions were on S1, and then maybe get up watching the entire first season at once, if it appealed to me.
When the premise was originallly announced, they said "All forms of Energy stopped working", which of course would include Steam and Fire Human Bodies, etc, so, obviously that was an overstatement, but, if it's just Electricity, yea, that's pretty slim and there's no reason whatsoever Civilization shouldn't be able to rebound, relatively soon, and certainly there should be thriving communities 15 years after the fact
I haven't watched the show, as Post Appocalyptic isn't really a genre I generally favor (except with something special added like Zombies in The Walking Dead). So, I was going to wait and see what opinions were on S1, and then maybe get up watching the entire first season at once, if it appealed to me.
When the premise was originallly announced, they said "All forms of Energy stopped working", which of course would include Steam and Fire Human Bodies, etc, so, obviously that was an overstatement, but, if it's just Electricity, yea, that's pretty slim and there's no reason whatsoever Civilization shouldn't be able to rebound, relatively soon, and certainly there should be thriving communities 15 years after the fact
I Never Fail To Be Astounded By The Things We Do For Promises - Ronnie James Dio (All The Fools Sailed Away)
Remember, everytime you drag someone through the mud, you're down in the mud with them
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...
It's about learning to dance in the rain
Where are we going...and... WHY are we in a handbasket?
Remember, everytime you drag someone through the mud, you're down in the mud with them
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...
It's about learning to dance in the rain
Where are we going...and... WHY are we in a handbasket?
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Vraith
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AFAICT, it's a mess. The only sensible explanation is that it isn't electricity itself but that something is preventing the grid/long distance transmission of power that can be overcome with electro-magical trinkets, and they need the "One Trinket" to reestablish things.
Honestly, though, even if that one point somehow could be explained/rationalized it wouldn't make up for all the other tripe and absurdities.
On advice of a friend, I looked at an article about it [supposedly I was missing the point] that said, roughly "the electricity mystery isn't a big thing, it'll be revealed early. It's mostly an evironment for storytelling."
Which didn't help his case, cuz more than anything it's the "environment for storytelling" that is really failing.
Honestly, though, even if that one point somehow could be explained/rationalized it wouldn't make up for all the other tripe and absurdities.
On advice of a friend, I looked at an article about it [supposedly I was missing the point] that said, roughly "the electricity mystery isn't a big thing, it'll be revealed early. It's mostly an evironment for storytelling."
Which didn't help his case, cuz more than anything it's the "environment for storytelling" that is really failing.
[spoiler]Sig-man, Libtard, Stupid piece of shit. change your text color to brown. Mr. Reliable, bullshit-slinging liarFucker-user.[/spoiler]
the difference between evidence and sources: whether they come from the horse's mouth or a horse's ass.
"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation."
the hyperbole is a beauty...for we are then allowed to say a little more than the truth...and language is more efficient when it goes beyond reality than when it stops short of it.
the difference between evidence and sources: whether they come from the horse's mouth or a horse's ass.
"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation."
the hyperbole is a beauty...for we are then allowed to say a little more than the truth...and language is more efficient when it goes beyond reality than when it stops short of it.
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Zarathustra
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Problems with the grid or transmission of electricity wouldn't keep a helicopter from running. If electricity worked, but couldn't be transmitted, then everyone would have generators and life would noisily continue. No, it has to be more. But even this "more" wouldn't keep diesel tractors from running. You don't need spark plugs for diesel engines. They work on compression. You could have trains, planes, cars, farm vehicles, boats, etc. without electricity at all. So unless basic mechanics have stopped working, this show has a gaping plot hole.
Success will be my revenge -- DJT
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[Syl]
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Yeah, in the books by Stirling, all energy over a certain density doesn't work (including guns and, I believe, all but very simple steam engines). It's also the result of more 'magical' forces (universal/divine intervention), so it doesn't have to make as much sense as a scientific or even pseudo-scientific approach. Basically, anything more powerful than a catapult is out.
"It is not the literal past that rules us, save, possibly, in a biological sense. It is images of the past. Each new historical era mirrors itself in the picture and active mythology of its past or of a past borrowed from other cultures. It tests its sense of identity, of regress or new achievement against that past.”
-George Steiner
-George Steiner
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Zarathustra
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Hashi Lebwohl
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The universe has stopped expanding and has begun shrinking; the collapsing process is causing physics to run backwards.Zarathustra wrote:Ah, magic. I could accept that, if they had mentioned it. The only explanation I've seen so far is from the fat guy (the only dirty/fat/ugly person in the show) repeating that the laws of physics have gone haywire. (This seems to be his sole narrative purpose.)
erm...okay, that makes as much sense as what the show is already saying.
Alternatively, the universe has quit expanding and the entropic/thermodynamic arrow has stopped, causing time to stand still even though we can still move around but inanimate objects like electrons cannot.
Ridiculous tv show is ridiculous.
The Tank is gone and now so am I.
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deer of the dawn
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Well, I watched all 10 episodes.
On the plus side, really good set pieces. And I actually did like Charlie and Miles.
On the minus, I keep feeling like the minor cast of Lost got together and made the show so they would have work. And plot holes big enough to drive a train through. (Suffocating in a miles-long tunnel, really?)
Their explanation of electricity being blocked was okay, I could go with it. But Zarathustra has a point about nerves and brains not being able to function. D'oh!
On the plus side, really good set pieces. And I actually did like Charlie and Miles.
On the minus, I keep feeling like the minor cast of Lost got together and made the show so they would have work. And plot holes big enough to drive a train through. (Suffocating in a miles-long tunnel, really?)
Their explanation of electricity being blocked was okay, I could go with it. But Zarathustra has a point about nerves and brains not being able to function. D'oh!
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle. -Philo of Alexandria
ahhhh... if only all our creativity in wickedness could be fixed by "Corrupt a Wish." - Linna Heartlistener
ahhhh... if only all our creativity in wickedness could be fixed by "Corrupt a Wish." - Linna Heartlistener