So, I just watched Syfy's "Alphas" ...
Jul. 12th, 2011 08:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fembuck...and it was surprisingly enjoyable! I'm definitely in and excite for the next episode!
(click pic to download pilot episode)
I already love Nina (above: bottom middle). Laura Minnell has been on my radar since an episode of the 4400 she did where she was absolutely mesmerizing, so I'm thrilled to get to watch her being glam and sexy with an undercurrent of vulnerability on a weekly basis. Nina's ability no doubt means that she's done some shady, shady shit in her past so Minnell should get some nice dramatic moments.
I also really like the Rachel (above: top right) character. I feel she's the most accessible, the most normal of the group so far and already relate to her.
Based on nothing but prettiness and the fact that I like both of the characters, I'm also already shipping Nina/Rachel.
I've never really liked Strathairin, but I thought that he was pretty tolerable here so that's nice. I was expecting to constantly be annoyed by him, but while the Dr. Rosen (above: top middle) character is a bit overly quirky, I didn't have a problem with the actor or the character.
Bill (above: bottom right) is a bit abrasive as a character, but I like that the show acknowledged it and that it's a point clearly set up for character development rather than bad writing making a character intolerable. I would have reacted the same way as Rachel to him eating part of my muffin! Somewhat OT, but not too much: Does anyone know if Bill's wife was played by Rachael Crawford (a.k.a. Petra from When Night is Falling)? It looked like her, but I'm not sure.
Gary (above: bottom left) was interesting and pretty funny at times, but I see the potential for this character to get old really fast if the writers aren't careful. I liked him though, and I enjoyed the characters interactions with pretty much every member of the principle cast (especially Bill and Nina) so that's good. His power is the most WTF out of all of them though.
And finally Hicks (above: top left). I feel like this is the character I'm going to be the most 'whatev's' about. The actor has a nice, quite strength kind of quality thing going on, but I see the potential for this character to be hogging up a lot of screen time while pretty much every other member of the team seems more interesting than him. I don't want this show to be all about Cameron Hicks man!pain. I'm reserving judgement, but I can feel the side-eye gearing up.
Overall, I think what I liked most was how real things felt (which is saying something on a show about superpowers). I liked that all of the powers had side-effects/limits/drawbacks (i.e. Rachel's other senses becoming basically useless when she super-heightens a particular one, and Bill suffering major fatigue if he uses his strength for too long, etc.) I also really enjoyed the team dynamic and the different and interesting ways the characters interacted which other.
I'm officially looking forward to episode 2.
(click pic to download pilot episode)
I already love Nina (above: bottom middle). Laura Minnell has been on my radar since an episode of the 4400 she did where she was absolutely mesmerizing, so I'm thrilled to get to watch her being glam and sexy with an undercurrent of vulnerability on a weekly basis. Nina's ability no doubt means that she's done some shady, shady shit in her past so Minnell should get some nice dramatic moments.
I also really like the Rachel (above: top right) character. I feel she's the most accessible, the most normal of the group so far and already relate to her.
Based on nothing but prettiness and the fact that I like both of the characters, I'm also already shipping Nina/Rachel.
I've never really liked Strathairin, but I thought that he was pretty tolerable here so that's nice. I was expecting to constantly be annoyed by him, but while the Dr. Rosen (above: top middle) character is a bit overly quirky, I didn't have a problem with the actor or the character.
Bill (above: bottom right) is a bit abrasive as a character, but I like that the show acknowledged it and that it's a point clearly set up for character development rather than bad writing making a character intolerable. I would have reacted the same way as Rachel to him eating part of my muffin! Somewhat OT, but not too much: Does anyone know if Bill's wife was played by Rachael Crawford (a.k.a. Petra from When Night is Falling)? It looked like her, but I'm not sure.
Gary (above: bottom left) was interesting and pretty funny at times, but I see the potential for this character to get old really fast if the writers aren't careful. I liked him though, and I enjoyed the characters interactions with pretty much every member of the principle cast (especially Bill and Nina) so that's good. His power is the most WTF out of all of them though.
And finally Hicks (above: top left). I feel like this is the character I'm going to be the most 'whatev's' about. The actor has a nice, quite strength kind of quality thing going on, but I see the potential for this character to be hogging up a lot of screen time while pretty much every other member of the team seems more interesting than him. I don't want this show to be all about Cameron Hicks man!pain. I'm reserving judgement, but I can feel the side-eye gearing up.
Overall, I think what I liked most was how real things felt (which is saying something on a show about superpowers). I liked that all of the powers had side-effects/limits/drawbacks (i.e. Rachel's other senses becoming basically useless when she super-heightens a particular one, and Bill suffering major fatigue if he uses his strength for too long, etc.) I also really enjoyed the team dynamic and the different and interesting ways the characters interacted which other.
I'm officially looking forward to episode 2.
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Date: 2011-07-13 07:29 pm (UTC)When a witness is inexplicably murdered in a locked room at a federal courthouse, Dr. Lee Rosen is put on the case. He leads a team of "Alphas", human beings with enhanced abilities due to differences in their brain structure: Gary Bell, a highly functioning autistic with an ability to process information that rivals most computers; Bill Harken, a former FBI agent who can amp up his "fight or flight" reflex, giving him extraordinary strength for a brief period of time; Nina Theroux, a beautiful woman who can reprogram other people's minds to do as she bids; and Rachel Pirzad, a sheltered Persian girl who can intensify one sense at the expense of the others. However, with said powers comes a price - for Gary, autism which makes him a child for all intents and purposes; for Harken, severe anger issues that cost him his job and family; for Rachel, struggling to overcome her parents shame at her "illness"; and Nina, never really knowing how those close to her actually feel. In any case, they've all come together for the common good with Rosen as their mentor, teaching them to further control their abilities with each passing day. As for the courthouse murder, it's not long before the team uncovers that one of their own kind was responsible - Cameron Hicks, a former Marine sharpshooter with supernatural balance and aim (he guided the bullet through a ventilation duct). After bringing him in, however, they realize someone even more powerful was pulling the strings... someone with a new technology that can be used to mimic one of the team's gifts.
That little logo in the bottom right of the screen during W13 is what reminded me to check "Alphas" out, and I liked it, so even though those little bubbles are annoying they ARE effective too :D