Spike TV's Blade series was short-lived.
The House of Chthon was the pilot episode, in movie form.
While not the greatest show on earth it had a lot of the aspects that we look for in a good one.
First up, it was very honest and true to the original Blade film. One bad-ass vampire hunting daywalker with very snazzy shades stalking his way towards the big bad.
Next up, a couple of flawed sidekicks, one the tech guy, the other in over their head. Techie Shen also tries to liven things up as the slight comic relief - although the stereotypes of a vampire genre, as usual, do this to a certain extent. As far as Krista goes she is the plot device that drives the show and Blade.
Trying to find out about her twin brothers murder of course proves to be a big mistake, as these things often do, and Krista finds herself in the position of being turned into a vampire newborn by the 'big bad' Marcus. Torn between doing the right thing (due to an injection or five of Blade's serum to quell her bloodthirst) and what she is starting to learn about her abilities and her benefactor Marcus, Krista is of course set up as the weakness in Blade's armour.
In the end, the pilot/movie ends up as a setup for the show more than a tale of its own, with many loose ends that prove why these things take time. It is however what Spike TV would expect from a Blade series - Violence, blood and sex. Oh and a splattering of plot thrown in too.
Friday 26 February 2010
Cancelled TV Shows
More and more shows with potential work their way towards our hearts and then get torn away by a cancellation sequence.
Many of my favourites, I have managed to procure the DVDs for.
What has caused these shows to disappear from our screens when other less worthy shows survive? Who knows. One main cause is likely patience.
Yes, we like to think we have patience but the fact of the matter is that there is only one show that people have truly allowed to take up their limit in recent times: Lost.
Lost began as a show that was told to be something it wasn't and because of this, we knew we would have to wait for its answers, its mysteries to be revealed. What did this do? It allowed the viewers to actually bond with the characters, to decide that yes Sawyer's story was one they wanted to find out, why was Jin how he was or what was Kate truly running from?
All of these answers have gradually made their way to the forefront in due time. This is the problem with the more shortlived shows. Often they know from the start where they're heading and lay the foundations but feel compelled to push the storyline due to their networks demand for ratings. The balance between true characterisation and plot is truly difficult to attain. Joss Whedon's Firefly being the prime example: He had worked hard on developing the players in his world into fully 3 dimensional personalities that you would be hard pushed not to love or hate as demanded, and then was forced to change the order of his episodes, destroying smaller plot developments or any chance of a true overall arc.
This is the other main issue I have with shows cancellations, dvd sales prove the following that these shows have, these that have been labeled as failures. Viewing figures are misleading in themselves for one overlying reason - if there are two shows on at the same time, human nature is to record, in whatever form, the show they prefer. Whether to rewatch or to pass along to other fans who didnt have the chance to watch it. Surely this is the mark of a better story? A more worthwhile concept.
So don't be surprised to see shows commented upon in this blog that have disappeared from your screens, whether recently or long since.
Many of my favourites, I have managed to procure the DVDs for.
What has caused these shows to disappear from our screens when other less worthy shows survive? Who knows. One main cause is likely patience.
Yes, we like to think we have patience but the fact of the matter is that there is only one show that people have truly allowed to take up their limit in recent times: Lost.
Lost began as a show that was told to be something it wasn't and because of this, we knew we would have to wait for its answers, its mysteries to be revealed. What did this do? It allowed the viewers to actually bond with the characters, to decide that yes Sawyer's story was one they wanted to find out, why was Jin how he was or what was Kate truly running from?
All of these answers have gradually made their way to the forefront in due time. This is the problem with the more shortlived shows. Often they know from the start where they're heading and lay the foundations but feel compelled to push the storyline due to their networks demand for ratings. The balance between true characterisation and plot is truly difficult to attain. Joss Whedon's Firefly being the prime example: He had worked hard on developing the players in his world into fully 3 dimensional personalities that you would be hard pushed not to love or hate as demanded, and then was forced to change the order of his episodes, destroying smaller plot developments or any chance of a true overall arc.
This is the other main issue I have with shows cancellations, dvd sales prove the following that these shows have, these that have been labeled as failures. Viewing figures are misleading in themselves for one overlying reason - if there are two shows on at the same time, human nature is to record, in whatever form, the show they prefer. Whether to rewatch or to pass along to other fans who didnt have the chance to watch it. Surely this is the mark of a better story? A more worthwhile concept.
So don't be surprised to see shows commented upon in this blog that have disappeared from your screens, whether recently or long since.
Friday 19 February 2010
[Lost] Time for me to retire now, and become John Locke
After a couple of weeks of smashing through Lost I finally caught up with the current timeline (oh dear, bad choice of words there). Just in time too, finding out what the numbers mean and as fast paced as the show has suddenly become.
It's nice that they have been able to become the show they wanted to after such beginnings - the network not allowing them to be a sci-fi show. Even better they have managed to keep the personalities and characters plots interesting despite essentially being unable to move forward.
The old - find the answer, create twelve more questions formula is finally breaking and its being done well. That being said I'm glad the show is in its final season, they've timed it right and - hopefully - planned well their ability to tie things up.
Oh, and in other more spoiler-ific news. Some casting for you:
Do not mouseover if you dont want to know
thats all for now, mostly because I rushed this one out, so I leave you with the inspiration for the title of this post...
As you can see that song still amuses even now.
It's nice that they have been able to become the show they wanted to after such beginnings - the network not allowing them to be a sci-fi show. Even better they have managed to keep the personalities and characters plots interesting despite essentially being unable to move forward.
The old - find the answer, create twelve more questions formula is finally breaking and its being done well. That being said I'm glad the show is in its final season, they've timed it right and - hopefully - planned well their ability to tie things up.
Oh, and in other more spoiler-ific news. Some casting for you:
Do not mouseover if you dont want to know
thats all for now, mostly because I rushed this one out, so I leave you with the inspiration for the title of this post...
As you can see that song still amuses even now.
Introduction
This is the place where I'll be posting about the tv shows, films and DVDs that i watch. Sometimes thoughts, sometimes spoilers. Occasionally a review just to keep myself in shape.
I'll try not to link people back here until I know theyve seen or dont care about knowing things.
I'll try not to link people back here until I know theyve seen or dont care about knowing things.
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