This new series about a group of astronauts on a space mission starts this coming weekend, Sunday on ABC. Couple of trailers:
ABC "Defying Gravity" Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q2_EtZkjH4&NR=1#lq-lq2-hq-vhq)
ABC's "Defying Gravity" - Trailer 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh9Idudyuqw#ws-lq-lq2-hq)
I kept seeing these promos on TV. Dunno if they are just playing up the sex angle or that's what it's all about. Personally, not going to go out of my way to watch this one.
For those interested, this starts tonight.
Billybob, of course they're playing up the sex angle, that's how they can attract the 12-36 year old males. And, of course they're playing up the romance and relationship issues, that's how they attract the 12-55 year old females. It'd be awesome if this was more science and situationally focused, but because it's on prime time network TV, I doubt it'll satisfy in that area.
I hadn't even heard about it until this morning, but I'll probably try to catch the premier at http://abc.go.com/primetime/defyinggravity/ (http://abc.go.com/primetime/defyinggravity/) .
~katzekitty
Well, there was plenty of sex and relationship stuff in the new Galactica and I think we all agree that show rocked! I'm guessing this won't have that level of writing, but I wouldn't dismiss a show just based on those factors. It's on my TIVO now. Will try and watch it soon.
After two shows, this one has already hit my top ten for mush watch/tivo things. I actaully watched both episodes twice last night and it was better with the second showing.
Right, I'll agree they may have been playing upthat angle in previews. I guessbased on that I figured that was all there was to it. I may give it a watch if it shows up on demand.
After seeing the show twice, I really didn't notice that much sex. There were relationship things, but only one real semi sex scene. Which I felt was tastefully done.
Watched it last night and thought it was a pretty cool start for this series. It's nice to see a major network tackling a show like this. Mostly "real" astronaut stuff with a little Sci-Fi tossed in. And yeah, the sex stuff was pretty low key. One main scene and a few other little things but nothing overboard, especially for two hours of TV (IMHO). Anyway, some mysterious things going on too that makes me want to keep tuning in - which I will. Season pass on the TIVO for this one!
Here's another preview for the series with some good basic info:
Sexy Sci-fi 'Defying Gravity' Debuts on ABC (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAjrOR08pI4#lq-lq2-hq-vhq)
Don't want to give people the wrong idea here. I don't mind the sex stuff at all. I'm Not sure if the same previews were running up here as the ones down there but the ones I kept seeing were just very focused on the astronauts messing around on earth, then messing around in zero G, etc etc.
I just thought it was a bit insulting to our intelligence as viewers. I'll give this show a look.
It's just simple advertising and marketing. Trying to get people to watch. They do it all the time for TV and movies. Sex sells. Simple as that. But the show has to have more than that to survive of course. And I hope this one gets a shot to hang around for a bit.
Rico- you mentioned some mysterious stuff going on. Are we talking sci-fi/lost type of stuff? Would you classify the show as more sci-fi, or more Drama Set In Space?
-Eric
Quote from: wraith1701 on August 04, 2009, 04:45:48 PM
Rico- you mentioned some mysterious stuff going on. Are we talking sci-fi/lost type of stuff? Would you classify the show as more sci-fi, or more Drama Set In Space?
-Eric
This show is 100% sci-fi. there are sci-fi things happening in it and it's set in 2058 or something. There is also something quite ... 2001 happening as well. For me, it is clearly sci-fi but under a drama backdrop. I think it has a BSG like sci-fi feel, but with something more.
Well, it is set in the future so by that I guess you could call it all Sci-Fi in a way. But the fact that it's centered around astronauts on a mission to explore the solar system makes it a little more "real science" than some SF. As far as the "mysterious stuff," so far we don't know enough to know what's up with that aspect.
X, Rico, thank you. I'm sold; I'm gonna check it out. :)
If anyone missed it Sunday night, it's a free download on itunes. (Standard and High Definition)
I watched the first two episodes last night. I had missed it when it premiered earlier in the week, but fortunately our Sci-fi like channel Space broadcast it. I thought it was interesting enough, and they mystery about the mission has me wanting to find out more.
Quote from: jedijeff on August 09, 2009, 09:40:01 AM
I watched the first two episodes last night. I had missed it when it premiered earlier in the week, but fortunately our Sci-fi like channel Space broadcast it. I thought it was interesting enough, and they mystery about the mission has me wanting to find out more.
I caught the same broadcast Jeff. Gotta love the Space channel! I really enjoyed the show and will be watching it. As discussed I was thrown by the commercials for it but the show turned out to be nothing like the one that was teased in the previews. Quite nice.
Cool - glad people seem to be liking it too. New episode on tonight!
I'm even more hooked! I love how this is unfolding. I also love the use of flashbacks to really sell us on who these people are just a little at a time.
Just watched the first 3 eps on Hulu.com, with limited interruptions. Wow, this has me hooked big time. Ron Livingston is perfect as the experienced astronaut commander. He even looks like one. Love how they flashback to their astronaut selection process and how they get to know each other early. Personally trying to figure out how NASA (opps, ISO) would pick THESE people for a 6-7 year mission given their personalities, but then maybe you need some not quite so steady people to last that long in space. Could you imagine that long if just "the right stuff" kind of people without emotions? Ep 3 left off with the prospect of the "2001" subterfuge.
So, great actors, magnificent sets and CGI - so what's the heck with 10 pm on Sunday night timing? Doesn't ABC want to get into the marketability like BSG got the Sci-Fi channel? That time slot makes me fear it's year 3 of TOS.
[spoiler]Could anyone really want to sabotage a 10 trillion dollar project of this magnitude? What's with the DNA markers showing up across multiple people?[/spoiler]
V
It's a great show! I was hooked from the first episode. I agree with Vartok. What's up with the show's time slot? Sunday at 10 pm? Really? Are they trying to make it fail?
Watched last night's episode and liked it quite a bit. This is becoming a pretty cool show. I like the mix of showing them in the past and the present too. I hope the show is doing ok ratings wise and sticks around for a bit. I'd be sad if this series gets yanked too soon. And actually Sunday nights are the biggest TV viewing nights of the week I think still. Most people stay in and don't go out, etc. I'd prefer it was on at maybe 9pm, but I always watch it on TIVO the next day anyway so it doesn't matter a lot to me.
I am having a difficult time getting into this show mainly because of the sloooow pacing and very drawn out drama.
Not to mention, this show has some of the most boring drama that I have seen in quite a while. Who makes a safety tether that long, btw?
Well, it is a six year mission to the planets. I wouldn't expect things to move fast or for them to reveal everything that quickly.
I like the pacing of the show. Each episode has just enough mystery to keep me coming back, and I'm enjoying the opportunity to get to know the characters.
I was initially intrigued by this show because of the sci-fi aspect but this drama filled everyone-is-screwing-or-has-screwed-each-other b.s. is really grating on my nerves and dragging down the plot. The preview for the next episode implies some revelations - I really hope they deliver.
Quote from: The IC on August 21, 2009, 08:27:30 AM
I am having a difficult time getting into this show mainly because of the sloooow pacing and very drawn out drama.
Not to mention, this show has some of the most boring drama that I have seen in quite a while. Who makes a safety tether that long, btw?
The length of the tether was not what bugged me, it was the fact that it was not attached to, or could not be atached to a winch that was absurd.
And the overuse of nudity and implied sex is tiresome, you can create an interesting ensamble without it. Create characters and make me care about them, don't flash me or have them pole dancing, that just shows a lack of imagination or character depth.
Please, more science and less fiction... ;)
I also agree, I just haven't yet gotten into the show. I've struggled to get through the past 2 episodes on Hulu due to the same reasons you guys have. It just has caught my interest. I think I'll give it a few episodes more before I make the call to continue or not.
I just watched the latest episode on hulu, and liked it. The series may not have a bunch of fighting & action scenes, but it is a genuinely enjoyable sci-fi series. Very well written, with interesting characters and relationships. For those following the show- [spoiler] I'm just trying to work out what's going on so far. Please feel free to jump in with your own hypothesis.
After the latest episode, I feel fairly certain that some government agency was aware that there was something (call it The Entity) on Mars, and set up the mission to retrieve it. Not all if the astronauts were aware of the true nature of the mission. To keep knowledge of the entity secret, the agency intentionally stranded the 2 lost crewmen. Perhaps the lost crewmen discovered what was really going on?
After the entity was brought back to Earth, the entity somehow informed a select few that it needed to be brought to Venus. This of course is the reason for the current mission.
What I'm still puzzling over is 1) Why Venus? 2) Why did the entity arrange to have this specific crew on the Venus mission? 3) what is the entity? [/spoiler]
I know that there isn't any way to definitively answer these questions yet, but I'm curious to hear what other viewers think so far.
Seems like a reasonable idea Eric. I'm also enjoying the series a lot and look forward to each new episode.
I'm quite enjoying the show as well. I like how it's not super dark and gritty like most other shows on tv are recently. It's not about war or the end of humanity.
I liked the last ep a lot. It's interesting how we're not really sure what's happening and they are slowly revealing things.
I am finally caught up on it and have really enjoyed the pace and mystery of it all. I like how it is filmed and really like the sets too. I am very curious as to what is going on! Does anyone know how many episodes we are going to get?
Looks like three more episodes. Not sure what happens after that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defying_Gravity_(TV_series) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defying_Gravity_(TV_series))
Quote from: billybob476 on August 26, 2009, 06:08:40 AM
I'm quite enjoying the show as well. I like how it's not super dark and gritty like most other shows on tv are recently. It's not about war or the end of humanity.
Good point, BillyBob. I think it's a refreshing change from death and doom every episode.
I agree with others who have speculated that it seems strange that this group of people was deemed the best for the project... a guy who can't swim? Come on...
~katzekitty
Quote from: KatzeKitty on August 26, 2009, 12:52:37 PM
Quote from: billybob476 on August 26, 2009, 06:08:40 AM
I'm quite enjoying the show as well. I like how it's not super dark and gritty like most other shows on tv are recently. It's not about war or the end of humanity.
Good point, BillyBob. I think it's a refreshing change from death and doom every episode.
I agree with others who have speculated that it seems strange that this group of people was deemed the best for the project... a guy who can't swim? Come on...
~katzekitty
Yeah - but there is a reason he is up there.
[spoiler]The entity thing, wants him there. Same with all the rest. That's explained in one of the episodes.[/spoiler]
Can you tell I'm now two episodes behind? YES!!! :)
I'll try to catch up so I can chat about this well-informed.
But, and Chad will attest to this, I have issues with disbelief suspension (which makes being a scifi fan a challenge sometimes!!). I'd love to be one of those people who screens movies or TV shows to make them just a hair "better" before they're released.
~kk
Yeah - I know how you feel. I did see "G.I. Joe." LOL!
I am really enjoying this series as well. I like Eric's thoughts on it as well, that all makes a lot of sense. It is so tough for me right now to get a real handle on this Entity, so I am hoping they give us something a bit more substantial on it soon. I am usually a person who likes a bit of action in shows, but I am finding with this show that I am not missing it at all.
This last episode- I don't like blood, so yuck, but it did answer some questions that I had.
[spoiler]What I find interesting is that they are tackling the abortion issue head on and in somewhat of a reality compared with many televesion shows. There is a lot of moral stuff that this show deals with and I think that is what makes it compelling. At the heart of it I love the space ship shots and the realistic looking interior of the ship. I love the computer interfaces and the panels and such. Should be very interesting to see where it ends up. Gross thumb.[/spoiler]
So, ABC cancels the show and labels the last show as the season finale. However, the show is still running new episodes on ctv on friday. Boo ABC. Boo.
What is ctv?
A network here in Canada.
Will you guys be airing new episodes? Cause they left us with more questions than answers. :)
I think they will.
I hate it when smart TV gets canceled.
I'm going to have to figure a way out to see these new ones. Maybe they will put them on Hulu? I watched a few on there already.
I'm sure they'll be on bitTorrent. Everyone will want to see them. I also imagine there will be a DVD set at some point.
I can't believe they cancelled this. The only ABC show that I watch that they haven't cancelled is Lost. Everything else I ever like on that network gets cancelled. I loved Eli Stone (mainly because the lead character was in Hackers!) and that was cancelled and now Defying Gravity gets cancelled. Did they ever even bother to advertise this show? I heard about it through iTunes because the premier was on the FREE list.
I just watched the latest episode last night. How *DARE* they do that to the (apparently) few fans they had. :mad2: I hate when idiots make knee-jerk hasty reactions. No audience after only eight episodes? In a crappy timeslot? No kidding... geez, give it some time, people.
Sorry, I'm miffed. I was kind of starting to like it. Ah, well, just allows more time for other things, I suppose. *sigh*
~katze
I just saw the girl who plays Zoe Barnes on an episode of Total Recall 2070 I was watching on Hulu last night.
A little update. The series is NOT canceled (at least not yet). There are also 5 unaired episodes floating around out there still. So there is hope. Read on:
Fear not, followers of the Antares. ABC has not canceled "Defying Gravity." Not yet, anyway.
That news may not be as comforting as it was intended to be, though, as the summer science-fiction series has vanished from the ABC schedules after only eight episodes, leaving its viewers dangling by a thread at the prospect of discovering the truth about the Antares mission and the mysterious "Beta."
Set in the near future, "Defying Gravity" is considered a "Grey's Anatomy" in space with complex character backstories and intermingled relationships thrown into a life-or-death scenario. And, since its premiere on ABC, the show has taken a hammering in the ratings with the first episode pulling in a disappointing 2.4 million viewers.
Like many shows, "Defying Gravity" has since suffered additional ratings erosion and recently hit an all time low with its latest episode, "Love, Honor, Obey" which drew 1.6 million viewers.
The show's publicist, Nicole Marostica, has recently confirmed that series has not been canceled and will in fact return to ABC's schedules once the network finds a place for it. Apparently, the decision to remove the series was not one of malice but instead the result of poorly timed scheduling as the new fall season has now commenced and "Defying Gravity" is currently occupying a sought-after slot.
Production on the first season has already completed with a total of 13 episodes for air. Many viewers have speculated that the show will not be around long enough for a second season to be commissioned, however that decision will not lie with ABC.
Although often credited as a product of ABC (its official site is considered the ABC Web site), the space drama actually is an internationally developed television series and is produced by the BBC in conjunction with Fox Television Studios and Omni Film Productions. The production is being carried out in association with the Canadian CTV and Space networks, meaning that even if ABC choose to ax the show, the series could conceivably continue without their support.
However, without ABC's involvement, such a move would become more and more unlikely unless another American suitor is found.
The Canadian and U.K. scheduling of the show is not expected to be affected by the ABC re-scheduling.
source:
http://www.airlockalpha.com/node/6696 (http://www.airlockalpha.com/node/6696)
Catch up on episodes here: http://abc.go.com/shows/defying-gravity (http://abc.go.com/shows/defying-gravity)
Quote from: KatzeKitty on September 15, 2009, 09:44:28 AM
In a crappy timeslot?
Apparently it's not in a crappy timeslot. I suppose that's in the eyes of the advertisers, and I'm not exactly a target for commercials.
Glad to read that at least we have a few more episodes somewhere someday. At least.
~katze
I switched my PVR to record it on CTV, I guess this is one of the few times, where being a Canadian TV viewer has an advantage.
well I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the shows. It's pretty cool.
Quote from: jedijeff on September 15, 2009, 05:42:58 PM
I switched my PVR to record it on CTV, I guess this is one of the few times, where being a Canadian TV viewer has an advantage.
Same here. Glad we get something for once!
HOLY CRAP! Just finished watching episode 8 on Hulu. I found myself getting goosebumps towards the end of the episode, then snarling with frustration at the ending. MAJOR CLIFFHANGER!
It's a shame this show doesn't have a bigger following, it's great stuff!
I watched the next Episode of this on Canadian TV last night. All I can say, is I really hope it does not get canceled. It was probably the biggest episode so far of the season and really sets the series up nicely.
If you can find if by other means, I urge you to.
Quote from: jedijeff on September 19, 2009, 07:03:27 AM
I watched the next Episode of this on Canadian TV last night. All I can say, is I really hope it does not get canceled. It was probably the biggest episode so far of the season and really sets the series up nicely.
If you can find if by other means, I urge you to.
I can't agree with you more! Burning questions were answered only to have new question raised in the same instance. Best episode of the season!
Indeed, this week's episode was by far the best of the season, [spoiler]though I did feel that the whole story of Beta's origin got a bit draggy at times. [/spoiler]
Spoiler:
[spoiler]The expressions on the astronauts faces when opening the door to pod 4... very interesting that each was different... awe, pleasure, fear, respect, etc... quite the cliff-hanger!![/spoiler]
~katzekitty
This from a wiki article on the TV series - there is hope yet Obi wan.
On September 14, 2009, online sources noted ABC's apparent cancellation of the series, with most having reported the eighth episode as the "series finale",[15] while others reported it as the "season finale".[16] The show's publicist, Nicole Marostica, issued a statement on September 14, 2009 that ABC is not in fact canceling the show but that management is deciding on a time slot to air the remaining 5 episodes of season 1.[17]
CTV aired episode 9 "Eve Ate the Apple" on September 18, 2009, but did not have Defying Gravity on its schedule for the following week. Episode 10, "Deja Vu", aired on October 2, 2009 on SPACE, which is only available in Canada.
Keep your pseudopods crossed.
V
I got to see the remaining episodes here:
http://www.ch131.com/ (http://www.ch131.com/)
Go to Television and scroll down to Defying Gravity.
Thank you Darren!
And they even have the rest of the story from the author. Excellent.
I have to say that the episodes just got better and better. It was really one of the most cool shows. It was very adult in it's content, but every show had AMAZING music and really made you think about things. Geez I wish we could get TV like this for more than one season!
Amazing show.
Just finished the last of the "unaired episodes." Man - this show is terrific and even better (like Rick said above) as it continued. I'll get them up over at www.geekplay.tv (http://www.geekplay.tv) soon.
I'm beginning to hate ABC
Read on for why .. oh and there are spoilers
http://www.cliqueclack.com/tv/2009/10/29/how-defying-gravity-would-have-progressed-straight-from-the-creator/ (http://www.cliqueclack.com/tv/2009/10/29/how-defying-gravity-would-have-progressed-straight-from-the-creator/)
Seems like there's a network out there specifically for science fiction type shows who should buy the rights. Oh, but it's not SciFi any more. They might have to drop wrestling in order to add another show. No, they couldn't do that. Nooooo, that'd be bad.
~katze
I now have up all five of the unaired episodes of this cool series over at www.geekplay.tv (http://www.geekplay.tv)
Man, I miss this show!