Space: Above and Beyond

[Rodders]

I've waited a long time for this to be released on DVD. Now that it has finally been release, i thought i'd start a new discussion thread. (I couldn't find one in the archives.)

I haven't see it yet, but i'm hoping to get started on Sunday afternoon.

Any thoughts. It seemed to be quite highly regarded at the time and was another potentially great SF series that was cancelled before it's time.

[iansales]

I picked up the Region 1 version while holidaying in California in 2006. The series is... okay. It had its moments, but too many episodes seemed set up to discuss the issue of the week, or were too blatantly manipulated to illustrate that week's homily. The production quality was generally good, though some of the set dressings looked a bit cheap. There's been much worse sf television made before or since - has anyone, for example, seen Special Unit 2?

[J-Sun]

"Finally been released" in the UK. Which, incidentally, is not fair - my 2005 US DVD set is as barebones as possible - it has nothing but the shows and a couple of commercials on double-sided discs - and you guys get "a new documentary, cast interviews, some episode commentaries, galleries and deleted scenes" (wikipedia). But it's good to know S:AAB still has things happening for it.

Like I said elsewhere, I didn't like the pilot (and still don't, really) but hung around for some reason and came to love the show's gung-ho grittiness and dark look & feel. Not very good robots, but good human and artificial person characters, good aliens, good combat, good psychology, good politico-economic plotlines.

While I don't remember having a problem with the CGI when it came out, as it may have been state-of-the-art for 1995 TV, the primitive texture-less CGI is the only problem I had with it when finally seeing it again on DVD but the show's good enough that I can get past it - old CGI or not, it's neat to see starships and I can use my imagination.

And, yep, it's yet another sacrificial SF lamb on FOX's altar. You and other new viewers should be prepared for a cliffhanger ending, right when everything's hitting on all cylinders. From before S:AAB to after Firefly, they keep bringing 'em on and keep killing 'em off. But most other networks don't even bring 'em on in the first place, for the cup-half-full view, I guess.

[Dave]

>>> Moved to TV. And there are threads already though it never got its own forum.

The main reason I haven't seen it (I think I saw one episode) was that it was shown on UK TV at 2.30am. You have to be really dedicated to stay up that late to watch something. Tell me that it is worth buying the boxed set and I may do that.

[Rodders]

I watched the pilot last night. It was OK although i did find it a bit melodramatic in places. Looking forward to watching the rest of it though.

[telford]

Yeah I remember this one. I saw it when it first came out and, as has been discussed, was disappointed when a second season wasn't made. From memory I quite liked it although it could be a tad jingoistic at times. But in a fun way.