Ascension

This show is not what you think. I will not give away any details. But if you watch the first episode, thinking that this is about a space adventure, you may want to quit watching. Don't.

The second episode will develop the story a bit more, and the third episode, if you are looking for a space adventure, will give you what you were looking for.

This show is a roller coaster ride, with multiple surprises, twists and turns. The acting is believable, the special effects are good. Just enough to make it realistic, although there are some iffy spots.

I don't know that I am allowed to post links here. But look up some of the early American and Russian spaceship cockpit layouts. I assume there are some online. This is directed to the reviewer who said the tech was not realistic to the period. That is thoroughly explained, and if you compare those images to what you see in this show, it ought to be pretty close.

This miniseries is really about what the project, as explained in the show, says it is. The future of the human race and finding a way into space. You will see for yourself, and understand just what is going on by the end of the third episode. You will get an idea of just how deep the rabbit hole goes.

I am sure there are more surprises to come and I for one am looking forward to them. I am glad I looked through the reviews and found the one advising me to watch to episode three. That was very good advice. You can safely ignore the negative reviewers. It is unlikely they made it past the first episode, so they do not know what they are talking about.

I am giving this a 7, though I am leaning more towards a 6. I think a 7 is fair for now, and if I can adjust it later after I have finished this miniseries, I will.

We really enjoyed this series, and we'd like to see SyFy pick it up as a weekly show. There were a couple of good plot twists that took us by surprise, one at the end of the 2nd hour, and one at the very end of the mini-series. The dilemmas faced by the second and third generation of this multi-generational space colonization mission and the way the crew is handling those dilemmas are well developed. The potential for growth and development for both the characters and the plot are excellent. If you liked Battlestar Galactica, Stargate and its spin-offs, Babylon 5 (if you're old enough) and other shows like them, it is worth taking a look at this show. We'd say it's a good choice for space travel fans as well as those who enjoy human psychology, anthropology, and sociology.

Sy Fi has a hard time renewing great shows while keeping only the repetitive and bland. This is a great show that ends on a cliffhanger. The only issue I have with it is, as always these days, graphic sex. How are young people supposed to be exposed to great sci fi and fantasy genres if it's not suitable for them to watch? I grew up watching all sorts of sci fi and fantasy programs that sparked my interest in science and engineering. This is just a sad situation all the way around.

I enjoyed watching this. I loved the twists and how everything was not just black and white , evil and good but had so many shades and sides to it. It had some very strong characters with a good performance of the actors. The story surprisingly believable and it had a clear and explainable setting. The audience is not forced on a certain opinion or view point of what is going on and many things I normally wouldn't pay a lot of attention to actually kept me on the edge of my seat. It's one of those shows, that even if is not your cup of tea when you watch the ending of an episode you will want to watch the next one. It is also very easy on the eyes, be that because of the actors or the 50 shades of space. I really liked the interior of the ship which is what puts me off in a lot of sci-fi series because they can appear very monotonous. Personally I keep my fingers crossed it won't get canceled and will be given the chance to grab the attention of a wider audience with new episodes. Highly recommended and if you don't like it, well it's just a mini series. It won't take too much of your time.

I enjoyed Ascension a lot more than I thought I would, and am genuinely surprised by the negative and lukewarm reviews it has received - and yet, I do have to acknowledge that most of the actual critiques are correct.

The first installment is slow, and not particularly interesting until you get to the final twist. From there, the next two installments move quicker. Also, the ending doesn't feel like an ending. Even BSG, which of course had been setting up for a series, let the initial miniseries end on a note that at least felt like an ending. There are a number of characters in Ascension who don't have satisfying arcs, and a number of subplots that aren't resolved at all. And yes, the show does have a very soap opera-ish feel to it, but not without reason: the laws of the ship restrict procreation, so sex became a currency like drugs in a prison.

The series is compelling in a way that not a lot of new shows are. The central idea, while highly implausible, is nonetheless fascinating, and opens the door to a lot of possibilities. SyFy has been introducing mostly fluff over the last few years so this had a much more mature feel to it.

I hope this does become a series, though I am skeptical as to how long the premise can hold before it gets old. The writers should have tried a bit harder to make the miniseries feel more self-contained. Still, the unique premise of the show and the complexity of the plot warrants a view, especially for science fiction fans.