Space: Above and Beyond

This was one of the best TV shows I've ever seen, and its cancellation was an enormous loss as well as a blow to its fans. It took ordinary characters and relevant issues and made them into a story that was intense, realistic, and worthwhile. The creators did not err and make things black or white; as in actual life, each situation had at least two sides to it, and the characters had to make their choices accordingly. This show dealt with fear and bigotry, betrayal and friendship, loyalty and love, and did it honestly. The acting was OUTSTANDING and the synergy hard to top. And for those of us addicted to hope, the characters were ever willing to extend a hand. As they should.

Space Above and Beyond was a great show I'll admit I didn't watch in when it was first on mainly because it kept getting moved around for football and the super bowl and stuff. Unlike shows like star trek this show was completely about war so practically every episode had flashy effects, big explosions, and enough action that is lacking in practically every TV show now. The view of the future was very different from what we've been fed. Humans don't fight with lasers in this, the ships aren't always well lit, and we aren't politically correct towards the enemy. Now I can only watch repeats on Space and always think once and a while `Why did Fox cancel this show.'

This is without doubt one of the truly great sci-fi series of all time. Why it was ever cancelled is, equally, one of the great mysteries of all time. The characters were all highly charismatic and all very different; yet they blended together perfectly to make one hell of a team. Nowhere was there a weak link: the weakest was the tendency to photograph the entire series in near blackness - a fault shared by so many TV and cinema films these days e.g. The X-Files. This is not a series with a single 'star' with everyone else playing satellite roles: in S:AAB, there are either no stars or everyone is a star. You cannot choose individuals as the entire series emphasises time and again that the group of youngsters and their commanding officers are all part of the team, and that they are all functioning as one unit. To anyone who is not impressed by S:AAB, then I really would like to know what they fancy, as I probably would not.

Space Above and Beyond was and still is in my opinion one of the best war dramas ever made for TV. Really when you watch the show, you cant help but feel that this is a World War 2 show in space.

There is Racial discrimination (Tanks/Natural Borns, AI/Humans, Chigs/Humans) suffering and loss. Political coups and entanglements. Shadowy Corporations, Religion and its implications to a soldier and of course battles.

I think the main thing that brings SAaB down, is that many people feel that it should be compared to other Sci-Fi shows. I do not, and will never consider this a "Sci-Fi" show. Its a War Drama. I don't have to sit through a lecture on the Jefferys Tubes or why I cant exceed Warp 8. I know that these young soldiers need to do their best, and I am here to experience this. How their ships and guns work is a granted, a thing outside of notice. Do you have to learn how an M-16 works before watching Platoon? No. Its the Same with SAaB.

The acting I have to admit is kinda bad in the first 2 episodes. But the Actors AND writers both find their stride by 3 and it just continues to get better from there.

Of course the show was canceled and you can readily see this by the fact that around eps. 14-16 it goes from showing the war as being a long drawn out affair to we need to finish this in the next 10-8 episodes. Story lines are obviously cut out or shortened up. The reason the Aliens are fighting us, for example goes from what I'm sure was going to be a Season 4 or 5 reveal hits us around episode 20, and only gets a 4 line delivery.

For all that, I highly recommend this show, and ask all of you to please Mail FOX and ask them to release these treasures on DVD.

This was a show that, while sometimes rough around the edges, had a damn good heart at its core. Space: A+B was not Star Trek, where the phasers are set to stun. Nope, it was World War 2, but in space, and the enemy was nastier than any Nazi could ever hope to be.

The weakest part of the show was definitely the ground combat sequences. The actors carried around those HUGE assault rifles, but I always got the feeling those weapons were about as lethal as a bunch of souped-up BB guns.

Everything else about the show rocked, however. Who can forget Chiggy-Von-Richtoven from the episode "Angriest Angle?" Or Col. McQueen's monologue at the end of that episode? This was a serious show about a serious war. Good stuff.

"Abandon all hope MY ASS!"