Century City

This series is very thought-provoking. It may not be rigorous legal drama, but it makes you think about difficult issues. As far as science fiction goes, not all sci fi must be space-based shootemups. It is more a speculative investigation, exploring difficult moral and social issues. The science fiction element is the extrapolation of current trends or ideas, admittedly sometimes into the technically impossible, but provides the basis to wrestle with complex, controversial concepts. The characters are complex and well-portrayed by the actors. The issues are never clear cut, black-and-white, and the characters struggle with them.

Okay...so it is gone, and it doesn't sound as if it will be mourned very heavily. Well, it should be. I know they started out with some pretty High-tech cases...i.e. cloning, cyber-rape... but they almost had to if they wanted to get their point across that this was a show about a few years in the future when things are different. If they were to be anything at all in the ballpark of the time-period that has shows like the Practice, Law & Order (ad infinitum) and so on..it would just be another show like the rest with maybe some different clothes and some newer or geekier cars. Sort of the "dam**d if you do, dam*d if you don't" syndrome. Off-hand, I rather liked the show. One heckuva lot better than "the Guardian". But, unfortunately...once something is deemed sci-fi it is doomed from many people's viewing. Too bad. Don't know what they are missing. And, unfortunately...I DO know what I will be missing!!

Mike

Totally underrated - A great thinking persons sci-fi classic that should still be revived by an online streaming service such as Netflix.

Imagine combining the best in law type dramas with very relevant science fiction

• science fiction that might have been speculative in 2004 when show was first produced - But is now almost real and happening.

Don't miss it - As of today the whole series is available free on YouTube

• I binged watched the whole nine episodes in one day.

Throw in great acting, directing, and production values and you have a series that should have been good for at least four seasons.

Give us more!

Frankly, I'm really tired of lawyer shows, especially ones dealing with civil law. It's a little hard to get enthusiastic about folks who bill you a hundred bucks just to make a photocopy.

BUT-- I enjoy shows dealing with social issues. And shows dealing with impending social issues are all to few. Usually they're limited to shoot-em-ups like the various STAR TREKs or TWILIGHT ZONE / OUTER LIMITS. This is too bad, as the viewer detaches the issue from its real world aspects and might not give it any further thought.

So having a show dealing with the legal issues of things to come is, I think, a good idea. My college Architecture profs used to talk about the idea of a soap opera that could be used to introduce new ideas to the viewing public. Wrap the technology in a nice plot and the viewer can get at least some of the ideas he's missing by not watching PBS or Discovery Channel.

Okay, the lawyers' characters might be as engaging as the cartoon characters on LA LAW or THE PRACTICE but that is a good thing. Make these folks lawyer caricatures and you lose the real purpose of the show, which is to make you think about the impending issues presented.

Not all issues are strictly futuristic. One March 23rd episode plot dealt with child stars. Don Most (HAPPY DAYS) gave a nice performance as a broken down former child star and Daryl Sabara (SPY KIDS) as a current child star afraid of puberty.

CENTURY CITY is a highly intelligent show. Whether it will attract unintelligent viewers is a matter for time to reveal.

Postscript-- Nope. Cancelled with its second episode.

I watched the pilot knowing this show wouldn't last more than a handful of episodes. Like 'Mercy Point' from a few seasons ago (E.R. done sci-fi) this attempt at The Practice done sci-fi was doomed by people's perceptions of what sci-fi is and isn't. The people who watch procedural shows like CSI or Law & Order do so for the reality, the 'follow-the-clues' approach, the methodicalness (is that a word? it is now). Sci-fi (at least the soft-sci-fi seen on TV) generally isn't known for these things. So who is going to watch a sci-fi lawyer show? Not lawyer show fans who have a hard time accepting the 'fiction' part of science fiction and not sci-fi fans who want spaceships and laser guns in their sci-fi.

The pilot was also hampered by not being that good. Or at least, not that easy to follow. The clone case was too complicated and warranted the entire hour but instead had to share time with a b-story about a boy band reuniting. Neither case resonates much with the general public.

The second ep aired (actually ep #3) did a better job of presenting futuristic legal cases that audiences now could relate to. The rape trial was quite well done and delved into the philosophy of the issue making it much more interesting. But by this time, with the pre-empting this show faced, it was obvious it was doomed.

I think they would have done better with just setting the show a year or 3 in the future and dealing with the same issues, perhaps done as a bit of an 'alternate reality' where things are just a little more scientifically advanced. This way the courtrooms and more importantly the laws being debating are more recognizable to viewers. How today's laws apply to cloning is more interesting than how a fictional law from 2025 applies.

Oh well. One more mid-season show bites the dust. bet this one won't even get the almost mandatory 'save the show' webpage everything gets now.