Grand Star

Watched this mostly on the train, was a fun series with a fair storyline.

Was it the best set, certainly not.

Was it the best acting, certainly not.

But it was fun and I would have watched a second series.

The series is based on "The Ice Company" series of comics, by G. J. Arnaud, that spans over 80 comic books and 20 years. The comic -almost- has the depth of Dune in politics, the vision of 2001, and the atmosphere of Blade Runner.

The TV series on the other hand, is targeted to (very young) teenagers. It has reduced the politics to these of a town mayor (the governor of the single Grand Star base), the vision to the here and now (looking for the sun to shine), and the atmosphere to that of McDonalds meets the Mad Max. Oh, and the (new) protagonist is telekinetic as well. Hmmm..

And, I really couldn't stand the way the scenery is designed. All through the series there is talk about energy shortages, power outages and death due to lack of energy (and, consequently, heating). And there is electric lighting in abundance, running electronic equipment everywhere having large and bright displays, all the corridors have good lighting, in all public places the props are neon lights and bright displays, and all doors are motorized. Hope they do not open the windows while turning on the air condition. The electric bill should be awful.

If you like good sci-fi please do not bother with this series. On the other hand, if you are a 12yo and only like cartoons, then this won't be too difficult to watch. And will have human actors.

Would've given 5.5, but no option to.

Honestly, it's a better than average sci fi show. The production value of the images is good enough, even if the overall setting fails to wrestle with its potential.

The delivery does lean CW/young adult fiction. But that's fine. It's ok that it's not for everyone.

The characters are both flat and yet at times, hint at depth. The relationships among the characters are hinted at throughout the series. But this show is not a character study, there's a bit of a predestination that colors the plot.

Is it the first sci fi show I would recommend? No. But it is better than so many other among the derelict bad sci fi show mill.

If Doctor Who was produced in Canada, it would look and sound like this. It resembles the Gerry & Sylvia Anderson series UFO and Space: 1999 somewhat, as well as the 80s version of Battlestar Galactica, but unmistakably shot on low-performing video. Good effort from most of the actors, but it really does hark back to it's era where cheap-enough shows could get a full season of 26 episodes. Worth a look, if just for the nostalgia of good-enough for this show CGI backdrops and barely better than duct tape and packing material costumes and props. I had never heard of it, so at least the awareness has been increased.

I find the amateur nature of the production endearing. I loved the agency of the characters. How Suki got a powerful ear with every party and exposed the soft spots and the rise of unrest in the society. I found the end satisfying. There is a place in my heart for this series. It won me as a fan enough to write a first review!.

Give it a liberal dose of poetic license, allow the script to find its way and accept that it has conveyed what it meant to. Appreciate that though there are lots of guns no one ever gets shot let alone killed. Don't think about the science.

A fun little series.