Virtuality

For those of you complaining about how the show seemed to end right in the middle of its plot. Yes, it was supposed to be the pilot for a TV series. There's been plenty of speculation on websites that FOX has decided not to proceed with the full series, but it will proceed with the pilot since they already paid for it. So that's why the show was left in a cliffhanger.

FOX doesn't have a lot of confidence in this show, and I can't blame them for it; better to let it die quickly than to have a sci-fi fan base disappointed when it inevitably gets canceled in mid-season. It seems a bit inaccessible for non-sci-fi audiences, the pacing was a little slow most of the time. The virtual reality special effects seemed like bad CGI greenscreen, but perhaps that was on purpose, so that you'd know you're in a virtual reality setting. I started only getting interested when they started showing the special effects for the journey to the other star system, Epsilon Eridani. They did research their interstellar propulsion mechanisms well, and it looked like nuclear propulsion drives as described in various science fiction novels in the past.

I didn't think the idea behind the story was bad though. It was about a rogue virtual-reality character showing up within various crewmembers' holo-stories, and creating very scary havoc inside their stories. When things start going wrong in the holo-stories, a lot of finger pointing goes on between the crewmembers against each other. However, I don't think solving a new holographic mystery every week is enough to keep people's attention for a full-length series.

I have heard through the grapevine that FOX, even if it doesn't pickup a show, is contractually obligated to play the pilot on air. So of course FOX doesn't care if it is accurately portrayed or even advertised/marketed since they have no interest in the show.

I think this program is more suited for SciFi than FOX. The pilot seemed like an interesting beginning to a potentially more complicated series. Hopefully we will be able to see at least one season on another network that is more suited to the show's style.

Most of the characters were easy to relate to, even if a tad trite and stereotypical. As I said before I believe that there is potential here.

Virtuality is the pilot of yet another "Long voyage into space" series. It competes directly against Defying Gravity, another show in the same genre.

My first thought was that I would not want to trust my life into the hands of this crew. They're a bunch of wimps. I can not believe that they could possibly be the best that Earth would send on a trillion dollar space voyage. We have a crew of comfort junkies who are not even physically fit. The second officer and chief engineer is in a wheel chair. I am for affirmative action and reasonable accommodation as much as the next guy, but a space ship on a twelve year mission is not the place for a paraplegic. What if something goes wrong? So what are the "oh so lovey and oh so politically correct" cliché' gay couple doing on the ship? All I have seen them do is cook, cuddle and complain! And what about the girl who was using a video game on the ship's bridge while on duty? And that leads me to the next complaint. Our crew of futuristic video gamers clearly are having a major malfunction with their Nintendo WII. It's playing its own games with them, and those games involve their own deaths. As the Captain of the ship, I'd order everyone to surrender their 3D goggles and for the system to be used only for authorized and required functions that are directly related to furthering their mission. Instead, they keep on playing until I became oh so bored.

reminds me of Harlan Ellison's "The Starlost", but also of sci-fi gems like "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Sunshine", "Solaris"...

first impression? Loved it!!! just brilliant! with wonderful characters that I felt deeply invested in - that by the time the gamechanger of an ending came I was left broken and demanding answers! that it just couldn't be!! I felt angry and a little bit betrayed. But mostly I wanted some explanation of what just happened. I didn't want to believe it at first. Then I understood the logistics of producing a Pilot - that sth had to grip you and sth needed to stand out amongst other new shows. On the other hand - this kind of storytelling - providing topics for discussion, for later pondering, for breaking each scene into little pieces of a great puzzle - this kind of storytelling is what I love most. I won't soon forget this little piece of art. please FOX give us more eps of this touching and ingenious new show.

There is a quirk in the virtual reality simulation system of a long duration space craft which seems to be attacking the crew.

This is a sci-fi with quality production values and a solid cast but it never gets where it needs to go. There is a lot of time developing the characters and scene setting but the story arc is utterly incomplete. I think some of the other reviews have mentioned that this was supposed to act as a pilot for a TV series that never got picked up and it really feels that way because nothing gets resolved. There is a bunch of questions on the table at the end but no resolution, which is immensely frustrating.

This is nice to watch and not badly acted but in the end leaves a very sour taste for the incompleteness and lack of resolution.