Pasadena

Back in the early days, a lot of really bad programs were coming out of Fox. Among the bad programs, some gems that went onto become hits emerged, especially X-Files and Simpsons. If those shows were premiering today, they would suffer the same fate as Harsh Realm, Lone Gunmen, and Pasadena, all of which never got a full season. Having seen all of the footage that never made it to air (ie: everything past episode #6), I can honestly say that the show would have had an audience if Fox only allowed it.

Pasadena was a dark and edgy drama about a publishing family that has some deep ties to criminal activity. There was a lot of really dark humour and the storylines were very intriguing. Unpredictable at best, it kept you guessing until the end.

I had the fortune of meeting one of the actors from the show who played a supporting role. She was telling me that given current world events, the audience wanted to see something a little more light hearted, which was one of the reasons why Fox axed the show. She then went on to tell me that at the same time, a direct-to-video film about terrorists highjacking planes that she starred in was literally flying off shelves at the local Blockbuster. Go figure.

This actually feels MUCH older than its 20 years: the 'Falcon Crest'-like acting, music and camerawork almost seem an extra twenty or thirty years older, and if someone had told me going in it was a Twin Peaks-like parody of 80s soap operas, I probably would have believed it for awhile, but there's nothing of any interest going on there underneath the stagey melodrama; no commentary upon the genre or an examination of the deeper motives of the cardboard characters. When you think 'The Sopranos' was on TV at the same time as this was being made, it's hard to excuse the underachieving.

As a simple, trashy soap opera, it's certainly not the worst, given the competition, but coming from the writer of Enlightenment and The White Lotus, it's a great disappointment.

I am a huge fan of prime time soaps especially 90210, Melrose Place, and Titans. Pasadena is deffinetly an awesome addition but its different than the rest. I deffinetly did not expect to be drawn into a murder mystery. Pasadena is stuck in an awful time slot and ratings for the first 2 episodes sucked so it needs to start picking up viewers if there is any hope for it to stick around. Deffinetly give it a shot, you'll love it!!!!!

When I heard that this show was going to be made I was excited. I always wanted to see a show about my home. Then I was shocked and disturbed to find that this show was shot in Vancouver B.C. There is just a little contrast in the type of place that the real pasadena is and the Canadian one. What a let down. I wish that the producers of this one would have had a little more insight and not felt the need to insult people this way. I refuse to watch this show or comment on its other values in any way. Just know that the producers think that people are stupid and won't notice the difference.

I knew Balthazar Getty was to be in this show, so I had to watch it. The first minute of the show I was glued. Each show gets better and better, and is perfectly rounded with humour, and moments that make you want to scream and dive into the scream. Surprisingly the unrealisticness works, and you don't question. Great show, definitly my second fave! Malcolm in the Middle is better, of course =)