The First

I use IMDB frequently to help guide my viewing selections and, I must admit, sometimes find myself looking for confirmation of my own opinions based on critics and viewer ratings. When there are a substantial number of ratings for a film or show on IMDB, I believe the average ratings generally become a reliable reflection of the quality of a film or show.

However, with The First, I think the divisive ratings aren't providing an objective evaluation. When you look at the written user reviews, numerous individuals are reviewing the series based on what they THOUGHT it would be like (surprise, it wasn't), and not on what it is. It is indeed important to note what the series isn't - typical sci-fi. But either stop watching and leave it be, because it's not the kind of exploration you expected, or adjust your expectations and review the creation for what it is - a unique exploration of the human elements of interplanetary space travel with some exceptional genuine, emotional, and very believable performances from the actors and characters in the story. It also contains some very realistic, very possible near-future technology. I equate some of the narrow-minded "disappointed" user reviews to the same kind of reviews on Amazon where the reviewer gives a product a poor rating because the box was damaged - that's not a review of the product!

The First is definitely not for everyone, and as one critic put it, it requires an ambitious audience. A few of the middle episodes certainly provIde some discomfort and are visually experimental. Nonetheless, I've really enjoyed watching the series as a whole and would rate it up with some of the other very good Hulu and Amazon originals - in my opinion, it really should have an average rating in the range of 7 to 8. Hopefully with some more objective reviews, it will eventually get there, and get some of the credit it truly deserves.

This show has left me stunned and haunted. It is absolutely beautiful, and achingly raw, sad and honest. Don't let anyone convince you that it never "got off the ground" as I see some reviews stating. That is flat wrong. Every single character is complex, human, flawed and totally relatable. Each character's story is developed so carefully and each story line refuses to be rushed. We are so used to 30 second sound bites and immediate gratification in our culture that many people want to be entertained without having to think, go deep and reflect on how the TV show or movie make us feel. This show refuses to cater to our need for rushed results, like fast food for the senses. Be prepared to settle in and take a gorgeous, heart wrenching, heart pounding and stunning journey with each character. Don't expect one-dimensional characters or CGI action scenes. This is an intelligent, thoughtful, beautiful show and every actor in it deserves an Emmy for their performances. I hope this show catches on ignites our imaginations for what humankind can accomplish (with a new and empathetic understanding of the sacrifices required to move the human race into the great unknown). Bravo! I'm hooked and can't wait for more.

This seems to me like a bait for SciFi fans, 95% drama and 5% SciFi, and that is really fair percentage estimation. Since there is really not much of a SciFi in it at all, rather something that is achievable in science today!

The interesting part of this show is that, unlike other space exploration series, it focuses on the problems that the crew and ground staff face before the journey actually starts. It's compelling and heroic to risk one's life to travel into space, but leaving loved ones behind, with the prospect of not seeing them for a long time or possibly ever, has to be measured and dealt with.

Personally, I would have loved to see a little more scope dedicated to the formation and the evolution of the actual space crew, and a little less about the troubled relationship between the main character and his daughter. But other than that, it's a thoughtful and captivating product, deliberately slow-paced, with just the right amount of futuristic technology. Oh, and a round of applause to Sean Penn and Natascha McElhone for their absolutely stunning work.

Where were all the rockets, spaceships, science and space?

Every damn episode is of Sean Penn boohooing and working out. Sean Penn running with no shirt on, Sean Penn using dumb bells in the pool, Sean Penn playing basketball and more Sean Penn and his damn dumb bells! This was just a glorified Sean Penn work out video.

You know what would of made this better? If you had Sean Penn running with no shirt on....in space! Sean Penn using dumb bells in the pool....in space! Sean Penn playing basketball and more of his damn dumb bells....in space!

If there is a season two. Lets have it actually be about Sci-Fi and less about Sean Penn. If you have to have him working out, he better be working out on Mars!