Starhunter

This is simply the most interesting science fiction show on air. Not the biggest, but the only one I tried not to miss. OK some episodes are better than others -what show isn't? What I like is how there's a plot for each episode that is often actually new and not like other shows, and a plot for the series as a whole.

Similar in plot and feel to "Firefly" although not as funny. Great escapist fun if you're into space opera. Excepting Michael Pare (who is wonderfully world-weary in the lead) the rest of the cast is only familiar to fans of syndicated Canadian and European series. Will perhaps appeal only to genre fans but is worth a look.

I greatly enjoyed watching Starhunter. The budgetary restrictions and flaws of the series only added to it's charm. There was an appealing gritty quality to Starhunter. The negative reviewer who attacks Dante Montana for having "trashy looks" and being "devoid of leadership acumen" is missing the point. That's exactly what I liked about the guy. It definitely made him different from the usual protagonists on other space series. My friends and I loved both seasons of this show. The complete second season, Starhunter 2300, is currently available on DVD. It'd be great if there were a complete first season DVD set. Having both seasons of Starhunter on DVD would be fantastic!

I'd caught an episode or two or the original first season, with Michael Pare, and made sure to keep an eye on it. It's the post-"Star Wars" world, and this manages a surprising visual texture for such a low-budget offering. Pare has turned up missing, and the son he was searching for, is now searching for him. This shows a real influence for the British school of SF TV. It's never as cheesy (or addictive), as "Doctor Who", it's not as funny as "Red Dwarf", and it doesn't have the seriousness of "Blake's 7". Yet, it blends bits of all of them, (and the usual US stuff), into a flaky sort of "Space Detective" series, that can be quite entertaining. The acting is rather low-key, but overall, it fills the airtime admirably. It's pretty low-rent, but it embraces, and occasionally rises above, its humble origins. The Canadian co-production is worth a look for SF fans. I'd like to see "Carvaggio", "Andromeda" (from "Andromeda"), and "Holly" (from "Red Dwarf") in a digital wrestling match!

--Judexdot1--

Firstly expanding the cast/crew was an excellent move, allowing for greater intricacy and diversity in the social dynamic, instantly making the show more watchable from a humanized perspective; not sure about every one wearing black, shiny materials though~ a bit Angel-esk or something. "Popa Bear" played almost too convincingly by Steven Marcus is an essential character not only for comic relief, but also as a moral contrast; when one of the crew considers morally ambiguous action, Rudolpho comments and suddenly all other crew are absolved in sheer, sharp contrast to Rudolpho's impeccable immorality. Redesigning the Tulip to the more lengthy, aerodynamic, grey beauty was an excellent idea, as the stunted red ship was not very memorable.

On the whole more aesthetically pleasing, lost the elements of drab realism the first season had and replaced it with a more adolescent-friendly paradigm. Take that last comment how ever you want. Some of the more successful elements still seemed quite formulaic take the relationship between Kali and Travis, it's almost a cliché as writing techniques go, but some times the oldest tricks still work best eh?

Overall i rate Starhunter-2300(s2) as more watchable for mainstream audiences, yet still successful with the more fanatical Scifi lovers among us. If you created or worked on the series what more could you possibly want to hear..? Yeh, I know, "Season 3 is not canceled." ... oh well? As it is written: OM-MANI-PADME-HUNG : ) Tibetan translation: "ubiquitous, infinite compassion" : )