Outcasts

Anyone who knocks this series because it 'isn't exciting enough' should realise that the audience who might get this series are not died-in-the-wool sci-fi fans. It is a series about normal, believable, 'now' people, undergoing a change in their lives that could happen to any of us based on one technological advance, space travel.

The fact that there are no space weapons, intense galactic star battles, aliens and similar shouldn't take away from the fact that this series managed on a relatively small budget to do somewhat what the newer battlestar galactica did, in that it made it about individual, believable humans, and more than that it made you think about what might happen in 'our'lifetime.

You may not like every character. You may not like the lack of star battles, but if this series does not get it's promised second series it will be a travesty. All the actors and actresses were up to the task, at least by the end of series one, and the basic storyline and potential for it to develop to great literature is all there.

Don't watch one, watch them all, and hope for more. Great show.

I really enjoyed this series and was rather surprised, and a little disappointed, to find out that the BBC has decided not to make a second series. It is particularly annoying when a series develops an unresolved theme and then is canceled, without the story coming to a full conclusion. You feel rather cheated! I noted (elsewhere) the comments of the writer - to the effect that the series took a while to develop its storyline. I tend to agree and feel that the decisions to firstly move it to a late night time slot (in the UK - not in Australia) and then to can it completely, were both premature and self-serving. I hope there is some consideration made to making another series, or at the very least a one-off episode to bring series one to a full conclusion.

OK, so I've read some negative comments from a lot of you guys but I think this series has so much potential. Just give it a chance!

I live in Cape town, the series was filmed about an hour away from where I live and I think they have made an amazing effort so far, it's only the 4th episode and I want more!

I agree that there is much more scum on TV at the moment that shouldn't be there, but seriously, I'd love to see where this series will go in the future. Characters are interesting and I honestly want to see what happened with the AC's. I think so far episode 4 has been the most intense, with action and suspense and all that goes alongside a good sci-fi.

A bit of a shame that this series is being ripped to shreds when it is actually quite interesting - it has some good scifi elements for example aliens and genetically engineered humans. The story that links all these things together is actually pretty good.

Sure it is not the same as the fast paced series like Battlestar Galactica however it is its own show that is taking its time in revealing all its secrets.

What I think the haters do not like is the fact the actors.....act. When they do it well they are very good however when they do it bad they are very very bad - the main baddie is very very bad.

Sometimes I think it is weird watching British TV shows as we are so used to the way Americans act - it takes a few episodes and it will probably not be for folk that want to see explosions in space but if you stick in there it really is a wee gem.

I don't normally write reviews but I was compelled to do so for this series in light of many of the general downbeat comments. I have to say that I am enjoying this show. Like anything new, I believe it is important to give it a chance and by the third episode I was finding it to be quite a good series, for what it is - light evening entertainment. It's filled with plot holes and the characterisation is a little light, but when you have an 8 episode series character development probably isn't going to be a major factor of a show, particularly in action dominated sci-fi. The concept is interesting, and hopefully more questions about what happened on earth and why there is no military presence in the colony will be answered over the series. The acting is good, as are the set pieces and most of the FX, particularly in episode 3. Script wise it is at times a little clunky but I think the actors have done a respectable job with what they have to work with.

A note now on all the "one star" reviews. Writing a negative review and brandishing one star ratings is unfortunately a way for people to excercise a little bit of the power that is lacking in their life. I do not believe this series is a one star show, but that is my opinion. I think people can state if they truly feel something is poor without resorting to some of the vindictive things being said here. No one deliberately sets out to make a bad show just to ruin your day. Many people have worked very hard on this series (and no I am not one of them or affiliated with anybody involved). Ultimately it is about entertainment, and if people do not like it, don't watch it. Why waste your time writing such horrid things. There are zillions of channels to choose from now. Often the comments people write online are things they would never dare say to someones face, and are a complete overeaction to what is in reality just a TV show. All that negative energy could be channelled into something much more constructive.

So, soldier on Outcasts. I for one am enjoying the ride, and grateful to the BBC for trying something new in sci-fi.