Quote :

"From executive producers Steven Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan, Jurassic Park), René Echevarria (Castle, The 4400) and Brannon Braga (24) comes an epic family adventure 85 million years in the making. Terra Nova follows an ordinary family on an incredible journey back in time to prehistoric Earth as a small part of a daring experiment to save the human race. In the year 2149, the world is dying. The planet is overdeveloped and overcrowded, with the majority of plant and animal life extinct. The future of mankind is in jeopardy, and its only hope for survival is in the distant past. When scientists at the FERMI Particle Accelerator unexpectedly discovered a fracture in time that made it possible to construct a portal into primeval history, the bold notion was born to resettle humanity in the past, a second chance to rebuild civilization and get it right this time."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6aNEIZwPFc

I like dinosaurs as much as the next guy, and Stephen Lang is a badass but Brannon Braga's history and the numerous production delays (including the firing of an executive producer and the entire writing staff, as well as issues with the CGI) are quite troubling.

5/27/2011 1:27:38 PM

It took them 85 million years to make this piece of shit?

5/27/2011 1:36:33 PM

Actually I'll probably give this a chance. At least it's not another cop/court/medical drama

5/27/2011 1:45:29 PM

yeah I think it will be an expensive disaster for FOX, but hopefully it will be an entertaining expensive disaster.

5/27/2011 1:51:54 PM

The problem with expensive projects is that, by nature, they're done by committee.

That kind of dooms them from the very start.

5/27/2011 2:02:38 PM

I predict that this will suck. I give them 12 episodes.

5/27/2011 2:12:22 PM

Quote :

"Brannon Braga (24)"

Weird how they left off Voyager and Enterprise on his list of accomplishments.

5/27/2011 2:28:26 PM

That is... really weird.

I mean, whats the motivation? OH CHRIST... they want a sci-fi show that appeals to everyone... I mean, I know that's what this is.

This is going to be stupid. You don't have vampires dude... tween girls are not going to FUCKING WATCH IT.

Focus on the 18-35 years old males you fucking retards.

...

I mean, do they even KNOW what their core audience wants? WE WANT FUCKING SPACE BATTLES AND POLITICAL DRAMA YOU FUCKING ASSHOLES.

GOD DAMN'T

(I know firefly doesn't fit with the above "want", but that show was so well done that it kind of sits apart)

[Edited on May 27, 2011 at 2:36 PM. Reason : .]

5/27/2011 2:31:20 PM

Firefly is by far the best sci-fi series in the last decade.

5/27/2011 2:37:23 PM

They went really heavy on the cool factor. They made up for the standard sci-fi fare by... just being fucking awesome.

[Edited on May 27, 2011 at 2:39 PM. Reason : .]

5/27/2011 2:39:21 PM

Did I read that correctly? The core of the show presents a time travel paradox right out of the gate?

[Edited on May 27, 2011 at 2:40 PM. Reason : ]

5/27/2011 2:40:36 PM

I'm sure that the pilot is going to have someone mention that and then someone in a labcoat explains that they'll simply be creating a new timeline.

5/27/2011 2:59:28 PM

Many Worlds, Son

Many Worlds

5/27/2011 3:04:13 PM

is this based on the looking glass game?

5/27/2011 3:52:24 PM

this looks terrible.

5/27/2011 4:11:30 PM

the entire concept doesn't make sense... traveling into the past like that is bound to have lasting effects on the future course of humanity. Doc Brown would shit a brick.

5/27/2011 4:15:39 PM

Fox sci-fi series?
Already a shitty premise?

6 episodes.

5/27/2011 4:29:33 PM

Quote :

"traveling into the past like that is bound to have lasting effects on the future course of humanity"

right but if humanity is already doomed, then they don't have much to lose.

5/27/2011 4:31:46 PM

except a paradox that could unravel the space time continuum.


there was a tv movie on years ago called "Earth Star Voyager"... my dad had the VHS of "part 1" that i'd watch sometimes, but then the damn thing cut off before "part 2"... anyway the beginning was the same... people needed oxygen to survive and a group set off to establish a new home (a different planet as opposed to the past though.)

hey what do you know... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Star_Voyager

[Edited on May 27, 2011 at 11:06 PM. Reason : ]

5/27/2011 11:05:16 PM

For some reason, there are some things that I just decide I'm gonna like before I watch them, and I usually make it happen, no matter how bad it is. This show is one of them.

But yeah, it will probably be lucky to get 13 episodes before being canceled.

5/27/2011 11:38:53 PM

I pretty much agree with ^

I was interested in V before it got all awful in like.. the third episode.

Sci-fi and mass audiences is hard. There was a show in 2004 about a guy who had a bionic eye and played baseball... and I think it was on CBS.. and I am someone who likes sci-fi and baseball and I still thought that it was pretty much the worst idea ever.

5/28/2011 12:33:42 PM

Quote :

"Sci-fi and mass audiences is hard"

Indeed. Sci fi fans and the general population both have completely shitty tastes, but in different things.

5/28/2011 12:55:54 PM

^ why not just go one step further and say everyone's taste suck, you fucking contrarian.

5/28/2011 1:24:25 PM

Blah, whatever, I don't want to question nastoute and get more of his wrath.

[Edited on May 29, 2011 at 12:50 AM. Reason : I will be watching.]

5/29/2011 12:39:43 AM

I already read it, and you're right.

I do think you're fucking retarded and difficult so...

5/29/2011 12:52:15 AM

Quote :

"The problem with expensive projects is that, by nature, they're done by committee Fox will cancel them after one season even if the show is good because it is too expensive."

5/29/2011 12:54:53 AM

^^Well, shucks, if you already read it, let's chat!

5/29/2011 12:59:10 AM

Cost per episode: 4 million.

Firefly was half that.

5/29/2011 2:55:16 AM

BSG was way better than Firefly.

5/29/2011 2:20:48 PM

^Maybe the first season

4 million per episode? hahaha, why does Fox even bother?

Maybe the Fox executive just likes breaking the hearts of nerds and watching them cry and do stupid shit to try to save a show. I can respect him for that

5/29/2011 7:02:50 PM

BSG miniseries and first season were amazing.

Then they took the mystery out of the enemy and they used 'God did it' to explain too much of it.

5/30/2011 8:52:50 AM

nothing is ever dead.

9/26/2011 2:45:27 PM

Y'all are just not seeing it. DINOSAURS. Seriously, little kids will beg their parents to let them watch this show and the merchandising potential is way better than any other SciFi that Fox has aired in the last decade.

And since Spielberg is running the show he'll know how to capitalize on that.

If anything, their mistake is treating this like a serious SciFi show. This COULD have been the most popular Saturday morning program ever.

9/26/2011 2:51:28 PM

this will be entertaining for atleast 4-5 episodes. But i too see it dieing out after a year. I could get into this show me thinks. sad times.

9/26/2011 2:53:23 PM

IIRC, the dinosaurs don't appear as often as you are lead to believe.

9/26/2011 3:06:32 PM

what day/time is this show on?

9/26/2011 3:12:23 PM

tonight, Monday at 8.

i think it's regular time will be 9pm after tonight, though.

9/26/2011 3:13:29 PM

Quote :

"IIRC, the dinosaurs don't appear as often as you are lead to believe."

I wouldn't expect them in every episode. No show's budget can allow for that unless they build some nice mechanical heads or get some good background stock footage built up (lots of sauropods and duck-bills that'd make good backdrops). But that's not the point for merchandising. Throw in one T-Rex or Allosaurus and you have a toy, one Triceratops episode gets a toy.

The show can't be intended for sci-fi fans. Since there's almost no way to avoid mixing together dinosaurs from different eras. I'd be absolutely amazed if they made it chronologically and geographically consistent. Hardcore sci-fi fans will start twitching when they see a Stegosaurus show up.

Of course, they can fudge a little if they just manage to keep things in the Cretaceous period (that's their setting anyway). Velociraptors, T-Rex, and Triceratops (along with it's family of horned dinos) are all they really need to sell toys. Throw in an ill-tempered Pachycephalosaurus and an Ankylosaurus and you've got a full season of dinos to switch in and out. You'd lost geographic consistency but honestly that's not as important.

The real trick for Spielberg will be not to over-do the merchandising. If you go and release more than a few Terra Nova themed dinos per season then you'll run out of opportunities later down the line.

I dunno. I guess I'm kinda looking at this as an experiment. Can the current blockbuster philosophy of making the movie for the toys work in prime-time television? It's how they've done childrens' shows for years but will it translate when the show might air after a lot of kids' bedtimes?

EDIT: Oh, I guess I'm in the target audience for this as well. I still geek out for dinosaurs (obviously) and I'm old enough to enjoy toys again.

[Edited on September 26, 2011 at 4:05 PM. Reason : /]

9/26/2011 4:01:38 PM

^dang, nerd

9/26/2011 4:12:31 PM

Quote :

"and I'm old enough to enjoy toys again."

9/26/2011 4:51:01 PM

Well even though lots of well known dinosaurs didn't exist in the same time period, I'm sure there is something close enough. They might have a pack of small/smart/viscous dinosaurs and just not call them raptors, or a big menacing one and just not call it a T-Rex. If kids are their target, the kids won't care and worst case, people will become familiar with some of the more obscure dinosaurs.

9/26/2011 5:25:40 PM

if i want realistic, i'll turn on NatGeo or Discovery channel

this is pure entertainment for me

9/26/2011 5:37:50 PM

Seems like it could be interesting so far to me.

Although it's slightly bizarre they have all that technology, but couldn't simultaneously be populating other planets to help with the population/environmental issues?

[Edited on September 26, 2011 at 8:20 PM. Reason : ]

9/26/2011 8:19:50 PM

20 minutes in and they are still rolling credits

9/26/2011 8:23:46 PM

[Edited on September 26, 2011 at 8:37 PM. Reason : and for some reason i just remembered the show Earth2.]

9/26/2011 8:37:14 PM

Yay for alternate time streams!!! Just throw in some tachyons and you can make all the handwavium you want!!!!

9/26/2011 8:41:38 PM

I read a book about bifurcation theory back in like 5th grade.

It's not justified by modern science (aka science fiction), but they didn't just make it up for the show.

9/26/2011 8:51:22 PM

maybe it's actually another planet. with... ANCIENT ALIENZ

9/26/2011 8:56:29 PM

I know they didn't make it up for th show. It's been used way too many times already.

Our protagonist is an angry Sherrif Carter from Eureka.

9/26/2011 9:01:43 PM

I doubt it's another planet. They would be able to tell pretty easily based on stars if that was the case.

Ancient aliens is another possibility. There's lots of possibilities when it comes to time travel though.

9/26/2011 9:05:34 PM