TV- Defying Gravity

I grew up watching the original Star Trek and Battlestar Gallactica and a little remembered shows like Space 1999 and Buck Rodgers. I have many fond memories of watching those shows with my dad and sometimes my brother, although he was off with his friends most of the time and I was a daddy's girl. Watching those shows today, many seem cheesy and the special effects hap-hazard. But there is something to be said for the sci-fi shows back then. They didn't have all the CGI technology of today, so when you seen other worlds, space ships, unbelievable props there was a crew of amazingly gifted people who built all those objects and models. Today we take all that for granted because a computer wiz with a few key strokes can create anything they want us to see. For me I still love a good sci-fi, even with my disdain for the laziness CGI has created. A good space show will still take me back to my childhood. Over the years they have done a dozen remakes and versions of Star Trek, Battlestar Gallactica and I have never been interested in watching them. They just aren't the original.

Now ABC has started a new Canadian produced series, Defying Gravity, that will run for 13 episodes. The series is set in the year 2052. It follows eight astronauts on a six year mission through the solar system and various supporting characters on Earth. For the astronauts aboard Antares, every nuance of their journey is monitored and recorded for an ongoing documentary being broadcast back on Earth. A mysterious source, known as Beta is controlling their lives and impacting their mission. Only a handful on Earth and the Antares Commander know of this mysterious influence.

There are many recognizable faces in the cast and the studios have succeeded in producing an engaging new series. The media has billed this as "Grey's Anatomy in Space". Having seen the first few episodes, I think it is a poor comparison. The series has just started but so far I give it four and a half out of five rocket boosters. Let's hope the series continues to engage viewers and doesn't follow Grey's path of disappointment, ridiculous story lines and mediocre acting.

You can watch Defying Gravity on ABC, Sunday nights at 10pm EST or on the ABC website (click post title for link).