Outcasts : BBC SF

Well, I am enjoying BBC Cymru/Wales' new SF series Outcasts even if no bugger else is. I think it is fab and groovy and cannot for the life of me understand why so many fans are bellyaching about it. Yes it was a slow start, but there is a hell of a lot of story in there to tell. Unfortunately, given the ratings, I cannot see there being a second series, so I hope that most of the story is tied up by episode eight, so there are not too many unanswered questions when the axe falls.

I think a lot lot of the blame for any lack of success lies squarely with the creator and writers. In every interview and article prior to this series launch they almost dislocated their necks ensuring that they got the message across that this was most definitely not in any way, under any circumstances in the least, science fiction.

They basically ensured their creation arrived on our screens stillborn where widespread viewer interest was concerned.

Oh no, that's so 1990's. Where have these people been for the past 10 years. How can anyone at the BBC still have that attitude, especially if they were commissioned by BBC Cymru/Wales.

But that's the point - it isn't the BBC's fault this time. It's the creator, producer and writing teams fault! And given that this is a Kudos production it's all the more incomprehensible that anybody would want to distance the show from science fiction.

I mean, they're on a bloody alien planet! They arrived there by spaceship! And it's not SF...?

I thought I'd wait until I heard if it was any good. And i never heard a thing, good or bad!

I've seen worse, Rich. But I've seen much, much better too.

I suppose Matthew Graham must have been too busy with his script for Doctor Who to apply a remedial slap to the writer/creator or Outcasts everytime he started spouting about it not being SF.

Seems that way. Honestly, if they were so intent on distancing it from the SF label, they should have just set it anywhere in the past where there's a group of settlers trying to survive in an isolated location.

My mother has just pointed out something about Outcasts that explains a lot. Basically it is Survivors in Space.

And your mother is right. Except she didn't go quite far enough: it's Survivors in space - executed poorly.

Ratings for last night's episode dropped blow the three million mark. Now all we have to do is sit back and wait for 'creator' Ben Richards to patronisingly explain to us why it's science-fictions fault that his 'epic' is shipping more water than the Titanic after it hit that iceberg.

I wonder what sorts of figures it will get on BBC America. If, and its a big if, they do decide to make a second series, looks like it is time to sack the creator and get someone who knows about SF in. I wonder what Mr. Whedon is doing at the moment.

Whedon's more than a little busy at the moment prepping for The Avengers for Marvel.

If this show gets recommissioned - I'll eat Grace Park....or at least her hat...if she wears one, that is...

The Browncoat Cat wrote: I wonder what sorts of figures it will get on BBC America. If, and its a big if, they do decide to make a second series, looks like it is time to sack the creator and get someone who knows about SF in. I wonder what Mr. Whedon is doing at the moment.

I should point out that BBC-America carried Survivors, and I don't think it's ratings were all that spectacular.

America, Italy, Outer Mongolia - this show will perform badly in just about any televisual market.

Well, I watched the first two episodes of it, watched some of last night, then really couldn't be arsed with it tonight.

Two main problems with it for me - first, it's just dull. Dull characters, talking dully about dull things on a dull planet. I found it hard to care about any of them, and that's death for a programme like this.

Second, there doesn't seem to have been any thought paid as to what life would actually be like for human colonists on a world like this (well, there's a couple of points that suggest Ben Richards may once have flicked through a copy of Red Mars in a bookshop). Where's all the food coming from? Who the hell thought it was a good idea to waste energy transporting the boy genius' turntable and record collection across several billion miles? Why does it look as though they landed on top of an Ikea? How have they all - after ten years on the planet, supposedly - got brand-new looking clothes, packs, guns etc? How the hell did someone invent cloning and the ability to create adult bodies from scratch with no one knowing about it? What demented idiot came up with the 'attempt to enter the planet's atmosphere within hours of getting into orbit' strategy for the transporter?

The main problem is that it's a show that doesn't seem to have any idea of what it exists for - what story is it telling? why should we care? is it adventure on an alien planet, or a worthy look at the ethics of survival? - and as such, it can't really give viewers any reason to watch it, so I'm not surprised it's going to crash and burn.

Basically...what Nick said.

There are a couple of good actors involved, and they're wasted. They took an interesting character, played by Jamie Bamber, and shot him in the pilot before he'd had a chance to demonstrate why so many people were supposed to look up to him, or why other people were supposed to dislike and distrust him.

I like the books of Brian Aldiss, and I like opening my own stories in media res but not this much. The pilot wasted time introducing characters we were supposed to connect with, and then killed them. Then we're left with minor characters who've not done much at all, and we have to spend an additional ep getting to know, and hopefully like, them.

After two epsiodes, I couldn't be bothered.

Frankly, I'd rather the Beeb had given the money to BBC Three and told them to turn Nebulous into a TV series.

It lost me with episode three for all the reasons stated by both you and Nick. There was potential here. But it was utterly thrown away by a writer who had no clear idea of what the hell he wanted to say.

A massive missed opportunity.

The Grauniad reports that Outcasts is being moved to a late night Sunday slot from episode 6 onwards.

The Co=Ordinator wrote:The Grauniad reports that Outcasts is being moved to a late night Sunday slot from episode 6 onwards.

That's a hugely embarrassing thing for the Beeb to be forced to do. The expression "Epic Fail" doesn't even come close to describing this mess.

As long as all the lose ends are tied up when the axe falls. I'm looking at you Survivors.

The Browncoat Cat wrote:As long as all the lose ends are tied up when the axe falls. I'm looking at you Survivors.

Don't bet on all the loose ends being tidied up, Cat. I'm betting they'll be left dangling all over the place never to be resolved.

'Creator' Ben Richards has tweeted the following about the news of his baby's schedule demotion:

[b]Thanks to all for msgs. Cultdom beckons. And keep watching hardcore because remaining eps great

I have every confidence we will RULE our new slot. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose![b]

I want some of whatever this guy is on.

Sid Seadevil wrote:'Creator' Ben Richards has tweeted the following about the news of his baby's schedule demotion:

[b]Thanks to all for msgs. Cultdom beckons. And keep watching hardcore because remaining eps great

I have every confidence we will RULE our new slot. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose![b]

I want some of whatever this guy is on.

How fantastically optimistic a view of the situation. Do they actually sell denial in drug form?

Zoltar wrote:How fantastically optimistic a view of the situation. Do they actually sell denial in drug form?

Indeed. Oh and sad news for Browncoat Cat. It's almost certain that the final episode ends on a massive cliffhanger. One that's never going to be resolved now.