(S01E01) This is one of the more hyped premieres of recent years on Sci Fi. It began life last year as the first big budget made for the Internet series, pumping out eight 12-18 minute webisodes. While it wasn't initially intended as a springboard for a flesh and blood television series, nevertheless it's happened. Filmed primarily on green screen, it is this aspect of the show that seems to get all the press.
That and the presence of Stargate alumnus Amanda Tapping in the starring role as Dr. Helen Magnus. Dr. Magnus runs a sanctuary for supernatural creatures gathered from all reaches of the earth and across all spectrums, including time. I enjoyed the webisodes, but found them to be scatological (some might say so) scattered in presentation. This pilot episode does a nice job of creating a cohesive narrative from many of the elements of those webisodes. Equally impressive is the quality of the special effects in use. When you consider that virtually every scene presented is a digital effect, including many of the most mundane environments, it really is a testament to how far computer technology has come. And what better place to showcase these advancements than Sci Fi.
With Battlestar Galactica going off the air after this last run in early 2009, it was kind of appropriate to see Kandyse McClure (Dualla) ushering herself out of Dr. Zimmerman's life and him into his new one immersed in the world of the weird and wonderful. Emilie Ullerup is herself an alumnus from Battlestar Galactica. Though her part was much more minor, she played the mother of the child used to torture Starbuck on New Caprica, she was nevertheless an important part of the story.
Exhibits
- I thought the tour of the various inhabitants was very well done, though I didn't really see how the guy with two faces really fit in with the idea of miraculous creatures. It just looked like a bad case of conjoined twins.
- It's nice to see that at least one of the boys from Cavemen has been able to find work, even if it is as a butler.
- Helen Magnus has been alive for over a hundred years. Why now does she suddenly feel the need for additional staff to help her in finding and helping her "patients."
- Have you ever noticed how these clandestine organizations that deal in the supernatural or otherworldly always find a fresh-faced recruit in the law enforcement organization. Then we get the story with that person as our everyman. Sanctuary is like Torchwood minus the aliens.
- We launched into almost every commercial break on a flash of Dr. Zimmerman making his "Huh?" face. Synchronicity!
- Is it just me or does Robin Dunne's Dr. Will Zimmerman remind you of Michael Shanks' Dr. Daniel Jackson of Stargate: SG-1.
- Christopher Heyerdahl does a good job at playing sinister. I'm not sure why tall, pale and bald are considered prerequisites for "bad guy" status in most shows, but as baddie John Druitt, Heyerdahl fits the stereotype.
Overall, I'd consider the green screen usage to be a resounding success. Sure, there were moments where it was obvious we were looking at CG, like the moment we panned down on the top of Castle Sanctuary, Alecksi's appendage or any moment with the mermaid, but there were just as many sequences where it was seamlessly integrated into the scene. I thought the pacing of this premiere, however, could have been a bit faster. While it was an enjoyable introduction to an interesting premise, there were scenes that dragged on a bit longer than necessary.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-04-2008 @ 1:50AM
Kell said...
Did you mean you found the webisodes 'scattered' in presentation? Or some other word rather than 'scatological'? I've never seen this show but i'm not sure what sort of websites i'd have to browse to find a scatological episode :)
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10-04-2008 @ 2:00AM
Morjana Coffman said...
Christopher Heyerdahl also portrayed Big Foot.
I enjoyed the webisodes, and thought they did an excellent job with the premiere, filling in backstory, and watching it on a larger screen (big old honkin' TV screen vs PC monitor) -- while seated comfortably in a recliner -- certainly added to the enjoyment.
Looking forward to the rest of the season.
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10-04-2008 @ 7:14AM
mcjuggles said...
Scatological means:
1. the study of or preoccupation with excrement or obscenity.
2. obscenity, esp. words or humor referring to excrement.
3. the study of fossil excrement.
So the show's cr@p?
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10-04-2008 @ 7:30AM
C.A. said...
While this looks Okay (not great), I think it is going to be a casualty of Fringe for me. The two were similar enough, even though this is more out there, that I don't think I want to watch both.
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10-04-2008 @ 11:05AM
Jill said...
No, it 's not just you that guy is a dead ringer for Michael Shanks! Now if he really was Shanks I might just watch this rubbish again.
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10-04-2008 @ 8:10PM
GL said...
I couldn't stop thinking about it. Totally distracting.
10-04-2008 @ 12:48PM
Gary said...
Not only is "scatological" the wrong word, but Amanda Tapping is more appropriately referred to as an "alumna."
Also, Emilie Ullerup is herself an "alumna," not an "alumni" since "alumni" is plural. Emile and Amanda are alumnae.
Gentlemen, please!
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10-04-2008 @ 6:02PM
Carissa said...
I think it was fun. With a few ridiculous moments...like when the "butler" comes in to the room and the doc jumps against the wall. The dude was carrying a tea tray, not an uzi!
It's kind of like a combination of many shows...Torchwood, X-Files (monsters eps, not aliens) and even Primeval. I love sci-fi and will, frankly, watch any of these types of shows, so I'm all over this one!
And I looooove Ashley's hair. It's exactly what I want. uh oh! Girl crush! Just sayin.
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10-04-2008 @ 7:13PM
Dan C said...
(I've seen all the webisodes)
As to: "Why now does she suddenly feel the need for additional staff to help her in finding and helping her 'patients.'" It is later revealed that she has recruited many different people over her, rather long, lifetime.
I'm also glad that they've manged to hide more of the CG in this pilot than the original web pilot.
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10-04-2008 @ 8:35PM
Tim said...
For me, I can sum it up best in two words:
Duuuuu-uulll.
On wait, that's one word. Well, it certainly applies to a lot of SciFi's offerings these days. With Battlestar Galactica going away, there seems to be nothing else worth tuning in for, except for Eureka.
SciFi made a HUGE blunder in cancelling the Dresden Files in favor of that piece of crap Flash Gordon. I don't think they're going to recover from it, if Sanctuary is their latest effort.
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10-05-2008 @ 1:00AM
Jonny Rice said...
Agreed, Tim. One of the Dresden Files' greatest strengths was its lead, Paul Blackthorne. He and Terrence Mann were able to carry even the weaker episodes of the series. Not so with Robin Dunne. He just seemed way out of his league in every scene -- both with the green screen work, and his supporting cast. Too bad Joss Whedon already snatched up Tahmoh Penikett. He would have been perfect in this role.
10-05-2008 @ 1:50AM
Susan said...
•"Is it just me or does Robin Dunne's Dr. Will Zimmerman remind you of Michael Shanks' Dr. Daniel Jackson of Stargate: SG-1."
No, it's not just you, I thought the exact same thing. Also, the daughter Amanda seems to be a version of a younger Samantha Carter and the Ryan Robbins character, Henry, is this show's Rodney McKay.
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10-05-2008 @ 11:41AM
CJ said...
It had great effects, and Amanda Tapping is a gifted actor, but . . . not enough to keep me watching week after week. And they could have done this epidode in MAX. 90 minutes.
Oh well. I was hoping for a new sci-fi obsession. I guess I'll stick with Eureka and my box sets of Farscape and seasons 1-8 of Stargate SG-1.
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10-05-2008 @ 5:29PM
Elyse said...
I was at convention the other day and we were discussing Sanctuary (most are on the 'wait and see' fence in regards to the show). ANd definitely, everybody thought, 'wow, did they cast for a Daniel Jackson clone??' ;)
I thought the pilot moved a bit slow; will have to see how it develops as a weekly series but will watch it as hey, Stargate actors showed up in the pilot, and will most likely appear in the series.
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10-05-2008 @ 9:59PM
JCharm said...
Most pilot episodes have to explain so much about a series that they tend to plod, Sanctuary is no exception. I don't know if the show will hold up for the long haul but it has some engaging ideas. I really didn't notice the Dr. Jackson clone bit til I watched the show again, he even has Shanks mannerisms. I'll wait and see but my gut reaction is this show won't last. SciFi and MGM just canceled SGA with its ratings still high so the network may not be making the right choices for its line up. This does not bode well for the fans of this genre.
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10-06-2008 @ 8:27AM
Alicia R. said...
Sounds as if the people who have commented on this are just waiting for it it fail.
AT is a very very gifted actress, and she pulled off Helen remarkably well... and cast Sam Carter to the dust.
It was a MGM marketing decision to cancel SGA due to the high rating of the the direct to DVD movies. It had nothing to do with the ratings. (And TPTB at SGA knew at the beginning that this may just be the last year for SGA.)
Anyhoo... I thought that maybe I had built it up in my head a bit too much... but I will be watching next week. Like JCharm said, pilots sometimes drag.
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10-06-2008 @ 8:30AM
Alicia R. said...
Oh..,. I wanted to say that all that SGA talk came from Joe Mallozzi's blog.
http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/
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10-09-2008 @ 6:20AM
Darren Smith said...
I didn't expect to enjoy this "Sanctuary for all" show because I don't like purely monster type sci fi but this first episode was well made and much better than the web episodes.
Also Amanda Tapping can do no wrong in my book she is still a babe in my opinion. The blonde playing her daughter is also a babe. Although I prefer Amanda.
That's the good stuff out of the way now the bad.
Unfortunately this series is doomed before it starts.
The reason that Stargate Sg1 ran for so many series is because it was bought for the UK by Rupert Murdoch and SKY TV. In the UK SG1 was huge mainstream hit. Whereas in the USA it was nothing more than a cult show watched by very few people. Now my point to this is that Sanctuary has NOT been bought by SKY but by ITV4 which has a reputation for being a graveyard channel for all the old 30 year old and sometimes 40 year old shows. Such as UFO, Space 1999, Randal and Hopkirk etc... There is nothing wrong with these old shows but they are hardly cutting edge.
Sorry Amanda I know you are the executive producer of Sanctuary. I hope you prove me wrong because I think I LUV you.
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11-03-2008 @ 1:24AM
Bigfan said...
Loved this show. Will watch it every friday.
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