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Alphas on Syfy HD

18K views 227 replies 60 participants last post by  DaveFi 
#1 ·
Surprised there isn't a thread on this show yet.


Anyway, watched the pilot last night and really enjoyed it. Looks like a promising show.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1183865/
 
#2 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by HawaiianHDaddict /forum/post/20685203


Surprised there isn't a thread on this show yet.


Anyway, watched the pilot last night and really enjoyed it. Looks like a promising show.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1183865/

I'll check back in, haven't watched it yet, too many shows on Sunday and Monday, but it's nice to have a stockpile of shows to watch for the rest of the week.
 
#4 ·
I really liked it too. They need to tone down "Rain Man" a bit, but everything else seemed to fit together pretty well.


I did wonder how they didn't verify the identity of the bad guy in the room instead if taking it for granted that just because he was wearing the uniform, he was the bell hop. They were chasing someone that can manipulate behavior, after all.


The rest went over well enough, and I liked the skills they chose for each character.


It looks promising.
 
#6 ·
Well I was not as pleased with the show. First off, the "people with extraordinary powers" thing is getting old. The acting seemed stiff. The show needs more "edge" and maybe should be darker. I like that it was shot more like a movie and not a TV show (with shots only a dentist could love) but it also had the slick what the late Sidney Lumet referred to as the "Ford commercial look."


What study is it that TV execs have faith in that tells them the American public prefers slick looking shows over substance? I guess I watch too many foreign series that are long on substance and much shorter on budget and so, so much better.
 
#7 ·
Just watched it and thought it was soso. Agreed, tone down RainMan as he's already working my nerves, the thought pusher has some nice, jiggly jugs but overall the chicks are kinda plain Janes. However the characters have pretty cool powers. The black guy turns usless due to a headache from excessive testosterone when he starts to "peak"? So are they gonna have to just carry around an EpiPen filled with estrogen to tone him down with? All these things lean me toward soso. Being SyFy channel, they always make their own versions of shows and movies that are/were already out. Surprised that it took this long for this show to emerge. Those productions always come across as "a-poor-man's (insert show/movie title here)" to me. This one is a poor-man's-Heroes (which I loved). I'll watch another episode or two before I make a final decision.
 
#8 ·
I guess I now know why they killed off Ryan Cartwright's character (Vincent ) from Bones. He was mildly annoying on Bones, but as Gary he's just too irritating to keep long-term on Alphas. Yeah, they definitely need to 'tone down "Rain Man" a bit' to make it less irritating.


What did he say? I can see all transmissions except Nokia, because they use a different encoding scheme? I wonder if he can get all the scrambled pay services?


It wasn't anything really special or outstanding, but not a snooze-fest either.


Callum Keith Rennie frequently plays a bad guy, or a Cylon, so I was pleasantly surprised to see him as a (mostly) good guy here.

Quote:
Well I was not as pleased with the show. First off, the "people with extraordinary powers" thing is getting old.
Quote:
Being SyFy channel, they always make their own versions of shows and movies that are/were already out. Surprised that it took this long for this show to emerge. Those productions always come across as "a-poor-man's (insert show/movie title here)" to me. This one is a poor-man's-Heroes

Heros, the X-Men, and others. Oh yeah, I am reminded: Mutant X and obviously, the 4400. Are there others?
 
#9 ·
Nielsen Overnights (Cable)
'Alphas' Is Syfy's Most-Watched Series Debut in Two Years

By Philiana Ng, The Hollywood Reporter's 'Live Feed' Blog


Syfy's three-hour Monday night lineup got off to a fast start.


Rookie drama Alphas, led by David Strathairn, was the cable network's most-watched series debut since 2009, delivering 2.5 million viewers following veteran series Eureka and Warehouse 13. At 10 p.m., 1.2 million belonged to the ad-coveted adults 18-49 demographic and 1.3 million were in the older 25-54 demo.


Alphas' debut was the network's higgest-rated since Warehouse 13 premiered July 7, 2009 with 3.5 million.


The third season opener of Warehouse 13 lured 2.3 million at 9 p.m., with 1 million in 18-49 and 1.2 million in 25-54, proving to be a solid lead-in for Alphas. Opening the night, Eureka's Season 4.5 return attracted 2 million, with 893K in 18-49 and nearly 1 million in 25-54.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/liv...-series-210183
 
#12 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ambesolman
I miss The 4400...
I missed the 4400 when
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) Spoiler  
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) it stopped being about alien abduction.



I never understood why shows feel the need to completely change the entire premise at some point, usually - surprise, surprise - in the last, or second to last, season.


The same thing happen to The X-Files, Dark Angel, Alias, Millennium and Lost. Did we not learn from cousin Oliver (The Brady Bunch) and the Connor Family winning the lottery (Rosanne) that you can't fix a show and get viewers back that way?
 
#13 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by dad1153 /forum/post/20686245

Nielsen Overnights (Cable)
'Alphas' Is Syfy's Most-Watched Series Debut in Two Years

By Philiana Ng, The Hollywood Reporter's 'Live Feed' Blog


Syfy's three-hour Monday night lineup got off to a fast start.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/liv...-series-210183

I believe that would be 3-1/2 hrs, at least for the opening night.


Watched Alphas tonight, I liked it pretty well, well enough to tune in next week. The Kid kept driving me crazy because I knew him from somewhere. Finally figured it out, he was Mr. Nigel-Murray on Bones for several years.
 
#15 ·
This pilot had EVERYTHING wrong.

Sitting thru it was like nails on a chalkboard.


All of the main characters are horrid.

From dopey to condescending to just plain irritating/annoying.

He!!, I kept waiting for the introduction of the show's "good guys...."


It wasn't in any way credible these people had or ever could work together on anything (and I am including jigsaw puzzles here
).
 
#16 ·
Thought it was just OK. Will tick with it to see how it goes. They really emphasized that each character has a weakness, probably so people realize they aren't like comic book characters. Wasn't a fan of having the kid with the ability to see signals being a savant (or whatever) but it grew on me and he had me laughing at times. I really liked the sniper guy and his ability.


So, if you had to have one their powers, and only one, which one would you pick?
 
#17 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by WilliamR /forum/post/20688701


So, if you had to have one their powers, and only one, which one would you pick?

I'd like to be the invisible guy with X-ray vision.


Oh wait, that wasn't one of the powers? Crap...



As much as being able to control people's thoughts might have short term appeal, there's only so much you can do with that without compromising your own morality. I suppose I could become an ace interrogator that always gets people to tell the truth (whether that truth implicates them or not) or become some kind of hostage or peace negotiator. However, so much other personal benefit would feel like cheating. Getting free stuff from people sounds great until someone loses their shirt on the deal. I'm pretty sure getting free rent would lead to my landlord not being able to pay the mortgage on the place. On the other hand, keeping the rent about where it is now and getting an extra percent or two raise might be nice. Overall, though, compelling someone to do something for me I didn't earn would make me feel a bit guilty.


So, I guess the sniper guy's coordination skills would be my best choice. If nothing else, I could likely avoid breaking my neck falling down the stairs after tripping over the dog. Further, I doubt I would feel guilty about using it in pursuit of a sports career since there is already plenty of cheating going on in sports, particularly in the form of steroid use. Further, the skill apparently doesn't prevent me from choking in a clutch situation or someone else having enough luck or skill to counter me.


I wouldn't want to be the angry strong guy. There's too much potential to lose my cool and hurt someone or damage something accidentally. No thanks.


The most disposable member of the team would definitely be Rain Man. His skills remind me too much of J.J.'s on "No Ordinary Family". He's only useful if someone is using an electronic device that transmits something. His skills are also the least plausible. Everyone else at least has some basic believability to them.


At least the girl who can enhance her senses can potentially track someone by sight or sound and can provide audio or visual surveillance by focusing in on someone nearby. The electronic stuff could easily be done with a good hacker.
 
#18 ·
Watched this last night. While not as good as Eureka and WH13, it was far superior to Being Human. I will stick with it and see where it leads.
 
#19 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ambesolman
i miss the 4400...
+1!!!
 
#20 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt L
Alpha's --- just OK. Lots of room to improve. Kind of a come down for Ryan Cartwright, from the quality of "Bones" to... this.
I totally agree. Just OK - needs a lot of character development. Nigel-Murray needs to tone it down - he was really annoying.


The doctor needs ..... something. I don't know what. He needs to become more compelling not so wishy-washy.
 
#21 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ltownsend
The doctor needs ..... something. I don't know what. He needs to become more compelling not so wishy-washy.
I don't know, I kind of like his "lead by following" methods. He gives them something shiny to look at, then lets them feel like they found the keys to the door they need to go through themselves.


He's got kind of cross between Alan Alda and Jimmy Stewart going on. He's speaks softly and plainly, yet he's fully in control and knows exactly how to push everyone's buttons.


He reminds me a lot of a doctor I had when I was a kid. When he was going to give you shot, he'd warn you he was going to, ask you if you were ready and even give a countdown to it. Meanwhile, he already had the needle in your arm and was finishing the injection.


Then he'd give you a cheap lollypop and you'd forget about the whole thing.
 
#24 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by WilliamR /forum/post/20688701


Thought it was just OK. Will tick with it to see how it goes. They really emphasized that each character has a weakness, probably so people realize they aren't like comic book characters. Wasn't a fan of having the kid with the ability to see signals being a savant (or whatever) but it grew on me and he had me laughing at times. I really liked the sniper guy and his ability.


So, if you had to have one their powers, and only one, which one would you pick?

On d we have cast bios and Ryan (the kid...) is 30+ years old. That is as bad as the glee kids...
 
#25 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt L /forum/post/20692853


On d we have cast bios and Ryan (the kid...) is 30+ years old. That is as bad as the glee kids...

30+, I thought he pulled it off rather well. Like I mentioned earlier in the thread I kept thinking I know this actor, but he was too young, the voice fit, but his character was too young for it register in my feeble brain.
 
#26 ·
I found it a little refreshing after watching Falling Skies. It's sort of a minor league X-Men.


Still trying to figure out what the dying Red Flag guy meant by telling him he was on the wrong side. Enuf of a hook for me to watch a few more episodes.
 
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