Alcatraz

playground · Jan 17, 2012

I was pleasantly surprised by this show. I love how Jorge Garcia isn't a cop and is the educational side (it would look unrealistic to have someone his size running after criminals). I also like the mystery behind it without giving you answers EVERY episode and building on it.

The ONLY thing I didn't like about the premiere was I wished the sniper guy (Cobb I believe his name was) wasn't caught. I think it would have been interesting to have him come back every now and then. The twist at the end of the second episode (showing that the woman in a coma doesn't age either) shows great things for this show. Hopefully it can balance it all well without it just being new criminal of the week every week.

Everyone else's thoughts?

veinglory · Jan 17, 2012

I could watch Sam Neil do pretty much anything. On the whole I think it looks good but is broadcasting too hard. I knew that Nagra's character was a transplant pretty much straight away, and I find the very young female Indian psychiatrist character somewhat anachronistic (?) It goes from intriguing to 'too much obviously withheld' for me. But the Sam Neil character's ambiguous morality is kind of fun.

Wolfie · Jan 18, 2012

I like it enough, hopefully it become too much of "catch the guy of the week." like I won't mind some character growth for the criminals i.e one of them joins the team or do something than appear,maybe do something plot important,be a criminal,get caught,let Sam Neil's characters abuse them.
Because that would get boring fast.

playground · Jan 24, 2012

Oh wow, what a creepy but great episode. Even better, Jorge has an interesting/mysterious background!

Calla Lily · Jan 24, 2012

I like it so far, due entirely to the luscious Sam Neill.

I almost turned off last night's ep because I don't do child-in-peril anything (book, movie, TV). But the males in the house were also watching, so it stayed on. Well done overall. I've seen the comic-book guy in a couple of other things, and he really showed some acting chops last night. Stole the show.

Also

I thought the last scene was just as creepy as the rest of the ep, in its own way: when the doctor who'd also been time-warped was dancing around the corpse to rock-and-roll.

veinglory · Jan 24, 2012

For me this is all about Sam Neil and his creepy basement. The blonde is straight out of central casting. The doc is okay--but actually I find the 'he draws comics and so is stuck at the age of eleven' a really annoying characterization. Not so much because Neil's character thoughts that, but because the doc seemed to agree ("yes... sir"). Ew.

playground · Jan 24, 2012

veinglory said:
For me this is all about Sam Neil and his creepy basement. The blonde is straight out of central casting. The doc is okay--but actually I find the 'he draws comics and so is stuck at the age of eleven' a really annoying characterization. Not so much because Neil's character thoughts that, but because the doc seemed to agree ("yes... sir"). Ew.

I'm kind of the opposite. I think Sam Neil is a boring/cliche/expected type character. I like doc the most.

JohnnyGottaKeyboard · Jan 24, 2012

I am really on the fence about this one...I agree that the blonde detective (who is, what, twelve years old?) is completely bland. And I'm not sure why they put marbles in Sam Neil's mouth, but they really need to let him spit them out. Jorge is honestly the only one that reads his lines and makes me feel like they are being spoken by an actual person. The stories for me have been hit and miss--there appeared to be some overarcing point to these baddies coming back and yet the last guy just stole and killed little boys. And did i miss the (real world) Alcatraz history that showed it to have been a completely corrupt and evil institution? I'm a little vicariously offended for the decendents of any actual prison personnel.

playground · Jan 31, 2012

Good episode. It's kind of funny, the Alcatraz criminal actors seem to be better than the MC's haha.

Max Vaehling · Feb 1, 2012

veinglory said:
For me this is all about Sam Neil and his creepy basement. The blonde is straight out of central casting. The doc is okay--but actually I find the 'he draws comics and so is stuck at the age of eleven' a really annoying characterization. Not so much because Neil's character thoughts that, but because the doc seemed to agree ("yes... sir"). Ew.

Well, Neill's character is from the Fifties...

veinglory · Feb 1, 2012

I think the doc is well acted but written as a pile of stereotypes. (Liking comics makes you infantile etc)

I also think Neil is meant to have aged normally since the 50s, more or less. The marbles may relate to him needing to approximate an American accent.

Of the three I think Neil's character will have the most surprises and layers. Because we already know what they others motives and goals are.

dragonangel517 · Feb 1, 2012

I wasn't sure I would like this show, but watched it because I love Jorge Garcia. Now I am hooked. You can sure tell it was created by same person responsible for Lost.

I can't decide if I like Sam Neills character or not. Is he a good guy or not? And that's the reason I will keep watching. I like the surprises each week, and the fact that the writers aren't dumbing everything down and explaining everything.

Oh, and Leon Rippy. Anything with Leon has my attention.

Kats · Feb 1, 2012

dragonangel517 said:
You can sure tell it was created by same person responsible for Lost.

Exactly. This is why I'm not watching more than the first episode, I'm still too angry about the ending of Lost! I wanted to like it but it reminds me of Lost too much to invest in (in that I'm not convinced there will actually be answers given to the mysteries raised).

Carlene · Feb 1, 2012

I'm with you on this one. I do NOT trust J.J. Abrams and his crew after that crappy LOST ending.

Carlene

Toothpaste · Feb 1, 2012

Okay, so JJ left LOST after only a couple seasons. He is responsible for the creation, not how it turned out. He's even said in interviews he tuned into the show as a fan, wondering where everything was going. So don't blame him if you don't like how the show ended.

I'm one of the few, however, who didn't mind that not all the mysteries were answered. In fact the more they answered the less satisfied I was. Have you guys ever seen JJ's Ted Talk about the magic box? It's so much more exciting not knowing what's in the box, thinking of all the possibilities, rather than knowing the one answer to the question.

At least, that's how it is for him. And fortunately, also for me.

Anyway, so far so good with this show. I've enjoyed the premise, writing and acting, but I'm still not compelled to watch it. I need to remind myself to tune in. I'm waiting for it to turn into must see TV.

veinglory · Feb 2, 2012

I think there is good evidence that there is a "answer" to the question at least of what the characters are doing. I am not sure if there is one about why the time jump thing happened in the first place--but it is roughly the right time frame for a "Philadelphia Experiment" type explanation.

playground · Feb 3, 2012

I'm also happy Lost didn't answer everything. I really kind of hope we don't find out how people jumped too. If it is like Lost's answers I'll be fine though.

But the one complaint I have about this show is we get better acting and stories from the criminals. I get not wanting to know the secrets about the main three, but at least let the characters breath a bit more so we can get more of a feel for them instead of them just going and doing stuff and Jorge not used to people getting shot (which I love since it seems very realistic.)

playground · Feb 8, 2012

The new episode was good (on the mystery end). I can see it trying to be a lot like Lost because they are building up all this mystery and showing the pasts of inmates and just giving little bits of information. But the difference from Lost is I just don't really care about any of the characters, so it's just a mystery right now with me not really caring about the MC's.

maxmordon · Feb 21, 2012

I don't know, it feels a bit too much of the same. It's like when they created Poochie in The Simpsons:

"Oh, make it have the visual feeling of Fringe and we can also add a cold blonde FBI agent. And a big juicy mystery like Lost. And, do you think you could add some weird transplanted people from the past like The 4,400? And don't forget some awkward geek so geeks online to love it."

I saw two episodes and felt it was interesting enough to come back but not enough to, you know, follow the larger story arc.

Calla Lily · Feb 21, 2012

Right now the only thing keeping me watching is whether or not the first criminal brought back (can't remember his character name) is being developed as a tormented antihero. He has the soulful look, yanno?

I still think the comic book guy is the best character.

Dr.Gonzo · Feb 21, 2012

As far as I can see, there's only one reason to watch this show. When that girl runs, things swing rather than bounce. It's quite good TV.

Calla Lily · Feb 21, 2012

playground · Feb 21, 2012

Yea I'm not huge on this show but it is enough to get me to watch every Monday. The main reason I come back every week is somehow, someway they get great villain actors that make me care but the MC's aren't anything special to me.

playground · Mar 6, 2012

The double episodes were alright. Nothing special but still cool.

Lucia · Mar 8, 2012

Ooh it premieres here next week and I was going to check it out but should I give it a miss?
FYI I am huge 24 fan and thriller/crime show lover.

Alcatraz

playground

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Wolfie

oof

playground

Calla Lily

On hiatus

veinglory

volitare nequeo

playground

JohnnyGottaKeyboard

Who let this guy in...?

playground

Max Vaehling

veinglory

volitare nequeo

dragonangel517

A.K.A CoffeeWench

Kats

Carlene

New kid, be gentle!

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

veinglory

volitare nequeo

playground

playground

maxmordon

Penúltimo

Calla Lily

On hiatus

Dr.Gonzo

Wonderfully Irreverent

Calla Lily

On hiatus

playground

playground

Lucia