Tonight is Surface

[Cthulhudrew]

The pilot moved quick, so I wasn't bored. I'll tune in next week.

I had the exact opposite reaction. I thought the pilot was tedious to the point of snoredom.

The thing that I can't figure out with at least a couple of the new shows this season (Surface, Prison Break) is that the writers/et al seem to have come up with a high concept with little to no staying power.

Prison Break- okay, after the first season, do they get out, or are they still trying? If out, then what to do with the show? Change the name? Put them into another prison? If still in, how long can you keep it interesting having them in prison trying to get out?

Surface- they're going to have to show the little alien/sea buggers pretty soon, and then what do you do? It seems like its just a horror movie that has been extended well beyond its 2 hours. I could see it working as a miniseries, but a whole series?

Lost kind of has the same problems, frankly, though being an avid viewer of that show, I'll admit they've done a good job of keeping it going. Even Lost, though, seems to me to have a limited shelf span.

 

[Umbran]

The thing that I can't figure out with at least a couple of the new shows this season (Surface, Prison Break) is that the writers/et al seem to have come up with a high concept with little to no staying power.

Well, that's not surprising. As I understand the term, something that depends upon "high concept" isn't going to have much staying power. High Concept works tend to have a base concept that's easy to grasp, simple characters, a heavy dependance on genre conventions, and a strong focus on the plot.

That can be great for an action movie. To keep your interest for the long term, though, you need character development, depth, and extraneous details that add flavor, which high concept works typically lack.

So, for a hopefully long-running TV show, the best bet is probably to grab you with the high concept, but to quickly broaden out beyond dependance upon that concept.

 

[Insight]

Networks have a lot of time slots to fill. Not every show is going to last even one season. Perhaps the thinking here is to create a show that will likely only last a season or two, maybe creating spinoffs in the process. Or perhaps the networks are banking on most of these shows not making it, but filling up time slots and getting better ratings than reruns.

 

[Aeric]

What comics??

The show's original title was going to be Fathom, which is also the name of a comic that was fairly popular a few years back. They both dealt with similar themes (advanced underwater life), so the confusion is understandable.

 

[Tetsubo]

I too thought the pacing was a bit slow. But it was watchable. I'm a sucker for subsea TV shows and films.

Questions that occured to me:

Why was only one person in a multi-million dollar sub? They book those things years in advance and cram them with researchers...

Are we looking at multiple species or biological technology?

Surface behavior AND depth adaptation...?

How do you get inside a sub while it's submerged?

How come the US government in fiction is so darn well co-ordinated...?

Why would someone shoot a being that large with a spear-gun? You are just asking for trouble...

 

[Viking Bastard]

The show's original title was going to be Fathom, which is also the name of a comic that was fairly popular a few years back. They both dealt with similar themes (advanced underwater life), so the confusion is understandable.

Ah, my bad.

I knew an adaption of Micheal Turner's comic was in the works and I assumed that
'Fathom the TV Series Now Called Surface' was it.

That actually makes me slightly more interested in the pilot.

Not a lot, though.

 

[DMH]

Surface behavior AND depth adaptation...?

My guess is 2 or more species.

Why would someone shoot a being that large with a spear-gun? You are just asking for trouble...

Well, he was frighened and never went spearfishing before. Most likely he just pulled the trigger a little too tightly.

I wonder if we are going to see him again?

 

[fett527]

Why was only one person in a multi-million dollar sub? They book those things years in advance and cram them with researchers...

This came to my mind as well. Just chalked it up to the sub was only made for one.

Are we looking at multiple species or biological technology?

I think we're still in the dark here.

How do you get inside a sub while it's submerged?

Are you talking about the military sub? Part of the mystery so far.

How come the US government in fiction is so darn well co-ordinated...?

I thought of Taken when I read this. They must run drills daily on what happens if we are invaded by aliens.

Why would someone shoot a being that large with a spear-gun? You are just asking for trouble...

Don't think he did it on purpose or he got scared.

 

[Desdichado]

It has a not so good time slot going againsta few other shows I'd also like to watch so I'm not sure I'm going to watch it. But judgeing the previews I'll get to watch it Wednesday under the title of Invasion.

What, like 7^th Heaven? That's actually what my wife was watching during the Surface time slot.

I recorded it to watch later with her--maybe we can get it tomorrow. Can't tonight--Gilmore Girls and then Supernatural.

 

[dravot]

I just described the Pilot episode to WizarDru and felt my desire to watch future episodes drain away from me with each word I typed.