Outcast (2011) - BBC Sci-fi drama
02-10-11, 11:19 AM
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Outcast (2011) - BBC Sci-fi drama
This is a new british sci-fi drama set in 2040, where mankind have found a new life sustaining planet to start fresh.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OM_-eFLJkSE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Looks interesting. Sorta like Terra Nova without the dinos and possibly less cheesy. It comes out sometime this year.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OM_-eFLJkSE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Looks interesting. Sorta like Terra Nova without the dinos and possibly less cheesy. It comes out sometime this year.
02-10-11, 10:54 PM
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02-11-11, 03:36 AM
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Re: Outcast (2011) - BBC Sci-fi drama
I'm glad that the BBC are still trying to produce quality drama in this genre.
The first episode was interesting, if somewhat slow. I'll be watching the second this weekend.
The idea itself, of a post-Earth colony with all the politicking and in-fighting, is not new - so it'll be down to how they handle it.
The first episode was interesting, if somewhat slow. I'll be watching the second this weekend.
The idea itself, of a post-Earth colony with all the politicking and in-fighting, is not new - so it'll be down to how they handle it.
02-12-11, 09:51 AM
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Re: Outcast (2011) - BBC Sci-fi drama
Until two weeks ago, BBCA had Outcasts set for premiere on Saturday, Feb. 19, then they pulled it in favor of Being Human Season 3. I wouldn't expect Outcasts on BBCA now until at least May, since Being Human will run for 8 Saturdays until mid-April, then the first half of Doctor Who Season 6 will air for 6 or 7 weeks until near the end of May.
I've seen the first two episodes "online," and Outcasts is decent/good, although to me the show feels like the recently-canceled BBC show Survivors set in space!
Unfortunately, I think this might be an "eight episodes and done" series. In the overnight UK ratings, episode 1, from this Monday, had about 4.4 million viewers, which is a decent start, but nothing spectacular. Episode 2, which aired the next night, had only 3.3 million viewers, which isn't a good sign.
Note that BBC One decided to air Outcasts on Monday and Tuesday nights over four weeks, rather than one episode per week, which to me seems like they knew the ratings wouldn't be that high and they just want to get it over with. If the UK ratings don't rebound, Outcasts will soon be under 3 million.
On a related note, the BBCA-Sky Living co-production Bedlam just premiered on Sky Living in the UK, and I thought it was a good show. This is another "BBCA is airing this later in the year" show, but just like Outcasts, you can "find" it online now. If only BBCA programmed good shows during the week, we could be watching Outcasts, Bedlam AND Being Human now, the same week they air in the UK.
I've seen the first two episodes "online," and Outcasts is decent/good, although to me the show feels like the recently-canceled BBC show Survivors set in space!
Unfortunately, I think this might be an "eight episodes and done" series. In the overnight UK ratings, episode 1, from this Monday, had about 4.4 million viewers, which is a decent start, but nothing spectacular. Episode 2, which aired the next night, had only 3.3 million viewers, which isn't a good sign.
Note that BBC One decided to air Outcasts on Monday and Tuesday nights over four weeks, rather than one episode per week, which to me seems like they knew the ratings wouldn't be that high and they just want to get it over with. If the UK ratings don't rebound, Outcasts will soon be under 3 million.
On a related note, the BBCA-Sky Living co-production Bedlam just premiered on Sky Living in the UK, and I thought it was a good show. This is another "BBCA is airing this later in the year" show, but just like Outcasts, you can "find" it online now. If only BBCA programmed good shows during the week, we could be watching Outcasts, Bedlam AND Being Human now, the same week they air in the UK.
02-15-11, 02:23 AM
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Re: Outcast (2011) - BBC Sci-fi drama
However, I agree that Outcasts is rather slow and, in the current climate, I'm not sure that BBC will provide much leeway for slow-burners to develop. As you say, the eight episodes may be all that we ever see...
Incidentally, I was unaware of the BBCA/Sky Living co-production arrangement you mention. I have to say that - given the antipathy shown to the BBC by Murdoch-owned institutions - I find the idea of BBC getting into bed with Sky very disturbing. Unless, that is, it comprises a strategic arrangement that will facilitate the later showing on BBC channels of the Home Box Office material Sky Atlantic has recently snaffled!
02-15-11, 07:02 AM
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Re: Outcast (2011) - BBC Sci-fi drama
benedict, you're absolutely right about other UK series airing over consecutive nights on the BBC (like Torchwood: CoE, which aired over 5 consecutive nights). I suppose if the ratings for Outcasts had been higher, I would have said the BBC scheduled it the way they did because people wouldn't want to wait a week for a new episode!
Episode 3 aired last night, and I thought it was much better than the first two episodes. Having said that, the UK ratings keep dropping (these are the overnight ratings, final ratings for Episodes 1 & 2 won't be out until 2/21):
Episode 1 - 4.4 million
Episode 2 - 3.3 million
Episode 3 - 2.95 million
Under 3 million won't cut it on the BBC at 9pm. And even with BBCA co-producing, a second season now seems unlikely, since the chances of Outcasts getting incredible ratings on BBCA later this year are slim to none.
Regarding Bedlam, note that it is a co-production between BBCA and Sky Living. While BBCA are of course related to the BBC (through BBC Worldwide), as we've seen with BBCA's horrible programming decisions, they are pretty much their own company that can do whatever they want (including airing repeats of US shows in primetime instead of licensing some of the great comedies and dramas from the four BBC channels).
Episode 3 aired last night, and I thought it was much better than the first two episodes. Having said that, the UK ratings keep dropping (these are the overnight ratings, final ratings for Episodes 1 & 2 won't be out until 2/21):
Episode 1 - 4.4 million
Episode 2 - 3.3 million
Episode 3 - 2.95 million
Under 3 million won't cut it on the BBC at 9pm. And even with BBCA co-producing, a second season now seems unlikely, since the chances of Outcasts getting incredible ratings on BBCA later this year are slim to none.
Regarding Bedlam, note that it is a co-production between BBCA and Sky Living. While BBCA are of course related to the BBC (through BBC Worldwide), as we've seen with BBCA's horrible programming decisions, they are pretty much their own company that can do whatever they want (including airing repeats of US shows in primetime instead of licensing some of the great comedies and dramas from the four BBC channels).
03-06-11, 03:02 PM
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Re: Outcast (2011) - BBC Sci-fi drama
I heard that it won't be renewed due to poor ratings (still speculation). But I might still check it out. I've rather enjoyed some of the British stuff lately (Downton Abbey, Kidnap and Ransom, Marchlands), and might as well give this a go too.
06-13-11, 04:56 PM
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Re: Outcast (2011) - BBC Sci-fi drama
I saw where this is set to debut this Saturday (June 18, 2011) on BBCA. It sounds interesting, but I also read where it was not renewed. Also, debuting the same night is The InBetweeners (s 3) and Come Fly With Me.
Outcasts - http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/426/index.jsp
Come Fly With Me - http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/434/index.jsp
The InBetweeners - http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/392/index.jsp
I don't know a whole lot about any of these. But, I plan on checking out Outcasts. Anyone have any comments. Are any of these worth watching? Please, no spoilers.
Outcasts - http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/426/index.jsp
Come Fly With Me - http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/434/index.jsp
The InBetweeners - http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/392/index.jsp
I don't know a whole lot about any of these. But, I plan on checking out Outcasts. Anyone have any comments. Are any of these worth watching? Please, no spoilers.
Last edited by northmoor; 06-13-11 at 05:30 PM.
06-13-11, 06:54 PM
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Re: Outcast (2011) - BBC Sci-fi drama
The first six episodes of Outcasts were painfully slow. This might be the one time where BBCA editing out 15 minutes for commercials may improve the pace...ever so slightly. Honestly, it still wouldn't be worth it, as episode 8 ends on a massive cliffhanger that will never be resolved. So I'd vote for skipping Outcasts entirely.
Regarding Come Fly With Me, it's sort of like Little Britain, only set at an airport. So if you like Little Britain, you'll probably like Come Fly With Me. Note that BBCA is putting this in a 30-minute slot, so since Come Fly With me is a 28-29 minute BBC comedy, BBCA will be editing out 6-7 minutes. So I'd vote for "finding" Come Fly With Me online for unedited episodes (although you could check it out on BBCA to see if you like it, but keep in mind you won't be seeing the full episode).
Inbetweeners is pretty funny (but quite rude/crude), but if you've never seen it, you really should start with Season 1. BBCA inserts lots of bleeps to censor language, ultimately making the edited version a fruitless endeavor in my opinion. So I'd vote for "finding" Inbetweeners, starting with Season 1, online for unedited episodes (although you could check it out on BBCA to see if you like it, but keep in mind you'll be seeing a heavily censored version).
Regarding Come Fly With Me, it's sort of like Little Britain, only set at an airport. So if you like Little Britain, you'll probably like Come Fly With Me. Note that BBCA is putting this in a 30-minute slot, so since Come Fly With me is a 28-29 minute BBC comedy, BBCA will be editing out 6-7 minutes. So I'd vote for "finding" Come Fly With Me online for unedited episodes (although you could check it out on BBCA to see if you like it, but keep in mind you won't be seeing the full episode).
Inbetweeners is pretty funny (but quite rude/crude), but if you've never seen it, you really should start with Season 1. BBCA inserts lots of bleeps to censor language, ultimately making the edited version a fruitless endeavor in my opinion. So I'd vote for "finding" Inbetweeners, starting with Season 1, online for unedited episodes (although you could check it out on BBCA to see if you like it, but keep in mind you'll be seeing a heavily censored version).
06-13-11, 09:54 PM
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Re: Outcast (2011) - BBC Sci-fi drama
Personally, I think Outcasts sucked, and for the same reason Battlestar Galactica did: it just kind of limps along slowly, going from theme to theme as it suits the writers. Like Galactica, it's really just a soap opera with sci-fi trappings. And it never really found a center. Like Survivors, it seemed to have a couple of good ideas, which it rapidly forgot, then just rambled from this to that back to this again. With even the worst BBC series, I normally think "well, at least it's better than Criminal Minds or Two and a Half Men"... but in this case, I'm not so sure. And it's "for sure" cancelled in the UK, so there will never be any resolution to the series.
Of course, I was a Life on Mars\Ashes to Ashes fan, and this BBC series (which features Ashes star Daniel Mays) aired at the same time as a Sky series called Mad Dogs, which featured John Simm and Philip Glenister of both Mars and Ashes). Fans at The Railway Arms (a Mars\Ashes fansite) seemed really split about these shows, in much the same way that fans of a band that splits in two also split their fanbases (like, when Pink Floyd split up, you had a lot of people who loved Roger Waters and hated Floyd, and people who loved Floyd and hated Waters). There was a surprising amount of sniping between Outcastsand Mad Dogs fans, and lots of "Ha-ha! Your show sucks!" posts to Outcasts fans when the show's ratings started to tank. I was on the side of Mad Dogs, so that might have influenced my opinion.
Of course, I was a Life on Mars\Ashes to Ashes fan, and this BBC series (which features Ashes star Daniel Mays) aired at the same time as a Sky series called Mad Dogs, which featured John Simm and Philip Glenister of both Mars and Ashes). Fans at The Railway Arms (a Mars\Ashes fansite) seemed really split about these shows, in much the same way that fans of a band that splits in two also split their fanbases (like, when Pink Floyd split up, you had a lot of people who loved Roger Waters and hated Floyd, and people who loved Floyd and hated Waters). There was a surprising amount of sniping between Outcastsand Mad Dogs fans, and lots of "Ha-ha! Your show sucks!" posts to Outcasts fans when the show's ratings started to tank. I was on the side of Mad Dogs, so that might have influenced my opinion.
