What made this great and special was actually the Australian locations. I never understood why the pilot was made there, but the show was made in California, so that they could film at "The Star Trek Rock"? (An iconic Rockface that has been used as a location for Star Trek - From The Original Series, ST IV, and even "Generations").
But not just the well chosen Locations, the Actors were well selected, including a guest role by R Lee Ermy, doing what he does best - A Drill Instructor.
This Introductory Pilot Episode spans a universe of untold stories - Shane Vanson's (Kirstin Cloke) parents were murdered by Silicates (Think of "Data gone Bad") - Cooper Hawkes (Rodney Roland) is an "In Vitro" - A genetically designed and grown Humanoid, and he is blamed and chased by future rednecks for "Not doing his part in the AI War against the Silicates". Nathan West (Morgan Weisser) and his girlfriend Kylen (Amanda Doudge) were slated to colonize a planet in The Tellus Expedition, but West is kicked off the project in favor of In Vitros.
So we can see the tapestry being designed here, it all connects. These disparate individuals end up enlisting in The Marine Corps, where they are hosted by Ermy.
What is not known is that Aliens have destroyed The Tellus Expedition and another Colony 16 light years from Earth- And West's Girlfriend is missing with the other surviving colonists.
This is a lot like Starship Troopers, minus the Military Government. It would not surprise me if Paul Verhoeven used some of the look of the Carriers and "Hammerhead" fighters for his vision of that book.
There is reference to "The AI Wars", a conflict with "Silicates" - Robots made to look like people. The "In Vitros" were designed as Soldiers for that conflict, but they refused to fight, and now they are treated as Second Class Citizens, barely human, if that much.
What was great with this Pilot episode was the Full Sized Hammerhead mock-ups, and the set of the USS Saratoga, where the "58th" Wild-Cards are stationed. The insides of the Hammerhead Cockpits are very convincing.
This Pilot stands alone all by itself, it's that good, but it also has the rest of the series to support the stories begun. As far as continuity, it was as if it didn't even matter with the location change, the look of the show and production quality was always as good as this Pilot.
I had forgotten just how good this show was, until I found clips on Youtube. I had to go out and find it, and I'm glad I did. It deserves at least a DVD or Blu Ray release.
I Wonder if 100 years from now The Ramones will be mistaken for "The Pink Floyd"?
But not just the well chosen Locations, the Actors were well selected, including a guest role by R Lee Ermy, doing what he does best - A Drill Instructor.
This Introductory Pilot Episode spans a universe of untold stories - Shane Vanson's (Kirstin Cloke) parents were murdered by Silicates (Think of "Data gone Bad") - Cooper Hawkes (Rodney Roland) is an "In Vitro" - A genetically designed and grown Humanoid, and he is blamed and chased by future rednecks for "Not doing his part in the AI War against the Silicates". Nathan West (Morgan Weisser) and his girlfriend Kylen (Amanda Doudge) were slated to colonize a planet in The Tellus Expedition, but West is kicked off the project in favor of In Vitros.
So we can see the tapestry being designed here, it all connects. These disparate individuals end up enlisting in The Marine Corps, where they are hosted by Ermy.
What is not known is that Aliens have destroyed The Tellus Expedition and another Colony 16 light years from Earth- And West's Girlfriend is missing with the other surviving colonists.
This is a lot like Starship Troopers, minus the Military Government. It would not surprise me if Paul Verhoeven used some of the look of the Carriers and "Hammerhead" fighters for his vision of that book.
There is reference to "The AI Wars", a conflict with "Silicates" - Robots made to look like people. The "In Vitros" were designed as Soldiers for that conflict, but they refused to fight, and now they are treated as Second Class Citizens, barely human, if that much.
What was great with this Pilot episode was the Full Sized Hammerhead mock-ups, and the set of the USS Saratoga, where the "58th" Wild-Cards are stationed. The insides of the Hammerhead Cockpits are very convincing.
This Pilot stands alone all by itself, it's that good, but it also has the rest of the series to support the stories begun. As far as continuity, it was as if it didn't even matter with the location change, the look of the show and production quality was always as good as this Pilot.
I had forgotten just how good this show was, until I found clips on Youtube. I had to go out and find it, and I'm glad I did. It deserves at least a DVD or Blu Ray release.
I Wonder if 100 years from now The Ramones will be mistaken for "The Pink Floyd"?
