Then outside you had Harris Enzmann (Gil Bellows), whose cartoon-like tendencies were fleshed out a bit more to make his character more relatable. Boudousqué), Duke Vanderhaus (Ryan Robbins) and Juliet Bryce (Andrea Roth) were pretty underdeveloped and occasionally annoying. Meanwhile, characters like Nora Bryce (Jacqueline Byers), James Toback (P.J. Christa in particular was a constant source of intrigue, given her unique powers (although Gault also seemed to exhibit his own abilities in the final moments of the show). Bell) and the young Christa (Ellie O'Brien) were fun additions to the story. Star couple.Other characters were a mixed bag. Together, Van Holt and Helfer made quite a team, and their couple dynamic was a consistent highlight throughout the series. Meanwhile, Brian Van Holt as Denninger was also a pleasant surprise, especially since his most notable role prior to this was Bobby on the oh-so funny Cougar Town. Again, this was an instance of "just the right amount of shake-up" and offered a solid ending for her character. Tricia Helfer (a Battlestar Galactica alum) seemed right at home as the manipulative power broker Viondra, who got an awesome promotion to captain in the season finale. The ensemble cast was also very strong - at least, the handful of core characters were. In my premiere review, I compared Ascension to Firefly in the way that both shows combined two disparate genres - in this case, a Star Trek/Mad Men hybrid - to create something entirely unique. The clothing, the technology, the social stratification - they all had a distinct 1960s vibe, and they also fed directly into the plot and character backstories. Since the ship was built over 50 years ago, the "time capsule" element was really neat. Not only did it turn the show's premise on its head, but it also added a whole other layer to the murder at hand.Īscension's retro style also earned it points early on. But for me, Ascension's bait-and-switch was the reason to keep watching. I totally get that feeling of betrayal when a show turns into something you didn't sign on for. Just going off the initial reaction I saw online, even the first major twist - that the USS Ascension never actually launched - seemed to turn some people off. In sci-fi especially, too much game-changing can mean death for a high concept. IGN's Ascension: "Night Three" ReviewOf course, when a show has numerous twists and turns like this, it can be tricky to keep viewers' attention. (Virtuality, Defying Gravity, I'm looking at you.) Regardless, Ascension sucked me in almost immediately with a compelling murder mystery and a faux-crane shot set to Elton John's "Rocket Man." And while the new show definitely had its flaws and tropes, it made a strong first impression that kept me wanting more after it was over. I'd been burned by a lot of space operas in the past. Truth be told, I wasn't expecting much from Syfy's latest science fiction miniseries Ascension.
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