I just wrote to reviews for a couple of new television shows after watching the complete season one of each on DVD…
Underground- I gave it only 3/5 stars at Amazon
This show's music takes me out of the drama!
This new television series has great writing, great acting and seems to be very accurate for the time period... But! I don't know why the creators feel that they have to "make a statement" for their viewers by putting Hip-Hop and other modern rock music behind many of the scenes. Seeing the inside of the beautiful "Great House" and the owners of the plantation having a social gathering and dancing is one thing, BUT the music they back the scenes with, is jarring - jolts me right out of the story! I actually fast forwarded to get through those scenes that were so off kilter because of the music. I also wondered why one of the main female characters was wearing a more modern ball down-another thing that took me out of the drama! (watching the extras- they did that on purpose just like the hip hop music, sheesh!) The soulful Negro spirituals and theme song are really well done and appropriate, too bad the creators were not consistent with music choices!
It really is too bad that the creators seem to care more about their own statement to the world, then drawing their viewers into this story. It is an important time in history to tell now the Roots was made a very long time ago� I just wish they cared more about an important story in our history, then seemingly their own agenda of "modernizing it" with hip-hop music. I doubt I'll be watching season two and that's too bad because the actors and the writers did a wonderful job with season one.
Dark Matter- Five Stars!
What A Cool Show!
I think this show (which I'm pretty sure is by the same parent company) is taking the place of Lost Girl, now that that show has completed its run. While that show was fantasy with magic and all kinds of interesting elves and shape changers and evil people of all sorts along with the heroes and heroines, this new show-Dark Matter is pure science fiction. But just like the first show this one is extremely well written and well acted. It is very engaging and a lot of fun to watch! Of course season one ended on a big cliffhanger and I can hardly wait for season two!
It is kind of fun to see the woman who played the the human Dr. in Lost Girl playing an android in this show. She does a really good job! I'd also see some similarities in the stowaway girl of the new show and Kinzey from the first show. Not too many similarities so as to spoil it, I really adored the new girl, and in fact I really like the whole cast. Love the writing- mysteries that span it's overall arc yet enjoying the stories encased in each single episode.
It's been a while since I've enjoyed a science fiction show like this one-one that is just pure science fiction without horror and gore!
One last note: I don't appreciate the makers of the DVD literally forcing us to watch their "commercials" so I just have to turn the sound off and waited out to get to where I can press play all on each disc. Still the quality of the show makes it worth the wait.