Tuesday, October 11, 2005

TV Review: Surface, episode # 4

The ratings for Surface aren't so good. NBC is reportedly getting nervous, and I suspect the series may not get a pick-up after the first order of 13 shows, but you know what? I'm still enjoying it. I'd hate to see it cancelled. (Though at least it won't go as fast as Inconceivable or Head Cases).

On the downside, there was a real groaner this week in the advertisement leading up to Surface, but I don't hold it against the program's creators. The announcer's voice-over (accompanying preview footage) noted that "strange phenomenons" were occurring everywhere. Strange phenomenons? Did he really say that? Uhm, NBC, hate to break it to you, but the plural of phenomenon is phenomena. That's a really bad blunder. And such a stupid mistake doesn't do Surface any favors. I think it's already on thin ice with discerning viewers.

But a lot of good stuff happened this week. And I don't just mean all the gratuitous (but glorious...) bikini shots. For instance, we learn that the sea monsters are an "invasive" species, killing off sea life like whales and dolphins. And worse, the beasties seem to be contributing to worldwide environmental damage, a kind of global warming effect. The result, according to one scientist, could be catastrophe on the scale of "The Old Testament." Yikes!

I love it. Surface has been cribbing freely from Godzilla, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and E.T. and now it takes a page from The Day After Tomorrow. I should be horrified, I suppose, but played as a continuing soap opera over a period of weeks, I'm actually hooked. My wife isn't. All she can say is that it's still "better than Supernatural." Faint praise indeed. She's putting all her chips on Invasion.

I'm just a sucker for this stuff, though. Giant omnivorous sea monsters, global warming, hot chicks in bikinis, even thinly-veiled criticism of the Bush Administration's environmental policy ("These are guys who don't believe in greenhouse gases, how are you going to make them believe this?") What's not to like?! I find it vastly entertaining in a generic Big Mac kinda way.

Anybody else still watching? My understanding is that this show isn't too popular with the rank and file...




2 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:52 PM

    This show is very interesting no matter how good or bad people think it is. It is interesting to me and i like it

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous10:58 PM

    Yeah, because we need more tv series "informing" us about our world, and Bush-bashing in the process.

    And here I was thinking that this was just entertainment, created to sell SUVs and dishwashing detergent...

    Groupthink is a dangerous thing, people. Show some individuality.

    ReplyDelete

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