Defiance does it defy me?

Well, Syfy has a new show and I'm giving it my standard Three Episode rule. This is the ability of a show to pull me in, impress, make me consistently laugh, or surprise me in just three episodes. If they do then I generally stick around and support them. Sadly, many shows never make the third episode.

 

Now over the years the SciFi and Syfy network has given me many shows to try. I would say that 99% of them fail to hit the Three Episode rule. Battlestar, Farscape and Haven have passed the test. However, Battlestar ran it's wonderful course, Farscape was canned and Haven is now off my list of shows as it turned to crap pretty quickly into season two. This isn't to say that I haven't given many of the SciFi/SyFy shows a chance. They have just failed to entice me. I'm just particular when it comes to scifi/fantasy and it takes a lot to pull me in and very little to drive me away.

 

Well now they have Defiance and I'm two episodes in and they almost have me. Why? Is it that great? Well so far no. Does it have great acting? Not really. Is there a super cool story? Not yet. Wait, it has awesome effects right? No better than any other show on the network. Well why are you still watching it? Good question there. Is it the video game and t.v. show tie-n thing they have going? No! It definitely is not that.

 

This is just a big mash of Firefly and  Alien Nation meets a bit of Deep Space 9, and then adds just a smattering of Farscape,Stargate and a helping of Mass Effect. It is Earth after a bunch of terraforming aliens went nuts. Then there was some kind of alien incursion/exodus/war. Now Earth is all trashed and there are all sorts of aliens and humans milling about. Then add in the changed crazy terraformed flora and fauna that cause problems and the fact that stuff from space is always falling. Finally, you have St. Loius or the remains of it as the backdrop for all alien on alien on human tension. I guess that is the gist of the show so far. Well it is what I've taken away from it.

 

I guess I'm feeling nostalgic and missing some campy fun science fiction. I have Dr. Who and will always, but it isn't always enough. There hasn't been a good Star Trek on for years. I'm missing that. Battlestar was phenomenal and has no real comparison. Farscape was just good fun and the Henson Co. puppets, sets and costumes were great.This Defiance show, so far, is filling the campy,fun and cool science fiction hole I am recently craving. I might come to my senses and realize it is drek and walk away. However, it is likely it will pass the Three Episode rule. Sadly, I'm still not entirely sure why.