NationStates Jolt Archive

Is anyone watching this? By 'this' I mean Flash Gordon on the SciFi channel.

There is a certain smug pride I had in them doing it at all because of the Battlestar Galactica connection (the original BSG was produced by the same person who produced the Buck Rodgers series and I thought they should give that the same treatment that they did BSG. Flash Gordon is very close, hell, Buster Crabbe played both of them (and a guy named Gordon in the Buck Rodgers series))

After watching a few episodes (well, all two that aired) my feelings are underwhelmed. It's not bad, per se, it doesn't manage to be much of anything.

The production design is lackluster and a little lazy, and I personally think that this is the one thing that you can't get wrong with Flash Gordon. You can change the context and characters a bit, make it less campy if you want, but the design has to be lavish-Ming's world has to be ornate. I don't object to making him a cracker, the orientalism of the original really wouldn't fly. But he delivers his lines in a near flatline and he resembles a sports agent than he does someone whose name is followed by 'the Merciless.'

I want it to work, I really do. I like Flash Gordon, I have the old serials (and if we're to be honest, they are CHEESY, the dialog is worse than bad, etc.).

I checked IMDb and it has the usual Haterade that IMDb is good for, and NSG, being on the internet, has its share of Haterade as well, but I thought I'd check in with y'all and see if anyone was even giving this a chance.

Saw one episode. my impression?

Prof Zarkon was too... bumbling, in my opinion.

Flash... no opinions yet.

Dale... Glad they didn't keep her a simpering love intrest.

Ming... a different type of "Merciless" more cold and calculating than just cruel.

still working on my feelings about this whole portal back and forth thing...

zomg, I just remembered Buck Rogers and the pornographic robot......

thanks so much.

haven't seen the new Flash yet, been avoiding it.

huh now got that dam song in my head

Is anyone watching this? By 'this' I mean Flash Gordon on the SciFi channel.

There is a certain smug pride I had in them doing it at all because of the Battlestar Galactica connection (the original BSG was produced by the same person who produced the Buck Rodgers series and I thought they should give that the same treatment that they did BSG. Flash Gordon is very close, hell, Buster Crabbe played both of them (and a guy named Gordon in the Buck Rodgers series))

After watching a few episodes (well, all two that aired) my feelings are underwhelmed. It's not bad, per se, it doesn't manage to be much of anything.

The production design is lackluster and a little lazy, and I personally think that this is the one thing that you can't get wrong with Flash Gordon. You can change the context and characters a bit, make it less campy if you want, but the design has to be lavish-Ming's world has to be ornate. I don't object to making him a cracker, the orientalism of the original really wouldn't fly. But he delivers his lines in a near flatline and he resembles a sports agent than he does someone whose name is followed by 'the Merciless.'

I want it to work, I really do. I like Flash Gordon, I have the old serials (and if we're to be honest, they are CHEESY, the dialog is worse than bad, etc.).

I checked IMDb and it has the usual Haterade that IMDb is good for, and NSG, being on the internet, has its share of Haterade as well, but I thought I'd check in with y'all and see if anyone was even giving this a chance.

Not quite sure what you're on about here... Is the SFC running the 1980 classic with soundtrack by Queen, as implied in the title and poll, or something else not quite explained in the thread? :confused:

(And there's no poll option for "The OP is a person who actually gets SFC, unlike the rest of us poor slobs!" :p)

zomg, I just remembered Buck Rogers and the pornographic robot......

thanks so much.

haven't seen the new Flash yet, been avoiding it.

... well that robot did like a little head. :p

I liked the Buck Roger's series... untill they got into that whole "exploring space like Star Trek" thing.

I tried to sit through the first episode and I made it only as far as the third commercial break.

I think one of th ebig items that got to me was the miserable Spanish grammar. Remember in episode 1, the truck driver that found the little gizmo and brought it to Dale? Yeah, him. His Spanish grammer was unbecoming even to a 2-year-old native speaker. Why is that such a big deal? Because there's just no excuse for writing that's either rushed so badly or written so lazily that they couldn't take the time to get proper grammer of the #2 most commonly spoken language in the Western Hemisphere.

That was sort of emblematic of the writing in general, IMHO.

Not quite sure what you're on about here... Is the SFC running the 1980 classic with soundtrack by Queen, as implied in the title and poll, or something else not quite explained in the thread? :confused:

(And there's no poll option for "The OP is a person who actually gets SFC, unlike the rest of us poor slobs!" :p)

New series. Ming isn't invading, Papa Gordon (with Zarkov) opened a dimensional rift, so far most of the action takes place here on Earth. Looks like they're going for a more complex Father/Daughter relationship with Ming and the princess. So far Ming hasn't tried to make Dale his bride.

... well that robot did like a little head. :p


bidbidibidi...give up that ass!

I've yet to watch it directly but it has yet to draw my attention.

Anybody ever see 'Flesh Gordon?' It was like one of the last 'X' rated movies released in regular theaters...

Anybody ever see 'Flesh Gordon?' It was like one of the last 'X' rated movies released in regular theaters...

I remember the box helping to jumpstart puberty at the video store when I was a kid.

I love Queen

Ming... a different type of "Merciless" more cold and calculating than just cruel.

But still doesn't work.

And that set. It looks like he's ruling the world from his freaking basement!

I've said it a million times before and I'll likely say it again.

Excepting the first few seasons of The X-Files and twenty or so episodes of Next Generation and DS9, all Sci-Fi on television sucks. It's always campy, poorly acted, derivative crap with poor production values.

I've said it a million times before and I'll likely say it again.

Excepting the first few seasons of The X-Files and twenty or so episodes of Next Generation and DS9, all Sci-Fi on television sucks. It's always campy, poorly acted, derivative crap with poor production values.

Battlestar Galactica makes even your cited exceptions look silly. With some exceptions it is well acted (I don't like Starbuck) and avoids being campy. The secret relying on the drama and not the 'science'. And the production values are pretty good.

Battlestar Galactica makes even your cited exceptions look silly. With some exceptions it is well acted (I don't like Starbuck) and avoids being campy. The secret relying on the drama and not the 'science'. And the production values are pretty good.

Don't you talk bad about Starbuck, now.

I haven't watched it because I have two other things (apparently) recording on the DVR at the same time. But I didn't have high hopes for it, based on the show's website. That said, if you like the campy sort of thing in Sci-Fi, I highly recommend the episode of Voyager where Janeway is forced to play the Queen of the Spiders in Parris's holo-novel.

Just watched this week's episode and actually enjoyed it. It isn't spectacular, but it's freaking Flash Gordon, it's supposed to be mindless fun and not much more. Seems to fit well with its slot directly after the new Dr. Who.

Don't you talk bad about Starbuck, now.
She's fighting an uphill battle. She looks exactly like a dude I went to high school with and it's disturbing.

I haven't watched it because I have two other things (apparently) recording on the DVR at the same time. But I didn't have high hopes for it, based on the show's website. That said, if you like the campy sort of thing in Sci-Fi, I highly recommend the episode of Voyager where Janeway is forced to play the Queen of the Spiders in Parris's holo-novel.

I have a knack for missing that episode, which irritates me.

Just watched this week's episode and actually enjoyed it. It isn't spectacular, but it's freaking Flash Gordon, it's supposed to be mindless fun and not much more. Seems to fit well with its slot directly after the new Dr. Who.

It's not much fun, though. Too much Earth, not enough Mongo. And Mongo looks too Logan's Run, just bland.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XPrpaOfifls

Just a man with a man's courage
nothing but a man
But he can never fail ...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XPrpaOfifls

Just a man with a man's courage
nothing but a man
But he can never fail ...

Quality (http://youtube.com/watch?v=K_VF8ZUJW-k&mode=related&search=)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XPrpaOfifls

Just a man with a man's courage
nothing but a man
But he can never fail ...
Thank you so much for that link.
Another one for the "awesome" folder.

http://epguides.com/DuckDodgers/cast.jpg
I'll stick to my Duck Dodgers, kthnx.

Flash, Ah-ah, he'llsaveveryoneofus

Well, the third episode picked up a bit. At least half of it was on Mongo with Flash getting captured and changing costumes, negotiating and judo fighting his way out of things (did he really open had chop a guard? Yes, yes he did. This isn't a complaint, actually. I never wanted Flash Gordon to be 'realistic'.), the friendly-then unfriendly-then friendly other tribes (VERY Flash Gordon).

Everything was still delivered with that kind of dull flatline, even the guy who was supposed to be happy the whole time seemed...I don't know, the whole show has a dull sheen to it.

But it did pick up a bit.

Ah fuck it. It's not like there's anything else on Friday night.

Hmmm...Stargate Atlantis is going to come back...SciFi Friday is going to be too full, Staregate Atlantis, Dr. Who, Flash Gordon, Painkiller Jane, and Battlestar Galactica (by the time that comes back one of those other shows should cycle out of its season)...I wonder how all of that will work out.

My impression? Eh. I "watched" the first episode - meaning it was so blah that I was constantly distracted - by the phone book, by the classified ads in the local paper, by the grass growing in my front yard, by a fly flying around the living room light. I couldn't begin to tell you what happened.

My impression? Eh. I "watched" the first episode - meaning it was so blah that I was constantly distracted - by the phone book, by the classified ads in the local paper, by the grass growing in my front yard, by a fly flying around the living room light. I couldn't begin to tell you what happened.

Bland (or Blah) certainly describes it, and if one show can't be dry or bland it's Flash Gordon. Even the slightly improved third episode has that problem.

Hmmm...Stargate Atlantis is going to come back...SciFi Friday is going to be too full, Staregate Atlantis, Dr. Who, Flash Gordon, Painkiller Jane, and Battlestar Galactica (by the time that comes back one of those other shows should cycle out of its season)...I wonder how all of that will work out.
Jane is going to run onto it's season finale well before Galactica starts back.

Jane is going to run onto it's season finale well before Galactica starts back.

Thus the parenthetical...

But still doesn't work.
If you compare it to the Classic Ming. but I can see where the actor/writers are trying to take this character.

Thank you so much for that link.
Another one for the "awesome" folder.you r welcome.

If you compare it to the Classic Ming. but I can see where the actor/writers are trying to take this character.

From Ming the Merciless to Ming the Casually Dispassionate?

From Ming the Merciless to Ming the Casually Dispassionate?
Casually Dispassionate?

no. he's more... realistic. more calculating and cold than just Merciless.

Casually Dispassionate?

no. he's more... realistic. more calculating and cold than just Merciless.

Honestly I was just amused at myself...

Honestly I was just amused at myself...

honestly... I need to go home an sleep. sorry... :p

Flash! AaaaAaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

He'll save everyone of us!