Terra Nova

[McAvoy]

I liked the beginning. The rest is ok. I see great potential at least.

[Lighthawk]

I proclaim it, good enough. I was amused, equal parts "this is cool" and "this is bad enough to be fun to mock".

Of course going back in time and having to deal with dinosaurs isn't good enough, there has to be more...seriously, it doesn't matter if its dinosaurs, zombies, aliens, demons; it's the freaking other people that always ends up being the big problem. *sigh*

I must say, I am not impressed with Terra Nova (the outpost, not the show). Considering what's living outside the place, the defenses they have set up are really inadequate. And they seriously just let something the size of a Brachiosaurus just wonder up to the wall? I know it's a herbivore, but that thing was big enough to smash through the log wall they had set up by accident, let alone if something pisses it off.

I'm glad they addressed the alternate timeline issue, though I'm not sure I buy the "reasoning" behind them being certain about it.

While I can understand that the time rift thing means they have to deal with dinosaurs, why exactly did they not build Terra Nova where the rift lets out? Instead they force the new arrivals, who are struggling to get used to the oxygen over rich air, to hike through thick jungle with just some assault rifle armed troops? After seeing the general lack of effect those weapons had on even the smaller predators, they're just asking for one of the new arrival groups to get ambushed and eaten.

[Mikey]

:raises hand:

OK, I didn't watch this and I probably won't. I just have to ask... why were people struggling to get used to over-oxygenated air? People can well tolerate pure oxygen with little more than a bit of nervous energy - having 25% instead of 23% O₂ or whatever it was should be a benefit, not a hindrance.

[Tyyr]

26% but yeah, it's a fairly stupid point.

I honestly like it. As a pilot this did everything it needed to do, set things up, answer the big questions about the setting, establish the characters, etc. It's rough, but it's a pilot. The CGI is serviceable but not great, then again consider how much of the budget had to be spent on the real portion of Terra Nova and all the CGI setting up the crapsack future. I have hopes it will improve as will the rest of the show.

To me it's good enough to keep watching with a lot of promise.

[stitch626]

One thing on the brachs, if you look closely, they are in a pen, not just up against the wall. Seem to be like cows I guess... or something.

[Lighthawk]

:raises hand:

OK, I didn't watch this and I probably won't. I just have to ask... why were people struggling to get used to over-oxygenated air? People can well tolerate pure oxygen with little more than a bit of nervous energy - having 25% instead of 23% O₂ or whatever it was should be a benefit, not a hindrance.

I'm assuming it's an oversimplification for the fact that the atmosphere was much thicker way back then. Whether or not that would actually be a problem, I don't know.

One thing on the brachs, if you look closely, they are in a pen, not just up against the wall. Seem to be like cows I guess... or something.

...I deleted it from my dvr already but, you sure? Cause I can't imagine what purpose that would serve, or even how they could have managed it. And I sure don't recall a big ass dino pen from any of the several overhead views we got of the compound.

[Mikey]

Mmmm... brontosaurus burgers... did they have someone at a drive-in, being served a rack of ribs large enough to tip the car?

[Lighthawk]

Nah, only the dinosaurs got any service, and only after running the waiters down.

[McAvoy]

The over-oxygenizated air is possibly a result from them coming from an environment where their bodies were so used to the pollution. Hell they needed CO2. The human body can breathe 100% oxygen and it does have some benefits like enhanced senses.

I agree with the walls. At first I thought they were metal but they are just logs. That or anything for that matter can really stop any dinosaur when pissed or scared of something.

I am curious on what these writings are all about.

[Tsukiyumi]

I am curious on what these writings are all about.

So am I. Very Lost-esque.

Made-up dinosaurs, and production complaints (and Brannon Braga's involvement) aside, I think it could be good; the acting could also use some work, IMO. Most of the cast seems to be phoning it in.

[Tyyr]

We know of less than 500 dinosaur species from 166 million years of dinosaur existence. Right now, on the earth, there are about 6,000 species of mammals. Right now there are 12 times more species of mammals alive than dinosaurs we know about. I think it's probably safe to say that we know of less than 1% of all dinosaur species that ever lived. I'd say more like less than a hundredth of 1% but that's not really necessary for the point.

So before you cry, "Made up dinosaurs, a paleontologist is crying," remember we know only slightly more than jack shit about them.

Even if their lungs are used to heavily polluted air they are at most increasing their oxygen intake 50%. You can take a mask and immediately start to breath 100% oxygen, increasing your intake 500% with maybe a light head at worst.

I have trouble imagining them keeping the brachiosuars as cattle, they were far closer to what Jensen's Ultrasauros would have been like than brachisaurs. Even the smaller brachisaur weighed in around 30 tons. Assuming you can utilize even half that weight it would give you sixty pounds of meat for every man, woman, and child in Terra Nova. Enough for six months at today's high consumption rates. Given how rare an orange is I have trouble imagining a lot of beef is normal for these people so figure 9 months to a year at their rates of consumption. And the big question is how you keep 15 to 20 tons of meat preserved that long. A freezer would be kind of an ass pull. None of which addresses exactly how you kill the thing. I have yet to see them show off an ordinance that would do more than piss off a brachiosuar. And that would be a wonderful idea, to piss off a 30 ton animal like that.

The Fences don't bother me all that much. Yes, most of the larger species COULD probably smash through. However it's not really an issue. Look at most cattle fences, your average bull could lean on it and push it over. Why don't they? They're animals, they don't know that it's possible for them to do it and they aren't going to risk injury trying. Without some serious over-riding reason to attempt it, usually fear for their lives, most animals aren't going to bust through a fence just for fun.

No, the real defense issue that bothers me is the lack of a dry moat. A ten foot deep, twenty foot wide dry moat would solve 95% of their defense problems right there.

[Lighthawk]

The made up dinosaurs don't bother me. I hardly think we can claim to know of every dinosaur species that ever lived, hell we can't even claim to know of every current species of animal living on the planet. Plus you know, alternate time line.

Edit: bah, ninja'ed by Tyyr

Some of the acting was a bit rough though. Colonel Qua...I mean, Nathaniel Taylor's big speech by the falls was pretty bad. And every time the daughter tries to go into nerd mode it just doesn't work.

[Tsukiyumi]

The made up dinosaurs bit didn't bother me that much, though there are plenty of real, known species they could've gone with for the same dramatic effect.

I liked it, no doubt, and I hope they move forward with it. Just don't focus on the damn kids so much.

[Tyyr]

Just don't focus on the damn kids so much.

This x100. If those damn teenagers wind up being the focus of the show that could actually fuck it up enough for me to drop it.

[Lighthawk]

I liked it, no doubt, and I hope they move forward with it. Just don't focus on the damn kids so much.

2nd that, heartily. The son's a whiny nancy-boy and the elder daughter's nerd moments are so badly forced it feels like she's trying to put on that act IC.

The youngest daughter is okay though.

Main reason I stopped watching No Ordinary Family was the kid focus story lines. Compared to what their parents were doing, I honestly just couldn't give a damn about the kids. Same thing with TN, there is enough going on without lame teen drama.