I had a lot of hope for this show when it first debuted. It has the talented Amanda Tapping at the helm and it started out with a really cool, creepy goth feeling to it that pre-dates a lot of the current vampiremania that's all over the big and little screens. Problem is, it feels like it's lost a lot of that uniqueness. The story lines can be very entertaining (especially when Tesla's in them) or they can feel like 20 minutes of story fluffed up to fill the hour-long slot that Sanctuary inhabits. Tapping's character is engaging but, as someone else noted in the comments section, it's all over the place and kind of distracting. I like Robin Dunne's character too, as the "everyman" former government nerd who gets sucked into a really strange and wild ride when he agrees to join forces with Team Magnus. Christopher Heyerdahl is just plain great playing shadowy "are they or aren't they" villainous types so it's good to see him move beyond his previously entertaining role as "Todd the Wraith" in SG:Atlantis. With no intended disrespect, I just can't cotton to either of the fast-talking, too-cool-for-school younger female characters played by Emilie Ullerup (first season) and Agam Darshi (later seasons). The actresses themselves were fine but the both of their characters (Ashley and Kate)were/are neither sympathetic nor likable. Here are two characters that could be great but the writers spend too much time trying to make them edgy and sarcastic rather than strong, capable and wry. Bummer. I hope the story lines get a little more interesting and I hope the writers at least try to build on the backgrounds of the characters more as well. Until then, I'll watch it when it gets back to it's truly interesting roots.
