Dominion (2014–2015) User Reviews

What you need to know

[dwaynemayo60 · 7/10 · 26 December 2014]

I have no idea why these reviewers that are trashing this show are so hard on it. It's a really decent TV show. I did not find it overly talkative or boring. Unless they are just having a religious issue with the show or expected it to be exactly like the movie LEGION or what?

I really don't get it. I've enjoyed the first 3 episodes, good plot, good acting , good sets, good cgi.

This is definitely a show to watch if you like sci fi/fantasy Not for kids tho, definitely. I watch a show to be entertained not to take it as an attack on my religion or to learn what God is about. If they want to make angels the enemy I got no problem with that. I mean the Devil was an angel too, right?

So to sum up , don't let the trash reviews scare you away they must have some agenda I'm not aware of because this really is a decent show if you like the genre (like how I used the word genre? shows I'm smart LOL)

If you like the pilot you'll like the show, If you don't then it's not for you. nuff said

Good Show

[ben-798-604758 · 7/10 · 24 July 2014]

There's nothing immediately spectacular about Dominion that has me raving about it, but its entertaining, and has some very nice cinematography. There's a well developed world, and its unique to the premise, and the visuals are no doubt inspired in part by baroque and renaissance art. Its actually quite different from Legion, though it takes place around 2 decades after the events in the movie, it explores a lot more and humanizes the villains and their motivations. I actually like dominion more than the movie because it paints the "8 balls" as they've come to be called, as more than monsters.

Basically the premise is, the archangel Gabriel led the host of lower angels in a war against humanity, basically blaming them for god leaving, just like Lucifer did millennia before, and Michael was the only angel to stand against them and defend humanity, helping to found the city of Vega and protect them from the possessed humans, who basically destroy most of the world, minus a few well protected cities. His solution isn't perfect, and what was meant to be a temporary caste system ends up in a full blown economic segregation leaving the ultra rich living in luxury, with the poor and abandoned living in squalor beneath. Over the years word has spread about a "chosen one" who will save mankind and end the war, with some believers, and some believing it is nothing more than a fantasy. Enter the main character, who grows up a penniless orphan, enlisting in the military just to have something to eat, who finds out he is the child they had spoken of. And then there's the higher ranks of angels who don't have black eyes, and sometimes bear wings, who up until that point hadn't been forced to pick a side.

There's definitely some movie clichés in there, but they play out in a way thats somewhat new and interesting, and touch on some topics that haven't been covered. One of the things that i like about this series is the main antagonist is a part of the ruling bureaucracy, and despite being your cliché diabolical politician, everyone basically sees through his bullshit already and tells him to cut the crap whenever he starts spouting off some lies or blackmail. Its a nice change of pace to see characters who aren't stupid and overly trusting. On the other hand, i wish there was a bit more skewed logic behind gabriel's assertion "its humanities fault god left". You'd expect a bit more from a once near omniscient being thats thousands of years old. Maybe some overly complex overthought justification, nothing near that simple and small minded. At any rate i think the directors can take some hints from the show supernatural, which at some points bears a similar premise, because they've got the angel mindset down to a science already. But its nice to see they're taking it in a different direction, and i'd be curious to see if Gabriel has any plans to release Lucifer from the pit to fight along side him. It'd certainly be in his favor.

All in all, its pretty good. The cinematography is probably the best part about this show, its very deep, saturated, elegant and classical. The opening titles especially reflect the theme, that this show might be something you'd see through the frame of a renaissance painting, rather than something of the modern age.

Much much better than expected

[Hitchslapped · 7/10 · 14 July 2014]

I've just watched episode 4 and can't wait for the next. The first thing I saw about this show was the cheesy cover art with the roman armored angel standing over this guy who is dressed like a 80s cop and I thought "meh". After a while I came across the page again and saw that Anthony Head is in it so I watched the trailer. This is when I started to like what I saw. The effects are pretty good for TV standards (it's not as well made as something like Game of Thrones but I guess that's more of an exception) and the setting is rather dark and grim.

Seeing "older" actors like Anthony Head or Alan Dale taking a big part in a series is refreshing. Most of the times they just have a supporting role and the rest is done by the generic pretty faces. If you think a series about angels gone bad sounds interesting you should definitely give this one a try. Now to the parts I didn't like. Yes, they renamed the city "Vega" which isn't that believable after just 20 years of war but I think this is something most people should be able to live with. This is after all a fantasy show and it's packed with ancient Greece themed stuff like Helena or the whole political structure of those cities so people should bare in mind that although the show seems to take place in modern day USA it's still fantasy based and not everything has to be exactly the same as we know it.

Tired of getting invested in show that get canceled

[mluinstra · 5 February 2017]

I'm so tired of watching these new shows, getting invested in them, only to have them canceled without any kind of conclusion.

It seems to be happening more and more. I'm at the point where I don't think I will bother watching any new show until there is at least 3 or 4 seasons that have been completed. I would rather binge watch them without commercials anyway.

I can list a ton of shows that I really enjoyed, and they simply pull the plug without any attempt to give us some closure. Dominion is another example of this. I agree, that the second season was a bit of a mess, but it was still a good show, and it looked like it was about to get really good again.

However, if they wanted to cancel it, fine, but for the love of all that is holy, they could have given us a couple more shows, and attempt to give us some closure.

Yup, I don't think I will start watching any new shows, unless they have a few season under their belt now. Especially if it is a SyFy show.

some potential

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 13 October 2015]

This follows the events in the movie 'Legion'. Angels have descended upon the Earth to wipe out the human race. The Archangel Michael decides to defend humanity placing his hopes in Alex Lannen who is secretly the chosen savior. Alex is a soldier in Vega, formerly Las Vegas. The city is led by Gen. Edward Riesen who is protective of his daughter Lady Claire Riesen. Senator David Whele is an ambitious political leader and his son William Whele is unstable. Archangel Gabriel aims to destroy the city by using lower angels called 8-balls.

I'm not a big fan of Legion but I kind of liked the idea. So this show continues with that idea. I like the political intrigue between Whele and Riesen. So the show has some interesting potential. I don't know why these people have gathered in Vegas. It seems like an unlikely place for people to survive. In reality, these people wouldn't have enough water to live on and they can forget about growing enough food. While the younger cast members are beautiful people, they are also a little stiff. Anthony Head and Alan Dale are great but Christopher Egan doesn't have much range. He's not powerful enough and his character Alex is a little whiny. Roxanne McKee is better as she becomes bigger than a girlfriend character. This show needs some better writing and a more compelling lead character.

Good show

[glopedent · 7/10 · 28 August 2014]

This is a first season. Some shows start out slow (like Defiance) but get better with following seasons. I like the program and feel it will get even better with time. I feel that the comments I have read are too harsh. My 40 year old son also likes the program. I like the effects and don't feel the actors are bad at all. I am wondering when we will get to see new episodes. I want to see what happens next. Let's give it a break. Many people in these days and times know very little about the bible. I feel this show may help get people interested in reading the bible which is a book of history and faith. I am not a religious fanatic or anything but the bible is referred to in our everyday life and people should be aware of it so they don't appear ignorant.

I love it

[dariana-ro · 9/10 · 30 June 2014]

As far as I can see people love or hate this show. There aren't many moderate opinions in the reviews. I can see why people who are religious may be offended by the idea that angels can turn evil and try to kill people and God would just leave but you should try to relax and not take it so seriously .

I love this show. The actors do a decent job, I like the characters , there are many ways they can develop the plot and the special effects are not so bad (I like the wings).

So God disappeared , no one knows where and why, and Gabriel and many other angels blame humans for it . Gabriel thinks God was very disappointed in humans but didn't had the heart to send another flood or something to kill them so he just left so he does not have to see them anymore . They say that hell is not fire but the pain of not being in the presence of God (or something like that) so probably for the angels in this show who spent all their life in the presence of God to suddenly be alone must be hell. That can make someone go a little crazy.

I am looking forward to the next episodes . I can't wait to see what the Whele family will do next in their quest to control the town, find out more about other towns and the tattoos . I hope we get to see Michael fight a lot in the future .

There is also talking about some black worshipers in town . It looks like some people worship Gabriel now as God and William Whele may be one of them.

If God leaving was a test many angels and humans are failing it.

Not to bad

[erdonnelly67 · 7/10 · 24 July 2014]

So we are up to episode 5, and so far, though the story is a bit weak and slow, this might end up being a decent show. Now I am a huge fan of the movie Legion, which this is based off. It picks up a few years later after the movie, and though there are some questionable choices for characters and places, it seems to be holding its own. Of course they had to add the lesbian/bi-sexual/gay characters in there, after all, they must cover their bases and be a diverse show. They have quite a bit of sex, half naked and fully naked people, which honestly, I don't see why... I would much rather let my imagination fill in the blanks then let them do it. Afterall, my imagination is soooo much nastier than anything they could come up with. I am curious why they show Michael (yes, the archangel) to be this sex crazed person, okay, maybe sex crazed is a bit much... but they show Gabriel to be a bit more reserved. Considering how they are portraying the two, I would think it would be the other way around. It is very hard for me though, being a Buffy fan, to see Mr. Head without his delicious accent, and knowing that Alex is actually from Australia. They have learned well, bravo to the voice coaches. The story itself needs to pick up a bit, and Alex needs to grow a pair. Right now I think that the "Grand Poobah" character has bigger balls than Alex, I seriously think he could take him in a fight. So after 5 episodes, I find it worth watching for now... let's just hope it picks up so there can be a season 2.

Surprised

[theartpirate · 10/10 · 21 June 2014]

I decided to watch this show just to kill a few minutes, didn't like the premise of it, and didn't expect much from the SyFy Channel.

All this changed after the first 20-30 minutes, plots, subplots, twists, complex characters and a unpredictable future were all cleverly woven into the story.

I was hooked, not so much by the special effects (they were decent), not by the acting (not bad) but by the story line. I feel there is great potential here for the development of characters within a good complex story.

I will be tuning in to see where this goes.

It was just getting better....

[parsagolzade · 7/10 · 31 July 2021]

It's a shame that this show got canceled. It was interesting and amusing just like other supernatural TV series and it was just getting better much better specifically the second season. I was really eager to see the "Evil" brother in third season.

Could be good

[robin_should · 4/10 · 20 June 2014]

Must admit I do not remember having seen the film (Legion) but it did ring a bell so I was up for a new series about, once again, saving mankind. I am a Supernatural fan and that has the same principle, bad angels, good angels, demons, God gone etc but on a more down to earth basis, and it can be really funny. This however seems to be more doomsday. It is well made, at the moment, but that can change. The main characters are OK. I am getting a bit frustrated with the same twists in plots, there seems to be so few surprises these days, you are always waiting for the traitor, the hero, who doesn't want to be a hero, and as always the love interest. If this does make it to a full season I hope the writers will at least try to surprise us. A little bit of humour would be nice too as life in what ever stage is not always deadly serious. Saw that some one mentioned all the actors are British? Not quite true but there does seem to be a a lot of Aussies staring in things these days, I'm all for it, I think they are refreshingly unpretentious, which makes their characters more believable.

Might have to re-vote depending on which way this goes.

A promising followup to Legion

[lmahesa · 10/10 · 20 June 2014]

First a disclaimer: I have no desire to be a movie critic, and I auto-avoid 'user' reviews made by wannabe critics who like to drop impressive words to show of their knowledge of the dictionary. So, I won't.

Now, here's a secondary disclaimer. I *ENJOYED* the movie 'Legion', and I had resigned myself to not getting a sequel made. A TV series? Better. Much, much better. TV gives an idea room to breathe and evolve over time.

This series took me by surprise, as I hadn't heard about it before. As soon as I finished watching the pilot, I immediately dug out Legion and watched that again. The series is entirely a continuation of the movie, set some years after. The plot makes sense, and the densely packed pilot served to set the scene very well. Then again, I watch for entertainment and don't go looking for errors, so your mileage may vary.

The set, costumes and props are all of a high standard, and there wasn't anything that caught your eye as being out of place or of poor quality. The CGI was very good, with the exception of one high-speed death scene near the beginning which flits by so fast many of you won't notice it.

There is a lot of implied sensuality, though (so far) nothing pornographic other than one costume. I feel they found a good balance there, without being crass for the sake of it.

Now, the acting. I've seen a number of shows featuring Anthony Head (David Whele), and this is his crowning achievement, I believe. In one episode, he gets you to hate him, sympathize with him, pity him... twice I flipped, from rooting against him to siding with him and back again. All this was achieved in a relatively low number of scenes. He isn't the soft touch we've become used to seeing him portray. The love interest, Claire (Roxanne McKee) has shown better abilities than Alex the lead (Christopher Egan) though I think it won't be long before he finds his place once his 'role' in the story is more firm. Casting there was an excellent choice - she even looks like her on-screen father, Alan Dale.

So far, after one episode, this has killed Defiance as it is truly Fantasy/SF, instead of just a Western with SF bits stapled on. Also, it's not a formulaic, monster-of-the-week or crime-of-the-week show... you'll have to follow to keep up.

That makes it expensive, though, and a risk for the studio.

Now. This is SyFy. Call me jaded, but the odds of this not getting canned after one or two seasons aren't great.

Another series with no conclusion

[trevorgti · 6/10 · 15 August 2020]

Besides the usual immoralissues like lesbianism It's pretty good, However, seems it's a prerequisite for almost every actor to have warts on their faces They all rich as shit and look like shit. Go fix your faces people

Post-apocalyptic mayhem meets The Birds

[dezstone-14496 · 1/10 · 7 October 2019]

A nice twist on the ever-so-tedious end of days story. Of course the catch here is that it helps if you buy into Christian mythology. So ... we have the good angels and the not so good angels. Naturally, we gotta have the good mortals and the not so good mortals....

Okay --that's as far as I've gotten with this review. I've been attempting to watch this show that promises to be very entertaining (I'm a sucker for uber sexy men with wings), but the streaming service, IMDb-Tv has this incredibly nasty, obscene if you will, habit of interrupting the program EVERY FOUR TO SEVEN MINUTES for commercial breaks! Sweet jeezus on a boogie board! Commercial television doesn't even go that far. WTF?!

To maintain continuity while viewing a storyline with any depth at all is virtually impossible with so many interruptions.

tentatively promising pilot.

[tomhg38 · 19 June 2014]

Dominion seems to be the successor to the 2010 film "Legion".

For those that don't remember it the plot is as follows, God abandons the Angels and they decide its mankind's fault, and thus the apocalypse is born. One angel alone amongst his brethren sides with humanity, and comes to a remote diner to protect one expecting mother whose child is prophesized to be mankind's only hope of survival.

Dominion is set a significant while after the invasion, where by all accounts the demonic (angelic) invasion wiped out all but a few walled off highly defensible cities holding the last of human kind (the one we see bares a strong resemblance to Fallout's New Vegas), and then became somewhat dormant.

The show has believable sets and effects, some interesting stylistic choices on armor and swords and city architecture. The plot isn't incredibly unique, but its not derivative enough that you will know the seasons plot after one episode. Although you likely will guess whats happening throughout the episode 30 seconds before it does happen, nothing is all that surprising.

Decent fight scenes, acting that's up to par, multiple sources of adversity from the Angelic threat to your own people, with one particularly self deluded villain that you will instantly not like. They highlight some social issues like caste systems and economic disparities, which might become important to the story later down the road.

Everything about the pilot is promising, if you're into fantasy entertainment this probably will excite you. Word of caution, only the pilot is released, and its from the Syfy network which doesn't bring its A game often (ever?). The only recently decent show from Syfy was Helix, which started out equally powerfully with no overt mistakes and a promising premise, but the more episodes of it you saw the more obvious it was that the possibilities you imagined in response to all the mysteries the show introduced were vastly superior to the illogical garbled mess the story turned into by the end of the season. I enjoyed the pilot, but if you're short on time wait for a while to see if the show maintains its quality.

Not without flaws

[CrazyDane666 · 6/10 · 2 October 2015]

First i must say, that Dominion shows a lot of potential....

I love post apocalypse movies and TV-shows, and i think that Dominion takes a interesting twist on this theme.

But there are ONE big flaw that goes on in this show. (And many other TV-shows by the way) And it's actually very simple, more important characters should die! Yes i said DIE (And stay dead!)... Especially high thrilling action/fantasy/post apocalypse TV-shows! There is a reason why "Game of Thrones" and "The Walking Dead" is so popular and high rated. Is because of the unpredictable tension it gets, when the show kills some of the important characters... (And of cause the great act and writing etc.)

But in Dominion, you KNOW that no one is gonna die, and stay dead! (so far) And that's really a huge shame, because i really think that it has a great potential!.. But sadly it does not give me that thrilling excitement that it should..

But if you like post apocalypse and biblical theme, then this show might be something for you to watch.

Sorry if my English is not that great!

If you like gritty, post-apocalyptic mythology with a great level of depth, this is the show for you!

[TJ_TeeJay · 10/10 · 19 July 2015]

25 years ago, God disappeared. That's Dominion's opening line, and the introduction to the show's mythology. Now, you may be thinking, okay, this is a show about religion and angels and Christian belief. But before you judge all too quickly, let me stop you right there. Because it's not.

First and foremost, Dominion is a show about humanity trying to survive in a harsh, post-apocalyptic world. Mankind is caught in the middle of an ugly war waging between the Archangel Gabriel and the Archangel Michael. What is left of society is trying to overcome the hardships they face every day in the few cordoned off enclaves that withstood the invasion of Gabriel's lower angels. And it's Michael who tries to protect them to the best of his ability, waiting for the Chosen One, the savior of mankind, to be revealed.

Dominion is based on the movie Legion and continues the film's mythology, jumping ahead 25 years in time. Season 1 shows us the world of Vega (the former Las Vegas), which gives a home to many of the survivors of the Extermination War. While the people in the lower castes lives a rather measly life, the royalty of the city plot their schemes and get caught up in politics. It's ugly and complicated and ultimately explosive in these unstable times.

And while it's the political battles that keep Vega busy, Gabriel is plotting his next strike against the humans with his surviving army of higher and lower angels. All hope is now upon the Chosen One, who goes by the name of Alex Lannon, and who is struggling to understand what role the tattoos on his body may be playing in saving the earth and mankind from further destruction.

As we move into season 2, the show gets darker, grittier, and more powerful. The Dominion universe is extended to other cities and towns in what's left of North America. We discover the seemingly peaceful town of Mallory, AL, which raises a lot of questions. And then there's the unruly, messy underground city of New Delphi with its eccentric leader Julian. The power play has only just begun.

Would I recommend Dominion as a show to watch? Yes, absolutely! Its universe draws you in and wants you to learn more about the world of Vega and the Cradle. The characters are all intriguing with a lot of depth to them. I was hooked from the very first episode, and that says a lot because I was more than skeptical when I started watching it (and only did so because it came highly recommended by a friend).

If you haven't given it a try yourself, I can only recommend that you do so to form your own opinion. And if you're interested in learning more about the show, drop by dominionfans.com or syfy.com/dominion, which are both excellent starting points for finding out just what exactly you're in for.

Epic

[jvanree-709-423329 · 10/10 · 23 August 2014]

This series has been an amazing surprise. I can see why it's not for everybody, but if you like post apocalyptic series with a dark side to characters... Then this is your piece of cake.

The Angels are portrayed as bad ass creatures which goes against cultural views current society has of them (as cute winged beings that protect you). Even if you see a "good" angel it has a dark lining around it.

The storyline is interesting and doesn't lose momentum on the go. Not once does it get boring or predictive. There are plot twists and unexpected moves. Very interesting.

The acting work is done pretty well. Especially Tom Wisdom (who I didn't see on screen before) is promising.

The setting of the series is awesome. The post apocalyptic theme has really been incorporated into the set in great detail *tumbleweed passes by*. Really thumbs up for the set builders.

All in all I'd say it's a must see.

yet again

[nalwro · 1/10 · 12 July 2020]

When things get really interesting, show was canceled. fak dat.

Strong writing and strong acting

[shivdancer · 10/10 · 19 July 2015]

The 2nd season is, quite plainly, kicking Season One's arse.

Grittier than the last, with a flow that carries one like white water rapids, I am continually impressed with the talent featured in this series. From writing to acting, SFX to score, this is cinematic quality bar none.

I cannot say enough how NOT hokey the wings are. These are some of the best wings I've seen on any screen. The camera shots in general are breathtaking and the characters?

Let me confess that I am not supposed to love Julian (Simon Scott Merrels) but I do. A bit of Iggy Pop, a bit of Bowie, stir in some Sid Vicious sleaze, and you have this wonderful character that draws you in from the first time he hits the screen.

I hope you will join us on SyFy Thursday, livetweet with cast and crew, and see what a masterpiece this is.

Marginally watchable

[lekavalio · 5/10 · 14 February 2016]

A series that draws its plot from a liberal interpretation of the biblical tradition is bound to attract some attention. A big fan of the Prophecy saga with Walken in the role of Gabriel I was excited to hear about this show that would indulge my craving for bigger doses of heretic theology.

Unfortunately the show failed to deliver. It brings nothing new to the scene, no new ideas or concepts; it simply recycles the age old cliché of the war of good and evil and some "chosen one". Add a trivial love story to the mix along with some kitsch aesthetics and pompous acting and presto! You get Dominion.

I could have overlooked the trivial plot had the Dominion offered it in a more enticing package. Unfortunately such a thing didn't happen. The show is burdened with a slow pace, many uninteresting subplots, undeveloped characters that you'll never miss once they're gone and to top it all up, unbearable pretentious British accent for no bloody good reason!

I am surprised this show saw a second season when other much more interesting series get cancelled.

Season 2 is ROCKING IT!

[nitrin24 · 29 August 2015]

Each episode has upped the ante and revealed even more of the post-apocalyptic world. The ensemble cast is phenomenal and the overall theme has gotten much darker than the first season. It feels like the writers streamlined the story and upped the emotional payoff for each episode. Truly enjoying where it is going and I hope it'll get a third season.

There seem to be a lot of reviews about religion and nay-saying regarding this show with people going out of their way to tank the ratings on here because of their idea of what the show is about. The show isn't about religion in the preaching sense, nor does it strictly follow the bible or any other doctrine. It has its own canon and own set of rules. If you can set that aside and look at it from JUST A STORYTELLING PERSPECTIVE, then hopefully you can enjoy the brilliance for what it is: A GREAT STORY.

Dominion.

[dorfliedot · 10/10 · 13 July 2015]

I love Dominion from the beginning. It best show I have ever watch. It keeps me on my toes. and, show keeps getting better with each Episodes. Season 2 hit off with a big bang. I love how Michael came out wilderness to a little down. Makes me wanna see more . I wonder what the town people are going feel after they find out that Michael is Angel.and, what ALex will think of Michael once he runs into him. Clair ,has proving herself to be a strong women to lead Vega. David netherless has proved he can be as sinister as they come.As for Gabriel he is out for blood. What attic will he go to just to destroy Vega. I guess we gotta wait and see. Something I am look forward too.

Best new show this season.

[marge-atkinson · 8/10 · 9 July 2014]

I heard about this show because of a random review on io9. It's great, a worth successor to the movie 'Legion'. As a television series it plays very well to the plot introduced in the movie. So much so that I went back and watched Legion again just to catch any details I may have missed the first time through, and even just to appreciate the attention to detail they have put in to this new series. Be warned if you do go back and watch the movie, there will be some give-a ways. The depth is there, and the continuation of the plot line from the movie is rewarding and engaging. Fingers crossed that the writing, production, everything keeps getting better and better.

Dumbinion...

[Rob_Taylor · 4/10 · 26 June 2014]

So, knowing this was a spin off I went back and watched Legion before watching the pilot of this series. I then lowered my expectations (going from film to TV is always going to be a little disappointing) and sat down to watch.

Oh my! There is a good idea in the basic premise of the show, but good lord did they do their best to kill it.

For starters, it's been just twenty years or so since the destruction of civilisation at the hands of angels. Humans are clustered into small enclaves for survival. Angels are everywhere and they hate us. And so on and so forth...

So why, in such a short time span, did the humans feel it necessary to rename Las Vegas to just Vega? Do their scavenging parties get lost when they go outside the walls? I can imagine someone looking at a map (which they probably still use to navigate) and going "Hmmm. Can't find Vega on the map, just this Las Vegas place. How do we get home?" It's just ridiculous.

Equally ridiculous (and laugh-worthy) are the angels themselves. Having decided to "Kill All Humans!", they seem, for the most part, to have been turned into drooling, demonic caricatures of themselves. There is little frightening about watching such a black-eyed, soulless demon murdering innocents on TV. How about if they'd actually retained the angels more traditional image of a shining paragon of good, radiating power? Wouldn't that have had more impact than some frothing, drooling thing? Okay, back to the twenty years have passed thing...

The survivors seem, in this limited time frame, to have reverted to a form of upper and lower caste system mish-mashed together with a healthy dose of ancient Rome. It's a pitiful attempt at showing a dystopian society that just makes you shake your head all the time they spam it in your face.

And just who was it that decided that all such societies have to have manipulating, power-hungry people in them that serve their own ends rather than the people they supposedly protect? It just shrieks of lazy writing. Save me from writers that think political intrigue is required in every show. Just cause Game of Thrones has it doesn't mean you need it in everything.

So, the pilot plods along pedestrianly for the most part, introducing us to the cast and the setting but doing little to keep your interest. The characters are uniformly bland and uninteresting and it is difficult to like any of them, except maybe for the "Newt" analogue.

Towards the end, our hero receives the gift of magic tattoos that will reveal to him how to save humanity from the evil angel scourge. Except, going on the strength of the first bit that he deciphers I suspect the tattoos are going to be a Macguffin designed to further the plot whenever needed by telling the hero where to go and what to do. Either that or he's just gotten himself a full body Magic Eight Ball to dispense pearls of needless wisdom such as the "Beware those closest to you" as happened at the end here. Sheesh!

I had hopes for this show after re-watching Legion, but this is just dire. It's going to bog down in political machination and not go anywhere fast. It will be interminable. Expect nothing much to happen all season. If I were writing it there'd at least be a season's end payoff - maybe a Pompeii-like destruction of Vega and the survivors left having to fend for themselves in the "outdoors" in the last episode. Something worth watching all the dreary in-between episodes that we are sure to get. But I doubt that will happen.

EDIT: So I forced myself to watch episodes two and three. Briefly, we are allowed to leave the drearily-envisioned Vega, but only so that the hero can be forced to return there. Oh God! It's so tedious and obvious! Three episodes, I'm afraid, is my limit, which makes it even less watchable than Helix, in my book.

SUMMARY: Tries hard not to be a formula show, but fails very quickly. A nice idea, maybe, but hampered by dire-logue and stupidity, it is sure to have a short run.