Slice and Dice

One of my complaints about the show is its lack of originality.  There’s something to be said about a show that has all the right ingredients for a hit, but lacks the extra bit of flare to really hit it out of the park.  ‘It’s Only the Beginning’, however, is once again an improvement from the previous episode by giving us a few unique moments involving the Visitors.  Sadly, viewers never get to see the skinning of a Visitor, but the implication is enough to send a chill down your spine.  Anna (played brilliantly by Morena Baccarin) just gets creepier every week, yet her serene calm–as displayed during the bliss–is as intriguing as her manipulation.  Indeed, Anna V’s trump card and so far, it’s been put to good use.

The Big Picture

Yep, there’s nothing like a big pullout to make the perfect cliffhanger.  Pulling out several galaxies, however, is at a whole new level.  If nothing else, the episode ends on a perfect note to attempt and draw back viewers come March.  While I’m still frustrated over the horrible scheduling, I can’t really complain about the effort at hand. The characters are beginning to fall into place and the special effects get better and better.  No, I don’t find the writing to be brilliant, but it’s stable enough for me to remain committed to the show.

“It’s Only the Beginning’ definitely has the punch of a finale.  So far, the show has done everything it can to prepare for the coming hibernation.  Only time will tell whether it has the staying power after the hiatus.  For now, I will happily wait to welcome V back.

Rating: 9/10

The Double Take

The show makes you question virtually everyone’s allegiance.  While I couldn’t call all the twists surprising, they often imploy new characters and vocabulary that are still beyond our total comprehension.  For example, a resistance group called the 5th Column is introduced to be a long standing army against the V’s.  The rebel V’s are somehow ‘disconnected’ from the rest of its species.  In addition, the 5th Column have moles within the Mothership.  The more the playing field is revealed, the more complex it becomes, and that is what ultimately makes the series more intriguing week by week.

The Blank Face

Again, originality is not what I would use to describe the V’s, but the complexity of their society and the hollow yet precise performances of the actors make this species a very viable opponent for the human race.  I had my doubts at first, but the V’s are anything but dull.  Couple that with the growing performances of Elizabeth Mitchell (Erica) and the rest of her human companions, V is definitely on the up and up in my book.

The quality of V so far makes its impending long hiatus even more frustrating.  I can only hope the series survives the long gap in the long haul.  ‘A Bright New Day’ proves that the show has the legs to really grab viewers.

Rating: 9.1/10

Progression

To be clear, I still have mixed feelings about the series.  Not only is its all-too-soon haitus (planned only four episodes into the show) making me hesitant to emotionally commit, there is nothing in particular that I found exceptional in this episode.  All I can say is that I was entertained.  There is a continuation of every storyline, and the pacing is welled planned and exudes intrigue.  Could the miniseries before it have something to do with this?  I think so.

Preachy-esque

The thing that bugs me most about dialogue is when its overly didactic.  Yes, you don’t want to confuse the audience, but we’re not a bunch of kindergarten casual viewers either.  In my opinion, V is right on the cusp.  It’s a little obvious, but not too painful to listen to.  In fact, the episode is a slight step up from the pilot in terms of treating the audience like intelligent viewers.  It’s not even close to being as sophisticated as Lost, but there is a reason the series cannot pick up viewers as well.  Finding a balance is difficult, and V is certainly trying.

Do I want more?  Yes, and hopefully America agrees enough to keep the show alive.  The word I’ll use is potential.  V has plenty of it and hopefully it continues to satisfy my sci-fi fix.

Rating: 8.5/10

Most of you know of the franchise’s origin, so I’ll skip the introductions and get right down to the nitty gritty.  The pilot is good.  Truly.

Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice

What the pilot does especially well is remaining consistently solid in every aspect of the piece.  Production value?  Very high.  Writing?  A few spotty moments here and there, but there’s a nice balance between the mythology and personal development.  Acting?  Pretty solid throughout.  While the pilot does not excel in any particular department, as a whole package, it is quite entertaining.  It doesn’t rely on one gimmick (ahem, Flash Forward) and hope for the best.  There’s competency in more aspects than one and that alone sets it apart from its competitors.

Femme Fetale

The cast also helps to elevate the story.  While I had full confidence in Elizabeth Mitchell (but Juliet *sniff*), the remaining cast members also perform well enough for me to buy into the story.  There’s definitely a strong female presence on the show thanks to main character Erica and the Visitors high commander, Anna.  While one functions as the emotional pillar to the story, the other sends chills down your spine with her barren yet excruciatingly cordial persona.  Again, these are characters that you can hang on to as the story grows more epic and out of this world.  For sci-fi series, this is essential.

Flash Forward versus V

I make the comparison because I am sure I’m not the only one.  In essence, V has an unintended marketing scheme in that even after only one episode, it feels far superior to its debut counterpart.  The writing is of a higher quality and consequently, the characters sound sharper, the acting is better and the series is just more enjoyable.  This is coming from someone who has seen every episode of Flash Forward so far.  Between the two series, I fully tip my hat off to V and cannot wait for more.

Again, I emphasize the fact that the pilot of V is not perfect by any means, but it has all the ingredients to make it a series that can grab loyal viewers and really take us on a journey.  With Lost to end next year, there might be an measurable replacement for my sci-fi thirst after all.

Rating: 8.7/10