The Tomorrow People: Discussion Thread

[jfung79]

I've soured on this show greatly. 7.5/10 is my current rating. I'm still watching, but the tone is all wrong.

The no killing thing is one of the things that set the original show apart -- a belief that a better world is possible, that the next stage of human evolution is when we have learned to cooperate, not to kill. If humans are by nature predatory (which I dispute by the way), that doesn't mean they must always be. Time for a paradigm shift.

The destruction of that reverence for the Prime Barrier is one of the problems with this show, which keeps focusing on violence and cynicism. Too much violence, too few character/emotional moments, too little hope. I hated the end of Episode 4 when John agreed with Jedikiah's "Kill or be killed," although at least he disagreed with Jedikiah's assertion that not being able to kill was an imperfection and said killing takes away a part of your soul. Episode 4's exploration of the morality of the issue was great, but the exploration left off, for now, in a bad place. Episode 5 was a litte better, but they turned "jaunting" (what teleporting was called in the original series, and a key Tomorrow People term that unites all the series) into something violent -- a great example in a nutshell of the perversion this show has made of its source material.

At least Stephen is still bright-eyed, moral, and wanting to unite the species with peace and love. I still believe the show ultimately wants to take us on a journey away from the violence to the promised land of Stephen's morality. But it's taking its own sweet time on the way and celebrating Cara being all "badass" in the meantime -- bleh. It's not even doing much in the way of relationships or triangle, despite the expectation of such from a CW show -- it's all action, all the time. It would be better if there *was* a triangle! The latest mediocre ratings have this show doing much better among Men 18-34 than Women 18-34. That's really a sign of a show on the CW going badly off the tracks in its tone and content, IMO.

I'm watching out of loyalty, and out of faith that they won't mess up Stephen. But if Stephen ever loses his idealism, I'll be so gone. I loved him teleporting with Astrid, and Astrid's smile and sense of wonder at the end. Astrid's reaction was like a new companion on board the TARDIS for the first time. That's what the show needs more of.

Oh, that, or I could dig Stephen/John being Ianto/Jack hahaha. I thought the "guy crush" line from Episode 4 might have been hinting at Stephen being bi, especially if you consider where in the first episode he teleports to at night. Probably reading too much into it though.

I liked Episode 5's reuse of Kurt, and why Kurt did what he did.

I agree the characters' back stories were a little melodramatic, but the foster care setup felt very "right" for John. It felt really appropriate for a British-legacy TV show, if that makes any sense. Very Dickens.

Berlanti was younger than 30 when he created Everwood, which was if anything underrated, not overrated. Having Dawson's Creek and an indie movie in his background was not a long resume. He was bright-eyed, eager, young, and talented then. But he's overextended himself now. I think this show would be better if he was head writing it, but he's not. As a fan of the original series, he's very involved and invested, but he's still just producing, and he's producing several other shows too. I find it not at all a coincidence that on the one episode I have really liked, Episode 2, Berlanti had a story writing credit. He hasn't had a writing credit on the other episodes. And Phil Klemmer is the head writer.

I hope the show can turn around before it gets cancelled. The key tone word it needs to emphasize is "hope."

[DRW50]

I'd say Everwood was very highly praised (to the point where some of the people who got praise, like EVC, baffled me). Clearly the WB didn't treat it well enough though.

[jfung79]

The WB treated Everwood fine enough, but it got cancelled in the transition to the CW when so many other shows weren't, and that's when it was mistreated in my opinion. Also, because the show was on the WB, it got far lower ratings than it could have if it was on the main three networks, not just because any dreck on the main three networks would outrate the WB and now the CW, but also because given the wide age range of its characters, it didn't have to be on just a young person-focused network; Everwood was literally underrated, with far lower Nielsen ratings than its potential audience. I think it helped the show to be on the WB because the WB had lower ratings expectations. But the potential audience was still much bigger, and you can see that in how many older people in DVD review comments say they just "discovered" Everwood, love it, and had never even heard of it.

Because Greg Berlanti was still relatively new at the time (vet of just one show and a short-lived spinoff), the WB would have been the only ones willing to take a chance on him to launch a key show. Everwood was on the WB because Greg Berlanti was underrated, and Everwood was underrated because it was on the WB.

The critical buzz you mention about Everwood's success at well-remembered and developed characters, subtle storytelling, tone, family, friendships, relationships, rivalries, and casting, may have caused Berlanti to become overrated later. ABC snatched him up for a few years, to mixed success, and he now keeps getting pilot or series orders from a variety of networks. But Everwood itself was underrated.

[chicklitsandfantasies]

A triangle is coming up per the sizzle reel and I doubt it will make the show any better. I don't feel for this war at all and find the action sequences to be quite lame. And I'm not in love with "badass" Cara. Hell I find Stephen's mother more badass then Cara. The way Stephen's mother handled Jed was more impressive than dumbass Cara wasting the serum . One thing this show is missing is more lighthearted fun moments. Those are the best moments on this show imo.

[jfung79]

I found Episode 6 to be the best episode since Episode 2! Show is back on track for me. "That* scene with Russell's dad brought me to tears and hit close to home. I think a lot of Asian kids have had that experience with their parents where they think their parents are trying to live through them but their parents are not b.s.'ing when they talk about their sacrifice and the depth of love for their children that they do not show in a way the kids understand and see until moments such as this. Also Darcy and Piper, wow. Poor Darcy.

The only things I didn't like about the episode were the cheating at the end, the unnecessary bar fight, and lack of much follow-up regarding Stephen's reveal to Astrid.

chicklitsandfantasies, agree with pretty much everything in your latest post, although I'm not as opposed to a triangle as you are in concept. I agree with liking lighthearted fun moments. The show does need more humor. I liked the way Stephen's mom interacted with Jedikiah too.

Last but not least, I'm glad the show was picked up for a full season!

[chicklitsandfantasies]

Lol I had episode 2 so it's funny you said this week's episode was the best since that one because this week I'm about ready to give this show up. So many inconsistencies with this show it's insane. I found my self yelling at the screen over the stupidity.

Russell's clichéd ass backstory and the constant praise of Stephen for gasp, taking Irene to the hospital was bad enough but so much more was wrong with this episode.

Let's just start with Darcy. Her giving Stephen the "heads up" warning that Astrid could be used as a pawn by Jed was so pointless. I guess whoever wrote tonight didn't see the pilot episode because Jed already threatened Stephen using the mention of Astrid in the pilot right along with his mother and brother. Darcy had potential too bad she died do to incompetence both and her part and Stephen's. Why didn't Stephen stop time? What is the point of having that power if he's not even always going to use it when it's important? Why did he and Piper just sit there and watch Darcy get gunned down instead of teleporting out? Why didn't Darcy teleport out instead of trying to fit any arm with one gun? What a waste of Meta Golding.

Is it a requirement for this show to have a lame fight scene every episode? That bar fight was so unnecessary.

What was the big attempt to make Stephen seem very experienced by listing off stripper named girl's he's hooked up with? It still doesn't take away the grossness of damn near 30 Cara sexing it up with a 17 year old high school student. And really "best person I've ever met" Stephen's dumb plans have gotten not one but two partner's killed now. What is this trade one life to save another mentality? And really one kiss and they decide to go at it? Whatever show!

Jed is sexing up a TP when his goal.. Honestly what is his goal? At first it seemed to be to wipe TP's off the earth now he wants to create TP's that can kill. Next week it will probably be something different. And that foreplay was not appealing at all. Threatening to wipe away her powers and banging her the next.

In a sci fi show continuity is important and there's barely any continuity in this show.

[QueenOfHearts]

This show is horrible and has the worst continuity.