Starhunter

Starhunter has got it all. Exciting plot lines, excellent production, a lovely score, and much, much more.

Tanya Allen is an amazing actress, and she really shows off her skills in this one.

Some say that Starhunter is our real future in space. I hope it isn't, but I do hope our future is as well-executed as this TV series.

I'd caught an episode or two or the original first season, with Michael Pare, and made sure to keep an eye on it. It's the post-"Star Wars" world, and this manages a surprising visual texture for such a low-budget offering. Pare has turned up missing, and the son he was searching for, is now searching for him. This shows a real influence for the British school of SF TV. It's never as cheesy (or addictive), as "Doctor Who", it's not as funny as "Red Dwarf", and it doesn't have the seriousness of "Blake's 7". Yet, it blends bits of all of them, (and the usual US stuff), into a flaky sort of "Space Detective" series, that can be quite entertaining. The acting is rather low-key, but overall, it fills the airtime admirably. It's pretty low-rent, but it embraces, and occasionally rises above, its humble origins. The Canadian co-production is worth a look for SF fans. I'd like to see "Carvaggio", "Andromeda" (from "Andromeda"), and "Holly" (from "Red Dwarf") in a digital wrestling match!

--Judexdot1--

This is simply the most interesting science fiction show on air. Not the biggest, but the only one I tried not to miss. OK some episodes are better than others -what show isn't? What I like is how there's a plot for each episode that is often actually new and not like other shows, and a plot for the series as a whole.

This highly absorbing SF drama is set in the 23rd century and is made credible by a total absence of aliens. The series showcases strong characters, which are as plausible and charismatic as the quirky ship they share. The sets are original, fascinating, and convincing. The wardrobe is cool and attractive, and the plots advance quickly enough that the viewer doesn't have time to think 'I wonder how they did that' about the seamless, flawlessly executed special effects. Overall, the series is appealing, interesting and very entertaining!

I recommend giving this show a little time to grow on you. Yes, the production values are bargain-basement, but the market is so balkanized these days that big budget sci-fi shows (Firefly, Farscape, Odyssey 5) can't seem to overcome cost-benefit obstacles anymore. Maybe the only way we sci-fi fans will ever get treated to a full run of a non Star Trek show is for something like Starhunher to sneak in under the radar.

I find the cast quite engaging. Michael Pare's character comes across as very down-to-earth (so to speak) as he deals with the loss of a young son years earlier and the current challenge of guiding his brilliant niece through her teenage years. Tanya Allen is lovely as the niece, although she seems a bit old to play a teen. It would be great to see her in a more mature role.