Primeiro Contato

Network: CBS; Genre: Science Fiction; Content Rating: TV-14 (for brutal violence); Perspective: Contemporary (star range: 1 - 4);

Seasons Reviewed: Complete Series (1 season)

The unprecedented success of USA's "The 4400", the death of reality television, rise of serial shows and the increasingly low cost of computer animated visual effects has given rise to a wonderful network fad for 2005 - the science fiction series. "Threshold" is CBS's entry into the year's 3-pronged alien invasion attack that also includes NBC's "Surface" and ABC's "Invasion". Its probably the cheapest, with a plot that hinders more on human action than visual effects and it is also the first to bite the network dust.

This is why there isn't more good, serious, comprehensive TV criticism. With a movie you at least get to see the whole thing, but with a series we're given a show and have it ripped from the line-up before the final episodes have aired and story has wrapped up. For what its worth, "Threshold" deserved the benefit of the doubt. Its not Shakespeare, even as science fiction shows go its on the campy side of a Sci-Fi channel original movie. But it is entertaining contemporary genre fair. Somewhere between the seriousness of "Invasion" and silly fun of "Surface".

But, 10 episodes. What the hell am I supposed to do with this, CBS?

The premise: a mutant infection is invading the human race, this time, however, the vehicle is auditory - through an alien frequency that plants itself in the brains of those with susceptible genetic dispositions and turns them into violent super-soldiers at worst (sort of "The X-Files" meets "28 Days Later…") and lumbering zombies at best. The entire crew of an ocean freight has been infected (as well as our heroes investigating them) and escaped into the population. Thankfully, scientist Molly Caffery (Carla Gugino, "Spin City") had devised a contingency plan that combats just such an invasion called Threshold, that involves quarantining subjects in a secret facility and... well, I'm not exactly sure what else.

Charles S. Dutton plays the typically gruff leader. Gugino makes a fine heroine, believably strong while going toe-to-toe with the super-soldiers. But Brent Spiner and Peter Dinklage lends some agreeably goofy life to the show as scientists with an endless supply of one liners. Uncharacteristic in usually serious science fiction shows, that quirky little attitude running through this show works for it and is what makes "Threshold" stand out well from the other network genre efforts.

* * ½ / 4

CBS has canceled Threshold, the best new show of the 2005 fall season. Surface, and Invasion totally sucked compared to Threshold, yet Viacom/CBS decided to can it, just like they did with Star Trek: Enterprise, and Joan of Arcadia. So lame. There's a built-in audience with a well-written sci-fi show. There must be something wrong with their rating system. Whoever they rely on to collect data about how many viewers they have must not be sampling from the right demographic. But of course Ghost Whisperer is an awesome show, right? Cause Jennifer Love Hewitt's last show worked so well... remember Matchmaker? No, of course not, who does?

I really liked Threshold. It showed the government aware of aliens and prepared to do something about it. Carl Gugino and Brent Spiner were great as actors. The aliens were intelligent. I'm glad CBS gave an almost unknown producer a chance. It shows that science fiction is back in vogue. I'm hooked! Please approach this show with an open mind. It has the makings of something great and will grow on us like the X-Files did. Carla gives Gillian a run for her money! It shows a strong female in a lead role. I like this change. The methods the aliens use to invade and their use of the 4th and fifth dimension are also very intelligent. It is probably how a real visitation would happen. If I was going to send humans to the stars. I would send DNA and build a human when a landing was ready on some far away star system planet.

Threshold is a pretty decent scifi show. I won't say it's brilliant, because there are flaws in the storyline which I'll come to in a moment. But it does entertain and has characters you actually like.

The basic premise is that aliens are trying to re-engineer human and animal DNA into their own vision - essentially making us into them (as the show would have us believe). It's an interesting concept (although I doubt it's new to scifi) and works surprisingly well with the "enemy within" mentality. Normally I dislike shows which do this as it is usually a cop-out because they don't have the budget to do anything flash. But here it works well.

If I have one gripe about the show it's that the aliens (although apparently having access to the memories of the hosts they infect) show a singular lack of imagination when it comes to finding ways to spread the disease. The internet is the most obvious medium, yet so far it seems to have gone unused apart from one half-hearted attempt.

But apart from this, the show is good fun and entertaining. The characters are fairly diverse, although they all fit into the usual stereotypes - expert, soldier, geek, scientist etc. But at least they all have charisma, though I suspect poor old Brent Spiner is being typecast as the scientist/doctor now.

Anyway, worth a look. There are far worse shows out there.

EDIT (15.12.05) Just heard this series is cancelled. Good one CBS! Gotta love the networks' slavish attention to viewing figures. Bah!

The two hour premiere was a barn burner. Let's hope they can keep up the same level of suspense, drama and creepiness from that. What appears to be the best thing is the unusual ensemble cast, with Peter Dinklage and Brent Spiner stealing scenes and making the best of well written one liners. With a great premise and off to a good start, let's see if they can keep the momentum. Since science fiction is a difficult thing to do well on television ( the "X Files" not included on this ) it will be interesting to see how the story unfolds. The advantage is having the wonderful Brannon Braga at the helm of the writing, who I consider one of the best scifi writers in the business today. Friday nights not be the best time for this series to find an audience, but if CBS is wise, they will give this show the chance it deserves.