The main focus in this first episode is predominantly three characters. The first character is 1st Lt. Nathan West, Morgan Weisser brings an emotional core and depth to the first episode as his character is forced apart from his girlfriend. His only option to reunite with her is to enlist in the US Marine Corp and hope to be positioned close to her. His character feels a tad annoying at this point, but there's room for growth. The second character Capt. Shane Vansen, Kristen Cloke takes the mantle as a strong, intelligent female lead with a natural ability to lead. Kristen brings a real levity and charisma to this role whilst holding back the scars of her past. Vansen has potentially the most interesting backstory leaving us to wonder what her whole story is and where she is going. The third character is Rodney Rowland as 1st Lt .Cooper Hawkes, an In-Vitro. Hawkes, has the wildest story of them all. He was thrown in the US Marine Corp as punishment for beating the crap out of a gang of In-Vitro racists that were trying to kill him. Rodney, plays the rogue exceedingly well. He brings to life the cool, snarky bad boy who feels lost and closed off. Hawkes brings as much emotional depth and journey to this series as anyone. As well, his developing relationship and character arc with Lt. Colonel TC McQueen. This is a clever dynamic, that adds to chemistry they all share. This is especially important as McQueen is played by the always fascinatingly believable James Morrison.
Joel De La Fuente plays 1st Lt. Paul Wang and Lanei Chapman plays 1st Lt. Vanessa Damphousse. Despite the late introductions, Wang and Damphousse do fit in well with the group dynamic without feeling forced. Special love and shout out for a guest starring roll for R. Lee Ermey as the drill instructor. The pilot plays to each actors strengths while holding back so that the character arcs can breathe and develop. It's great to have a relatively unknown cast to invest in so there are no preconceptions or expectations, giving Space: Above and Beyond the best chance to win an audience over.
I'm very pleased the pilot episode was told within an 90 minute time-frame. If this show came out today, it'd be stripped down to at most an hour. While at times the pilot drags for a moment here and there, it never lasts long and more than anything allows scenes to breathe. Too many series these days cram too much into a first episode and it can feel a bit daunting for a new fan to invest in the story right away. The episode is built like a movie with a solid 3 acts, keep it simple and effective. Once the story is established, the last third of the episode gets in gear and moves forward.
The aliens are kept mysterious which is a bit cliche; they are clearly advanced, strong and very intelligent. The aliens attack swiftly and methodically, increasing their menace and question their motives. At least, we're not hit over the head with this device to set a confident tone going forward. The decision to destroy the 127th Squadron, the Angry Angels in the first military conflict was bold but necessary. The story felt a bit like a chess-game just getting started with every move being planned several moves ahead. I really how the humans are not treated as completely inept or stupid, we're not getting stomped on. The decision to destroy the 127th Squadron, the Angry Angels in the first military conflict was bold but necessary. The end of the episode showed human intelligence and the ability to adapt to the ever changing mission and battle. There is a glimmer of hope that we can indeed fight back, not all is lost and more is yet to come.
What really stands out are the sprinkle of details with the history of Earth, Silicates, In-Vitro's and the characters themselves. The mentions of the Silicates in the A.I. Wars as well as the history and use of In-Vitro's during the past and their place in the present. It's great to see these details properly paced out and sprinkled in during this first episode. It's pretty clear Space : Above and Beyond is a precursor the rebooted Battlestar Galactica in tone and structure. Yes, Battlestar Galactica went it's own direction but the core of military science-fiction genre was influenced by this series. Space : Above and Beyond was easily ahead of it's time and didn't rely on tongue in cheek or bland story-telling.
The visual f/x are definitely dated, I watched the DVD on a PS4 which up-converts the picture quality for the HDTV. Unfortunately, in doing so, the CGI showed its age. However, after half-way through the first episode you get used to it. It's important to note that Space Above and Beyond was made in 1995. At that time these special f/x were extremely gorgeous; especially on a television budget. The ship designs and space battles were just so frantic and awesome. I still enjoy them to this day but it is a product of its time. This is a series that would do well to get an upgrade. The practical f/x are outstanding to say the least. We love the practical effects and set designs tremendously, the devil is in the details.
The score, by Shirley Walker, is the hidden gem of this episode and remains a standout aspect of the series. Shirley Walker received an Emmy nomination for her work on later episode, “The River of Stars.” So when you check out this pilot episode keep your ears open for the musical wonders.
Without a doubt, Space : Above and Beyond, the pilot delivered a great launch to the series. It'll be very enjoyable to see how everything develops and carries forward from here. This review is a bit long, but with each episode coming up, we'll be more focused on the story and characters. We rate the pilot at 9 / 10 Hammerheads.
Also, if you like this show do check out the wonderful fan group on Facebook: Space: Above and Beyond / 2063 !
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