Based on a combination of two original ideas from the late Gene Roddenberry,
Andromeda gives us another unique take on the Sci-Fi universe,and a wonderful trip it is. There are so many plot turns and twists in this five year,110 ep
show,that it is impossible in the space provided here to give you a proper synopsis of the show in any great detail. The series story is based around the rescuing of the star ship Andromeda and its'Captain,Dylan Hunt,from the event horizon of a black hole.300 years have gone by and the Commonwealth that he served during his lifetime has now fallen to two main factions,Nietzscheans and the Magog.Dylan sets out,with the help of the crew that rescued him,to restore the Commonwealth...quite the monumental task.That crew is made up of one Bekka Valentine(the captain of her own ship the Eureeka Maru),Tyr Anastazi(a Nietzschean),Trance Gemini(species unknown-purple,with a tail!),Rev Bem(a Magog seeking enlightenment and the true path)and Seamus Harper the genius with the wise cracking attitude(like a smart Morey Amsterdam).Along with the important main plots that move each show and the story arc along are the many sub plots involving each crew member and how their lives past,present and future, effect and fit into the entire puzzle.The story arc in toto is a gloriously rich tapestry of human endeavour and of good trying to triumph over evil,and some of the story line's journeys simply amaze.It is a smartly written series and the CGI effects throughout the series are nothing less than spectacular.Kevin Sorbo who plays Capt.Dylan Hunt is an extremely likable actor and plays his character with much elan and pinache.He is the star but that it is an ensemble work there is no doubt.Mr.Sorbo is always there and hits his marks and really anchors the show when it's most needed but the shows' main strength is what every actor in this show brings to the table...and none of them at any time fail to disappoint.There may be eps that are better than others,which is de rigeur of
ANY show Sci-Fi or otherwise,but the acting throughout this series is first class all the way.
The
shows themselves were shot on a no more than SIX day shooting schedule and sometimes were completed in FOUR! Budgets were apparently very tight throughout this series shooting which is all the more amazing when you look at the finished product.This was a Cadillac show produced on a Volkswagen budget.The show was shot in Vancouver,B.C. and from what little of the special features in this set I've seen there is consistently high praise for the crew and staff by the actors and production staff behind the cameras.And speaking of special features this set is packed with them.I do not believe there is anything that has been left out.You will learn everything about specific sets,set ups,make up,the camera crew,the producers and directors,the music and on and on and on.My favourites are the multi blooper reels for the crew in general,each crew member and even special guest stars! All 110 eps along with their trailers are here and in beautifully transferred(clean and crisp) widescreen formats.
This
show was co-backed by Tribune Entertainment(U.S.) and Global-CanWest(Canada) which ran concurrently on both their respective networks.Global treated their product with what I can only describe as sheer neglect and disinterest.They ran the show on a fairly consistent basis for about the first two years in a regular time slot.After this Andromeda's appearances on the network were sporadic at best.You just never knew when and where the show would surface on its' schedule as it would preempt it for(it seemed) the local weather report! And of course they would never tell you why it was not showing or when it would reappear.I eventually gave up about a quarter of the way through the fourth season because I had totally missed so many eps of the third season.I understand now that Global was reluctant to carry on with Andromeda past the fourth year.It was only Tribunes' insistence that won the day.Thank goodness someone had the guts and vision to take it further. I am glad also to see this set is now available on both Amazon.com and .ca.I however had to get my set from another source than Amazon.A few months back I did try to order it from Amazon.com when it was available.However a couple of months later(no explanation has ever been forthcoming) I was no nearer to getting a copy than before so I had to cancel my order.By this time Amazon.ca had also run out of copies so I ordered the first season set only from them.It was defective!(my luck).I returned that.So I got my set from elsewhere and my luck again there was a defect in some of the first season disks.I phoned ADV video in Texas which makes and distributes this set and got one Lisa,in the customer service department there.She,with no questions,sent me replacement discs for the set.Absolutely wonderful service. It's an extra bit of peace of mind to know that not only are you dealing with one of the best consumer oriented companies around in Amazon.ca. and .com,but also the very makers of the product you are buying!
In conclusion no fan of this
show or of just good,intelligent and smartly written series in general,will be disappointed in their choice to buy this set.With 110 eps packed into 50 discs(two to a thin pack-less chance of damage),filled to the brim with special features and in their gloriously transferred widescreen format,Andromeda will not fail on any level to disappoint.Get your copy today and take your private journey with Dylan Hunt and his crew.
From this show ,we can see truely amerisan life .
