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Made in gb
Stone Bonkers Fabricator General




We'll find out soon enough eh.

Uuuuuugggh, why. Why do they have to keep making these awful, awful identikit procedural pseudosci-fi shows. Stock characters playing out stock storylines with the bare-minimum sci-fi window dressing they can get away with, and as a bonus this one is ostensibly about time travel so they can screw up the story as much as they like and then go "aha! they travelled back and changed everything(even though we said they couldn't do that but oh well look at that neon squirrel), TWIIIIST!"

Save yourself some braincells and an hour of your life and give it a miss.

I need to acquire plastic Skavenslaves, can you help?
I have a blog now, evidently. Featuring the Alternative Mordheim Model Megalist.

"Your society's broken, so who should we blame? Should we blame the rich, powerful people who caused it? No, lets blame the people with no power and no money and those immigrants who don't even have the vote. Yea, it must be their fething fault." - Iain M Banks
-----
"The language of modern British politics is meant to sound benign. But words do not mean what they seem to mean. 'Reform' actually means 'cut' or 'end'. 'Flexibility' really means 'exploit'. 'Prudence' really means 'don't invest'. And 'efficient'? That means whatever you want it to mean, usually 'cut'. All really mean 'keep wages low for the masses, taxes low for the rich, profits high for the corporations, and accept the decline in public services and amenities this will cause'." - Robin McAlpine from Common Weal 
   
Made in us
Nihilistic Necron Lord






Can't do time travel any worse than Legends of Tomorrow. I thought the first episode of this was alright.

 
   
Made in gb
Stone Bonkers Fabricator General




We'll find out soon enough eh.

 AduroT wrote:
Can't do time travel any worse than Legends of Tomorrow. I thought the first episode of this was alright.


Legends of Tomorrow is a superhero teamup show that uses time travel as a plot device to set up whacky adventures, and doesn't pretend to be anything else. This drek looks like it very much expects itself to be taken seriously, yet skips over the "science" bit with a few seconds of barely coherent paper-folding and then gets right on with the usual procedural show setup garbage for the dead-spouse-military-grumpyface character, the sinister-tech-genius-boss-with-secrets character, the Strong Female Protagonist-with-something-to-prove character, the socially-awkward-exposition factory-nerd character, and the villain-but-is-he-really-a-villain-cos-he-has-a-secret-too-ooohhhhhh character so they can have their low-budget weekly adventures using whatever leftover period costumes and props the studio has lying around from other shows.

I need to acquire plastic Skavenslaves, can you help?
I have a blog now, evidently. Featuring the Alternative Mordheim Model Megalist.

"Your society's broken, so who should we blame? Should we blame the rich, powerful people who caused it? No, lets blame the people with no power and no money and those immigrants who don't even have the vote. Yea, it must be their fething fault." - Iain M Banks
-----
"The language of modern British politics is meant to sound benign. But words do not mean what they seem to mean. 'Reform' actually means 'cut' or 'end'. 'Flexibility' really means 'exploit'. 'Prudence' really means 'don't invest'. And 'efficient'? That means whatever you want it to mean, usually 'cut'. All really mean 'keep wages low for the masses, taxes low for the rich, profits high for the corporations, and accept the decline in public services and amenities this will cause'." - Robin McAlpine from Common Weal 
   
Made in us
Evasive Eshin Assassin






so Yodhrin, if I'm reading this right I take it that you don't like it and wouldn't recommend it?
thanks, I'll skip it.
   
Made in us
Dark Angels Librarian with Book of Secrets






Just from the trailer I thought this would be boring. Thanks for confirming it

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Made in us
The Last Chancer Who Survived





Norristown, PA

I watched it, then I wanted my hour back.

SyFy had a similar time travel show called Rewind that lasted 1 episode then died. It also had a 3-man team with a military guy, a woman leading everything, and black guy who goes back in time to when it's not good to be black. What quirky adventures could they have gotten into if it wasn't canceled? Don't know, don't care.

Only time travel show I ever liked was Quantum Leap Despite all of his other rolls like star trek and all, Scott Bakula will always be the quantum leap guy to me.

 
   
Made in gb
Stone Bonkers Fabricator General




We'll find out soon enough eh.

 usernamesareannoying wrote:
so Yodhrin, if I'm reading this right I take it that you don't like it and wouldn't recommend it?
thanks, I'll skip it.


Hah, aye just a wee bit

In all seriousness though, twenty years ago this show would have been watchable but this is a post-BSG reboot, post-Fringe TV sci-fi landscape now and the kind of low-effort garbage that Timeless is trying to peddle just doesn't fly any more, not when you've got umpteen superhero shows and Killjoys for your fun action-adventure sci-fi, Dark Matter for your more po-faced action-adventure sci-fi, actual proper genuine serious and thoughtful sci-fi with high production values like The Expanse and Man in the High Castle, and even a new potentially-not-awful Star Trek on the way.

We just don't need "Bones - the Sci-fi'ening" these days.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/10/08 07:48:14


I need to acquire plastic Skavenslaves, can you help?
I have a blog now, evidently. Featuring the Alternative Mordheim Model Megalist.

"Your society's broken, so who should we blame? Should we blame the rich, powerful people who caused it? No, lets blame the people with no power and no money and those immigrants who don't even have the vote. Yea, it must be their fething fault." - Iain M Banks
-----
"The language of modern British politics is meant to sound benign. But words do not mean what they seem to mean. 'Reform' actually means 'cut' or 'end'. 'Flexibility' really means 'exploit'. 'Prudence' really means 'don't invest'. And 'efficient'? That means whatever you want it to mean, usually 'cut'. All really mean 'keep wages low for the masses, taxes low for the rich, profits high for the corporations, and accept the decline in public services and amenities this will cause'." - Robin McAlpine from Common Weal 
   
Made in us
[DCM]
.







This is a bummer, as I love 'Time Travel'...anything, usually.

I'm still going to give it a go - yes, duly warned and all that.

Perhaps now, will expectations suitably lowered, it might actually be...OK?
   
Made in gb
Stone Bonkers Fabricator General




We'll find out soon enough eh.

I mean sure, like I say it's only bad relative to the quality of most other modern sci-fi - if you have space in your life for another bloodless "procedural with a little twist" show I'm sure it will be perfectly watchable.

I need to acquire plastic Skavenslaves, can you help?
I have a blog now, evidently. Featuring the Alternative Mordheim Model Megalist.

"Your society's broken, so who should we blame? Should we blame the rich, powerful people who caused it? No, lets blame the people with no power and no money and those immigrants who don't even have the vote. Yea, it must be their fething fault." - Iain M Banks
-----
"The language of modern British politics is meant to sound benign. But words do not mean what they seem to mean. 'Reform' actually means 'cut' or 'end'. 'Flexibility' really means 'exploit'. 'Prudence' really means 'don't invest'. And 'efficient'? That means whatever you want it to mean, usually 'cut'. All really mean 'keep wages low for the masses, taxes low for the rich, profits high for the corporations, and accept the decline in public services and amenities this will cause'." - Robin McAlpine from Common Weal 
   
Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka






 Yodhrin wrote:
 AduroT wrote:
Can't do time travel any worse than Legends of Tomorrow. I thought the first episode of this was alright.


Legends of Tomorrow is a superhero teamup show that uses time travel as a plot device to set up whacky adventures, and doesn't pretend to be anything else. This drek looks like it very much expects itself to be taken seriously, yet skips over the "science" bit with a few seconds of barely coherent paper-folding...


The best way to do it, surely? I mean, rather than trying to explain the inexplicable, just establish quickly whether you're using San Dimas time, Hill Valley time or ... timey-wimey time and move on. Now, if the rest of program is also awful, that's a different issue.
   
Made in gb
Stone Bonkers Fabricator General




We'll find out soon enough eh.

 AndrewGPaul wrote:
 Yodhrin wrote:
 AduroT wrote:
Can't do time travel any worse than Legends of Tomorrow. I thought the first episode of this was alright.


Legends of Tomorrow is a superhero teamup show that uses time travel as a plot device to set up whacky adventures, and doesn't pretend to be anything else. This drek looks like it very much expects itself to be taken seriously, yet skips over the "science" bit with a few seconds of barely coherent paper-folding...


The best way to do it, surely? I mean, rather than trying to explain the inexplicable, just establish quickly whether you're using San Dimas time, Hill Valley time or ... timey-wimey time and move on. Now, if the rest of program is also awful, that's a different issue.


It is, but also I disagree. I can live with "timey wimey" for something like Legends, which is pretty much a show about half a dozen ambulatory humanoid pun-factories in bright shiny costumes, but if you want me to buy in to "proper" sci-fi then I'm going to want to see some actual effort put into the core premise of the show. I want to know how you go faster than light, how you travel through time, why your version of psychics isn't utterly ludicrous etc, ten seconds of the Primary School-level bendy-paper routine doesn't cut it. It doesn't have to be utterly realistic, but I want to at least get the sense that the writers have a vague appreciation of the subject matter and actually bothered to do some worldbuilding.

I need to acquire plastic Skavenslaves, can you help?
I have a blog now, evidently. Featuring the Alternative Mordheim Model Megalist.

"Your society's broken, so who should we blame? Should we blame the rich, powerful people who caused it? No, lets blame the people with no power and no money and those immigrants who don't even have the vote. Yea, it must be their fething fault." - Iain M Banks
-----
"The language of modern British politics is meant to sound benign. But words do not mean what they seem to mean. 'Reform' actually means 'cut' or 'end'. 'Flexibility' really means 'exploit'. 'Prudence' really means 'don't invest'. And 'efficient'? That means whatever you want it to mean, usually 'cut'. All really mean 'keep wages low for the masses, taxes low for the rich, profits high for the corporations, and accept the decline in public services and amenities this will cause'." - Robin McAlpine from Common Weal 
   
Made in us
Nihilistic Necron Lord






I thought Legends' time travel was bad in the first season. Season two opens with a historian saying he's noticed changes in the historical records. That's not how that works you numb nut!

 
   
Made in us
Troubled By Non-Compliant Worlds




The Emperor's Armpit (aka. Arizona)

You all are probably going to troll me for this, but I actually liked the first episodes. Only part I don't like is how everyone but the protagonist is affected, which makes no sense. Also, there is always the antagonist trying to convert the protagonist schism that we have all seen. :/
   
Made in us
Nihilistic Necron Lord






Celestialpainting wrote:
You all are probably going to troll me for this, but I actually liked the first episodes. Only part I don't like is how everyone but the protagonist is affected, which makes no sense. Also, there is always the antagonist trying to convert the protagonist schism that we have all seen. :/


I've thought it was alright so far. I don't mind the trio being unchanged on account of them being displaced from time when the changes happen. They've been reasonably consistent with the time travel so far.

 
   
Made in us
Ship's Officer





Dallas, TX

Watched 'timeless' ep 1 and 2, its ok at best, the main actress can act, she's from 'rectify', the writing sucked in timeless, which I suspected as its on regular tv. I watched 'legend of tomorrow' for about handful of episodes as the ninja chick is super hawt, but couldn't watch it any further as it was killing my brain cells with its bad dialogue/writing/acting, plus the main brit guy is annoying.
If you like time travel shows, I highly recommend 'continuum', a series that recently ended. As for current series, I recommend '12 monkeys'.
   
Made in gb
Assassin with Black Lotus Poison





Bristol

 AduroT wrote:
I thought Legends' time travel was bad in the first season. Season two opens with a historian saying he's noticed changes in the historical records. That's not how that works you numb nut!


Well, lets examine that

If the future is not assumed to be fixed then at the time that he looked at the records (before people went back in time), it was not guaranteed that the people would go back in time in the future and change them. Lets say that there is a 50% chance that people will go back in time in the future and change the past.

His observation of the records cements them at that point in time, akin to collapsing a waveform in quantum mechanics. Say we had a particle which could either bet at point A or point B with equal probability. We then observe the particle at a specific time to be at point A. As soon as we observe that the particle is at A, the waveforms which gave the probabilities collapse, resulting in the situation that due to our observation it is now impossible for the particle to have ever been at B at that specific time when immediately before our observation there was a 50% chance of it being at B. The act of observing the universe changes it. It could be a similar effect here.

So, the man observes the historical record at a time where it was not yet determined whether the people would go back and change them and sees records A. That observation is fixed, once he has seen records A that is the only possible records that could have existed at that point.

This then raises some potential scenarios:

1) If the people do go back in time and change something which would result in different records, the records would have to change after the man observed them so as to not invalidate his earlier observation. This would lead to the scenario where if he looked again after they went back the records would be different to how he originally observed them. This is the only way you could end up with the situation described with him noticing a change. However this then leads to another issue where if the records were continually observed from that time they could not change as at all times they would be observed as being A. So this scenario is basically guaranteed to create paradoxes which are impossible and so cannot be how time travel would work if it were possible (Legends, you suck ).

2) The observation of the records at the earlier point immediately determines whether or not the people will go back in time to make the changes in the future. So if you have the situation where the records will be A if they do go back and B if they don't with each being equally possible at the time the records are observed, the man observing A would collapse the waveforms resulting in A being the only possible set of records at that point in time, which then means that by observing them he has changed the universe so that the people will always go back time to ensure that the records are A when he sees them. This avoids the paradoxes created by scenario 1, but raises its own problems. The act of observing the records as A means that the people will always go back in time and change the records. This completely removes the possibility of free will from the time travellers. If the observer sees records A then they will go back in time, no matter what. If the observer sees B then they won't, no matter what. So the time travellers are stuck travelling to a predetermined set of events based entirely on the observation of the records and this requires every interaction they make with the universe up until the point where they go back in time to be predetermined before they do them.

The Laws of Thermodynamics:
1) You cannot win. 2) You cannot break even. 3) You cannot stop playing the game.

Colonel Flagg wrote:You think you're real smart. But you're not smart; you're dumb. Very dumb. But you've met your match in me.
 
   
Made in ca
Stone Bonkers Fabricator General






Ha, watched 3 episodes yesterday. Ya, it's really bad. Why won't Hollywood learn that making the entire cast stupider than the audience is not a good idea.

 
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka





Denison, Iowa

It's not a great show, but it is watchable.

One thing I laughed at was the Lincoln assassination episode. They toyed with the idea of stopping the assassination to "make the future better" for African Americans.

The reality of this (and their history expert should have known) is that having Lincoln live would have set civil rights laws back years. Lincoln's opinions and Johnson's were fairly similar, but Johnson was MUCH more liked in the reconstructionist South, which allowed some pro-minority legislation to get passed.
   
Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka







So, a pants version of Continuum then?
   
 
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