If there is one thing I hate the most about writing reviews, is that dreaded review of the pilot of the show. In general pilots, or rather, premieres often fall flat where the show a couple episodes finally hits the ground. I have seen it before with some of the best and worst shows. Star Trek shows are synonymous with having sketchy pilots with the show taking off a couple episodes into the season. For the most part, pilots show potential but lack either in acting or in the writing. I have a very critical view of the first episodes since they really do not show what the creative forces in front of and behind the camera can really do. Essentially, this is the first time they are all working together. I can name my list of the best television pilots on one hand. In no particular order, Quantum Leap, BrimStone, Space: Above and Beyond, First Wave and Odyssey 5. I like a couple others as well, but these shows in particular won me over with the pilot alone. It did not take me several episodes to figure out if I liked it or not like most shows do.

Overall, we had some interesting characters established and a little bit of development for them. There wasn't as much as I like to see, there was more time spent on the complex narrative the show is about to tackle. In other words, setting potential directions and plot twists. I saw enough to know we will get the character development soon enough. This was a little bit of a let down, but the potential is there to prove this will be a high-quality series.  There is also a bit of tension between them all, but I think this brings out the best in the characters and the actors themselves. They all have a great chemistry that you soon forget you're watching the show and become a part of it. We can't expect the Justice League here; we have very real characters with very real problems and faults. Whether the group can keep it together long enough to save the earth is a potential factor for this show. That adds a little flavor and a dark mood that this episode exhibited and we will see continue to explore.

Some of my favorite scenes included where the crew arrived 5 years in the past. The scenes ranged from the dramatic to the downright hilarious to life threatening. Manny Coto obviously took his time coming up with some creative scenes for each character. Neil waking up in the mosh pit on the floor in front of his high school friends was a riot. His friend commented, "I've never seen anyone just, drop like that." I couldn't stop laughing until we saw Angela hurling towards the earth during a space walk gone wrong because of her being sent back unconscious.  I was curious about why we did not see where Kurt found himself and to what circumstances he was in.  I also enjoyed the nods to Peter Weller's past acting jobs like Leviathan. That is the most obvious one and that happens to be one of my favorite movies of his. I can't wait for a RoboCop and Buckaroo Banzai one.

I found the writing ambitious and not cut and dry. I liked how there was a twist at every turn of the scripts. From Corey's visit to the doctor and Paul confronting her to Chuck's speech about Mark not caring about being an Astronaut, there was not a dull moment. Manny Coto has a great show going for him, with his wit and penchant for intelligent drama he sets this show apart from other shows like X-Files. This episode proves that with  thought provoking ideas and more drama than sci-fi which is the best way to restore credibility to a once proud genre. A genre that used to concentrate on exploring the human condition than in special f/x and senseless action. The original Twilight Zone and Star Trek come to mind.. I have a funny feeling that we will see things done that no other sci-fi show has done in years.

I must say that special f/x were simply brilliant, the picture and the colors were vibrant and superb. It really helps that the show is shot in high definition with the digital cameras. This makes dvd's a strong possibility as well as editing and special f/x work to be done easier and more properly rendered. The explosion of the earth was interesting to see. Someone sure came up with an interesting take on how the planet would go out and it was beautiful. It was pure eye candy, but at least there was not too much of that in the episode. It relied more on the characters and the story to win people over, and toss it in a special f/x here and there and really get us. You cannot let special f/x be the factor that attracts new viewers. It has to be strong characters and fresh writing, with some f/x thrown in from time to time to add some spice. Odyssey 5 won me over for what it accomplished in this pilot and for the potential it shows as a series. Yeah, this pilot could be criticized for a few things. I do disagree with some of  the opinions, but the consensus from all reviewers is that that positive far outweighed the negative.