Alcatraz

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Geoff Gentry (aka xforce11) on February 3, 2012 at 8:18am

Hey Doug,

  I'm watching and enjoying it.  It is interesting a I am hoping they find the right balance between mystery and procedural.  I love the subtle LOST shout-outs.  I hope we can get good character development as well.  I'm optimistically hopeful that it will succeed.

Permalink Reply by DougInAtlanta on February 8, 2012 at 9:07am

I, too, want good character development. Hopefully not too many the viewers get turned off by that ("Well, this is boring.")

Permalink Reply by Amanda From Michigan on February 3, 2012 at 8:21am

I missed the first one and just hated the second one because I was confused. I'm not sure that I really want to watch a prisoner of the week show. But then I watched the third episode and it was pretty interesting. I like the dark, atmospheric scenes set in the past and how can you not love Jorge Garcia? 

Permalink Reply by DougInAtlanta on February 8, 2012 at 9:08am

Heh, indeed. See my response to Lon below, but I think that the Prisoner (or Guard) of the Week format should and will change once we establish the premise; all of the premise.

Permalink Reply by Lon Winters on February 7, 2012 at 5:01pm

I'm still hoping something's oing to click and draw me in more. The first episode, the set up was to fast and it seemed the agent and Jorge accepted this bizarre situation too easily. This was addressed, where they had Jorge's charachter do the same thing as Hurley used to do - ask the questions that the audience is obviously thinking.

After that, it was mostly a cop sow hunting down criminals. So far, it appears that from the inmates perspective, no time has elapsed. One minutes, theyre being transported off the island, the next, they find themselves in the future which to them woould be quite a shock. I find it a stretch that for even the most hardened or compulsive criminals,mthe first thing they do is start committing the very same crimes that put them away in the first place.

Having said that, the most recent episode was a little more believable in that regard. Other than them trying to round up the prisoners, what else is being done?

Permalink Reply by DougInAtlanta on February 8, 2012 at 9:06am

I'd suggest giving it a little time. The first season of Lost was mostly a Survival Issue of the Week with a bit of mystery thrown in here and there to let you know there's more (smoke monster, hatch). Alcatraz is the Criminal of the Week with some mystery to let you know there's more (prisoners, guards, and even some of our main characters, being shown to be the same in both the past and the present).

That's how I look at it.

Permalink Reply by Jeremiah Panhorst on February 7, 2012 at 6:14pm

I am enjoying it as well. Along with the story, I really like the characters! I hope they can continue to build on the character development, because that always make a show for me. I love Jorge Garcia, but I am afraid that his character might be to much like Hurley, but that could be a good thing.

There is a show starting tonight called "The River" and I believe they are hoping to pick up some Lost fans as well. It looked a little cheesy, but you never know, it might be good. It will be on ABC on Tuesday nights.

Permalink Reply by Amanda From Michigan on February 8, 2012 at 9:09am

I forgot to watch the River. I hope it's on demand on or Hulu. I just forgot there were things to watch on Tuesday nights.

Isn't every show about the characters? If you don't care about the people at the center, the show isn't going to work. Period. I think Alcatraz is working on its character development and they're getting more interesting over time. Didn't Lost wrap Hurley's character around Jorge Garcia? It's not a huge surprise that every other character he plays is Hurley-esque. 

:)

Permalink Reply by DougInAtlanta on February 8, 2012 at 9:10am

I watched the first hour and a little of The River, and was impressed with it, but I'm not into the horror genre, and the shakey cam, while it made it more realistic, made me seasick (or "riversick"). I think I could have gotten into it, but frankly, I'm trying to actively keep up with so many shows that this one will probably drop off my radar.

Permalink Reply by Lon Winters on February 8, 2012 at 1:08pm

I agree with both your posts. I had similar reservations with the first few episodes of Terra Nova, but it really grew on me. I'm also not a fan of the shakey cam, my eyes are bad and it's too hard to keep up with the action. And what it represents, the show within a show. I only saw the first half of The River and it does have the horror show vibe. I guess there can be a fine line between mystery and suspense and horror, just not sure if this one is supposed to be sci if as well.

I was talking with a friend and telling her about the different TV shows I watch and she noticed that how many seem to have similar themes of alternate realities, fantasy, portals, etc. and we philosophized about what that means with the current state of our society and culture. Are we that disillusioned that we need our entertainment to be more extreme for the temporary escape and distraction? Or perhaps, do these shows need to be this way to compete with reality shows?

Permalink Reply by DougInAtlanta on February 10, 2012 at 8:37am

Or that it's a formula that networks execs have found "works".

Permalink Reply by Wayne Henderson on May 19, 2012 at 7:23pm

I will miss Alcatraz.  It's unfortunate that it was cancelled by FOX.  I can only hope that another network of some sorts picks up Alcatraz, because I want answers!

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