Killjoys - Cheap but enjoyable

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
And season one had its finale last night. Not a bad episode. Moved pretty quickly and had some good plot developments. Dutch's old mentor appeared again and not only showed he was ruthless but also had a nice fight scene where he just cleaned the floor with D'Avin despite being probably twice his age. The episode also raised questions for them to answer next season like:

- What is the real purpose of the RAC? It is becoming clear they have business above and beyond bounty hunting.

- How does Dutch's mentor tie into The Nine. It seemed like he ordered a member of The Nine to call in her marker with Dutch to get her out of oldtown prior to the bombardment.

- What exactly is Red 17? D'Avin is now there and we saw they have taken Fancy (another killjoy) too - nice effect piece with him on the slab with the tubes coming out of him.

Overall not a bad season. Production values still on the economy side, acting stayed good, plot isn't bad and direction and pacing improved as the season went on. Not a profound show but pretty much as advertised - fun.

Technically, this show is top notch. Great effects, locales, even the acting is good. But the world they have created for this thing is a huge turnoff to me. Way in the future, people are still cage fighting? Hunting criminals for "money", stealing, thieving. Humanity is still a disgraceful lot. This was what is wrong with Defiance for me as well. Except in Defiance, even the "aliens" are human bad guys...thieves, whores, con men, bandits, etc. I just do not find that sort of future appealing. Firefly did not have it that bad. Star Trek gave us a far more positive and hopeful future, and that is what I want to see.
 

Jim of WVa

Well Known GateFan
Technically, this show is top notch. Great effects, locales, even the acting is good. But the world they have created for this thing is a huge turnoff to me. Way in the future, people are still cage fighting? Hunting criminals for "money", stealing, thieving. Humanity is still a disgraceful lot. This was what is wrong with Defiance for me as well. Except in Defiance, even the "aliens" are human bad guys...thieves, whores, con men, bandits, etc. I just do not find that sort of future appealing. Firefly did not have it that bad. Star Trek gave us a far more positive and hopeful future, and that is what I want to see.

Star Trek is gay.
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
That's the thing OM. A show about galactic bounty hunters inherently will have a different future world than a Roddenberry-esque one. This world is much more in the quasi-dystopian archetype. So in fact was Star Wars albeit it was in the fantasy side of that archetype. In other words, a world where the vision is a bit bleaker and yes you have stuff like cage fighting for entertainment in some quarters.
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
Technically, this show is top notch. Great effects, locales, even the acting is good. But the world they have created for this thing is a huge turnoff to me. Way in the future, people are still cage fighting? Hunting criminals for "money", stealing, thieving. Humanity is still a disgraceful lot. This was what is wrong with Defiance for me as well. Except in Defiance, even the "aliens" are human bad guys...thieves, whores, con men, bandits, etc. I just do not find that sort of future appealing. Firefly did not have it that bad. Star Trek gave us a far more positive and hopeful future, and that is what I want to see.

As to Firefly, let's remember that our heroes were criminals. Several of the stories centered around heists they pulled. And they even had a whole episode centered around a particularly nasty bounty hunter after River and Simon.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
As to Firefly, let's remember that our heroes were criminals. Several of the stories centered around heists they pulled. And they even had a whole episode centered around a particularly nasty bounty hunter after River and Simon.

Agreed, but the world of Firefly seems to me a much more peaceful and calm place (everywhere they go). People getting along, police presence is very low (because crime is low). Yes, the crew steals. In their universe, they are actually some of the BAD guys. But they were lovable and interesting. Killjoys revels in firearms, fighting, betrayal, money, all stuff that does not belong in an advanced future.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
That's the thing OM. A show about galactic bounty hunters inherently will have a different future world than a Roddenberry-esque one. This world is much more in the quasi-dystopian archetype. So in fact was Star Wars albeit it was in the fantasy side of that archetype. In other words, a world where the vision is a bit bleaker and yes you have stuff like cage fighting for entertainment in some quarters.

Then I am consistent, in that I much prefer Star Trek over Star Wars. Being an optimist, I do not think that the future of Humanity means devolution into near anarchy.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Star Trek is gay.

I think my TV remote is straight, but the left front speaker and the center channel are both gay. :) And I am pretty sure my car spare tire is also gay, as is the right rear passenger door. One of my towels is gay, but the matching washcloth is straight. Hope this brightens your day!
 

ecgordon

Star's Hero
The main reason that most of today's SF and Fantasy is dystopian is that the current generation doesn't have much hope for a bright future the way we did back when Star Trek and TNG were the go-to shows.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
The main reason that most of today's SF and Fantasy is dystopian is that the current generation doesn't have much hope for a bright future the way we did back when Star Trek and TNG were the go-to shows.

I think they have the hope, but they have a lot of establishment crap to destroy (or watch crumble) before there is any real chance of it coming to pass. For their future to happen, our present must basically be destroyed.

Thing is, that is exactly the way earth came into the warp community. Borne from wars and near self-destruction, came Cochran's warp engine and then first contact. The rest was post dystopian. If there was ever a Star Trek show of the Eugenics Wars or WWIII, no doubt it would not be pretty.
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
I would also note that Continuum likewise has a dystopian future - indeed more than one dystopian future.

I guess dystopian futures do not bother me as much provided they don't go overboard with it. It's part of what bugs me about Romero type zombie universes and The Walking Dead - they go way overboard in it to the point where it breaks my suspension of disbelief. We've commented on this before - silliness like no military units setting up safe zones? In fact that the survivors all act the exact opposite of typically observed human behavior in crises?

However if you have a Dystopia where the elements don't go over the edge I am okay with it. Jeremiah is an example where it did not go over the edge. Ditto Survivors. And ditto Star Wars.

Is Killjoys a dystopia? Sort of. It has the oppression element in some areas and indeed the ruling class component. It also has that ruling class sitting on a political powderkeg which detonates in the finale. But it also has a real "fun" element in it too. It seems the universe of the show has some places that are pretty lawless and others under pretty tight rule. So to me it does not go over the edge.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
I would also note that Continuum likewise has a dystopian future - indeed more than one dystopian future.

I guess dystopian futures do not bother me as much provided they don't go overboard with it. It's part of what bugs me about Romero type zombie universes and The Walking Dead - they go way overboard in it to the point where it breaks my suspension of disbelief. We've commented on this before - silliness like no military units setting up safe zones? In fact that the survivors all act the exact opposite of typically observed human behavior in crises?

However if you have a Dystopia where the elements don't go over the edge I am okay with it. Jeremiah is an example where it did not go over the edge. Ditto Survivors. And ditto Star Wars.

Is Killjoys a dystopia? Sort of. It has the oppression element in some areas and indeed the ruling class component. It also has that ruling class sitting on a political powderkeg which detonates in the finale. But it also has a real "fun" element in it too. It seems the universe of the show has some places that are pretty lawless and others under pretty tight rule. So to me it does not go over the edge.

I have only seen 5 of the 9 episodes I downloaded, so perhaps I need the full shot of episodes before I have a clear perspective?
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
Perhaps.

The darker setting may just not "click" for you. It's a matter of taste.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Perhaps.

The darker setting may just not "click" for you. It's a matter of taste.

My take on it is this: if there is space tech, weapons tech, communications systems and portable devices and an information network, then there also has to be scientists, geeks, pilots, statesmen, etc. In Killjoys, everyone seems to be either a cop-ish enforcer/guard/keeper of some sort or a mob boss/gangster/hood. Where are the scientists? Of course, the answer is that this show is not about the scientists. :) THAT is what does not click with me. If the characters were an engaging as those in Firefly, I might think differently. But even the actors and actresses in this show have been obviously picked mostly for their looks and not so much their acting talent, although they don't fail at that.

Let me say clearly that I do not hate the show. I do not hate the characters, or anything specific about it. It is a general...meh, regarding the universe it is set in.
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
As to Firefly, let's remember that our heroes were criminals. Several of the stories centered around heists they pulled. And they even had a whole episode centered around a particularly nasty bounty hunter after River and Simon.

Firefly was different in that it had the Alliance as a central, controlling body. The farther away one got from Alliance oversight the more "wild west" things became. I think a lot of the reason Mal and crew visited so many rough and tumble worlds was because they clung to the outskirts to avoid detection. In KJ's though they are part of the governing system more or less.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Firefly was different in that it had the Alliance as a central, controlling body. The farther away one got from Alliance oversight the more "wild west" things became. I think a lot of the reason Mal and crew visited so many rough and tumble worlds was because they clung to the outskirts to avoid detection. In KJ's though they are part of the governing system more or less.

Your way of encapsulating thoughts is amazing. You nailed Firefly's premise. Mal and his crew were somewhat small-time thieves, and for the most part they avoided stealing Alliance goods (but they did not always). They still had a fear of being caught. In this, even the establishment gets into bar brawls, jumps into bed with all manner of people, etc. Lots of lingerie and shirtless abs shots, unlikely "official" outfits. But it is fun to watch, as you guys said. :)
 
Last edited:

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
Your way of encapsulating thoughts is amazing. You nailed Firefly's premise. Mal and his crew were somewhat small-time thieves, and for the most part they avoided stealing Alliance goods (but they did not always). They still had a fear of being caught. In this, even the establishment gets into bar brawls, jumps into bed with all manner of people, etc. Lots of lingerie and shirtless abs shots, unlikely "official" outfits. But it is fun to watch, as you guys said. :)

I actually find the show boring and have given up on it to be honest. Don't get me wrong, I'm not hating on Killjoys. But I'm not really finding any value in it in terms of investing my time.

I also hate to admit it but the eye candy is much better on Full Bladder -- I mean Dark Matter. :stung:
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
Firefly was different in that it had the Alliance as a central, controlling body. The farther away one got from Alliance oversight the more "wild west" things became. I think a lot of the reason Mal and crew visited so many rough and tumble worlds was because they clung to the outskirts to avoid detection. In KJ's though they are part of the governing system more or less.

Good point. Part of the underlying theme of Firefly is the civil war that occurred, and in which Mal and Zoe fought on the losing side. As a result, Mal tries to avoid Alliance worlds because he wants to stay free.
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
See that's the thing - I don't find it boring.

I went in with no expectations in part because the information on the show was so sketchy. It was basically billed as "Space Bounty Hunters". And really that is exactly what it turned out to be.

The acting turned out better than expected especially as two of the three leads I had never seen before. The pacing started out a bit uneven but as the season progressed they got better at it. Ditto the fight choreography. The main thing I feel they need to fix right now is the music work - ditch the rock music and just use basic instrumentals that are mood appropriate. but overall it was fun.

Dark Matter started out confused and just dark and boring. And it remained that way. I find it impossible to work up any actual interest in the characters or their predicament.
 

ecgordon

Star's Hero
The fact that I've watched all the episodes of both Killjoys and Dark Matter says something I guess, but I'm not overly enthused about either and don't care if they are renewed or not.
 
Top