Ronald D. Moore’s - Virtuality

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Looks like Ronald D. Moore's sci-fi 'Virtuality' pilot might be back on at FOX, originally after viewing they were not too keen on it, claiming it wasn’t mainstream enough. FOX now want additional shots completed for July 4th airing. If well received, we might get a series green-lit, though its FOX we're talking about...


Virtuality follows twelve crew members of Earth’s first starship - the deep-space vessel Phaeton. The story, co-created by Michael Taylor and Ronald D. Moore, follows how they deal with a long 10 year journey through space via the use of a virtual reality computer program (something like the holodeck in Star Trek) and how just as their mission is about to enter its critical phase, a virus infects the system putting all of their lives on the line. To add salt to the wound, they are on a live feed to NASA on Earth, so everyone at home is watching them ala Big Brother style..

Some insiders have already referred to Virtuality as a “masterpiece”. In fact, one of the reasons the pilot has been in limbo has related to Fox’s interpretation that it isn’t mainstream enough, which of course is code for “it’s too intelligent.” We also know Fox wanted Moore to “dumb it down” and rework it to make it more palatable to “mainstream audiences” which is also code for “make it more superficial.” But we don’t know exactly what or if any changes have actually been made to Moore’s original vision.

The pilot is directed by Peter Berg (The Kingdom, Hancock)

Clea DuVall, Erik Jensen, Gene Farber, James D'Arcy, Jimmi Simpson, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Joy Bryant, Kerry Bishe, Nelson Lee, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Omar Metwally, Richie Coster and Sienna Guillory.



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Date change and photos

The Virtuality movie on Fox has been bought forward to June 26th (not July 4).

From left: Kerry Bishe, Ritchie Coster, Eric Jensen, Nelson Lee, Joy Bryant, Clea Duvall, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Sienna Guillory, James D'Arcy, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Gene Farber, Omar Metwally, Jimmi Simpson

Sienna Guillory as Rika Goddard

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Commander Frank Pike

 

[Lalonde]

Looking forward to this (even if if Fox are going to **** with it) Ronald D Moore knows how to do TV Sci-Fi.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - he was in Blackhawk Down wasn't he? Remember watching the DVD extras and being startled by his thick Dutch accent.

 

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What Would you Bring to Space?

YouTube - Virtuality - What Would you Bring to Space?

 

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First look at Virtuality footage

Interesting


12mins off clips from Virtuality

 

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Pilot - 8.8/10

Remember this is it, there is no series planned. Only 2hrs or less scripted. If it did have a series, its not going to have a huge following, only sci-fi junkies need apply, guess that's what FOX thought, though i hope they change their mind.

A character drama that is a slow burner and one that you need to stick with, as towards the end things get a little crazy, and the mission takes a dramatic turn...

Well directed by Peter Berg (The Kingdom, Hancock). A promising and thought-provoking set up as the crew have to make a hard decision to take a alternative mission to find an habitable alternative to Earth which is in a flux off crisis, most off the plot is based around a ships' on-board Virtual Reality system, is there a message in there and is there a connection to what happened. I would love to see what destiny awaits the crew off Phaeton on their on going mission, but we will never know.

 

[Starburst]

Well I liked the production style and the sets, cgi and soundtrack were excellent and very modern.

However what an absolute snooze fest with the most annoying or indifferent characters every to grace an ensemble genre programme. I mean could they have come up with a more "right on" crew in terms of an interracial couple, gay couple, married couple one of which is cheating and the odd ball loners?

Seriously it was around 85minutes of boredom with I have to admit a couple of minutes at the end that had me going oooooh and god do I hate the BB style.

 

[travlinmatt]

As a standalone show, it was ok, as an extended Pilot, very good. It spent two hours raising question which means this has a good chance at series, unless Fox kills it off as they seem to do with just about every thing these days.

The cast is strong, the relationship setups are very standard and predictable but the ending gives plenty of scope for fun and frolics, so to speak. The "system bug" thing makes me think

Spoiler

they are all in VR and the trip and show is all fake. Its a test/experiment to check the mental capabilities of long term space voyages and the "bug" is the manifestation of the collected groups fears of the test/voyage,

IMHO.

It reminded me allot of the 1st hour of the BSG min series, all build up and little action, by that I mean if you discount Baltar and 6's glowing back!

Peter Berg did a good job in the directors chair and hope, if a series comes of this, he's envolved as he has done great work with Friday Night Lights. I spose he'd have to, his cousin would kill him if he screwed that up!

Overall, a strong 7.5/10