Sanctuary: Really happy I watched it all!

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Just finished season 4. A flawed gem of a show IMHO. I would rate the seasons this way:

Season 1: C
Season 2: B
Season 3: A-
Season 4 A+

Finally in seasons 3 and 4 we get really good story arcs and that completely changes the show from the monster of the week format. If you gave up on it I suggest you pick it up again. Season 4 has only 13 episodes.

Sanctuary has a comic book vibe to it that is a lot of fun once you stop expecting everything to make sense and be serious. It's also got some great acting and characters, especially the supporting roles. Tesla is fabulous.

I was completely meh about this for the first season. Every ep reminded me of a Dark Angel ep or something else. It was great to see it consistently improve and surprise me now and then. Some high points:

Amanda Tapping's character is fleshed out nicely in season 4, it becomes very believable she is that old and living with the consequences of her age. She seems to really grow into the character. She's also gorgeous.

Ryan Robbins (seen on SG:A) as Henry Foss is extremely good to look at.. very likable character too. Much better than that dullard who is the leading man, Dunne.

Jonathan Young's Tesla.. gets better and better, played for laughs, great lines in the finale. Best lines in the series probably.

In season 4 subtext slashy clamoring is catered to. Yes, yes it is.

The stand out eps are great!! I know if you just watched season 1 you might find this hard to believe but there are some really great edgy eps in the last two seasons. There's also one ep that was so hilarious I could not stop laughing, funniest, most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. (Fugue). A lot of scenes are played for humor in other eps too.

And finally.. the MUSIC is FANTASTIC. Best musical score I've heard in a series. Original and very well used. I would buy the soundtrack if it was available. This series may be mostly greenscreen but the score is John Williams level. Okay that might be a bit hyperbolic but it is truly a great score.

Here's the credits from season 2. I love how bits of this are worked into the show, could hear it in the finale. A real treat to listen to.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ2aMOf3FGY&feature=related[/yt]

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I've been watching Sanctuary since the paid for web series days. It wasn't fantastic but I thought it had potential and was worth the experimentation in funding shows via the web. When Syfy picked it up I have to admit I was a little disappointed because I liked the idea of a show working independent of TV, but it's turned out well.
The show is almost unrecognisable now to when it first started, yeah it has Will, Magnus, Biggie and Henry still but a lot of it has changed, style, ambition, tone.

The steampunk aspect with the flashback episodes to Helen's younger days and all the characters around her makes me wish there were more steampunk on TV.

I think there's 1 more season of Sanctuary left isn't there? Or is that it finished?

 

[Pingfah]

It has not been cancelled, but it has not been renewed yet either. I think the cast are hoping for a S5.

I liked the web series, but it had fundamental production problems that could probably only be solved with the budget and manpower given to a proper TV show. The Skiffy show I think worked out really well, likebale cast, didn't take itself too seriously, some really well designed effects sequences and digital sets. Plus I am a sucker for gothic visuals, and if there's one thing the show did very well it is that.

Good, light-hearted throwaway TV, perfect for a Saturday morning, which is when I would watch it.

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^ I'm pretty sure it's been renewed for at least one more season.

Sanctuary is one of my favorite shows. I loved the premise of a group that is dedicated to saving the "monsters" and providing shelter for them rather than fighting them or killing them. The series has become more conflict based over time, but it is still of high quality and the characters are still great. They also have done some nice, quirky episodes-- like a Bollywood homage that was hilarious.

 

[Sindatur]

I love it, and I agree, it has consistently gotten better over the course of the Series. Amanda Tapping's Company does want a 5th season (SyFy channel doesn't typically do more than 5 seasons of scripted shows, so probably one more season at most). Currently, it has not announced if there will be a Fifth Season or not, I'm hoping. I believe the last Episode of Season 4 was deliberately done in such a way, that it can continue easily if renewed, or serves perfectly well as a Series Finale if it doesn't get renewed.

 

[Forbin]

Liked it for a while, but Skiffy's short seasons with huge gaps drove my wife and I nuts. By the time the show came back we'd forgotten everything that happened during the last 6-episode half-season run a year ago. So we just threw up our hands and gave up.

I'm sure watching it straight thru on DVD would solve that, but we're finding it hard to care any more.

 

[Sindatur]

Liked it for a while, but Skiffy's short seasons with huge gaps drove my wife and I nuts. By the time the show came back we'd forgotten everything that happened during the last 6-episode half-season run a year ago. So we just threw up our hands and gave up.

I'm sure watching it straight thru on DVD would solve that, but we're finding it hard to care any more.

Season 1 - 13 Episodes 10/03/08 - 01/05/09
Season 2 - 13 Episodes 10/09/09 - 01/15/10
Season 3 First 10 eps - 10/15/10 - 12/17/10
Season 3 Second 10 Eps - 4/15/11 - 6/20/11
Season 4 - 13 Episodes 10/14/11 - 12/30/11

No Different then most other Cable shows, or British Shows such as Doctor Who, Being Human or Primeval

 

[Methos]

i loved Sanctuary, one of the most original shows for a while...

was slightly annoyed at how short Dr Watson's run was, think they could have done more with The Five and go into some more depth with the back story...

M

 

[Captain Shaw]

I really liked the web episodes, but have felt a bit let down by the TV series.
I was hoping it would have been darker like the web eps.

 

[Mistral]

I have enjoyed this show more and more as it goes on. I'm in agreement with the OP on this count. And an added bonus-my 5yr old likes it as much as my wife and I. A family fantasy? You bet. Worth it, IMO.

 

[backstept]

I like it a lot! I think Helen Magnus has really surpassed Sam Carter as Amanda's best character. Magnus has grown from Sam-in-a-wig-and-an-accent to total badass.
Amanda's accent has certainly gotten a lot better.
A crossover with Warehouse 13 would just take the cake! With WH13, Eureka, and Alphas it would make for one seriously busy world!

OOOO I just had a thought! it would be awesome to have Magnus meet The Doctor! it would be fun to see them work together, brag about their age and apparent youthfulness, and their various exploits

 

[stj]

Sanctuary is a goofy kind of SF. On one level the whole thing is completely silly, because this kind of goofiness can't touch much in our lives. But they had the good sense to have a premise where the characters weren't emotionally crippled nitwits with a mean streak who were fixated on talking about themselves all the time. They aren't all noble but they aren't criminals and the basic premise makes them ideals we can identify with, even if they aren't people like us. The show doesn't take the science seriously but it treats the characters seriously, instead of solemnly. And it has no scruples about trying to entertain us. They'll do anything. I haven't seen anything so shameless since Farscape.

I have to demur about Robin Dunne. The show doesn't work without an everyman, even if he must be necessarily duller than the exotics. In my opinion, the very best character episodes consist of Amanda Tapping, Robin Dunne and lots of water. I don't think that's an accident.

Samantha Carter? Helen Magnus shows what Tapping could have done if the guys at SG1 knew what to do with her.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I'm really looking forward to seeing what Tapping does with Magnus if there is a season 5. She's definitely grown her character.






As to Dunne's character I was frustrated by how good he was when he wasn't playing the fresh faced boy wonder. Pavor Nocturnus was one of my favorite episodes, really wanted to see that side of Zimmerman again (though obviously the contrast is what they were going for, and it worked very well). He was also like a whole different character in the 2 part finale when he was requisitioned by the government. Harder, smarter.. the boyish element was gone. Nothing against boyish characters but it was never believable to hear Magnus tell him that he could run the whole Sanctuary network.

We need a fifth season!!

 

[JD]

I love Sanctuary, and I definitely agree it's gotten alot better as it's gone along. I agree that Tesla is a whole lot of fun, anytime you see Jonathan Young's name in the credits you know you're in for a good time.

 

[Captain Shaw]

I love Sanctuary, and I definitely agree it's gotten alot better as it's gone along. I agree that Tesla is a whole lot of fun, anytime you see Jonathan Young's name in the credits you know you're in for a good time.

I love Tesla, if there is a 5th series I would love for him to be part of the main cast.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Such a charmer, best smile ever. Seemed to have so much fun with the role!

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

btw did anyone else notice this? There was a Sanctuary episode (Chimera) which began with a scene immediately reminiscent of that centipede thing in Padme's room on Coruscant in Attack of the Clones, right down to the luxury looking quilt on the bed. I'm watching it thinking.. wow this is straight out of AOTC, though I guess bug in room is not exactly copyright material. But the very next scene has Henry saying "I was having this dream where Erika was dressed as Princess Leia and I was doing this thing with my light saber.." He's interrupted. Next scene we see Biggie dressed in a bathrobe that looks like a brown Jedi robe. Surely a bit of a play tribute?

 

[Sindatur]

Oh, I realize I was remiss in not mentioning my character loves.

Of course I love all the usual suspects, Tesla especially, but, The Five in General, Biggie, Henry, and Henry's girl Friend are amongst my favorites.

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^ Also Kate. I was sorry when she got reduced to a recurring role.

I could have sworn that I read it was renewed for another season, but now I can't find it. Damn.

 

[Skywalker]

Skipped spoilers when I could, of course, but this thread managed to pique my interest in the show. Watched the two-hour pilot and "Fata Morgana" earlier this evening. Not bad. I'll give the rest of Season One a try and then see if I'm still digging the show after that.