Virtuality by Ron Moore on FOX

Yeah, I loved the hell out of it. The scene you're talking about really shocked me. Not in an "OMG I'M OUTRAGED!" way, just in a "I can't believe they just did that" way.

Some amazing direction by Berg, especially the "launch" sequence.

Just some very cool sci-fi. Shame we quite likely wont see any more.

It seemed like the show had no idea what it wanted to be. It'll probably be cancelled by the end of the month. The whole thing just left me confused.

Virtual reality on some space mission PLUS it's a reality show? I mean I'm glad we didn't have any Star Trek holodeck type shit stories but I just don't think audiences will "get" it. The mission is supposed to last 10 years? What are we supposed to do until then? They're not exploring the galaxy or anything, they're just going along a set path.

I was half expecting them to be jumped randomly in space when they activated the engines. Then there's this dude appearing in all their virtual sets who kills them, but NO ONE thinks to ask anybody else what he looked like. Even the chick who got raped, she didn't even tell the doc what he looked like. I'm sorry but if a creepy dude is killing me in my virtual reality, and they know that most of them have been experiencing the same thing, does NO ONE think to discuss what the fucker looks like? Then they could be like "OH, I saw the same guy!!!" and maybe they can form up some plan to catch the fucker.

The mystery of who he is...it's somewhat interesting...but the thing is it's like he has no motivation. It doesn't seem to be any endgame for him. So I care less about that mystery. The intriguing and most confusing part was when they kill off the most important character. Then he shows up in the VR world and says cryptic stuff. I mean I suppose he's the one who sabotaged the airlock door in the first place, but he looked pretty surprised by it. I liked that actor too...dammit. At least he'll show up in some capacity.

I mean I think the show is interesting, but it's not going to win over viewers like that. Especially when they take one of the more interesting characters out of it the first episode. I think it's awesome how unexpected it was, but I want the show to last for a bit.

Huh, I saw a few minutes of it last night, read the title, confirmed that Russel Crowe wasn't in it eating glass, and moved on. It does sound like something I'd like, though. I'll track it down.

It's a backdoor pilot, it hasn't been picked up yet. And I'm pretty sure it won't be, I can't imagine this finding an audience on network television.

I LOVED it, though.

Why is the shrink also the reality show producer? I mean, a psychiatrist should be trying to resolve the crew conflicts, but a reality show producer should try to emphasize those to make for compelling drama.

That's a really bad conflict of interest.

This was a pilot that didn't get picked up -- it's not even a backdoor pilot. Barring killer ratings, it's dead.

"The whole thing just left me confused" too, and that's what I absolutely love about it. I had no idea where it was going or even where it could go from here. I haven't been able to say that about too many shows.

Many characters had reasons for not talking about their experiences and "comparing notes." Plus it seems like they don't think it's possible for a virtual character to be penetrating everyone's fantasies so it's not even worth discussing.

I think the aspects you all consider "odd" are odd for very specific reasons. Safe to say, things (maybe everything) are not what they appear to be.

Kudos to Ron Moore for believing in the audience's willingness to try something different. He's not rewarded for that faith most of the time but good on him for trying. This stuff is above most people's heads so I do doubt it gets picked up. Still, I can't recommend tracking it down enough, the show's a rewarding experience in and of itself.

EDIT:

Why the Hell would you assume that? Just because we don't yet know his motivations doesn't mean he won't have any.

The captain and the biologist know that it's the same character since the captain saw it both in his simulation and hers, and I'm pretty sure that he brought it up. It's a point they should be thinking about because at least one remaining characters knows that it's happening.

True, but Pike still thinks the character only relates to him since (as far as he knows) the guy just exists to pop up and shoot him.

C'mon, there's a glitch in the virtual reality simulation, but it's only limited to him? Despite that there are glitches affecting other people's sims?

Sure, it might not be related, but it's foolish to not think that there might be a connection.

They don't know that the system is (apparently) sentient and has some sort of goal. I don't see why it would occur to them that the same imaginary man is out to get them. Really, all this is nitpicky.

Just watched this, found it above average. Never can get enough of Clea Duvall.

Realized about halfway through that Evil Hologram Man was Lyle the Intern from The Late Show with David Letterman. That was distracting.

Terrific stuff, but way beyond the average-American Idol loving audience. Too bad, that Moore/Berg team is gold.

Yep, dead as a doornail unfortunately.

You know America, you really aren't contradicting Bin Laden's point when you act like this.

It was put on in the summer on a Friday with no promotion. And it wasn't even that good. It showed promise but where was it going to go?

I'd give it a half dozen episodes but 12 people isolated on a ship for 10 years doesn't grab me. Only so much you can do.

Excellent pilot. Still not 100% sold on the concept as a 22 eps/season series, but it worked really well within the confines of 90 minutes. Writing was intelligent, the cast impressed. References to Sunshine are appropriate. Too bad it never got picked up. Way too cerebral for FOX.

I have absolutely no idea where it could go from here, that's what makes it cool. A second TV movie to wrap things up would be nice, maybe the Sci-Fi channel would have it. Would be at least as successful (ratings wise) as their "original movies", you would think. Plus the sets are already built.

Who was he going to tell? The shrink? "Oh, hey buddy, there was this dude who was in both my simulation and your wife's and in both he totally killed everything in the simulation. How do I know it was the same guy? Umm... Your wife is really hot."

And the wife didn't seem to really believe the commander, and now she's seeing HIM in her simulations. She thinks she's going crazy.

Add to that by the mid-point of the pilot the commander thought that EVERYTHING was a simulation, which is why he gave the "Go" order so lightly.