Season 1: No Cast Member Is Safe -- Except Maybe the Title Character

[Meredith Quill]

Speculate and Anticipate Here!

[mjc570]

I'm not sure about spoilers, because the pilot's already aired, but I will just say that, in my opinion, it was dreadful.  It was incoherent and senseless, and Ms. V. H. (I can't even remember her name) was so characterless I have no interest in her whatsoever.  Yes, I realize a lot of that is plot related, and I assume she'll be more fleshed out as the series goes on, but what a boring, humorless character.  She's like the anti-Wynona, Wynona being smart and funny and effective.  I don't know if it's the writing or the acting, but I don't want to spend any of my time on this.  And, I should say that I am a huge SyFy fan, and watch pretty much everything. 

[zxy556575]

I was going to spoiler my comments as well, but they're pretty generically negative. Ergo: I was thoroughly bored. Every scene and character can probably be found on tvtropes.org and the "twist" was telegraphed from the first scene. The lead was totally forgettable.

[paulvdb]

Nobody interested in this? It looks like it based on the lack of posts so far. This pilot episode didn't do much to get me to watch more, but maybe I'll check out the second episode to see if it gets better now that the title character of the show is awake and will probably get more screen time. The male lead has done nothing to make me want to see more of him and none of the other characters made enough of an impression to make me tune in for them.

[Triskan]

KInda liked it for a first episode... I mean, I trust SyFy these days and definitly curious to see where all that will go ! 

[Whimsy]

Where did this air?  It doesn't show up as airing until September 23rd? Was it an early preview? 

[paulvdb]

Syfy aired it as a preview after Sharknado 4 according to this article.

[Tarasme]

Gonna provide spoiler blanket until 23rd.

 

Spoiler

Why does Tim Guinee have to be a bad guy?!? I'm sad he was only on my screen for an ep.

I'm interested in this. I'm really curious how much Neil Labute's going to be involved, if at all going forward. I found quite a few things refreshing- Axel's commitment and apparent aptitude for keeping everyone alive. Vanessa's understanding that bitchiness is as warm a blanket as she's going to find. Everyone in the bunker's "wtf!" on Vanessa's awakening but yet they kind of continue on w/o much flap (though, granted, the focus on Vanessa and Axel may have caused the flap to be missed). 

I'm interested to see what the evil intelligent vampires did with TG. His statement about what they did to his insides painted quite the squickee picture.

I hope the daughter thing doesn't go on forever.

Looking forward to next eps!

[Snarkette]

I am...confused.

[Shriekingeel]

Like the world, like the visuals, like the actors, but....does no one tell a straightforward narrative story anymore? Game of Thrones went five seasons before their first flashback, just sayin. More a criticism of Episode 2 than Episode 1. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

In the days leading up to "The Rising," Vanessa is attacked and left for dead by an intruder. When Doc discovers anomalies in Vanessa's bloodwork, Axel and the marines come to retrieve the body, only to become marooned in the hospital when all hell breaks loose outside the building.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Well, that was an hour of my life I'll never get back.

I wanted to like it because I was hoping it would be sort of a BtVS with the added twist that she turns vampires back into humans, but that was just terrible.

[Twilight Man]

Fargo: The TV series

Rush Hour: The TV series

Lethal Weapon: The TV series

and now Van Helsing: The TV series

What's next?  Beaches: The TV series??

Oh, dear God, I was only kidding.  Let it go!  Let it go!!

(Sorry, I had to do that)

[SimoneS]

I couldn't manage to stay awake through this. I will give it another shot, but it feels so predictable and the casting is dire. The lead actress is bland as hell.

[Whimsy]

I liked the 2nd one better. I think they should've aired these episodes in reverse order. I think they thought if they started with the epidemic already in full-force first that it would "hook" viewers, but since the 2nd episode ends right where the first one picks up, there was no reason to do it the way they did. I think knowing how life was before it started, meeting Vanessa and everyone else beforehand made me more interested in finding out what happens next. I'll stick with it for a couple more episodes to see how it goes  

[cakes1975]

5 hours ago, GenL said:

I liked the 2nd one better. I think they should've aired these episodes in reverse order. I think they thought if they started with the epidemic already in full-force first that it would "hook" viewers, but since the 2nd episode ends right where the first one picks up, there was no reason to do it the way they did. I think knowing how life was before it started, meeting Vanessa and everyone else beforehand made me more interested in finding out what happens next. I'll stick with it for a couple more episodes to see how it goes  

Totally agree especially since I liked the Doctor and wished that she could be a bigger part of the gang. I also like how he male lead seemed to have formed a friendship with her, which explained why he chose to 'feed' her to keep her alive.

[Netfoot]

So.  TWD with... zompires?  Or would that be vambies?

They did very little with the first two episodes, so I'm not holding out much hope for E3.  But I guess I could give it another look, 

[Terrafamilia]

So many questions.

So the eruption of the supervolcano underneath Yellowstone didn't release some ancient virus that created vampires, there were already vampires around who saw the first eruption, and the appearance of someone whose blood can cause a reversion of the vampiric state, as some sort of sign to go crazy with turning people?

Was that partial guy in the meatlocker the one who slurped up Vanessa's blood bag? So not only does her blood unvamp a vamp but renders them fairly unkillable?

Was Vanessa a fast healer before she got bitten by a vamp? Did the vamp bite cause a change in her as much as her blood caused a change in the vamp?

Except for lacking a 5-6 ft long tongue-sucker, the rank and file vamps were acting a lot like the zompires from The Strain. Homage or rip-off?

Someone tell the ancient vamp couple to speak up and enunciate. I know it was mostly Russian or something, but still.

[diebartdie]

I reckon the vamps just decided to capitalize on the reduced sunlight and went full on vamp, I dont get though why they decided to destroy so much of the infrastructure of the city too. Seems to me vampires, like some of the ones on this show are smart so they would keep all that in place and just start putting humans in big feed lots, using us for labor, etc. This show (like The Strain too) though has a sort of combo of semi-mindless zombie type vamps as well as sophisticated ones. Mashups usually fail to satisfy either side of the mash but we'll see (seems better than The Strain already tbh).

I think the story would have worked better if the second episode had been aired first, ending maybe with the doc being bit and tied down; airing it the way they did (with a "36 hours earlier" even! I dont care about 36 hours earlier in the lives of people I havent met yet) just made it kind of boring. The show though has promise. So far it seems a lot less cheeky than Wynonna Earp and a bit more supernatural than TWD, I'll give it a few eps and see how I like it.

[ZoqFotPik]

7 hours ago, Netfoot said:

So.  TWD with... zompires?  Or would that be vambies?

You've also got a little Dominion with the lesser more drone like demons and more powerful intelligent demons (although that is a fairly common trope), and the chosen one being able to reverse the change. The vampires even kind of look and sound like "eight balls". Also a bit of Wynonna Earp with the female descendant of a famous demon hunter.

1 hour ago, Terrafamilia said:

Was that partial guy in the meatlocker the one who slurped up Vanessa's blood bag?

Certainly looked like him.

1 hour ago, Terrafamilia said:

Someone tell the ancient vamp couple to speak up and enunciate. I know it was mostly Russian or something, but still.

Closed Captions are you friend.

1 hour ago, Terrafamilia said:

Did the vamp bite cause a change in her as much as her blood caused a change in the vamp?

If that's true, then we've got a bit of Z-Nation mixed into this as well.

[Drogo]

The hospital's power source is damaged, jeopardizing the protective UV lights. Vanessa and Axel head into Seattle to scavenge parts, leaving the others to fight against the vampires amongst themselves.

[Drogo]

Vanessa and Mohamad head into the vampire-controlled streets in search of Vanessa's daughter; Cynthia is found dead at the hospital, and Doc thinks her apparent suicide is actually a deliberate murder; Vanessa is captured by vampires.

[CabotCove]

Quote

Like the world, like the visuals, like the actors, ...

Me too. I will be watching

[CabotCove]

Episode 2 gets even better. Hooked on this show already.

 

Quote

I liked the 2nd one better. I think they should've aired these episodes in reverse order.

I liked the way they did,  a bit of mystery is good

Edited September 27, 2016 by DCLeague

[CabotCove]

Quote

Was that partial guy in the meatlocker the one who slurped up Vanessa's blood bag? So not only does her blood unvamp a vamp but renders them fairly unkillable?

i dont think its same guy. That was gross.

Quote

Was Vanessa a fast healer before she got bitten by a vamp?

She doesnt seem to be a fast healer, she did after all spend 3 years in a coma

[CabotCove]

 

 

People not watching this show are missing out.

[Triskan]

On 25/09/2016 at 5:21 AM, cakes1975 said:

Totally agree especially since I liked the Doctor and wished that she could be a bigger part of the gang. 

Well, now that they know Vanessa's blood unvamps the vamps, I'm pretty sure the doctor is gonna be healed and become a part of the gang.

[Terrafamilia]

20 hours ago, DCLeague said:

She doesnt seem to be a fast healer, she did after all spend 3 years in a coma

I guess she needed another vamp bite to jump-start her out of her coma. When the doctor was starting on her examination for the autopsy Vanessa was free of injury. And her hand recovered quite rapidly from being impaled with that knife.

[CabotCove]

Quote

I guess she needed another vamp bite to jump-start her out of her coma

You might be onto something there

Quote

When the doctor was starting on her examination for the autopsy Vanessa was free of injury. 

Oh yeah I remember now

[Eneya]

I don't think we, as an audience, would be surprised by the twist. I mean... "Van Helsing"... not a stretch to figure it out.
I didn't like it, tbh. We shall see, I guess.

[CabotCove]

The show gets better and better. Im in for the long ride

[eelpout]

yeah, I think so too. I can't imagine Neil LaBute being involved in something that didn't have some potential. 

[bluvelvet]

Liked this episode. Still wondering why some of them are antagonistic towards Vanessa

Edited October 8, 2016 by bluvelvet

[Drogo]

Vanessa and Mohamad head into the vampire-controlled streets in search of Vanessa's daughter; Cynthia is found dead at the hospital, and Doc thinks her apparent suicide is actually a deliberate murder; Vanessa is captured by vampires.

[Drogo]

Vanessa, now in the clutches of Julius and his vampire brood, is forced to demonstrate her powers; the refugees discover a serial killer among the residents, and plot to wrestle control from Axel.

[wayne67]

On 10/3/2016 at 9:16 AM, bluvelvet said:

Liked this episode. Still wondering why some of them are anatagonistic towards Vanessa

Because half of the survivors are worse than useless and are underfoot making things worse for everyone because they can't shut up and sit down. Between the dude that was willing to trade Sleeping Beauty for his wife and broke the windmill that powered the defenses and that annoying woman who's all you're one of them, I'm hoping half of them get eaten so I don't have to hear them whine any more. Soldier, doctor, deaf & black guy should head out with Sleeping beauty and leave the others behind to get themselves killed through their chronic stupidity. 

[ZoqFotPik]

Anyone else watch? I know there was a lot going on news and sports wise yesterday. So I'm guessing the Blonde Girl is the killer. I wonder how the new group is going mix with the current group. Resources have to be an issue. The human underground, with Mohamad's sister, seems interesting.

[diebartdie]

I watched it. I like this show a whole lot so far! I hadnt yet thought of the blond lady as the killer, what makes you suspicious? Im worried the deaf guy is starting to wish he was a vamp. I was mad at both Vanessa AND the marine guy. He told her he would go out with her to help her find her child and then he just doesnt do that PLUS tries to forbid her from doing that. She should have kept up the pressure on him and not gone out by herself.

[CooperTV]

I'd wish the show wasn't so slow. I think we need more character development from the core group, not another thirty people to up the tension, power balance and random murder mystery (Creepy Blonde did it, case closed). Maybe the show is still finding it strength but so far it's at its best when it's doing small character moments (the Ex-Vamp talking to the Deaf Dude, Axel talking to Doc, the Ex-Vamp and Doc, Vanessa bonding with Mohamad, etc). I'm also confused by the Resistance guys, as the only point of them being in the episode was introduction of Mohamad's sister.

The most fascinating thing so far is how the characters are psychologically affected by things done to them. How Axel seems fine and waaaay too laid-back given the situation but he's clearly internalized a lot of crap and is paranoid. Or how interested the Deaf Guy in vampire experiences.

[ZoqFotPik]

9 hours ago, diebartdie said:

I hadnt yet thought of the blond lady as the killer, what makes you suspicious?

Decades of watching television.  She's the only one who seemed to care that she died and was the first accuse someone else.

[ZoqFotPik]

Blonde girl wasn't around when the injured guy was found murdered. Axel was really dumb approaching the group unarmed. I wonder what's in the tunnels that even vampires are afraid of.

Edit: Season 2!

Edited October 15, 2016 by ZoqFotPik

[TimetoShine]

I'm not yet sure what I feel about this show. This week's episode was fairly engaging but overall this show is not what I expected it to be (I never read/saw anything prior to it's premiere). 
Re: the group, if they hadn't turned out they way they did, I would have pushed for them being able to stay but considering they had planned and are planning to get rid of the originals, I'm ok with them being gone very soon. 

Re: Vanessa. She is not who I expected at all and I don't really understand why she is the focus of the show (other than her special powers). The actress is fairly dull and her story isn't interesting at all. I want her killing vampires and stuff. Being a real badass.

[AlliMo]

Dear television producers: When I say that I like dark tv shows, I mean dark themes, not so poorly lit that I can't tell what the hell is going on.

I seriously don't know why they didn't boot John out long before now. He's been nothing but trouble from the first episode. Only the fact that Axel is, at his core, still a decent human being has even kept John alive up to this point. He keeps demonstrating exactly why he's a good leader.

The new group needs to die. All. Of. Them.

Edited October 15, 2016 by AlliMo

[CooperTV]

There's a great disconnect between the show premise and the execution so far. As much as I'm really enjoying the tension between two different groups of survivors, I would like to know what Vanessa (that is currently stuck in some other show entirely) has to do with it. It's fifth episode, and she's the weakest link so far. It's strange.

[ZoqFotPik]

I don't think it's just Vanessa, I think a lot of the characters need development. Admittedly, I'm bad with character names, but as you said it's the fifth episode and I only know Vanessa, Axel, and Mohamad. Everyone else is Blonde Girl, Widower, Doc, Deaf Guy, Asian Guy, Female Vampire, Mohamad's Sister, etc. I think they should have kept the first half of the season developing the Hospital Characters, and spent the Second half introducing the outside world.

[CooperTV]

22 minutes ago, ZoqFotPik said:

I think they should have kept the first half of the season developing the Hospital Characters, and spent the Second half introducing the outside world.

I actually agree with this. They have huge issues with pacing and plot-building, because everything should start to get together to the mid-season finale, and it's simply not there yet at all.

[CooperTV]

Van Helsing Renewed For Season 2

[CooperTV]

Quote

Vanessa and Susan are chased by mutated feral vampires in the sewers, arriving back at the hospital only after a hostile takeover.

Promo

 

Sneak Peek

 

[wayne67]

At this point I only like the soldier guy and everyone else irritates me. There's too many characters and I'm not sure why I should care about any of them. 

[CooperTV]

Axel is a freaking psycho badass, and I'm into it. The red-tinted action scene with axes and broom-handles is the most videogame scene the show did to date.

The Other Guys were way to whiny for crazy overlords, but poor little girl, though.

Vanessa is the least interesting character, still. I'm more interested in all other female characters and their interactions in the group.