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While flying under the ratings radar on Showtime, Odyssey 5 drew loyal fans with a premise that could have yielded fascinating developments beyond its 19-episode run. Before taking show-runner jobs on UPN's ill-fated Star Trek: Enterprise and Fox's 24, creator-writer-producer Manny Coto dreamed up this provocative pastiche of sci-fi ideas, connecting an end-of-the-world scenario with a time-travel twist and an alien invasion plot with X-Files overtones. You could argue that Coto's reach exceeded his grasp, since none of these elements combine to form a fully satisfying whole (especially since the series was cancelled before it reached its intended conclusion), but there's something to be said for the show's entertaining tangents and unexpected complications. It all begins when the five-member crew of the space shuttle Odyssey witnesses the shocking implosion of the Earth, leaving them stranded and doomed to suffocate when their air supply is depleted. Instead, they are rescued by the Seeker (John Neville), a crystalline alien in human form, who sends them (or at least, their mental and spiritual essence) five years back in time, reunited with their physical bodies with a mission to discover what went wrong and save Earth from oblivion. Peter Weller stars as the brash, foul-mouthed Commander Chuck Taggart, a seasoned flyboy whose 22-year-old computer-whiz son Neil (Christopher Gorham) must now cope with being physically 17 again, reliving high-school (including his first serious relationship) while investigating possible causes of Earth's destruction. Along with geneticist Kurt Mendel (Sebastian Roché), shuttle pilot Angela Perry (Tamara Craig Thomas), and TV news reporter Sarah Forbes (Leslie Silva), their quest leads to the discovery of sentient nano-bots, synthetic humans, and a far-reaching conspiracy masterminded by a NASA splinter group secretly known as "the Cadre." In his pilot episode commentary recorded with Weller in 2005, Coto outlines some of the ideas he would've developed had the series run longer, and these 19 episodes serve up plenty of surprises that hint at the series' untapped potential. That makes Odyssey 5 both fun and frustrating--we're left dangling with an unresolved cliffhanger--but the ensemble cast makes it worthwhile. While the writing skews toward juvenile silliness on some occasions (and veers into full-on comedy with guest star Ted Raimi in the entertaining episode "The Trouble with Harry"), it's clear that Odyssey 5 was pushing conventional boundaries of TV science fiction. For that reason alone, it's a shame it lacked the audience that would've warranted additional episodes. --Jeff Shannon
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sci-fi lovers? Do not miss this!!!,
By givolini (Como (CO), Italy) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Odyssey 5 - The Complete Series [DVD] [2006] (DVD)
... why was this show cancelled? I don't get it. It's without any doubt one of the finest examples of adult science fiction. Each episode is packed with some of the most creative ideas you might expect. Really, I found each episode surprising, Manny_Coto_is_a_genius. Not to mention the characters, each of them with a detail defined personality. Dr. Kurt Mendel is, with his sarcastic attitude, undoubtedly one of the greatest tv show character you'll ever find. And what about Peter Weller, impeccable as the Texan tough space commander Taggart. A unique series, believe me. Too bad we'll never get to see how it ends. Damn those idiots who cancelled it.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
At last it's here!,
By Eryndil (UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Odyssey 5 - The Complete Series [DVD] [2006] (DVD)
Hooray! At last this great show has been released on DVD. I've been waiting years for this.
In my opinion, this was one of the best sci-fi series ever. It combines more common aspects of the genre such as space and time-travel with excellent character development to create an interesting mix of technical, human and alien storylines. Throughout the episodes, the viewer shares the protagonists' sense of uncertainty - not knowing what to expect or who to trust. Putting the characters into their own bodies from 5 years earlier was an inspired idea as it enables the writers to explore moral and ethical themes as well as the practical issues of finding yourself in this situation. In short, this programme has a bit of everything - humour, romance, mystery, conspiracy, technology, time-travel, drama (and even a nod to the original Star Trek series) and all in one season! The most well-rounded sci-fi show I've seen as yet. The only reason I haven't given a 5-star rating is because of the 'eternal cliffhanger' which leaves viewers wondering how the story would have ended (if the wonderful Manny Coto had ever been allowed to continue the series). If you haven't seen Odyssey 5 before, be aware that it was left unresolved but don't let that put you off watching it. It's worth it.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing Sci-Fi series,
By Bobby Drake (Liverpool, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Odyssey 5 - The Complete Series [DVD] [2006] (DVD)
Loved this show when it was on Sky One - excellent acting, great special effects and a terrific storyline combine to make this a show that is well worth buying on dvd. Why this only lasted one season I will never know but at least its finally come out on dvd.
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