Atlantis (BBC Series)

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BBrooks
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Re: Atlantis (BBC Series)

Post by BBrooks »

It's been reported that Atlantis has been axed due to falling viewing figures, BBC1 unusually stopped showing it last December midway through the current season. I'm not happy with their decision to cancel it, you've got millions of viewers who like & enjoy watching the show, but it's a small panel of TV bosses who have the final say. I've never understood that!

Every show has ratings problems, even Doctor Who has suffered recently, TV channels should allow their shows to develop and find their feet. Atlantis could continue in Novels, Comic Strips, Audio (Big Finish), Video Games etc. like so many other shows. According to press reports, the remaining 7 episodes from series two will be shown in the spring. What are your thoughts?
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Re: Atlantis (BiBC Series)

Post by pjmlfc05 »

It's a shame. However, I do feel it's not as good as the first series. It has got dark too quickly. It does feel like the story has been rushed (i.e the death of the king at the start). Yet in the end of the 1st series the king is well. It doesn't make sense.

I guess the later start time doesn't help. Also what's with the intro? What has happened to that? Sadly it just feels the writers got a bit complacent. I did enjoy the 1st series and hope it would go on just as long as Merlin did. Wonder how the 2nd series will end now?
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Canadanne
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Re: Atlantis (BBC Series)

Post by Canadanne »

I'm actually finding Series 2 to be a massive improvement on Series 1, so it's mildly disappointing that it won't have a chance to develop any further (and I expect some plot threads will never be completed or explained now). Still, I can't say I'm all that surprised. The way they took unrelated things from mythology and history and just threw them together at random was quite strange, and the lead actor was too wooden to fill Colin Morgan's shoes. A pity, because the basic idea had a lot of potential.
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Re: Atlantis (BBC Series)

Post by wombstar »

What makes them think it's replacement will be any better?
They'll probably put on more football instead.
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BBrooks
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Re: Atlantis (BBC Series)

Post by BBrooks »

The second half of Season 2 was very good, the show has started to take on it's own identity and had stopped living in the shadow of it's predecessor Merlin. The acting & characters had all improved in S2 especially Hercules, you really felt for him when he lost Medusa. Sarah Parish (Pasiphae) was an excellent villain and I always loved any scene with her. If the show isn't returning, then the BBC should have got the cast back to film a proper ending and not left it on a big cliffhanger.

If you're having withdrawal symptoms, then I recommend a similar Fantasy/Mythology series called Olympus (Wednesday's 10pm on Spike). It's like a cross between "Game of Thrones" and the "300" movies, it's worth checking out!
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Re: Atlantis (BBC Series)

Post by pjmlfc05 »

Yes the 2nd half of Atlantis has been better but I felt it was too late. Also feel the series itself would have been more suited to a 3rd or 4th series. The 2nd series felt rushed to begin with and lost it's way. I can see why the viewing figures dropped.

The acting did improve, however the show became a family show to trying to be more Game of Thrones. It went from one identity to another. I hear people say the slapstick humour of the 1st series held it back. I disagree. There was nowhere near as much bumour in the 2nd series and at times it felt it was taking itself too seriously.

I am sad to see the way it ended but if the producers had let the characters and storylines progress properly, I feel it would not have been axed.

Olympus sounds good! Will give it a try.
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Canadanne
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Re: Atlantis (BBC Series)

Post by Canadanne »

I thought Series 2 was much stronger than Series 1, *but* it went a bit too far in the opposite direction, incredibly dark and depressing with virtually no humour at all. The Oracle and Medusa were my favourite characters so the last few episodes weren't much fun for me - I'm really glad it's been axed now!
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Re: Axedlantis (BBC Series)

Post by Drassil »

If Atlantis had the potential to get better - and talk of an Argonauts-based third series does sound intriguing - then it's a shame it was axed the way it was. When all's said and done, people who had more to give were put out of work (work which, in some cases, they utterly adored). But that's television. Like Knightmare teams, not all can survive and not all is fair. There are some interesting views shared in this Guardian article.

Personally, Atlantis lost me after Series 1 and I won't miss it. I took to calling it Craplantis, in fact. If they had taken more time over the preproduction, instead of rushing to fill the vacuum left by Merlin, they might have created something with more lasting appeal, especially to those in the audience who are particularly attuned to the richness of the original source material. Can film and programme makers take liberties with Greek mythology? Yes, but not too many. And there has to be adequate compensation: in characterisation, in humour, in special effects and/or in action. For me, there wasn't.
BBrooks wrote:I recommend a similar Fantasy/Mythology series called Olympus (Wednesday's 10pm on Spike). It's like a cross between "Game of Thrones" and the "300" movies, it's worth checking out!
If you've been keeping an eye on Knightmare.com, you'll know that I wrote an article about Olympus a month ago. :)
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