Re: SPOILER TIME!
Here is a post from one of the people from that other thread...who is the USA Forum Administrator and a friend of one of the actors in this series:
By the way, they made the 5th episode end the way it did, because when they filmed it, they weren't sure if the show would continue or not. They closed it off enough so you figured out where they were, why, etc, but they also left it open for many new story lines incase it got picked up for a full season.
I think anyone who watched the miniseries realizes this, but this sort of emphasises to me how much I *DONT* like the way they do these miniseries-which-could-get-picked-up-into-a-series things.
I understand the logic. Have a short miniseries and if it is highly watched you know you have an audience who would be interested in the series. It is better than trying to slip in a 1 hour pilot and trying to get people to watch.
What I DONT like is that usually they do have to treat the miniseries as a standalone...and thus have SOME closure to it. While that makes sense and is a good thing if the series doesn't get picked up, I think its bad when they do. In the 4400's case I think a majority of the mystery was answered in that last episode. I think they could have had a whole season or two dealing with buildup as to what they were and why they were. Instead...its already explained. Now the show, imo, is reduced to almost an X-Files format. No big overall mystery per say, just dealing with the individuals.
I think that is a letdown for this series, but I will still give it a chance. I think Battlestar Galactia was done well for a miniseries as it showed how things began...and didnt answer much.
I think back to the 80's and "V" and THAT first miniseries was a PERFECT setup for a series. It showed how the resistance started...but left it VERY open for a series. However they fucked that up by first doing "V: The FINAL Battle" and then the series after THAT (guess it wasnt so final). Either way they really screwed it up with those last 2, but thats another story.
So Im not a big fan of doing shows like this because sometimes you have to give away too much of the story.
Could you imagine if B5 started like this? A 6 episode miniseries that by the end had to reveal what the hole in Sinclair's mind was? Ick!
I guess it wouldnt have been so bad if they would have treated it like some others and just left things open...
I suppose that makes me a fan of miniseries to be TV shows for them leaving it open and not resolving things. THAT would make me watch the series more. If it doesnt get picked up...well its just one more untold story.