Defiance

The Scy Fy channel has joined the post-apocalyptic television trend with its own offering, Defiance. Set on Earth, decades in the future; but it is not the Earth that we know.  Years of terraforming (following an extensive war) have transformed the landscape of the world, making it barely recognizable. The cause of the apocalypse was the invasion of the Voltan (a conglomerate of seven species) and the war that ensued.  The series begins shortly after both sides declare a truce.

The two main characters in the series are former Marine Joshua Nolan (played by Grant Bowler) and his "adopted" daughter, Irisa (Stephanie Leonadis).  The fact that Irisa happens to be Irathien (think Klingon but cuter) adds to the quirky relationship that the two share.  Nolan's character is your characteristic tough guy who knows how to handle himself in a fight, but there is also another side to him that just can't help from trying to do what is right- despite the trouble it gets him into.  Irisa, like others of her species, just loves a good fight and is anything but the kind of girl who needs daddy to protect her in an apocalypse.

The pair, who are trying to get to Antarctica (the legendary Shangri-La of post-apocalyptic Earth), get side-tracked to the city of Defiance. The city, formerly known as St. Louis, made its mark on history by being the first place that Earthlings and Voltans defied their leaders by putting down their weapons and vowing to live together in peace.  Joshua and Irisa soon learn that the peace in Defiance is only skin deep.  Beneath the surface are enough power struggles, intrigue, and drama to last a life time.

This is the first "pure" science fiction show to come out this decade and good visual effects along with a strong story line may elevate this series above the list of failed shows like V and Terra Nova. For the Scy Fy channel, it is a change from their usual entertaining Scy Fy comedies like Eureka and Warehouse 13, but is strongly reminiscent of the wild west feel of Firefly.  Unlike many recent science fiction shows, Defiance has an underlying sense of hope: a hope that the new inhabitants of Earth can somehow pull together despite their differences.

Defiance is still a diamond-in-the-rough. The characters need more time to develop and the writing could use some tweaking, but the potential is there for a show that can be both entertaining and thought provoking.  As we watch the handful of species struggling to understand the strange customs and worldviews of each other, we cannot help but draw comparisons to real life situations going on around us.  Yes, there is a lot of potential for Defiance, but we'll just have to wait a few more episodes to see if the show will live up to that potential.