Science fiction draws the attention of the television viewer without the need to squeeze large budgets to engage the audience. The premiere of ‘The Ark’ on the specialized channel Syfy confirms this. His look is far from ‘Another Life’, which reached two seasons on Netflix with little impact, or ‘Nightflyers’, a fiasco despite bearing the stamp of George RR Martin, the creator of the novels on which ‘Game’ is based. of thrones’. Phenomena such as ‘The Expanse’, a series canceled in its day by Syfy but renewed by Amazon Prime Video until the blinds were lowered after six sessions that left its followers wanting more -the books by James SA Corey will always remain-, certify that it exists an obvious interest in the themes that have to do with the exploration of the confines of space. The proposals that seem to last longer on the grid are those that do not require a large expense to be carried out, such as the premiere in question, whose header in the credits and images that imply showing the protagonist ship are pulled back. The adjusted means are noticeable, which does not prevent the plot and the characters from engaging. Drama and intrigue go hand in hand in a space adventure, defended by a choral cast, which does not hesitate to pay homage to great milestones of the genre.
‘The Ark’ begins like many science fiction stories, directly confessing its intention to appeal without fuss to the fantastic references that are necessary to advance the action. The crew of the Ark One awakens abruptly in their cryogenic pods due to a mysterious impact on the ship that turns on the warning lights. In the midst of the chaos, those who have been able to interrupt their sleep before the tragic incident that takes away the high command of the space vehicle, whose mission is to find a planet where they can settle, survive the catastrophe. One hundred years in the future, the Earth is on its last legs, it barely has a few years left to live -we don’t apply the story-, and the only possible escape route is to find other worlds that welcome terrestrial civilization in the best conditions. Primal instincts do not take long to emerge in human beings, given the complicated situation of the boat, a peculiar Noah’s Ark: food is running out and water rationing drives the most impatient mad. In addition, control passes into the hands of a bunch of military men less qualified than the top brass who have turned into cosmic dust after the failure of the system, which gives rise to misunderstandings, confusion and deception. It doesn’t take long for Machiavellian moves to burst onto the scene, especially when an element that fuels the intrigue comes into play: a cold-blooded murder. They are all suspects. Nobody gets rid of scheming.
space B series
‘The Ark’, whose coarse aesthetic doesn’t offend too much, aware of its limitations, knows perfectly the mechanisms of the serialized format, with its traces of a soap opera and succession of entanglements between the main roles. It is a television product of pure strain, with the label of old school. We can accept it as a B-series space opera and that’s how you have to understand it to enjoy it, like the bulk of the Syfy catalogue. They are not big productions, with familiar faces, otherwise they would never be filmed. Whoever compares its aesthetic result with applauded films within the genre, endowed with large budgets, has signed up for the wrong party. The festival that takes place takes place in a bar and not in a large stadium, which does not mean that dancing is equally enjoyable. Behind this invention are Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner. The former co-wrote ‘Independance Day’ with Roland Emmerich and has left his mark on ‘Stargate’ or ‘The Librarians’. The second, for his part, appears in ‘Stargate SG-1’ or ‘The Oupost’.
‘The Ark’ is simple and direct. Sometimes it loses its tone, with fleeting moments of inopportune comedy, but it does not hide its condition as electrolyte mush where a thousand and one science-fiction clichés have been blended. As in ‘Alien’, but on a small scale, there are disagreements between guilds and hidden fights between classes. The series doesn’t want to be ‘Star Trek,’ of course, but the archetypes are there for you to use. It does not delve into the characters and certain themes for the benefit of a functional rhythm that becomes a virtue in front of the screen. The second season already has the green light. Its inclusion in the list of “guilty pleasures” is recommended, accepting that no joy is guilty. The cast honors the spirit of the celebration: Christie Burke (‘Ascension’), Richard Fleeshman (‘RIPD 2: Rise of the Damned’), Reece Ritchie (‘The Haunted Hotel’), Christina Wolfe (‘Batwoman’), Tiana Upcheva (‘The Outpost)…
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