Sanctuary Webisodes 1-4 : Review
Finally!!! A new review!! Thought a scratched disc was going to stop me from rewatching the webisodes, but I fixed it. First, I just love how many Stargate people are in this show: Amanda Tapping, Christopher Heyerdahl, David Hewlett, Kavan Smith, Ellie Harvie, Chuck Campbell, and of course Peter DeLuise! Did I miss any? Secondly....There is no Henry! What a difference his humor makes.
Because Webisodes 5-8 are pretty much the same as "Fata Morgana" I am only going to be talking about Webisodes 1-4. ((Update 7/16/12 - Once I rewatched Webisodes 5-8 I decided that they needed to be reviewed, so check the "Reviews" page))I was just going to give my thoughts on the Webisodes alone, but it is was too hard not to keep comparing it to "Sanctuary For All" so this is more than a review, it is more like a comparison.
I love and don't love how they opened the Webisodes with the 1888 London scene. With it at the beginning, I think that it sets the feeling for the show - the characters, where they have come from - but I also feel like it gives a little too much away right off the bat. The aspect of the show that I love the most is that we aren't given all the information at one time, we have to wait and figure it out. I think that in "Sanctuary For All" we are left confused, much as Will is, as to what has really happened between these two.
The suspect in "Sanctuary For All" never really felt right to me - it was just weird. He's this big burly guy who is acting like he wouldn't hurt a fly, and the cops are so sure that he did it. But David's character is played so well. Someone who looks so normal, yet snapped and killed two people - that is much scarier than the other guy.
In "Sanctuary For All", Helen said that she had been following Will's career, and I thought nothing of it until I saw the Webisodes. I thought they did a much better job showing Helen's involvement - not only with Will, but with the community. She was at the crime scene, the interrogation, and the morgue. When she showed up in the morgue in "Sanctuary For All" it was kind of out of place, even with the dialogue between her and Eleanor (which I guess was to establish the fact that she was there often). In the episodes she seems more like a recluse, until later episodes where we see her actually interacting with other people.
Though I think the bathroom Will/Biggie scene was a little over-played, I think the fainting was an accurate reaction (that would have been my reaction). His response to waking up in the Sanctuary is great!! (However, Helen sitting in the room with a cup of tea while he sleeps is a little bit weird.) Will's reaction at the beginning is one thing, but I don't think there was really enough time between that and their last scene together in webisode 4 where he holds Biggie's hand. Maybe if they had worked together more, but they didn't interact enough for Will to become that comfortable with his worst fear. I think the infirmary scene was done much better in "Sanctuary For All".
As much as I liked John leaving behind hints for Helen to find, I just LOVE the introduction to him in "Sanctuary For All". The hooker, Helen seeing the video, John trying to get into the Sanctuary but getting thrown out, his evil smile, tricking Ashley into thinking she had beaten him, Helen's reaction to finding out he was in the Sanctuary! I mean it was SO GOOD! He is definitely darker and more creepy in the Webisodes. The storyline with him and Alexei is really twisted. And when he pulls Ashley's jacket zipper down! Creeped me right out. I think that someone who is strictly a bad guy doesn't make as bad of a villain as someone who can be good but can strike at any moment. Scorpius from FARSCAPE is like one of my favorite villains every, because you just never know what he is up to.
Ashley...I like her on the whole, but she is introduced as such an immature girl, not a monster-fighting young lady. You would think that a daughter raised by Helen Magnus would have a few more manners than she shows in the infirmary while being patched up. We guess she is like 23ish here, so she is still young, but she gets on my nerve in this and "Sanctuary For All".
When Helen finds out that John has Ashley, she seemed very detached emotionally. Jack the Ripper has her daughter. Now I know she is used to dealing with problems, but when it comes to your kid....I just think she could have seemed a little more shook up before she pulled it together. BUT, I LOVED her entrance to where John is keeping Ashley: "Because I'm her mother." Overall, I think that between doing the Webisodes and making "Sanctuary For All" everyone did a great job developing Helen as a character. In "Sanctuary For All" I think she had a good balance of emotions and strength - professionalism and familiar.
The idea of having Helen's former protege Barney give a little talk to "the new guy" is a good idea, but I don't like the way it was done, so I am glad that they left it out altogether. Well, I am sure I have other thoughts about the first four webisodes, but I think that was long enough for now - Any of my followers have any other thoughts?