The Show
The British science fiction TV series Outcasts sets timeless human drama set against a backdrop of interstellar exodus. Ten years have passed since a colony has been established on the distant planet of Carpathia (named for the first rescue ship to reach the Titanic), after the Earth has been rendered all but uninhabitable. The circumstances are hinted at but never fully explained.
From the first of the eight episodes, despite a remarkably high quality of life for all, ego, corruption and betrayal are revealed, proof that Forthaven is not the utopia that President Richard Tate (Liam Cunningham) had envisioned. But the real treachery begins when the leader of the evacuation program (Eric Mabius) arrives on the latest transport ship with plans to seize control by any means possible. (Why does the bad egg have to be American?)
There are new hardships, new discoveries and some serious setbacks for the colonists, and while a few interesting bits about DNA, genetic engineering and viruses are bandied about, Outcasts gives viewers far more drama than sci-fi, which might ultimately be its undoing.
The Picture
Clocking in at almost eight solid hours, Outcasts is spread out over two dual-layer platters, enabling a sufficiently high bitrate typically ranging from the high teens to the mid-20s. The resolution is 1,920x1,080i@60Hz however, with significant 3:2 pull-down issues during normal playback and undeniable during still-frame checks. The 16:9 image shows noise in fine details, some twitch during camera moves, but there is still quite a lot of nuance to be seen, little snippets of text on computer screens, backed by deep, natural blacks.
The Sound
Dolby Digital 2.0? Really? This is clearly a well-budgeted series with lots of special effects, so to offer Blu-ray consumers neither a multichannel mix nor high-resolution audio is unacceptable. Voices are clear enough I suppose, with a commanding presence--although keeping up with all the accents can be a challenge--and the music is well-balanced. There are scenes of weather, some intended jolts, action big (spaceship crashes) and small (fistfights, shootouts) but, as we would expect, none of it really pops in any way.
The Extras
There are but two featurettes, one on each disc, both in standard definition. "Outcasts - Reach Out to the Stars" (30 minutes) explores the ambitions of this series as well as its relevance to society's current state. "Forthaven - Set Tour" (five minutes) is guided by the production designer on location on South Africa, with a great deal of insight into his fascinating creation.
Final Thoughts
Despite a cliffhanger finale, BBC has announced that there will be no second season of Outcasts. Fans of the current wave of small-screen British sci-fi, fantasy and drama will want to check it out, despite its sonic hobbling.
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