After reading the comments, was surprised to not see anyone speak up who had read the book. Clarke is one of just about 10 masters in science fiction literature, and this mini-series captured his tone and thoughtfulness pretty well I thought. It was a respectful adaptation from book to screenplay, which I appreciate hugely because it is risky in this day and age to do something for the art of it rather than just profit.
It's not a show for the mass-mobs of mouth breathing corn syrup drinkers. It confronts our deepest dilemmas, and comes up with some terrifying and heart breaking conclusions. If you've got an introspective side, coupled with some moral courage, then this mini-series will reward you.
Best SyFy series I've seen
Mother of god. This is some awesome sci-fi, with some important moral/ethical dilemmas as well as important lessons from aliens. Watch it. Especially if (but not only)... no, just watch it.
Be warned: although this isn't horror, christian types who shun horror may have a hard time accepting this long enough to get through it. That's part of what makes it incredible, though.
First episode was promising, after the second I already lost interest and the third just played along. I would not have went on had this been a longer running show.
I haven´t read the book but from what I can gather from several reviews of this show on the internet there isn´t much of the original story in it anyway. I´m sure Clarke´s book was revolutionary - this show certainly is not. I was constantly asking myself what is this about. What´s the point ? Religion ? Faith ? Science ? What is the message ? Humanity is supposed to perish ? We´re not able to help ourselves and even if we are there is no sense because in the grand scheme of what is the universe we are nothing but a stepping stone? This could easily be sponsored by some kind of doomsday sect.
Seriously, I could not, in good conciousness, recommend this to anyone.
Starts out exactly like the show "V" did (btw if u were a fan of that show you will love this one), but takes a completely different turn by episode 2.
I really was thinking this was going to be a "Under the Dome " style.
But really shocked it's not and this show does have its far fetched parts, almost feeling like "the whispers" with the unknown/aliens taking the humans or some and then having them relive events of the past and seeing dead people from the past.
Making Karellen to look like the devil is nuts but yea won't go into full detail cause this was 1st episode.
But not a bad first episode need to wait to see what's to come with next ones.
I'm not normally one to complain about slow pacing, but it's warranted in this case. This story could have been told in half the time. Not that it's anything to write home about. There's some potentially interesting backstory that gets no screen time whatsoever. The only interesting part is about ten minutes in the third episode when we spend some real, quality time with the Overlords.
Granted, I haven't read the source material. But given that this miniseries' contemporaries include The Expanse, I know that good sci-fi can still be put on TV in the mid-2010s. This just…isn't it.
This was quite an enjoyable journey. As for what the message of this show is, that, ultimately, is for you to decide.
Scifi gets to do this crap and Ascension doesn't even get a second season? WTF? This was awful. Terrible. I need to be commited to suicide watch over this, that kind of terrible. Charles f*ing Dance is in this show, how did anyone sell this to him? I mean, I should be hiring that genius to my mkt team. Obviously.
First half was excellent, second half undid all the good of the first.
This wasn't what I was expecting when I first turned this on. It's dark in the way that this is likely (omitting the giant Satans and world sucking child) how we will go. I really enjoyed this. I'm left feeling sad, though.
Not what I was expecting but I really enjoyed it.
Esperava algo diferente nesse final.
I love how the episode screen caps aren't spoilery in any way sarcasm
Classic sci-fi story. I think the people who didn't like it probably do not like sci-fi. It's Arthur Clarke for craps sake! However, the end was horrible. Probably a better book than a movie? First 2 episodes were fantastic, ending was really horrible.
One of the good sci-fi mini series ever. But not perfect. Specially the ending. It was so quick and without good explanation. If someone didn't read the book before watching the show then after watching the last episode, it may feel like the worse ending but believe me it isn't.
The adaptation is great but only because of the last episode (though I've enjoyed it) I'm giving it 8 out of 10. Because I think if I didn't read the book then I may be overwhelmed in that episode.
First 2 episodes were great, really was building up to something good, but the 3rd, OMG total let down. The dying scene went on far too long. Completely felt gutted that I had wasted my time on this.
Starts out with great potential and by the end you realize you've just spent 4.5 hours watching what should have been a 45 minute Outer Limits episode.
Disturbing. Like any good science fiction should be.
A bit flawed when it comes to characters because I felt we didn't get to really know them - especially Dr. Rupert, who came off as cannon fodder.
Amazing story-telling nevertheless. And, from what I've read after the show, some very good choices to update a story from the 50s'. I don't love the religious tone but they pulled it off.
The only really bad thing in it for me was that I kept thinking that Karellen is what people who've read the books picture Tywin as...
I, for one, welcome our new Overlords.
Part 2 and 3 was kind of a bummer for me, I hoped the story would go some other way (I haven't read the book). Still, I liked the visuals.
The WIKIPEDIA links for this show, season and episodes should point to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhood%27sEnd(miniseries), instead of the currents links to the novel it's based on (by Arthur C. Clarke), a music album (by Ulver) and another tv-series episode (Stargate Atlantis S01E06) with the same name.
Shout by Dinar FontouraBlockedParent2015-12-29T07:25:23Z
Certainly the worst thing I've ever seen. I bet Barbie's movies are better sci-fi than this. I just got to the end by fast forwarding in the hope Charles Dance would somehow conjure Daenerys' Dragons or something like that.