"Nightflyers" (Syfy) Review: George RR Martin goes astray in space

Not so far in "Nightflyers", Syfy's dark adaptation to George RR Martin's 1980 science-fiction novel, a large mechanical spider begins to project the crew with bright red laser beams. You see, the technology aboard the eponymous spacecraft, the Nightflyer, is working badly. It does not work well a lotand nobody knows why. Well, somebody may know it, but despite an "accident" related to the glbad that makes John McClane's barefoot jogging more enjoyable and the scary ghosts lurking in the corridors, well, nobody do not tell what's going on.

The mysterious destructive force that plagues the characters also ends up leveling the series. The first season of Jeff Buhler, which has 10 episodes, contains so much information and so many strange things continue to happen (with inordinately quiet reactions from the people on board), that "Nightflyers" quickly pbades from a fascinating foray into the hard science fiction confusing into the most boring darkness of space. How they manage to tarnish a story that includes a robotic spider two feet tall with red lasers – a spider, you notice, with awesome timing, although unintentional and comical – is sincere, incessant and tiring serious about oneself .

"Nightflyers" is set in the far reaches of space and hunt down a group of settlers who have abandoned a burning Earth. Their original planet (and ours) is burning and the brevity of this explanation of their departure – as if everyone already knew it – is inevitable, because, you know, it's pretty much as close to the show. make a political statement. It's much more the group of scientists who hitchhike to get in touch with the life of the extraterrestrials. That a company of such importance resembles a mission that deserves its own The spacecraft could also be seen as a political statement, as Dr. Karl D'Branin (Eoin Macken) asked for funding and was rejected by skeptics who do not believe in scientific facts. But now we give a little too much credit to the spider of the robot.

Jonathan Hession / Syfy

Karl and his companions, including Dr. Agatha Matheson (Gretchen Mol), a xenobiologist named Rowan (Angus Sampson), and Lommie (Maya Eshet), a cybernetician who can talk to computers by plugging a cord into his arm, must be on this ship because it is the ship that is haunted. Holding the court as a scary guardian is, of course, the captain; a handsome gentleman by the name of Roy Eris (David Ajala), and we must badume that he is handsome because he refuses to leave his apartment and that he appears only in digital holograms – like any rational human being, if he knew his spaceship was haunted.

Of course, he uses his knowledge of the ship to spy on everyone aboard, including Melanthia Jhirl (Jodie Turner-Smith), who knows that he's watching her closely with the other crew members, seems to like that and may or may not start a romantic relationship with Cape Town to reward his perverted voyeurism. In case it is not already clear, a lot of things happen in Nightflyers. Much of this article could have been devoted to the decreasing importance of Thale (Sam Strike), telepath provided by Dr. Karl to help communicate with the extraterrestrials, but his swollen fame at first mimics his own sense at best lost from grandiosity. That's another character you've already seen – the same powers, the same bow, the same generic bad-boy-with-a-heart-of-gold – made interesting for fleeting moments where you do not know who he is or what he can do.

"Nightflyers" is the kind of science fiction series that is different from any other science fiction series, although nothing says that desire separates it from the band. Of course, there is extra blood, darkness and additional effects (which are good enough, honestly – even the spider robot), but the series depends on the need not to tell the public what is happening in order to to deceive him into thinking that something radical is happening. You could be confused and then credit the show for being too advanced to follow, but in reality, it simply does not provide the necessary conspiracy points. "Nightflyers" does not have so much tone as seasonal affective disorder. With so many shadows projected on the cold decor of your unwelcoming spaceship, all the bad things that happen are getting even worse and more meaningful with the vocal sounds and horrified faces of a casting game.

But the incessant weight is overwhelming long before you discover that there is nothing to crush. Not scary enough to be a good horror and too simple-minded to make great science fiction, "Nightflyers" is just another foolish television series claiming to be more than what it is. What is sad is that if she accepts her limits, it is only then that she will be able to enjoy herself in the genres she tries to eclipse. Only then would the spider robots really win.

Grade: C-

"Nightflyers" will be presented Sunday, December 2 at 22h. on Syfy. The 10 episodes will be available at this time on streaming and digital platforms.

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