A IS FOR 'ALPHAS'

Unpredictable heroes for an unpredictable world. The cast of ALPHAS. Image: SYFY CHANNEL.

Just because you have superpowers doesn't make you any less human-that seems to be the motto and ethics to the flawed but likeable heroic characters of the quiet but building success that became the SYFY Channel's hit series ALPHAS, created by Zak Penn and Michael Karnow, about to launch into what promises to be a story and character arc advancing second season in the US this summer, though its first set-up year is now available for viewers old and new to catch up with starting today, and every Saturday, on the FIVE USA channel in the UK.

Danger in New York for Dr. Lee Rosen (David Strathairn) in the show's third episode.

With a solid and exciting pilot episode that showed promise beyond what could have easily been a charmless rip-off X-MEN/HEROES format idea, the show is by no means original but has managed to create its own universe and format structure that's very enjoyable. It had a couple of slow early episodes, too, but confidently gained momentum in its second half, developing an ultimately interesting and reactionary story arc that gave our once everyday people turned heroes, led by the quietly dignified Dr. Lee Rosen (David Strathairn), a revolutionary terrorist force of equally powered baddies to fight against, whilst the government, working in conjunction with the Alphas to contain the escalating new biological situation, showed increasing strain in its relationship with their evolutionary raised band and the dangerous new super powered humans that seemed to be constantly springing up to endanger general homo sapient life. It seemed like a new kind of underground world war was inevitable by season one's end...

Brent Spiner makes a fine addition to the series guest star cast in the episode Blind Spots.

The series, with violent, often unexpected deaths, and intriguing surprises in places, also had some very good Cult TV guest stars in the form of THE BIONIC WOMAN's Lindsay Wagner (who might return to the series), FIREFLY's Sumer Glau (as a gifted, on-the-run techno-freak), STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION's Brent Spiner as a clever Hannibal Lecter-ish foe, without the cannibalistic tendencies but possessing an intriguing sonar-like ability, and LOST's sexy English babe Rebecca Mader as a mostly invisible assassin. Storyline/ episodes contributed by show producers Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe, who also brought dramatic impetus and flair to many great episodes of later STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE seasons, would make the duo ALPHAS ultimate, well deserved custodians for the rest of its premiere season, of which the show was all the better for their presence as they pushed its format boundaries and increased the character inter-action.

New destinies for our cast in Season Two?

There's no information as yet on the anticipated Season Two and its possible new story/character arcs and changes, apart from the fact that there is a new producer: Bruce Miller, who has been involved in several other SYFY CHANNEL hits including EUREKA, and other popular series like ER, but KOOL TV is hoping for even bigger, better things to come for our unique heroes and villains within their intriguing alternate reality world. Watch this space...