Sci-Fi/Fantasy - Ascension Discussion #1: "The eyes of the world now look into space."

Lari · 12-15-2014, 12:16 PM

Welcome to the 1st
A s c e n s i o n
Discussion Thread

Ascension is inspired by the real-life Project Orion that existed under the administration of President John F. Kennedy.

Three Night Event on Syfy
Dec 15 9/8c

The show sets up an alternate version of reality in which, in 1963,
President Kennedy and the U.S. government, fearing the Cold War
will become hot and lead to the destruction of the Earth,
decided to launch a covert space mission.

They sent 350 voluntary men, women and children
into space on a century-long voyage aboard the USS Ascension,
a massive, self-sustaining generation ship. Their mission is to colonize Proxima Centauri,
assuring the survival of the human race.

Nearly 50 years into the journey,
as they approach the point of no return,
the mysterious murder of a young woman —
the first homicide since their departure —
causes the ship's crew to question the true nature of their mission.

The Crew

Born on the lower decks,
Viondra used her limitless ambition, stunning beauty,
and a sense of strategy bordering on prescience
to become one-half of the ship’s power couple.

Ascension was the brainchild of Harris' father, Abraham.
Harris shares his father's vision of Ascension as
a lifeboat for humanity. As one of the last links the ship
has to life on Earth, Harris is extremely protective
of his father's vision - and willing to do anything to protect it.

With Emily, you think you know but you really have no idea.
On one hand she’s a loyal daughter,
successful astronomer and dutiful wife.
On the other, she’s having a passionate affair with
her husband’s co-worker. Appearances can be deceiving.

An orphan raised on the lower decks, Gault quickly rose
through the ranks at Officer Training School
to become second in command.
One of the good guys, he seemingly has it all –
except the woman he love

Juliet is the ship’s medical officer.
By nature, protocol and order are part of her life.
Unfortunately, that’s made living with her teenage daughter
difficult and her marriage less than passionate.
Perhaps Juliet could stand to break a few rules.

Learn more about the cast
See the family tree

Official Page

Lutesse · 12-15-2014, 06:48 PM

Awesome OP! So well done, Lari!

Thank you very much!

eta: LOVE the title

Lari · 12-15-2014, 08:31 PM

Thank you so much, Sherry

How, I really liked the first part. Full of mystery and turns. But that last twist!!! :O WHOA! Just awesome.

Lutesse · 12-15-2014, 09:11 PM

Lari, I wasn't expecting that last twist, either! Things had begun to seem sort of suspicious, but I couldn't put my finger on why.

I suppose it's some sort of psychological experiment to see how humans would be affected by spending a lifetime in space.

I'll keep watching, too.

**NOLA504** · 12-15-2014, 11:29 PM

So they're not really in space. lol

DigificWriter · 12-15-2014, 11:51 PM

I'll keep watching Nights Two and Three, but the ending of Night One didn't really impress me. The whole "meta concept" revealed by said ending feels unnecessary.

We'll see what they do with it, though.

Lutesse · 12-16-2014, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOLA504 (View Post)

So they're not really in space. lol

Maurice!

It appears someone hugely expanded on the conspiracy theory that men never really went to the moon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigificWriter (View Post)

I'll keep watching Nights Two and Three, but the ending of Night One didn't really impress me. The whole "meta concept" revealed by said ending feels unnecessary.

We'll see what they do with it, though.

Why unnecessary? That's the whole point of the story, isn't it?

**NOLA504** · 12-16-2014, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lutesse (View Post)

Maurice!

It appears someone hugely expanded on the conspiracy theory that men never really went to the moon.

Hey Sherry

I actually liked the ending twist.

Looking forward to part two tonight

DigificWriter · 12-16-2014, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lutesse (View Post)

Why unnecessary? That's the whole point of the story, isn't it?

Apparently so, but it didn't need to be. There's more than enough interesting storytelling to be had in the journey of this ship and the people on it without making it all some bizarre experiment. It seems like they threw in the "nothing is real" meta-concept just for the sake of being able to have some big 'twist'.

Lutesse · 12-16-2014, 11:40 AM

I have to disagree. I think the experiment IS the story. We were fooled, just like the people on the ship.

I thought it was going to be a "real" colony-ship journey, so now I just have to re-think the entire concept.

DigificWriter · 12-16-2014, 11:50 AM

^ There doesn't seem to be any narrative reason for the subterfuge, though, which is why the whole meta-concept comes off as unnecessary. We'll see where it goes, though.

Lutesse · 12-16-2014, 11:54 AM

I imagine it will be explained.

Cmtaylor531 · 12-16-2014, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lutesse (View Post)

I have to disagree. I think the experiment IS the story. We were fooled, just like the people on the ship.

I thought it was going to be a "real" colony-ship journey, so now I just have to re-think the entire concept.

I get we were fooled just like the people on the ship. And I get that that is the story. its still kind of interesting but to me I went in hoping for a a new space drama i could fall in love with. Only to find out they were never really in space and basically is some kind of psychology experiment or something.

I will have to watch the next two nights and see what more comes from it but I dont know if I'm going to love it enough to want to see it expand to a TV series.

Lutesse · 12-16-2014, 06:18 PM

^ Oh, I wanted that, too. I almost felt betrayed, pulled in under false pretenses - as the people on the ship will surely feel soon enough.

I'm going to watch the story they're telling, even though it's not the one I wanted; but, like you, I don't expect to want more when it's done.

Lari · 12-17-2014, 08:36 AM

I have to say my first reaction to the twist was one of feeling "betrayed" as well, but once I had time to think of it the concept was kind of appealing.

But I do think there's some weird stuff when you start thinking in depth about it. Isn't there some sort of "pilot" in the ship? You'd think a person like that would be able to tell something was up and that they weren't really flying anything and that they weren't in space?

I liked the 1st part better than the 2nd but still looking forward to what happens in the finale.

Forum Affiliates
Star Trek Ladies
Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page


Fan Forum > General Discussion > Sci-Fi/Fantasy > Ascension Discussion #1: "The eyes of the world now look into space."