While browsing the media available in the Vuze library I stumbled across Sanctuary, a web-based fantasy series presented in HD. The website describes it as:
Sanctuary is the first tapeless HD digital production - using only digital media on hard drives from shooting through to post. As well, the majority of Sanctuary’s first eight webisodes (approx. two hours) were shot entirely on green screen sets — meaning the backgrounds are completely computer generated.
Additionally, we use an innovative 3D computer-model tracking system live on set, allowing actors and crew to "see" renderings of the CG worlds they are "filming" in real time.
Now this sort of fare is usually within my tastes so I thought I’d give it a shot. Imagine my surprise when I saw Amanda Tapping on screen for the first time and, more shockingly, heard her speaking with a (questionable) English accent. Suffice to say I nearly choked on a cup of tea!
Further into the first webisode I then found David Hewlett and Kavan Smith. Too many appearences from these three and other SG-1 and SGA actors (but where’s Steve the Wraith!?) to be a coincidence, so I went to check out the Sanctuary website to discover that the show’s creators, directors, writers and producers are all of Stargate franchise fame.
So, after that rather long introduction, what did I think of it? Well the format’s certainly interesting, as stories seem to run over three or four webisodes which are short enough to be punchy but long enough to get some story in. The use of CGI backdrops are initially a little off-putting, but you get used to it eventually, and it affords the show some awe inspiringly detailed and vast scenery. Christopher Heyerdahl gets the much needed screen time he missed in SGA and puts it to good use as the initial chief villain, (Jack the Ripper himself we are to believe) and somewhat confusingly the father of Tapping’s daughter also. As mentioned the cast are made up of many familiar faces from SG-1, SGA and Battlestar Galactica, so if like me you’re into these shows then much fun is to be had seeing Drs McKay and Beckett (Hewlett and Paul McGillion) in cameo roles, among others.
It’s not all good though. One (or three?) of the ‘big bads‘ (to coin a Whedon-ism) we see in the initial eight webisodes is a trio of witches linked to Morgan le Fey of Arthurian Legend, which smacks a little too close to much of SG-1’s season 9 & 10 storylines for comfort. The monsters, sorry ‘abnormals’, are somewhat gimmicky, and Tapping just looks wrong with black hair, but none of this is the worst. That accolade goes to Emilie Ullerup as Tapping’s daughter, who plays a gingerbread cutter character even more badly than it’s written.
In all, I’d like to see more Sanctuary before making a firm decision, but I’d only recommend it to ardent SG-1 & SGA (and possibly BSG) fans for now.
