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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Strong casting helps to set apart the science fiction series Alphas, about a crime-solving group of highly gifted individuals, from a slew of familiar pop culture antecedents, which in turn buoys the chances for a follow-up to this first-season set. The show's core premise feels as if it was produced directly from a development session--it's X-Men and Heroes meets the CSI franchise--but the presence of film actor David Strathairn as the Alphas' neurologist mentor helps to anchor the series in a plausibly dramatic foundation. Ryan Cartwright, as a high-functioning autistic youth who can produce and process electronic communication with his mind, and Laura Mennell, whose psychic powers can bend others to her will, also lend considerable credence to the material, and it's to the credit of series cocreator Zak Penn (screenwriter, X-Men: The Last Stand and The Incredible Hulk) that the effects of wielding such abilities, which are often debilitating in a variety of ways, are given equal screen time. Such elements help to retain interest in the show when episodes drift towards formulaic superhero/crime tropes, and undoubtedly helped revive network interest in a second season. The three-disc season-one set includes an extended version of the pilot episode, which delivers more background on and interaction between the characters, as do the deleted scenes for three episodes. There's also a lengthy panel discussion from the 2011 ComicCon fest that features Penn, Strathairn, and executive producer Ira Steven Behr, as well as short Q&As with the cast, who respond to queries sent via Facebook. --Paul Gaita
Product Description
Brought together to form one extraordinary team of "Alphas" - people whose unique brain anomalies imbue them with superhuman mental and physical abilities - five seemingly ordinary citizens must take the law into their own hands while working within the government to investigate a new brand of baffling crime. An action-packed thriller starring an electrifying cast led by Primetime Emmy Awardr winner and Academy Awardr nominee David Strathairn (The Bourne Ultimatum) and guest starring sci-fi icons Lindsay Wagner (The Bionic Woman), Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) and Brent Spiner (Star Trek: The Next Generation), discover a new breed of superheroes in Alphas.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
There seem to have been a lot of movies and TV shows in recent years that try to depict more "realistic" superhero stories. You know, less spandex and magical powers, more "regular" people.
The latest example is "Alphas," a TV series that focuses on otherwise ordinary people with strange evolutionary quirks like supersenses, influencing minds and "seeing" electronic signals. It's one of those series that is solid and fun, but it feels like it hasn't fully grown into itself just yet -- but the last episode does imply that big things are coming.
The CIA is stumped when a key witness is shot... in an empty room with no windows. The case is handed over to Dr. Rosen (David Strathairn), a scientist who has a special team of "Alphas" -- and they soon determine that the shooter is also an Alpha, Cameron Hicks (Warren Christie), who is being controlled by someone else.
Among the problems the team encounters are: a kid with rage pheromones, a bunch of mystery deaths at a high school, a kidnapped heiress who can only be found with Gary's abilities, a woman who can MacGuyver almost any device from scraps, a cult leader who is slowly destroying his followers, a shape-shifter, and an invisible menace who is stalking a prisoner.
But the biggest problem comes not from Alphas, but from regular humans. A terrorist cell known as Red Flag reveals that our dear government is trying to surreptitiously stamp out or imprison all Alphas, and the tenuous relationship between Dr. Rosen's group and the government becomes more fragile with time. If they can't stop it, war will be the next step.
"Alphas Season 1" follows the basic X-Men formula -- an idealistic father-figure/mentor who oversees the young superpowered people, in a world that fears and hates them blah blah blah. It doesn't stray too far from that formula, but it does seem to be trying to have more "realistic" abilities (flight or fight, for example) instead of assigning magical superpowers.
Most of the first season is made up of standalone episodes -- each one has a solid mix of comedy (Gary trying to divide his burrito), acrobatic action scenes, and some intriguing moral questions about terrorism and interference in evolution. But the series doesn't REALLY take off until the last episode of the season, which is not only intense and heartbreaking, but it radically changes the way the Alphas live in this world. That episode is what boots this season from "okay" to "good."
It has a pretty solid cast too -- David Strathairn does a particular good job as a kindly man who genuinely wants normal humans and Alphas to live in peace, but whose idealism is slowly dwindling. Azita Ghanizada is great as a girl who is incapable of having a normal life because of her abilities, and is hurt by her family's view of her. Laura Mennell, Christie and Malik Yoba are pretty good as well.
And Ryan Cartwright is EXCELLENT as high-functioning autistic kid Gary. Not only does he do an excellent job depiction autism, but he shows us Gary's determination to make his own choices and have his own friends (including a Red Flag girl).
"Alphas Season 1" is merely good most of the time, but it really, really blossoms when it focuses on Red Flag and the impending Alpha/human war. Here's waiting for season two.
The latest example is "Alphas," a TV series that focuses on otherwise ordinary people with strange evolutionary quirks like supersenses, influencing minds and "seeing" electronic signals. It's one of those series that is solid and fun, but it feels like it hasn't fully grown into itself just yet -- but the last episode does imply that big things are coming.
The CIA is stumped when a key witness is shot... in an empty room with no windows. The case is handed over to Dr. Rosen (David Strathairn), a scientist who has a special team of "Alphas" -- and they soon determine that the shooter is also an Alpha, Cameron Hicks (Warren Christie), who is being controlled by someone else.
Among the problems the team encounters are: a kid with rage pheromones, a bunch of mystery deaths at a high school, a kidnapped heiress who can only be found with Gary's abilities, a woman who can MacGuyver almost any device from scraps, a cult leader who is slowly destroying his followers, a shape-shifter, and an invisible menace who is stalking a prisoner.
But the biggest problem comes not from Alphas, but from regular humans. A terrorist cell known as Red Flag reveals that our dear government is trying to surreptitiously stamp out or imprison all Alphas, and the tenuous relationship between Dr. Rosen's group and the government becomes more fragile with time. If they can't stop it, war will be the next step.
"Alphas Season 1" follows the basic X-Men formula -- an idealistic father-figure/mentor who oversees the young superpowered people, in a world that fears and hates them blah blah blah. It doesn't stray too far from that formula, but it does seem to be trying to have more "realistic" abilities (flight or fight, for example) instead of assigning magical superpowers.
Most of the first season is made up of standalone episodes -- each one has a solid mix of comedy (Gary trying to divide his burrito), acrobatic action scenes, and some intriguing moral questions about terrorism and interference in evolution. But the series doesn't REALLY take off until the last episode of the season, which is not only intense and heartbreaking, but it radically changes the way the Alphas live in this world. That episode is what boots this season from "okay" to "good."
It has a pretty solid cast too -- David Strathairn does a particular good job as a kindly man who genuinely wants normal humans and Alphas to live in peace, but whose idealism is slowly dwindling. Azita Ghanizada is great as a girl who is incapable of having a normal life because of her abilities, and is hurt by her family's view of her. Laura Mennell, Christie and Malik Yoba are pretty good as well.
And Ryan Cartwright is EXCELLENT as high-functioning autistic kid Gary. Not only does he do an excellent job depiction autism, but he shows us Gary's determination to make his own choices and have his own friends (including a Red Flag girl).
"Alphas Season 1" is merely good most of the time, but it really, really blossoms when it focuses on Red Flag and the impending Alpha/human war. Here's waiting for season two.
27 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
For quite some time, I've considered Zak Penn to be an extraordinary hack. He's co-written or co-plotted some of the most embarrassing failures of the Superhero genre to date, such as ELEKTRA, and X-MEN: THE LAST STAND. He also wrote original drafts of both the first and second HULK films and what is widely considered the greatest superhero film of all time, THE AVENGERS. However the success of the second HULK film was largely due to star Edward Norton almost completely rewriting the script (under the name Edward Harrison, but was denied any credit by the Writer's Guild), and the gargantuan success of THE AVENGERS, script-wise, is credited wholly to the brilliant Joss Whedon (and rightfully so, since Penn was actually relegated to a co-plotter). So from this resume', one might assume that while Penn may be a fan of the Superhero genre, he's certainly no expert at it.
With his series ALPHAS, co-created with Michael Karnow, Penn has proved that not only can he craft a really clever "superhero" story, but a very tightly-constructed television show that's both action-packed and whip-smart.
From the outset of the show, we're treated to a number of superhero archetypes: First is Bill Harken (Malik Yoba, the mini-series THIEF, NIKITA) as a gruff former federal agent who has the ability to throw his mental "fight-or-flight" response into overdrive and gain temporary super-strength. Next up is Nina Theroux (Laura Mennell, SUPERNATURAL, FRINGE, SMALLVILLE) as a beautiful young woman who can slightly exert her will on other people mentally. Then we have Rachel Pirzad (Azita Ghanizada, bit parts on shows like CASTLE, BONES, PSYCH, etc.), a very pretty girl from a Middle Eastern family who can enhance her five senses. Then comes Gary Bell (the incredible Ryan Cartwright, BONES and MAD MEN), a young man who can actually see wireless communication and decode it. Next is Cameron Hicks (Warren Christie, APOLLO 18, STEVEN SEAGAL'S TRUE JUSTICE), a handsome and rugged former Marine who has not only uncanny aim with anything he can get his hands on, but also can slightly predict where to move to allow uninterrupted motion. Finally, there's their leader, Dr. Lee Rosen (the always-amazing David Strathairn, THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, SNEAKERS, GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK), a psychiatrist who has assembled this merry band of abnormally-powered beings he refers to as "Alphas" to work for the government to take down threats perpetrated by other Alphas.
But the archetypes are somehow broken or twisted so that they actually work to create more fleshed-out characters. Harken's abilities not only affect his mental state, but can put a dangerous amount of stress on his heart. Theroux used to be habitual about using her powers dangerously, using them solely for "borrowing" cars and homes and also inadvertantly caused her boyfriend's suicide. Rachel's sense abilities are intense and exact but she can only use one sense at a time at the cost of all of her other senses. Gary is a high-functioning autistic. Cameron has perhaps the most immediate problem since the pilot episode is the team actually chasing him after he had been mind-controlled into an assassination and could go to prison for the rest of his life if anyone but the team found out. Dr. Rosen is not an Alpha, and despite his intelligence and perceptive abilities, is also perhaps not the ideal leader for a group of covert super-powered government agents.
The Big Bad, as it were, is a terrorist/freedom-fighter organization called Red Flag, which is essentially Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants to Professor Xavier's X-Men. Their mission statement is similar as well; Red Flag believes that being an Alpha is the next evolutionary step. Dr. Rosen believes in protecting the existing Alphas but also protecting the world from those Alphas that are on the extremist side. It all sounds kind of familiar, I know. But what is unusual for a show of this type is how this show allows for the characters and the interaction to evolve, grow and learn about themselves and the ways that their abilities can be used differently as well as how they can be an impediment to really living their lives.
The cast is quite good with the standouts really being Strathairn, Ghanizada, and Cartwright. Guest stars come from all over the genre television world, from Lindsay Wagner (who reprises her role as Dr. Calder from another SyFy show, WAREHOUSE 13, basically placing this show in the same universe of existence as that show and apparently also EUREKA) to Callum Keith Rennie (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, the last X-FILES film) to Summer Glau (FIREFLY/SERENITY, DOLLHOUSE) to Brent Spiner STAR TREK: TNG) to Garret Dillahunt (THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES) to Rebecca Mader (LOST). The only real weak link in the show to me, cast-wise, is not only the character of Cameron but the actor Warren Christie. Both the character and the actor are a little too stiff and there isn't much to work with in any real mythology to his character other than his apparent past as a wannabe professional baseball pitcher and his desire to provide for his son.
The episodes are all compelling, even if sometimes the premise is a little cliched. As a for instance, the episode "A Short Time in Paradise" is not a particularly great episode up until the end, since it deals with a Jonestown-esque cult and a religious extremest Alpha who runs it. Also not very strong in most parts is "Anger Management", which features a rage-inducing Alpha. By far the best episodes are the ones that revolve primarily around Gary. Ryan Cartwright shows remarkable ability to play a type of role that requires a great deal of care as to not careen off into the gorge of offensive comic stereotype even when the moments he has are genuinely funny. He's not just a character of comic relief. Cartwright plays Gary with weight and depth, even if he's still cut off from a great deal of the world emotionally. It's a very interesting idea from a character perspective to put a character like Gary amongst a group of people who already see the world differently than everyone else, and that creates an even bigger dilemma for the people around him and who care about him since he already is forced to see the world differently from most others.
The very best episode of the season is titled "Rosetta" in which Gary meets another, more seriously handicapped girl seemingly incapable of any kind of communication, but he connects with and is actually able to understand how she communicates. The episode is actually quite shocking when certain truths are revealed but you still are so in tune with Gary as a character that you understand the desires he has regardless of the episode's big reveal.
This is probably the only show since HEROES that has actually taken the idea of superhumans seriously, but has a less spectacular kind of superhuman. Nobody flies, nobody's indestructible, nobody can travel through time or walk through walls. There's always a more realistic explanation to the abilities of each Alpha's powers that gives the series an even greater plausibility, but never detracts from the entertainment of the fantastical elements this show has to offer.
If SyFy invested more time and patience in new shows rather than either trying to put together more "reality" television or its truly awful original film division, there might be more shows like ALPHAS on that station. The season, coming in at only eleven episodes rather than a more standard thirteen, is a little abbreviated but ends on an extremely climactic moment that could change everything going forward, and fortunately, this show was picked up for a second season, so hopefully, in 2012, we'll see more of Dr. Rosen and his Alphas soon, because this show is too good to just have one season.
You may change my mind yet, Zak.
With his series ALPHAS, co-created with Michael Karnow, Penn has proved that not only can he craft a really clever "superhero" story, but a very tightly-constructed television show that's both action-packed and whip-smart.
From the outset of the show, we're treated to a number of superhero archetypes: First is Bill Harken (Malik Yoba, the mini-series THIEF, NIKITA) as a gruff former federal agent who has the ability to throw his mental "fight-or-flight" response into overdrive and gain temporary super-strength. Next up is Nina Theroux (Laura Mennell, SUPERNATURAL, FRINGE, SMALLVILLE) as a beautiful young woman who can slightly exert her will on other people mentally. Then we have Rachel Pirzad (Azita Ghanizada, bit parts on shows like CASTLE, BONES, PSYCH, etc.), a very pretty girl from a Middle Eastern family who can enhance her five senses. Then comes Gary Bell (the incredible Ryan Cartwright, BONES and MAD MEN), a young man who can actually see wireless communication and decode it. Next is Cameron Hicks (Warren Christie, APOLLO 18, STEVEN SEAGAL'S TRUE JUSTICE), a handsome and rugged former Marine who has not only uncanny aim with anything he can get his hands on, but also can slightly predict where to move to allow uninterrupted motion. Finally, there's their leader, Dr. Lee Rosen (the always-amazing David Strathairn, THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, SNEAKERS, GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK), a psychiatrist who has assembled this merry band of abnormally-powered beings he refers to as "Alphas" to work for the government to take down threats perpetrated by other Alphas.
But the archetypes are somehow broken or twisted so that they actually work to create more fleshed-out characters. Harken's abilities not only affect his mental state, but can put a dangerous amount of stress on his heart. Theroux used to be habitual about using her powers dangerously, using them solely for "borrowing" cars and homes and also inadvertantly caused her boyfriend's suicide. Rachel's sense abilities are intense and exact but she can only use one sense at a time at the cost of all of her other senses. Gary is a high-functioning autistic. Cameron has perhaps the most immediate problem since the pilot episode is the team actually chasing him after he had been mind-controlled into an assassination and could go to prison for the rest of his life if anyone but the team found out. Dr. Rosen is not an Alpha, and despite his intelligence and perceptive abilities, is also perhaps not the ideal leader for a group of covert super-powered government agents.
The Big Bad, as it were, is a terrorist/freedom-fighter organization called Red Flag, which is essentially Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants to Professor Xavier's X-Men. Their mission statement is similar as well; Red Flag believes that being an Alpha is the next evolutionary step. Dr. Rosen believes in protecting the existing Alphas but also protecting the world from those Alphas that are on the extremist side. It all sounds kind of familiar, I know. But what is unusual for a show of this type is how this show allows for the characters and the interaction to evolve, grow and learn about themselves and the ways that their abilities can be used differently as well as how they can be an impediment to really living their lives.
The cast is quite good with the standouts really being Strathairn, Ghanizada, and Cartwright. Guest stars come from all over the genre television world, from Lindsay Wagner (who reprises her role as Dr. Calder from another SyFy show, WAREHOUSE 13, basically placing this show in the same universe of existence as that show and apparently also EUREKA) to Callum Keith Rennie (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, the last X-FILES film) to Summer Glau (FIREFLY/SERENITY, DOLLHOUSE) to Brent Spiner STAR TREK: TNG) to Garret Dillahunt (THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES) to Rebecca Mader (LOST). The only real weak link in the show to me, cast-wise, is not only the character of Cameron but the actor Warren Christie. Both the character and the actor are a little too stiff and there isn't much to work with in any real mythology to his character other than his apparent past as a wannabe professional baseball pitcher and his desire to provide for his son.
The episodes are all compelling, even if sometimes the premise is a little cliched. As a for instance, the episode "A Short Time in Paradise" is not a particularly great episode up until the end, since it deals with a Jonestown-esque cult and a religious extremest Alpha who runs it. Also not very strong in most parts is "Anger Management", which features a rage-inducing Alpha. By far the best episodes are the ones that revolve primarily around Gary. Ryan Cartwright shows remarkable ability to play a type of role that requires a great deal of care as to not careen off into the gorge of offensive comic stereotype even when the moments he has are genuinely funny. He's not just a character of comic relief. Cartwright plays Gary with weight and depth, even if he's still cut off from a great deal of the world emotionally. It's a very interesting idea from a character perspective to put a character like Gary amongst a group of people who already see the world differently than everyone else, and that creates an even bigger dilemma for the people around him and who care about him since he already is forced to see the world differently from most others.
The very best episode of the season is titled "Rosetta" in which Gary meets another, more seriously handicapped girl seemingly incapable of any kind of communication, but he connects with and is actually able to understand how she communicates. The episode is actually quite shocking when certain truths are revealed but you still are so in tune with Gary as a character that you understand the desires he has regardless of the episode's big reveal.
This is probably the only show since HEROES that has actually taken the idea of superhumans seriously, but has a less spectacular kind of superhuman. Nobody flies, nobody's indestructible, nobody can travel through time or walk through walls. There's always a more realistic explanation to the abilities of each Alpha's powers that gives the series an even greater plausibility, but never detracts from the entertainment of the fantastical elements this show has to offer.
If SyFy invested more time and patience in new shows rather than either trying to put together more "reality" television or its truly awful original film division, there might be more shows like ALPHAS on that station. The season, coming in at only eleven episodes rather than a more standard thirteen, is a little abbreviated but ends on an extremely climactic moment that could change everything going forward, and fortunately, this show was picked up for a second season, so hopefully, in 2012, we'll see more of Dr. Rosen and his Alphas soon, because this show is too good to just have one season.
You may change my mind yet, Zak.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By Ian Sherman
Amazon Verified Purchase
Two of the most compelling characters in this show are autistic. In fact, autism is really the basis of this entire show: a group of folks whose brains and bodies work in slightly different ways than the rest of us. There are some things they can do with remarkable--even super-human--ability. But the trade-off is often severe.
This show renders the idea of neurodiversity--that autism and other "mental disorders" are not diseases so much as they are completely different sets of wiring--through the lens of the super-hero narrative. I'm totally hooked. The characters are complicated and the whole setup is just so smart.
This is not the X-Men: nobody can shoot lasers out of their faces. The powers themselves are much more subtle: incredible aim, heightened senses, almost-prescient ability to predict cause and effect. But the show itself is all the more powerful because it doesn't try to pull out the "big guns." Highly recommended.
This show renders the idea of neurodiversity--that autism and other "mental disorders" are not diseases so much as they are completely different sets of wiring--through the lens of the super-hero narrative. I'm totally hooked. The characters are complicated and the whole setup is just so smart.
This is not the X-Men: nobody can shoot lasers out of their faces. The powers themselves are much more subtle: incredible aim, heightened senses, almost-prescient ability to predict cause and effect. But the show itself is all the more powerful because it doesn't try to pull out the "big guns." Highly recommended.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great!
While I am disappointing at the Sci-Fi channel for cancelling the show, the show is excellent and the dvd's are as good quality. The packaging is also high quality.
Published 21 days ago by Gene A Curl
5.0 out of 5 stars
Alphas: Season One
I really enjoyed this. Am really looking forward to seeing Season Two. I hope they decide to keep this series going.
Published 26 days ago by Genevieve
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT SERIES
THIS IS A GREAT SERIES THAT YOU WILL LIKE TO WATCH WHEN EVER A NEW SEASON COMES OUT. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT SEASON
Published 1 month ago by vincent
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gonna Miss this show..
So when I heard they cancel this show, I had to buy it! I am ordering the last season this month. everything I received was brand new or ish...I would buy from the seller again.
Published 2 months ago by Nicole Britton
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great show!
This show is very entertaining if you are a SciFi or a super hero fan with no allegiance to specific comics or super heroes. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Alessandro Zuniga
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good new series
Really enjoyed this scifi series. Hope it will be as good in season 2. Hard to find well done series that can hold my attention. Better than alot of tv out there.
Published 2 months ago by Lynn McBee
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good SciFi
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Interesting, complex characters, good stories, and it is Science Fiction. What is there not to like?
Published 2 months ago by W. P. Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good.
DVD is of good quality. Sound and picture are also good quality Would recommend to anyone who loves the show.
Published 2 months ago by Joyce V. Hibbert
5.0 out of 5 stars
Yet another great show cut short
This show was quite possibly my favorite on TV for the last 2 years, but unfortunately SyFy (their re-branding is one of the silliest things I've seen) decided to call it quits... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Bill Brasky
4.0 out of 5 stars
Alphas - Season One
I enjoyed the series very much. I like science fiction, but not horror so this fit the bill perfectly. It was also well acted and believable.
Published 3 months ago by Janice Ruwoldt
