Product: Sanctuary: The Complete Second Season [Blu-ray] (2010)
Rating: 2.0
I liked season 1 much more.
The first season of Sanctuary was one of the coolest, most "refreshing" TV shows that I'd come across in quite some time. However, in addition to having a few very disappointing events occur, it just doesn't seem to me that season two has the same intangible attractiveness and mystique.The first three episodes resolve the loose ends from season one, and that's where my biggest issue is. If you have read the other reviews, you know that Ashley gets killed off, which is disappointing, she was part of the show's heart. I will admit that her death does make sense w/in the storyline, i.e. the writing was good. But still a shock - I wonder if she no longer wanted to be on the show? What no one else has mentioned is that Klara Griffin (the invisible girl) gets killed off, and it is done in such a quick, senseless, clumsy way, I just don't get it. It would have been better to just not have her come back at all. She was so cool, a great compliment to the other characters. Also, the Cabal story arc, which seemed like such a huge deal, also gets "done with" in two or three brief-seeming episodes. Like it wasn't nearly as pervasive a threat as season one suggested. But maybe that's just me. Regarding the Kate Freelander character, I don't necessarily think her a bad actress, but she can't replace Ashley/Klara, and seriously, this is a serious show, not a sitcom, why would you name a character "Kate Freelander"? Why?Anyway, the mid-season episodes are a mixed bag. "Hero" is lighthearted, but a lot better than you expect it to be. Amanda Tapping's old Stargate pal Michael Shanks has a cameo, which is cool, and while I am not into vampires (haven't watched any of the Twilight movies), the episode "Sleepers" is probably one of my three favorite episodes of the entire series so far. Nikola Tesla is brilliant. The two-part ending saga "Callie" is fairly decent. I have to admit, I didn't mind Will's dancing sequence - it actually put a much needed smile on my face during a stressful day.But the show's incredible mystique in season one, in which the Sanctuary itself was mysterious, most of the episodes had a very dark color palette, and the shadows could have held anything. Here, the color palette is lighter, Magnus herself is less mysterious, sporting more makeup and a better tan, Bigfoot is more chatty (sometimes it isn't even Chris Heyerdahl playing him, and it *does* make a difference to me)...it's like the show has been normalized. But being ab-normal was what made it great to begin with.This is certainly not the worst show out there, but I honestly would not recommend buying season two. If you have seen season one, I don't think that this is the same level of quality.