This 3 part series Childhood's End follows more or less the 3 parts in the Arthur C. Clarke 1953 novel of the same name. There are a few changes in characters and in subplots, but anyone familiar with the novel will recognize the series.
The novel was Clarke's first big success and well regarded at the time. Despite many attempts it failed to make it to the big or small screen due to the complexity of the narrative, although other projects did succeed ("2001", "Dune").
The existing series has a lot to recommend it, especially considering that it's not from one of the top studios but rather the SyFy network. The acting is uniformly excellent and the special effects are pretty good. But the direction seems lacking. The series jumps around and never seems to settle down, giving us brief glimpses of the main characters but very little chance to get to know them. "New Athens" is short changed more than any other element, and the final hours of one key character seem to have been badly edited. Some scenes appear over and over again, but other scenes are merely glimpsed.
Bottom line – it' a pretty good effort from the SyFy network, but it's not up to the book itself, nor is it among the pantheon of sci fi productions. But I think it I worth viewing.
The novel was Clarke's first big success and well regarded at the time. Despite many attempts it failed to make it to the big or small screen due to the complexity of the narrative, although other projects did succeed ("2001", "Dune").
The existing series has a lot to recommend it, especially considering that it's not from one of the top studios but rather the SyFy network. The acting is uniformly excellent and the special effects are pretty good. But the direction seems lacking. The series jumps around and never seems to settle down, giving us brief glimpses of the main characters but very little chance to get to know them. "New Athens" is short changed more than any other element, and the final hours of one key character seem to have been badly edited. Some scenes appear over and over again, but other scenes are merely glimpsed.
Bottom line – it' a pretty good effort from the SyFy network, but it's not up to the book itself, nor is it among the pantheon of sci fi productions. But I think it I worth viewing.