Review of Sci-Fi's Defiance.

I'll preface this post with this statement:
HUGE GODDAMN SPOILERS.

If you don't want the series premier spoiled, stop reading now, watch the show, then come back and keep reading. Go ahead, I'll wait right here.


Back now? Good.

Ok, first off, despite the negatives I'll be discussing about this show, I'm still interested to see what they will do with it. It has an insane amount of potential, I'm just worried that they won't do anything good with it. The series has a vastly interesting world, much like the Harry Potter series, and like HP the writer seems intently focused on the least interesting parts of the story.

Problem #1 with Defiance.
Dear god, soo many Tropes and Cliche's. It's like the writers went to TVtropes and hit random a bunch of times to decide on the themes of their show.
Listing off the tropes in no particular order, the wrong names, and with whatever evidence I feel like adding:

Gun-for-hire: The main character like Han Solo, Malcolm Reynolds, the crew of Cowboy Bebop, etc, is a wandering hired gun. This is a ridiculously common cliche.

Significant military marking: The main character has a tattoo that shows what famous military unit he was in. Just like Mal Reynolds, Han Solo, etc.

Let's visit the crappy town where I'm Famous: The main character randomly stumbles into town, not recognizing it. But apparently 15 years ago he fought a famous battle in this town and he is instantly popular because of it. Yet none of the residents recognize him, even though he's clearly important to them. This trope of course is famous in Harry Potter and Firefly.

Retired soldier: The main character is an ex-marine/military guy. Like Jake Sully in Avatar, Mal Reynolds, Han Solo, etc. Noticing a trend here?

Alien Side-kick:  Main character has an adopted alien daughter who is his accomplice in everything. Just like Chewbacca, Ney'tri, Ford Prefect, etc.

Side-kick is a kid: Just like in the first Indiana Jones movie, and Ed from Cowboy Bebop. I could list more but I'd have to look them up.

Romeo & Juliet: 30 minutes into the pilot episode it's revealed that there are two rival families and their children are of course in love.

You killed Tybalt!: The Romeo-esque character is accused of killing the Juliet-esque character's older brother. Who was an aggressive douchebag.

The Grand Vizer is always evil: An hour into the pilot it's revealed that the Mayor's aide/adviser is secretly evil and plotting her destruction.

Stop making me feel old: 1/2 hour into the pilot the ex-mayor makes a joke calling the new mayor "grasshopper". Which she doesn't understand (I guess grasshoppers went extinct?).

I was one week from retirement: The city sheriff gets killed and he's clearly really old.

Hooker with a heart of gold: The owner of the town brothel is the mayor's sister and one of the most blatantly obvious good-guys in the show.

The MacGuffin: Not only do they have the vaguely explained doomsday weapon that everybody wants, but's it's actually an Orb. How much more obvious can they get?

Reluctant lawman: After the sheriff is killed the main character reluctantly accepts the job. Just like Wyatt Earp.

I'm leaving you to die, just kidding: This happens twice. First the main character & sidekick leaves the town to be destroyed, then he has an attack of morals and returns with the MacGuffin but the sidekick leaves him to die. Then She has a whooping case of morality and she comes back at the last second with reinforcements who save the day and give the heroes enough time to activate the MacGuffin. This is most famously used in Star Wars a New Hope. Han Solo leaves the rebellion to die, then comes back at the last second, rescues Luke, who then blows up the Death Star.

I'm in it for the reward: Mal Reynolds and Han Solo own this trope. The main character promises to track down a murderer, as long as they pay him for it.

Jinkies!, It was that sneaky former ______ all along.: The villain who arranged most of the problems in the episode was the ex-mayor and mentor to the current mayor who is secretly a psychotic "evil plan for the benefit of all mankind" mastermind. The character was unmasked to the audience, but the protagonists remain clueless.

Problem #2
Please pick one plot and run with it.
The pilot episode had one A plot, which was a murder mystery that never gets solved but ends with a climactic battle. But it also had a dozen B plots, none of which went anywhere. I think they were trying to set up all of the A plots for all future episodes at once. Rather than doing the more standard formula of inserting the A plot for next week as the B or C plot for this week.

All of that being said, I'm still going to watch next week's episode. The writing is terrible, but the setting is amazing. I hope they some how figure out something good to do with it, but I kindof doubt it.