Welcome grateful readers to a change in my lineup…a TV show. Or rather, ex TV show. That’s right. Change. Who here likes the X-Files? Everyone? Good. Then you will love this show. Yeah, it’s not the X-Files, but it is along the same lines. I rather equate this show to X-Files meats the matrix. It’s frickin’ awesome. I am willing to bet though that all 1.4 of my loyal readers neither watched this show when it was ...]]> War games matrixified

Welcome grateful readers to a change in my lineup…a TV show. Or rather, ex TV show. That’s right. Change. Who here likes the X-Files? Everyone? Good. Then you will love this show. Yeah, it’s not the X-Files, but it is along the same lines. I rather equate this show to X-Files meats the matrix. It’s frickin’ awesome. I am willing to bet though that all 1.4 of my loyal readers neither watched this show when it was on, nor remember it being on at all. And to that I say, too damn bad for you. But you’re in luck as Fox is a money whore and is now selling this great show in DVD format (they’ve shined away from beta since it stopped selling in the 70s…). Harsh Realm is the name of the show, and Chris Carter, Mr. X-Files himself is the creator.

Plot

Lieutenant Tom Hobbes of the United States Army, after saving the life of a close friend in a military conflict, decides to retire from the army life and move with his fiance to California and start a new life. That is, until two MPs come to his door and ask him to pack an overnight bag and report for a secret assignment. Hobbes finds himself plunged into a virtual reality world of extraordinary realism where a vicious dictator named Santiago holds the high score by ruling the entire virtual world. Hobbes’ sole assignment: win the game by killing Santiago and taking the high score. But it’s not long after he enters the world that Hobbes realizes there is more than meets the eye. He finds out that if he dies in Harsh Realm, he dies in the real world too. He also realizes that there is no escape without killing Santiago. And thus begins his quest to try and win through all the impossibilities that await him around every corner in a desperate hope to return to his fiance in the real world.

Visual

Pretty cool cinematography, but no real CGI as Harsh Realm is just as real looking as the real world. The visual affects really take on an X-files feel thanks to Chris Carter. But otherwise, nothing to mention other than the occasional programming glitch allowing characters to shift in and out of certain areas, leaving a cool wavy visual thing. But it was also just a TV show and not a high budget action film.

Sound

Although the sound effects were pretty high quality, the thing that really needs the most recognition is the music. Certain areas in this show really take on a whole different feeling thanks to the fantastically organized music. And even though this was just a TV show, it was quite obvious that Chris Carter spent more that one pretty penny to create the perfect feel with the music.

Acting

Pretty impressive for a TV show, and you might even recognize a few of the actors. But I really couldn’t say that the acting is fantastic, and sometimes the characters take on a very flat cold type. This is really the only drawback I see with this show.

Summary

Damn you FOX! They cancelled this show after showing only three episodes, but fortunately the DVD actually includes all nine original episodes. But, if you buy the DVD, get ready to be pissed off by the ending. Does Hobbes finally kill Santiago and escape from Harsh Realm? Don’t count on it eager reader, cause it doesn’t happen. Sorry to ruin the ending, but Fox screwed us on this show. I guess there just weren’t as many viewers as other fine programs such as Greg the Bunny. Yep. Well, I’ve ranted long enough and will leave you all with this: you really should try to see this show in its entirety. Even though the ending sucked, all nine episodes were quite impressive and not worth missing.

4 DAMN YOU FOXs out of 5.