"Stargate Universe" is all about lifting from other sci-fi shows
"Two things strike me," says Hank Stuever, "beyond 'Stargate Universe's' stiffened pace: the predictability of the action and the characters, and the apparent tolerance for borrowing that the sci-fi genre treats as a matter of course. Plagiarism is the notable rhetoric, down to how things look in space and what people out there ever say to one another. What, exactly, gives 'Stargate Universe' the right to beam its heroes from ship to surface the way 'Star Trek' does? Why, except for budget and/or lack of imagination, do the interiors of the enormous starcruiser here bring to mind the dank hallways of 'Alien' and the neo-brutalism of George Lucas's 'Star Wars,' with LED-bulb gizmo decor from 'Star Trek' and 'Battlestar Galactica'?"
"SGU" might not be newbie friendly // "Stargate" actors embrace sci-fi fanbase
"Three Rivers": Did CBS miscalculate Alex O'Loughlin's star power?
CBS built "Three Rivers" around the Australian actor after his previous series, "Moonlight," drew a lot of fan interest. But as Alan Sepinwall points out, "Given the recent success of vampire projects like 'Twilight,' 'True Blood' and 'The Vampire Diaries,' CBS may have miscalculated on why people were watching "Moonlight." And given O'Loughlin's stiff performance here, they may have miscalculated on his potential star power."
"Rivers" makes mediocrity move more quickly // "Rivers" shows promise after tinkering
