User reviews

I just got through seeing "Alphas" on Amazon Instant Video for free. I saw every episode, all 24. It's too bad Syfy cancelled "Alphas". It was entertaining, interesting, not boring. Why they cancelled it I don't know. The action was good and the special effects were credible.

Usually Syfy TV series are awful. Usually the special effects in Syfy TV series are terrible. However, in "Alphas" they were pretty good. The characters were also credible and developed. I think Syfy should have had at least 1 more season. I think there was enough potential content to fill another season. Syfy also should have allowed "Alphas" to have an ending with finality, something where viewers would be satisfied. It appears to me the writers for "Alphas" wanted to continue with another season but Syfy just cancelled them.

In a situation such as this, where the Network wants to cancel, I think Syfy should have at least allowed 1 more episode to allow for a definitive ending for the series.

Good series, 8 out of 10.

The series "Alphas" is about a team of people with some unusual abilities. They are not superheroes, because, in addition to special "powers", this word also carries the personality characteristics that distinguish heroes, which these characters are not. Also, their abilities are not supernatural but explained by neurological mutations that somewhat "hold water", so this is not fantasy but SF. Their "powers" also carry negative consequences, so a character with the ability to gain increased power by consciously pumping adrenaline, after a few minutes remains unusable, a character who can sharpen the sense of choice at the same time "loses" other senses, and a character who can "see" and manipulate electromagnetic waves, and thus monitors cellphones or surfs Internet without aids, is at the same time autistic. Besides the action, the series is quite dedicated to the characterization of the protagonists and their mutual relationships and, although the premise is all but original, the approach to the story is different from similar shows I've encountered so far. It had potential, and it's a shame it was canceled after just two seasons.

7/10

I have to disagree with most of what the negative reviews say - I thought the characterization and the acting were excellent so far, with the promise of much more to develop as the series goes on. Of course the basic concept of the show is not new, or breaking any particularly new ground yet, but it seems well done and definitely worth a watch. There are so few shows that are ever completely original, so not trying this series out because because you've already seen another 'group of people with special abilities' series would be a shame.

I think one of the best aspects so far is the way in which all the characters talents appear to complement each other and the situation, in a way that seems much more natural and less forced or coincidental than other shows of this genre, which I imagine is not easy to achieve.

I am looking forward to the next few episodes extremely keenly.

Real acting talent isn't depend upon language. The skillful utilization of space and time, combined with agile adaptation of voice, eyes, body language and other nuances, to character, conflict, imagination and verisimilitude (convincing me wholly that what is fantasy, is truly happening before my eyes). "Alphas" evinces every one of these essential ingredients; I quickly forget that they are merely acting; the story and the performers come alive within their personae like a glove indistinguishable from skin.

I suppose that when an intriguing series is cut short after only two seasons, that truncation leaves aficionados of the performers with keenly whetted curiosities, eager for more, somehow, some way, some day.

This is going to be short because I've rated this a 10, with nothing but delight over how this show is progressing.

I just finished watching "Bill and Gary's Excellent Adventure". With Fringe off the air until the Fall, I really have to say that I have found a satisfying summer replacement.

The character's interactions are very creative and entertaining. Each character has flaws that make this so much more intriguing than a super-hero action team, perfect and powerful in their own right, whose main test is to overcome some all-powerful evil.

I hope this show gets renewed, The big shock is that the Sci-Fi Channel, (SyFY) is hosting this program. This is heads and tails above their other fare, but a welcome surprise.

I have to say that I think Gary is emerging as my favorite character in the series.

I like this show. I've been there since the beginning with the characters, struggling with their abilities and solving mysterious like Sherlock Holmes Xmen. Some of the characters are quirky, some are a little cliché but the dialogue is done well enough to were you don't mind so much. The powers some of these characters have may be the best part in the show. Its not just simply the "I can fly" or "I have super strength" powers. They are all interesting and creative, and some of them have downsides. Sometimes I just don't like how much this show tries to stay grounded in reality. They always have a scientific explanation for everything that has a little bit of whimsy in it. But as a whole its a very original show and they have me as a loyal viewer.

This show has fantastic writing, acting and is a fantastic reboot of the super hero concept.

I'm in season 2 and the episodes just get better and better.

The show has just enough drama and science fiction that it will entertain a wide variety of audiences. Wider than the average views of science fiction, in my opinion.

It is rare to find a show with a good plot and with science fiction elements. This show is currently tied with Game Of Thrones as one of my favorite shows. The characters are believable, you want to learn more about them and you feel it when things happen.

Just watch it. It is a such a good show it got me to write a review and I never write these.

If X-Men and CSI had sex then had a baby, that baby would be this show. Everything in this show has been done. Not only that, everything in this show has been done better. The acting is not terrible, but never rises about the mediocre script.

Alphas is a show about mutants with special powers. Only in this series, they are called - you guessed it - Alphas. Dr. Rosen leads a group of good Alphas who use their powers to stop bad Alphas, much like Xavier and his X-Men. Red Flag are the bad guys. They are the Magneto and Brotherhood of Mutants of this series. Throughout season 1 we learn more about the motives of Red Flag and of a place called Binghamton, which is supposed to help Alphas live with their powers.

Alphas is at best an average show, full of clichés and plot holes. While it is far from the worst show on TV, it's certainly not the best. You'd be much better off watching the X-Men movies or Heroes to get your mutant fix.

I've just started watching the second season after getting hooked from season one. I saw on Youtube a few weeks ago the actors discussing the show at Comic Con in San Diego, and I was very disheartened and unimpressed. They seemed so relaxed, quietly interested in their work, a little intimidated about being in front of the audience, but not polished or sparkling and certainly not larger than life salespeople.

They just weren't that into themselves!

David Strathairn and the whole cast are just not very outgoing people. They're a bit intellectual, actually, maybe even nerdy.

Maybe with the possible exception of Malik Yoba. He seemed to have all the charisma on that day.

They were just nice folks discussing their work. Were they putting less into the second season? Did they care less about these characters we've come to love? They seemed to enjoy themselves. They were so unassuming, humble and polite, very quiet, as though each and every one of them was a shy individual not accustomed to presenting and selling what they do.

Well, the second season has finally started, and it is remarkable. Exceptional, phenomenal. No, they aren't selling their performances. This isn't representation. This is Method acting. They are living the experience directly in front of us. They have crafted characters and situations that are REAL in capital letters. And most importantly, truthful down to the bone.

I don't say this with respect to the show's budget, or special effects, or even the basic story lines. The actors are amazing. The writing is incredible, and the directing awesome.

This is a low budget show with a handful of actors that on screen are so engaging, so engrossing that they will take you places inside yourself you may have never visited.

There is no hint they are even acting. They have it totally down. There is nothing formulaic regardless of similarities in basic story to other cinema and television. Yes, it's science fiction, but it is first and foremost remarkable drama, acting and direction.

The relationships between this team, their conflicts and their sincerity is palpable.

I loved Fringe, I love Supernatural, I like Warehouse 13, I really like Falling Skies, but this is something altogether deeper and more layered and simply more wonderful to watch. In those other shoes you are watching actors act. And they do a great job.

But the characters in Alphas are remarkable and fully realized people, in all aspects, clothed as ordinary folks you and I know and see every day. They are not "acting" but living the characters they have created, and doing so seamlessly in a way that draws us in, so we aren't watching. We are there participating with them. What they feel, we feel with them.

It's better than 3D HD. Better than IMAX. We are there with them, living through it with them.

Brando, Julie Harris, James Dean. That is what we are watching every week. It's a gift to the viewers.

We are seeing in season two a depth of their personal lives, and their reactions to what is happening, their growth, backsliding, trauma, and re-emergence that is mesmerizing to watch. In every line, glance, expression, these actors have poured themselves heart and soul out onto the screen and into creating their characters in extremely, painstakingly detailed and amazing ways.

It's wonderful to watch. As a viewer, I am more than happy not to have that interrupted with a murder-a-minute; fifty explosions per episode; a high-tech gadget or gun with every action scene; and every death punctuated with a humorous quip; as seen in larger budget films that get lost in all that.

Some reviewers here have clearly been brought up on that baby food and want their formula.

This is for grown-ups.

The pain and pathos, the fear and the friendship in the subtlest of actions which run well outside the script is fascinating to see.

These are working actors, working directors who have it down. They've figured it out. They've gotten to the soul of their art on a shoestring, and season two is even better, by several factors, than season one, which was quite excellent.

I don't know how the casting agent was able to pull this caliber of talent together, headed by Strathairn, Yoba, Ghanizada, Cartwright, Mennell, Christie (in front of the camera and behind it Penn, Karnow, Copus, Hastings, Wolfe, Behr, Chamoy, and Levy) but I will tell you that each episode is a motion picture, a fully realized morality and passion play of the highest literary caliber. The writers are giving the actors a lot of space to work with, and the ensemble cast, along with their directors, are running with it and taking us along in their journey.

If you are tired of the melodrama, the soap opera plot twists week after week, and the bludgeoning shock and awe special effects and explosions scene after scene that have left behind what used to be artistry; ready for some real food for the soul, watch this show!

I loved this series but I'm not surprised it got canceled. The reason is simple, here we have a series about supernatural persons with powers like setting things on fire, super human strength or lightning fast reflexes just like the X-men. So what is the most important thing you should NOT cheap out on? The Special effects! The special effects in this series is awful. They for some reason thinks that this series about supernatural beings and powers would survive with B-movie special effects. A typical fighting scene is where two people "fighting" each others where they more or less standing still but they add "action" to the scene by shaking the camera. I'm talking about shaking the camera like it's mounted on a wet who dog tries to shake the water away... and on top of that they add.. "fire" or "smoke" using Ms Paint.. Even if they just leaving a vehicle to enter a house they would shake the camera like crazy.. This is the level of special effects in Alphas and I'm sure of that this is the reason they canceled it... Think of it, how popular would the X-man movies be with B-movie special effects?

Besides the special effects this series is great. I love the actors and they do a good job. The script is good too with a great backstory that sometimes takes over a episode. The backstory is not just something happening in the back, it's the spine of the series. I love that the characters are human in the sense that they have real lives besides having the powers. Some try to hide their power and others is using it for their own benefit. They did not ask for these powers and some might don't like to have them since it will "only" cause trouble to them.

I would love to see a new season with Alphas but with a 10x budget regarding the special effects. The ending did leave us hanging.. we need some conclusions.

When you find yourself looking at the clock every now and then while watching a TV show and find that only 5 minutes had passed since the last time you looked at the clock, you know that something is very wrong with the "entertainment."

Since the Sci-Fi channel decided to dumb down their programming, including the new Sy-Fy for dummies name, I have been very disappointed with that network. Still, I had hopes for "Alphas," given the premise, but it just didn't work out.

This is "Heroes" for dummies or, even worse, "X-Men" for dummies. It is flat out boring. The characters are boring, the pacing of the show is boring, the dialogue is boring!

When I looked at the clock again, already feeling very mentally fatigued from the boredom and found that only half an hour had passed, I couldn't take it anymore. I shut it off.

The dumbing down of America continues... to rave reviews.

Sigh.

I'll preface this review with a disclaimer: I tend to really enjoy the Sci-Fi (SyFy) original series, even their "soft" science fiction shows. When I first caught the preview for Alphas back in June, I decided to add the show to my DVR listing and promptly forgot about it. . . until last this past week-end.

I breezed through the first half of the show, finding it a good filler for housework and various chores that needed my physical attention. It wasn't until episode three, "Anger Management," that the show began to pull me away from my housework and requiring a more directed focus. The latter half of that episode in particular drew me to my couch, where I watched my hand over my mouth. It wasn't the plot line of the episode, the characters, or really the acting-- it was the directing.

Alphas doesn't create an original story, present overly original characters, or give us overwhelming twists in terms of plot. It does, however, tap into that indie aesthetic, that sort of natural feel that you find in film and more rarely television that causes personal investment. I was honestly surprised to find myself feeling this way from what ultimately translates to a X-Men/Heroes cum procedural re- write. But the more I began to pay attention, the more I found the art direction and the dialogue between the Alphas team-members really pulling the show out of an easy type-caste.

My recommendation is to watch the first season in one go. The writers, actors, and directer/s really came into their own as the season ended. As one other reviewer put it, the show managed to do a whole lot with very little, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing what the second season gives us.

I have to note this is the first time I have been compelled to write a review of a show on IMDb, and the reason is simple: in a sea of so-so soft sci-fi on SyFy, Alphas stands out as not just an excellent sci-fi program, but an excellent show.

Set, apparently, in the same universe as some of SyFy's other flagship soft science fiction series, Alphas revolves around individuals born with mutations that grant them specific enhanced abilities. On the face, it's an X-Men or Heroes clone, and certainly the influences are apparent and toe the line between homage and derivative.

However, the show handles this with great aplomb: the abilities are strictly limited and some effort is made for a scientific explanation for each ability. While it's firmly "soft" science fiction, it is actually science fiction, rather than the "science fantasy" that most of the popular SyFy series cling to.

One great strength of the series is the strict leash on the abilities and the savage downsides that accompany those abilities. One character is autistic. One suffers from social anxiety. One has oscillating medical problems directly resulting from his ability. On top the of the "upside-downside" nature of each ability, the characters are refreshingly nuanced. I never felt like the characters were defined by the advantages of the powers, but rather their more human struggles. It is, first and foremost, a science fiction show about a group people, not a group of superheroes.

Perhaps my favorite element of the series, however, is the moral ambiguity of the protagonists' actions. Certainly there are very dangerous Alphas in this universe; people with dangerous abilities, mental imbalances, malice, or a combination of the three. However, in working for the US government, which seeks to curb the rising tide of Alpha activism (and terrorism), the protagonists (and the viewers) find themselves questioning which side is correct. Indeed, the commentary on the use of force to combat terrorism, while heavy-handed at times, is possibly more adroit that most television programs that have attempted such commentary.

I highly recommend Alphas. If you've been turned off by the comic-book nature of many of SyFy's other shows, this is worth look. The only reason I didn't give it 10/10 stars are a few inconsistent abilities that I found a bit of a jump for an otherwise grounded series.

Alphas is a television series that aired in the United States on the Syfy network in 2011 and ran for two seasons. The series centers on a group of individuals, known as Alphas, with super-human abilities due to the progression of human evolution. This group, led by a psychiatrist named Dr. Lee Rosen, uses their abilities to assist the government in solving suspected Alpha-related crimes. Dr. Rosen studies and attempts to understand the Alpha phenomenon, while also working to help his team understand and live with their abilities.

Is this series based on a novel concept? No, but it is entertaining. Is there anything spectacular about Alphas that we should rave about? Nah, but it is still fun to watch.

While it is certainly entertaining, the downside to watching Alphas is that you are guaranteed to be disappointed by the ending.

It keeps getting better . Episode 1 was , lets say unremarkable . An introduction , but with most of the cards hidden . But episode 2 gets things going . Opens up possibilities , starts giving us a background for the characters . And there is a transformation in progress , a group of misfits starts to become a team .

I do like the psychological aspect of it . And I will give this series a chance , will not judge it from 1 or 2 episodes . There are series that started of slowly and matured into greatness . "The event" is one example , even though they never got back most of the viewers they lost due to a slow start , in my opinion its their loss , as the series turned into one of the best .

I think this is a series that will surprise me more with episodes to come , and I will keep watching it . Characters are quirky , damaged and interesting , and the concept of alphas gives the series a huge white-board to sketch anything they want on it .

I for one am looking forward for more .

I incidentally watched the show and i watched complete first season in 2 days. I like this show but a lot of time it's remind me x-men. Dr. Lee Rosen like Professor Charles Xavier but not one of them kind so far as prof. Xavier.Stanton Parish's character remind me Magneto.. but no problem i enjoy watch the show.

I think this is a series that will surprise me more with episodes to come , and I will keep watching it . Characters are quirky , damaged and interesting I think this is a series that will surprise me more with episodes to come , and I will keep watching it . Characters are quirky , damaged and interesting.

This is an excellently done show, and any negative review is completely wrong! I was a little wary to watch it at first because I figured it was just another random SyFy show, but I was sorely mistaken. The show is essentially about people able to tap into extraordinary abilities (called "Alphas") because of a unique neurological difference, working together to fight a criminal group with similar abilities.

The show was expertly done, with every character thoroughly established in the pilot. I was immediately gripped by the show after the first line (watch it, it's funny and dramatic all at once). I was actually expecting it to falter but I have to say that not once did the show not keep me interested. All the characters mesh well together (check out the hilarious banter between Gary and Bill, played by Ryan Cartwright and Malik Yoba respectively), and luckily it's not one of those annoying shows where people have abilities without limit, yet somehow find a way to thwart themselves by either "forgetting" their superpower or just not using it for the sake of conflict (*cough* No Ordinary Family *cough*).

While maintaining a superhuman atmosphere, this show realistically portrays an environment with extraordinary abilities that complement each other in a complex and well thought out manner.

My advice, give the show a chance. Watch the pilot and you won't be disappointed. Awesome show with awesome characters, all of whom are well-developed. This show will definitely make it to the top of your "must watch" list of the week!

This is a great show. The characters are wonderfully well rounded, fully dimensional. The plot is intriguing, the actors are great, the action is thrilling, the powers are unique and at least somewhat plausible.

Perhaps my favorite aspect of it is that the characters are accurate and believable, and that it works with a specific set of interesting characters with weaknesses and strengths who work together as a cohesive team, with no character being greater than the others as I've seen in the past (with the arguable exception of the "Dr. X" of the group).

Great show and I want to see it continue in future seasons.

so much fun, I can't wait for the next episode. finally a show that doesn't treat us like morons by showing us the minute details of how A met B and had to work with C to create a new superhero team.

nina has an obviously deep and hidden past, gary's character is interesting and well executed and he has serious tension with Malik's character, it's all very cool.

The show gets right to work. Remember this was the PILOT episode that already went out and was approved with great viewing numbers in the past.

I expect some great things from the future episodes now that the actors and writers have gotten to grow with time.