Alphas is a new show which debuted this past summer on Syfy, as part of their attempt to actually have a solid block of genuinely sci-fi themed programming on their channel. It concluded its first season a few weeks ago, and after some ambiguity on its status, it has been confirmed to be receiving a second season.
The premise of Alphas is one that’s increasingly familiar: there are people among us who have special in-born abilities that set them apart from the rest of the human race. Some of them use these abilities for good, some for evil; some people believe they can live in harmony with the “normals”, some people believe a war is inevitable. It’s a premise that has been the driving force behind the X-Men comic book series (and later cartoon and film franchise) since the 1960s, and also the recently-euthanized NBC series Heroes.
So the premise isn’t new; does the show handle it well? Continue reading
