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Flash Gordon (Syfy)

common sense media says

Update of classic sci-fi series is fun for teens.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that the show's villain, Ming the Merciless, rules through terror and often uses violence and torture to deal with his enemies. Though no explicit torture sequences are shown, some scenes show the build-up and the bloody aftermath, which could be hard for young viewers to stomach. Women are depicted as subservient, sexual playthings, and the show hints that Ming relishes sexually assaulting drugged captives. Ming is, in every way, a cruel and malicious dictator who rules over a domain where the powerful take advantage of the weak and where treachery, sadism, and selfishness aren't just virtues, but necessary self-preservation skills.

Positive messages: Ming is a ruthless dictator straight from central casting, who rules the planet Mongo with an iron fist. Torture is common, and backstabbing is a necessary skill to survive in his court. Women often appear as inferior, especially in Ming's harem. The show suggests that Ming prefers his women drugged and compliant during sex.
Violence: Besides the fistfights and blaster battles that are de rigueur for a sci-fi adventure, Ming and his minions are keen on torture, some of which is shown on-screen.
Sex: No nudity or onscreen sex, but some innuendo. Ming the Merciless maintains a harem, and the women make it clear that their main responsibilities occur in the bedroom, sometimes using an electronic device that induces something akin to a drugged stupor.
Language: "Ass" is heard occasionally, but the language is generally pretty mild.
Consumerism: Some car models are clearly noticeable, including a Winnebago RV and a Dodge Ram pickup truck, and a Timex watch has a central role in the series.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.
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More on Flash Gordon

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about the concept of evil. Is it possible for a person to be completely bad, with no hope of redemption? Does Ming fit that mold? Are villains with some good in them more interesting than those who are corrupt through and through? Why? Which type do you see more of in sci-fi movies and TV shows? Families can also discuss how science fiction reflects the popular imagination. In the original 1930s Flash Gordon serials, the adventurers traveled by spaceship; here, they whiz back and forth by jumping through "rifts" in space that can appear anywhere. Have modern viewers become so familiar with the practical limitations of space travel that using a rocket to reach a distant planet no longer seems plausible? Or are the producers trying to update the series by featuring a transportation method that seems as fantastic and amazing today as rocket travel did in the '30s?

What's the story?

What's the story?
FLASH GORDON, one of the most enduring -- and endearing -- names in science fiction, is back. In the Sci Fi Channel's take on the franchise, Steven "Flash" Gordon (Eric Johnson) is dragged into conflict with Ming the Merciless after a strange creature invades his home looking for something called the Imex. Dr. Hans Zarkov (Jody Racicot) has been tracking the mysterious space "rifts" that the creatures use to teleport on and off the planet; he explains that Flash's father, long-presumed dead in a lab fire, actually disappeared through one of these rifts and was never seen again. When an alien machine opens a rift, Flash realizes that his dad may be on the other side and impetuously jumps through, with ex-girlfriend Dale Arden (Gina Holden) along for the ride.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

It's been more than seven decades since daring adventurer Flash Gordon first blasted out of the comic strip pages to battle the evil Emperor Ming on the mysterious planet Mongo; since then, the character has starred in dozens of film serials, TV series, radio dramas, novels, comic books, animated shows, and one big-budget blockbuster movie. This version is sleek and polished and certainly entertaining, but it's also a bit bland.

With Flash and his enemy now using the rifts to travel between Mongo and Earth, the fancy spaceships that our hero once used to zip across space are gone, as are the oh-so-basic special effects that made the original 1930s serials such classic kitsch. Also (and more regrettably) missing are the cliffhanger endings for which the original Flash Gordon stories were famous -- and which gave some of the old films their magic. With such a legacy to live up to, the bar is high for any Flash Gordon remake, and though the new show's plot details and characters are obviously based on the original stories, it doesn't really stand out when compared to so many other adventure shows.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: NR
Network: Syfy
Cast: Eric Johnson, Gina Holden, John Ralston
Genre: Science Fiction
Where to watch: Syfy
This review was written by Will Wade
 
 

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pushyflatlander
adult
 
30 year old heroes do not live with mom
Its called Fllash Gordon. He has blond hair. The bad guy is Ming, but unlike the mings of past Fash Gordon's this one is Ming not qite so menacing. More like Ming the night manager at McFastfood. No rocketships, all the denizens of Mongo look to be human. No hawkmen, no lionmen. No rocketships. No action. kok flash and his anorexic ex do battle a killer robot in Flash's mom's kitchen, but when defeaed the robot turns to a puddle of goo...so much for the Mongo killer robot company's warrantee policy. This program is bad on so many levels. Shakey cam is past cliche now. And speaking of cliche, karen Cliche is becoming the female "Ted McGinley" helping this shw jump the shark before it even hits the water.
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Aegius
adult
 
Awful TV show - don't waste your time
This show is very poorly done. Acting is lousy. The plots are ridiculous. The premise is thrown out the window. It's a complete waste of time. The movie from 1979 was a little sleezy, but still adequate for kids and enjoyable to watch. But this TV show is just plain awful Flash Gordon still lives with his parents and Ming and Aura are poorly portrayed. Just don't watch it.
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