Defiance

:

Season 1
  • Network: SyFy
  • Series Premiere Date: Apr 15, 2013
Season #: 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 276 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 201 out of 276
  2. Mixed: 40 out of 276
  3. Negative: 35 out of 276
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User Reviews

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  1. Kale_Buts
    Jan 21, 2019
    8
    A great Science Fiction TV-series directed by one of the best producers in the business and with a amazing cast! If you like science fiction than this is an absolute must-see TV-serie.
  2. DataSoong
    Jun 28, 2018
    10
    This quickly became to event show of the week for me and my wife. Great character development arcs and growth. We may be outliers since we felt the same about Babylon 5 and Deep Space Nine is our favorite Trek series. We're huge fans of Firefly, Battlestar Galactica reboot, Quantum Leap, SG1 and Farscape. Defiance was the most entertaining SF show in years. It grew each season andThis quickly became to event show of the week for me and my wife. Great character development arcs and growth. We may be outliers since we felt the same about Babylon 5 and Deep Space Nine is our favorite Trek series. We're huge fans of Firefly, Battlestar Galactica reboot, Quantum Leap, SG1 and Farscape. Defiance was the most entertaining SF show in years. It grew each season and deserved full resolution that it didn't get like so many SF shows.… Expand
  3. neeler
    Mar 26, 2017
    7
    One of my favorite sci-fi television series, the first episodes where not so good due to bad editing and 3d effects, but as the show gained popularity it began fixing this problems and gained my trust back. The makeup and costume are of quality
  4. MailletC
    Aug 29, 2015
    8
    Overall I enjoyed the first season of Defiance. It took time to establish the world, and the characters, but fortunately the show does take time to do this, rather than ignoring the world to favor the plot.
    The world it creates is interesting, and full of texture. The various alien races feel like a collection of individual species, rather than a homogenous mixture of various colors with    Overall I enjoyed the first season of Defiance. It took time to establish the world, and the characters, but fortunately the show does take time to do this, rather than ignoring the world to favor the plot.
    The world it creates is interesting, and full of texture. The various alien races feel like a collection of individual species, rather than a homogenous mixture of various colors with no defining characteristics.
    I love the gritty, broken down feeling of everything. It looks and feels like the apocalyptic future the show is portraying. This is no Earth: Final Conflict, where the aliens supposedly came in peace for the betterment of humankind, they arrived to colonize the planet, and war soon resulted as it has done in similar circumstances throughout human history.
    The main downside of the show is that it shuffles past the main story idea too quickly. Nolan becomes the lawkeeper of the town in the first episode, and that's that. The speed with which this critical character moment is dealt with comes as a surprise, and it also doesn't afford any world building outside of the town.
    I started watching the show because I found the universe interesting, and I continued watching the show for a couple reasons. Most important was the character of Datak Tarr, by far the most motivated character of the show. The way Datak is played at odds with Nolan is an interesting dynamic, and lends a sense of character conflict that is missing from most of the show. I found myself looking forward to the moments I would see Datak and Nolan go at it over whatever was happening at the moment.
    Defiance is the first sci-fi show to come along since the new Battlestar Galactica where I actually felt a sense of engagement with the world being portrayed, and a sense of connection to the characters.
    Far too many television shows are made to be disposable entertainment these days, but with Defiance, you can hang out and live there for a while.    … Expand
  5. GreenGoblin215
    Jun 22, 2015
    10
    I just finished Binge-watching both Seasons 1&2 and the first 3 episodes of S3 so that is what this review is based upon. I will start by saying OMG this show is Phenomenal. I had nothing to watch since GOT ended and I decided to watch this and thank God for that bc this show killed it in every area. I will start with the story it takes place on Earth in the year 2046 after multiple alienI just finished Binge-watching both Seasons 1&2 and the first 3 episodes of S3 so that is what this review is based upon. I will start by saying OMG this show is Phenomenal. I had nothing to watch since GOT ended and I decided to watch this and thank God for that bc this show killed it in every area. I will start with the story it takes place on Earth in the year 2046 after multiple alien species landed years prior and centers upon Nolan and Irisa in the Town of Defiance. The story is simple but gets even better as time progresses. I will now talk about the cast which is in my opinion the best part. I will credit the 2 best actors in the show that being Nolan played by Grant Bowler and my favorite character Datak who is played by Tony Curran both are astounding actors. I will also say that all of the actors and actresses did an Amazing job of keeping the story engaging. I will now movie onto the action which I will say is sometimes a tad corny but the majority of the time it's Insanely Epic. I would recommend this show in a heart beat and S3 is so far the Best season yet. F.Y.I one of the main villains in S3 called General Rahm Tak who is played by Lee Tergesen is an absolutely mind blowing villain who is now probably just after 3 episodes my favorite villain of any television show to date. Go and Watch this show Now lolz.… Expand
  6. Tokardo
    Feb 2, 2015
    9
    Very fun series with cool characters. After Farscape this caought my attention and so far, I'm not disappointed. Very nice work O'Banon. Can't wait for next season.
  7. ambientalist
    Dec 13, 2014
    10
    I am giving Defiance a 10, why? well,despite that some issues on the show stay isolated, and with no ending line, which they should, the show in general doesn't fail to put up with a clever idea of a future world, have you ever thought about it? I would definitely love to see other locations, yet, in the small scenario created, you get to see, what will happen on a near future with earth.I am giving Defiance a 10, why? well,despite that some issues on the show stay isolated, and with no ending line, which they should, the show in general doesn't fail to put up with a clever idea of a future world, have you ever thought about it? I would definitely love to see other locations, yet, in the small scenario created, you get to see, what will happen on a near future with earth. No water, shortage of food, electricity, etc, if we don't take care of our planet. We don't need aliens to have our planted devastated, we are doing that by ourselves. The show should still come once more, to give a final closure to all the missing ideas that were left open.… Expand
  8. Whackadoo
    Oct 13, 2014
    9
    Best sci-fi series I've seen in a while. This show is the whole package - story, acting/dialogue, great set and design elements. Imagine many of the best elements of firefly, mad max and the new battlestar series and you get Defiance. It seems like a lot of contemporary sci-fi out there misses the mark on at least one of the elements mentioned above (Continuum for example- the main themeBest sci-fi series I've seen in a while. This show is the whole package - story, acting/dialogue, great set and design elements. Imagine many of the best elements of firefly, mad max and the new battlestar series and you get Defiance. It seems like a lot of contemporary sci-fi out there misses the mark on at least one of the elements mentioned above (Continuum for example- the main theme and story arc remains a cut-out that parrots anti-corporation rhetoric but has failed to develop much depth; however they do a lot of other things right and the actors really shine). Due to the overall high-quality well rounded nature of the series and careful attention to detail in writing and story elements.… Expand
  9. Physic
    Sep 12, 2014
    10
    Defiance is one of the best shows Scyfi has come out with in sometime. I can tell you this, there shows have constantly been below the bar until defiance except SG-1, SG Atlantis and they quit to early on SG Universe. It started slow but there was so much left un-revealed and the second season was getting great. But I will no longer watch Scy-Fi if they cancel Defiance. I'm just one fanDefiance is one of the best shows Scyfi has come out with in sometime. I can tell you this, there shows have constantly been below the bar until defiance except SG-1, SG Atlantis and they quit to early on SG Universe. It started slow but there was so much left un-revealed and the second season was getting great. But I will no longer watch Scy-Fi if they cancel Defiance. I'm just one fan but many others feel the same way. Thanks guys, do the right thing.… Expand
  10. BehzadM
    Aug 29, 2014
    10
    So far i think the show is going in a good direction ... and i loved the season 2's ending :) looking forward to more from this series . hope it gets renewed for another season .
  11. masterjohnson1
    Jul 23, 2014
    8
    I enjoyed watching this new what it was about because of the game, but it is not what I fought it was it was better. the game was not the best in my opinion and this was just great. can't wait for season 2, hope it is as good, one thing I have to say is the ending of the season could have been done better but other then that you should watch this if you haven't already
  12. Roagie
    May 7, 2014
    10
    This show is a multi-layered feast of sci-fi goodness. The characters, races, and back stories are complex and slowly developed over time as each episode plays out. The more you watch, the richer the viewing experience becomes. From reading some of the 'professional' reviews, this seems to be a bit too much for some and they just don't get it, or can't invest the time to do so. It also hasThis show is a multi-layered feast of sci-fi goodness. The characters, races, and back stories are complex and slowly developed over time as each episode plays out. The more you watch, the richer the viewing experience becomes. From reading some of the 'professional' reviews, this seems to be a bit too much for some and they just don't get it, or can't invest the time to do so. It also has a bit of the Firefly touch in that the plots don't play out as one might expect. The quality of the production and sets are top notch with the exception of the occasional CGI which looks rather amateurish, but those instances are rare... most of the CGI work is very good. I highly recommend giving it a view, but don't stop at episode 1... watch at least the first three to begin to 'get it'.… Expand
  13. Wolfmoon2682
    May 6, 2014
    10
    Defiance doesn't do anything new, but what it does works and is entertaining. The long downtime between seasons is a tough pill to swallow but thankfully the wait is almost over. I can see this show developing into a cult classic and the ground work for it has been laid pretty solid after the first season. I feel too many reviewers are looking for "that new innovative show" and don't knowDefiance doesn't do anything new, but what it does works and is entertaining. The long downtime between seasons is a tough pill to swallow but thankfully the wait is almost over. I can see this show developing into a cult classic and the ground work for it has been laid pretty solid after the first season. I feel too many reviewers are looking for "that new innovative show" and don't know how to accept something that's just fun to watch.… Expand
  14. Wildtaz32
    Mar 27, 2014
    10
    Great show in my opinion. I love how each actor/actress brings their own unique style to the character(s) they are portraying.
    Seems to me people are getting way to anal these days, if it does not have tom cruise, or an A list'ish actor/actress people tend to dump on the shows, at least from my stand point. Hope we get 5+ seasons. Cant wait for season 2!
  15. j0rdan
    Mar 9, 2014
    8
    Don't judge based on the poor visuals of the first couple of episodes.
    The writing is quite good and alot of great characters.
    I was very skeptical of the series at first, especially considering the video game tie in and poor visual effects, but I cant see how the video game has affected the story arc and the effects have improved 10 fold.
  16. Majorchoc
    Oct 2, 2013
    10
    The score of this show once again proves that critic's haven't got a clue. Whilst I was broke, I was making plans what games I'd be buying next. I decided that Defiance was one I was definitely adding to my wishlist but I was broke. So I decided that I'd check out the TV show and that was a good move. This is truly a fantastic show. Do NOT listen to the critics, listen to the users. At theThe score of this show once again proves that critic's haven't got a clue. Whilst I was broke, I was making plans what games I'd be buying next. I decided that Defiance was one I was definitely adding to my wishlist but I was broke. So I decided that I'd check out the TV show and that was a good move. This is truly a fantastic show. Do NOT listen to the critics, listen to the users. At the time of writing, this show has 22 mixed, 28 negative and 138 positive reviews. Be warned, the first two episodes, Pilot part 1 and 2 are a bit boring. Nothing much happens until the end of part two but it sets the scene really well. After that the episodes are great. The politics, betrayal, diplomacy and issues faced leave you fully immersed. The storyline is gripping (although it does get a bit confusing towards the end). Another thing I loved is the character development. You cannot predict what a character will do. I changed my opinions of certain characters constantly throughout the series. They'll do something good and you'll love 'em, right up until the next episode when they'll do something equally bad and you'll hate 'em. The acting was superb and the people who played the aliens did an excellent job of portraying a being who's customs and beliefs are different to any human being's. Overall a fantastic series and I will be right on top of the next series without a doubt.… Expand
  17. SpartacusNZ
    Jul 30, 2013
    10
    I'm hooked. Can't wait for the next season. I'm so sick of seeing one season wonders in the Sci-fi genre. PLEASE go and buy season 1 if you enjoyed this. It's the only way to guarantee more seasons will be made.
  18. Fb29
    Jul 14, 2013
    9
    This is a solid show. I'm not even a sci fi fan. Some of the effects are a little hokey, but the script is pretty good, the characters are good, and it's a little like Game of Thrones where they will just kill off people you thought were going to be major characters all willy-nilly. So I like that unpredictability.

    Out of 12 episodes, I thought 2 were a little weak and the rest were great.
  19. CasualSum1
    Jul 12, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This show is very special. I don't really know what to compare it to. This show is set into a reformed Earth in the near future (2046) where aliens (collectively called Votan vera similar to the Covenant from Halo) live alongside the humans. This is the story of a particular town called Defiance and the story centers on lawkeeper Nolan (human), his adopted daughter Irisa (Irathient), newly appointed mayor Amanda Rosewater (human), her sister Kenya (prostitute), yes, prostitucy is legal now and two prominent families: the McCalleys (who own a mining enterprise) and the Tarrs (Castithans, Da'tak Tarr being a mobster with rage issues, who's wife is so manipulative, she is capable of getting him to candidate for mayor). There is a conspiracy lead by former mayor Nicoletta, who is really a disguised Indogene. The story is intriguing. The only problem I have with the show is that you need to play the Defiance MMO to really understand the story and background. The setting feels extremely unrealistic and distant from the current state of things and often supernatural and scripted. Oh yous and also the word ''shtako'' is very similar to ''frak'' from Battlestar Galactica and it's there just to make it accesible to more viewers. Every episode keeps you wanting more and that is in my opinion key. A very impressive 9. I recommend this show to everyone who likes sci-fi. If you like a few episodes I definetly suggest you get the Defiance MMO. I plan on getting it myself.… Expand
  20. cstancroff
    Jul 9, 2013
    10
    I love this series what I can't understand is why does the second primary in June 2014????? Can't wait to see what happens. We look forward to every Monday night and have never missed it. Get a life and bring it back earlier don't leave us hanging.
  21. soliloque
    Jul 3, 2013
    9
    The problem with this series seem that everyone now stops at the pilot to assert of the series quality, which is a mistake. If you take the time to watch all the episodes that came out so far, you realize the series isn't all that bad. Personally I'm loving the direction the finale of the first season is taking.
  22. kate479
    Jul 2, 2013
    9
    My husband and I really like this show the acting is good, the storyline is good, and I love it which means that SYFY will probably cancel it after 4-5 seasons (if it makes it that far).
  23. MrThehammer171
    Jun 24, 2013
    10
    It's very hard to do a show review for me because I review games and movies so this is my first tv sires review and it's about my first syfy and I love this show and chacters and every thing about this show just watch it I know people are saying its just another average syfy well it's not ok
  24. AzureNinja99
    Jun 20, 2013
    8
    I am very surprised by all of the bad reviews. I was really surprised by how good the show was. I honestly liked it better than The Walking Dead. The character development is amazing, great lore, and always keeps me coming back for more.
  25. Suthainn
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    It's not a brand new idea, but it *is* a great story and well done retooling of older ideas. Sci-Fi really seem to have finally got one right with this show, it's fun, the characters and their relationships are interesting and the story is good enough to keep you waiting for the next show, with enough 'one episode' plot like the old ST: TNG show but also a deeper underlying story thatIt's not a brand new idea, but it *is* a great story and well done retooling of older ideas. Sci-Fi really seem to have finally got one right with this show, it's fun, the characters and their relationships are interesting and the story is good enough to keep you waiting for the next show, with enough 'one episode' plot like the old ST: TNG show but also a deeper underlying story that carries on from episode to episode. Well worth watching and hopefully it will just get better.… Expand
  26. Criticak
    Jun 17, 2013
    10
    The rating on this comment only follows by the pilot. The pilot, wow. It just blew me away. It had so much stuff going on, invasions, introducing clans, adventurous journeys, goals to where they will be in the future, a new team assembling in the middle of a war, sticking by your clan, a cliffhanger at the end, a romantic gesture, cook science fictional weapons. It was one of the bestThe rating on this comment only follows by the pilot. The pilot, wow. It just blew me away. It had so much stuff going on, invasions, introducing clans, adventurous journeys, goals to where they will be in the future, a new team assembling in the middle of a war, sticking by your clan, a cliffhanger at the end, a romantic gesture, cook science fictional weapons. It was one of the best pilots I've ever seen. And now I'm in episode 8 and I would give it a 3 because that's how much downhill it goes from the pilot. It had nothing ever to do with it except the love gestures well one of them... It got much more boring. If I could rate the whole season it would be a 4 and all the four would go to the genius pilot. Did like any writer or some something die from the pilot or did he she get fired? Something went wrong.… Expand
  27. VoxelMob
    Jun 1, 2013
    9
    wow there is a lot of mixed reception on this show but to me i am really enjoying this defiance is about aliens come to earth and we react with nuclear bombs now after all this chaos the aliens have tried to maintain peace, the show is very well done the makeup design is flawlessly done and the CGI is exceptional defiance itself is a shanyi town and it looks good overall defiance is awow there is a lot of mixed reception on this show but to me i am really enjoying this defiance is about aliens come to earth and we react with nuclear bombs now after all this chaos the aliens have tried to maintain peace, the show is very well done the makeup design is flawlessly done and the CGI is exceptional defiance itself is a shanyi town and it looks good overall defiance is a show that really deserves your time watch it on the SYFY channel… Expand
  28. Skydog
    Jun 1, 2013
    9
    My opinion on this show has changed.
    After Episode one you will see this shows improvement big time. OF coruse it's got some cheesy scyfy graphics still, but I recommend this show to everyone.
    The acting has improved just from one episode too! Awesome acting by Irisa's actress and Nolans!
  29. jackandjill138
    May 27, 2013
    8
    I would have liked to have gone higher than an eight on the rating but the show has potential that has not yet been realized. The characters are strong and the show could go in many interesting directions. Hoping that it will break free of the tv formula and become more.
  30. Nataraja
    May 20, 2013
    8
    This is a very well cast series and had me sold when the two main characters did the Johnny Cash duet. Its part Star Trek, part Wild, Wild West and thoroughly enjoyable. The acting is decent, effects are decent and the writing is good.
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Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Most Discussed TV Season of 2013
61
#61 Most Shared TV Season of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
57

Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 17
  3. Negative: 1 out of 17
  1. Sioux City Journal
    Reviewed by: Bruce Miller
    May 29, 2013
    60
    Moments in the first episode suggest Defiance could be filled with the kind of minutiae "Star Trek" and "Star Wars" fans love. But its plot is so thin it could float away.
    Read full review
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Jeff Jensen
    May 15, 2013
    83
    The individual alien races aren't all that fresh. Yet I am engaged by the show's lively metaphor for a polyglot culture fractured by tribalism and Otherness, for a world that can easily put aside past pain and present differences to tackle a common threat.
    Read full review
  3. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Tim Goodman
    Apr 17, 2013
    70
    There's a lot of genre-bending in this one but some real entertainment value, dramatic potential and, hell, if it can be half of what Battlestar Galactica was, that's a winning combination.
    Read full review
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