Defying Gravity

:

Season 1
  • Network: ABC
  • Series Premiere Date: Aug 2, 2009
User Score
7.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 91 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 66 out of 91
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 91
  3. Negative: 18 out of 91
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User Reviews

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  1. DouglasB
    Aug 2, 2009
    3
    The show would have been great if they left out the religious stuff - I say no thank you to the Hindu teachings and we don't need that taught to us while watching a cool idea for a show.
  2. PaulW.
    Aug 11, 2009
    1
    In one word: pathetic... The acting and drama is worse than most daytime soaps, the poppy musical interludes just suck out the will to live and the continuous sexual nods surely don't belong in a series with this kind of premise. To top the cake they put in a terribly weak attempt at 'philosophy' in the trailer where a Hindu flight member gets caught up with his silly In one word: pathetic... The acting and drama is worse than most daytime soaps, the poppy musical interludes just suck out the will to live and the continuous sexual nods surely don't belong in a series with this kind of premise. To top the cake they put in a terribly weak attempt at 'philosophy' in the trailer where a Hindu flight member gets caught up with his silly superstitions when he is told to leave the mission. A bunch of blah blah that was old even before the human race moved out of Africa. In the end it's just an overproduced silly mess ubercheesed to the point of being banal and insulting. Can't believe anyone over 14 would want to watch this.… Expand
  3. SeanR
    Aug 10, 2009
    1
    All the filth you would expect from a hospital drama, now set in space. The stupidity of the show is second only to it's title; in outer space, gravity is not being DEFIED. Argh!
  4. Nikhil
    Oct 3, 2009
    2
    The actors were good but not good enough to overcome stupid writing and and stupid characters. Tedious pop philosophy that belongs somewhere in the 1930s in the Boonies was not just boring - it was insulting.
  5. AlanG.
    Aug 11, 2009
    1
    It's a "chic" show at best. Totally lame and unbelievable.
  6. KellyK
    Aug 29, 2009
    0
    Unrealistic, horrible script, horrible stereotypical characters, the voyage makes no sense without a continuity or information of what area they are in and the progress of their voyage. It is worse than greys anatomy but they are all enclosed in a small capsule. And the team that is selected sound nothing and their career lines have nothing to do with astronauts on an epic journey. It Unrealistic, horrible script, horrible stereotypical characters, the voyage makes no sense without a continuity or information of what area they are in and the progress of their voyage. It is worse than greys anatomy but they are all enclosed in a small capsule. And the team that is selected sound nothing and their career lines have nothing to do with astronauts on an epic journey. It must have been written by hormonal women after watching an episode of star trek and even worse is the whole unprofessional stand of the crew and the mystery section in the aircraft !!! A zero is too high of a rating .... !!!… Expand
  7. EliasC
    Aug 30, 2009
    3
    After watching the first 3 uninspiring episodes, I decided to continue watching because, despite the lameness of the scripts, there was something beneath the surface. What I noticed was the the writers were lifting background ideas from the novels of Ben Bova and I kept watching because I wanted to find out if the producers will be brave enough to give the viewers a TV version of Ben After watching the first 3 uninspiring episodes, I decided to continue watching because, despite the lameness of the scripts, there was something beneath the surface. What I noticed was the the writers were lifting background ideas from the novels of Ben Bova and I kept watching because I wanted to find out if the producers will be brave enough to give the viewers a TV version of Ben Bova's future history of the 21st century. So far, after watching episode 5, I see no such trend. If you want to see what the potential of this series could have been. read any of Ben Bova's books in the 'Grand Tour' series, the 'Voyageurs' series, the 'Mars' series, or the 'Asteroid Wars' and see what a great near future SF drama could have been like. There is still hoope for this series, but with only an 8 episode run, I doubt it.… Expand
  8. BorisK.
    Oct 1, 2009
    1
    Vomitrociously poorly written claptrap, rivaled only by daytime soap Christmas specials. The creator of this overproduced and glossy insult to anyone's intelligence should consider a career in the food service industry. And all those meek sheep that vote this a ten..do these people really exist? Or have vote bots evolved to the point that they can actually leave written comments? I Vomitrociously poorly written claptrap, rivaled only by daytime soap Christmas specials. The creator of this overproduced and glossy insult to anyone's intelligence should consider a career in the food service industry. And all those meek sheep that vote this a ten..do these people really exist? Or have vote bots evolved to the point that they can actually leave written comments? I hope the latter is the case.… Expand
  9. AcriminalMind
    Oct 18, 2009
    0
    Poor writing, poor acting, despicable characters, and a supremely unrealistic story. Designing a manned mission to multiple planets in the solar system would be a scientific miracle (even in 2050), let alone one manned mission to one planet within our century. The science advisors to this show have clearly never cracked a textbook - it takes 3min for light to travel from Venus to the Poor writing, poor acting, despicable characters, and a supremely unrealistic story. Designing a manned mission to multiple planets in the solar system would be a scientific miracle (even in 2050), let alone one manned mission to one planet within our century. The science advisors to this show have clearly never cracked a textbook - it takes 3min for light to travel from Venus to the Earth but our Astronauts can make instant phonecalls to their loved ones to argue about such trivial matters as why a spouse on Earth "lied" to them. They explain artificial gravity (again a ridiculous idea) but where is our explanation for Faster than Light communication? This show is full of self-serving religious BS and it suggests an unrealistic & unethical future where abortion is illegal, yet sexual promiscuity is clearly popular behavior. The on-board physicist brought his comic book collection on a journey through the solar system - time to grow up kid leave the comics at home with Mom - I'm sure this may appeal to an adolescent viewer but I find it hard to believe that these people are going to successfully land on Venus let alone circumnavigate the solar system on some pseudo-religious adventure. This show is laughable. If it lasts a second season I will be very surprised.… Expand
  10. JamesM.
    Aug 10, 2009
    2
    It get's a one for the set and another for the acting. The writing is just terrible. The show's angst last night was the captain needed a pep talk??? Holy crap this just stinks. Love the idea of a secret entity picking the crew - why can't said entity come up with the billions of dollars this mission supposedly cost? Just dumb.
  11. SteveS.
    Aug 7, 2009
    1
    I gave the one point for Ron Livingston, who is always good. As for the rest of the show -- simply bad. I don't expect TV shows to resemble reality, but nothing here was interesting or fun, either. Pass.
  12. AnnikaL.
    Sep 23, 2009
    1
    Totally full of Christian morality. So the fun-loving drug user dies is sick bay. The one night stand girl gets pregnant, has an illegal abortion that goes bad and now will never be a mother due to an emergency hysterectomy. The whole crew is on anti-libido medication. Who sponsors this thing? Some Christian Fundamentalist Church. Let's hope we are all a bit more evolved than this in 2050!
  13. Acriminal
    Aug 22, 2010
    0
    Poor writing, poor acting, despicable characters, and a supremely unrealistic story. Designing a manned mission to multiple planets in the solar system would be a scientific miracle (even in 2050), let alone one manned mission to one planet within our century. The science advisors to this show have clearly never cracked a textbook - it takes 3min for light to travel from Venus to the EarthPoor writing, poor acting, despicable characters, and a supremely unrealistic story. Designing a manned mission to multiple planets in the solar system would be a scientific miracle (even in 2050), let alone one manned mission to one planet within our century. The science advisors to this show have clearly never cracked a textbook - it takes 3min for light to travel from Venus to the Earth but our Astronauts can make instant phonecalls to their loved ones to argue about such trivial matters as why a spouse on Earth "lied" to them. They explain artificial gravity (again a ridiculous idea) but where is our explanation for Faster than Light communication? This show is full of self-serving religious BS and it suggests an unrealistic & unethical future where abortion is illegal, yet sexual promiscuity is clearly popular behavior. The on-board physicist brought his comic book collection on a journey through the solar system - time to grow up kid leave the comics at home with Mom - I'm sure this may appeal to an adolescent viewer but I find it hard to believe that these people are going to successfully land on Venus let alone circumnavigate the solar system on some pseudo-religious adventure. This show is laughable. If it lasts a second season I will be very surprised… Expand

Awards & Rankings

80
#80 Best TV Season of 2009
16
#16 Most Discussed TV Season of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
54

Mixed or average reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 15
  3. Negative: 2 out of 15
  1. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Matthew Gilbert
    60
    Defying Gravity is a perfectly decent bit of sci-fi soap - some cool “Star Trek’’ futurism, plenty of pretty “Grey’s Anatomy’’ ensemble melodrama, and a twist of eerie “Twilight Zone’’ mysteriousness when characters refer to the high-tech spaceship as if it has a will of its own.
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  2. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Paige Wiser
    75
    Defying Gravity is taking its time to get off the ground, but I plan to tune in at least until Saturn.
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  3. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Whitney Pastorek
    67
    The first ep feels ridiculous; maybe it's the fact that despite being on a futuristic space mission, everyone acts like they're on "Private Practice." Then again, it's summer, and at least this isn't another cop/doctor show.
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