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. JeremyC
    Aug 22, 2009
    6
    Too much Grey's Anatomy, not enough Battlestar Galactica. This show has room to expand but I'm worried that this will end up a horrifically wasted opportunity to explore the concept of realistic space flight as petty love interests take center stage.
  2. FayeL
    Nov 7, 2009
    5
    The premise and setting were enough to stir a vague sort of interest, and it was nice to see a fresh cast of faces (excepting Ron Livingston) since breakout shows usually feature breakout actors and actresses. Unfortunately, Defying Gravity doesn't know what it wants to be. Each of the dozen or so characters is given a little air time, leaving us not knowing terribly much about the The premise and setting were enough to stir a vague sort of interest, and it was nice to see a fresh cast of faces (excepting Ron Livingston) since breakout shows usually feature breakout actors and actresses. Unfortunately, Defying Gravity doesn't know what it wants to be. Each of the dozen or so characters is given a little air time, leaving us not knowing terribly much about the personalities of any of them, although it is clear that Maddux Donner is meant to be the hero of the piece, although it's disappointing that the programme stuck to the convention of the "girlfriend" role being awarded to the bright blonde whilst the "unscrupulous seductress" is played by the sultry brunette (who has obviously bewitched our Hero with her dastardly feminine wiles, or so Hollywood stereotype would like us to believe!). I've watched the first four episodes so far, and hardly anything has happened at all to progress the plot or the growth of the characters, let alone any earth-shaking scenes apart from possibly the scene at the very beginning where Donner is forced to leave his colleagues behind on Mars, but since they stiuck that in at the beginning we don't really know or care about this moment which should be an emotionally wrenching one. The dialogue is more full of trival chit-chat and small talk than searing one-liners or Shakespearean tear-jerkers. The show isn't absolutely terrible, but it's a long way from stellar quality.… Expand
  3. LizA.
    Aug 10, 2009
    4
    This show started out pretty well - had good SciFi potential. I do get lost with all the flashbacks. Now the sex stuff has begun....DH goes to Venus. I'm pretty much finished with the show after the last episode. Pity.
  4. ChelseaD
    Aug 4, 2009
    4
    Went from Bad to worse. Salon is right, this is the same as every other lame drama on network TV these days. I was hoping for a good Sci-Fi show for the summer, but I guess I shouldn't have expected much from the people who brought you Grey's Anatomy. Pass.
  5. halb
    Aug 10, 2009
    4
    Ratings of 8, 9 and 10... REALLY??? Are you guys serious... Oh. My. Goodness... This thing needs to be put out of its misery ASAP. Thoroughly disappointing and just plain dumb. Unless you like silly soap opera characters spitting out silly dialogue (and over-acting to the hilt)... in Space. Oh, I see, because it's in space (the final frontier for silliness, I guess) it's suppose Ratings of 8, 9 and 10... REALLY??? Are you guys serious... Oh. My. Goodness... This thing needs to be put out of its misery ASAP. Thoroughly disappointing and just plain dumb. Unless you like silly soap opera characters spitting out silly dialogue (and over-acting to the hilt)... in Space. Oh, I see, because it's in space (the final frontier for silliness, I guess) it's suppose to rivet us to the screen? Puh-leeze.… Expand
  6. pythag0ras
    Jul 5, 2016
    4
    This show would be good if they would stick with the main story line and stop flashing back to before they launched. literally 50% of each episode is all flashback filler.

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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