Low-budget (Canadian syndication squidgy financing) future Western interplanetary meld of many threads. Try "Andromeda" with character reversals--everybody has "a past", move the technology back to maybe 2 centuries from now, limit travel to Mars/Neptune/Jupiter/Saturn (what ever happened to "Earth?") add episode inspiration from movies as series progresses. Ensemble cast gets to jell after disjunctions including psychotic sabotage from within; implausabilities and economy CGI easily overlooked as they do. Bonus: Star Trek/Gate actors occasionally guest star. Have fun identifying guest character actors who make a decent living north of the border from Tax Credits Canada.
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crsecon14 April 2012
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unpredictability26 September 2021I enjoyed laughing hysterically watching this scifi.
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This highly absorbing SF drama is set in the 23rd century and is made credible by a total absence of aliens. The series showcases strong characters, which are as plausible and charismatic as the quirky ship they share. The sets are original, fascinating, and convincing. The wardrobe is cool and attractive, and the plots advance quickly enough that the viewer doesn't have time to think 'I wonder how they did that' about the seamless, flawlessly executed special effects. Overall, the series is appealing, interesting and very entertaining!
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spetersen-79-9620445 October 2012I can't understand why some people rate this highly, unless they are so desperate for Science Fiction they'll accept anything.
Yes the show has poor special effects, but I don't care about that. I love old Dr. Who and Star Trek episodes, and they have terrible special effects too. So the effects are no problem.
The acting is not great, but I've seen worse. Frankly, the actors are given such bad scripts it's no wonder they were unable to seem convincing.
The main reason I could not stand this show was simply because of the terrible plots and awful writing. The main character is supposed to be some kind of tough bounty hunter, but he is easily tricked and defeated by almost every person he is trying to capture. His niece actually flirts with the bad guys and nearly destroys the ship in every episode. The co-pilot talks a good talk about being tough and following the rules, but she is an idiot too.
Here are just two little examples. For one, the captain captures a murderess and her son. Because the son wasn't on the arrest warrant, the captain lets him out of the lockup and lets him wander around the ship (!) In a later episode, the niece actually gives a wanted convicted criminal a hologram projector, which he then uses to get the drop on and nearly kill the rest of the crew. (Note: this amazing hologram technology is then not seen again in use in the show. Idiots.) I could go on and on, but the plot holes, the retarded behavior of the leads, and the awful, awful writing just makes this painful for me to watch. It is nearly as bad as Bonekickers, and not as well filmed.
Avoid if you like science fiction at all. -
headolence24 March 2007This program was a testament to the fact that not all popular shows are good shows and not all good shows are popular. What can be said about this show? It had just about everything going against it: no budget, poorly marketed, very limited distribution. However, the cast and crew did the best with what they had. The dialogue and acting weren't always perfect, but the stories and characters were still great. It was sometimes trashy, sometimes cheesy, sometimes over-acted, sometimes under-acted, but this all added to the shows charm. That's right! It actually somehow made it better. It was gloriously pathetic--a real underdog in the truest sense. Simply great! And refreshingly un-American, too. What more can I say? WATCH THIS SHOW! Don't sweat the minor flaws, and accept that--for better or force worse--it's going to unlike anything you've ever seen before. Just enjoy it. It's got a long way to go, but I'm betting it attains cult status one day. Maybe then they'll bring it back for a 3rd season.
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Terryisonline31 May 2007If you want to see the DVD trailer of Starhunter go to: www.echobridgehe.com.
The show looks a lot like Firefly/Serenity. Fans of Michael Pare should enjoy this series. His acting in Sci-fi has not evolved. He is constant. I don't believe he has grown as an actor since Moon 44. He was a little better in dramas like Eddie and the Cruisers and Streets of Fire. Here you get what you expect from him. The production values of Starhunter are a little low and it was filmed in Canada. Don't get your hopes too high.
To judge the series yourself check out the trailer. I do not know why the trailer is not referred to in the trailer list provided by IMDb.com. But if you want to see the DVD trailer of go to: www.echobridgehe.com.
Enjoy. -
britneyspank17 April 2007I do not get why people are so critical of bad special effects, sets and other things that are budget related; I believe that quality of content and acting along with deep concepts and an original feel is what creates a timeless show. I happen to be a big fan of the theater and theater has very minimalistic special effects for obvious reasons. When we see Hamlet preformed do we leave the theater saying damm that would have been great if it had better special effects? Does this take away from Shakespeare's undeniable Genius?
I am obviously not saying that Star Hunter is Shakespeare or even Star Trek for that matter but I am saying that Star Hunter is about the story's that the writers tell and how the actors manage to make it work in a very high end B movie sort of way. Once again, just like with Star Trek its not about the special effects its about the feel it gives us. Lets not forget how many terrible shows and movies come out with incredible special effects and people seem to eat this garbage up, I just do not understand how people fall for this stuff and how they cannot separate substance from special effects and fancy sets etc.
This show gives me that feeling I get when I watch Star Trek the original series re-runs and we all know that Star Trek the original series was about as low budget as it gets but it had that magical thing about it, where we all felt as though we were on the ship with them and they were always touching on very deep subjects that apply to all eras. I feel that Star Hunter has done this quite well in a lesser way.
Also I am one of those movie Geeks that takes the time to watch the credits and cross reference from one episode to the next and I must say that the best episodes are written by Peter Horton and with all that he has done, I am surprised they managed to grab him up to write for this show. His talents shine through and the difference's are quite obvious although the less experienced writers have written some pretty great episodes as well. Thanks for reading my comments and I hope you all give this show a chance because once you get into the grove and get to know the characters you will find that it makes for great late night Television!!! Signed, Brit -
JoeB13116 June 2008I got this for Christmas, and it was the equivalent to a lump of coal in my stocking.
The plot is that a bounty hunter played by the nearly inarticulate Michael Pare flies around the solar system looking for his son in a beat up old space liner which can amazingly be maintained by his teenage niece. His partner in this enterprise is a butt-ugly woman with an ulterior objective of trying to find examples of the "divinity cluster", signs of the next step in human evolution.
Anyway, for 22 episodes, they proceed to jerk our chains that they are making progress towards these goals before hitting the notorious "reset button" at the end of the series and setting us up with a cliffhanger. (I guess in the second season, known as Starhunter 2300, they get rid of Pare.) -
flix-fan20 May 2005I greatly enjoyed watching Starhunter. The budgetary restrictions and flaws of the series only added to it's charm. There was an appealing gritty quality to Starhunter. The negative reviewer who attacks Dante Montana for having "trashy looks" and being "devoid of leadership acumen" is missing the point. That's exactly what I liked about the guy. It definitely made him different from the usual protagonists on other space series. My friends and I loved both seasons of this show. The complete second season, Starhunter 2300, is currently available on DVD. It'd be great if there were a complete first season DVD set. Having both seasons of Starhunter on DVD would be fantastic!
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ruffnri15 May 2009After seeing the 46-minute channel for Starhunter 2300 on YouTube, I noted that: A) comments are disabled; and B) comments pend approval. Obviously, a group of "filmmakers" (sic.) that is so insecure in their respective and collaborative talents that they cannot endure criticism.
Though I understand the unfolding of a relative plot and the gradual introduction of characters into any screenplay--a term, in this case, which I use loosely)--it took literally over twenty-two (22) minutes to get into space so we could both see the overly-talked about spacecraft, as well as finally starting its mission (though never completely revealed).
I agree with the other users on here who commented that it appears to be a complete ripoff of Firefly. Maybe I should offer some pity to the "filmmakers" and make the broad assumption that they could only afford their CGI programmers for the few shots that peppered this trite piece of cinematography. Kudos to them for a wonderful job. Remove the script and relieve the poor, starving actors that were slumming it to take this "gig" and maybe you would have a wonderful CGI animation and/or potential video game. -
superbobii27 April 2007Many people seem to think that "Starhunter" was a bad show- and I can see how they could think that. It's simply low-budget. It has dated (but not bad) special effects, some of the acting is not what one would call stellar, and some of the sets away from the Tulip (their ship) were godawful, I won't lie. But people who watch one episode and think the show sucks need to give it a chance. The series was meant to be watched the whole way through, otherwise you'd have no idea what was happening.
The best thing about the show, and something I find lacking in most, is its single driving story arc that links all the episodes together. Dante (Pare), the Tulip's captain, has been searching for his long-lost son for ten years, along with his niece Percy (Allen), who has never gotten to experience a "normal" life, as she's been confined to the ship nearly her whole life. The two are joined by Luc (Roche), the security officer who was hired by their boss, or so they believe. The interactions between the three are truly interesting, you see the sense of bonding between Dante and Percy throughout the show deepen, and their relationship with Luc changes due to certain *circumstances*. The script, in my opinion, was written very well, because you really come to care about the characters. But I digress.
The show, as I said, is meant to be watched sequentially, because the characters and the story are affected by what happened in previous episodes. As the show progresses, you learn more and more about the mysterious "Divinity Cluster", the driving force behind the plot. The first half of the show is more "episodic" in nature, going from one little adventure to the next without too much overall plot advancement, but it sets the stage for the second half, which is where "Starhunter" truly shines.
In the second half of the show, everything starts to come together, and each episode leaves you wanting to know more about what is going to happen and where it will end. The final episodes of the show are spectacular and quite climactic... but I won't say too much. Also, if you can, see the full episodes (as aired in Canada) with the transmissions from Rudolpho at the beginning, as they really are quite entertaining, and sometimes recap what's been happening.
Another thing I admire about the show is its sense of realism. Humanity has not yet escaped the confines of our own solar system, as hyperspace technology has not been invented yet. This isn't a long time ago in a galaxy far far away... this is 2275, the not-so-distant future, and you see the constant struggle of humanity across the solar system as they try to survive. Another thing is the Tulip... she isn't an Enterprise-type top-of-the-line galaxy explorer. The Tulip is actually an old cruise ship refitted for bounty hunting, and 80% of the ship isn't even used by the crew. Their ship is constantly falling into disrepair, as the crew barely makes enough to keep her running, and things happen on long-forgotten decks of the ship that make for some interesting twists. It just feels more overall authentic than most.
If you're going to watch the show, try and get past the aforementioned problems that are present in the early episodes (and which I noticed getting markedly better later on), because there is a gem to be found here. There's something about the plot, the twists, and most of all the characters that "Starhunter 2300" (The second series), while still good, just doesn't have, and no amount of special effects will change that. Newer shows like "Firefly" may have a much bigger budget behind them than this almost unknown series, but "Starhunter" takes full advantage of what it does have and creates a compelling adventure that, in my humble opinion, no fan of science fiction should miss. -
SoiledShortz9 March 2008Fear it, as it is filled with bad acting, weak story lines, cheesy special (veerryy special) effects, and atrocious dialog. At least this portrayal of the future depicts it as such.
I decided to give it a chance but I just can't. It hurts to watch. Too bad MST3K isn't around when you need it... The main "bounty hunter" is devoid of character. He seems to always get in trouble and need to be rescued. The hologram is downright annoying, and the dark haired "Tanya Allen" isn't much fun either.
Please take the money you would have spent on this series and use it instead to purchase "Firefly". You will not be disappointed. (I, however, miss my 20 bucks very much...) On the plus side the future seems to have a hot redhead (the best actress in the group) but "Firefly"s depiction of the future has one as well. Please make the right decision! -
altunivurz29 October 2006OK, this was slicker than season one, and I enjoyed it. Percy was particularly intriguing, but they seem to have cut her back compared to the first season. Mistake. The first 22 episodes of the original series had some rough edges - but it had edge - a lot of it. I believed these characters, they had life and their hands got dirty, I loved it. The new season obviously had more money in the sets, and more money in the effects, but it was all too glib compared to the first 22. It had become a bit more of a typical sci-fi show - still better than the shows that didn't try, but it lost heart or something along the way to more money.
If they ever do a new season, give me the sets and effects of season two with the writing, surprises and character quality of the first season! -
joules-389-70869418 September 2018Did I actually watch the same show as the other reviewers here?
I have no argument with the sfx: low budget doesn't necessarily mean low quality. The spacecraft were interesting, some of them quite beautiful, and the basic plot an intriguing one - which is why the dreadful execution is so infuriating.
The acting was at best mediocre, with the bad guys' overacting horribly cringe-worthy. At the end Tanya Allen looked and sounded as bored and half-sleep as I was through most of the episodes.
I found none of the characters likeable. Montana has to be the most inept and tedious bounty hunter ever, and Percy just comes across as a very irritating Mary-Sue. Luc came closest to being a decent character, though even she struggled with the out-of-character lines she was given at times. The less said about Rudolpho the better...
Starhunter is seriously disappointing. Canadian productions are usually good, sound, high-quality works: why this one went so wrong is a mystery to me. But we won't be watching any more of it. -
gajbard18 June 2003Thisb is how sci-fi should be. In addition to some better than average special fx (and in many episodes Lots of them) Starhunter has ideas, not since early Star Trek or the first seasson of X files has a TV series trusted the viewer to arm wrestle with some questions. ORDER is my favorite episode this way. A life and death struggle in which everyone's faith, or lack of it, is challenged -no cliches or sacherine answers, but humour is rocks along with it.
Dante and Percy are cool characters, and they rarely do the expected. Yeah, maybe there wasn't to much money -I can't tell for sure- but it gives you something most TV doesn't. Hope there's a second season! -
karl_e_paulsen23 October 2016I watched the entire first "series" (episodes 1-22) and I am sorely disappointed. After watching the first few episodes I felt my expectations had been significantly lowered. Wooden acting, poor scripts, etc. I did enjoy the general visuals of the ship and the special effects were very dated, but not terrible. That, and actually wanting to find out how it ends kept me watching. I plodded through the rest of the series, mostly playing it in the background while doing chores, hobbies and such.
Then I hit the last couple episodes and it all went to heck. The writing and acting get even more stilted and wooden. I mean, it goes from poor to really bad. Further, odd plot accelerations come out of nowhere and the writers make big leaps in logic seemingly trying to quickly wrap up the series. Then they top it off with no resolution and a cliffhanger that doesn't even do the audience the favor of trying to make sense.
I was tempted to try the second series- originally called "Starhunter 2300"- but in quickly glancing at the plot synopsis it looks like it also ends in an unresolved cliffhanger. No thanks.
Anywho, if you like mediocre sci-fi, wooden acting and an almost complete lack of resolution this series could be for you. If not, go watch Firefly instead. The best thing about Starhunter is that after watching a couple of episodes, Firefly seems like Emmy material!
Skip this. -
bookboy-225 February 2007This series was one of the best that I have ever seen. I have not yet watched the first season, but this one was very good. I was very disappointed by the ending though since they have canceled the show and so it ends with a lot of questions left. If they had decided to continue with the show it would have been wonderful because the storyline was great, and the season ender left you wanting to see how they would end it. I liked the way that they had the world of space travel be filled with imperfections of society instead of the Star Trek way of having the human race have moved past all prejudices and moved on to a perfect society. The way that they were always looking for money and trying to stay afloat was a nice change. "Spoilers may follow" I was a little confused by the idea that the Tulip could have stayed in hyperspace for 15 years by accident, but that it was disintegrating when they returned to hyperspace under controlled conditions.
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mac_martino11 August 2017Really this is one of the worst series I have seen
I really wanted to like this series, really I did. I am a SCI-FI freak along with B- movies.
But in all my years of watching over 1000+ movies and series, I have not come across such an abomination as this series.
Acting is Poor (no really poor), stories per show are OK, but mainly taken for 1980's and 1960's SCI-FI movies , war criminals, fortune tellers, body snatchers, semi-vampires all will be shown which should make for some interesting episodes.
unfortunately the scripts are poorly written, I can oversee the issues with budget and effects, but let's be honest. I have seen B-movies also SCI-FI with smaller budgets, having way better scripts.. Enjoying them a lot more.
For example I have seen the Cube! (movie) also Canadian, budget 365.000 CAD
Suspense and interesting.
to be honest, even Cleopatra 2525 was better than this show,
Though one thing for some of the comments who tell you it's a copy of Fire-Fly, Guys/Girls, this show was made and Aired 2 years Earlier. So to be honest, Fire-Fly is a more of a copy of this Series,
So give this series some credit that it has provided a inspiration for a way better series.
Really go see episode 1 and the last episode of both seasons and be done with it.
Then quickly turn to Firefly..
Better yet FarScape, which was created earlier in 1999 (australian series) and provided a way better series and even way special effects. Interesting characters, better scenery, and way better script. -
sg_smith-12 June 2008I haven't seen the first series so I can't comment. A friend sent the second series over. I put off watching it for ever but when I finally saw it I was in love! Obviously descended from Blake 7 but in a good way. Loved the raiders, wished there was more social stuff. Much better than firefly which is an obvious comparison. The acting and story telling are more restrained. I guess it is a matter of taste. Probably not sentimental enough for American viewers and not quite as raw as it could of been. Callen, for those older enough to remember did angst ridden better but this was an excellent try. Sort of like Forever knight in space. Loved the actors, the space ship, and most of all the stories. Could have done without the hyperspace. How I wish there was more. Once again shows that ideas are more important than money and this has plenty of ideas and given the limited budget they used them well.
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sverre-797-35331316 July 2021Apart from a few stars, it is terrible casting. Except from Tanya Allen . It sounds like they are reading the lines at home rehearsing. 2 stars is for the women, 2 because it's Sci-Fi :-) Move on.
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Uthman7 February 2003I recommend giving this show a little time to grow on you. Yes, the production values are bargain-basement, but the market is so balkanized these days that big budget sci-fi shows (Firefly, Farscape, Odyssey 5) can't seem to overcome cost-benefit obstacles anymore. Maybe the only way we sci-fi fans will ever get treated to a full run of a non Star Trek show is for something like Starhunher to sneak in under the radar.
I find the cast quite engaging. Michael Pare's character comes across as very down-to-earth (so to speak) as he deals with the loss of a young son years earlier and the current challenge of guiding his brilliant niece through her teenage years. Tanya Allen is lovely as the niece, although she seems a bit old to play a teen. It would be great to see her in a more mature role. -
HotNoob26 August 2009this is an amazing television series that i watched as a little kid. It does have a similar plot to the fire-fly series, but like most television shows similar to this, it's amazingly entertaining.
one of the main problems is that the show only has 2 seasons; if a 3rd season were to be released and produced just as well as the others, I'd most definitely buy it.
This is a must see TV series, that is full of action, drama, and special effects for the science fiction nerds. it is full of exciting moments, and not to mention the suspense.
What makes this series special is the unique characters involved in the plot, ranging from a reckless captain to a artificial shipmate. -
kaptainkipperofslipper2324 October 2004Firstly expanding the cast/crew was an excellent move, allowing for greater intricacy and diversity in the social dynamic, instantly making the show more watchable from a humanized perspective; not sure about every one wearing black, shiny materials though~ a bit Angel-esk or something. "Popa Bear" played almost too convincingly by Steven Marcus is an essential character not only for comic relief, but also as a moral contrast; when one of the crew considers morally ambiguous action, Rudolpho comments and suddenly all other crew are absolved in sheer, sharp contrast to Rudolpho's impeccable immorality. Redesigning the Tulip to the more lengthy, aerodynamic, grey beauty was an excellent idea, as the stunted red ship was not very memorable.
On the whole more aesthetically pleasing, lost the elements of drab realism the first season had and replaced it with a more adolescent-friendly paradigm. Take that last comment how ever you want. Some of the more successful elements still seemed quite formulaic take the relationship between Kali and Travis, it's almost a cliché as writing techniques go, but some times the oldest tricks still work best eh?
Overall i rate Starhunter-2300(s2) as more watchable for mainstream audiences, yet still successful with the more fanatical Scifi lovers among us. If you created or worked on the series what more could you possibly want to hear..? Yeh, I know, "Season 3 is not canceled." ... oh well? As it is written: OM-MANI-PADME-HUNG : ) Tibetan translation: "ubiquitous, infinite compassion" : ) -
Similar in plot and feel to "Firefly" although not as funny. Great escapist fun if you're into space opera. Excepting Michael Pare (who is wonderfully world-weary in the lead) the rest of the cast is only familiar to fans of syndicated Canadian and European series. Will perhaps appeal only to genre fans but is worth a look.
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Wow, just when I'm about to give up on my favorite genre, I discover something that a lot of people have known for years.
When I first saw what I thought was a trailer for this TV series, the main character was a different actor from mister Michael Pare, and considerably older. Then I tried the show again, and a Michael Pare's familiar came over the TV screen along with two actresses and an older yet smaller individual as a hologram.
Criminal drama is the primary theme here, but also a good dose of "what ifs" and this productions take on time rifts and alternate realities.
It's somewhat low budget in that we don't see any exterior locations, and the props and sets are few. But the performances and stories are very decent, and the characters are engaging.
The series dips into R-rated territory with some nudity, violence, and other adult themes, but nothing too tawdry, just enough to get the message across.
All in all I really like it, and it's the kind of thing I would have loved to have produced has I stuck with a film career. Who knows? Maybe someday. Maybe not. But regardless, this series is here for us to enjoy. I'm just sorry that the second season had a couple of different actors.
View and enjoy.