# ABC - The Gates



## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Seriously, another vampire series? ANOTHER vampire series?

Oh, and they're all young and beautiful of course.

But really, ANOTHER VAMPIRE SERIES?


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

Yep.


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## jschuur (Nov 27, 2002)

Hcour said:


> Seriously, another vampire series? ANOTHER vampire series?


It's vampires that live in a gated community.

Entirely different. Obviously.


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## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

That doesn't mean it won't be good. Vampires are good source material for interesting situations. And with the exception of Moonlight (which a lot of folks actually liked), vampire-based dramas have done extremely well in recent years. 

(It doesn't mean it won't be bad either. Anything can be bad.)


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I'll give it a shot. The Vampire Diaries was much, much, much better than I thought it would be.


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## Alfer (Aug 7, 2003)

Ugh...when oh when will this glam-vampire crap end!?


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## dcheesi (Apr 6, 2001)

Looks likes vampires _and_ teenage werewolves, a la the crappy pseudo-vampire franchise that shall remain nameless...

As long as the vampires don't "sparkle", I might give it a shot. So far, though, it looks to be yet another modern nighttime soap --"Desperate Housewolves", anyone?


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> I'll give it a shot. The Vampire Diaries was much, much, much better than I thought it would be.




I believe Moonlight was ahead of the curve. If it had aired a year later, it would still be on the air.



Alfer said:


> Ugh...when oh when will this glam-vampire crap end!?


...um...when the sun comes up?....


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

I like vampire stuff. I gave Vampire Diaries a shot, but I'm just not into the whole teen love story thing. When I used to watch Smallville, I'd fast forward through the parts with Clark and Lana. So not my thing.

I read a blurb about this new show and added it to my DVR. Now seeing here that it is a teen thing again, I expect I'll watch an episode or two and be out. I'll still give it a chance at least.


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

All these shows are riding the "Twilight" wave. They're teen soaps, with vampires as a hook, a gimmick. The casts are all model-beautiful, not real, recognizable teens. It's 90210 with vampires.


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## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

Alfer said:


> Ugh...when oh when will this glam-vampire crap end!?


When people stop liking it.


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## ADG (Aug 20, 2003)

I believe they are not just vampires but a mix of supernatural beings (witches & warlocks, werewolves, sorcerers, etc).


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## MikeCC (Jun 19, 2004)

So, The Gates is an HOA with covens, not covenents?


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## tiassa (Jul 2, 2008)

Hcour said:


> All these shows are riding the "Twilight" wave. They're teen soaps, with vampires as a hook, a gimmick. The casts are all model-beautiful, not real, recognizable teens. It's 90210 with vampires.


I thought it was "Desperate Housewives" with Vampires!


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Has it occurred to anybody that this show might be a complete original?


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## MikeCC (Jun 19, 2004)

tiassa said:


> I thought it was "Desperate Housewives" with Vampires!


Whoa--make sure you double check the recipe ingredients from Bree Van deVamp.


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## Jeeters (Feb 25, 2003)

Hcour said:


> Seriously, another vampire series? ANOTHER vampire series? ..... But really, ANOTHER VAMPIRE SERIES?





dcheesi said:


> Looks likes vampires _and_ teenage werewolves...


Also, I've previously read that SyFy has a U.S. version of the BBC's "Being Human" series in development. If they stay with the basic premise of the BBC series, then it will have vampires and werewolves, too.

I love the BBC series. (Well, I've seen the 1st season; haven't gotten around to the 2nd). I don't imagine I'll like what SyFy does to 'Americanize' it, though. Sorry to digress.


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

We need an updated version of "Dark Shadows"!
Anyone here old enough to remember that daytime drama.
Just gotta love Barnabas Collins.


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## Crobinzine (Dec 29, 2005)

JimSpence said:


> We need an updated version of "Dark Shadows"!
> Anyone here old enough to remember that daytime drama.
> Just gotta love Barnabas Collins.


And his faithful companion, Dr. Julia Hoffman...:up:


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

Personally, I liked Daphne.

Now back to the topic at hand.


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## marksman (Mar 4, 2002)

I heard it is a cross between True Blood and Matlock.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

marksman said:


> I heard it is a cross between True Blood and Matlock.


It would kind of suck living forever as a 70 year old.

SP set.


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## tiassa (Jul 2, 2008)

Jeeters said:


> Also, I've previously read that SyFy has a U.S. version of the BBC's "Being Human" series in development. If they stay with the basic premise of the BBC series, then it will have vampires and werewolves, too.
> 
> I love the BBC series. (Well, I've seen the 1st season; haven't gotten around to the 2nd). I don't imagine I'll like what SyFy does to 'Americanize' it, though. Sorry to digress.


I'm pretty sure that the American version of Being Human has been shelved. BBCA is going to start showing season 2 later this summer.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

JimSpence said:


> We need an updated version of "Dark Shadows"!
> Anyone here old enough to remember that daytime drama.
> Just gotta love Barnabas Collins.


You do realize it's already been tried? I think a FEW times.. There was a 1991 prime time renewal.. and I had thought there was another attempt that got somewhere, but I can't find evidence of it in a quick search.

(BTW, as much as I generally hate things to be 'messed' with, taking the original Dark Shadows and editing it down into much shorter versions that had plot continuity would be interesting.. i.e. because it was a soap, everything went REAAAALLLYY SLLOOOWWWLLYY, and repeated things for a long time... at least based on my short time watching it in I think the early 90s when it ran on Sci Fi.)


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## fmowry (Apr 30, 2002)

Rhona Mitra can suck on my 










neck any time.


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## Malcontent (Sep 5, 2004)

Consider everything at the link a SPOILER.

ABC has put the first 17 minutes of its new supernatural series The Gates online.

http://scifiwire.com/2010/06/we-break-down-the-first-1.php#more


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## FilmCritic3000 (Oct 29, 2004)

fmowry said:


> Rhona Mitra can suck on my
> 
> neck any time.


Me too.

And since they kept the vampire/supernatural element of _The Gates_ under wraps for so long, I had no idea until I was at a friend's house and saw an extended preview while he was watching the NBA Playoffs. I was already going to DVR it but now I'm even more interested. Let's just hope it's an entertaining show.

Also, kudos to ABC for actually programming new scripted drama series during the summer. I wish more of the networks would do that.


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## dcheesi (Apr 6, 2001)

FilmCritic3000 said:


> Me too.
> 
> And since they kept the vampire/supernatural element of _The Gates_ under wraps for so long, I had no idea until I was at a friend's house and saw an extended preview while he was watching the NBA Playoffs. I was already going to DVR it but now I'm even more interested. Let's just hope it's an entertaining show.
> 
> Also, kudos to ABC for actually programming new scripted drama series during the summer. I wish more of the networks would do that.


Of course that could just mean that they don't expect it to last, and are dumping the episodes they already paid for in the summer dead zone


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## ronsch (Sep 7, 2001)

This one premieres tonight.


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## Fl_Gulfer (May 27, 2005)

yep tonight right after Scoundrels... Might as well give them a view.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

ronsch said:


> This one premieres tonight.


I don't care WHEN it premieres...that's why I have three TiVos....


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## lambertman (Dec 21, 2002)

Bierboy said:


> I don't care WHEN it premieres...that's why I have three TiVos....


Maybe another person might care.


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## Test (Dec 8, 2004)

Anyone watch this? Felt like Eureka on SyFy.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

Test said:


> Anyone watch this? Felt like Eureka on SyFy.


Except without the fun.

I don't hate The Gates, but I don't love it by any means. It certainly has the potential for winning the "Best Looking Resident's in a Gated Community" Emmy.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Seemed to me like it was trying to appeal to too many people...the Desperate Housewives crowd, the Twilight crowd, the genre crowd...and as a result, there will probably be enough stuff that won't appeal to each group that nobody will end up liking it very much.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

Meh....take it or leave it. I'll keep the SP to see how it develops since we're in the summer wasteland. Acting was marginal at best, especially the police chief and his wife. The others weren't that great either.


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## dcheesi (Apr 6, 2001)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Seemed to me like it was trying to appeal to too many people...the Desperate Housewives crowd, the Twilight crowd, the genre crowd...and as a result, there will probably be enough stuff that won't appeal to each group that nobody will end up liking it very much.


This. Oh, so very this


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## TIVO_GUY_HERE (Jul 10, 2000)

Not a fan of Rhona, so that has 1 strike against it. Like others have said, its just too much bits and pieces of other shows. 

This would of made a great comedy, like if the makers of "Naked Gun" did it.


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## sarahbr11 (Jun 21, 2010)

I kinda liked it a lot and I look forward to seeing it develop a little as the series progresses. FEARnet has a pretty positive review, "Television Tourniquet: We Enter 'The Gates' Episode 1", you guys should check out...
What do you think?


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I'll give it a couple more episodes. I couldn't stand Rhona Mitra's accent on Stargate Universe and hate it here too. As an extra bonus, they threw in her husband's stuff British accent too.

I don't know anything about Twilight, so this episode felt like Desperate Housewives mixed with the Vampire Diaries.


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

JimSpence said:


> We need an updated version of "Dark Shadows"!





mattack said:


> I had thought there was another attempt that got somewhere, but I can't find evidence of it in a quick search.(BTW, as much as I generally hate things to be 'messed' with, taking the original Dark Shadows and editing it down into much shorter versions that had plot continuity would be interesting.


well hang onto your hats kids cos' it's coming to a theater near you directed by tim burton and starring johnny depp

http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/12/07...ext-for-tim-burton-set-to-shoot-in-fall-2010/

as for the gates. i liked it.


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## tivogurl (Dec 16, 2004)

I don't get the vampire wife. She has no control over her bloodlust and will kill any human that gets near her? I wonder why, her husband seems well under control. How can she take the risk of walking around a harvest festival? The husband did mention other cities, it seems that they are frequently forced to move due to her murderous proclivities.

Given the size of that high school, that wolfpack (~10 members if that bicycle gang is any indication) represents a huge percentage of the school's total male enrollment.

I wonder if the developer knows the community's secret. There's no way he's going to be able to suppress an investigation into the murder of the former police chief.


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## scooterboy (Mar 27, 2001)

Peter000 said:


> It certainly has the potential for winning the "Best Looking Resident's in a Gated Community" Emmy.


[obligatory]

Best Looking Resident's _what_?

[/obligatory]

I didn't cancel the SP yet, but I don't think it will take more than anther episode or two.


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## dcheesi (Apr 6, 2001)

tivogurl said:


> I don't get the vampire wife. She has no control over her bloodlust and will kill any human that gets near her? I wonder why, her husband seems well under control. How can she take the risk of walking around a harvest festival? The husband did mention other cities, it seems that they are frequently forced to move due to her murderous proclivities.


Well I think her bloodlust might be aggravated by her general fight/flight response. In the first instance she was scared for her kid for a moment, and immediately afterward was put in the presence of fresh blood. In the second case, she was at first frightened and then possibly angered by the guy prowling around; once she had her fangs out, it was hard to back herself down.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

dcheesi said:


> Well I think her bloodlust might be aggravated by her general fight/flight response. In the first instance she was scared for her kid for a moment, and immediately afterward was put in the presence of fresh blood. In the second case, she was at first frightened and then possibly angered by the guy prowling around; once she had her fangs out, it was hard to back herself down.


I also get the feeling that she's unusually not, er, housebroken. Hubby turned her impulsively, and she just doesn't have the training or experience to handle herself. Perhaps he needs to keep her a secret from the rest of vampire society, and she didn't get the usual vampire boot camp?


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## MasterCephus (Jan 3, 2005)

or it could be that she's a "new" vampire and the hubby has been one long enough to control it...


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## Jeeters (Feb 25, 2003)

MasterCephus said:


> or it could be that she's a "new" vampire and the hubby has been one long enough to control it...


That was my take on it.


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## dcheesi (Apr 6, 2001)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I also get the feeling that she's unusually not, er, housebroken. Hubby turned her impulsively, and she just doesn't have the training or experience to handle herself. Perhaps he needs to keep her a secret from the rest of vampire society, and she didn't get the usual vampire boot camp?


I got the sense that she's used to vampire society ("...our crowd...") and longs to return to it, so I doubt she's a secret or that she's particularly untrained. But I can certainly see where love may have blinded him wrt to her not being a good turn candidate, and/or to the need to put her down now that's she's showing an inability to control herself.

In fact I think that vampire society may be structured in a way that allows them express their impulses more freely than in the "normal" world, which is why she wants to return to it but also why a human child wouldn't be safe there.


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## TIVO_GUY_HERE (Jul 10, 2000)

I Admit, I wasn't watching too closely, but I take it these vampires can walk around during the day? I noticed Wifey Vamp got burned from the sunlight, but was putting cream on her skin? This cream protects them somehow?


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## tlc (May 30, 2002)

Alfer said:


> Ugh...when oh when will this glam-vampire crap end!?


I'm waiting for the zombie show. No glam there.

(Seriously. The Walking Dead is coming to AMC.)


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## dcheesi (Apr 6, 2001)

TIVO_GUY_HERE said:


> I Admit, I wasn't watching too closely, but I take it these vampires can walk around during the day? I noticed Wifey Vamp got burned from the sunlight, but was putting cream on her skin? This cream protects them somehow?


Sunblock, SPF 40000


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## Polcamilla (Nov 7, 2001)

So either I've been watching too much Bones lately or Sweets has a bit part in this show.

IMDB is weirdly down so I can't verify.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

I'm giving up on this show. I watched the first episode and thought it was ok. I made it thru 45 minutes of the second episode and am completely bored. Too much soap opera, not enough vampires.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Will probably give it a few more episodes.. But Eastwick was a million times better.. and Lucky Town was 100K times better.


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

tlc said:


> I'm waiting for the zombie show. No glam there.
> 
> (Seriously. The Walking Dead is coming to AMC.)


And it looks like they're doing it right. I can't wait for it. I'm a big fan of the comic. The production stills I've seen look amazing.

As for the Gates? I watched the first episode and wasn't too captivated. But I'll watch at least a couple more before passing judgment.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

danterner said:


> And it looks like they're doing it right. I can't wait for it. I'm a big fan of the comic. The production stills I've seen look amazing.












That's Robert Kirkman, who created the comic book, getting mauled by the TV zombies.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

mattack said:


> Will probably give it a few more episodes.. But Eastwick was a million times better.. and Lucky Town was 100K times better.


Heh, Happy Town.. I knew I got the name wrong..


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## dylanemcgregor (Jan 31, 2003)

mattack said:


> Heh, Happy Town.. I knew I got the name wrong..


I thought you were referring to Swingtown.


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## holee (Dec 12, 2000)

I'm like this show a lot more now. The relationship between the Sheriff and the Vampire is interesting. Not all of the stories are as good, but the show has more value than I initially thought.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

holee said:


> I'm like this show a lot more now. The relationship between the Sheriff and the Vampire is interesting. Not all of the stories are as good, but the show has more value than I initially thought.


Agreed....the knowledgeable interaction of humans and vampires/werewolves is what makes this show a bit more interesting.


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## Test (Dec 8, 2004)

mattack said:


> Heh, Happy Town.. I knew I got the name wrong..


What happened with this show? Did they ever run through all the episodes?


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

This is a strange show. If I were the sheriff, I'd pack my family up and leave town asap.


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## holee (Dec 12, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> This is a strange show. If I were the sheriff, I'd pack my family up and leave town asap.


That I don't get either.

By staying, it seems like he's saying he cares more about the Gates than his own family. In last week's episode he was freaking out about even letting his daughter on on a field trip.


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## pgogborn (Nov 11, 2002)

holee said:


> That I don't get either.
> 
> By staying, it seems like he's saying he cares more about the Gates than his own family. In last week's episode he was freaking out about even letting his daughter on on a field trip.


But he has already 'run away' once.

And a lot of the 'monsters' on the Gates have a moral code that makes it safer to be inside the Gates than outside.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

pgogborn said:


> But he has already 'run away' once.
> 
> And a lot of the 'monsters' on the Gates have a moral code that makes it safer to be inside the Gates than outside.


Plus he has...issues...outside the Gates that would make it difficult to start a new life somewhere else.

Unless he'd like to try an exciting new career in night shopping facility security...


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## Test (Dec 8, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> This is a strange show. If I were the sheriff, I'd pack my family up and leave town asap.





holee said:


> That I don't get either.
> 
> By staying, it seems like he's saying he cares more about the Gates than his own family. In last week's episode he was freaking out about even letting his daughter on on a field trip.





pgogborn said:


> But he has already 'run away' once.
> 
> And a lot of the 'monsters' on the Gates have a moral code that makes it safer to be inside the Gates than outside.





Rob Helmerichs said:


> Plus he has...issues...outside the Gates that would make it difficult to start a new life somewhere else.
> 
> Unless he'd like to try an exciting new career in night shopping facility security...


All of this and the fact that the creator of the community wants him to stay and is blackmailing him with the security camera footage. The footage that shows him watching his neighbor attack/murder the sister of the guy he killed on the outside.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Test said:


> All of this and the fact that the creator of the community wants him to stay and is blackmailing him with the security camera footage. The footage that shows him watching his neighbor attack/murder the sister of the guy he killed on the outside.


I would still pack my family up and skedaddle.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> I would still pack my family up and skedaddle.


Where would you go? How would you support them?


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## dhelsley (Sep 28, 2004)

Did anyone else catch the reference they threw in about Paul Blackthorne (Christian)? When they mentioned other aliases that Christian had used, one of them was Terrence Hill, which was Paul Blackthorne's character on Big Shots, an ABC show from about 3 years ago.


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## ronsch (Sep 7, 2001)

Test said:


> All of this and the fact that the creator of the community wants him to stay and is blackmailing him with the security camera footage. The footage that shows him watching his neighbor attack/murder the sister of the guy he killed on the outside.


Just watched the Title episode where the sheriff learns the truth about his neighbor Dylan and can't believe that this show didn't make it. Granted it was a summer show with more than it's share of natural and unnatural teen angst but these episode-ending cliff-hangers are great! Where else can you see vampires, were-wolves, succubi, witches, and who knows what else I haven't seen yet all in one place?. Sanctuary doesn't count! Still haven't figured out what the female officer is going to turn out to be. For me to still be watching a show that I know was canceled is unprecedented.


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## aadam101 (Jul 15, 2002)

ronsch said:


> Where else can you see vampires, were-wolves, succubi, witches, and who knows what else I haven't seen yet all in one place?.


You pretty much just described True Blood.


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## zordude (Sep 23, 2003)

ronsch said:


> Where else can you see vampires, were-wolves, succubi, witches, and who knows what else I haven't seen yet all in one place?. Sanctuary doesn't count!





aadam101 said:


> You pretty much just described True Blood.


Pretty decent description of The Vampire Diaries too.

Z


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Was this show canceled/not renewed?


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## Vendikarr (Feb 24, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> Was this show canceled/not renewed?


A second season was not picked up.


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## ronsch (Sep 7, 2001)

aadam101 said:


> You pretty much just described True Blood.


I don't think we've seen succubi on True Blood yet. Maenads and faires, yes.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Test said:


> What happened with this show? Did they ever run through all the episodes?


(referring to Happy Town). They put the last two episodes online.. but I never managed to watch them. (I think a couple of times I started the first one during lunch at work, but kept giving up and feeling like vegging on the web instead.)

I keep checking netflix though, since they have been adding other short-lived series to streaming (e.g. Persons Unknown).


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

I enjoyed the Gates but I can see why did not have enough appeal. It was slow at times.


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