PIONEER ONE is one of those web series I discovered on the internet and I loved every episode since I saw the pilot.  It is like a low budget X-Files series in a way.   The show starts off with an object spreading radiation over Montana and Canada, and The US Defense Department is quick to point fingers and think it is a terrorist act (maybe even a dirty bomb).  The Department of Homeland Security (from Helena, Montana) goes into action and Agent in charge Tom Taylor (James Rich) goes to Canada with a  small team to investigate debris found there and they find an old space capsule from the days of the Soviet Union.   Taylor brings in an expert on Mars, Dr. Zachary Walzer (Jack Haley), to investigate if this space capsule came back all the way from Mars.   The evidence points to the Soviet Union sending a secret manned mission to Mars.   Taylor’s superiors want the young teenage boy (found in the capsule and riddled with cancer) back in the United States as a terrorist suspect and they don’t want to hear the talk about Mars.   Taylor sets up a two week quarantine in an effort to have time to discover the truth, but he doesn’t realize it has opened a Pandora’s Box that is bigger than him as the Russians want the astronaut back and Deputy Defense Secretary wants to believe it is an act of terrorism.

 

PIONEER ONE is a low budget web series that starts with an intriguing pilot and it is one of the first series to attempt a new way of funding and distributing TV shows via viewer support and downloading via bit torrent.   They filmed the show on a very low budget, having people work free, and called in lots of favors.    The show looks impressive despite the budget and part of this is due to the quality of writing and love that went into making this production.  I hope a second season of their five year plan is made soon because I want to see where the mythology of this series goes as Taylor and Walzer work to discover the truth.   I wish some channel like SyFy would show the first season of this show despite the odd length of the episodes which range from 30 minutes to 43 minutes (which is normal for hour long TV).   PIONEER ONE deserves to be seen by more people and it definitely deserves a second season as soon as possible.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Audio commentaries for all six episodes-

EARTHFALL (pilot) with Writer/ Executive Producer Josh Bernhard and Director/ Executive Producer Bracey Smith

 HE MAN FROM MARS with Writer/ Executive Producer Josh Bernhard, Director/ Executive Producer Bracey Smith, and actor Jack Haley (Walzer)

ALONE IN THE NIGHT with Writer/ Executive Producer Josh Bernhard, Director/ Executive Producer Bracey Smith, and actor Laura Graham (Jane)

TRIANGULAR DIPLOMACY with Writer/ Executive Producer Josh Bernhard, Director/ Executive Producer Bracey Smith, and Art director Neil Dvorak

SEA CHANGE with Writer/ Executive Producer Josh Bernhard, Director/ Executive Producer Bracey Smith, and actors E. James Ford (DiLeo) and Guy Wegener (Vernon)

WAR OF THE WORLD with Writer/ Executive Producer Josh Bernhard, Director/ Executive Producer Bracey Smith, and actor James Rich (Taylor)

 

32 behind-the-scenes video blogs that track the beginnings of PIONEER ONE, the production, and the promotion of the show in addition to updates about season 2.  Each blog runs between three to six minutes long.

 

Five deleted scenes are included (first four are from episode 3 and they are scenes that also can be seen in the rough cut of episode 3 included on the disc) with optional audio commentary.    

Three image galleries with photos from the pilot and the two production blocks used to film the other five episodes.   Rounding out the extras are the series trailer, a promo ad for the Pioneer One T-shirt, and the NYTVF Spotlight on the pilot (a review of sorts).

 

FINAL ANALYSIS:   PIONEER ONE is one of the best low budget sci-fi productions to grace the web and I hope it finds a way to get season two made.  The disc has a decent amount of behind-the-scenes extras and audio commentaries covering the episodes.  The menu system leaves a lot to be desired, but they do get a plus for having a “Play All” option for the episodes, video blogs, and deleted scenes.

 

This review is (c)12-28-2012 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com