Critics Share Their Take On 'Flash Gordon'

Some of the more savvy television viewers say that you should never go by what the critics say, but it never hurts to hear what others who have already seen an episode have to say, right?

There were a few good reviews of the comic book revival series starring Eric Johnson and Gina Holden, but it seems that if "Flash Gordon" wants to reach the level of some of SciFi Channel's other original series, they will have some work to do.

If you're reading this, then you already know that SyFy Portal wasn't exactly the biggest fan of the show. Michael Hinman (hey, that's me!) had this to say about the show:

I want to say that the producers just tried too hard, and in the process missed their mark. Instead, however, it may be that the producers didn't try hard enough, and instead of bringing viewers a smart remake, they simply delivered "Cleopatra 2525."

Harsh words? Maybe. Hal Boedeker from the Orlando Sentinel in Florida said that ...

This 'Flash Gordon' is more appealing when it stays on Earth rather than when it visits the planet Mongo. That eerie place is ruled by Ming the Merciless (John Ralston). This Ming ain't got the old zing -- he's rather subdued. This Flash has the legs for a long run. Will he have the writing to make it so?

Vince Horiuchu from The Salt Lake Tribune in Utah thought just a tad bit differently.

Remember the operatic strains of Queen's rock anthem for 'Flash Gordon'? Flash! Aaaaa aaaahhh! Well, for the new SciFi series remake of the pulp science-fiction comic strip, it's more like Flash! Ooooohhh Nooo!

Robert Bianco from USA Today wasn't impressed either.

If you need a symbol for everything that's wrong with 'Flash,' John Ralston's lifeless Ming will serve. Obviously, the traditional, insensitive quasi-Asian take on Ming would be a hard sell these days, but that doesn't explain the transformation of Mongo's once grandly flamboyant emperor into a penny-ante deluded dictator, and a dull one to boot. Offending viewers is always a mistake, but so is putting them to sleep.

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