Religwo, 'Defiance'

So after three seasons, Defiance gets cancelled.  And I’m split about it.

Part of me is glad that it’s over.  Don’t get me wrong.  I enjoyed this show a lot.  It’s just that I started watching Defiance when I only had three other TV series to follow.  Since then, the shows I’ve been following have exponentially bloated; now, there are just several more shows that I find better than it.  So having one less TV series that needs watching should provide more “room” in my crowded annual TV watching.  However, it’s hard to just drop it when I still think it’s a pretty rewarding watch – the curse of nerdery and fandom.  Hence, it officially ending is the best way for me to have one less series to follow.

On the other hand, part of me wished to see more of Defiance.  It has successfully created a fascinating and distinct science fiction world.  It has magnificently featured powerful moments for its collection of complex, well-developed, and engrossing characters.  Best of all, it has nostalgic elements that appeal to someone like me who have got to love old-school science fictions shows like Star Trek: Deeps Space 9, Farscape, and Firefly.  I feel that there’s still a lot to be mined from the rich mythology it has built.

I’m definitely going to miss Defiance.  But I’m not heartbroken or disappointed about its cancellation.   The season 3 finale tied up everything so well anyway.  It’s good that it finished while still on top of its game and on its own terms.  So with a satisfying and neat wrap-up, Defiance has already completed a full, well-told story – thus, a follow-up season isn’t so necessary anymore.

Defiance’s potential and aspirations were so evident from the start that I even suggested that it could be the next Firefly.  However, it hasn’t been near in achieving the heights that it had been ambitiously aiming for.  The good thing is that it has been generally entertaining.  Even though there were some moments that it was getting too bizarre and shaky, it continued to be fresh and gratifying by being consistently unpredictable, establishing legitimate stakes on each season, introducing intriguing concepts, and utilizing its characters impeccably well.  Thus, in the end, it’s delightful enough to warrant being re-watched on a binge in the future. 

P.S. By the way, in relation to the title, "Religwo" is Castithan for "goodbye" (and can also mean "hello"), I think.  Hope I got that right.