Flash Forward: the sci-fi TV series is back on our screens

After  a pause of several months – longer than planned – Flash Forward has returned to our TV screens with two episodes back to back.

It’s back with some very ropey computer special effects.  It’s also back with the old favourites: the attempts to do deep and meaningful which don’t quite come off. But that’s ok. Because there’s LOUD BACKGROUND MUSIC TO TELL YOU. Or switching to black and white.

As ever, it should be awful but instead it comes out fun. Just as with the smoking villain who says, “Only villains smoke, right?” followed shortly afterwards by “You may call me Flosso and I’m a villain”.

Shakespeare this ain’t. Cliched it most certainly is. But like a misbehaving dog with a wagging tail, there’s always the sense of fun just bursting to get out. In fact, Flosso would make a great name for such a dog.

And at last a plot development. A veritable plot movement. That which we think caused the flash forward? Turns out it only amplified it. And then there’s another plot development. Plus a mildly gruesome and tense cliff hanger.

On to the second episode and the catch-up includes a repeat of “You may call me Flosso and I’m a villain”. I do rather like this flaunting of naffness.

Again, it’s much heavier on plot developments – taking previous plot threads and moving them on – than the previous approach of “throw up a few new story lines, then ignore them, move on and throw up some more”. It’s also much heavier on scientific mumbo jumbo: the hard sci-fi undertones to the original book are left well and truly behind.

So am I hooked again? Yes. Do I spend most of my time thinking, “That’s not been done very well”? Yes. Does it stop me watching? No.