So after a minor speed bump at the start of my watching experience (brother-in-law coming over and hanging out for an hour), I finally managed to finish watching jPod…. here’s a few thoughts.
First of all, the first episode is the “introductory” episode, so it’s a bit clunkier than I presume future episodes will be. The video tapes that the characters do to introduce themselves to their new boss (and of course the audience) feel a bit odd, but they are actually pretty much how the book starts. The Vancouver setting is nice as well, though the only parts you really see are a couple of shots of downtown and the marina. What can I say, I’m a sucker for Canadian content! It was filmed when there was snow on the ground though…
The plot also follows pretty much the start of the book, very accurately actually, surprisingly so. I’m sure that the various plot points will be hit in future episodes expand off into other storylines. I like the name of the company being made “Neuromatic Arts” (or whatever it is… it’s as thinly veiled Electronic Arts Vancouver as in the book 🙂
The casting is great as well, Alan Thicke wasn’t quite as good as I thought he’d be at the start, but again, I’m sure that things will settle down and get better. The main characters of Ethan, his Mother, Cowboy and John Doe are all sucked directly from my brain when I read the book. The character of Steven (the new boss) seems to be trying a bit too hard to be Steve Carell in The Office, with a real sweet bit thrown in as well.
The main problem this series is going to have is if you haven’t read the book it may seem odd and disjointed, whereas if you have read the book, you’ll be impressed with the accuracy to the book, and how well the characters have been fleshed out.
Episode 1 ends at the point that Ethan discovers his new “roommates” courtesy of his brother. I’m looking forward to episode 2!