Salvation: Season Two (2018) (NTSC)

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General		Extras
Category	TV Series	None
Rating
Year Of Production	2018
Running Time	453:03
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered Multi Disc Set (4)	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	1,2,3,4,5,6	Directed By	Various
Studio Distributor	ViaVision	Starring	Santiago Cabrera Charlie Rowe Jennifer Finnigan Ian Anthony Dale Shazi Raja Jacqueline Byers Melia Krieling Dennis Boutsikaris Ashley Thomas Sasha Roiz Tovah Feldshuh
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Dual
RPI	?	Music	John Paesano

Video (NTSC)		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 5.1 (448Kb/s) English Dolby Digital 2.0 (224Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	480i (NTSC)
Original Aspect Ratio	1.78:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	None	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

     The Earth now has just over 120 days to find a way to deflect the asteroid codenamed Samson from extinguishing life on Earth. However, rather than banding together humans are doing what they usually do; leaders follow their own private and political agendas, the world’s population is descending to anarchy and chaos, a mysterious hacker group called Resyst have hijacked both US and Russian missile systems and are threatening to detonate nuclear bombs on selected cities if their demands are not met and ex-US Vice President Monroe Bennett (Sasha Roiz), who in Season One tried to poison President Mackenzie (Tovah Feldshuh) and stage a coup, is plotting another attempt from hiding. In addition, someone has sabotaged Salvation, the space craft that billionaire inventor and tech wizard Darius Tanz (Santiago Cabrera) has created as a last resort to save some of the human race.

     Resyst, as one of their demands, has assembled under duress thirty of the world’s top scientists, including M.I.T. grad student Liam Cole (Charlie Rowe), Dr Malcolm Croft (Dennis Boutsikaris), his old M.I.T. professor and a Russian spy whom Liam shot in Season One, and disgruntled ex-Tanz employee Alycia Vrettou (Melia Krieling), and tasked them with finding a way to deflect the asteroid from its path. Meanwhile, Darius, now appointed Vice-President, Secretary of Defence Harris Edwards (Ian Anthony Dale) and presidential advisor Grace Barrows (Jennifer Finnigan) are trying to find ways to stop the extinction event, avert the political crisis, control the chaos and anarchy on the streets and defeat Resyst. To complicate things further Harris and Grace are being questioned by Detective Alonzo Carter (Ashley Thomas) about the disappearance of presidential advisor Claire Rayburn (Erica Luttrell), whom Grace shot and killed in Season One to protect Harris while Jillian Hayes (Jacqueline Byers), unsure about her relationship with Liam and searching for meaning, is drawn into the web of the cult named COPE led by self-help author and guru Bass Shepherd (Luke Arnold). Then, when circumstances elevate Darius to the top job, will his single minded pursuit of Resyst lead to disaster? And, if things were not bad enough, there is another, mysterious, cabal called Q17 who have unlimited funds and who seem set on destabilising America although the identity of the participants, their agenda and their aims remain unclear (at least for most of the season). Phew.

     While the background of Salvation: Season Two remains the quest to find a solution to the impending destruction of the Earth by the asteroid, this season is much more about the social, personal and political machinations of the participants. Unlike in Season One, however, where Russia was a player and the threat of nuclear war a possibility to destroy the planet even before the asteroid arrived, in Season Two the focus is all on threats within the USA where there are diverse adversaries for Darius’ government, including Resyst, COPE and Q17, coups and counter coups in the White House, assassinations, murders, secret operations, terror attacks and nuclear explosions while there are numerous plot twists, machinations and convolutions. In truth, it is easier to accept the premise that an asteroid is about to destroy life on Earth than it is to suspend belief enough to accept the myriad of unbelievable events, betrayals and self-serving behaviours that are going on on Earth. Some of the themes broached in the episodes are worthwhile, such as the ethics of doing the unthinkable in a good cause, but with so many plot strands, diverse villains, twists and shifting interpersonal relationships these themes are quickly lost in the mix. And then, after setting up the numerous plot strands and conflicts, the last episode nukes everything in a major twist while leaving many strands unresolved. A third season of Salvation is not on the schedule so it feels as if the showrunners chucked in a quick climax, any climax, to finish off the show.

     Salvation: Season Two consists of the 13 episodes which aired in the US between June and September 2018, presented here on four DVDs.

Video

     Salvation: Season Two, is presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, in NTSC and 16x9 enhanced.

     Detail, both in close-up and wide shot is clear, the sets at Tanz industries chrome, glass and tile, US government offices and the White House wood panelled and book lined, the war room all computer screens and displays. Exteriors in parks and trees are a natural green, sky and water is a nice clean blue. Skin tones are natural. Shadow detail and blacks are solid.

     A number of scenes are lit behind the actors producing glare and softness and there is occasional minor motion blur but otherwise marks and artefacts were absent.

     No subtitles are provided for this season.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     Audio is a choice of English Dolby Digital 5.1 at 448 Kbps or Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo at 224 Kbps.

     This is a series with a lot of dialogue which is always clear and easy to understand. There is some action with loud gunshots while the rears and surrounds mostly featured helicopter and car engines and ambient sounds such as voices and the music by John Paesano. The subwoofer boomed for the rail gun shoot, explosion and rocket launch but mostly supported engines, some effects and the music.

     I did not notice any lip synchronization issues.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

     Season Two has no extras.

     As far as I can tell our Region All, NTSC release of Salvation: Season Two is the same as the US version.

     Salvation: Season Two starts encouragingly, production values remain high and the main characters are likeable but the plotting becomes increasing convoluted and unbelievable and the climax is hurried and a damp squid. Others may disagree, but I felt let down.

     The video and audio are good. No extras.

     Salvation: Season Two was supplied for review by Via Vision Entertainment. Check out their Facebook page for the latest releases, giveaways, deals and more.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall