MovieChat Forums > Space: Above and Beyond (1995) Discussion > After seeing the pilot I do NOT like Lt....

After seeing the pilot I do NOT like Lt. West

posted 17 years ago by dykesy30
20 replies | jump to latest

I'm sorry but after watching the pilot I cannot stand the main character. Maybe he gets better as the series progresses but I'm sorry I just think he is up his own @$$ and annoys me. He's supposed to be all for equal rights for "tanks" but when he is a cadet at the Marines he is a d!ck to Hawkes. If he was really for equal rights for them then he wouldn't blame Hawkes for him getting kicked off of that mission because they wanted 10 tanks on the mission. And then that painting on his fighter jet just annoyed me, just made me think that he thinks he is the best and is really big headed. Hope his character becomes a little better as the series progresses because I enjoyed the first episode.

So far I think Hawkes is my favourite character. Was pretty bummed when Pags got killed though. I liked his character.

[–] jrgen-thuresson 17 years ago

I think you missunderstand him. His character have one goal. His girlfriend. That and his liking for space.
His girlfriend and space are what drives him.

"I'm selfdestructive baby
But a friendly one" - Spiritual Beggars.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] s052884 17 years ago

From what I heard, neither did Morgan Weisser who played him. He constantly stated how West had too much of a wimpy edge and that his constant pining for Kylen wasn't exactly his cup of tea either. However, he made the best of it, and his character proved himself later in the series.

[–] BrooklynBrimstone 17 years ago

I sorta felt the same way about West at first...his prejudice towards Invetros due to being replaced by one for the Tellus mission (Hello! That Tank saved your life West - you'd probably be dead if you hadn't been bumped from the mission!)...going AWOL and endangering other soldiers any time he 'senses' his girlfriend may be near...whining about, well anything and everything really.
But I changed my tune once I re-watched the episode 'Stay with the Dead'...he was just soooooo good (or rather Morgan's acting was) and when he was crying at the end in front of everyone and simultaneously so relieved that he wasn't crazy and/or that they weren't really dead...Gah! Just tugged at my heartstrings and instantly made me a West fan.

[–] lordcrc 17 years ago

Well, you have a point, the character is not very likable. However I thought his reactions to being dumped reflected real life very well. Many (most?) people are positive towards "good causes", as long as _they_ don't have to sacrifice anything (sure I want unemployed people to get jobs, as long as they don't take over MY job).

[–] presenting-joe 17 years ago

stick with it, its worth it!

everybody's dead Dave

[–] DirtyDZ3 17 years ago

I thought it was brilliant. It show hipcritical thinking. Being down for equal rights but when its time to be equal you want the bigger share. It was brilliant in my view.

[–] scott-2058 17 years ago

I agree. Except I just dont like the actor. And I'd have to say a lot of the character's personality comes from the actor. I know he didn't have anything to do with the writing, but some people are more likable than others. And I just couldn't stand this guy. And now, watching the dvds I feel exactly the same way. I remember how I felt when the show first aired. I havent seen it since then but I feel the same.

I honestly think they cast the wrong guy in that role and it had a LOT to do with the show being cancelled. You either like someone or you dont. Look at other shows where even the villans can be likable in some way. In this case, even the hero just doesn't do it for you.

I wish I could explain why. Maybe he isnt a very good actor. I dont see any fault, but maybe its why I dont like him. Hard to say, but it makes it hard to watch the show, even though everything else about it is pretty good.

Scott

[–] pdelamore 16 years ago

The character of West gets better. As someone said above, the turning point is the episode 'Stay with the Dead'.

I didn't like him at first either. But if you give him a chance, he becomes a fighter.

[–] Colin-Linda 16 years ago

'Stay with the Dead' redeemed West.

Continue watching:)

[–] estellabrandybck 16 years ago

I agree completely. I really disliked him at first too, but he grew on me. Kinda like a fungus. When he gave Paul his pendant in River of Stars, he won me over. Sorta.

[–] Director-21 13 years ago

Also West seemed to become less of a main character as the series progressed. In the pilot it seemed that they were trying to do that typical adventure show where you have one main character and a few supporting ones. By the end of the show it became more of an ensemble show where Vansen, Hawkes & McQueen were regularly getting more screen time than West was & I do think that all three of those characters are better liked by fans.

[–] sisterdebmac 13 years ago

Even more than that, it seems they tried to make West the main character, but Vansen took over instead. Which was great. Made the show very different than anything else on TV at the time. You had this amazing, capable, heroic woman at the center of a military show. And it just worked. I think if they'd done a better job casting West, he might not've come off as such a whiny little puss toot no one could stand.
________________
there will be snark

[–] ttaskmaster 13 years ago

West was all for IV equal rights except that, mere hours away from attaining his dream, a group of untrained IVs were handed, on a silver plate, the very thing he had worked his whole life for and been promised by the administration - For NO good reason other than it made that administration look good.

In short, he was royally screwed over to make someone else look good and replaced by completely untrained, unqualified IVs.

If the replacements had been much better suited than him, perhaps his story would have been different. Given how the colony mission turned out, anyway, I'm sure he'll change his tune afore long...

Just started watching the DVD series myself, so I'll let you know, but enough people have said it's worth sticking with...

The Spacehunter Forum:
http://spacehunter.phpbbhosts.co.uk/

[–] ttaskmaster 13 years ago

OK, just finished Episode 18 of the whole series....

This is SO WORTH WATCHING!!!!!

The Spacehunter Forum:
http://spacehunter.phpbbhosts.co.uk/

[–] rygelina 12 years ago

It sure is! The second half of the season is some of the best sci-fi I've ever seen. (A few of the early episodes, too..) From the date on your latest post I'm guessing you've seen it all by now? What did you think?

"We're dead. Bartowski's got a gun."

[–] ttaskmaster 12 years ago

I'm so upset they nevergot to make more seasons. If they had, we'd likely have avoided a lot of the Sci-Fi dross that followed

The Spacehunter Forum:
http://spacehunter.phpbbhosts.co.uk/

[–] rygelina 12 years ago

Good point. As much as I like Star Trek and Stargate, it's just not the same. Space was way better. I tried watching Battlestar Galactica for a while (because it kinda looked like Space if you tilted your head and closed one eye) but I gave up after the first season. Stupid show.

But at least I have my DVDs! Although I can't believe it's been over fifteen years since it aired...

"We're dead. Bartowski's got a gun."

[–] rygelina 12 years ago

dykesy30, I think you're misinterpreting the painting on West's plane. The star stands for the star that the colony mission was headed for. It symbolizes his mission to go there and search for the woman he loves.

Having said that, I agree that he's an ass in the beginning. I mean, he even beats up Hawkes a couple of times. But it's also kinda understandable. That is what I love about this show: the characters are not perfect. They are allowed to have faults and are given the opportunity to overcome them.

"We're dead. Bartowski's got a gun."