>>Do you mean to say that the story felt kinda like one of those TV
>>episodes where everything ties up in the end to set up for the next
>>episode?
>
>More like one of those 90-minute "pilot movies" cut up to fit a
>45-minute episode slot. It's not the fact everything was resolved by
>the end, it's the lack of time given to each plot point.

The more I think about it, though, I think that's deliberate.

1) For the opening, Geoff is basically tossed in and then viciously dragged by his heels through the setup almost in as much confusion as the audience.

2) Aside from the bits of character (which were good development) that we were shown aboard the Queen, did we really need much else, there? The actual travelling through space part is pretty boring when they're not getting shot at.

3) The bank job itself -should- feel fast, rough, and chaotic, because that's the way the whole thing went down.

And the pacing stretches nicely back out once the escape is over for the denouement and works pretty smoothly.

Besides, I think we're a little spoiled by the depth of flavor in most of the 'regular' UF/FI/SOS cast members. Since most of these are new introductions to UF with the exceptions of Geoff and Saya (and even Saya's mostly a blank slate), they should feel a bit unfamiliar - needing to get to know them as we go along is kind of the point. :)