3 Identical Reasons Why Flash Gordon Blows

I'm not a big fan of SciFi's new Flash Gordon for several reasons, not the least of which is the network's new post-BSG formula of trying to resurrect every cheesy 70s sci-fi franchise: Flash, Bionic Woman, enough already. But the addendum to that reasoning is that SciFi's already perilously low budget for these shows is wasted on boring, generically pretty actors and actresses.

Take the three female leads from Flash, for instance. One of these ladies is an Earthling reporter and former girlfriend of the titular blond hero. Another is a fierce bounty hunter and rebel from the planet Mongo (played by appropriately-named actress Karen Cliche, I kid you not). Still another is a beautiful but deadly princess whose father, the merciless Ming, is a kind of bland, beige bad guy.

Can you tell which is which? I can't. I mean, I can, because I've watched the show, but during every scene it takes me a moment to realize which generically-hot-brunette-with-highlights-who-doesn't-look-a-thing-like-her-character-description is which. They couldn't have thrown us a generically hot blonde, or a generically hot woman of color? They even look like they share the same makeup kit (which, in all probability, they do).

Are the hokey scripts and the sidekick straight out of Animal House not be horrible enough, that SciFi must actually confuse me with their uninspired casting? As if casting Kathleen Robertson as an evil witch (ha!) weren't bad enough... I miss the Farscape days!