I have to say I really enjoyed The Following more than I though I would. It follows FBI agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) as he chases notorious serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) who escaped death row. Hardy is the one who originally caught Carroll after he killed 14 women. While Carroll was in prison he developed a cult of his followers who will go to any lengths to prove themselves to him and that included murder, abductions, sacrificing themselves, etc. This is an edge of your seat cat and mouse series that's definitely worth a watch. It might have gone a season too much but even that last season is a decent watch.
Add a Review
-
Rob13315 October 2022
-
Supermanfan-1326 January 2023The Following really is a pretty underrated show. It stars Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy who are both really good actors and are fantastic in this. It's a great thriller from beginning to end. The first season is the best but the other two are still worth watching. I actually think it had another season left in it but I guess they wanted to end it before the quality dropped too much. Each episode ends with you wanting more so this is a show that's good to binge. Admittedly some of the story is ridiculous but if you can just turn off your brain and just enjoy it for what it is then I promise you'll have a good time watching this.
-
Leofwine_draca18 November 2015Review of Season One:
I'll make it clear now that I'm not a fan of Kevin Williamson. I know the guy made his name writing SCREAM and I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, but I find his writing style immature and slapdash, relying on coincidence and contrivance. It rings hollow for me, so that people like Craven can make excellent films of his work is a surprise.
THE FOLLOWING is a serial killer thriller written and created by Williamson, but to my surprise I didn't hate it. It's heavily flawed, with many episodes featuring characters who do dumb things, but on the other hand it's well acted and fast-paced, so that you never have time to dwell on the shortcomings.
I know Kevin Bacon is an ubiquitous actor these days but he's very good as the flawed hero character here. The scene-stealer, of course, is James Purefoy, as the Messianic serial killer who inspires a cult following. As a lover of Gothic literature, I enjoyed all the Poe references, and there's so much incident that this is hard not to enjoy. THE FOLLOWING suffers from being a bit back-and-forth-ish in the narrative and having poorly written (and annoying) female characters, but I liked it enough to want to check out the second series.
Review of Season Two:
The good news is that Season 2 of THE FOLLOWING is a definite step up in quality from the first series. This is much faster paced, more involving, and has a lot more action and incident to keep it moving along quickly. The various sub-plots are also a lot more interesting and the annoying characters like Emma and Claire are either not as annoying or get far less screen time.
The plot kicks off from the get go with the addition of new, rival serial killers who pick up where Joe Carroll left off. The twins are great characters and bring the screen to life whenever they're around. This is one of the stabbiest shows I've ever seen, with multiple knifings seemingly every episode, although it's not excessively gory.
Bacon feels more assured in his performance here, more world-weary, and definitely more human. Jessica Stroup is a great addition to the cast, but best of all is the returning James Purefoy, who's given time to really flesh out his character and even make him likable on occasion. He's the best thing in this and the writers know it, giving him all of the finest moments. The last episode of the series is particularly well written, giving us an unexpected plot development, but overall it's the superior quality of the writing throughout the season that makes this so enjoyable.
Review of Season Three:
So, here we have the final season of the show. It's a step down from the last series and the reason for that is that James Purefoy's character takes a back seat here. Instead we get some returning killers and a whole bunch of new ones, none of whom have as much as impact as the ones depicted previously.
There's a definite sense of repetition in the show by now with lots of near-misses and the constant escape of characters being more than a little wearying. THE FOLLOWING still keeps you watching with some very dark elements in the script but I did feel it was going through the motions at other times.
Still, every scene involving Purefoy is very good, and the pacing is a lot faster than in the first series, which makes this superior to that. I have to say that it does feel like it finishes in the right place and anything more would probably have driven it into the ground. -
After watching the series premiere of "The Following", it left me with an impression that I simply couldn't find anywhere else as the story unfolded in such a terrifying way. Although some may complain that it moves by a little too fast(which I admit at times it did), that's only a small qualm as the performances and main plot make up for it with various twists and turns throughout the story. Kevin Bacon was simply incredible as the worn down FBI agent with a tragic past that has yet to be explored further as the show progresses, but James Purefoy is MARVELOUS as the twisted serial killer. With his manic stare and smile, you're not really sure as to his true motives. This makes him more dimensional yet at the same time diabolically and devilishly sinister; playing mind games with the protagonist with his schemes of mass murder and mayhem. Purefoy is a beast of a man that no one wants to mess with.
"The Following" is one to watch. I'll be tuning in to the next episode to see how twisted and horrifying the world will be in the eyes of the hero and villain in a battle against good and evil. If the quality of this show keeps up, I'd expect more seasons. -
ronbell-239842 January 2019The show started well, good original storyline and a great turn by James Purefoy as baddy Joe Carrol.
Sadly the show quickly went down hill. Key stone cops quite literally. Highly trained FBI agents who cannot shoot baddies from close range and constantly get out witted.
This could have been excellent. -
JasonDanielBaker4 February 2013A society can confine criminals but it cannot confine an idea. The criminally insane idea in this show is one held by ex-literature professor Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) that murder can be the most beautiful form of art and the ultimate form of tribute to his idol Edgar Alan Poe.
Jailed for his crimes he becomes the most grisly form of cause celebre - a serial killer with an enraptured cult of determined wackos at his beck and call. Some of them do his bidding. Others simply try to emulate his style viewing as he does murder as a form of artistic expression and imitation as sincere flattery.
Most of the points I give this show derive from the sheer boldness of its premise. They aimed high and so far they haven't missed. But the concept of this pack of people who see sense in senseless acts of violence remains shocking because it remains so puzzling.
Brilliant work by solid people! I can't wait to see where this will go next! -
jlthornb5129 May 2015An incredibly tense, violent, and utterly brilliant series that will rivet you for every single minute. Kevin Bacon is superb in a role he was born to play and it's his best work in years, with the exception of the television film, Taking Chance. James Purefoy is amazing as the sinister, merciless serial killer mastermind and deserves an Emmy for his performance. I was surprised to see Aaron Ashmore starring in this show at the same time he was on Warehouse 13 and it took a while to realize the actor on this series is Shawn Ashmore, Aaron's twin brother. Thank goodness for the Internet Movie Database! Anyway, he is excellent as a character that serves as Bacon's conscience. Sadly, I have just learned the show has been cancelled in a ghastly act of brutality by Fox that is equal to any of the bloody, shocking crimes depicted on the program itself. It is disappointing in the extreme to see one of the few intelligent and original crime dramas taken off the air on a whim because the demographics are not strong. An outrage of the worst kind.
-
grantss12 July 2018Started well but got tiresome after a while. Seemed like twists for the sake of twists. Gave up during Season 2.
-
ravenlynne26 January 2013I cannot recommend this show highly enough. The writing is fantastic, the characters are well rounded and multi-layered. In my opinion, it had a very "Se7en" vibe to it. Kevin Bacon is perfect as the damaged FBI agent on the trail. His team are well put together and diverse. I always enjoy seeing Shawn Ashmore and he's going to do well as your newbie agent trying to prove himself. Purefoy is a dream as our main serial killer - leader. He's charismatic, good looking and completely screwed up in the head. The show is gritty, but not ridiculously so. It's violent and bloody, very scary. You know from the beginning who the main killer is, but seeing how he manipulates his followers is fascinating, and you won't know who they are until the show wants you to. I can't wait to see where it's going.
-
At this writing, The Following is rated 7.7, but most of the reviews are very negative. How can that be? Personally, I find many of the criticisms of this show undeserved.
The Following is not for everyone. It is a very dark and violent tale that takes gore to a new level.
This crime drama is a two-character dance between Joe Carroll, a college professor who turns his academic expertise about E. A. Poe into a cult-driven real life tale of murder, and Ryan Hardy, the object of Carroll's rampage. Both men are intelligent. Like Holmes and Moriarty, they duel in the darkness.
Both men are obsessed. Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) is an alcoholic, plagued by guilt. In the end, he is addicted to Carroll, like Ahab to the white whale. Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) is obsessed with the story he has plotted and cast Hardy in as the tragic hero.
The Following is, really, a horror story. As such, one should recognize the basics of the genre and not disparage them. The surprises hidden in the darkness. The character who, against all good judgment, investigates the shadows. The actor who is compelled to go it alone when reinforcements are advisable.
As a horror story, The Following gives us a worthy villain who, via his army of minions who can be as scary as zombies, terrorizes with an uncanny ability to strike at will.
The Following plumbs the depths of insanity and obsession. Not everyone will want to go there, but the story is literate and the chills are frequent. -
tay-sedai19 February 2019I loved the premise of this story, but even before reading other reviews here just now and seeing my own thoughts expressed by others, I knew that the show was just not living up to expectations.
The point many have made about law enforcement being too stupid to be credible is certainly a point I agree with. Also, I rolled my eyes when the kid's mum went off with the bad guys to see her kid. Come ooooon.
Then everybody kept dying, and not in a clever Game of Thrones sort of way.
Nahhhh, I surrender. Let me go, please.
Pity though, because I love Kevin Bacon and feel like this show did him a disservice (and we viewers too). -
starrlitegm21 January 2013This new television show is well written and brilliantly acted. I am thrilled to see something on the air that actually promotes thought. Unlike reality TV, this show has twists and turns that will catch the viewer totally by surprise. As a former literature major, I loved reading Edgar Allen Poe. This show will surely bring back an interest in his works. So kudos to the writers for actually being intelligent and my hope is that viewers will be challenged and continue to tune in. I know that I have had my share of mindless television and look forward to seeing another episode of "The Following" next Monday night. I guess you could say that I am a "Following" follower. Now, how about setting up a Facebook page so we can Share, Share, Share...? *smile*
-
VapAndrei22 January 2013I'm going to make this special - 2 reviews in 1. The first will be about the actual series and the second about, well.. idiots.
First thing's first. It's certainly a great start - and I'm not talking just about the good, tragic, dramatic plot but the cast too. We all know that having Kevin Bacon in a movie is a great plus but having James Purefoy as the charismatic serial killer is absolutely amazing. The characters fit on Kevin and James like a glove and they, developing a "nemesis relation" really highlight one another.
The start of the series was off the charts, it was action filled, in a word - extraordinary! Half way through it, I immediately asked myself: How can they keep this up for at least a season?! The answer came in no time. Excellent! Now for the second part of the review. After delighting myself with this first take on "The Following", I jumped back here to see how many people felt just as excited about this new series as I was. Unfortunately, I immediately saw a great deal of idiotic, so-called reviews.
I feel I have the right to call them idiots for a simple reason. Through the magic of deduction, those who complained and rated this '1' read the description (at least the one here on IMDb). Now, I ask you this: You have to be an idiot to read "psychotic serial killer" in the plot and expect him to plant flowers and feed the children in Somalia, right? Damn right! I urge these people to go back either to "Lady and the Tramp" (which was good by the way).. or to those that paid for the disgusting reviews.
Final note: This review is posted after the 1st episode and my rating is 9/10. This will probably (hopefully not) drop as we advance into the story.
GREAT START!
After season 1 addition: Americans / Brits.. if you feel your cops are smarter than this, then.. you've been fooled by all the Sherlock Holmes movies. They are damn straight dumb, and they don't give a s*it about you.. just like in The Following. -
dragokin28 April 2013When The Following kicked off it had the most gripping start that i've seen in a TV show in years. The cast, the setting, the plot... everything looked very promising. The references of Manson family, Waco siege, as well as serial killers would satisfy even the connoisseurs, with Ted Bundy even being quoted. Unfortunately, this didn't last long and the plot turned out to be the main problem.
As the first season unravels, the villains manage to outwit the FBI and the police on countless occasions. They are well equipped, have former military personnel among them and are functioning as a crossbreed of terror cell and cult.
And at a certain point this becomes irritating, because there is no excuse for the main characters to repeatedly fail miserably in the same fashion. Even the average viewer of TV shows would know some basic rules of police work: Secure the perimeter; Do not engage the fugitives when outnumbered and wait for support; Do not send the people to investigate the vaults without backup, especially when there's a possibility to encounter armed resistance etc.
We could argue whether the villains are depicted as almighty and the police and FBI as too stupid, yet The Following is not the show i'd recommend. -
AnnaShade6 February 2013It's unusual for me to like a procedural show, but The Following has a combination of things that makes it something that I look forward to watching each week.
One of the best (if not the best) thing about the show is James Purefoy as Joe the villain. He doesn't overplay the character, and he manages to be creepy and a bit charming all at the same time, making it hard to avoid the urge to root for him even as I wonder why he's not in a higher security facility (because he's clever and smart and deadly).
Kevin Bacon was definitely the right choice for Ryan the hero. He looks great, he acts great, and he and Purefoy have excellent chemistry on screen. It makes me wish we could see more of them being amicable with one another (like in a couple flashbacks).
The rest of the cast is good, too. I like the lead agent woman, the younger boy agent, and I'm strangely drawn in by the bizarre love triangle between Joe's followers Paul, Will and Emma. It's crazy but interesting, and I'll be sad when they ax that plot line.
Overall, I think it's interesting and entertaining. And I think the season only has 12 episodes, so they aren't as likely to get bogged down with filler episodes (as is wont to happen with many shows). I look forward to watching more of it. -
Trixz_r_kidz15 January 2014Upon reading many of the User Reviews for "The Following", I have noticed that the people who bash it have no idea what they are talking about, with all due respect. Most of their "arguments" fall into 3 categories: 1.) The F.B.I/Police are incompetent. 2.) Joe Carroll/The Cult has ridiculous resources and influence. 3.) The convenience of the plot.
So, the FBI are incompetent according to these people. Apparently, you should send a SWAT team everywhere you go, because if you don't you obviously are being a "drooling idiot". People complain about how Ryan supposedly never calls for backup. For example, when Ryan, Mike, and Debra went to the house that supposedly was the home of Daniel Monroe, why didn't they call for backup? There are multiple reasons for this: 1.) They were only there to talk to Daniel Monroe, you don't send a SWAT team just so you can talk to a witness. 2.) Debra DID try to call for backup, but Monroe had a cell phone jammer. When she attempted to walk outside to call for backup, she had to stop because Jacob was in the house. 3.) They didn't get backup beforehand because 3 federal agents is more than enough just to talk to a witness.
Aside from that, the very fact that they found Daniel Monroe is testament that they're not incompetent. According to Roderick, Daniel (the leader of the disbanded militia Freedom 13) was living "off the grid" and Roderick, whom had extensive contact with him, didn't even know where he lived. Some other feats the FBI have accomplished so far are: finding and raiding the farmhouse, killing Paul, saving Joey, finding the house even though Roderick had tampered with the property records, killing Joe Carroll (depending on the outcome in Season 2), saving Claire from being kidnapped by Roderick and Vince at the motel, captured Roderick, saved the surrogate Claire Matthews from being killed by Amanda, capturing Alex Lipton during his sniper shootout scene, deducing the massacre would occur at the evacuation center, and killing/imprisoning most of the cult members.
The next argument made really doesn't make any sense to me. According to them, Joe Carroll and his cult have ridiculous resources and influence.
Let's start with the first; resources. I assume what these people are talking about is the military presence in the cult. This was thoroughly explained, their tactical resources came from old Freedom 13 members due to Roderick's friendship with Daniel Monroe. Their technological expertise came from the Freedom 13 members and Charlie Mead who was a Corporal in a Cyber Surveillance Unit in the Military.
The influence the cult had was due to it's charismatic leader Joe Carroll. He recruited followers from inside and outside of prison, in addition to Roderick recruiting when Joe was in prison. Some people have been quick to say that the idea of Joe recruiting from inside prison is preposterous. However, when Joe was using the internet while in prison, the guard monitoring was Jordy, whom Joe had befriended and manipulated due to his cult susceptibility. As for Joe's ability to get people to do his bidding, that's the whole premise of the show. If you're going to attempt to reject Joe's ability to manipulate being plausible, I suggest you watch a show that isn't about a cult.
The last common argument is that the plot is apparently convenient and doesn't make sense. Some alleged examples of this are Claire's surrender to the cult, the followers conveniently appearing, Joe escaping from prison twice, and the house the cult lives in.
The first is Claire's surrender. Claire gave herself up to the cult in order to see her son, it's not like she arbitrarily did it for no reason. She even said when she did it "take me to my son". If your son was kidnapped by a cult of serial killers and the FBI had not found him in a considerable amount of time, I doubt you would be thinking clearly.
As for followers "conveniently" appearing. The only possible instance of this is the blonde police officer from the raid on the farmhouse. But, Roderick had assigned her there beforehand, it's not like she joined the police force the day before.
Joe escaped from custody twice causing people to ignorantly say "look! the police are stupid!". Jeez, if only I could think of another serial killer who did the EXACT SAME THING. Ted Bundy, the murderer of 36 women escaped from custody twice, and he did it without the help of a cult of serial killers.
Last, "how does a cult of serial killers live in a house without being discovered?" Well, Roderick was the Sheriff of the town in which the house was located. He had access to the property records and modified them to essentially hide the house. Plus, they didn't have any neighbors.
In conclusion, most of the arguments made against this show can easily be debunked. Also, most of the reviews don't even bring up actual points, they just say "The writing is bad" without giving any evidence to support it. -
pastoref121 January 2013The writing was good creating tension and setting the scene for following episodes. The play between Kevin Bacon's character as the flawed former FBI agent and James Purefoy as the serial killer is excellent. Purefoy's character is both frightening and compelling fleshing out a complex character that plays well against Kevin Bacon's powerful portrayal as the former FBI agent. Good first start. Similar to the FBI character in The Red Dragon, Bacon is struggling to come to terms with his experience with the killer. The supporting characters are also very good and there are enough twists and turns to satisfy most of those who like thrillers. The one flaw is that in a one hours time limit the end became a bit predictable. However, this is forgivable because of the quality of the writing. It leaves enough hanging to compel me to watch the next episode.
-
elene-botha10 April 2013As a 21st century viewer I, of course, just had to come look if everybody loves this show as much as I do.... Disappointed much? But that is when I realized that this show has been wildly misunderstood by SO many people.
The first thing that makes this show so amazing is its cast; where I would think that Bacon would make a better villain than Purefoy, this show just pulls the rug from under you by making your favorite professor and dear father and husband, a manic serial killer with an Edgar Allan Poe obsession. Bacon, on the other hand, who I thought would never be more than 1984 Ren McCormack, becomes the resident hottie and troubled good-guy. Other stunning performances include the Elektra-complexed Valorie Curry and the not-meant-to-be-a-follower Warren Kole.
I have watched (not battled as some users have stated) and thoroughly enjoyed every realistic (yes, I think it is very believable) moment of this intensely complicated show. Therefore I think it is also just fair to note how brilliantly this show is written! Kevin Williamson, who also brought us The Vampire Diaries (which I don't think is believable, by the way), Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, to me, showed with this series his true talents as an immensely talented horror-writer capable of reaching places in the human psyche that is not very often reached in post-modern television.
Bravo! With an amazing show, cannot wait to see what the final will bring... -
TdSmth531 May 2013They tried to sell this as a serial-killer-of-the-week series but it's nothing of the sort.
The first third of The Following is actually pretty interesting. You have people committing suicides or killings with a message and the FBI is trying to figure out what is going on.
What is going on is that a former literature professor named Joe Carroll, now imprisoned, somehow managed to create a following of lunatics ready to kill and/or be killed for him/his ideas. His ideas amount to a bunch of self-help yet self-destructive pronouncements on life, death, beauty and E.A. Poe-inspired imagery. What Carroll is after is a reunion with his wife and son and to write his reality-based masterpiece.
The FBI reluctantly recruits a reluctant disgraced former agent, Ryan Hardy, who was responsible for the investigation that put Carroll in jail in the first place- since Carroll was a serial killer himself.
And at first things are interesting and mysterious. But once Carroll gets what he wants and plays hide-and-seek with the FBI, things go downhill fast. And the inevitable confrontation between the good guy and the bad guy is anything but the mind blowing ending they promised. Sure, the final outcome is unusual, but nothing to rave about.
The Following should have been a strong series, it looks like it has a budget, cast, crew and some interesting ideas. But put together it doesn't work. James Purefoy's villain is terrible. There's the obligatory British accent, because you know, he's a professor and really smart, so he's got to be British. But his delivery of that accent is awful. His character is supposed to be super charismatic, he manages to get a bunch of people to die for him, yet Purefoy just can't convey an ounce of that supposed charisma. He's awfully dull, slow, lethargic, lame, and not at all brilliant.
But it's not just Purfoy's acting that is off. It's almost everyone else's too. Most actors are giving us their B or C game here, including the likable Shawn Ashmore, who makes a good sidekick to Hardy. The exception here are Bacon and Zea, who give truly outstanding performances and whose characters are the only compelling thing The Following. But they can't save the series from all its other faults.
Casting isn't convincing either. What is it that casting directors see in Annie Parisse? I didn't care for her in Person of Interest, nor in this. She did act a whole lot better in Person of Interest though. Then there's another secondary villain, in the person of the tiny Valorie Curry with a boy's haircut. Hollywood insist on this fantasy of minuscule anorexic females beating up on big guys.
Then there's the routine in which the series eventually settles. And that is that the bad guys are in constant god mode. They are everywhere, know everything, are always several steps ahead of the FBI, in fact, for every one step forward the FBI takes they end up taking two steps back- in each episode. Law enforcement has some goofy spanking new uniforms, but they are astonishingly clueless. Granted, the Boston events took place while the series had already been filmed I presume, but it doesn't take much of an imagination to figure that a post-9/11 manhunt for an escaped serial killer and his killer cult followers wouldn't look anything like the pathetic amateur operation shown on The Following. As a viewer rooting for the good guys, this show doesn't give you any reason to tune in to the next episode. You have one smart guy and a bunch of bozos going after an omniscient genius with an army of competent followers who are everywhere.
Some other annoyances I found, the whole big fuss made about homosexuality/bisexuality, which I guess is now mandatory in Hollywood but doesn't amount to anything in the end in this show. If crazy cultist killers aren't bad enough, you get crazy cultist killers who are of course militia members, too. I guess Kevin Williamson never really outgrew the 90s.
I finished watching this season just to see how it all turns out, not so much because I was compelled by its greatness. The Following could have been an edgy fascinating show, but instead it settled for widespread mediocrity. -
Maniac-930 January 2013Like I said this show is only 2 episodes so far but it's been the most intriguing and interesting new network TV show in quite sometime. This show has the same quality and intelligence of one of those shows that currently airs on FX, AMC or HBO. It's not your run of the mill boring CSI, Criminal Minds, NCIS rehash where they have 3 shows in the franchise where all the shows are the exact same show just set in a different city.
Kevin Bacon is a good choice to play the lead role of former FBI agent Ryan Hardy who's called back into action when the followers of the man he put away start killing in his name. Annie Parisse formerly of Law & Order joins the show as one of the agents in charge of the case. -
adehoces10 December 2013We are getting a lot of this lately: promising pilot that puts interesting themes on the table (serial killers, wacko-like cult, dark literature, Poe...) only to throw everything off the window.
The serial killer is supposed to be obsessed with Poe's work; he's killed quite a few young ladies just to enjoy the beauty of death in their eyes, blah blah blah. But once he's on the loose he just doesn't seem to feel the need anymore. All he wants is his wife back, apparently. For all the potential the character has (deeply disturbed manipulative psychopath, cult leader, Gothic literature Phd or whatever), most of the time he's just a regular folk walking around a house (that by the way looks nothing like a house inhabited exclusively by lunatics might look), occasionally embarrassing himself with a cheap impersonation of Hannibal Lecter ("I certainly felt a... rushhhhh" -- how terrible!).
It all feels like the writers had a somewhat good idea, produced the pilot and once the show got approved they had no clue of what to do with it and went for lazy, clichéd writing. Dumb characters making idiotic decisions, totally incompetent FBI agents just waiting for the oh so tortured dark hero to figure everything out just in time for the baddies to get away after a chase and some gunfire, enough deux ex machina to bury all the cast below it.
This should have been profound, dark and disturbing give the themes, but its just a childish soap opera in the end. Makes "Criminal Mind" looks like "Silence of the Lambs".
Avoid. Seriously. -
stefgrig24 April 2013I really tried to like this series. James Purefoy is excellent as the brilliant psycho , and Kevin Bacon is not bad at all.
But this turned out to be a comedy. Its just one screwup after another. Almost slapstick. They took it too far. Nobody can be this incompetent. And nothing subtle or minor , HUGE screw-ups.
*spoiler alert* At one point a bad guy cuffed to a radiator suggests the FBI agent leaves the room so he can get better cell reception, and the agent actually does it. I don't mind a bit shallow or cliché , but this is too much times ten. *spoiler alert end*
It is embarrassing to watch. -
sgodiksen15 June 2018One of my favorite action thriller tv shows I've ever seen. Don't pay attention to the harsh criticism. This show is full of action and chilling turning events that make you watch episode after episode
-
nowego22 January 2013I just watched the Pilot episode and while I enjoyed it, I am not sure I am going to be a huge fan.
Kevin Bacon plays a retired FBI agent, Ryan Hardy, who captured serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy). In the act of capturing him and saving one of the victims he is stabbed and nearly killed and now must have a pace maker to keep him alive.
Joe Caroll escapes and from death row and comes after the last victim who he was unable to kill and Hardy must try to stop him.
The love interest played by Natalie Zea, who happens to be Joe Caroll's ex wife and Ryan Hardy's ex lover makes for interesting viewing.
While the pilot really only just gets the show started it lays the foundation for what is obviously to come in future episodes.
I like Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy and will be watching future episodes at least to see where it goes.
It has potential and hopefully it won't be canceled before it reaches it's conclusion. -
proto5723 March 2013Like many here, I was intrigued by episode 1... and thought that a great new show was here. By about show 3, I had filled my quota of suspended disbelief, and could not longer enjoy it... I was just slogging through a painful experience, long enough to see what would happen next.
Trouble is, each time what "happens next" is even more ridiculous than what happened before. The total bumbling ineptitude of law enforcement is laughable. We ought to all go hide in bunkers if the FBI, CIA, local police and prison staff are all really this stupid.
The list of ridiculous events and actions are endless... the woman sneaking from police custody to meet a cultist, on the promise of seeing her son, so she can be captured. The Bacon character entering a house with his back to the front door, looking up a staircase, when he knows there are killers everywhere. A few short words from Bacon, talking a woman out of killing that person with a nail gun, even though she is supposedly totally cult-washed into doing it. No, one minute with Bacon, and she changed her mind.
And having new cultists pop up any time the lazy writers need another one, to kill someone new, or provide some small function. People get captured, then escape, then new ones get captured, and others escape... who will care any more about anyone being captured, or escaping, since it looks so easy, and might happen at any moment, to any character? Meanwhile, I'm no psychologist, but more the reason to make a case WHY these people would be so compelled to follow this douche-bag anyway. I suppose his schwarmy, s*** eating grin permanently tattooed to his face is supposed to be hypnotic, and make people want to torture and kill for him, but to me he just looks spacey and clueless all the time. They don't make the case for him as a cult leader, at all, for me.
And I like Kevin Bacon. I'm even 2 degrees from Kevin Bacon! For his sake, I do hope they cancel this... so this dog can be forgotten, and he can go on to repair his career.
And here I'll add the funniest line from the show. The Bacon character, after being taken off the case, again, for absolutely screwing things up, again, says to his sidekick, "Well... they have to blame SOMEBODY." Really? Do you think? I wonder why they picked YOU, of all people? Its not like you let the guy go like thirty-five times, and got 12 people killed, and 40 captured, is it? No, they just picked YOU out of a hat...