Emmet: Introducing the double-decker couch, so everyone can watch TV together and be buddies.
Wildstyle: That's literally the dumbest thing I ever heard.
Vitruvius: Wildstyle, let me handle this. That idea....is just....the worst.
Emmet (Chris Pratt), Wildstyle (Elizabeth Banks) and Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman) in The Lego Movie (2014)
NBC's Siberia Is the Best Show on TV That You Never Knew Existed
You've seen the ads for CBS's "Under the Dome" right?
Wow. Big supernatural dome. Lots of townspeople with secrets. Fun storybook adaptation. But does it seem...real? From the actors to the CGI to the film quality - the show is so pretty-looking. It looks like "Once Upon a Time" or even "Revolution".
Not your thing?
Here's a secret: Instead of tuning in to CBS on Mondays at 10, flip your remote to NBC for its rookie serial thriller, "Siberia."
I usually do season-end recaps for TV shows I watch, but with Siberia's unspectacular ratings, its immediate future is very much in danger. And I am not going to stand by and let a good show go to waste.
NBC has done hardly any advertising for this small-stakes show that was picked up, already financed and produced, from some independent producers. (I think NBC just needed something to fill up a summer slot.) I feel like "Siberia" mainly suffers from the fact that most people just...don't know it exists.
THE FACTS
Created By: Matthew Arnold
Starring: Johnny Wactor, Daniel Sutton, Neeko O.J. Skervin, Natalie Scheetz, Sam Dobbins, Esther Anderson, Tommy Mountain, George Dickson, Anne-Marie Mueschke, Joyce "Carolina" Giraud, Miljan Milosevic, Berglind Icey, Irene Szuchun Yee, Harpreet Turka, Victoria Hill, Sabina Akhmedova
Fate: TBD, but not looking good.
Think: Lost meets Survivor
Tagline: What happens when a reality show goes terribly wrong...
WHAT HAPPENS? (Minor Spoilers)
Everything starts off fine and dandy. The rules of the game are simple: 16 contestants (with cameramen) will be left in a forsaken area of Siberia. Survive in whatever way possible. Be the last one standing and win prize money. No other rules. There's one way to be eliminated: When you can't take it anymore, press a button and we'll come get you via helicopter.
But after one contestant is killed in an unexplained accident, a chain of strange events begins to happen.
And as the series progresses...things go from bad to worse.
"Siberia" is brilliant and in more than one way.
First, it makes financial sense. Reality shows are the cheapest shows to make. So why not take the "reality" aspect out of it and make a program starring relatively unknown actors as the "everyday people" who come to compete? And have free reign to do whatever you want with the plot, believable or not?
Second, it mashes fiction and reality in a way you've never seen before. "Siberia" is a work of fiction, but presented AS THOUGH it is a real, actual reality show. (At least, at first.) From NBC's website to the Survivor-eqsue show intro to the handheld cameras to the personal interviews to the decision to use the actors' actual names in the show...one can certainly been fooled. The show is presented in a found-footage style, much like ABC's "The River" or "Cloverfield", which is addresses in the plot. The cameramen consequently become minor characters who have no idea what's going on. This device makes "Siberia" feel like a reality show, but is also used to add another a level of creepiness. And it guarantees no one's safety.
Third, the plot is...somewhat...realistic. The show begins just like any other survivor game show would. The producers selected a wide variety of personalities and ethnicities for their contestants, who, at first, are all in good spirits and have high hopes of winning. But as strange and horrible things begin to happen, (most of) these contestants react just like...you or I would. Now, of course, of the occurrences themselves, some are very improbable. But the acting is so impressive that you believe that you're watching real contestants - real everyday people - experience these events. It's one thing to play a character in a TV show - it's another thing entirely to play an everyday person thrown into a new environment, with new people and a great crisis. The lines are delivered imperfectly - with stutters, poor wording - like in an actual reality show. (This makes me wonder if the actors are given a script as a guide and are given room to improvise.) The plot balances investigations into old mysteries along with the introduction of new challenges. And while doing so, "Siberia" still remembers to focus on characters first.
And that's my last point. Beneath all the mystery and conspiracy and arguments..."Siberia" examines humanity. It shows how a crisis can bring people together or tear them apart; how people who entered the show as rivals can drop their previous hatreds and work together. As we delve deeper into the series, we also delve deeper into the characters. We learn more about each - their morals, their values, their feelings, their histories and their motivations.
Still, "Siberia" is far from perfect. First, you need to understand and accept that NBC is not *really* trying to make you believe "Siberia" is a reality show. (Many people don't and miss the purpose of the show.) Another shortcoming of the show is that when you think of logistics, some things have not been explained - especially with regards to the cameramen. How do they have unlimited battery and tape? Where do they stay at night? How many are there? Why don't they help the contestants or panic when something bad happens? How do they get food? There are also a few contrived plot points (especially with regard to the romantic tensions) that make things interesting, but would never happen in real life. And, of course, the rules and setup of the game itself is highly unethical. And it would never continue following the death of a contestant.
------------------------------
For years, production companies & audiences have been looking for the next big sustainable supernatural thriller.
And ladies and gentlemen...this television underdog could be it.
But it needs better ratings if its going to be a survivor.
The Contestants (and their professions).
(L to R, back row): Harpreet (grad student), Irene (fashion designer), Berglind (photo journalist), Victoria (sales clerk), Johnny (bull rider), Natalie (vet asst), Tommy (philanthropist), Annie (graphic artist), Miljan (DJ), Esther (model), Sabina (solider), George (accountant).
(L to R, front row): Carolina (bartender), Daniel (programmer), Jonathon (the host of "Siberia"), Neeko (pro rugby player), Sam (auto mechanic).
Want to be a Bar Mitzvah DJ in the 21st Century?
Great! You've come to the right place!
It's simple, really. People don't want an entertainer. They just want music. So all you need to become a Bar Mitzvah DJ is this playlist! And that's it - you'll be good to go!
My qualifications? I've been to more than 5 Bar Mitzvah parties. While that number is actually probably in the sixties, 5 is really all one needs to get the hang of it. (Or we can make it 7, the magic Jewish number.)
And I (to probably a 10% degree of uncertainty) have heard all of the belowmentioned songs played multiple times at various Bar & Bat Mitzvahs.
Let's begin!
SCHEDULE OF SONGS AND WHEN TO PLAY THEM
7:00: People walk in, drop off a present and look for alcohol. This is easy. Just play....
Various Jazz & Swing. (Put on a Pandora station or something & you'll be fine.)
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8:00: People attempt to dance in a circle in various directions, leaving unfortunate non-Jewish 7th graders trapped in the middle. Many Bar Mitzvah veterans decide to stand outside the circle and clap. You need...
The "Mazel Tov" Super-Hora Klezmer Megamix*
*This title may refer to a variety of different versions. These can often feature hits ranging from "Heiveinu Shalom Aleichem" to "Artza Aleinu" to "Mayim" to "Hava Nagila" to virtually any other song that involves a trumpet. This song traditionally lasts about 10 to 59 minutes.
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8:45: Now direct the sweaty suit-clad crowd to sit and eat dinner. Old people who can no longer digest food may get up and slow dance to avoid getting trampled later on in the evening. Here are some classics for them.
"Have I Told You Lately" by Rod Stewart
"Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole
"All My Life" by K-Ci and Jo-Jo
"At Last" by Etta James
"Mack the Knife" by Ella Fitzgerald
"When the Saints" by Louis Armstrong
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler
Anything by Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett or the Andrews Sisters
Okay you understand the genre right? Anything from this era and of this tempo goes.
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9:05: Kids will typically wolf down their pasta in 12 minutes, so 9:05 is pushing it. Now is time to pull something from your small arsenal of games. Most of these can be drawn out, so choose one or two of the following. It is customary to grant the Bar Mitzvah kid extra lives in these games. Do not do this. It is biased, unfair, humiliating and I SHOULD HAVE beaten Andrew Goldstein because that &*%$ didn't dance during "7-UP" and that's &*%$ing bull$@%#!!!
9:30: Digesting dinner is their problem, not yours! Get everyone up for some line dances and other dances that come prepackaged with moves. How to get people up? When crowds hear the first bass drop of the Cha Cha Slide, they'll go crazy. Start with that and they're yours.
"The Cha Cha Slide, Part 2" by DJ Casper
"The Electric Slide" by Marcia Griffiths
"Cupid Shuffle" by Cupid
"Macarena" by Los Del Rio
"Cotton-Eyed Joe" by Rednex
"YMCA" by the Village People
"Jump on It" by the Sugarhill Gang
A popular rap song such as "Dougie" or "Wobble" or "Crank Dat"
"The Twist" (or) "Let's Twist Again" by Chubby Checker
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10:15: The Bar Mitzvah Video Slide Show OR Candle-Lighting Ceremony. Usually songs will be provided to you for these. If not, here are some safe bets:
"You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift [Intro Montage]
"You've Got a Friend in Me" by Randy Newman [Friends]
"You'll Be In My Heart" by Phil Collins (or Usher) [Parents]
"You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban [Grandparents]
"I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack [Deceased people?]
"A Hundred Years" by Five for Fighting [I don't know - Siblings?]
"Good Riddance" by Green Day [The End]
Note the common theme of these song titles. They are generally in the format "You [something] [preposition] Me/My [optional modifier]"
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10:30: It's time to get sexy...ish. Here's some insanely vulgar Top 40 music for the kids (and the 4 grown-ups who just don't get it/had too much to drink). This changes yearly, but here's a taste of 2013. A good rule of thumb is - If 2013, use songs from 2012 or earlier. And since this was written in 2013, that's what we've done here. Titles followed by a (+) are those I deem 100% appropriate for Bar Mitzvahs.
"Sexy & I Know It" by LMFAO
"We Found Love" by Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris
"What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction (+)
"Whistle" by Flo Rida
"Titanium" by David Guetta feat. Sia
"Turn Me On" by David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj
"We Are Never Getting Back Together" by Taylor Swift (+)
"Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5
"Good Time" by Owl City & Carly Ray Jepsen (+)
"N****s in Paris" by Jay-Z and Kanye West
"Scream" by Usher
"Rack City" by Tyga
"Gangnam Style" by PSY
"International Love" by Pitbull feat. Chris Brown
"Dance (A$$)" by Big Sean feat. Nicki Minaj
You may add the following songs from other years as well. Here are what I deem (using absolutely no statistical methodology) the top-played Bar Mitzvah song of each of the past 10 years (from 2001-2011):
"Ms.Jackson" by Outkast [2001]
"Hot In Here" by Nelly [2002]
"He Ya" by Outkast [2003] †
"Yeah" by Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris [2004]
"Lose Control" by Missy Elliott feat. Ciara & Fat Man Scoop [2005]
"Promiscuous" by Nelly Furtado feat. Timbaland [2006]
"Smack That" by Akon [2007]
"Low" by Flo Rida feat. T-Pain [2008]
"Just Dance" by Lady Gaga feat. Colby O'Donis [2009]
"Dynamite" by Taio Cruz [2010]
"Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO feat. GoonRock & Lauren Bennett [2011]
IMPORTANT: To avoid being fired or worse, you MUST ALWAYS include 2009's "I Gotta Feeling," by the Black Eyed Peas, which solidified itself in the unofficial "Bar Mitzvah Playlist Hall of Fame" with its inclusion of "mazel tov" & "l'chaim", despite other suggestive, pro-drug and violent lyrics such as "take it off", "feel the shot, body rock" & "let's burn the roof.")
† 2003 was a great year for Bar Mitzvah songs. "Hey Ya" barely comes in first ahead of:
"Get Low" by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz [2003]
"In da Club" by 50 Cent [2003]
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11:00: Girls get tired of dancing in a circle. Boys discover they can chase each other around without getting in trouble. The young adults slowly start to take over. Time for a rare, yet brief period of good dancing music from the late 1990's / early 2000's.
"Livin' La Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin
"Waiting For Tonight" by Jennifer Lopez
"Bye Bye Bye" by *NSYNC
"I Want it That Way" by the Backstreet Boys
"...Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears
"Smooth" by Santana feat. Rob Thomas
"All Star" by Smash Mouth
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11:15: Enough of that. The People don't want that. The People are the Parents. And the Parents...want disco.
"Celebration" by Kool & the Gang
"Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees
"Rainin' Men" by the Weather Girls
"I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor
"Love Shack" by the B52's
"September" by Earth, Wind & Fire
"I Want You Back" by the Jackson Five"
"Shake Your Booty" by KC & the Sunshine Band
"That's the Way (I Like It)" by KC & the Sunshine Band
"Get Down Tonight" by KC & the Sunshine Band
Anything by KC & the Sunshine Band
"Old Time Rock n Roll" by Bob Seger
"Funkytown" by Lipps, Inc.
"Blame it on the Boogie" by the Jackson Five
"We Are Family" by Sister Sledge
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12:15: You can now start sneaking in songs that were recorded before most of the adults were born.
"Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis
"Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley
"Jump Jive & Wail" by Brian Setzer
"Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley
"Zoot Suit Riot" by Cherry Poppin' Daddies
"Respect" by Aretha Franklin
And so on and so forth.
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12:45: Now go make the Bar Mitzvah kid hug everyone who lasted this long, so he or she can expose him- or herself to as many germs as possible. It's a great idea to shove the microphone into shy people's faces & embarrass them. Avoid the ones who are greedily eying the mic as it comes closer. This is the moment they've been waiting for.
"That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Elton John & Stevie Wonder
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12:50: You've got to have closure, so the remaining 12 conscious and/or drunk people can dance to:
"Last Dance" by Donna Summer
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Mazel tov! You've successfully DJ-ed a Bar Mitzvah!
Now go see if there's any leftover expensive food in the kitchen.
You deserve it.
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Sound off: Are there any songs I'm missing? Should any of the songs listed be taken off the list? Replaced?
One glance at the trailer and I thought, "Do we really need another post-apocalyptic Earth movie?"
TRAILER #1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj40MJU-tn4
This Summer alone brought 4 major blockbusters about the end of Earth (which is destroyed in various ways)....
Oblivion (April) - War
After Earth (May) - Environmental Issues
This is the End (June) - Armageddon
World War Z (June) - Zombies
As well as the following movies about general chaos in America:
Olympus Has Fallen (March) - Terrorists
Star Trek: Into Darkness (May) - Terrorists
White House Down (June) - Terrorists
The Purge (June) - A Really, Really Bad Idea
And we'll be seeing even more end-of-the-world/post-end-of-the-world films in the following months:
The World's End (August) - Zombies
Ender's Game (November) - Aliens
and, of course,
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Evil Government
But nonetheless, I had nothing to do & I accepted my friend's invitation to go see Guillermo del Toro's newest flick.
The premise: Really big aliens are attacking Earth, so we have decided to fight back by building giant versions of the "Real Steel" robots and punching the aliens in the face. Okay.
So, as I like to do, let's go through the movie, organizing by aspect.
I actually think the Sydney Opera House goes unscathed in this scene.
ACTING: Decent acting by most of the cast, but Idris Elba steals the show as the stone-faced commanding officer with a serious secret (that you can probably guess). Charlie Day's "Dr.Geizler" and Ron Pearlman's "Hannibal Chau" have some memorable moments as well. Unfortunately, the two "leads" - Charlie Hunnam as Raleigh Beckett & Rinko Kikuchi as Mako Mori are average and very forgettable.
Hunnam & Kikuchi are pretty average leads.
ACTION: I expected the film start off slow with a 30-minute introduction to the conflict. But, right from the beginning, we are introduced to a world that has been fighting the kaiju for years! Our story begins with the withdrawal of government support for the jaeger program, leaving Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba) to fight the kaiju with only a handful of robots and staff. What follows is a series of old-school monster-smashing through cities & fun good-old-fashioned fist-fighting. Except - it's between giants. But what the trailer doesn't show - is that both the aliens & the robots have a few tricks up their sleeves - er - limbs. The destruction shown is so ridiculous, its almost unbelievable. But the CGI is pretty damn impressive, even for 2013. These robots could smash a Michael Bay Transformer in a single blow. I could not help thinking that this would have been unbelievable had it been released in 2000. If you want a summer action film, this is the film to see.
MUSIC: Rarely, when in a movie, do I make the conscious decision to look up the soundtrack later on. (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe [Harry Gregson-Williams] and Sherlock Holmes [Hans Zimmer] both come to mind.) "Pacific Rim" has a fun, action-packed score which keeps up the quick-moving adventure-filled pace. And when the music changes to a country-rock track before a 3-on-2 Robot vs. Alien fistfight, you can't help but crack a smile. The score was composed by up-and-coming German composer, Ramin Djawadi, whose name I recognized from the soundtrack to "Person of Interest". Djawadi has been busy over the past few years, most recently scoring 2012's "Red Dawn", "Safe House" and TV's "Game of Thrones."
Ramin Djawadi
HUMOR: It's a serious film with immense consequences for our Earth if our heroes fail, but del Toro never fails to throw in some laughs. (Such as when, in Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Hellboy [Ron Pearlman again] and his alien pal Abe get drunk & sing an entire Barry Manilow song.) The aliens don't speak, but Becket & the jaeger-controllers have a couple Spider-man-esque quips for them, although I certainly would have liked more. We also follow a pair of goofy scientists (Charlie Day & Burn Gorman) who quibble with each other about the best method of stopping alien attacks. Though on a serious mission, their journey is slightly more light-hearted & Gorman's Cockney accent (he actually says "By Jove") is sure to add some smiles. There's also a brilliant joke inserted in the middle of a fight scene that I won't spoil.
Burn Gorman & Charlie Day provide comic relief & an important plot point.
VERDICT: If "Pacific Rim" is up for any awards, it will (only) be in a digital effects category. The CGI is simply stunning. You cannot guess where the actual footage ends and the CGI begins. I realized that "Pacific Rim" was advertised as a serious end-of-the-world story. But it is not a dark film - at least story-wise (I think it is night for 90% of the film). It isn't a commentary on "what happens if we let [blank] go on and it gets out of control". Had I put together the trailer, I would have teased more action. Because if you like action, you're in for a solid 2 hours of fun.
IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE CREDITS?
Yes, in the middle of the credits! Stay a few extra seconds for a fun bonus clip!
Elrond: "I need to go on ahead."
Tauriel: "I'm coming with you."
A new photo of Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug has been released! You can check out what she said about the character here -- http://bit.ly/13FpPWu
Person of Interest Season 2 Cashes in on Season 1 Investments
Created By: Jonathan Nolan
Starring: Jim Caviezel, Michael Emerson, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Chapman
Fate: Renewed for Season 3.
Think: CSI with a Modern-Day Twist
Tagline: "They stop crime before it happens."
“You are being watched. The government has a secret system: a machine that spies on you every hour of every day. I designed the machine to detect acts of terror, but it sees everything. Violent crimes involving ordinary people. The government considers these people irrelevant. We don't. Hunted by the authorities, we work in secret. You’ll never find us, but victim or perpetrator, if your number’s up…we’ll find you.”
- Finch (Michael Emerson), “Person of Interest” Season 2 Intro
(Spoilers from Season 1 ahead. Read about and watch Season 1 first. Or watch a very quick recap.)
What Happens?
The first season's finale makes for an interesting start to Season 2. Finch is kidnapped by the mysterious Root, putting the safety of the Machine in danger. Fusco and Carter finally learn that they have both been working for the same man - Finch. And Reese is left to find Finch alone - with the Machine's help of course.
Luckily, the missing-Finch scenario is solved rather quickly and the duo soon gets back to work. And now they have Carter and Fusco on their team, giving them insider access to police data and a mole in HR. The four of them make sort of a super-team, each playing a vital role in saving each Person of Interest. And as the season goes on, Finch & Reese begin to befriend more and more allies on whom they can call for occasional favors, including Leon the money-launderer, Zoe the "fixer" from season 1, a mysterious newcomer who has a similar occupation to Reese and "Bear," their adopted attack dog.
Person of Interest may appear to be a episodic TV show, with a new SSN every week, but its mythology is surprisingly rich and complicated. The writers planted many seeds in the first season which come to fruition in the second season. Our heroes tangle with villains both old (including Root, Elias and Agent Snow) and new (such as the mysterious head of HR, a government official who knows about the machine, and a presumed-dead figure from the past who comes back to haunt our heroes). We also learn more about the history of the Machine through flashbacks that chronicle how Finch became to be involved in his "project" and more about his shady past.
As if saving a life per week isn't enough, Reese and Finch must also deal with the FBI's intensifying search for the "Man in the Suit" (why can't you wear something else Reese?!) as well as a virus that threatens to destroy the Machine. Carter and Fusco are busy with problems of their own too. Carter suspects her new co-worker love interest may be on "the take" from HR & she is dragged into the "Man in the Suit" case by Special Agent Donnelly to prove herself worthy of a promotion. Fusco's sketchy past begins to catch up with him, while he must attempt to juggle helping Finch/Reese, Carter and HR.
The action-packed season culminates in a finale that will change everything for all of our heroes and all of their enemies.
Should You Watch?
While not a common occurrence in television, the second season was even better than the first.
The acting is superb, the special "Machine"-effects are neat, the plot is brilliant and, like "Lost" once did, the show balances the introduction of new mysteries with the answering of the old.
Every episode of "Person of Interest" is different and each has a unique twist or turn. A man who's living under another man's name? A surgeon who is both a victim and perpetrator at the same time? A couple who each ordered his/her spouse assassinated? A group of 6 names who are all dead? A man who attempts to find his own murderer? A person who isn't real? These are some of the mysteries that our heroes must solve in Season 2.
Flashbacks add another layer to the series-wide story arc, which include such revelations such as: why Finch decided to install the "backdoor" to the Machine, what happened to his partner Nathan and (finally) what happened to Finch that caused him to limp?
So yes, absolutely watch this season - but to really enjoy all of the references and flashbacks, I recommend watching the first season before starting this one.
Is it being renewed?
Yes, and rightfully so.
Worst Episode
2x04: "Triggerman"
This episode was not very intriguing, a rarity in this season. It focuses around a mob enforcer who fell in love with the widow of a man he killed. When he finds out her life is in danger, he attempts to kill his boss. The only interesting part of the episode is when Finch turns to an unlikely source for information.
Best Episodes
2x17: "Proteus"
Reese, Finch and new ally Alan Fahey are trapped in a police station on an island experiencing severe weather. Communications are knocked out and there is no way to leave the island until the weather lets up. But their Person of Interest is a serial killer and he (or she) is one of the ten-or-so people that are huddled inside. But can the trio find out who it is before he/she kills again? Meanwhile, Carter and Beecher decide to drive out to the island, but tensions between them begin to erupt. This episode had a neat detective-like narrative, and had a very Agatha Christie-esque feel.
2x22: "God Mode" (Warning: Spoilers in the Promo)
Reese and Finch, each teamed up with an unexpected ally, as well as Special Counsel's forces all race to find the Machine first. Detective Carter discovers another dirty cop in the police force and makes a very risky decision based on this discovery. Meanwhile, the Machine activates "God Mode," which gives its administrator unlimited access to its wealth of knowledg. And the way in which the chosen administrator uses this privilege gives this episode a super cool James Bond flavor.
[Starring cast: Harold Finch (Emerson), Lionel Fusco (Chapman), Joss Carter (Henson) and John Reese (Caviezel)]
Starring: Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, Natalie Zea, Annie Parisse, Shawn Ashmore, Valorie Curry, Nico Tortorella, Adan Canto
Fate: Renewed for Season 2
Think: "24" meets "The Raven (2012)" meets "Cult".
Tagline: “Even serial killers have friends."
Episodes: 15
"Carroll was convicted in 2004 for the murders of fourteen young women..."
I started following "The Following" not because of the interesting storyline, but to see some familiar faces - Kevin Bacon (X-Men: First Class), Shawn Ashmore (X-Men Trilogy), Jeananne Goossen (Alcatraz) and Maggie Grace (Lost). Goossen and Grace were actually written out of the series after the pilot, but the first episode got me hooked. The Following is not your average slow-paced plot-heavy crime show that always have a "let's find this guy" at the beginning and a "great, we found him" at the end.
The Following starts out with a bang and it keeps its fast pace throughout the first few episodes. The episodes don't waste any time with characters talking about plans of action. They immediately go after any leads and keep the plot going without a break.
We are quickly introduced to our villain, Joe Carroll (James Purefoy), a serial killer who's creepiness stems from the fact that he seems almost normal and completely composed; our hero, Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), the man who put Carroll behind bars, who is brought back to the FBI after being discharged; and Claire Matthews (Natalie Zea), the woman who has won over the hearts of both men.
WHAT HAPPENS? (Minimal Spoilers)
Ryan Hardy, the world's expert on Carroll, is called out of "retirement" when the serial killer escapes from prison in gloriously gory fashion. After Carroll is caught soon after, we learn that he is not alone in his quest to spread the message of "death is awesome" to the world. Through flashbacks, we learn that Carroll was an English professor who was able to brainwash many of his students to join a murderous cult. The cult worships Carroll like a god and commits crimes (often in the style of Edgar Allen Poe's literary works) to win over their idol.
Meanwhile, the literary scholar Carroll claims that he is writing a book chronicling his battle of wits with Ryan Hardy. As the season progresses, we are introduced to new members of the cult - each of whom have a different background, a different reason for joining Carroll and a different plan. Carroll promises his cult members that each may have a chapter in his book in exchange for their loyalty.
Carroll is a brilliant mastermind and uses his cult members to set up challenge after challenge for Ryan. Assisted by his partners Special Agent Debra Parker (Annie Parisse) and FBI Agent Mike Weston (Shawn Ashmore), Hardy has no choice but to play Carroll's game and attempt to bring down the cult, as well as save Claire's son, whom the cult kidnaps at the end of the first episode.
SHOULD YOU WATCH?
Here is what I took away from Season 1:
IT IS GORY. This is the bloodiest television show I have ever seen. You will see eyeball-stabbing, throat-slitting, head-axing, flesh-burning, neck-snapping, pillow-suffocating, stomach-knifing, floor-burying, brutal body-beating and more. Of course none of these are shown in entirety and many are implied, but some of the scenes were enough to make you sick to the stomach. A lot of people die in this series - I'd say about 6 people per episode is a good average. Be prepared for that. The good part of this is that...
NO ONE IS SAFE. Anyone can guess that Ryan Hardy and Joe Carroll make it to the finale, but other than that...do not get attached to any heroes or villains. The writers start out with a handful of characters, slowly introduce more, and then begin killing them off without mercy. This raises the stakes of the show (much like Lost did), as the viewer is constantly worried for the life of their favorite cop or cult member.
THERE ARE TWISTS. Anyone could be a cult member. Some suspects are creepy to begin with, but some are just as sweet as can be. Sometimes you'll guess right. Sometimes you'll guess wrong. By the end of the season you'll think you'll be able to tell, but you will never know for sure. The cult members are unpredictable and often will wait in dormancy for years before revealing themselves to be cold-blooded killers. They value loyalty to Joe greater than life itself, which effectively prevents the FBI from getting any solid information from questioning.
IT GETS REPETITIVE. In the middle of the season (say from episodes 6-12), the show starts to feel a little predictable and repetitive. The FBI will tell Hardy not to do anything stupid. Hardy will do something stupid. It will work. Ryan will find himself directly in contact with cult members. Ryan, Debra and Weston will investigate. There will be a scene in a dark building. Look out - behind you! Bad guys will pop out of nowhere. Bad guys get shot. Good guys fail to make significant progress. Claire will get upset with Ryan. The cult members will argue amongst themselves. Someone will question Carroll and he'll get mad. Carroll will call up Ryan on a phone and taunt him. Surprise! We find out that so-and-so is a cult member too! And so it goes.
THE MIDDLE OF THE SEASON GETS SLOPPY. By the middle of the season, the pace of the episodes starts to slow down. The formula gets repetitive (see above). The Poe references seem to vanish. Joe doesn't mention his book anymore and leaves all the killing up to his cult. Hardy's heart problem and alcoholism seem to have cured themselves. However, most of these factors return with the final three episodes.
YOU WILL LOSE ALL CONFIDENCE IN THE FBI. Usually they are clueless on what to do next, too late to save anyone and seem to take all direction from Ryan Hardy's hunches. For being an expert who is called out of his bed back to the Bureau, Ryan doesn't seem to be all too clever. Mostly, he's just as incompetent as the rest.
INTRA-CULT TENSIONS ARE INTERESTING. The show focuses on more than just the FBI's manhunt and Ryan Hardy's constant scowling. We are introduced to Emma, Jacob and Paul, a trio of cult members who, while hiding out together, begin to find that their relationships are more strained than they previously imagined.
THE FINALE...is exciting, but still predictable. I probably could have guessed the final 20 minutes of the episode. Still, it needed to set up Season 2 and there are only so many ways of doing so.
VERDICT: I enjoyed the acting on all parts, the production quality is great and the suspenseful music and cinematography is good. The first few episodes are great, but start to slow down mid-season. I almost stopped watching after a particularly sickening scene in episode 9, but I wanted to see how they would end the season. I would recommend watching the first handful of episodes if you enjoy cult psychology, Kevin Bacon playing a hero and can stand gore. But for the season as a whole, I probably would not watch "The Following" again and will not be back for Season 2. I read an article about The Following and I liked this point: the show is not frustrating because it is bad, but because it COULD be so great.
If I had to assign a grade: B-
Best Episode
1x02: "Chapter Two"
This is an ideal "The Following" episode. There are Poe-style murders. There is conflict between the cult members. There is a new cult member that Hardy catches and tries to question. We learn a bit about Claire and Ryan's relationship. We see some cult member flashbacks. We are introduced to the creepy Poe masks. Agent Parker proves her usefulness. And Ryan gets a small "win" over Joe by not "going with the plan". The ending is also very exciting.
(Left to Right) Jacob Wells (Tortorella), Emma Hill (Curry), Paul Torres (Canto), Joe Carroll (Purefoy), Claire Matthews (Zea), Joey Matthews, Ryan Hardy (Bacon), Mike Weston (Ashmore), Debra Parker (Parisse).
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