We've unfortunately missed the last few episodes of this season's 'The Following.' We tried to tape one episode, and it didn't work; then we taped 'Defiance,' but found out our VCR/DVR won't record anything we're not watching. So we were unable to watch 'The Following' whilst taping 'Defiance,' and because we thought we might like to keep 'Defiance' for our own video library, we made a choice and chose 'Defiance.'
Little did we realise that SyFy Channel was going to give an encore presentation of all the 'Defiance' episodes. We should have known; SyFy does that quite frequently with its new and more popular shows. We also should have checked the SyFy Channel schedule online. But we didn't.
We regret any disappointment this may have caused. We hope to find 'The Following' episodes we haven't seen online and review them for this blog soon; we also hope that in the meantime our readers will enjoy the 'Defiance' reviews we write.
Showing posts with label 'The Following' review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 'The Following' review. Show all posts
Sunday, 28 April 2013
Sunday, 14 April 2013
Review: 'The Following: The Curse'
Regrettably, we missed this episode of 'The Following,' and so are, for the nonce, unable to review it. We shall try to amend this as soon as possible, as the episode may be available for viewing online in a day or two. However, don't expect our review to post until at least Sunday next.
Sunday, 7 April 2013
Review: 'The Following: Whips and Regret'
This week, Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon, pictured) dives back into the bottle after having lost Claire Matthews (Natalie Zea) to Joe Carroll (James Purefoy). Agent Debra Parker (Annie Parisse) goes to pull him out of his funk, and the two end up following a clue to an S&M establishment, 'Whips and Regret.' Here they find that Vince McKinley (Christopher Denham), one of Carroll's followers, has been frequenting the place and using it as a method to smuggle explosives and the like.
Meanwhile, Carroll looks forward to meeting Matthews again and rekindling their relationship. Matthews, of course, only wants to see her son again. She has little freedom on the compound; in addition, her head was covered when she was brought there, so she doesn't know where she is. And, one may surmise, she isn't about to leave her son. She is being well guarded, and the followers have been given permission by Carroll to use force if necessary, as long as they don't hurt Matthews' face.
There is an interesting bit in this episode in which the FBI find a training compound used by Carroll's followers. The compound was, we thought, an intriguing idea, and the surprise which awaits the FBI there was equally compelling.
There are, of course, a few flaws to the show, one being that Matthews is pretty stupid; no-one in their right mind would allow themselves to be captured by a group of serial killers. However, the rest of the show is so far engaging enough to get past that.
Here's hoping the series continues to enthrall.
Sunday, 31 March 2013
Review: 'The Following: Guilt'
In this episode, Joe Carroll sends Roderick Nelson and a few other followers to get Carroll's ex-wife, Claire Matthews, from where she's been hiding with the FBI. Ryan Hardy is with her now, and when Carroll's followers come for Matthews, Hardy and Matthews duck out the back, narrowly escaping. The two go off-grid and end up at the home of an old friend of Hardy's, Tyson (David Zayas).
Tyson has been under witness protection for some time; he used to be FBI (he and Hardy went to Quantico together). He knows Hardy well, and can tell Matthews a few secrets. It's a good plot device, and keeps the viewer interested; however, we're not sure how Hardy is supposed to know where Tyson is being kept, since earlier episodes suggest Hardy doesn't have clearance to know such things.
Meanwhile, Emma Hill tries to apologise to Jacob Wells for having left him and Paul Torres to die. At first he's reluctant; then he warms to her advances; then he decides he might like to kill her -- and though this may sound a bit wishy-washy, it seems to make sense whilst you're watching.
Carroll is making headway with Joey, as well. He gets the boy to help him make S'mores, Joey's favourite food, and Joey begins to relax just a bit.
Of course, things go wrong for Hardy by the end of the episode, so we're left wondering what will happen next. But that's part of what's fun about a show like this.
Sunday, 24 March 2013
Review: 'The Following: Love Hurts'
Spoiler Alert!
'Love Hurts' is the theme for this episode, which has Joe Carroll sending out two of his followers -- Amanda Porter (played by Marin Ireland, pictured) and Louise Sinclair
-- to kill women with the same name as his ex-wife. Carroll intends for Hardy to think this manoeuvre is all about him, whilst in reality it is about trying to flush Claire Matthews out. Carroll knows that if Matthews finds out he's killing people with her name, she will come out of hiding to try and stop him.
Meanwhile, we finally get to find out what's happened to Paul Torres and Jacob Wells, who were abandoned by Emma Hill and left to die. Torres and Wells have holed up in the Wells family retreat. Then Wells' mum arrives, and his dad will soon follow -- and Daddy will certainly call the police.
Emma Hill is having her own problems; Carroll's lieutenant, Roderick, is giving her a hard time about her loyalties and the fact that she's sleeping with Carroll whilst away from her boyfriend, Wells. Add to that the fact that she can't seem to get Carroll to relax around her and commit to a relationship, and you have one miserable little psychopath.
There is a wonderful scene in which Ryan Hardy confesses his love for Claire Matthews whilst trying desperately to save a woman in Porter's clutches. Kevin Bacon exercises his acting chops in this scene, as does Marin Ireland, who is a nice foil.
One complaint: when Paul Torres is begging Jacob Wells to kill him, he echoes a line from Charlie Mead in a previous episode: 'I want my life to mean something.' These reviewers don't really see how dying in this case would cause Torres' life to mean anything, even in his twisted view. Still, this was a good episode.
Sunday, 17 March 2013
Review: 'The Following: Welcome Home'
James Carroll is free, with his followers and his son. Now all he needs is his ex-wife, Claire, and in this episode he sets out to find her. His lieutenant, Roderick (Warren Kole), helps him decide how, and soon Roderick takes a group of followers with him to capture and interrogate Agent Michael Weston (pictured).
We also find out why Roderick follows Carroll: Carroll is taking the blame for two murders Roderick committed. Carroll also teaches Roderick how to kill.
This is a tense episode, with quite a lot told from the point of view of Carroll and his followers. Weston is showcased, as well -- a nice change of pace, because this is a good character. There's a creepy moment in which Weston is followed, only to turn around in his motel room to find two of Carroll's followers already there.
On the homefront, we're introduced to Agent Nick Donovan (Mike Colter), who is going to head up the investigation from now on. He's by-the-book and obviously going to cause problems for Hardy, who Donovan wants to act as strictly a consultant. Donovan is a control freak when it comes to his work, and insists on having his say-so on everything; this already grates on the nerves of the FBI agents who are thus far used to doing things a bit more spur-of-the-moment. It will be interesting to see how Donovan's character develops in future episodes. And in the meantime, we have Hardy's bold-faced sarcasm to see us through.
Sunday, 10 March 2013
Review: 'The Following: Let Me Go'
Spoiler Alert!
In this installment, Joe Carroll complains about his mistreatment by the FBI and requests a transfer. Warden Gene Montero (Nestor Serrano) grants the transfer, much to the frustration of Ryan Hardy and the FBI. Hardy believes there's something going on behind the request; soon he's proven right, as Carroll masterminds another escape.
Meanwhile, Emma Hill brings Joey Matthews to another 'friend' -- this time it's Bo (Jacinto Taras Riddick), who isn't a follower of Carroll's but who is willing to help nonetheless. But Joey quickly discovers Bo has a woman (Audrey Esparza) being held captive in a cage, and he wants to help. This sets up a real problem between him and Bo, who isn't a nice guy at all. Charlie Mead (Tom Lipinski) makes another appearance, and helps Hill and Joey when they need it most.
When Carroll escapes, he enlists the aid of his attorney, Olivia Warren, who has been helping him for a while now because she's terrified of what he'll do if she doesn't. One can't help feeling sorry for her, because she's so cut up about what she's being forced to do -- and one can definitely understand why she's afraid. In this episode, Carroll rewards her for her aid with cruelty befitting a man of his type.
The woman in the cage is also connected to Carroll's escape; she's the daughter of Warden Montero, who granted Carroll's transfer because he was afraid for his daughter's life.
This episode continues the fast pace and action of the previous installments, and also proves that no-one, not even those helping Carroll, is safe.
Sunday, 3 March 2013
Review: 'The Following: The Fall'
This episode starts where the last one left off, with Ryan Hardy at gunpoint and in the kidnappers' custody. Here we see some nice interplay between Hardy and his captors as Hardy plays mind games to try to throw them off their game. He really knows how to get under their skins, particularly the men's; and whilst he's doing that, Debra Parker (Annie Parisse) tries to get inside Emma Hill's head.
Unfortunately for the kidnappers, they are now surrounded by the FBI, SWAT, local police, the state police, and anyone and everyone else Parker can think of to call to the scene. And the kidnappers are definitely feeling the pressure. None of them knows quite what to do now that their plan has gone awry, and no help is forthcoming.
Meanwhile, Claire Matthews has (quite stupidly) allowed herself to be driven to another location by Charlie Mead (Tom Lipinski, pictured), another of Joe Carroll's followers -- or, rather, one of hers. She believes she is going to see her son if she does what Mead says, but soon discovers things might not be that simple.
In this episode, we learn more about Parker's background and why she turned to this line of work. We also find out that, like Joe Carroll, the writers have a few surprises in store.
One thing about this series that can be off-putting (and which has cropped up in numerous reviews) is the fact that the police -- no matter how many there are or how prepared they are -- keep letting the bad guys slip through their fingers. It seems this is just something viewers will have to learn to accept (a bit of suspension of disbelief) if they want to accept the premise of the show itself, which is in part that Carroll's followers are everywhere. EVERYWHERE.
Sunday, 24 February 2013
Review: 'The Following: The Siege'
'The Following: The Siege,' Fox, 2013. Written by Rebecca Dameron. Directed by Phil Abraham. Starring Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, and Shawn Ashmore. Rated TV-14 for language, sexual situations, and violence. Airs 9.00 p.m. EST on Mondays.In this episode, Joe Carroll, convicted serial killer and bane of Ryan Hardy's existence, brings in attorney Olivia Warren (played by Renee Goldsberry, pictured). Although he's representing himself in his trial, Carroll wants Warren to deliver a message to the press for him: a reading from Edgar Allen Poe's 'Masque of the Red Death.' Warren knows very well that this reading is actually a signal of some sort to Carroll's followers (and Hardy knows it, too); but she's helping Carroll because she's afraid of him -- and she has good reason to be.
Carroll also has Warren deliver a private message to Claire Matthews, Carroll's ex-wife. If she wants to see her son again, she will go to a certain spot at a certain time, alone. As you can guess, Matthews does a very stupid thing in this episode; instead of telling the FBI what she knows, she evades her bodyguards and gets in a car with a stranger she realises must be one of Carroll's followers.
Meanwhile, Hardy and Agent Weston are on the trail of the kidnappers, who, unbeknownst to the FBI, have lost Joey. Hardy and Weston are one small step behind now, and enlist the help of the local police. Hardy and Weston split up; Hardy and a uniformed officer (alas, we didn't find out his name) canvass one way, and Weston and another officer (again, we have no name for her) go another way. Hardy is soon hot on the trail and discovers where the kidnappers have been keeping Joey.
The episode ends in a cliffhanger, ensuring viewers will tune in for the next installment.
Sunday, 17 February 2013
Review: 'The Following: Mad Love'
This chapter isn't actually planned by Joe Carroll; instead, one of his followers (Maggie Kester, who does a terrific job) goes rogue and seeks to kill Ryan Hardy. This is of course something Carroll doesn't want, as he wants Hardy to be the lead in his next book; but Kester is determined to exact revenge for her husband's death.
On the kidnapping front, we still have Emma Hill, Jacob Wells, and Paul Torres with Joey Matthews; but they also now have Torres' captive, Meghan Leeds (Li Jun Li). The consensus is that they must quickly kill Leeds and dispose of her body before anyone recognises Torres on the video tape at the shop where he picked up his victim. They also don't want Joey to find out about Leeds, so the deed must be done quietly.
But there's a hitch. Wells is keeping a secret -- a pretty big one -- from everyone, including Hill. This secret will forever change the dynamic of their group; and Torres is itching to tell.
Although they're still aberrant, the serial killers are starting to turn a bit human; this is perhaps to be expected, as the writers must keep viewers' attention. However, it's also a little unsettling -- perhaps what the writers want.
James Purefoy fans will be disappointed to see little of him in this episode; however, Kevin Bacon fans will rejoice at seeing the show's lead be given more background. Here we find out Hardy has a sister, Jenny (Susan Misner), with whom things are 'complicated.' Complicated, it seems, because of Hardy's hard drinking, which pushed her away from him.
Between the secrets and the revelations, this was an episode not to miss. If you haven't yet latched onto this series, do so now. So far, it's living up to its potential.
Sunday, 10 February 2013
Review: 'The Following: The Poet's Fire'
This episode starts off with a masked Rick Kester (pictured, played by Michael Drayer) giving a recitation of Edgar Allen Poe's 'The Raven.' He does a poor job of it (in our opinion), but the crowd is impressed -- and then Kester quite calmly sets fire to a man and walks away. No one tries to stop him or put out the fire.
It turns out Kester is something of a firebug. (For this reason, we thought it a little odd he didn't stay around a bit to watch his handiwork; we were under the impression most firebugs are so fascinated by the dance of the flame that they must hang around and watch it. We could be wrong.) He is, of course, one of Joe Carroll's followers; he wants his chapter in Carroll's book to be about revenge, and so he has targeted the three people Carroll feels brought about his downfall. Hence the hapless -- and now quite dead -- critic.
Kester continues work on his chapter whilst Ryan Hardy and the FBI search for a way to stop him. In the process, they find Kester's wife, Maggie (Virginia Kull), hiding out at her house, afraid Kester is going to come back and kill her. It wouldn't be the first time he tried; he stabbed her back when he became a follower.
We also find out more about the background of two of the the three kidnappers, Paul Torres and Jacob Wells. They're keeping a secret from Emily Hill, the third kidnapper and Wells' girlfriend. It is this secret, along with a confrontation with Hill, which causes Torres to leave the hideout, endangering the mission.
In addition, Ryan Hardy's first encounter with Joe Carroll is explored. Here we see Hardy coming to trust Carroll, who in essence seduces Hardy as much as he does his followers.
This episode had a couple of twists we didn't see coming; it was well-written and left us looking forward to next week's episode.
Warning: includes animal cruelty.
Sunday, 3 February 2013
Review: 'The Following: Chapter Two'
In this episode, Claire Matthews' son, Joey (Kyle Catlett), has been kidnapped by his nanny, Denise (Valorie Curry, pictured), and the two men who helped Carroll kill Sarah Fuller. Carroll's followers take Joey to a country house, and here we discover Denise's background and how she became one of Carroll's followers.
Meanwhile, FBI Specialist Debra Parker (Annie Parisse) has been brought in to lead the investigation. There's talk of letting Ryan Hardy go -- he drinks too much and is volatile -- but as Carroll has cast him as the lead in his next book, the FBI dare not do that.
There's significant tension amongst the trio of Carroll's followers; Denise (real name Emma Hill) and Jacob Wells (Nico Tortorella) are in love, having been set up by Carroll, and Paul Torres (Adan Canto) feels out of place and resents Hill. He also doesn't like Joey, who he must watch whilst Wells and Hill have some alone time.
Jordy Raines (Steve Monroe), the guard who helped Carroll escape, is also on the loose and wreaking havoc. He murders a group of sorority girls and escapes the police.
The investigation leads Hardy to Hill's old home, where he and the team find evidence of Hill's fascination with Carroll. This is a creepy scene, as is the scene in which Hill becomes a serial killer.
The bits with Hill's background lived up to the premiere episode; we were less enthused with the bits concerning Raines' initiation into becoming a serial killer. We just didn't feel Monroe did the best job at being creepy.
Saturday, 26 January 2013
Review: 'The Following: Pilot'
Spoiler Alert!
When serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy, pictured on the right) escapes prison a mere month before his scheduled execution, former FBI agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon, the bloke on the left) is called in by the director of the FBI to help with the case. Hardy is the one who put Carroll in prison ten years ago.
Carroll was convicted of killing 14 women who attended the college where he taught English literature. He cut out their eyes as a nod to his favourite author, Edgar Allen Poe, with whom Carroll is obsessed.
But a lot has changed since then. Hardy, having recovered from the stabbing he suffered at Carroll's hands, now has a pacemaker and drinks vodka as if it's water (literally, as he fills water bottles with the stuff and takes it with him to work). It's a toss-up as to whether Hardy had to quit the FBI because of his pacemaker or because of emotional problems.
Under police supervision is Sarah Fuller (played by the wonderful Maggie Grace), Carroll's last and only other living victim. Carroll's ex-wife, Claire Matthews (Natalie Zea),is under police surveillance as well; she confides in Hardy that Carroll has written her a letter, and it's in this scene that we discover Hardy and Matthews had a relationship. It's also where we get one of the best quotes in the pilot: 'I do better in people's pasts. I always have.' This is from the still-tortured Hardy, who left Matthews for just that reason.
Also on the case is Agent Mike Weston (Shawn Ashmore), who thinks Hardy is a hero. There's a nice contrast between the bright-eyed eagerness Ashmore brings to Weston and the world-weary looks Bacon supplies.
Despite the prolific police presence, Carroll captures Fuller; he wants to finish what he started -- to 'write the proper ending.' This of course brings Carroll and Hardy together for a final show-down. In this scene, Maggie Grace does a lot of screaming, and it's extremely realistic.
Some of the creepiest scenes are those that reveal Carroll's followers: a guard helped him escape and was learning from Carroll how to be a serial killer (warning: he practises on dogs and puppies); a woman kills herself whilst waiting for police to question her (one of the more grisly scenes); two of Fuller's 'friends' turn out to be Carroll's followers; and Matthews' nanny is also a follower.
A tip of the hat goes to the composer, John Frizzell, who wrote some very moody music.
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