MOSAIC Unclear

Article first published as TV Review: MOSAIC on Seat42F.

Note: this review is about the television miniseries MOSAIC. It does not review the app.

HBO is premiering something quite experimental this week. Called MOSAIC and presented on five consecutive nights, the six-hour story concerns the murder of children’s author Olivia Lake and its four-year aftermath. With an all-star cast, Steven Soderbergh cuts together a narrative first developed for an interactive app, which allowed users to follow one of two murder suspects through the story, as well as view related ‘evidence.’ The result here is a professional director’s combining of the plotlines.

Soderbergh (Red Oaks, The Knick) is well-respected and often well-reviewed, known for balancing multiple narratives, a la Traffic, so he seems a natural choice for such an ambitious, ground-breaking project. Not just anyone could pull such a thing off, and so it makes sense that HBO would entrust a talent like his to get it done. He has a certain style that does show up in the series.

The cast has been stocked with some very talented performers, including Sharon Stone (Basic Instinct, Casino) as Olivia and Garrett Hedlund (On the Road) and Frederick Weller (In Plain Sight) as the two main suspects. The supporting players include Jennifer Ferrin (Hell On Wheels), Beau Bridges (Masters of Sex), Jeremy Bobb (The Knick), Paul Reubens (Pee-wee’s Playhouse), Maya Kazan (The Knick), Michael Cerveris (Fringe), Allison Tolman (Fargo), James Ransome (Bosch), and many more. So the cast is certainly not the reason it would fail.

But, in my opinion, despite the immense talent involved, it does fail. As a narrative, it is disjointed, jerky, and boring. I found it extremely hard to follow, and the characters less than interesting. I don’t know if the app provided a better experience, but at least in the one hour I viewed, I found it far below the quality level I’ve come to expect from HBO shows. I was delighted to learn it is a miniseries, played out quickly, airing in a single week, than a drama that would potentially run for a long time. Mainly because of the chance I am wrong and it resonates with critics at large, forcing me to play catch up just to stay current on television, which will be unnecessary for a miniseries.

I can’t say the hour is totally without merit. Most of the actors do deliver good performances. Stone herself is fantastic, and the bits of MOSAIC that do captivate me, few and far between as they are, generally involve her and Reubens, who I also really enjoy. Some of Weller’s stuff, including his chemistry with Stone, is also very good. But those moments are not enough to hold my interest in between.

The story itself just doesn’t feel all that well constructed. There are a LOT of characters and connections to keep track off, and with the constant, abrupt movements in setting, it becomes more of a chore than a pleasure. There just isn’t enough time spent with certain individuals for the audience to grasp who they are and what they want before it moves on, usually to something totally unrelated, or so it seems. Parts shown out of order don’t help. Perhaps if I binged the whole thing at once, some general picture would emerge, mosaic-like, from the fray. I just don’t see the draw in episode one.

Now, I concede there are likely fans of the app who got really into solving the mystery and following all the clues. Those people might like to see the whole story edited together like this into one narrative, and already having prior knowledge of the proceedings, could follow it more easily.

But if you’re just planning to tune into MOSAIC as a show, I’d recommend skipping it.

MOSAIC premieres Monday at 8/7c and runs throughout this week on HBO.

HELL ON WHEELS Season Four On Blu-ray

Article originally published as Blu-ray Review: 'Hell On Wheels: The Complete Fourth Season' on Blogcritics.

AMC’s Western series about the construction of the railroad, Hell On Wheels, is finally releasing its fourth season on Blu-ray and DVD (season five premiered a couple of weeks ago). Picking up four months after the events of season three, not every character shows up in the first episode, and for those that do, many have gone through some changes in circumstance. But as much as some things change, some stay the same, and the paths of several should land them, more or less, right back where we’re used to seeing them, at least for a time.

The biggest question on many fans’ minds is if Elam (Common) survived the bear attack that left him lying, bloody, on the ground. Hell On Wheels has an interesting way of storytelling in that it lets arc progress naturally, which often means characters sit out for episodes at a time, and Elam does not return right away when the season kicks off, though fans will eventually learn his fate.

While some series may contract their principal players for only a certain number of episodes to save budget, it seems like Hell On Wheels limits screen time when the story warrants. For instance, the season premiere has several threads to tug on and explore, but leaves out characters such as Ruth (Kasha Kropinski) and Louise (Jennifer Ferrin), who are still with the show. I kind of dig that the writers don’t squeeze in people when they don’t fit, even if I’d like to know what they’re up to, and eventually it will get back around to them.

The main character whom the entire show revolves around, and thus he has to appear every week, remains Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount). Awaiting the birth of his child by Naomi (unfortunately recast as a noticeably older-looking Mackenzie Porter), Bohannon tests the boundaries of his dynamic with The Swede (Christopher Heyerdahl), still posing as a Mormon bishop as The Complete Fourth Season begins. While Bohannon’s usual foe, Durant (Colm Meaney), is selfish and despicable, there is something even more magnetic about The Swede, making for some truly excellent scenes between Mount and Heyerdahl as the nemesis they play dance around one another. The struggle that Bohannon goes through is the central thrust of Hell On Wheels.

There are other characters that matter, too, though. Eva (Robin McLeavy) brings the pathos this year, mourning Elam and once more having to pick herself up and start over. This frontier is not kind to a single woman, but Eva is nothing is if not resilient, and finds yet another way to go on and try to build a life for herself and her baby. I mentioned Durant above, and he remains around as an antagonist. But he also has other layers. It is he, of all people, who tries to light a spark in Eva, the writers once again striving for the unexpected, though not so much so that it feels unnatural, as Durant has taken an interest in her before, if only occasionally. I don’t think Durant will be winning over many friends in the near future, but it’s nice to see there’s more than one side to a person, especially when Hell On Wheels has The Swede to be the cold, calculating, evil player.

Entering the fray this year is the new Governor of Wyoming, John Campbell (Jake Weber, Medium). Like General Grant, Campbell is a real person in history, though surely fictionalized enough to ratchet up the drama. Coming into town, he is likely to spur with Durant, Bohannon, and the now-mayor of Cheyenne, Mickey McGinnes (Phil Burke). This provides even more drama in an already dangerous place.

I like that the characters on Hell on Wheels often aren’t friends. The Wild West, mainly seen as Cheyenne currently, is a dangerous, unstable place. Alliances are struck, only to be broken and re-formed when convenient. This makes for unpredictable storytelling, keeping the plot engrossing. Conflict is rampant, and that can be even better than the heart-warming uniting of those coming together for a common purpose, which the program only occasionally shows.

The Complete Fourth Season maintains what Hell On Wheels has built, but also gives us some new places to go. With the railroad nearing completion and season five already announced as the last, there are only a limited number of stories left to tell. I’m glad it gets the chance, though, to tell its full tale, especially because this one is so good.

There are a number of bonus features included in this release. Featurettes look at the season as a whole, as well as the new characters and the Cheyenne set. There are also specific focuses on single episodes, and bits on the set with Meaney and Weber, our less-scary villains. It seems like a relatively average amount of bonus material is present, nothing super exciting, but neither is it less than what most of its peers put out. The Blu-ray quality is about what one expects, and one can truly appreciate the setting, details, and soundtrack when experienced in crisp high definition.

I recommend this release. I’m a fan of the show, and I think it often unfairly gets overlooked. These people are doing a wonderful job telling a story that feels different than just about any other program. Season four is no different, reinforcing the unstable nature of the environment in the way it presents the characters. If you haven’t seen any episodes at all, you have to start with season one. But please do so, because you’ll want to watch these discs.

Hell On Wheels: The Complete Fourth Season will be available Tuesday, August 11th.

HELL ON WHEELS No Longer "Elusive"

Article first published as HELL ON WHEELS Review Season 4 on Seat42F.

AMC’s Western series about the construction of the railroad, HELL ON WHEELS, is back for a fourth season this weekend. Picking up four months after the events of season three, not every character shows up in the first episode, and for those that do, many have gone through some changes in circumstance. But as much as some things change, some stay the same, and the paths of several should land them, more or less, right back where we’re used to seeing them.

The biggest question on many fans minds is if Elam (Common) survived the bear attack that left him lying, bloody, on the ground. (YOU MAY WANT TO SKIP THE REST OF THIS PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW.) I can confirm that Elam does not appear in the premiere episode, “The Elusive Eden,” nor is he in the big cast photo released or the opening credits. However, Entertainment Weekly has reported that Common will return and he has been spotted with the rest of the cast, so he’s likely to pop up sooner or later.

HELL ON WHEELS has an interesting way of storytelling in that it lets arc progress naturally, which often means characters sit out for episodes at a time. While some series may contract their principal players for only a certain number of episodes to save budget, it seems like HELL ON WHEELS limits screen time when the story warrants. For instance, “The Elusive Eden” has several threads to tug on and explore, but leaves out characters such as Ruth (Kasha Kropinski) and Louise (Jennifer Ferrin), who are said to still be with the show. I kind of dig that the writers don’t squeeze in people when they don’t fit, even if I’d like to know what they’re up to. As long as they are touched upon at a later point, we’re good, as neither woman’s tale feels complete.

The main character whom the entire show revolves around, and thus he has to appear every week, remains Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount). Awaiting the birth of his child by Naomi (unfortunately recast as a noticeably older-looking Mackenzie Porter), Bohannon tests the boundaries of his dynamic with The Swede (Christopher Heyerdahl), still posing as a Mormon bishop. While Bohannon’s usual foe, Durant (Colm Meaney), is selfish and despicable, there is something even more magnetic about The Swede, making for some truly excellent scenes between Mount and Heyerdahl as the nemesis they play dance around one another.

I don’t know if Bohannon will ever rid himself of The Swede entirely, and I kind of hope he doesn’t, but surely he’ll soon make his way back into the orbit of Durant. With Bohannon off the job, the railroad is struggling to keep going, missing deadlines and at the mercy of incompetent leadership. While Durant has his power, he is making enemies, including of former ally Maggie Palmer (Chelah Horsdal, now full-time), and as much as he might dislike Bohannon, he may need his help.

Eva (Robin McLeavy) also brings the pathos in “The Elusive Eden.” Still mourning Elam’s apparent death, she is having trouble moving on with her life. Perhaps if she hadn’t given up her child, the baby would provide her with motivation, but for now she seems content to scrub laundry. It’s Durant, of all people, who tries to light a spark in her, the writers once again striving for the unexpected, though not so much so that it feels unnatural, as Durant has taken an interest in her before, if only occasionally.

I like that the characters on HELL ON WHEELS often aren’t friends. The Wild West, mainly seen as Cheyenne currently, is a dangerous, unstable place. Alliances are struck, only to be broken and re-formed when convenient. This makes for unpredictable storytelling, keeping the plot engrossing. Conflict is rampant, and that can be even better than the heart-warming uniting of those coming together for a common purpose, which the program only occasionally shows.

Entering the fray this year is the new Governor of Wyoming, John Campbell (Jake Weber, Medium). Like General Grant, Campbell is a real person in history, though surely fictionalized enough to ratchet up the drama. Coming into town, he is likely to spur with Durant, Bohannon, and the now-mayor of Cheyenne, Mickey McGinnes (Phil Burke). I’m curious to see how fresh blood will shake up the chemistry this time, which has already been frequently changed over the course of the show’s run.

“The Elusive Eden” is a strong continuation of a solid show, and certainly up to the standards previously set. HELL ON WHEELS returns to AMC Saturday at 9 p.m. ET.

Blu-ray Review: ‘Hell on Wheels – The Complete Third Season’

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: ‘Hell on Wheels – The Complete Third Season’ on Blogcritics.

Entertainment One recently released the third season of AMC’s Hell on Wheels on Blu-ray and DVD. The Western, which is set around the building of the first cross-continental railroad after the Civil War, is a look at the various challenges the workers faced. Early seasons featured Indian attacks and North/South and racial tensions. Season three ups the ante with an outbreak of cholera, dangerous, rebellious Mormans, political backstabbing, and the past coming back to haunt the characters. It’s a thrilling, somewhat-fact-based look at a defining time in our nation’s history, done in a style that easily keeps viewers engaged.

A lot happens this season, in character development as well as action. Picking up in the aftermath of the attack that destroyed the railroad settlement, Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount) has a renewed determination to complete the track. He is distracted by new antagonists, including Union General Ulysses S. Grant (Victor Slezak, Treme), and, of course, Thomas Durant (Colm Meaney) hasn’t given up on wrestling back control of the project. Brothers Sean (Ben Esler) and Mickey McGinnes (Phil Burke) come into conflict when they choose different sides in the struggle. The romance between Eva (Robin McLeavy) and Elam (Common) is tested when she makes a difficult choice. Ruth (Kasha Kropinski) is forced to face who she is.

All of these people have satisfying stories, and not all make it out alive, which is more surprising than I thought it would be, considering the previous deaths on the show. Hell on Wheels could very well be the gritty, realistic version of A Million Ways to Die in the West, sometimes almost funny in how brutal it can be. The setting is an unforgiving one, and folks didn’t live so long back then because of the types of tribulations these characters face.

More than the first two years, season three feels like a cohesive story. Lots of individual events happen, but almost all of the important ones merge nicely together in the excellent season finale. There is a through line and purpose as the story progresses, and while some things may not feel like they’re going to come back around, when they do, it’s very well done and serves to add greater meaning. Even The Swede (Christopher Heyerdahl), who has an isolated arc this season that doesn’t intersect with the rest of the cast until the very end, folds in nicely to the existing structure, rather than just being jammed back in where he doesn’t belong. The ending leaves many of the players in completely different places than where they spent most of the year, setting up a great fourth season, too.

Hell On Wheels also starts to address some topics I didn’t expect in this era. New character Louise Ellison (Jennifer Ferrin, The Following), a newspaper reporter, is a lesbian. Now, of course, homosexuality exists in this age. But I didn’t expect to see it not only acknowledged, but most of the characters that find out don’t care, even if Louise suffers potentially serious repercussions back East. Could it be that the adventurous spirit that would lead one out to the frontier would also make one naturally more open-minded? Or is this the show attempting to appeal to modern audiences and dropping the ball on authenticity?

There are a decent amount of extras on this set. One featurette catches fans up on where the show left off, while another looks at this season briefly, without spoilers, for those who might want a taste of what’s to come. Four behind-the-scenes extras, running a little under fifteen minutes combined, give us some insight into various elements, and there are also ten “Inside the Episode” bits for the ten episodes in this set. Unfortunately, all of these are light and fluffy, with nothing very meaningful included.

For this set, Blu-ray is the way to go. Hell on Wheels is a beautifully shot series, with many outdoor scenes and a broad color palette, more so in season three than in the first two years. Both establishing shots and close-ups are highly detailed in high definition, with crisp layers and stunning landscapes. The sound is also better than most television shows, with some really cool effects, as well as solidly built dialogue tracts and mixing. The HD presentation, both audio and visual, is nearly flawless, and really enhances the realism of the show.

Hell on Wheels – The Complete Third Season is available now.

REWIND Rewound

Article first published as REWIND Rewound on TheTVKing.

SyFy recently aired Rewind, a two-hour pilot of a series that is not being produced. In the special, an unlikely terrorist (David Cronenberg, The Fly) destroys New York City, killing nine million people. Luckily, the government has a top-secret time travel project, and sends a trio of would-be heroes back in time to try to surgically stop the attack while not altering the rest of the time line.

On one hand, it's cool that SyFy is giving viewers a chance to see something they haven't gone forward with. There's always the chance it will get a ton of positive attention and the network will decide to pick up the show. Cartoon Network did a similar thing this week, and Amazon posted a bunch of pilots last spring, giving viewers the chance to pick the series ordered. So this could be the start of a new trend where programming is more viewer-controlled.

However, it's also kind of depressing to see two hours of something that there won't ever be any more of. When a pilot like Rewind is aired in this manner, it's mostly a burn off, getting a little bit of value out of something that would otherwise provide none. But it's also a tease, showing us a taste of something we can't ever have the next chapter of. There is little chance Rewind will be picked up, and without lots of attention and advertising being devoted to getting eyes to the broadcast, it's doomed to be a one-off.

The concept of the time travel machine presented in Rewind is a neat one, especially because those operating it have no control over the time or place they travel to. It's definitely an early-stage device that needs further study and fine-tuning. This makes sense, and is a departure from the typical machine shown in the genre, which usually works quite well.

However, in the case of Rewind, I think SyFy made the correct choice of not going further.

The characters are likeable enough, but mostly stock. Our hero, Henry Knox (Shane McRae, Four Kings), is strong, but intelligent; emotionally tough, yet caring. He immediately clashes with Doctor Lyndsay Bryce (Jennifer Ferrin, Hell On Wheels), who doesn't think the army should be involved in her scientific project, but he sort of wins her over by the end of the pilot. There's also a corrupt military officer who wants to use the machine for his own purposes. None of these are fresh or original.

As the pilot plays out, it appears that the main characters will be trapped in the 1920s, which is where I thought the show was going. Instead, a too-convenient solution pops up after all hope is, and should be, lost, and everyone gets home safe and sound. This not only feels like a cheat, but also dooms the concept into a case-of-the-week procedural, rather than an intriguing, complex serial tale. Perhaps the procedural is more sell-able for a network, but it makes for a far inferior show. There are none of the consequences for rushing into a project that isn't ready.

There's also a computer that can pretty much predict all of the effects of a given action in the past, as well as access old paper records for anything, which is not at all realistic. Granted, other shows have given computers more abilities than they typically have (looking at your 24), but Rewind's system may just be more over-the-top and omniscient than any I've seen on screen before, especially for a series set in the present day. It takes one out of the moment when it is invoked.

So basically, there are some really good ideas present, and some nice supporting cast members, including Jeff Fahey (Lost), but the thing falls apart late in the hour, and is not the recipe for an original show that can inspire and energize a fan strong fan base. Too bad.

HELL ON WHEELS Season 3 Premiere Review

Article first published as HELL ON WHEELS Review Season 3 on Seat42F.

AMC’s HELL ON WHEELS has been back a couple of weeks now, and the third season so far has really shown growth over the first two. There are new characters, new scenarios, and most of the threats come from the outside, rather than internal conflict these days. It’s been quite exciting.

As the season premiere, “Big Bad Wolf,” opens, Cullen Bohannan (Anson Mount) is living in a barren, ice-covered land by himself. Seeing the wolf attack him, finding his dead friend, and watching our hero succumb to cabin fever is almost like watching Cullen die, only to be re-born again as he takes the train to New York City, after a stop along the way to pick up Elam (Common).

I like this Bohannan. We’ve seen a few different sides to the character already, but this Bohannan feels like I imagine the original Bohannan was, prior to the strife in his life, before the war and losing his wife. He is a good man, full of virtue, but also one whom can square himself with reality, rather than just spouting ideals. He does the right thing, and is concerned about his sins.

We see a lot of this when Bohannan visits a couple of churchs and talks with Ruth (Kasha Kropinski, now a main character). She judges him for the sin of killing men, and at first, he takes offense. Upon reflection, though, he realizes she is sort of right, and he needs to not only be sorry, but try to find a better way.

Not that getting out of killing is easy. In “Eminent Domain,” Bohannan has to evict a Morman family off of their land. One of them shoots the police chief, and Bohannan has to dole out justice. Is he right to hang the boy who is said to have pulled the trigger? Well, that may be arguable, but in keeping with the laws and doing no more than what is required to keep the peace and order, Bohannan stays on the right side. He feels some sort of regret at the boy’s death, but he isn’t haunted by it much, nor should he be. Fans of the show will think more highly of him than he does himself for his behavior.

Viewers may not be the only ones to admire Bohannan for long. A dogged, determined reporter named Louise Ellison (Jennifer Ferrin, the latest addition to the cast) comes to Hell on Wheels to write a story about the railroad and finds Bohannan far more interesting. Maybe her interest in him is strictly professional or maybe its romantic. Either way, it not only gives us an opportunity to see Bohannan through different eyes, but could improve the character’s position in life, so her presence is welcome.

As good as Bohannan might seem to be doing, he has no shortage of obstacles to overcome this year. Indianas pose a threat, The Swede (Christopher Heyerdahl) has survived and will presumably makes his way back, Union Army soliders tasked with protecting Bohannan’s crew are uncontrollable and brutal, Sean (Ben Esler) has made a bad deal that casts him as a secret mole, and Durant (Colm Meaney) will do everything he can to sabotage Bohannan so he can take back the project.

Is Durant HELL ON WHEEL’s ultimate villain? Vanquished at the end of season two, he slimily maneuvers his way out of jail and is soon the bee in Bohannan’s hat. He is not easy to get rid of, always working a new angle, and rarely in the public eye when doing so. It makes for some great scenes between Bohannan and Durant, including a recent one at a table with a corpse, and gives the series a pivotal relationship that should serve it well until the conclusion of the final season. Or Durant could die next week and be gone, which would be a shame, but not completely out of left field, considering the setting.

Death hangs heavy in the third season of HELL ON WHEELS. We’ve watched characters die, sure, but with main players taken out and danger all around, suddenly things seem to be just a little bit closer to the edge. Eva (Robin McLeavy),in particular, worries about Elam, especially when Elam’s predecessor as the enforcer in charge is murdered. The show is taking more care to convey the seriousness of the predicament the cast finds themselves in, and it provides an added interest level.

Basically, life on the frontier comes with risks, and while our beloved characters may seem up to the challenge, there is no guarantee. As heartwarming as it is to see them all reunite at the end of “Big Bad Wolf,” combining their skills and attitudes to begin construction anew, there is the definite sense that all will not be around to see completion of the project. Finding out their fates is just another reason to watch a great show.

The Following Reaches "The Final Chapter" (For Now)

Article first published as The Following Reaches "The Final Chapter" (For Now) on TheTVKing.

FOX's The Following ends its freshman run this week with "The Final Chapter." Ryan (Kevin Bacon) is lured to a lighthouse by Joe (James Purefoy) for a final showdown. Of course, Claire's (Natalie Zea) life hangs in the balance, and of course, Ryan doesn't take anyone with him to the confrontation, including Mike (Shawn Ashmore). There, the two men have it out with one another once and for all.

I am a bit disappointed with the end of The Following's showdown between Ryan and Joe. I really feel like Ryan should have learned his lesson and trusted a few people. "The Final Chapter"'s plot only makes sense if we believe that Joe knows Ryan so well that he can predict his every move. And maybe he does. But, as a viewer who has watched all fifteen installments thus far, I feel like Ryan should have learned to out-think Joe, at least on some level, and brought along back up.

The climax where Ryan kills Joe, sort of, in an exploding building also feels a bit contrived. The moment we don't positively see Joe catch on fire or blow up is the one where fans of the genre will absolutely know, deep down, that no matter how it looks, Joe has survived. How he would think far enough ahead to plant a body there, or could fake dental records after a body is discovered, is stretching believability. But Joe has got to live on.

With those complaints out of the way, though, I must say that the hour is mostly excellent. I really like how we get to see bits of Ryan's soul. We understand how he and Mike can torture Alex (Charlie Semine), as Parker's (Annie Parisse) life hangs in the balance, and even why the other FBI agents can look away. When Ryan coldly murders Alex, one worries about Ryan's stability, but Alex's death is deserved, and Ryan doesn't put him in the coffin, which would be poetic justice, but not at all hero-like.

Despite Ryan's flaws, he is the hero. Joe casts him as such, and the moral compass Ryan displays backs that up. He crosses some legal lines, to be sure, but his motives are always pure, and his goals are noble. He doesn't unnecessary cause anyone harm, even the bad guys, as he kills Alex quickly once he's used all Alex knows to try to save the day, rather than continue to mess with him.

I'm sad that Ryan and Mike are too late to save Parker. I really like her, and like many of The Following's character, she dies too soon. However, part of the draw of the series is its unpredictability, and the way people can perish without warning. It appropriately builds suspense when it should, and as regrettable as it is to lose Parisse from the cast, and as false as it may feel to have them find her just barely too late, it is a shock that she is dead, and an example of surprising and engaging storytelling.

I do hope Mike and Ryan can work out their friendship. Ryan shuts Mike out a bit because, as close as they've grown, Ryan is a loner. He trusts Mike more than he trusts most people, but Mike still doesn't get to come to the light house because Ryan feels he must take on the burden himself. I don't think Ryan would have shot Mike in the foot to get him not to follow, though Mike must think it's a possibility, so I hope that isn't what keeps them from working together again.

The final moments of "The Final Chapter," in which Molly (Jennifer Ferrin) attacks Ryan, are a great cliffhanger. This installment makes pretty clear, whether Joe is dead or not, there are still threats out there, such as Molly and Emma (Valorie Curry). Some may have been brought out by Joe, but some of the threats Ryan will eventually face, as the show has been renewed for season two (and stands a good chance of living longer), won't be Joe-centric. This is a series about a man fighting evil, and evil will always exist, no matter how often it is stopped.

Now, does The Following go a bit too far, having too many people being stabbed and surviving, then bouncing back to their jobs too quickly? Yes, that can certainly be argued. But some grade-A acting and tight plot work keeps the flow going and the series enticing. I really like The Following, and look forward to its return.

The Cape - "Pilot" and "Tarot"

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional TV news, follow Jerome on Twitter.

     Super heroes have been tried on the small screen over the years with varying degrees of success. Recent attempts include Smallville, which started off as a monster-of-the-week procedural that was not at all good, then evolved into an often pretty cool original story of Superman's early life. Heroes was a slow, large casted serial, that began with a lot of steam, and then tapered off. No Ordinary Family went for the lighter approach, combining family drama with the powers, sort of like a Fantastic Four. Now we have NBC's The Cape, which feels like a modern Marvel movie, with elements of Christopher Nolan's Batman films. In short, should the show maintain what it showed us in the first two hours last night, we could finally have a movie-quality hero on the small screen, with movie-quality adventures every week.

     While there were two episodes aired together last night, with one opening credit sequence, they were separate stories. The first hour, "Pilot", felt like an origin movie, rushed and gutted to fit into one hour. The second, "Tarot", would have made a great sequel, though the family stuff, as well as the arc with Patrick Portman (Richard Schiff, The West Wing) could easily have padded the middle of the pilot. If the two hours didn't contain three separate villains, different editing would have delivered one solid movie. Yes, super hero movies have done three villains in one film before, but rarely very well. I kind of wish this approach had been taken, as that would have created a product superior to what aired. But what did make it on screen was still pretty good.

     Obviously, there is a hero. In this case it's Vince Faraday (David Lyons, ER, Eat Pray Love), a good cop who stumbles onto some bad machinations he wasn't supposed to know about. The main villain of the show, Peter Fleming (James Frain, True Blood, The Tudors), promptly has Vince killed, and pins all the bad stuff on him, ruining his good name. Peter is slowly taking over the town of Palm City, which is so full of corruption that it seems a lost cause. Think Gothic City in The Dark Knight. To make matters worse, Vince's best friend, Marty (Dorian Missick, Lucky Number Slevin), is one of Peter's minions. Vince realizes that revealing he survived puts his family at risk, so instead, he works on taking down Peter and clearing his name in the shadows, taking on the guise of The Cape.

     Peter is not content to battle The Cape alone. Sure, it's likely only a matter of time before Peter, also known as the super villain Chess, discovers The Cape's secret identity and can go after Vince's loved ones. But until then, it seems he will be bringing in a slew of lesser bad guys to tackle our hero. He already had two different ones in the first two hours, though the first one wasn't killed in the pilot. Why did he need another new one? I hope that these other baddies with super powers end up being more than henchman to Chess. Imagine how good the show could be if Chess teamed up with some of his equals?

     Now, Vince is far from alone in his endeavors. He is first found by the Carnival of Crime. Only, the carnival people commit crimes against Peter and his company, not the citizens. Or so they say. That part was a little confusing. The carnival is run by Max Malini (Keith David, Gargoyles, Platoon), who is assisted by the small but tough Rollo (Martin Klebba, Scrubs, Pirates of the Caribbean). There are others in the gang, but those are the only two main characters, so I assume they're the most important. For some reason, Max has a cape just sitting around that, when used properly, makes Vince into his favorite super hero. Yes, The Cape already exists in comic book form, and Vince read it to his kid. Again, not explained. See why I wanted a two hour origin?

     Vince is brought into the mess, and soon partners with, the mysterious Orwell (Summer Glau, Dollhouse, Firely, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). Orwell won't reveal herself to anyone but Vince. She is a technical whiz, and provides tactical and technological support, though she can also kick butt when needed. Quick note, Glau is amazing, and always participates in awesome projects, giving me much optimism about The Cape. However, said projects are always canceled in two seasons or less, so let's hope that the pattern breaks this time.

     Lastly, there is Vince's family. Poisoned by the media and Marty, his wife, Dana (Jennifer Ferrin, As the World Turns), drops his last name to seek work. But his son, Trip (Ryan Wynott, FlashForward), who has been visited and reassured by The Cape, still believes in his father's innocence. Trip doesn't take Dana's decision well, and guilts her into reversing it. The family is the unknown quantity in this show, as until Vince reveals himself to them, I don't understand how they would really figure into the larger arcs. Dana taking a job with the DA (at least, I think it was the DA) helps, but it's not good enough. I'd think Vince will have to tell them the truth early in the series.

     The dark tone of the show jells nicely with recent profitable superhero movies, so I can see this show doing well. The quality of work is pretty high, and the acting is better than decent. There are some plot holes, especially in the origin, but hopefully they will be plugged in subsequent episodes. And if not, there is always a leap of faith that has to be taken with any series involving supernatural powers and mutated villains. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the first two hours, and I think the show is better than any of the recent fall premieres.

     The Cape isn't all dreary and depressing. Trip's hope is supposed to be an identifiable quality for the audience; the boy's real purpose in the cast. Some of the dialogue is pretty funny, too. For instance, in "Tarot", Vince goes to rescue Portman, but Max has taken away his cape. Vince identifies himself to Portman as 'The Cape', to which Portman responds, "But you're not wearing a cape." You can sense the grumbling behind Vince's "I'm aware of that." The whole exchange was probably my favorite part of the episode. Also, any scene with Summer Glau eventually ends up providing some kind of snarky, amusing line.

     I'm also very gratified to see a super hero with a cape that is actually useful. In the past, I, along with plenty of others, have wondered why any hero even bothers with a cape. Surely it just gets in the way. However, Vince's cape has CGI-enabled powers, allowing it to snag things, choke people, and break his fall (somewhat) from a great height. Used as a tool, and super strong, the title of the show is appropriate. Even if it sounds a little hokey, which the writers even poked fun at in the pilot.

     The Cape, despite its Sunday premiere, will air regularly on Monday nights at 9 p.m. beginning next week on NBC.

Article first published as TV Review: The Cape - "Pilot" and "Tarot" on Blogcritics.