HEMLOCK GROVE Season 2 Review

Article originally written for Seat42F.

Netflix’s HEMLOCK GROVE, the popular but critically derided supernatural drama, returns tomorrow for a second, shorter season on the streaming service. Season two, which will consist of ten episodes, picks up a few months after the events of season one. Events conspire to bring Peter Rumancek (Landon Liboiron) back to the town of Hemlock Grove and into its scary, dangerous mess once more. Who will make it out alive this time?

HEMLOCK GROVE is a creepy and bloody place to live. Even though our heroes manage to take down a serial killer previously, the premiere this year opens with a new deadly menace. It might be a little hard to swallow another mass murderer in the same place, but then, it’s also apparent that HEMLOCK GROVE attracts the odd types, given the cast of players already in place. This is one area where belief must be suspended for the course of the series, as each subsequent batch of installments will likely present much the same.

It is welcome that HEMLOCK GROVE gets right back to the linchpin stories right after that first scene. Shelley (Nicole Boivin) is still missing, but she is far from forgotten. Norman (Dougray Scott) is continuing to mourn his daughter, Letha (Penelope Mitchell), who died in childbirth, and Olivia’s (Famke Janssen) absence from her big house is definitely felt. More importantly, Roman (Bill Skarsgard) continues to feel abandoned by Peter’s swift departure, and it will take no small amount of repair work if they are to be friends again.

And friends again, it seems they must be. After all, who else is going to stop the killing? Peter’s mother, Lynda (Lili Taylor, still woefully a ‘guest star’) needs their help, too, in the arc that brings Peter back to the area. Besides, while Peter has others to lean on to assist him, Roman does not, and Roman seems much less capable of coping through the tough times by himself, though he’s definitely been trying in the gap between seasons.

The relationship between Roman and Peter is key to HEMLOCK GROVE. It is shattered at the end of season one, but I’m hopeful, despite a very rocky beginning in the return, that they can fix things. They are unlikely pals from completely different worlds and with overlapping, but not completely consistent, values. They make for an interesting dynamic, and Roman’s latent homosexual tendencies only make the sparks dance higher. Whether they ever become a couple (doubtful) or not, they need to come back together with a stronger bond that cannot be broken this time. That, or they will become arch-nemeses, which feels like a much less original way to go to me.

Fans of the series will remember that of the six main characters listed in the opening credits, all three women were presumed dead at the close of the first year. One of those three has been widely reported in the press to be retaining her full-time presence, though I won’t say which one, just in case you don’t already know. Filling the other two slots are two recurring players, Destiny Rumancek (Tiio Horn) and Dr. Johann Pryce (Joel de la Fuente), both established presences earning promotions in the sophomore run, and good choices to make up for the loss of the others.

HEMLOCK GROVE is popcorn fare, to be sure, lacking real depth in the characters and more concerned with moving rapidly from one event to the next than providing growth or making you think. However, it is entertaining, enjoyable, good fun. The writers are clever enough to surprise us, including with a big twist involving a familiar face late in the second season premiere. All of this makes for a pace that is never boring, and by avoiding a lot of the vampire and werewolf clichés, taking older legends as the source material instead of pop culture, it doesn’t feel tired or repetitive of others in the genre.

HEMLOCK GROVE’s entire second season will be available tomorrow exclusively on Netflix.

Fun Fact: This review is exactly 666 words, and that happened purely by chance.

Hemlock Grove is a Familiar Place

Article first published as HEMLOCK GROVE Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 83%

Netflix’s latest drama is called HEMLOCK GROVE. Based on the novel of the same name, HEMLOCK GROVE begins with kinky sex and the murder of a teenager, which are unrelated, I think, but make for a one-two punch with some serious drawing power. It’s important, in a television field crowded with horror and murder mystery entries, that the opening grab viewers. But many a series has had a great hook, then failed to deliver.

HEMLOCK GROVE, not even released yet, has already been beset upon by bad press. Many note that it fails to live up to Netflix’s last original series, House of Cards. Although, just about every series ever created would fail to live up to House of Cards, a brilliant drama, so by comparison, yes, HEMLOCK GROVE is not nearly as good.

Which doesn’t make it bad, necessarily.

HEMLOCK GROVE feels pretty familiar. It’s about a bunch of brooding teens and their equally mysterious parents living in a gloomy town. There are hints in the first episode of both a vampire and a werewolf, and one girl looks like something straight out of FX’s American Horror Story: Asylum. In fact, HEMLOCK GROVE seems to take inspiration from Twilight, The Vampire Diaries, The Secret Circle, and The Killing, to name a few.

What it lacks in originality, it does attempt to make up for in pay-cable level content. You will see a topless girl in the first few minutes. The body of Brooke Bluebell (Lorenza Izzo), the character killed early in the pilot’s run, is pretty gory. There is a homosexual predator introduced who goes after girls far too young for her. These are things that HEMLOCK GROVE, being on Netflix, can use to set itself apart from the tamer fare.

I also think Netflix’s model of releasing all thirteen episodes of the first season at once will serve it well. This is the type of show that begs marathon viewing. Want to know who killed Brooke? Just keep watching. You don’t have to wait twelve weeks, with the puzzle slowly doled out forty minutes at a time. That immediacy should help retain viewers who are on fence after the first installment or two.

That being said, I don’t know that HEMLOCK GROVE has real staying power. I only have access to the beginning of the season, not the entire thing, so I can’t say for certain the impact of the complete picture. But, only a few hours after viewing the first episode, I am having trouble remembering very many of the characters’ names, and I’m not entirely sold on the premise, which isn’t completely apparent. The effects are good, and I remember moments, just not people. The cast is capable, but their roles aren’t well defined as unique personalities at this point, certainly no one really standing out right away. I will probably watch more. But I’m not super excited to get back to it, a I was with House of Cards.

At the start of the first episode, “Jellyfish in the Sky,” a Gypsy boy named Peter Rumancek (Landon Liboiron, Terra Nova, Degrassi: The Next Generation) comes to town with his mother, Lynda (Lili Taylor, Six Feet Under). Because they are new to the area, obviously they quickly become suspects in Brooke’s murder case. But they seem gentle enough. Also, they move into a deceased’s relative’s place, so they may have some connection to the locale.

The other major family introduced in “Jellyfish in the Sky” consists of Roman Godfrey (Bill Skarsgard), his mother, Olivia (Famke Janssen, X-Men), and his sister, Shelley. They are rich and not very nice, and we soon see that there is likely more to them than meets the eye. Olivia is accused of being some type of monster, and Shelley visually is one, providing the only really cheesy bit in the pilot, as Shelley shuffles around with her grotesque face covered up, presumably to save on effects, though I have trouble complaining about not seeing her face too often.

While the Godfreys appear evil and the Rumanceks seem good, it’s clear that it won’t be as simple as that. We do get more backstory on the Godfreys in the first episode, so of course we get to see the darker aspects of their clan, including what happened to Mr. Godfrey, and how they interact with remembers of their extended family. But we don’t know much about the Rumanceks, and they may have a gritty side, too, as we see that they aren’t above stealing.

Either way, these are the main characters, or the two boys are, at least, so it’s unlikely that one of them is the killer. Instead, we’ll eventually find out who they are and what their motivations might be. A description of the series says they end up working together to find the killer, which seems an odd pairing, but I’m sure that will explained as things unfold, and it could be interesting.

The guys are surrounded by many other strange characters, each of whom could possibly be the murderer, based on the little bits we see of them. There’s the weird girl next door, Christina (Freya Tingley), who fancies herself an investigator. Norman Godfrey (Dougray Scott, Desperate Housewives) is Roman’s uncle, who has had, or is having, an affair with Roman’s mom. The town sheriff is Tom Sworn (Aaron Douglas, Battlestar Galactica), whom we know nothing about. And surely there will be others in the coming episodes.

I feel like HEMLOCK GROVE distracts us with a large number of characters so that they have room to keep us guessing, which is a good thing, sort of. If only there were any clue that might help us begin that process in “Jellyfish in the Sky.” Or a character to connect to and get behind. As such, it should appeal fine to those who dig the other scary stuff on TV, but I doubt it will have a broad appeal or defy convention.

HEMLOCK GROVE’s thirteen episode first season will be available this Friday on Netflix.

Extinct Terra Nova found on DVD

FOX's Terra Nova was a bold experiment. Beginning in the pollution-ridden future, groups of men, women, and children travel back in time to settle the past. There is adventure, action, conspiracy, and pretty good looking CGI dinosaurs. Sort of a family-friendly version of Jurassic Park, with a preachy twist, it should have provided viewing fun for years. Except, most of the episodes weren't very well written, which led to its quick cancellation after a mere 13 episodes. Now, the entire series has been released on a four-disc DVD set.

In the premiere, "Genesis," Dr. Elisabeth Shannon (Shelley Conn, Mistresses) is recruited as part of the "10th wave" sent back in time to the settlement, but she is only allowed to bring her two eldest children, Maddy (Naomi Scott, Life Bites) and Josh (Landon Liboiron, Degrassi: The Next Generation). This is because, in 2149, having three children is illegal, leaving out Elisabeth's youngest, Zoe (Alana Mansour). So Elisabeth helps her husband, Jim (Jason O'Mara, Life on Mars), break out of prison, where is serving a sentence for assaulting the police officers who discovered Zoe's existence. Together, all five Shannons make it through the rift.

Once the family has arrived at the new settlement, Commander Nathaniel Taylor (Stephen Lang, Avatar) allows the Shannons to stay together, since he needs Elisabeth, and doesn't care about laws that have not been invented yet. Jim, a former cop, is assigned to the agricultural team, but soon proves himself more than capable to join Taylor's security force. This comes in handy when Josh, upset at his father for being gone all this time, meets an attractive girl named Skye (Allison Miller, Go On), who leads him outside the compound gate. The teens are attacked by dinosaurs and robbed by members of The Sixth, rebels who have split away from the main group. Jim sets out to rescue his son.

Each episode after that is mostly stand alone, with a few broader arcs. There is mystery in why The Sixth split off, and why Taylor's son draws pictures on rocks. The leader of The Sixth, Mira (Christine Adams, The Whole Truth) seems devoted to some cause. Skye and Josh have the beginnings of a teen romance, and dinosaurs aren't always predictable. Trying to add a more procedural element to some episodes, Taylor and Jim solve crimes, while Elisabeth faces medical cases.

One problem with the show may be that it tries to satisfy everyone. Attempting to balance crime drama and medical mystery with sci-fi innovation and some fun dinos means that none of those things get adequate attention. Not knowing which writers to hire to really capture all of these different elements, a great story is often slogged down by bad dialogue. The special effects look fantastic, and there's an exciting adventure present. If only the writing didn't frequently rip off installments of classic Star Trek, there could have been something interesting here.

Bottom line, Terra Nova delivers in action and special effects, and does a pretty decent job in the acting department. It just lacks a cohesive story and smart lines for its characters.


Be warned, Terra Nova ends on a cliffhanger. Nothing is neatly tied up, and this single season does not stand on its own. Within the DVD set, someone wisely included an access code to continue the story online in an interactive program, so that fans can get some sort of closure. But, of course, that's not the same thing as more episodes.

It would be hard to complain about the special features on this set because, despite Terra Nova's early cancellation, the studio seems to have been kind in allowing the development of extras. This DVD set includes deleted scenes and a gag reel. Audio commentary is provided for the two-part season finale, which is also presented as an extended episode.

Additionally, there are several featurettes. One delves into the making of the pilot, while another explores the mysteries of the show. "Cretaceous Life: The Dinosaurs of Terra Nova" gives viewers more of what they want, and that's the creatures that inhabit the world.

The biggest flaw in this release is that it is not available on Blu-ray. Given the amount of money spent on developing the dinosaurs and building this beautiful world, why not show it off in the best quality picture available? DVD does a pretty good job, but it can't compare to high definition. This show, more than almost any other, screams for a Blu release, though none has been announced at this time.

If you are so inclined, Terra Nova The Complete Series is available now.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Article first published as DVD Review: Terra Nova The Complete Series on Blogcritics.

"Now You See Me" on Terra Nova

     In "Now You See Me," the latest installment of FOX's Terra Nova, Taylor (Stephen Lang) heads off into the jungle to look for his son, Lucas (Ashley Zukerman, Rush), only to be captured by Mira (Christine Adams) instead. Taylor turns the tables on Mira, but soon both must work together to escape a deadly prehistoric predator. Back at camp, Jim (Jason O'Mara) grows closer to uncovering the Sixers' mole, who viewers learn is Skye (Allison Miller). Not to worry, though, as the sweet young girl is only feeding the bad guys information so they will continue to care for her ailing mother.

     There is no doubt that the Sixers are bad. They stop giving Skye's mom her medicine when communication breaks down, and Skye is a little late feeding them the latest intel. This is not the act of someone who has any compassion at all. So clearly, the vast majority of the Sixers are one-dimensional villains that fans of Terra Nova will not be sad to see killed. It certainly makes things simpler when they are black and white, but far less interesting to the viewer.

     Skye's decision to help out the Sixers is predictable as soon as the facts are in, and of course she's not a bad guy. After all, she has been shown to be helpful and caring towards Josh (Landon Liboiron), so the series writers won't write her off quite so easily. Honestly, though, it would be far better if the mole were a complicated character whose loyalties are truly in question, rather than a scared little girl hoping to help her mother. Thus, another failure in "Now You See Me." And now, no one really wants Jim to catch the mole, and the urgency for him to do so is gone, making the plot kind of moot.

     In fact, the only really good part of "Now You See Me" is Taylor and Mira's interaction. It's totally stale and done before that two enemies can find common ground in the field of battle. Still, as the two discuss how, under different circumstances, they might be allies, it's hard not to appreciate it. Adams is a terrific actress, and giving her character a sympathetic little back story goes a long way towards making her likeable and intriguing. Now the only question seems to be, what will it take to convince Adams to switch sides, possibly against her own, evil group. Though, she could lead the others Sixers to reconciliation, if she is as strong a leader as she appears to be, and they are the sheep they come across as.

     The other subplot in "Now You See Me" involves the youngest Shannon, Zoe (Alana Mansour) wanting to keep a baby dinosaur as a pet. Everything about the story, from her sneaking it very obviously under her shirt, to the far-too-perfect reunion of baby and mama, or a dinosaur that is willing to act as its mama, is over the top sappy.

     Yes, Terra Nova wants to be a family show, along with its other qualities, but does it lack all originality? Every thing the series does so far has a rote feel to it, as if it's copying everything else in pop culture. It is enjoyable enough, sure, but it's fluff, rather than serious drama or deep story. It needs to take chances and try something new! There are a lot of really cool ingredients being used here, but it feels like the show gravitates to the lowest common denominator in an attempt to appeal to everyone. Which will backfire by appealing to almost no one. Considering the budget required, Terra Nova would be wise to try to make itself something special soon, if it's not already too late. Hopefully, this is possible.

     Oh, and Reynolds (Dean Geyer) is already declaring his intentions to marry Maddy (Naomi Scott). Seriously?! They just started dating! Ridiculous!

     Terra Nova airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

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     Catch up with streaming episodes of Terra Nova.

The "Genesis" of Terra Nova

     FOX's Terra Nova premiere, "Genesis," begins in 2149, with the Earth dying because of human mistakes. Mankind has begun a new colony 85 million years in the past, in an alternate timeline. Dr. Elisabeth Shannon (Shelley Conn, Mistressess) is recruited as part of the tenth wave of settlers, but she is only allowed to bring her two eldest children, Maddy (Naomi Scott, Life Bites) and Josh (Landon Liboiron, Degrassi: The Next Generation). This is because in 2149, having three children is illegal, and this applied to Elisabeth's youngest, Zoe (Alana Mansour). Elisabeth helps her husband, Jim (Jason O'Mara, Life on Mars) break out of prison, where is serving a sentence for assaulting the police when they find Zoe. Together, all five Shannons make it through the rift.

     Once at the new settlement, Commander Nathaniel Taylor (Stephen Lang, Avator) decides to allow the Shannons to stay together, since he needs Elisabeth, and doesn't care about laws that have not been invented yet. Jim, a former cop, is assigned to the agricultural team, but soon proves himself more than capable to join Taylor's security force. This comes in handy when Josh, upset at his father for being gone all this time, meets an attractive girl named Skye (Allison Miller, Kings), who leads him outside the gate. The teens are attacked by dinosaurs and robbed by members of the Sixth, rebels who split away from the main group. Jim must rescue his son.

     Terra Nova is a family friendly show that should appeal to a broad base. There is the sci-fi aspect of time travel and alternate universes. There is mystery in why the Sixth split off, and why Taylor's son draws pictures on rocks. The leader of the Sixth, Mira (Christine Adams, The Whole Truth) seems devoted to some cause. Skye and Josh have the beginnings of a teen romance. There is a group of teens that live apart from their family. Little Zoe is cute as a button. Taylor and Jim will have to solve crimes, while Elisabeth will face new medical cases. Plus, dinosaurs and involvement by Steven Spielberg! Which should satisfy just about everyone.

     Which might be the problem with the show. Don't get me wrong; Terra Nova is certainly one of, if not the, best fall premiere so far. But its widespread tone means none of those things get primary focus. Not knowing which writers to hire to really capture all of these different elements, a great story is slogged down by bad dialogue. The special effects look fantastic, and there's an exciting adventure present. A little tweaking on some lines, and Terra Nova could quickly set itself apart from the pack.

     That's why I recommend you keep watching. The actors are good, and the plot is fairly original. Until proven otherwise, Terra Nova is new and different, and thus, worthy of viewership. The best elements involve the family trying to settle in, finally back together, and the mysteries outside of the settlement walls. These would be good to focus on, as well as revisiting the future, shown too briefly in the beginning, considering how intriguing this time and place are.

     Oh, and it would have been nice to see Jim escape from jail. Yeah, there's a lot to cover in "Genesis," but it feels like a little bit of a cheat to have Elisabeth visit Jim, and then suddenly he has made it to the transport station. Might there be a few things missing in there?

     Anyway, be sure to watch Terra Nova Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

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