I would not follow The Following

Fox started the new year with the new show, The Following. As I enjoy watching thrillers I’ve had to check it out. Especially that a lot of people on the Web recommended it. Yeah, I know, it means nothing. Anyway, I’ve got through first episode and it wasn’t bad. Nothing new, nothing brilliant, but decent. It had this typical for American television patronizing style. Characters are constantly explaining each detail of the story, so even half-brain could catch up. It’s pretty annoying to me, but OK, I can live with that.

First episode presents the killer. The pretentious type which I really don’t like. Sure, you shouldn’t like the bad character in the movie, but I really don’t like the acting this guy presents. Then we have the hero. I really like Kevin Bacon, but this is not his best role. He’s not bad, but it looks that he’s not trying too hard. Other people are rather background for the story, I haven’t notice single character who would be any good. Back to the story. Our psychopath is big fan of Edgar Allan Poe and is using his works as a blue print for his murders. He’s pretty violent and you can feel the thrill when his killings are pictured. His victims were young women, usually his students. I’ve forgot to mention that psycho is professor and writer. Police wouldn’t probably caught him if not some blind luck. Mr Hardy was patrolling the campus when two students draw his attention and he decided to check their house. Pretty lame if you ask me. He’s not quick enough to save both girls, but he manages to save one who has been cut pretty badly. He himself gains stab in the heart, but survives. Our killer gets shot, but also survives. A lot of luck for one evening. Anyway, it’s just prologue to the main story. It starts few years later when killer Joe escapes from the prison, kills his unfinished victim. Then allows our hero to catch him just to show him that he now has followers who would kill in his name even though he would be imprisoned. A lot of bullshit as for one episode, but it’s wrapped in nice performance, so it’s definitely watchable.

Unfortunately you can’t say the same about the second episode. I don’t know who made this decision, but they’ve got rid of gore almost completely. In the first part they’ve showed all the macabre, but now it’s barely there. We meet another sickos, and there are another murders, but they don’t show it anymore. Combine it with not so strong story and average acting, and there is not much to watch anymore. I was bored. I’ve thought that it would be maybe not good, but decent show to watch in the evening when you just want to relax. But it turned out to be just another crap for American housewives. It would probably earn money, but would be forgotten soon. I want to forget.