Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz bastardize the beloved Steven Spielberg anthology series Amazing Stories for Apple TV. Season 1 consists of five episodes involving time travel, aliens, and super powers. However, only one or two are any good; the rest are predictable, uninspired tripe. And the show is pretty heavy handed in pushing its liberal politics. Also, the casts are rather lackluster, putting forth middling performances at best. Failing to capture the magic and wonder of the original series, Apple TV’s Amazing Stories was quickly cancelled and forgotten.
Testament: The Story of Moses is a compelling biographical docudrama from Netflix. Christian, Jewish, and Muslim scholars discuss the story of Moses; from his prophetic birth to his exile in the desert to his calling to free the Hebrews from Pharaoh. Interviews with the scholars are mixed with dramatic recreations and narration. The quality of the acting varies but is pretty good overall, and the production values, costumes, sets, score, etc., are quite well-done. Additionally, the scholars do an impressive job at articulating their points; although it gets a little confusing at times as the Muslim scriptures differ from the Judeo-Christian ones. And unlike other documentaries, the focus is less on historical proofs and more on the intent of the scripture writers in presenting Moses’ story the way that they did. Well-crafted and insightful, Testament: The Story of Moses is a comprehensive look at one of history’s most important religious figures.
Based on a novel, The Haunting of Hill House is a supernatural horror series from Netflix. The story follows the Crain family who went through a traumatic experience in their youth in which their mother was killed while renovating an old mansion known as Hill House, and 26-years later another death in the family brings the Crains together again and forces them to face the ghosts from their past. Featuring Timothy Hutton, Carla Gugino, Elizabeth Reaser, and Kate Siegal, the show has a pretty solid cast and delivers some good performances. The writing however, is a little weak as most of the episodes focus on a specific character; and some characters are better developed and more interesting than others, resulting in some unevenness from episodes to episode. Yet they do an impressive job at building up the mystery and suspense of Hill House. Also, the look and style the series sets up a creepy and atmospheric tone that’s really effective. Captivating and full of intrigue, The Haunting of Hill House is a fresh a creative adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s work.
Resident Evil comes to Netflix as a short-lived 8-episode horror series. Season 1 follows Dr. Albert Wesker’s daughters Jade and Billie as teenagers as they move to New Raccoon City and begin investigating their father top secret work for the Umbrella Corporation; and in a parallel story an adult Jade searches for a cure for the T-virus that has turned most of the human population into zombies. Unfortunately Jade and Billie are angry, spiteful, mean spirited characters that are no fun to watch. In fact, most of the characters are horrid; the Umbrella managers, the survivor gangs, the zombies. And the zombie effects are pretty ghoulish and grotesque. With dislikable character and little connection to the video game series, Resident Evil was quickly cancelled.
From Netflix comes the supernatural series The Innocents. In season one teens June McDaniel and Harry Polk run away together hoping to escape their small town and start a new life, but June soon develops an ability to shapeshift into other people and becomes trapped in their bodies unable to control her power; meanwhile a genetic researcher who runs a sanctuary for shapeshifters and studies them sends his people to find June and bring her to him. The cast gives fairly good performances, but the writing is a little uneven; as the research sanctuary plot quickly loses its intrigue and becomes confusing and tedious. However, June’s plot is quite compelling; showing the terror of losing one’s self to a new body and its mental and physical toll. Season 1 of The Innocents has its problems, but is entertaining full of thrills.
From Producer J.J. Abrams comes the sci-fi cop drama Almost Human. Set in the near future where new technologies are leading to an escalation in crime, the police force begins to supplement its ranks with androids. Season 1 follows Det. John Kennex who returns to the force after suffering a trauma, and is paired with an outmoded android that has a “synthetic soul” that allows him to think and act human. Several intriguing continuing story threads are set up in the first few episodes, but after a while they’re dropped and forgotten as the series turns into a weekly crime procedural. Karl Urban, Michael Ealy, and Minka Kelly give solid performances and make for a good assemble cast, and the special effects are especially well-done, making for some fascinating future technologies. Almost Human delivers an exciting and action-packed 13-episode first season, but it’s not always sure of what type of show it wants to be.
CBS presents a new 9-part adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand. When a deadly plague wipes out the majority of the world’s population, a select group of survivors, guided by visons, travel to Colorado and begin to rebuild; meanwhile, a mysterious man recruits another group of people to setup a rival community in Las Vegas. Featuring James Marsden, Alexander Skarsgård, Amber Heard, Greg Kinnear, Odessa Young, and Whoopi Goldberg, the series has a pretty impressive cast that delivers some strong performances. And the writers do a good job at developing the characters and at structuring the story arc over the 9-episodes (save for the rather weak epilogue). However, there are some problems with the depictions of the plague and the sex and violence, which don’t always feel congruent with the overall tone. Yet while it has some problems, The Stand is a compelling tale of survival and the power of good to overcome evil.
From the producers of The Bible comes the powerful and inspiring miniseries A.D. The Bible Continues. Beginning with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the series follows the disciples as they begin to spread word of Christ’s resurrection and the Jewish and Roman authorities as they attempt to squash the emerging Christian movement. The cast is pretty good and features Richard Coyle, Joanne Whalley, and James Callis. And the sets and costumes are especially well-done. However, the attempt to insert ethnic diversity in what should largely be a Jewish community is a bit distracting. And the storytelling has some trouble balancing the various character plots at times. Yet overall, A.D. The Bible Continues is remarkably compelling look at the birth of Christianity.
Jesus of Nazareth is a powerful and groundbreaking miniseries about the life of Christ. The series begins with his immaculate conception and birth and then follows Jesus’ raise as a rabbi in Judeo, and gaining a following that the Jewish authorities soon begin to fear. Featuring Robert Powell, Olivia Hussey, Anne Bancroft, Ernest Borgnine James Earl Jones, Donald Pleasence, Ian McShane, and Christopher Plummer, the cast is just incredible. Powell’s portrayal of Jesus is iconic, and the costumes and sets are exceptionally well-done. Also, the series does a good job at adhering to the Gospel story and Christ’s message of salvation. Remarkably compelling, Jesus of Nazareth is one of the best biblical miniseries ever made.
From executive producers Len Wiseman and James Wan comes the DC superhero series Swamp Thing. While investigating a strange viral outbreak in a small-town in Louisiana, bio-researcher Alec Holland is murdered and left for dead in the swamp, but comes back as a plant creature and helps CDC doctor Abigail Arcane to continue to investigate the virus. Starring Crystal Reed, Andy Bean, Virginia Madsen, Will Patton, and Jennifer Beals, the show has a solid cast. However, the writing is rather weak, particularly in how the overall story-arc is structured. Still, the special effects and creature design are quiet impressive, and show does good job at setting a dark and foreboding tone. And there are several exciting fight sequences. Yet while Swamp Thing delivered a solid first season, behind-the-scenes turmoil led to a swift cancellation.
From the Sci-Fi Channel comes the mini-series Tin Man, a bold new vision of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Using a steampunk aesthetic, the series envisions a modern adaptation of Baum’s work that takes place several generations after Dorothy Gale first visited. In this tale a waitress named D.G. is transported to a fantastical land called the O.Z., where she discovers that she’s a long lost princess and that her evil sister has overthrown the kingdom and is attempting to plunge it into permanent darkness. Most of the hallmarks of the original story are here (the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Wicked Witch, etc.), but it’s all done with a twist. The cast is led by Zooey Deschanel, Neal McDonough, Kathleen Robertson, Alan Cumming, and Richard Dreyfuss, and they give pretty good performances. Additionally, the set designs and costumes are quite interesting and create a captivating visual style. Yet, there is some over use of green screen effects and CGI creatures. The music however, does an impressive job at brings a sense of wonder and excitement to the series. An incredibly imaginative take on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Tin Man delivers an exciting adventure that’s full of thrills.
Emerald City is a dark and gritty re-envisioning of L. Frank Baum’s classic Oz book series. Season 1 follows a young woman named Dorothy Gale who gets swept-up in a tornado and is transported to a strange world where she gets caught in a war between a tyrannical ruler named Oz and a coven of witches lead by Glinda, who’s been secretly building an army. The episodes pull plot threats from the first couple of Oz novels, but usually with a macabre twist. However, the show bears little resemblance to Baum’s Oz, and is more of a medieval fantasy tale. For the most part the show is well-cast, particularly Vincent D’Onofrio and Joely Richardson; who both have tremendous screen-presence. And the writers do a fairly good job at developing story arcs that build over the 10-episodes (often in unexpected ways). But Emerald City’s bold and edgy take on Baum’s work tried to turn Oz into something that it’s not, and as entertaining as it was, it had trouble finding an audience; leading it inevitably to be cancelled.
Absolutely abysmal, NBC’s Dracula has no interest in adapting Bram Stoker’s work and focuses instead on condemning oil companies and promoting “green energy.” Season 1 (and thankfully the only one) follows the vampire Dracula as he poses as a rich American industrialist set on launching a geomagnetic company in London; but secretly he’s working with Dr. Abraham Van Helsing to bring down a secret society known as the Order of the Dragon. In the anti-hero tradition Dracula is made to the good guy, and the actual good guys, Harker, Van Helsing, are turning into villains. And while it’s set in the 1890s, there’s no attempt to adhere to the social mores of the times; especially those concerning women, sexuality, and race. The writing is just incredibly poor, with things just happening with little explanation or set-up. However, the costumes and sets are extraordinarily well-done and create a rich visual aesthetic. A chaotic mess that doesn’t seem to know what it’s doing half the time, Dracula was cancelled after 10 episodes.
TNT presents a modern telling of Stephen King’s classic vampire tale ‘Salem’s Lot. The story follows a small New England town that destroys itself when an ancient vampire named Barlow moves there and takes up residence in a house that carries a history of evil. Featuring a large ensemble cast that includes Rob Lowe, Donald Sutherland, James Cromwell, Rutger Hauer, and Samantha Mathis, there are some good performances. However, there are too many characters and subplots going on to get invested in the film. Still, the over-arcing story is rather interesting and the horror elements are effective at creating suspense. ‘Salem’s Lot is a flawed film, but it delivers an intriguing vision as well as a few chills.
Based on a bestselling novel by Stephen King, Salem’s Lot is a morbid and eerie tale of evil. The story follows a small town with a cursed house that lures a vampire, who then proceeds to sire the townspeople. The storytelling is poor and kills whatever mystery and intrigue the plot builds. Additionally, the acting is especially weak with no engaging performances. Salem’s Lot is a monotonous film that’s atmospheric and moody, but it fails to deliver any real scares.
Showtime’s limited series Dexter: New Blood is an unnecessary epilogue that attempts to fix the widely criticized finale if the original series and give the character a better sendoff. After faking his death, Dexter has settled into a quiet life in a small-town in northern New York, but when his estranged son tracks him down looking for answers Dexter grows concerned than he has inherited his Dark Passenger. Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter return to reprise their roles (with Deb taking Henry’s place as the Dark Passenger), and are joined by Julia Jones, Jamie Chung, and Clancy Brown. The writers come up with a fairly good villain for Dexter to go up against, however, there are a number of inconsistences and plot holes; as certain parts of the show canon (like Astor and Cody) are ignored. Yet, while Dexter: New Blood has its problems, it succeeds in delivering a thrilling conclusion to the character’s journey…which somewhat makes up for Season 8.
A pseudo sequel to the 1984 film, Firestarter 2: Rekindled is a fascinating new chapter of horror. Now in her twenties, Charlie McGee is pursued once again by a secret organization that's conducting psychic research, and she must face off against a new generation of telekinetics that have been bread to be weapons. Marguerite Moreau gives a good performance as Charlie, and there are some impressive supporting performances by Malcolm McDowell and Dennis Hopper. However, the special effects are rather weak, and the sets look cheap. Additionally, there are pacing issues that cause the film to drag at times. Yet despite a few production problems, Firestarter 2: Rekindled is an entertaining thriller that continues the exciting story that Stephen King began.
X-Files writer/producer Frank Spoitnitz helms ABC’s reboot of the classic supernatural thriller Night Stalker. Season 1 follows reporter Carl Kolchak as he investigates strange and unusual stories along with the mysterious murder of his wife. Starring Stuart Townsend and Gabrielle Union, the show employees the standard believer/skeptic dynamic (a la Mulder and Scully). And the guest stars featured include Susan Misner, Tony Todd, John Pyper-Ferguson, and Jane Lynch. The writers to a pretty good job at varying the different types of stories Kolchak looks into, and avoid some of the more clichéd and fantastical creatures (i.e. vampires and ghosts). But with only 10 episodes (4 of which didn’t air), the show wasn’t able to do a lot of character development and leaves a number of questions unanswered; particularly those concerning the murder of Kolchak’s wife and the mark he bears. While short lived, Night Stalker delivered a strong first season full of exciting mysteries.
From A&E comes Damien, a continuation of the classic 1970s horror film The Omen. Set 30 years after the film, Damien Thorn has grown up and become a photographic journalist, and when a series of strange occurrences and deaths start happening around him a mysterious woman tries to convince him that he’s the prophesied Antichrist. The season begins fairly strong, with a lot of mystery as to whether Damien is the Antichrist or the victim of the machinations of a satanic cult; but before long it devolves into out-and-out craziness. And Bradley James doesn’t give a strong performance, though Barbara Hershey is rather impressive as a maniacal villain. Also, the music and cinematography do a good job at setting a dark and foreboding tone. However, the writing is inconsistent; making it hard to get a handle on the characters and plots. A lackluster supernatural thriller, Damien failed to recapture the terror of The Omen and was cancelled after one season.
ABC adapts James Patterson’s best-selling book series into the short-lived crime drama Women’s Murder Club. In Season 1 a spunky newspaper report teams up with a homicide detective, a medical examiner, and a district attorney to help solve crimes together. Starring Angie Harmon, Laura Harris, Aubrey Dollar, Rob Estes, and Linda Park, the show has a pretty good cast and features some interesting guest stars, including Rooney Mara, Mark Pellegrino, Tamlyn Tomita, and John Billingsley. However, the writing’s rather poor, particularly in how the show forces in “girl talk” in the mist of the investigations; although, the murder mysteries themselves and fairly solid, with some intriguing twists and turns. Cancelled after only 13 episodes (partly due to the ‘08 Writers Strike), Women’s Murder Club is an entertaining show but failed to stand out among the myriad of other cop dramas.
NBC tries to get lightening to strike twice by having Battlestar Galactica’s David Eick reboot Bionic Woman. When Jaime Sommers is severely injured in a car accident she’s saved using experimental cybernetic implants and gains enhancers abilities that she then uses to help the Berkut Group (a private security company) combat terror threats. Starring Michelle Ryan, Lucy Hale, Miguel Ferrer, and Katee Sackhoff, the show has a pretty solid cast and features several interesting guest stars. However, the writing is uneven; setting up an ongoing story arc in the first few episodes and then completely dropping it (though this can partly be blamed on the 2008 Writers Strike). Still, the action is exciting and the special effects are used fairly well to show Jamie’s enhanced abilities. Only 8 episodes, Season 1 of Bionic Woman is entertaining, but isn’t given a chance to fully develop.
Netflix follows up their hit haunted house series The Haunting of Hill House with The Haunting of Bly Manor. Based on the works of Henry James, the story follows an au pair who’s hired to care for two orphaned children at a mansion in the English countryside, but grows concerned when a mysterious man appears and the children start behaving strangely. Several of the cast members from Hill House return as different characters, and it follows the same basic structure; switching between two time periods and focusing each episode on a character. However, the series ends up being more about a lesbian romance than a haunting, and the directing is rather weak. Still, the mystery of Bly Manor is fairly interesting and has some creepy, frightening moments. The Haunting of Bly Manor isn’t as good as Hill House, but it’s a decent enough series.
Dracula is a bizarre BBC miniseries that re-envisions Bram Stoker’s literary classic. The story follows the vampire prince Dracula as he uses an attorney named Jonathan Harker to rejuvenate himself and trek to England to start a new life. The writers make several major changes to the original story (such as recasting Van Helsing as nun) but include most of the main characters and plot points in some way. The acting is serviceable, though unmemorable; not really distinguishing itself in the myriad of television and film incarnations of Stoker’s tale. Also, the tone seems to be mainly focused on the gore aspect, and not so much on the terror and adventure. A mediocre horror series, Dracula delivers some thrillers but is wholly forgettable.
Before there was a Naked Gun, there was Police Squad! — a short-lived ABC comedy from Jim Abrahams and the Zucker brothers. The show follows Sergeant Frank Dreblin, Detective Lieutenant (played by Leslie Nielsen), as he investigates cases with a special unit of the LAPD. The comedy is hysterical; using a combination of sight gags, word play, and slapstick. Ahead of its time, the series also includes bits of meta humor; such as an unreliable narrator reading different episode titles than what appears on screen, fake freeze-frame gages at the end of the episodes, and killing the episode’s special guest star in the title sequence. However, the jokes are rather hit-and-miss and the writing is weak; as the stories are just there to setup the jokes. Yet despite its problems, Police Squad delivers a lot of laughs.
Jim Henson’s cult classic The Dark Crystal is resurrected by Netflix as the limited series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. A prequel to the film, when the rejuvenating powers of the Crystal of Thra wane the Skeksis desperately seek an alternative and turn on the Gelfling whose loyalty to the Skeksis and tribal cultures leave them vulnerable, but a small group of rogues band together and attempt to stop the Skeksis. An all-star cast of voice actors are featured that include Helena Bonham Carter, Jason Isaacs, Simon Pegg, Mark Hamill, Lena Headey, Alicia Vikander, and Mark Strong. And the puppeteers do an excellent job at bringing the characters to life and at making them feel real. The set and production designers also do an amazing job; not only at recreating the world of Thra from the film, but also at expanding and enriching it. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance both honors the original material and delivers a new and exciting adventure.
Based on the comic series, V Wars is an exciting horror series from Netflix. Season 1 follows Dr. Luther Swan as he works with the NSA to try to contain the spread of a virus that activates a dormant gene that causes people to turn into vampire like creatures with superhuman strength and feed off blood. Starring Ian Somerhalder, Adrian Holmes, Laura Vandervoort, Kimberly Sue-Murray, Nikki Reed, Kandyse McClure, Greg Bryk, and Peter Outerbridge, the show features an all-star cast of genre actors. And the writers do a good job playing up the moral ambiguity of whether the infected are diseased or an emerging species. The action too is well-done, full of intense and thrilling chases and fight sequences. Additionally, being Netflix, the show doesn’t hold back on the blood and gore; making for some disturbing creature effects and kills. Yet the powers that be cancelled V Wars after 10-episodes, bringing an end to what was promising to be an epic battle for the future of civilization.
Based on a UK series, Eleventh Hour is an intriguing crime drama from CBS. Season 1 follows FBI consultant Dr. Jacob Hood and his handler Rachel Young as they investigate cases involving unexplained scientific phenomenon. Rufus Sewell and Marley Shelton lead the cast, and while Sewell gives a strong performance Shelton seem miscast. There are also problems with the dialog, as a lot of the science jargon is hard to follow and is largely expository. Still, the cases-of-the-week are pretty interesting and explore a number of controversial scientific issues, such as cloning, gene manipulation, and cryonics. Additionally, an exciting list of guests stars are featured, including R. Lee Ermey, Oded Fehr, Judd Nelson, Nina Dobrev, Mariel Hemingway, and Helen Slater. Yet Eleventh Hour failed to find an audience and was cancelled after just one season.
Based on a UK series and produced by Peter Berg, Prime Suspect is a gritty New York cop drama starring Maria Bello. Season 1 follows homicide detective Jane Timoney as she tries to break into the old boys club of her squad and deals with the drama between her boyfriend and his ex-wife. Unfortunately the antagonistic setup between Tmoney and her co-workers hurts the show, as there’s not a lot of team work to solve cases (which is kind of a staple of police procedurals). Still, the writers come up with some interesting cases-of-the-week and do a good job at creating suspense and intrigue. And Bello gives a strong performance, making Timoney an exciting and fun character. Yet Prime Suspect wasn’t able to find an audience and was canceled by NBC after 13 episodes.
From Fox comes the edgy and daring police drama The Chicago Code. Season 1 follows the newly appointed Police Superintendent as she puts together a special task force to take down a corrupt alderman who controls the Irish mob. Starring Jason Clarke, Jennifer Beals, and Delroy Lindo, the show has a fairly impressive cast and uses a meta narrative that has each character take turns narrating as they tell their backstories, along with pieces of Chicago’s history, to the audience; which helps to create a connection to the characters. However, some of the episodes get a little unfocused; switching narrators up to three times, making it hard to follow the story. Still, the writers come up with some interesting cases-of-the-week and do a good job at building the overall season story-arc. Additionally, the show addresses some poignant sociopolitical issues; government and police corruption, race relations, and gender inequality. Yet while it delivers a strong first season, The Chicago Code was cancelled after 13 episodes.
The History Channel presents the 13-part miniseries The Revolution. Beginning with the Boston Massacre the series follows the build-up to the American Revolutionary War on through to the Colonies’ victory over Britain, and the swearing in of George Washington as the first president of the United States of America. Narrated by Edward Herrmann and featuring numerous historians, the people and events that shaped the American Revolution are analyzed and discussed. Additionally, re-enactors and voice-over actors, along with famous pieces of art, are used to help give a visual component to the discussions. However, not allowing the re-enactors to speak kind of gives the scenes an artificiality, and a number of the same scenes are re-used over and over again and becomes quite noticeable (the worst of which occurs in the last two episodes which are more or less clip-shows). Still, the first 11 episodes are constructed very well; building the intense and drama as the fight for independence teeters between victory and defeat at every turn. Incredibly comprehensive, The Revolution is a remarkably compelling documentary series.
