A high-powered Secret Service agent wakes up in a strange town after a car crash. At first glance, it's an idyllic community with everything he could possibly want and need, and the people are friendly and welcoming. But something is off...very, very off. Eventually, because of his previous law enforcement background, they make the main character sheriff, and that's when he delves further into how the town works. It is then that he discovers its secret, and his life is completely turned upside-down (again) as he struggles between surviving it and exposing it.

Binge-watching! I used to watch this on Hulu when it was first airing on FOX...every week when a new episode came out, I'd watch the previous one to catch myself up, and then watch the new one. It's riveting; it seems like each episode would end on some kind of cliffhanger premise that would leave you wanting to know more and more. And it's not predictable either...if you like suspense with twists and turns, this is perfect. There is a pretty good amount of violence and blood considering it was a network television show, and there are some kind of scary creatures, so it's not suitable for children.

I'm a fan of the imagery and the way it was shot. Even though Wayward Pines is meant to be the perfect world, every day always seemed to be overcast and slightly dreary...I'm not sure if that was intentional or not, but it was a nice bit of effects. It's like you could tell things were meant to be shiny and new and bright, but everything seemed like you were looking at it through a slightly smoky filter. I'm also not one for action-type films or shows, but the way they're shot in this makes you feel like you're right there as it's happening (I know; it sounds hard to explain). And as far-fetched as the storyline is, the acting is superb and each character has you believing that this could really be happening.

This series was based on a trilogy of books by Blake Crouch, and I read them after watching the series...and as much as I enjoyed the tv series, they are hardly faithful to the books. The characters aren't even remotely identical; plot lines are skimmed, eliminated, and completely misrepresented, and in my opinion, the books aren't even that well written (apologies to anyone who was a fan of the books). Watch this because it's good television, not because it was adapted from a book you enjoyed...or you will be disappointed.

...see where this would go from where it wrapped up. It was very intense, and ended on a curious note...as a one-season show it ends at a place where it could be considered a good stopping point, but there were, if I recall, a couple plot holes that I didn't think were tied up. There were also some minor storylines that could easily have been continued in a second season...I don't wanna say loose ends, but there was definitely a lot more to build on. And watching this did make me want to check out the books (which like I said, I did, but was very disappointed).

It made me feel kinda nervous actually...at the time the series came out I was just starting to get into different kinds of dystopian stories. I'm not really a sci-fi, horror, or drama/suspense person, but I was starting to ease myself slowly into the categories as a means of branching out a bit (in terms of writing, and entertaining myself). It's kind of hard to not be affected when you see something acted out in a manner that makes it feel like it kind of actually could happen in the future. The character behind the concept of the town of Wayward Pines is at times optimistic, passionate, and of sophisticated intelligence, but by the end you see his true colors and how they can mimic the downfall of many of society's most well-known rulers of advanced civilizations. Buried deep in the narrative is a moral on our modern burdens, both politically and materialistic, as well as showing us our worst fears of religions and cults (without really saying so much).

Dude, Matt Dillon! Admittedly, I've never cared for any of the roles he's played in movies I've seen him star in (except maybe the movie Singles), but he absolutely shines in the lead role as Ethan Burke. His character's transitions are smooth and agile, and he carries the perfect demeanor for the part. As far as the rest of the cast, outside of the few episodes with Terrance Howard (who also plays Lucius on the FOX drama Empire) as the sheriff before Burke takes over, and Juliette Lewis, there weren't any other members whose names rang a bell (but I also don't really watch a whole lot of tv or movies to begin with). In my opinion though the main characters were portrayed very well in a wide variety of circumstances.

This really is an excellent story...full of action, drama, suspense, and ultimately a three-way battle of good versus evil versus the unknown. The plot and pace move quickly and each episode ends in a way that draws you into the next one. The violence and bloodshed doesn't feel tacky or overdone, and is suitable for the content. The dystopian narrative is often riveting, somewhat haunting in a futuristic manner, and its sinister tones are undercut by the pleasantness of the town and its inhabitants.

As I mentioned before, I'm not sure I'd recomment this if you enjoyed the books in the Pines trilogy. Aside from a few vague similarities, the series does not follow the book's structure at all. Also, this is not your typical "us against evil and monsters" type of horror...the horror is almost more subliminal and understated, but it's still there. It's often just not very in-your-face. If you need blood and guts and violence every episode and frequently, you may not care for this.

As someone who was not really into drama and suspense, I totally dug this season. On its own it can stand alone (there is a second season set in another time period, but with a few different characters and virtually no stars in major roles) and it really develops into a fantastic story. At ten episodes it's neither too long nor too short (though I'd argue it could've gone on in the direction it was going for at least another season) and while it may not be a positive ending, it does wrap up nicely. It's the perfect mix of sci-fi, horror/suspense, and drama, and it's worth binging though an entire weekend.

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Created Jun 19, 2017 at 1:41pm • Submit your own review...