With the official premiere of the
ten-episode event series Wayward Pines
this week, in an episode entitled ‘Where Paradise Is Home’, a whole onslaught
of questions has been introduced to the television audience that had the
pleasure of watching it. This is a series that has started off introducing a
lead character we can’t quite trust (in the past Matt Dillon’s Ethan had
hallucinations due to his guilt towards some kind of Easter bombing), thrown
him straight into the belly of the beast (he’s somehow popped up in this town
with no memory of getting there), and turned us on our head by managing to
twist time (Juliette Lewis’s Beverly has been there one year and she arrived in
1999, while Carla Gugino’s Kate has been there twelve years but only arrived
around five weeks ago in real time). So many pieces thrown at us without being
able to see the whole picture; much like Ethan, we’re following along with
mostly clues from his point of view, with only a couple from outside with his
family and the lead secret service agent Adam.
From the get go, I can already
tell this series is not for everyone. This is a show that requires patience
because we’re not getting the entire image of what’s going on. Similar to the
opening shot, we’re only viewing the close-up of what’s occurring, when we
really need to be able to pull back and view everything in a big picture kind
of way. Given what has been provided to us already, this series appears to be
something of a slow burner. Much like many a thrillers in the film format, this
show appears to be one that will be slowly pieced together, we’ll be given the
whole picture, and then we’ll have to deal with the repercussions of that big
picture. I mean, why are these specific people there? How are they all okay
with being held there against their will? How many of them are being held against there will. What is keeping these people
there, and why? What did Adam do; did he give them Ethan? Is this a Truman Show situation, just with some
kind of time warp? How has Beverly only been there one year, when in real time
it’s been fifteen years, while Kate has been there twelve years in five weeks
real time? Why can’t they leave? See, already so many questions – and I’m sure
numerous audience members have more, with working theories far beyond my own
grasp – with so many answers hopefully to be received.
Regarding the more behind the
scenes kind of aspect to the show, with a few nitpicks about the technical parts;
I’d like to start off by commending the casting of the series. This show has
got names like the aforementioned Matt Dillon, Juliette Lewis (who I am loving
already), and Carla Gugino, and then it also boasts the likes of Melissa Leo
(as crazy nurse Pam), Terence Howard (as the sheriff), Shannyn Sossamon (as
Ethan’s wife Theresa), and Reed Diamond (as Kate’s husband Harold). Such a
phenomenal boat of talent, I expect this series will fly when it comes to the
acting aspect. The cinematography has some kinks, but so far what’s been used
is certainly working for it, and is in no way a hindrance such as the third
season of American Horror Story’s
technique was. The colouring and lighting left something to be desired, but I
suspect that came more from a creative standpoint of making this town seem cold
and alien to our unreliable hero. One thing I had the most issue with was the
sound; it was so very raw, it almost made the episode seem a bit unfinished.
Perhaps they’re going for an unnerving quality to the series, but I got more
low-budget horror film quality from it. Even so, there was an intriguing
quality to the series.
Overall, I enjoyed this series
premiere. I don’t know how willing I’d be to stick with it beyond one season,
but if they stick to the ten-episode event they’ve showcased for this series,
I’ll certainly be a happy camper. Like I said, this is a series meant for
someone willing to test their patience, and speaking as someone with a very low
threshold, I wouldn’t be happy to have that patience stretched into obscurity.
I can handle the slow build and burn of ten episodes, but I expect to get
pieced results throughout those ten episodes, even if that means new questions
arise. So far, the writing, the way this whole series is constructed, is
working for it, but I strongly urge all those involved not to tempt the
audience by giving too little too soon, or too much too soon, because I already
watch a fair amount of series, and have several on my docket to catch up on, so
I’d have no qualms dumping this one if it doesn’t continue to hold my interest.
That’s just one woman’s advice.
My rating: 7.5 out of 10.
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