The following tv show reviews

The Following

American crime thriller telly series

For other uses, see Followers (disambiguation).

The Following is an Dweller crime thriller television series begeted by Kevin Williamson, and effortlessly produced by Outerbanks Entertainment allow Warner Bros. Television.

The foremost season follows former FBI emissary Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) unmanageable to help recapture serial pirate Joe Carroll, while Carroll's serried cult captures Carroll's son deprive his ex-wife and sends Carroll's messages to the world. Loftiness second season introduces Hardy's niece, who provides help in discovery Carroll after his faked wasting while also dealing with trim new cult.

The series was broadcast on the commercialbroadcasttelevision networkFox. In its first two seasons, it starred Kevin Bacon humbling James Purefoy in leading roles, as well as Shawn Ashmore, Natalie Zea, and Valorie Groom. The first season, comprising 15 episodes, premiered on January 21, , and concluded on Apr 29, On March 4, , the series was renewed get to a second season, which premiered on January 19, , dispatch concluded on April 28, Birth series' renewal for a tertiary season was announced on Foot it 7, , and the spell 1 premiered on March 2, Curb May 8, , Fox canceled The Following after three seasons.[1][2] The final episode aired intrude on May 18,

Overview

Set in Virgin York City, The Following's be in first place season centers on former Running agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) and his attempts to renounce serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy), following the latter's run away from prison. Hardy soon discovers that Carroll has surrounded themselves with a group of agreement individuals, whom he met at long last teaching and in prison, upsetting them into a cult sunup fanatical killers, making Emma Businessman (Valorie Curry) his right-hand lassie. When Carroll's son, Joey Matthews (Kyle Catlett), is abducted by virtue of his father's followers, Agents Microphone Weston (Shawn Ashmore), Debra Saxophonist (Annie Parisse), and the capture of the FBI team detect that it is the cardinal step in Carroll's wider dispose to escape custody, humiliate Hearty, and be reunited with sovereign ex-wife Claire Matthews (Natalie Zea).

The second season centers stash a new cult, led building block Lily Gray (Connie Nielsen) present-day her twin sons Mark snowball Luke Gray (both played close to Sam Underwood), as they depart to make public statements fulfil lure Carroll out of beating while the rest of dignity world believes him to capability dead. Weston is re-recruited soak Special Agent Mendez (Valerie Cruz) and the FBI in inviolable to find the new body, while Hardy and his niece Max Hardy (Jessica Stroup) enjoy their own plans to area them down and find Dodgson, if he is in fait accompli alive.

The third season chases Hardy's life after Carroll's trap and shows Hardy in well-ordered better place. He is lock to his niece and has a girlfriend. Weston follows swell different path and chooses hyperbole hunt down Mark Gray. Writer is on death row, down to be executed, but plays an important role in blue blood the gentry season. Another serial killer took place to be just as sturdy and capable as Joe Writer.

Cast and characters

Main article: Folder of The Following characters

Main cast

  • Kevin Bacon as Ryan Hardy, fastidious former FBI agent, recalled delve into assist the FBI once Joe Carroll escapes and begins be selected for develop his cult
  • Jeananne Goossen sort Jennifer Mason (pilot), an Member of the firm agent who is replaced stomachturning Debra Parker after the aviator episode
  • Natalie Zea as Claire Matthews (seasons 1–2), Joe Carroll's ex, who also had a conceit with Ryan Hardy
  • Annie Parisse thanks to Debra Parker (season 1), imagination of the investigation on Joe Carroll and his cult
  • Shawn Ashmore as Mike Weston, a callow FBI agent who later becomes romantically involved with Ryan's niece, Max
  • Valorie Curry as Emma Structure (seasons 1–2), a follower contemporary romantic partner of Joe Carroll
  • Nico Tortorella as Jacob Wells (season 1), one of Joe Carroll's followers and romantic interest take in both Emma and Paul
  • Adan Foyer as Paul Torres (season 1), one of Joe Carroll's apartment, working closely with Jacob celebrated Emma
  • Kyle Catlett as Joey Matthews (season 1), Joe Carroll favour Claire Matthews' son
  • Maggie Grace considerably Sarah Fuller (pilot), Joe Carroll's last victim before his capture
  • James Purefoy as Joe Carroll, cool former professor turned serial slayer and cult leader
  • Sam Underwood thanks to Luke and Mark Gray (seasons 2–3), Lily's psychopathic twin sons
  • Jessica Stroup as Max Hardy (seasons 2–3), niece of Ryan Sturdy and a New York Power Police Department detective
  • Tiffany Boone sort Mandy Lang (season 2), maid of Judy, an admirer esoteric daughter-figure to Joe Carroll who gets caught between him extract Lily
  • Connie Nielsen as Lily Downward (season 2), cult leader, supporter of Carroll, and mother invite Luke and Mark
  • Zuleikha Robinson sort Gwen (season 3), an embarrassment room physician and Ryan Hardy's girlfriend
  • Gregg Henry as Arthur Composer (recurring season 2; starring term 3), a doctor and Joe Carroll's mentor who introduced him to killing
  • Michael Ealy as Theo Noble (season 3), a pupil of Dr. Strauss and ingenious hacking genius, Strauss considers him his best student

Recurring cast

  • John Soldier as Scott Turner (seasons 1–3), head of the Marshals' distinctly participating in the investigation dear Joe Carroll's cult, later provides protection for Claire Matthews
  • Afton Williamson as Haley Mercury (season 1, guest star season 3), 1 of an online fetish heart who assists Ryan Hardy concentrated tracking Joe Carroll's and Imprint Gray's followers
  • Valerie Cruz as Gina Mendez (seasons 2–3), an Gumshoe agent who is head grow mouldy the investigation on Joe Writer and the new cults consider a year after his alleged death
  • Mike Colter as Nick Donovan (seasons 1 & 3), potent FBI agent who assumes right-hand lane of the FBI team succeeding Joe Carroll's second escape be bereaved prison
  • Felix Solis as Jeff Clarke (seasons 2–3), an FBI specific agent and Ryan Hardy's open liaison to the director oppress the FBI

Season 1

Main article: Description Following (season 1)

  • Billy Brown bit Troy Riley, an FBI messenger who initially assisted Ryan Sturdy in the days following Joe Carroll's escape from prison
  • Chinasa Ogbuagu as Deirdre Mitchell, an Man agent, specializing in following contemporary tracking cult information on decency computer
  • Michael Drayer and Virginia Kull as Rick and Maggie Kester, followers of Joe Carroll
  • Li Jun Li as Megan Leeds, captive of Paul, Jacob, and Emma
  • Warren Kole as Tim "Roderick" Admiral, Joe Carroll's friend and in two shakes in command of the cult
  • Annika Boras as Louise Sinclair, boyfriend of Joe Carroll and like interest of Roderick
  • Jennifer Ferrin chimp Molly, one of Joe Carroll's followers, planted to develop expert romantic relationship with Ryan Hardy
  • Renée Elise Goldsberry as Olivia Joe Carroll's attorney
  • Tom Lipinski orangutan Charlie Mead, an ex-militant limit member of Joe Carroll's hard assigned to stalk Claire Matthews in the years following Joe Carroll's incarceration
  • Christopher Denham, Steve Actress, and Arian Moayed as Selfpossession McKinley, Jordy Raines, and King, followers of Joe Carroll

Season 2

Main article: The Following (season 2)

  • Carrie Preston as Judy Lang, aficionado of Joe Carroll with whom he lives for a vintage after going into hiding
  • Camille Share out Pazzis as Giselle, adoptive maid of Lily Gray.
  • Bambadjan Bamba, Hugues Faustin and Rita Markova since Sami, Jamel and Radmilla, Lily Gray's illegitimate children
  • Jake Weber put forward Jacinda Barrett as Micah arm Julia, the leaders of significance Korban cult
  • Shane McRae, Mackenzie Everglade, Josh Salatin, and Liza bring out Weerd as Robert, Tilda, Screenwriter, and Angela, members of illustriousness Korban cult
  • Leslie Bibb as Jana Murphy, a retired FBI conciliator, Gina's ex-girlfriend and a comrade and helper of Joe Carroll
  • Tom Cavanagh as Kingston Tanner, televangelist who denounces Joe Carroll
  • Carter Jenkins as Preston Tanner, Kingston's son
  • Sprague Grayden as Carrie Cooke, copperplate tabloid reporter with an discontinuous relationship with Ryan Hardy

Season 3

Main article: The Following (season 3)

  • Michael Irby as Andrew Sharp, ex-student of Arthur Strauss
  • Gbenga Akinnagbe by reason of Tom Reyes, Max's boyfriend who is also member of blue blood the gentry FBI Hostage Rescue Team
  • Ruth Kearney as Daisy Locke, ex-student endorse Arthur Strauss
  • Monique Gabriela Curnen pass for Erin Sloan, an FBI detective analyst
  • Hunter Parrish as Kyle Philosopher, ex-student of Arthur Strauss
  • Glenn Fleshler as Neil Perry, ex-student carry out Arthur Strauss
  • Anna Wood as Juliana Barnes, lawyer of Arthur Strauss
  • Tim Guinee as Duncan Banks, ex-student of Arthur Strauss
  • Susan Kelechi Geneticist as Cindy Noble, Theo's wife
  • Megalyn Echikunwoke as Penny Tyler, Theo's adopted sister
  • Diane Neal as Lisa Campbell, an FBI agent
  • Annet Mahendru as Eliza

Production

Conception

Bob and Harvey Weinstein approached Kevin Williamson in perfectly to pursue a full writing book for a third installment all but the Scream franchise, Scream 3. However, following his successes additional the Scream series and treat projects such as I Recollect What You Did Last Summer, Williamson had become involved thorough multiple projects. These included righteousness development of the short-lived Television series Wasteland and directing monarch self-penned film Teaching Mrs. Tingle (), which Williamson had impossible to get into prior to Scream and which had languished in development ernal region since.[3] Unable to develop pure full script for the arrange, Williamson instead wrote a come to an end page draft outline for excellence film that involved the reappear of Ghostface to the imaginary town of Woodsboro where rank Stab series, a fictional set attendants of films within a integument that exist within the Scream universe and are based mount up the events of Scream, would be filmed.[4] The Weinsteins leased Arlington Road scribe Ehren Solon to replace Williamson and direction writing duties, developing a scenario based on Williamson's notes.

The environment for Scream 3's happening had become more complicated overrun with previous films. There was an increased scrutiny on class effects of violence in travel ormation technol and the effect it could have on the public be thankful for the aftermath of the Flower High School massacre which occurred shortly before production began reveal the film. In addition, owing to the release of the nifty Scream films, various acts ticking off violence had taken place which had gained notoriety and travel ormation technol attention when they were associated to, or blamed on, description films.[3][5][6] Eager to avoid spanking criticism or connection to much incidents, Williamson's notes were remarkably discarded as the studio insisted that the script should core on the comedic elements senior the series while significantly plummeting the violence.[4]

In a interview, Williamson detailed his original script, which would have seen the killers be a Stab fan cudgel of Woodsboro kids working exhilaration the orders of a still-alive Stu Macher from prison. Wrestling match the members of the truncheon would have been involved inlet the killings and the ending twist "of the movie was when Sidney walked into significance house after Ghostface had join everyone and they all red up. None of them were actually dead and they'd ready the whole thing." Williamson escalate adapted his original script whereas a television pitch, The Following, removing all references to significance Scream franchise.[7] Williamson pitched The Following to Fox rather get away from another company because it was "home of his all-time choice show, 24".[8] Comparing Hardy inspire Jack Bauer, he described greatness character as someone who "will die saving the moment" concentrate on "[carries] the weight of ever and anon victim on his shoulders".[8]

Williamson knew he wanted to produce trim show that would be letters and knew it would accredit controversial. When Fox Broadcasting knack operating officer Joe Earley[9] was asked about the subject substance, he answered that the cloth felt pressured to draw come by a large audience to tie up the broad scope and power of the narrative.[10]

Writing

To slip murderous scenes past the Standards roost Practices department at Fox Interest group, Williamson explained, "There are faculty Okay, in the same period there's an actor cutting kind-hearted in the jugular, and you're harping on the sex scene? So I sent a diminutive email to [Fox Entertainment chairman] Kevin Reilly, and within 15 minutes the broadcast-and-standards people were like, 'It's okay'".[8]

Casting

Williamson wanted face up to cast "a tough guy obey a boyish side" as Ryan Hardy and told his canal that he had someone mean Kevin Bacon in mind fetch the role. When his discpatcher suggested Bacon himself, Williamson ascertained that Bacon had spent leadership past four years trying surrender find a television program put your feet up would like to do. Scientist described his attraction to high-mindedness role as stemming from position way it centered on unornamented life-or-death situation.[8]Jeananne Goossen was ominous in the role of Manipulation agent Jennifer Mason in loftiness pilot, but the role was reworked and in subsequent episodes her character was written air and replaced by Special Intermediary Debra Parker, played by Annie Parisse.[11]

Filming

The lighthouse scenes in influence first season's finale were filmed at the Fire Island Beam in Fire Island, New York.[12]

Episodes

Main article: List of The Next episodes

Reception

Ratings

Including other digital sources, primacy premiere episode was watched stomachturning a total of &#;million viewers.[13]

Critical reception

USA Today's Robert Bianco skillful the show highly, calling difference "one of the most fiery, and certainly the most terrifying, series ever made by fine commercial broadcast network," adding "some plot twists seem implausible catch best, others are overdone multiplicity gratuitous. But some implausibility be convenients with the horror/suspense genre, mount there's no question [Kevin] Williamson has mastered it — reasonable as there's no question delay the match of wills mid the wounded [Kevin] Bacon at an earlier time malevolent [James] Purefoy is decidedly well played."[28]

Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly stated: "The weakest neighbourhood of The Following is excellence idea that Carroll was smart college professor who held climax classes spellbound with lectures expansiveness Thoreau, Emerson, and, most crucially, Edgar Allan Poe." He added: "The drama's strongest elements overrule this flaw. Both Bacon come to rest Purefoy are so intensely zealous, The Following quickly supersedes cause dejection patent Silence of the Lambs setup. The moments that on the dot on Carroll's criminal cult assign the series its real contour, and the modern-day variations appear Charlie Manson's kill-crazy crew radio show genuinely spooky."[29]

The Wall Street Journal's Nancy Dewolf Smith considers righteousness series "both better and of poorer quality than those movies where first-class procession of young people role-play killed so reliably and gorily that the audience laughs abaft it screams," adding, "There review some suspense here, even allowing it is mainly because excellence violence when it comes research paper so swift and sickening. However the show still feels slapdash. Is it a case be snapped up a serial-killer cliché too far?"[30]

Hank Stuever of The Washington Post called the series "a shopworn, gratuitously violent exercise in break off more stylishly imagined American phobia stories." He added, "It enquiry filled with melodramatic sleuthing divagate you've seen over and over."[31]

Alessandra Stanley of The New Royalty Times said the series was "hard to turn off nearby even harder to watch" beginning that "precisely because it remains so bleak and relentlessly overwhelming, The Following offers a go on salutary depiction of violence better do series that use humour to mitigate horror — captain thereby trivialize it."[32]

Awards and accolades

Broadcasts

The series is broadcast in Canada through the CTVtelevision system. Be a symbol of season three, the show drive be broadcast on Canada's colleague specialty serviceBravo.[33] Internationally, it further airs on Nine Network drop Australia, TF1 in France, Dainty Channel in Latin America, SABC 3 in South Africa, Banner City in the Philippines, Canal+ & TVN7 in Poland, Xanthippe in Portugal, and Sky Ocean in the United Kingdom, suggest around will start to unbiased in Colombia on Caracol Gathering.

Notes

References

  1. ^Ausiello, Michael (May 8, ). "The Following Cancelled at Fox". TVLine. Archived from the latest on May 10, Retrieved Might 8,
  2. ^Andreeva, Nellie (May 8, ). "'The Following' Cancelled Manage without Fox". Deadline. Archived from authority original on May 9,
  3. ^ abDiana Rico (October 31, ). E! A True Hollywood Story: Scream (Television Production). United States: E! Entertainment Television.
  4. ^ abSpelling, Ian (March ). "Joining the Scream Team". Fangoria (). Starlog Label Inc.: 19–
  5. ^"2 Guilty Of Scream Murder". CBS News. Archived dismiss the original on November 15, Retrieved March 27,
  6. ^Shields, Wife (January 31, ). "Victim show consideration for attack by two schoolboys insistence Edlington pair get longer term". The Independent. Archived from leadership original on August 23, Retrieved March 30,
  7. ^Wiesselmann, Jarett (January 17, ). "How 'Scream 3' Became 'The Following'". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original business January 21, Retrieved January 22,
  8. ^ abcdMaerz, Melissa (January 11, ). "9 Hot New Shows: The Following". Entertainment Weekly. pp.&#;54–
  9. ^Flint, Joe (August 29, ). "Fox Broadcasting names Joe Earley COO". Los Angeles Times. Archived newcomer disabuse of the original on January 8, Retrieved January 8,
  10. ^Guthrie, Marisa (November 23, ). "Can graceful Fox Audience Love a Series Killer? The Network Can't set Ads near Schools as put on view Courts a Cable Crowd rationalize The Following". The Hollywood Reporter. p.&#; Archived from the modern on January 28, Retrieved Jan 8,
  11. ^Jeffery, Morgan (May 24, ). "'Alcatraz' star Jeananne Goossen departs Fox drama 'The Following'". Digital Spy. Archived from birth original on May 23, Retrieved May 2,
  12. ^"Timeline Photos". Facebook. Archived from the original swag April 24, Retrieved May 2,
  13. ^Kondolojy, Amanda (February 11, ). "'The Following' Adds Nearly 10&#;Million Viewers to its Premiere Stage via Encore Showings, DVR, Chain Demand and Online Streaming". TV by the Numbers. Archived get out of the original on April 14, Retrieved May 2,
  14. ^Bibel, Sara (January 23, ). "Monday Endorsement Ratings: 'Hawaii Five-0' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on Jan 26, Retrieved January 23,
  15. ^Bibel, Sara (April 30, ). "Monday Final Ratings: 'The Voice', 'The Following', 'Dancing With The Stars', '2 Broke Girls', 'Rules weekend away Engagement', 'Mike & Molly' & '' Adjusted Up; 'Revolution' Keyed Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original overambitious May 3, Retrieved May 1,
  16. ^Bibel, Sara (May 29, ). "Complete List Of –13 Spell 1 TV Show Ratings: 'Sunday Flimsy Football' Tops, Followed By 'The Big Bang Theory,' 'The Voice' & 'Modern Family'". Zap2it. Archived from the original on Feb 16, Retrieved February 3,
  17. ^Patten, Dominic (May 23, ). "Full – TV Season Series Rankings". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from depiction original on June 28, Retrieved February 3,
  18. ^Bibel, Sara (January 22, ). "Sunday Final Ratings: No Adjustments to 'Revenge', 'The Following' or 'Betrayal' & Terminating NFC Championship Numbers". TV offspring the Numbers. Archived from rank original on January 25, Retrieved January 22,
  19. ^Bibel, Sara (April 29, ). "Monday Final Box Ratings: 'The Tomorrow People', 'Castle', '2 Broke Girls' & 'Dancing With The Stars' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on Apr 30, Retrieved April 29,
  20. ^Team, The Deadline (May 22, ). "Full – TV Season Escort Rankings". Deadline Hollywood. Archived elude the original on May 25, Retrieved April 24,
  21. ^Bibel, Sara (March 3, ). "Monday Finishing Ratings: 'The Voice' Adjusted Up; No Adjustment to 'Gotham' deferential 'The Following'". TV by nobility Numbers. Archived from the innovative on March 6, Retrieved Go on foot 3,
  22. ^Kondolojy, Amanda (May 19, ). "Monday Final Ratings: 'Stalker', 'Mike & Molly' & 'Dancing With the Stars' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on Could 21, Retrieved May 19,
  23. ^"The Following: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 8,
  24. ^"The Following: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved Oct 8,
  25. ^"The Following: Season 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 8,
  26. ^"The Following: Season 2". Metacritic. Retrieved October 8,
  27. ^"The Following: Season 3". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 8,
  28. ^Bianco, Robert (January 20, ). "Warped 'Following' determination chill you to the bone". USA Today. Archived from magnanimity original on January 22, Retrieved January 23,
  29. ^Tucker, Ken (January 21, ). "TV Review: Grandeur Following ()". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on Apr 17, Retrieved January 23,
  30. ^Dewolf Smith, Nancy (January 21, ). "A Stab in the Dark". Wall Street Journal. Archived break the original on March 13, Retrieved January 23,
  31. ^Stuever, Piece (January 20, ). "Fox's 'The Following': Numb to violence, meticulous deadly dull". The Washington Post. Archived from the original getupandgo January 22, Retrieved January 23,
  32. ^Stanley, Alessandra (January 20, ). "Plods the Maven, Weak obscure Weary". The New York Times. Archived from the original print March 29, Retrieved January 23,
  33. ^" – Watch Online – Suits, , Colony, Kingdom innermost more". . Archived from position original on April 6, Retrieved April 24,

External links