While shows that have premiered on FOX may have led to you putting an icepick in your eye, “The Following” makes sure they are wide-open for the ambitious crime-drama with a dark horror foundation.
Kevin Bacon stars as ex-federal agent Ryan Hardy, who is called back to hunt down an escaped serial killer he helped put away. It is Bacon’s first major television role after an illustrious film career. Since his recurring role for seven episodes on “Guiding Light” back in the 80s, he has only made short appearances on the small screen. Now we are treated to a very talented actor on a weekly basis for the next four months.
Opposite Bacon is who may be the most maniacal and devious of network television’s villains, Joe Carroll, played by James Purefoy of “Rome” and “Resident Evil” fame. Purefoy’s Carroll is a serial killer mastermind who uses his charm and intelligence to his advantage by not only going to the extent of killing on his own, but inspiring a sort of cult-following to obey his every order, hence the title for which the show is named. The tumultuous relationship between the two leads is fodder for a sequel of sorts in a book written by Hardy about Carroll’s capture.
The show itself is quite impressively written. It pulls no punches and doesn’t take away from the dark-drama with comic-relief like other dramas do. Most shows end an episode with a caught perpetrator and a happy ending of a night out with drinks with the main cast. “The Following” has a perpetual storyline going for itself and each episode is a continuation of the main storyline.
It will be interesting to see what comes of “The Following.” The show was originally scrapped after poor focus group meetings. It seems as though FOX wants to cross-over to the dark, thrilling, crime-driven shows of the day. However, after a recent slew of violent mass shootings and the ever increasing notion that violence from video-games, film and television are deemed a factor; “The Following” may be held to some questioning of its content.
There hasn’t been an exact, specific study shown that has linked violence to the media, but it seems a worthy cause for those in fear of a more sudden and violent culture. That is wherein the problem with a show like this lies. It is so realistic and uses such relatable factors such as social media and literature to its advantage that it may be perceived as corruptive by some more extreme-minded groups.
Whatever the case may be, check out “The Following” for its original intended purpose, to entertain the masses using dark, realistic subject matter every Tuesday at 9pm on FOX.