When I first started hearing about The Following on FOX, I admit to a healthy bit of skepticism.
I mean, sure, I love Kevin Bacon and I’m glad he’s doing a series, but I wasn’t sure if I was up for another serial killer of the week procedural with a damaged protagonist and techno babble from “profilers” who all talk to one another as if they each need to be taught about the stuff they do every day.
Can you tell I’ve watched a LOT of this sort of thing? ;-)
Aaaaanyway, I wasn’t stoked. I was kinda meh. Until I heard who else was in it.
James Purefoy.
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| Photo courtesy of James Purefoy Online. |
Now, I’m sure many of you remember him from Rome and he certainly was worth remembering, but I first fell in love with him back in A Knights Tale and it’s been hot and heavy since.
But it’s not his looks that keep me coming back. The man has a charm and a devilish smile that seems to work whether he’s a prince incognito or a social climbing Roman.
And it seriously works in The Following.
Actually, so far I think The Following works on a number of levels. Purefoy and his serial killer are both charming and frightening without being cartoonish.
So far any demons Kevin Bacon’s Ryan has are more subtle than overt and feels more like Michael Mann’s Will Graham in Manhunter than the more recent “profiler/forensic/cop” hybrid on so many prime time shows. (Maybe it’s the scar to his chest and the wounds taken from the killer, both physical and mental. Don’t let me pontificate. My anger is still great about the travesty that is Brett Ratner’s “Red Dragon” and the Ed Norton choice.”
And the premise of The Following also intrigues. For now. We’ll have to see how it holds up and how they manage it. The idea is interesting and could continue to be, but it runs the risk if getting too far out and of the Carroll Cult having means to communicate with Carroll that don’t make sense. Personally, I think it’ll be interesting if they delve more into the past and how Carroll set things up. I’d like to see how he build the web from confinement.
In either case, Purefoy is win and so I’ll be checking in for now. Not sure how this went from being a Purefoy squee to a review, but you know me. If I had an actual plan for what I write, it wouldn’t be… me.