With Kevin Bacon as the lead character (a retired FBI agent--why are the FBI/Police/CIA/whatever in movies always "just" retired or "just about to retire"?) one could hope for some decent acting and a quality product. the first episode however seems to be a mixed bag.
The Following seems to want to be a TV version of Seven but doesn't carry the weight of Fincher's film. Bacon wears the scruff of Brad Pitt and the serial killer here is a merely an English accented shadow of Kevin Spacey.
Still, for a TV show that will have at least 14 more episodes, this isn't bad and the previews of future shows does give me hope for improvement. The Following looks to be consistently dark and violent, perhaps more than any other current network show. If it can bring something new to the table (which it seems capable of given the premise of a serial killer's cult members committing the future acts of violence) on a recurring basis it should be worth watching.
You won't really remember the surrounding characters much--a number of faceless, nameless FBI agents, a cliche distrusting US Marshall, and the ex-wife of the serial killer with whom Bacon's character has had a relationship after meeting her via his investigation into the killer's original crimes. Again...kinda cliche here.
Maggie Grace's character unfortunately had her eyes removed in this first episode and then was strung up from the ceiling which I was disappointed with given she usually does a fair job of portraying an innocent, naive young woman--again playing this role here. Ahh, the life of a young, dumb blond in the film world.
So I'll likely watch again next Monday. The Following is not Seven, but since this is TV, you can count on a happier ending than that film...so that's something to look forward to...
Kevin Bacon is Awesome!
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