Where Paradise Is Home

das_leichsi

Thanks to luck I was able to get a sneak preview of the first episode 'Where Paradise Is Home', and I, for my part, did enjoy it a lot, as far as pilots go.

I found the first episode to be a fun starting point. the mystery unfolds before you, but hell if I know what is going on with the idyllic village of Wayward Pines.

There's some seriously good acting, some really wacky scenes and dialogue and the humor did not fall short, surprisingly.

The story opens with our protagonist Burke waking up in the middle of nowhere, injured and confused, only to stumble upon eerie Wayward Pines. On a mission to find two missing Special Agents, one his former partner Kate, he is sucked deeper into the village's strange events. Finding no help in either hospital or with the Sheriff (Howard is funny and engaging, and together with Nurse Pam he easily steals the first episode), we will drift across town with him and learn more about Burke himself and the village.

The series is using the, nowadays, standard of location swapping together with flashbacks (and possible flash forwards), keeping you on your toes to follow the story. it's well done, but I cannot judge how good the twists will end up being. there's tons of them. the pilot is throwing a few, from what it seems major, twists at you, but keeping in mind that this is the first episode, I'd say most of them are smokes and mirrors for now.

There is also a lot of green screens and most of the town seems so overly fake that I am drawn to assume it is indeed on purpose. it never really does break the story and adds to the atmosphere of strangeness that hangs over the village.

If you have a warm spot for police mysteries a'la X-Files, creepy, isolated towns (thinking the Dome and Twin Peaks here, mixed with a less foggy and monster-less Silent Hill) with a weird sense of humor (looking at you over there, Eureka. you know we love you, right?) give it a go.

I for myself will be on the lookout for the next episode. even if it is only for Sheriff Pope

score /10

das_leichsi 6 April 2015

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3216664/