Plot: What’s it about?
It’s strange to think that it’s been fifteen years since we were treated (or tortured, depending on your particular point of view) to Dawson’s Creek. Yep, I went there. James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, you know the names. Well I mention this not to make you squirm in your seat, but rather that it showed the range of writer/director Kevin Williamson. That name, synonymous with the Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer films, hasn’t gone away, no he’s just been biding his time! All kidding aside, I’ve actually been hearing via my parents that The Following was actually a pretty good show, one that they watch on a regular basis. So when this arrived, I felt intrigued to check it out and, lo and behold, they were right. I’ve always been a big fan of Kevin Bacon and seeing such an accomplished actor on the small screen is quite a treat (and his wife, Kyra Sedgwick, made quite a name for herself with The Closer). Dark, demented, and dare I say it…original, the first season of The Following has me hooked. Let’s dive in.
Serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) has escaped from death row. The FBI enlists the help of Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), as a consultant. Hardy is somewhat of a recluse, having withdrawn from the public, but since he was responsible for capturing Carroll, he’s the man who knows him best. Simply put, Hardy knows this man better than he knows himself (think Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling for a point of reference). However this has taken its toll on Hardy and he’s both physically and mentally wounded by the pursuit. Times have changed and a new face is now calling the shots. Mike Weston (Shawn Ashmore) and Debra Parker (Anne Parisse) are the new sheriffs in town. Hardy, no longer in command, is thought of a liability, though he almost immediately proves his worth as they try to put the pieces together and realize that Joe Carroll is someone who just won’t go away.
Video: How’s it look?
Each of the episodes are presented in a 1.78:1 AVC HD transfer that looks superb. I caught a few of these on demand just so I could compare the over the air HDTV broadcasts to that of the Blu-ray and they’re essentially identical, but with an edge to the Blu-ray. The series is dark, gritty and I loved every minute of it. Black levels are never compromised, contrast works well and I noticed no artifacting errors. Flesh tones appear to be a bit washed out in some scenes, though I credit the filmmakers as opposed to an error in the presentation. Modern television series look as good and sometimes better than feature films, and the first season of The Following looks just as good as we’d expect.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The included DTS HD Master Audio mix had a few moments that really took me off guard. Just as these television series look as good as films, they often rival them in the audio department as well. Vocals are clear and crisp, Kevin Bacon’s deep voice permeates through the channels. Surrounds are surprisingly fairly active, with them offering up some ambient sounds to compliment the front heavy sound stage. I think the days are over when we classify television series and feature length films in two different audio and video categories – as with the video presentation, the audio is equally impressive.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Just as Warner has done with some other series, notably Person of Interest, this Blu-ray set features both a Blu-ray and DVD copy of the season. There are a scattering of extras as well, so let’s take a look.
- From a Dark Place: Maximum Episode Mode – Similar to that of the “Maximum Movie Mode” found on some Warner films, this features an audio commentary on the Pilot episode with some focus points as well.
- The Thrill or Horror: The Creator Behind the Following – Essentially an homage to Kevin Williamson and how the show came to be.
- The Cult of Joe Carroll: Inside the Followers – The cast and crew take a look at the use of psychological horror used in the show.
- The Following Production Chronicles – A thirty minute look at the timeline of things in the first season. Interesting and much shorter than watching the entire thing (if you’re so inclined).
- The Followers Den – A short feature showcasing those that follow Joe Carroll.
- The Poe Mask – We get a look at the very scary version of Edgar Allen Poe in this brief featurette.
- The Following: Free Megan – Actress Li Jun Li discusses her role as Megan and why it’s never safe to go into the woods with a strange man.
- Deleted (Unaired) Scenes – A series of about a dozen scenes that never made the final cut.
- Audio Commentary – The season finale with special audio commentary by the filmmakers.
- DVD/UltraViolet Copy– DVD and an UltraViolet copies of the first season.
