The Following: Season 1, Episode 15 “The Final Chapter” (C)
I wasn’t expecting much from this show’s finale at this point because of the way things have gone throughout this season, and I got about what I thought I would. Debra dying after the valiant rescue attempt by Ryan and Mike was demoralizing, and I’m not sure that Mike surviving qualifies as a true game-changer since Ryan didn’t let him come experience the final chapter anyway. Mike flip-flopped once again on his torture policy in this hour, though at least he didn’t support Ryan’s execution of their hostage, which still happened despite his objections. The fact that Ryan managed to talk Joe down enough to distract him and rush him by telling him that his book should be less predictable and insulting Poe was somewhat silly, and it’s never a good idea to have your villain die in a fire since they can presumably escape unscathed and come back to haunt you in future seasons. There’s no reason that Joe couldn’t be dead and his followers wouldn’t start a new plan, but I think that we would have seen Joe actually die if that were the case. The glaring incompetence of the FBI had to make an appearance, of course, which allowed for Ryan’s girlfriend and Joe’s henchwoman to break into his secure apartment and stab him. I thought that was a relatively lackluster ending, since she hadn’t even bothered to seduce him first this time, but stabbing Claire was a decent twist. The problem is that this show is now left without characters if the three deaths it has foreshadows do in fact occur, so I suspect that things will look much different at the start of next season. I had high hopes for this show based on its pilot, and I’d love to see it revitalize itself in season two, but I’m not so sure that’s possible at this point.
Season grade: C+
Season MVP: Annie Parisse as Agent Debra Parker
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