What I’m Watching: His Dark Materials (Season Finale)

His Dark Materials: Season 1, Episode 8 “Betrayal” (B-)

This show opened so strong, and it’s really disappointing that it couldn’t keep up any of that energy or intrigue. I gradually lost interest in the story, and so little about this closing hour made me want to come to revisit it in season two, when the subtle knife becomes a big player and Will and Lyra realize that they can help each other. I was surprised by how much of a villain Lord Asriel was made out to be in this episode, refusing to discuss the fact that he lied to Lyra about being her father because he thought her to be too sentimental and then trapping Roger in a cage because he believed him to be a casualty of war. Kissing Mrs. Coulter when she came up to confront him and asking her to come with him showed just how addicted he’s become to the exploration, not realizing what he’s left behind in the process. Citing Lyra as her reason for staying was puzzling because of how much she manipulated her daughter, but obviously it’s done out of love even if it never really comes off that way. The discussion of Adam and Eve having daemons was interesting, and I wish that all that theology might have been more prominently featured and explored. The sight of the Northern Lights was definitely visually appealing, and the effects here were perfectly good. I was excited by this show as soon as I saw the trailer before the “Game of Thrones” series finale and, though it wasn’t nearly as much of a letdown as the 2007 film version of “The Golden Compass” was, it didn’t live up to my expectations. We’ll see how much else is on when season two premieres – something tells me I’ll still tune in.

Season grade: B
Season MVP: Ruth Wilson as Mrs. Coulter

What I’m Watching: Wayward Pines

Wayward Pines: Season 1, Episode 7 “Betrayal” (B-)

I can’t help but feel that, now that the cat is out of the bag, there’s nowhere to go but down. After receiving strict instructions not to tell anyone what he had learned, Ethan went and blabbed about the true year to every single person who would listen. Theresa and Kate finally found common ground, able to agree that Ethan’s story about it being 4028 felt more than a bit contrived. Where we stand now is that Ethan has fully stepped into his role of protectorate of the city, tracking down insurgents like Harold and Kate who are behaving a whole lot like he was only a short time ago (I’ve lost track of what weeks, days, years, decades, and centuries actually represent on this show). Clearly the educational system is focused too much on procreation and indoctrination and not enough on common sense, as anyone in the twenty-first century wouldn’t open a random music box and think that nothing shady could possibly be going on, suggesting that sex in the back of a truck is the logical next step. Ben being dead, which seems all but certain given the final shot of the episode, changes things in an irreversible way, since it doesn’t appear that Wayward Pines has experienced any outright murders not witnessed by the whole town, and Kate, Harold, and their merry band of insurgents have crossed a line that puts them firmly against everyone in the town. I’m not sure what happens from here, but it’s definitely going to be a miserable mess.

What I’m Watching: The Following

The Following: Season 2, Episode 12 “Betrayal” (F)

You’d think that if the person that the FBI was protecting realized that there was something suspicious going on in front of their car, the FBI agents themselves would have some idea too and think carefully before stepping out of the car and ensuring their immediate deaths. It makes just as much sense for Ryan to tail Joe’s new followers to their compound without any backup so that he can kill Joe himself and not worry about other people getting in the way, not to mention the fact that Joe’s followers don’t need him to be alive to commit atrocious acts of murder. Gluing masks to the unfortunate people unlucky enough to be at the fraternity house when Joe’s followers arrived was definitely a new level of creepy, and not in a good way (though there’s little on this show that is). Lily and her boys didn’t waste much time in revealing their hand to Mandy, offering her cake before confirming to her that they just want her to tell them where Joe is right away. It seems quite senseless for them to have killed her immediately instead of hoping she might eventually break, and Lily being present for the latest family dinner with a dead person at the table was even more gruesome and unwatchable than the last time the twins did it. Claire isn’t keeping the fact that she’s alive very much under wraps, and I can’t imagine what she and Carrie could possibly do that would both help the good guys and keep this show on the air, which is it going to be for at least another season.

Pilot Review: Betrayal

Betrayal (ABC)
Premiered September 29 at 10pm

When I watched the trailers released by the networks for their fall offerings back in May, this show seemed to me to be the least about anything in particular. It looked like it could have been sort of like “Revenge” or “Red Widow,” two recent ABC shows, but the main character’s loved ones weren’t killed by anyone, instead very much alive. I noticed early on in this show that the betrayal being portrayed was two-fold, first in business while the personal affair was just beginning. Problematically, I found the initial outdoor conversation between Sara and Jack extremely inauthentic, and therefore the whole basis for the affair is less than credible. Sara’s convenient occupation as a photographer feels all too forced, and she’s far from secretive about her intentions and side life. There’s a lot of passion between the two leads, but it’s not terribly romantic. Heading the cast are two actors familiar to the television world. Hannah Ware gets promoted to a main role after playing Kelsey Grammer’s drug-addicted daughter on “Boss” for two seasons, and giving her the opportunity to anchor a show doesn’t pay off too well here since she doesn’t bring much charisma to the table. Stuart Townsend, who led the one-season remake of “Night Stalker” back in 2005, has some appeal but isn’t fantastic either. James Cromwell has the token scenery-chewing role, but he’s had better parts in the past. This show doesn’t have any clear direction, and this pilot is about as dull and far from involving as it gets.

How will it work as a series? I have no idea. Their affair has already begun, while Jack and Thacher are getting deep into the business of covering up the death in their work web. Neither is particularly interesting, and I imagine that focusing on both will be far from satisfying.
How long will it last? Sundays at 10pm is a great time slot, and that just ups the ante for this show to do well. Its pilot ratings were extremely poor, even less than other shows like “666 Park Avenue” which lasted only a short time in this same slot. I think this will be one of ABC’s first shows to go, likely not making it past November.

Pilot grade: F