Fear Itself (1.1)

Thursday, June 5th, 2008 @ 10 PM

NBC

Fear Itself, Season 1 - Episode #1 - "The Sacrifice"

"Here he is, Mr. Uninventive of the Year." (NBC.com)

Taking refuge in an isolated snow-covered fort, four criminals find secrets, dangers and three alluring sirens.

*Starring: Jeffrey Pierce, Rachel Miner, Stephen Martines, Mircea Monroe, Jesse Plemons

Manatee: I'm just going to say it: Fear Itself will be pulled off NBC before it airs all 13 of its episodes.

Marmot: I hope there are better episodes than this vampire thing, otherwise it will.

Manatee: Last night's episode was such regurgitated junk: Texas Chainsaw meets any vampire anything (Moonlight on steroids?). There was nothing new. It was just a condensed version of a 90 minute horror film without any original thought, idea, or design.

Marmot: It did feel like it was missing about 30 minutes or so from being a complete story, yet I didn't want to watch any more than I did.

Manatee: I think they got their point (?) across in the hour time frame. But if you're going to do horror at least make it imaginative and unique. Something other than what we would predict. Also, this show belongs on Friday or Saturday night at 10 PM. It doesn't exactly attract the same viewers as ER.

Marmot: There was absolutely nothing imaginative about this story. The sisters were somewhat interesting, but I've the mouth sewn shut before - in a student film (not to knock that student). The story's logic doesn't work, though. These sisters could kill dozens of people to keep feeding this vampire, but couldn't find a way to kill the vampire itself? It seems like they would have.

Manatee: Well, they did, sort of. In the end, they burned him down. Maybe it would have been better if Point and Chelsea had actually walked out of the fort together unharmed, and the vampire and her sacrificing sister rose from the ashes unharmed (unless you count vampire-ism) and are ready to leave the fort and take on the world. I guess even that sucks, now that I see it written down. Why couldn't these writers have similar self editing skills?

Marmot: No, that's a much better ending. I just don't understand why they couldn't trap the vampire in the barn and set it on fire before. Also, they said they've never been beyond those walls, but someone set the trap for their car. Who was it? Just big, big logic problems in this story. And while it was technically sound, it really lacked in the story department.

Manatee: I have a feeling next week will only get worse - it stars Eric Roberts.

Marmot: It looks terrible. Ghosts and a private eye?