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?

Moonlight (1.14)

Friday, May 2nd, 2008 @ 9 PM
CBS
Moonlight - Season 1 - Episode 14 - "Click"

CBS

A rising Hollywood Starlet is murdered after she hires Mick as part of her security detail. (CBS.com)

Manatee: I know last week I tore this show apart. I shamed myself by admitting that I would watch it again, and then CBS lets me down. As you can see from the photo that I have chosen above, this show is about the murky, dark, scary underworld of Los Angeles vampires. What has been so attractive about this series is seeing a new, different side of LA then the glamed up super-celebrity world of HBO's Entourage. However, episode #14 from Friday is making it hard for me to stick up for this series... again.

There were "celebrities" left and right, and paparazzi (I knew it was only a matter of time before paparazzi revealed their true selves - vampires! haha, alittle LA humor) trailing right and left. They filmed the "usual" LA spots - fancy outdoor cafes, shiny new cars, studio lots. I liked the downtown loft at night (mostly because no one in their right mind goes downtown after sunset, unless of course you are a vampire), the unpretentious beach apartment, the outdoor parks, the beach, the morgue. What happened to those? I used to forget it took place in the entertainment capitol, while still celebrating LA's architecture and it's dark underbelly. "Click" was too "industry" as they say here in LA. It had the "riped from the headlines" feel of Law & Order, only ripped from the "Perez Hilton" headlines (if you don't know Perez Hilton, check out: perezhilton.com, that will answer all your questions).

The episode was shot almost entirely during the day. It was too bright for my Friday 9 pm eyes. Though the story did revolve around a murder, the tone was still a little too light and fluffy for me. I want the dark morbidity back. The writing and characters were so cliche. The brooding Emo rock star with long dark hair, a purple velvet blazer, and the record that's almost hit. The Hollywood Starlet with the short skirt and fast car (did the teaser remind anyone else of CSI Miami?) who drives Beth crazy with jealousy. The psycho stalking paparazzi who blackmails the starlet. The money stealing manager. The overzealous security man who says "trust me," and then turns... oh wait, that's just Mick, vampire; America's Sweetheart; your favorite Friday night PI.

Just on a story level: how, all of a sudden, did Mick turn into security as opposed to a PI? And why did he take such a liking to the starlet? The writer created this character to make Beth jealous, to stir a little controversy between her and Mick... and the new ADA Benjamin Talbot (Eric Winter) - I smell a threesome.