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Television Series Review: Wayward Pines.
Now here comes a show that is not only weird, and faintly entrancing, but also loaded with the kinds of improbable and downright impossible circumstance that will cause viewers (especially those who watch the series in groups) to endlessly question the idiocy, wisdom, stupidity and brilliance of the screenwriters.
It’s weird simply because the producer is M. Night Shyamalan (late of the 6th Sense). And he only puts weird stuff up on the screen. The show centers on a Secret Service Agent (don’t question that) and his family. The Secret Service Agent – woodenly but diligently played by Matt Dillon – is counter-pointed not by his wife, left outside the town of Wayward Pines, but by Carla Gugino stuck inside Wayward Pines with him. It would seem, at least for most of the first five shows of the season (on Fox Thursday nights, look it up), that nobody can get out of Wayward Pines, Idaho. It would also seem that everyone making it into Wayward Pines gets a huge, neat, new home, and a large bundle of currency that nobody notices (except Matt Dillon, of courses) is counterfeit. People commit violence in Wayward pines for seemingly no-good reason, not counting those publically executed for attempting to escape (except for Matt, of course).
Now this all sounds weird enough until you add the fact that an electric wall surrounds the town (like The Dome), not to keep citizens in but to keep something else out. In homage to The Truman Show, everything and everyone is under total surveillance at all times. Everyone has a job, and all kids go to school. Such things as clothing, food, and utilities are never discussed, although apparently available to all in copious quantities. If watching this show does not cause a viewer to scratch his or her head, then the would-be scratcher is not human…or does that make him or her part of the story?
Try this series.
At least you won’t be bored watching fake people, buy fake houses, using fake surplus bundles of cash, to fix the fake places up for a future fake sale.
