All Soul's Hospital is a teaching Hospital in Boston with a reputation for being the one of the very best, but what most people don't know is that All Soul's has an underside. Something dark and malignant is pulling the strings here and from a bright and happy looking start we are suddenly pulled into a seamy world of ghosts, demons(?), sadistic experiments, immortal doctors, possessions, and more.
This series is a well written mix of horror, drama, and fantasy. We're not always sure that we're seeing what's really there, and sometimes when we ARE sure, we wish we weren't. It takes something exceptional to keep a jaded old vet like me at the edge of my seat, and the pilot of this series certainly delivered. One can only hope that the rest of the series stands up as well.
The cast is superb, the only flaw with them and the characters being the unavoidable one; being only a one hour pilot and not having room for the characters to grow (yet). Further episodes will hopefully expand their borders into new ground. The cinematography is dark and brooding, leaving shadows to hide the things that don't want to be seen. Plotting and direction were riveting, my wife and I didn't want to miss a second.
The only other detractor from this show is the network's idiotic idea of placing similar shows in the same time slot. The WB's Angel is already pretty much dominating the market share, if not the ratings, and is well established with a loyal fan base. Given the choice, even I would tune in Angel instead (Thank heaven for VCR's) and I really like the show.
In a nutshell, if you don't like Angel (And Buffy the Vampire Slayer), then you're not likely to enjoy this series. You're likely to find it highly depressing and occasionally gross. But if you DO like Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I hope you have a VCR. You won't want to miss this one.
