Mosquito Coast

This could have been pretty good if the writers respected the viewers just a tad. Over and over again they were either too lazy or to dumb to write a compelling story line. Time and again I have been forced to put my brain on hold and ignore the improbability of the plot. A good writer could have filled in those plot holes with little effort. I will probably watch the second season if I have nothing better to do but I won't be eagerly anticipating it.

Was really looking forward to this due to the writer of the book being involved and his brother starring in it so perhaps we would get a more authentic version of the book and to be fair it started off quite well but soon becomes lacklustre and rather tedious.

Add to that the fact that the father comes across as weak, cowardly and for a supposed brilliant scientist, makes some really stupid and illogical decisions and is really just a very annoying character who brings the whole thing crashing down in flames. Melissa George is one of my favourite actresses but she could be taken out of the show and you would not miss her as she has literally very little screen-time or dialogue and the kids soon become just as annoying as the father.

All things considered it is a just above average run of the mill thriller and when compared to the movie with Harrison Ford it pales into insignificance in every way.

The Mosquito Coast was so much better than I expected. I've been a fan of Justin Theroux ever since his brilliant performance in The Leftovers. He really is an underrated actor as he's great in this as well. The rest of the cast is pretty good as well (except for the daughter) but it's Theroux who really stands out. He plays a brilliant inventor who has to go on the run with his family throughout Mexico as he's wanted by the US Government and some other dangerous people. The only problem with the show I had was that I couldn't stand the daughter. I couldn't stand the actress or how the character was written. The way she keeps disrespecting her parents is disgusting. I kept hoping that she would be killed off every episode. Anyway, It will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout both seasons.

This show has many strengths and is well-produced. But 7 episodes in and the audience is still given no reason WHY we should care about, invest in, empathise with, and root for Allie and Margot and many, many reasons why we shouldn't. They are not likeable characters and that's hard to accept when we're given no reasons why they are the way they are. It undermines the entire show and as a viewer you just watch children endangered, lied to, and controlled again and again with no good reason provided for why it is happening. In a way it somewhat works as an allegory for abusive parenting and being stuck in the grip of a destructive narcissist but I'm not sure it is enough.

I will continue watching and I assume at some point we will learn why Allie and Margot are on the run from authorities. I just hope the cost to viewers of holding back that information actually pays off.

Already in episode two, feels like we need to give some time to it for us to soak it in. No doubt the performance, with such a powerful cast. Kudos.