User reviews

The Following really is a pretty underrated show. It stars Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy who are both really good actors and are fantastic in this. It's a great thriller from beginning to end. The first season is the best but the other two are still worth watching. I actually think it had another season left in it but I guess they wanted to end it before the quality dropped too much. Each episode ends with you wanting more so this is a show that's good to binge. Admittedly some of the story is ridiculous but if you can just turn off your brain and just enjoy it for what it is then I promise you'll have a good time watching this.

I have to say I really enjoyed The Following more than I though I would. It follows FBI agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) as he chases notorious serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) who escaped death row. Hardy is the one who originally caught Carroll after he killed 14 women. While Carroll was in prison he developed a cult of his followers who will go to any lengths to prove themselves to him and that included murder, abductions, sacrificing themselves, etc. This is an edge of your seat cat and mouse series that's definitely worth a watch. It might have gone a season too much but even that last season is a decent watch.

Review of Season One:

I'll make it clear now that I'm not a fan of Kevin Williamson. I know the guy made his name writing SCREAM and I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, but I find his writing style immature and slapdash, relying on coincidence and contrivance. It rings hollow for me, so that people like Craven can make excellent films of his work is a surprise.

THE FOLLOWING is a serial killer thriller written and created by Williamson, but to my surprise I didn't hate it. It's heavily flawed, with many episodes featuring characters who do dumb things, but on the other hand it's well acted and fast-paced, so that you never have time to dwell on the shortcomings.

I know Kevin Bacon is an ubiquitous actor these days but he's very good as the flawed hero character here. The scene-stealer, of course, is James Purefoy, as the Messianic serial killer who inspires a cult following. As a lover of Gothic literature, I enjoyed all the Poe references, and there's so much incident that this is hard not to enjoy. THE FOLLOWING suffers from being a bit back-and-forth-ish in the narrative and having poorly written (and annoying) female characters, but I liked it enough to want to check out the second series.

Review of Season Two:

The good news is that Season 2 of THE FOLLOWING is a definite step up in quality from the first series. This is much faster paced, more involving, and has a lot more action and incident to keep it moving along quickly. The various sub-plots are also a lot more interesting and the annoying characters like Emma and Claire are either not as annoying or get far less screen time.

The plot kicks off from the get go with the addition of new, rival serial killers who pick up where Joe Carroll left off. The twins are great characters and bring the screen to life whenever they're around. This is one of the stabbiest shows I've ever seen, with multiple knifings seemingly every episode, although it's not excessively gory.

Bacon feels more assured in his performance here, more world-weary, and definitely more human. Jessica Stroup is a great addition to the cast, but best of all is the returning James Purefoy, who's given time to really flesh out his character and even make him likable on occasion. He's the best thing in this and the writers know it, giving him all of the finest moments. The last episode of the series is particularly well written, giving us an unexpected plot development, but overall it's the superior quality of the writing throughout the season that makes this so enjoyable.

Review of Season Three:

So, here we have the final season of the show. It's a step down from the last series and the reason for that is that James Purefoy's character takes a back seat here. Instead we get some returning killers and a whole bunch of new ones, none of whom have as much as impact as the ones depicted previously.

There's a definite sense of repetition in the show by now with lots of near-misses and the constant escape of characters being more than a little wearying. THE FOLLOWING still keeps you watching with some very dark elements in the script but I did feel it was going through the motions at other times.

Still, every scene involving Purefoy is very good, and the pacing is a lot faster than in the first series, which makes this superior to that. I have to say that it does feel like it finishes in the right place and anything more would probably have driven it into the ground.

This new television show is well written and brilliantly acted. I am thrilled to see something on the air that actually promotes thought. Unlike reality TV, this show has twists and turns that will catch the viewer totally by surprise. As a former literature major, I loved reading Edgar Allen Poe. This show will surely bring back an interest in his works. So kudos to the writers for actually being intelligent and my hope is that viewers will be challenged and continue to tune in. I know that I have had my share of mindless television and look forward to seeing another episode of "The Following" next Monday night. I guess you could say that I am a "Following" follower. Now, how about setting up a Facebook page so we can Share, Share, Share...? *smile*

The show started well, good original storyline and a great turn by James Purefoy as baddy Joe Carrol.

Sadly the show quickly went down hill. Key stone cops quite literally. Highly trained FBI agents who cannot shoot baddies from close range and constantly get out witted.

This could have been excellent.

Started well but got tiresome after a while. Seemed like twists for the sake of twists. Gave up during Season 2.

The writing was good creating tension and setting the scene for following episodes. The play between Kevin Bacon's character as the flawed former FBI agent and James Purefoy as the serial killer is excellent. Purefoy's character is both frightening and compelling fleshing out a complex character that plays well against Kevin Bacon's powerful portrayal as the former FBI agent. Good first start. Similar to the FBI character in The Red Dragon, Bacon is struggling to come to terms with his experience with the killer. The supporting characters are also very good and there are enough twists and turns to satisfy most of those who like thrillers. The one flaw is that in a one hours time limit the end became a bit predictable. However, this is forgivable because of the quality of the writing. It leaves enough hanging to compel me to watch the next episode.

I'm going to make this special - 2 reviews in 1. The first will be about the actual series and the second about, well.. idiots.

First thing's first. It's certainly a great start - and I'm not talking just about the good, tragic, dramatic plot but the cast too. We all know that having Kevin Bacon in a movie is a great plus but having James Purefoy as the charismatic serial killer is absolutely amazing. The characters fit on Kevin and James like a glove and they, developing a "nemesis relation" really highlight one another.

The start of the series was off the charts, it was action filled, in a word - extraordinary! Half way through it, I immediately asked myself: How can they keep this up for at least a season?! The answer came in no time. Excellent! Now for the second part of the review. After delighting myself with this first take on "The Following", I jumped back here to see how many people felt just as excited about this new series as I was. Unfortunately, I immediately saw a great deal of idiotic, so-called reviews.

I feel I have the right to call them idiots for a simple reason. Through the magic of deduction, those who complained and rated this '1' read the description (at least the one here on IMDb). Now, I ask you this: You have to be an idiot to read "psychotic serial killer" in the plot and expect him to plant flowers and feed the children in Somalia, right? Damn right! I urge these people to go back either to "Lady and the Tramp" (which was good by the way).. or to those that paid for the disgusting reviews.

Final note: This review is posted after the 1st episode and my rating is 9/10. This will probably (hopefully not) drop as we advance into the story.

GREAT START!

After season 1 addition: Americans / Brits.. if you feel your cops are smarter than this, then.. you've been fooled by all the Sherlock Holmes movies. They are damn straight dumb, and they don't give a s*it about you.. just like in The Following.

After watching the series premiere of "The Following", it left me with an impression that I simply couldn't find anywhere else as the story unfolded in such a terrifying way. Although some may complain that it moves by a little too fast(which I admit at times it did), that's only a small qualm as the performances and main plot make up for it with various twists and turns throughout the story. Kevin Bacon was simply incredible as the worn down FBI agent with a tragic past that has yet to be explored further as the show progresses, but James Purefoy is MARVELOUS as the twisted serial killer. With his manic stare and smile, you're not really sure as to his true motives. This makes him more dimensional yet at the same time diabolically and devilishly sinister; playing mind games with the protagonist with his schemes of mass murder and mayhem. Purefoy is a beast of a man that no one wants to mess with.

"The Following" is one to watch. I'll be tuning in to the next episode to see how twisted and horrifying the world will be in the eyes of the hero and villain in a battle against good and evil. If the quality of this show keeps up, I'd expect more seasons.

At this writing, The Following is rated 7.7, but most of the reviews are very negative. How can that be? Personally, I find many of the criticisms of this show undeserved.

The Following is not for everyone. It is a very dark and violent tale that takes gore to a new level.

This crime drama is a two-character dance between Joe Carroll, a college professor who turns his academic expertise about E. A. Poe into a cult-driven real life tale of murder, and Ryan Hardy, the object of Carroll's rampage. Both men are intelligent. Like Holmes and Moriarty, they duel in the darkness.

Both men are obsessed. Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) is an alcoholic, plagued by guilt. In the end, he is addicted to Carroll, like Ahab to the white whale. Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) is obsessed with the story he has plotted and cast Hardy in as the tragic hero.

The Following is, really, a horror story. As such, one should recognize the basics of the genre and not disparage them. The surprises hidden in the darkness. The character who, against all good judgment, investigates the shadows. The actor who is compelled to go it alone when reinforcements are advisable.

As a horror story, The Following gives us a worthy villain who, via his army of minions who can be as scary as zombies, terrorizes with an uncanny ability to strike at will.

The Following plumbs the depths of insanity and obsession. Not everyone will want to go there, but the story is literate and the chills are frequent.

I cannot recommend this show highly enough. The writing is fantastic, the characters are well rounded and multi-layered. In my opinion, it had a very "Se7en" vibe to it. Kevin Bacon is perfect as the damaged FBI agent on the trail. His team are well put together and diverse. I always enjoy seeing Shawn Ashmore and he's going to do well as your newbie agent trying to prove himself. Purefoy is a dream as our main serial killer - leader. He's charismatic, good looking and completely screwed up in the head. The show is gritty, but not ridiculously so. It's violent and bloody, very scary. You know from the beginning who the main killer is, but seeing how he manipulates his followers is fascinating, and you won't know who they are until the show wants you to. I can't wait to see where it's going.

It's unusual for me to like a procedural show, but The Following has a combination of things that makes it something that I look forward to watching each week.

One of the best (if not the best) thing about the show is James Purefoy as Joe the villain. He doesn't overplay the character, and he manages to be creepy and a bit charming all at the same time, making it hard to avoid the urge to root for him even as I wonder why he's not in a higher security facility (because he's clever and smart and deadly).

Kevin Bacon was definitely the right choice for Ryan the hero. He looks great, he acts great, and he and Purefoy have excellent chemistry on screen. It makes me wish we could see more of them being amicable with one another (like in a couple flashbacks).

The rest of the cast is good, too. I like the lead agent woman, the younger boy agent, and I'm strangely drawn in by the bizarre love triangle between Joe's followers Paul, Will and Emma. It's crazy but interesting, and I'll be sad when they ax that plot line.

Overall, I think it's interesting and entertaining. And I think the season only has 12 episodes, so they aren't as likely to get bogged down with filler episodes (as is wont to happen with many shows). I look forward to watching more of it.

As a 21st century viewer I, of course, just had to come look if everybody loves this show as much as I do.... Disappointed much? But that is when I realized that this show has been wildly misunderstood by SO many people.

The first thing that makes this show so amazing is its cast; where I would think that Bacon would make a better villain than Purefoy, this show just pulls the rug from under you by making your favorite professor and dear father and husband, a manic serial killer with an Edgar Allan Poe obsession. Bacon, on the other hand, who I thought would never be more than 1984 Ren McCormack, becomes the resident hottie and troubled good-guy. Other stunning performances include the Elektra-complexed Valorie Curry and the not-meant-to-be-a-follower Warren Kole.

I have watched (not battled as some users have stated) and thoroughly enjoyed every realistic (yes, I think it is very believable) moment of this intensely complicated show. Therefore I think it is also just fair to note how brilliantly this show is written! Kevin Williamson, who also brought us The Vampire Diaries (which I don't think is believable, by the way), Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, to me, showed with this series his true talents as an immensely talented horror-writer capable of reaching places in the human psyche that is not very often reached in post-modern television.

Bravo! With an amazing show, cannot wait to see what the final will bring...

Forget bad reviews. This is as most say, a great show. I was hooked all the way through all 3 seasons. Kevin Williamson is personaly my favourite writer and a true inspiration. The twists and turns make for a thrilling ride. Unfortunately it wasnt reniewed for a 4th season so as with most cancelled shows you don't get full closure so be prepared for that. The cast are phenominal. If you are familiar with Kevin Williamsons work you will know he has a way of keeping you on your toes and guessing all the way through, questioning ever characters motives and truth. Kevin Bacon and the guy who plays Joe give excellent performances with true depth but that could be said for everyone. There is not one weak link in the line up. So gutted its over to soon.

After FOX canceled Alcatraz last year, I was worried it was becoming a cheesy sellout channel only known for Glee and American Idol. When I saw ads for The Following, I was pleasantly surprised. Kevin Bacon puts a new twist on the classic "dark hero" and with an all-star cast of seasoned actors who blend beautifully, it's almost believable. I was on the edge of my seat as I watched the first two episodes and I am looking forward to a wonderful series. The antagonist Joe Carroll is a horrifyingly perfect Moriarty to Ryan's Holmes and he reminds me a bit of Ben Linus from LOST. Some may be turned off by the show's violence but it's mild compared to most actual horror movies, and I did not find it gratuitous. I highly recommend this new series.

Okay so I am reading all these reviews about how bad the plot/story line is, I for one don't understand all the bad reviews???? It's a weekly TV show its not some grand movie that is suppose to have a start and finish its a weekly TV show that's suppose to continue on and on and if you think about cults like Waco and militias like Ruby Ridge well Law enforcement isn't always the most competent and these cult leaders do set up camp right under our noses so its just not that far fetched, look how long Bundy killed before getting caught, but this is from someone who liked Criminal Minds I tend to like shows that get into the criminal psyche. Kevin Bacon is superb and James Purefoy looks like he is having a great time playing this charismatic psychopathy. Lighten up watch this for the entertainment that is a weekly TV show its not meant to be the next great movie of the century that's what Captain Phillips, American Hustle or 12 years a slave is for.

I loved the premise of this story, but even before reading other reviews here just now and seeing my own thoughts expressed by others, I knew that the show was just not living up to expectations.

The point many have made about law enforcement being too stupid to be credible is certainly a point I agree with. Also, I rolled my eyes when the kid's mum went off with the bad guys to see her kid. Come ooooon.

Then everybody kept dying, and not in a clever Game of Thrones sort of way.

Nahhhh, I surrender. Let me go, please.

Pity though, because I love Kevin Bacon and feel like this show did him a disservice (and we viewers too).

One of my favorite action thriller tv shows I've ever seen. Don't pay attention to the harsh criticism. This show is full of action and chilling turning events that make you watch episode after episode

They tried to sell this as a serial-killer-of-the-week series but it's nothing of the sort.

The first third of The Following is actually pretty interesting. You have people committing suicides or killings with a message and the FBI is trying to figure out what is going on.

What is going on is that a former literature professor named Joe Carroll, now imprisoned, somehow managed to create a following of lunatics ready to kill and/or be killed for him/his ideas. His ideas amount to a bunch of self-help yet self-destructive pronouncements on life, death, beauty and E.A. Poe-inspired imagery. What Carroll is after is a reunion with his wife and son and to write his reality-based masterpiece.

The FBI reluctantly recruits a reluctant disgraced former agent, Ryan Hardy, who was responsible for the investigation that put Carroll in jail in the first place- since Carroll was a serial killer himself.

And at first things are interesting and mysterious. But once Carroll gets what he wants and plays hide-and-seek with the FBI, things go downhill fast. And the inevitable confrontation between the good guy and the bad guy is anything but the mind blowing ending they promised. Sure, the final outcome is unusual, but nothing to rave about.

The Following should have been a strong series, it looks like it has a budget, cast, crew and some interesting ideas. But put together it doesn't work. James Purefoy's villain is terrible. There's the obligatory British accent, because you know, he's a professor and really smart, so he's got to be British. But his delivery of that accent is awful. His character is supposed to be super charismatic, he manages to get a bunch of people to die for him, yet Purefoy just can't convey an ounce of that supposed charisma. He's awfully dull, slow, lethargic, lame, and not at all brilliant.

But it's not just Purfoy's acting that is off. It's almost everyone else's too. Most actors are giving us their B or C game here, including the likable Shawn Ashmore, who makes a good sidekick to Hardy. The exception here are Bacon and Zea, who give truly outstanding performances and whose characters are the only compelling thing The Following. But they can't save the series from all its other faults.

Casting isn't convincing either. What is it that casting directors see in Annie Parisse? I didn't care for her in Person of Interest, nor in this. She did act a whole lot better in Person of Interest though. Then there's another secondary villain, in the person of the tiny Valorie Curry with a boy's haircut. Hollywood insist on this fantasy of minuscule anorexic females beating up on big guys.

Then there's the routine in which the series eventually settles. And that is that the bad guys are in constant god mode. They are everywhere, know everything, are always several steps ahead of the FBI, in fact, for every one step forward the FBI takes they end up taking two steps back- in each episode. Law enforcement has some goofy spanking new uniforms, but they are astonishingly clueless. Granted, the Boston events took place while the series had already been filmed I presume, but it doesn't take much of an imagination to figure that a post-9/11 manhunt for an escaped serial killer and his killer cult followers wouldn't look anything like the pathetic amateur operation shown on The Following. As a viewer rooting for the good guys, this show doesn't give you any reason to tune in to the next episode. You have one smart guy and a bunch of bozos going after an omniscient genius with an army of competent followers who are everywhere.

Some other annoyances I found, the whole big fuss made about homosexuality/bisexuality, which I guess is now mandatory in Hollywood but doesn't amount to anything in the end in this show. If crazy cultist killers aren't bad enough, you get crazy cultist killers who are of course militia members, too. I guess Kevin Williamson never really outgrew the 90s.

I finished watching this season just to see how it all turns out, not so much because I was compelled by its greatness. The Following could have been an edgy fascinating show, but instead it settled for widespread mediocrity.

When The Following kicked off it had the most gripping start that i've seen in a TV show in years. The cast, the setting, the plot... everything looked very promising. The references of Manson family, Waco siege, as well as serial killers would satisfy even the connoisseurs, with Ted Bundy even being quoted. Unfortunately, this didn't last long and the plot turned out to be the main problem.

As the first season unravels, the villains manage to outwit the FBI and the police on countless occasions. They are well equipped, have former military personnel among them and are functioning as a crossbreed of terror cell and cult.

And at a certain point this becomes irritating, because there is no excuse for the main characters to repeatedly fail miserably in the same fashion. Even the average viewer of TV shows would know some basic rules of police work: Secure the perimeter; Do not engage the fugitives when outnumbered and wait for support; Do not send the people to investigate the vaults without backup, especially when there's a possibility to encounter armed resistance etc.

We could argue whether the villains are depicted as almighty and the police and FBI as too stupid, yet The Following is not the show i'd recommend.

A society can confine criminals but it cannot confine an idea. The criminally insane idea in this show is one held by ex-literature professor Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) that murder can be the most beautiful form of art and the ultimate form of tribute to his idol Edgar Alan Poe.

Jailed for his crimes he becomes the most grisly form of cause celebre - a serial killer with an enraptured cult of determined wackos at his beck and call. Some of them do his bidding. Others simply try to emulate his style viewing as he does murder as a form of artistic expression and imitation as sincere flattery.

Most of the points I give this show derive from the sheer boldness of its premise. They aimed high and so far they haven't missed. But the concept of this pack of people who see sense in senseless acts of violence remains shocking because it remains so puzzling.

Brilliant work by solid people! I can't wait to see where this will go next!