Review: The Society: Season 1 (2019) *** out of four

The Society (2019) begins with a whimper. A bunch of seemingly uninteresting teens return to their idyllic small town from a school trip to find all the grown-ups gone. Further investigation reveals that the town is now surrounded by an endless forest that leads nowhere. Havoc ensues.

The concept reads like Lord of the Flies meets Riverdale, and after viewing the mediocre pilot and the forgettable second episode, you wouldn't be wrong to think so. But then the cast starts to shine, the characters grow dimensions, and the writing gels. And The Society turns into something special.

I won't spoil the twists and turns of the plot for you, but suffice it to say that this is a clever, original, occasionally brilliant drama, that takes the teen-drama format and uses it as a launching pad to address weighty issues, world politics, and examine the things that make any modern society thrive or fail. It also has some of the best written dialogue on TV (or OTT) since forever, and isn't above using some classic tropes like "who shot that girl?" and "who will eat the poisoned pie?", and then spinning them over their heads.

The cast, aside from a miscast Rachel Keller, is terrific, especially Kathryn Newton as Allie, whose character goes through a serpentine and demanding arc that Newton pulls off admirably.

But the show isn't perfect. Sometimes the characters behave in ways that belie their age, with creator Christopher Keyser and co. seemingly forgetting that the characters are supposed to be teens, after all, and not elderly statesmen. And things get a little po-faced every once in a while, threatening to spoil the delicate alchemy that makes the show so unique and smart. Also, the final episode, despite ending with a final kicker of a twist that hints at dark and strange things to come, doesn't pack the punch it should.

But, ultimately, The Society: Season 1 is an original, entertaining, and wonderfully thought-provoking show that warrants your attention.

© Ahmed Khalifa. 2019

Quick Review: THE OA: Season 1 (2016)

Another high-profile, critically-acclaimed Netflix original series, The OA: Season 1 (2016) is a massively disappointing foray into psychological Sci-Fi, with heavy-handed dialogue, humorless performances, and lackluster plotting.

It is all the more disappointing since the pilot is so impressive and visually majestic, right up to the final shot. But as the series progresses, the story gets thinner, the characters more annoying, and the tone more pretentious. It all leads up to an unrewarding and terribly exploitive finale, which is borderline insulting to viewers who'd stuck with it till the end. Avoid.

All episodes written by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij. Directed by Zal Batmanglij.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2017

Review: THE PATH: SEASON 1

There is no easy way to describe the first season of The Path (2016). It's so original, daring, and unique that words utterly fail me. It is part mystery, part epistemological/mystical thriller, part domestic drama, part love story, and a helluva story.

The main plot: a member of a religious movement known as "Meyerism" is beset by strange visions that lead him to have doubts about his faith, setting in motion a chain of events that soon spiral out of control. Meanwhile, and unbeknownst to most of the movement, the founder of "Meyerism", Stephen Meyer, is dying of cancer in a secluded room in Peru, and his disciple, a charismatic sociopath, pounces on the chance to take the reins. Telling any more would be unfair to first time viewers, as this is a great, sinuous tale, terrifically told, with a cast of characters brought to perfect life by an endearing and capable cast, headed by the ever impressive Aaron Paul (who also co-produces). And thanks to nuanced, sharp writing by creator Jessica Goldberg and her team, The Path becomes one of the greatest TV/web series (and first seasons) to ever grace our screens.

This is a heartbreaking, addictive, touching, disturbing series, which is best experienced slowly and with rapt attention. Unmissable.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Review: Z NATION: SEASON 1

The complete first season of Z Nation, a low-budget show about a zombie apocalypse, starts with a bang, only to lose steam halfway through and never really recover. The entire season of 13 episodes reportedly cost a third of what most cable shows cost nowadays, with each episode coming in under a million dollars. And that's the best and worst thing about the first season of Z Nation: its low budget forces the writers to do the best with what they got, creating stories that don't require a huge cast or multiple locations, and what the writers come up with is occasionally impressive. But trying to do the best with what you got is a very challenging task if what you got is very little, and that's the case here. As by the second half of the season it's clear that the writers are panting for breath, trying to outrun the limitations of their budget, with stories becoming repetitive and the action slowing down considerably.

What saves the show is a likable cast, led by the charismatic Kellita Smith and the quirky Keith Allan. The season finale tries its best to be exciting and suspenseful, and it succeeds to some extent. But one can't help but wonder how the show can improve if the budget doesn't. Time will  tell.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Review: OUTCAST: SEASON 1

Outcast: Season 1 (2016) is, in my humble opinion, the best horror show of the year and the best new show of the summer. Based on Robert Kirkman's (The Walking Dead) horror comic-book series of the same name, it deals with Kyle Barnes, a troubled young man with a dark past, as he deals with his newfound ability to exorcise demons out of possessed humans.

But this is not your typical demonic possession/exorcism tale, with Catholic trappings and over-the-top exorcism sequences, as Kirkman and co. have something else in mind. This is a show that is all about mood, deliberate pacing, and dark imagery that lingers in the mind. There are jump scares and "demons" aplenty, but the emphasis here is on grounded horror, gritty, blue-collar characters, and devastating violence, both physical and psychological, especially child abuse and its long-lasting effects on the psyches of the victims.

While the overly ambiguous nature of the evil/antagonist of the story can be frustrating, especially in the season finale, which asks more questions than it answers, this is a richly textured, subdued horror show, that is clever, moving, and horrific. Highly recommended.

Highlights: The compelling pilot, directed by Adam Wingard (The Guest, You're Next), and the pen-ultimate episode, "Close to Home", a horrific, disturbing hour of television that is even more powerful than the somewhat disappointing season finale.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Review: Ash Vs. Evil Dead: Season 1

With the involvement of Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi, and Bruce Campbell (the team behind the original Evil Dead films), there was no doubt in anybody's mind that Ash Vs. Evil Dead was going to be something special. The question was: How special is it going to be? Well, dear fans, the answer is very!

From the pilot episode (co-written and flashily directed by Sam Raimi), Ash Vs. Evil Dead establishes a demented, funny, an darkly entertaining tone, which is full of style and just the right dose of nostalgia. The addition of new characters to the mythology (especially Ray Santiago as Pablo and a kick-ass Lucy Lawless as the mysterious Ruby), opens up the scope of the storytelling, while injecting a healthy dose of freshness and energy to the series.

That's not to say that the series is perfect. It isn't. My biggest complaint is that, with the exception of the stunning final three episodes, set in the original cabin from Evil Dead and Evil Dead II, the series isn't scary enough, as Raimi and co. seem to be more interested in making the series closer in tone to Army of Darkness (over the top gags, plenty of gore, and laugh-out-loud dark humor), than the fiercely nightmarish Evil Dead and Evil Dead II. Also, the season's plotting, for the most part, is herky-jerky, with the myriad plot strands not meshing together as well as they should.

But what Ash Vs. Evil Dead gets right is enough to make the faults a minor nuisance. From the stunningly stylish visuals, to the stomach-churning make-up effects, to the awesomeness that's Bruce Campbell as Ash, there's plenty here to satisfy the most rabid fan of Evil Dead.

With a terrific finale that sets up a hell of a plot line for the coming season, Ash Vs. Evil Dead: Season 1 is a joy to watch from beginning to end. Groovy!

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.