J.J. Abrams, one of the creative minds behind Lost, is heading to another mysterious island. This time though it’s not remote, it’s San Francisco’s Alcatraz.
Five decades ago, some event caused 302 of the prisoners and guards in the prison to disappear. Now, they’re reappeared and have started committing crimes across the city. Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill), one of the two guards who didn’t vanish, heads up a special task force to investigate and to try to figure out what’s going on.
Lost ran for six seasons and viewers had to really pay attention to understand what was going on. Abrams insists that this new show won’t be as hard to follow. But, will you want to even start? Here’s what the critics are saying:
Washington Post: “There is something to like in Alcatraz’s smooth momentum. The show has a spirit that comes through in spite of the flavorless cheese crumbles piled atop it. As Rebecca, Jones is an intriguing discovery, and Neill classes up the joint. But overall, the script has some of the sparkless blah that has plagued Fox’s other big-name sci-fi show this season, Terra Nova.”
NY Daily News: “Happily, there are reasons to watch Alcatraz, starting with an appealing cast and a premise that really does not require a college degree in the mythology of other worlds.”
Hollywood Reporter: “The writing if flat and expository-laden. The drama – outside of the mystery of how it all happened – is saddled to predictable plots. The exterior shots (and some location shooting) in San Francisco look beautiful. But it might be easier just to buy a postcard and save yourself the time of investing in Alcatraz, another series that can’t seem to do much with what it’s given.”
LA Times: “Undoubtedly Alcatraz is among the best the midseason has to offer, and though it may whip like the TARDIS through the outer reaches of time and believability, Abrams wisely included a procedural element to sustain it; Alcatraz is, after all, built upon a rock.”
TIME: “For now, I’ll put this prison drama on probation. I don’t expect to watch Alcatraz every week, but I’ll check back. later. If it’s not the next Fringe, much less the next Lost, I at least want to know what it will be when it finally becomes Alcatraz.”
USA Today: “And of course, there’s another problem: that inchoate, TV-watcher fear that the show may become too interesting, as Abrams’ shows tend to do. Alcatraz is easy enough to follow tonight, with twists and surprises that are enjoyable and not enervating. But you still may leave it wondering how long it will be before there are eight timelines and six universes. That’s the thing with islands. They can be easier to get on than get off.”
So, what do you think? Will you watch Alcatraz tonight? If you’ve already seen it, will you tune in again next week?
Image courtesy FOX.
The concept is somewhat interesting but some of the main actors need to be changed. Sam Neill’s role is too limited. Jorge Garcia is a good actor but not really fitted for this kind of role. As for Sarah Jones and Parminder Nagra, they both have to go. Not only is their acting bad, but they don’t have the right physical look nor personality to give the tone and intensity required for this show to be a success. Just like the original Star Trek had to change Capt. Pike for Capt. Kirk and many other characters, the same will need… Read more »
Loved it!!! Hope it will continue to be complex. So sick of reality TV and the mindless comedies. Finally a show that makes you think. Now just hope it is given a chance, and Fox stands by it unlike ABC & NBC do their shows.
The first hour was somewhat interesting. The second hour was cliche’d and a bit corny (i.e. when she is in the bathroom cleaning blood of herself and beating up the paper towel dispenser out of frustration – I have seen that in every cop show at some point). I have grown weary of shows that are centered around a single mystery and then appear to milk it for everything it is worth… ah, like Lost (of which I watched the entire series and after the final episode, I feel was a waste of years of my life). If you take… Read more »
LOVE IT!
I was a total Lostie and have recently started re-watching the entire series again (I have the anthology) from the beginning. It is MORE amazing the second time around because you are not interrupted by commercials, repeat episodes, episodes out of order, etc. You get to see the genius in the writing, because a lot of things actually DID tie out, we just forget everything that happened in the very beginning. Watching it in continuity really makes a difference. Admittedly I did not originally even watch most of Season 3 (I think) because the episodes were all jumbled around. When… Read more »
I liked it. As a huge fan of FRINGE I remember feeling that its first season was uneven…it wasn’t till it got really into its mythology that (for me) it soared. That said, I know I am becoming an extinct TV viewer…I ENJOY complexity and twisty plots that require me to stay engaged. I hope Alcatraz gets the chance to do that.
We watched the show. Was so excited to see some of my favorite people on TV. I have been at a lost, no pun attended without 2 of my favorite shows. Which of course were Lost and Happy town. I can’t wait till next week, I am a fan already. It was so cool to hear him say we got to go back to the island.
Linda from Delaware
Oh Happy Town! Loved that show too!!!
Did I miss the part that tell us what kept the past inmates young looking??
I thought the show was excellent and will continue to watch it in the future. I like the idea that Sam Neill may be not the good guy he appears to be.
definitely a downloadable show =/
I liked it enough to watch it again next week.
Awful. Girl was hot but annoying.
I enjoyed it. It has a lot to build on. The writing was kinda (at least it seemed to be) rushed on the pilot episode but the second episode kicked it up a good bit..the character of Ernest Cobb was very interesting to me…..I’d really like to know more about that character…. Jorge Garcia was great in what little he did and I really hope that his character develops more and I hope he’s not there to just try and bring in the LOST fans… Sam Neill…what can you say about him except AMAZING??..his character seems to be really deep… Read more »
Maybe in later episodes the dots will connect, right now it is just a hodge-podge of some historical events that are interesting turned into a not sure what unbelievable story. Lots of deaths just for the heck of it… Watching a sniper zero in on an unsuspecting mother and baby at a shopping mall is not entertainment. Unless you are Jack The Ripper.
I liked it…tho everyone already should know that the men were put in Alcatraz cause they raped and murdered people so if you watch a show knowing they are coming back of course they are going to kill innocent people! its not going to be all happy.was a good reason they were sent to the rock!