Season 1 – Harsh Realm

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Jacob B 06/22/2023 This obscure show from X-Files creator Chris Carter isn't that great but I do think it was salvageable. It has the usual positive attributes you'd expect from the man including an intriguing set-up, movie-quality cinematography (if not quite as amazing as that of his flagship show), good performances and Mark Snow continuing to be an underrated composer. However, this show has quite a few issues that make it weak and probably the reason why it is not regarded as an underrated masterpiece like Millennium. The characters aren't all that interesting or fleshed out with the protagonist being a naïve newcomer because "metaphor for the audience", the deuteragonist is your average jaded hardass and only the female character, who's a mute, could've been compelling but she ended up underutilised. I barely remember the characters' names. You'd think a guy whose surname is Pinocchio would stick with me but just barely. Chris Carter's usually good with names; even the short-lived Lone Gunmen spinoff had memorable names (not that Jimmy Bond is exactly inventive but still); yet I barely have a clue what our hero's name was supposed to be. Rather standard dialogue as well. You sure Darin Morgan couldn't have spiced things up, Mr. Carter? And, as is common with Chris Carter, too much filler episodes in a show that really lends itself better to a serialised narrative rather than this villain-of-the-week schtick. Yes, they can't immediately off the bald guy with the nice moustache who looks suspiciously like Peter Watts (I think I've got just the MOTW story for you, X-Files staff: a comedy episode where Mulder, Sully and Frank Black investigate a sinister conspiracy regarding why there were so many people who bore a striking resemblance to Terry O'Quinn...and does this mean the actual actor exists since Richard Gere exists in the X-Files-verse suggesting that Primal Fear is a film that exists and O'Quinn was a bit part in it? *mind blown*) because then there would be no show but it hardly feels like any progress is being made after the third episode. The fact that the show was cancelled without at least something resembling an ending didn't help. Harsh Realm could've had the chance to come into its own if it got more episodes and/or was renewed for a second season but what we got, while still watchable, just isn't very memorable. A show whose only lasting legacy was Chris Carter getting onto legal trouble with the writers of a same-named comic book that I liked but don't really know why they bothered since outside of the simulation aspect, they might as well be two different IPs that share the same name. Points for trying to experiment outside of the police procedural/crime drama/conspiracy aspects of The X-Files and Millennium, however. See more Read all reviews

Harsh Realm — Season 1

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