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Season 1 – The Following

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – The Following Jan 2013 Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
63% Tomatometer 51 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
The FBI calls on Ryan Hardy, a former agent with physical and emotional scars, when Joe Carroll, a notorious serial killer he apprehended years earlier, escapes from death row. Carroll, an English professor and novelist fixated on Edgar Allan Poe, mutilated and killed 14 women before he was imprisoned. Hardy and the FBI learn that while be was incarcerated, Carroll spent his time gathering a collection of cultlike followers. The recruits prove themselves willing to commit murder, facilitate abductions, and even sacrifice themselves in order to help Carroll with his deadly objectives and achieve his ultimate goal -- to exact revenge on Ryan Hardy.
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The Following — Season 1

The Following — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

The Following is a grisly and violent thriller with some great twists and fine acting.

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Critics Reviews

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William Thomas Empire Magazine 11/03/2017
2/5
The idea of a serial killer marshalling an army of cultists is a scary one. The fact they're all obsessed with Edgar Allan Poe makes it considerably less so. Go to Full Review Alan Sepinwall HitFix 01/21/2013
C-
Success and quality don't always neatly overlap, and The Following is a show that's disturbing without actually being scary, and that approaches deep, dark subjects without having anything real to say about them. Go to Full Review Linda Stasi New York Post 01/21/2013
2/4
It's not bad enough that the new series, makes Dexter look like it was produced by Quakers. But in order to make it - what? hip - they send a letter to critics using idiotic language. Go to Full Review Randy Dankievitch Processed Media 02/20/2020
F
The Following is a forgettable, over-hyped bucket of violence against women, that tries to set itself up as a big conspiracy - that's not really a conspiracy at all. Go to Full Review Amie Simon I Love Splatter 03/12/2019
While I thought the pilot was pretty strong, The Following disintegrates a little bit more with each episode. Go to Full Review Terence Johnson AwardsCircuit.com 08/27/2018
4/4
Kevin Williamson is one brilliant and sick man. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Cork B 12h exceedingly dumb. everyone makes dumb decisions. The cult is wild eyed and extra stabby, and the police are constantly surprised (and stabbed or shot, etc). The cops spend half the series looking for a large country estate in the same town they are in and cannot find it. so hard to watch See more Laugh T. @LaughALotToday Jan 25 Wildly underrated and unpredictable. Worthy of your time! See more Mary b @MomB0082 Jan 19 It went on too long. Two seasons would have been enough. The 3rd season as usual became unbelievable and actually kind of silly. We stuck it out to the finish but would have bailed had we known how it would deteriorate. See more Gregory S @Gregory566 Jan 15 It is an ok series. Pretty sure that this is what gave the Criminal Minds creators the idea for Evolution. Which was a bit better. Loved the premise and characters, but in all it was just a bit ridiculous. Not to mention, predictable. Bacon did a stand up job though. See more Michael A @mountainrivera Jan 12 It started off ok but then too a turn to the ridiculous, I will usually stick things out but I bailed on episode 7. Who do i sue to get my 7 hours of life back? :) I can't believe this nonsensical story goes on for several seasons. See more tucker s @tucker83014 Jan 11 Netflix is going downhill very very fast. It's absolutely disgusting to watch. See more Read all reviews
The Following — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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Kevin Bacon

Ryan Hardy

James Purefoy

Joe Carroll

Natalie Zea

Claire Matthews

Annie Parisse

FBI Specialist Debra Parker

Shawn Ashmore

Agent Mike Weston

Valorie Curry

Emma

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jan 21, 2013 Pilot Former FBI agent Ryan Hardy is drawn out of retirement when serial killer Joe Carroll escapes from prison; the investigation reveals that Carroll has a cult following. Details Episode 2 Aired Jan 28, 2013 Chapter Two Ryan, Agent Weston and FBI Specialist Debra Parker investigate the history of Carroll's psyche; Emma, Jacob and Paul hold Claire's son while they plan for their next move. Details Episode 3 Aired Feb 4, 2013 The Poet's Fire Hardy and the FBI try to predict the actions of a new follower named Rick (Michael Drayer); Paul's jealousy reaches a breaking point; the beginning of Carroll and Hardy's relationship is revealed. Details Episode 4 Aired Feb 11, 2013 Mad Love Maggie devises a plan to put an end to Hardy; Paul reveals a secret that Jacob has been hiding from Emma; Hardy and Claire's relationship is explored. Details Episode 5 Aired Feb 18, 2013 The Siege As Hardy and the team make their next move, panic spreads at the followers' hideout; Carroll seeks out a lawyer from his past. Details Episode 6 Aired Feb 25, 2013 The Fall A new follower reveals Carroll's true intentions; Hardy tries to turn Jacob, Emma and Paul against one another; Emma makes a surprising decision. Details Episode 7 Aired Mar 4, 2013 Let Me Go Joe Carroll makes a case to be transferred to a different facility, raising Ryan's suspicions; Emma and Joey come across one of Roderick's men. Details Episode 8 Aired Mar 11, 2013 Welcome Home Ryan and Parker are upset when the FBI makes Nick Donovan (Mike Colter) lead investigator as the search for Joey Matthews and Joe Carroll continues; a follower and Joe Carroll form a deadly plan. Details Episode 9 Aired Mar 18, 2013 Love Hurts Ryan and Parker try to outwit their new leader; Joe demands information on Claire's location from Ryan; past followers return. Details Episode 10 Aired Mar 25, 2013 Guilt Joe sends followers to capture Claire; Jacob's stress over recent decisions affects his reunion with Emma. Details Episode 11 Aired Apr 1, 2013 Whips and Regret Ryan and Parker try to recover after losing Claire to Joe's followers; Claire has an unexpected reunion as she adjusts to life at the mansion; Jacob struggles with Emma's betrayal. Details Episode 12 Aired Apr 8, 2013 The Curse Ryan finds a follower who may be able to lead the way to Joe Carroll; Agent Weston returns, possibly more affected by his run-in with the cult than anyone realized; Claire and Emma come together for the first time since Joey's abduction. Details Episode 13 Aired Apr 15, 2013 Havenport When Roderick's role as sheriff is called into question, he makes a shocking decision that impacts Joey; Ryan tries to gain the trust of one of Joe's followers. Details Episode 14 Aired Apr 22, 2013 The End Is Near Weston, Parker and Ryan plan to storm the mansion, but Joe has already orchestrated his escape; followers create a diversion at the town evacuation center, causing panic and leading to the abduction of an FBI official. Details Episode 15 Aired Apr 29, 2013 The Final Chapter Ryan tries to stop Joe Carroll from achieving his goal; Joe guides Claire to a special location. Details

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The Following — Season 1

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Season Info

Executive Producer
Kevin Williamson, Marcos Siega
Network
Fox
Rating
TV-14 (L|S|V)
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date
Jan 21, 2013
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