Season 1 – The Returned

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12/13/2017 Today there are more networks and streaming services offering original programming than ever before. It is an amazing time for TV lovers and it seems that anyone can get pretty much anything on the air. With all these new shows debuting all over the place, this does unfortunately leave the networks at somewhat of a disadvantage when it comes to original ideas. Out of desperation, many networks have turned to re-booting old shows, bringing back cancelled ideas that didin't work, and even Americanizing overseas television shows, The Returned is an example of the later. I understand why A&E chose to take a show from overseas, Americanize it, and market it as their next big hit, but why the Returned? This idea has been done to death, both in movies and on TV, and while the show is critically acclaimed, the ratings for the overseas version were terrible, the show was cancelled after it's second season. If no one is watching it over there, why did they think anyone would watch it over here? The returned takes place in a small Northwestern town, where one day, out of the blue, people who have been dead, some for decades, start showing up back at home with no memory of being gone at all. Each episode is broken up into sections that follow specific individuals and their interactions with their loved ones and society. There is also of course the police and investigative angle to the whole thing, and an unsolved crime thrown into the mix, in order to try and keep viewers coming back each week. Funny thing is, I wasn't all that crazy about this episode of the Twilight Zone. It was a little better when The X-Files did it. The 4400 added beings from the future and turned it into a series that quickly ran out of storyline and fizzled out, and now we have The Returned. This isn't an original idea, far from it, and the fact that it takes place in the same location as the 4400 is completely laughable. The cast has a few standouts that made the show a bit less tiresome, Mark Pellegrino is always fun to watch, as you never can figure out if he's a good guy or a bad one. We're also introduced to a new young actor in the form of Dylan Kingwell. He doesn't say much, but his character is honestly one of the most fascinating mysteries of the whole show. The bottom line is that this show is a complete rip off of other ideas and there is really very little here to keep the viewers interested. The boys story turned out to be really cool, The murder investigation was interesting but under utilized, and there were a few cast members I enjoyed. Otherwise the writing was terrible and parts of this show were just painfully slow. There are some terrific overseas shows that no one has even mentioned bringing over here, why they chose this one, I'll never know. See more 10/05/2017 Very inteiguing at first and looks promising but the ending... didnt give justice. See more 10/04/2017 You know what I'm sick of is tv shows getting started me getting interested and investing my time just for it to be cancelled....underground cancelled ....the get down cancelled ressurection cancelled...believe cancelled....like DAMN IF U GONNA START SOME SHIT THEN FINISH IT!!!!!!! PLEASE...STOP PLULLING THE RUG..YOU AINT NO MAGIC CARPET!!! Shoot I pay good money for my Netflix is and cable DAMMIT!!!?????????????????????????????????????????????????????? See more 04/02/2017 The feel of this version isn't even close to the original dark, eerie version from France. This version tried to copy everything , right down to the clothes, but just couldn't recreate the mystery. The actors are all very pretty in this version unlike the very normal everyday looking actors in the French version. Let's also not forget the political correctness. The American version makes sure we see an equal amount of minorities, foreign accents and lets not forget the interracial couple. Not normally an issue but it seems so forced it becomes obvious what was done in casting that it distracts the viewer. It is well done which earns the 2.5 stars in my book, but if you want a creepy, dark and thought provoking, watch the original. See more 04/05/2016 It's good when you first start, well shot, but there is too much going on and it cannot sustain itself. See more 03/31/2016 I was pleasantly surprised by how well the US version held up to the original French version. Also somewhat surprised by some of the venom being directed at it by the usual suspects. See more Read all reviews

The Returned — Season 1

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