Because the title of my review draws comparisons from two very well-known other shows, checking *spoilers* becomes a prerequisite regardless of what I end up telling you and what I leave out. I'm inclined to think that between the title of the show itself and the promos for it, the public in general is already aware of the premise of Aftermath. So inferring the question: Is this show just a combination of elements that are already present on shows that are heavily watched and regularly commented on doesn't feel like I'm crossing that line too egregiously.
I'm also very aware that it's difficult at best to write an "informed" review of a new show when all you've seen is one episode. That being said, we live in a world that bases any number of responses to a variety of things based solely on the notion of "first impressions". This review is an example of that practice in action. Although I'll work at not giving too much away, I'll still be including some observations I've made about that single episode which might be helpful in your choice to watch it or not and a bit of what to expect if you do.
First and foremost Aftermath is a show focused on the experiences and responses of a single, nuclear family as the world seems to be coming apart all around them. They're not "hunters" and it doesn't appear that they will be facing just one single threat. So in those aspects the show is nothing like my title might lead you to believe. I like the family, they are reasonably well cast and the pilot devotes time to both character development and a series of increasingly disturbing action sequences related to the ongoing effects and "aftermath" of the events which appear on the surface to be working together to change the world as we know it and the way in which we live our lives.
However, there is no denying that the script/story has been drawn from a number of other sources that the average viewer will already be completely familiar with... so, not so many points for originality. On the other hand, the shows debuting this Fall are littered with "been there done that" stories. One in particular focusing on a character from a show that has already earned it's own verb in the dictionary as a direct result of the original show and it's pop-culture influence. So being unoriginal and lazy, yet again, shouldn't be surprising to anyone who's spent any amount of time watching reruns of shows dating back over 20 years or more. Like I said, no points for originality.
The pacing is good as is the camera work and there is enough in the pilot to make a second look worthwhile IMO. Because I like their take on the "events" that lead to the "aftermath" and because I'm reasonably invested enough in this family and what they'll be facing, I'll be going back to the show for at least some few to several episodes more to see where TPTB are going to take this story. But it's nothing I'll be gushing over or that I'll end up needing a self-help support group to get me through during it's down time or the wait for another week to go by NOW because I want to know what's going to happen next so desperately I can hardly function (shout-out to "Luci" fans!).
Is this a great show? Probably not. It's going to take a lot of heat from people who find it too familiar and/or those who find it too cliché ridden to be worth watching. But to each his own. I can see both the good and the bad in how Aftermath has been put together. And truthfully, there are very few genuinely great, groundbreaking shows out there anymore. Style, verve and originality are as hard to come by as drama so compelling that you end up in awe of what's been put up on the screen. But for all it's flaws Aftermath appears to also be a show with some heart and some characters you can get behind and root for even if you've seen it done before. So I'll be coming back because the pilot and it's "first impression" has hooked me just enough to give them the benefit of the doubt for as long as they can hold onto it.
I'm also very aware that it's difficult at best to write an "informed" review of a new show when all you've seen is one episode. That being said, we live in a world that bases any number of responses to a variety of things based solely on the notion of "first impressions". This review is an example of that practice in action. Although I'll work at not giving too much away, I'll still be including some observations I've made about that single episode which might be helpful in your choice to watch it or not and a bit of what to expect if you do.
First and foremost Aftermath is a show focused on the experiences and responses of a single, nuclear family as the world seems to be coming apart all around them. They're not "hunters" and it doesn't appear that they will be facing just one single threat. So in those aspects the show is nothing like my title might lead you to believe. I like the family, they are reasonably well cast and the pilot devotes time to both character development and a series of increasingly disturbing action sequences related to the ongoing effects and "aftermath" of the events which appear on the surface to be working together to change the world as we know it and the way in which we live our lives.
However, there is no denying that the script/story has been drawn from a number of other sources that the average viewer will already be completely familiar with... so, not so many points for originality. On the other hand, the shows debuting this Fall are littered with "been there done that" stories. One in particular focusing on a character from a show that has already earned it's own verb in the dictionary as a direct result of the original show and it's pop-culture influence. So being unoriginal and lazy, yet again, shouldn't be surprising to anyone who's spent any amount of time watching reruns of shows dating back over 20 years or more. Like I said, no points for originality.
The pacing is good as is the camera work and there is enough in the pilot to make a second look worthwhile IMO. Because I like their take on the "events" that lead to the "aftermath" and because I'm reasonably invested enough in this family and what they'll be facing, I'll be going back to the show for at least some few to several episodes more to see where TPTB are going to take this story. But it's nothing I'll be gushing over or that I'll end up needing a self-help support group to get me through during it's down time or the wait for another week to go by NOW because I want to know what's going to happen next so desperately I can hardly function (shout-out to "Luci" fans!).
Is this a great show? Probably not. It's going to take a lot of heat from people who find it too familiar and/or those who find it too cliché ridden to be worth watching. But to each his own. I can see both the good and the bad in how Aftermath has been put together. And truthfully, there are very few genuinely great, groundbreaking shows out there anymore. Style, verve and originality are as hard to come by as drama so compelling that you end up in awe of what's been put up on the screen. But for all it's flaws Aftermath appears to also be a show with some heart and some characters you can get behind and root for even if you've seen it done before. So I'll be coming back because the pilot and it's "first impression" has hooked me just enough to give them the benefit of the doubt for as long as they can hold onto it.