Rabbit Hole

I'm okay with some shows releasing one episode on a weekly basis, but this show is not one of them. After watching the first two episodes, I wanted the whole sha-bang.

Right here, right now!

The acting is great, the writing is excellent, the pace is fantastic, and the story is amazing. I couldn't take my eyes off of my tv. I mean, I couldn't because if I did, I would have missed too many things.

My only fear with this show is that it may write itself into a corner. A lot of times shows with this many moving parts, such as Manifest or Lost, seem really cool at the beginning, but end up going nowhere.

I have high hopes for this show. For one, it doesn't deal with the paranormal. For two, this show doesn't take itself too seriously, as evidenced by the way the writers let the other characters make fun of main character John Weir and his extreme paranoia. Well, John, I've got good news and bad news for you. The good news: You're not paranoid. The bad news: Everybody really IS out to get you.

This show begins with the worst beginning of any show. A flash forward. Everybody hates those, I know, but sit through it.

It begins as an episode of The Flight Attendand, so if you haven't turned off the telly after the flash forward, you probably will now. Don't. Sit through it.

Then, as you notice that Weir is a pawn in a complex game of chess, you remember that pawn in German is Bauer.

Then, as you notice this pawn is setting a complex trap, you remember the word for fish trap. Weir.

The bauer becomes the weir. The hunted becomes the hunter.

Now you are in the right mindset for this show which is the most well written mystery since the early episodes of Lost.

Love it.

This is a very well crafted, complicated and sophisticated story. There are many bumps and turns, and a lot of the time you are left wondering what is going on. All is explained, in a somewhat non-linear way. There are many flashbacks that do not immediately make sense, but do if you pay attention and give the story time to evolve. Everything gets wrapped nicely by the end. But getting there takes a bit of effort.

Strong cast. My only gripe being that Kiefer Sutherland whispers his lines a little too much and unnecessarily so. But what starts out as a strangely grouped of characters moves nicely to a point where there is chemistry. It works well.

This is not a show where you can watch the first couple of episodes and decide. You need to invest and see it through to the end. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

I love this type of show in general, with hidden agendas, intrigue, and one-upmanship between master manipulators. Every episode either ends with a shock reveal or a cliffhanger, and it just begs you to keep watching.

The two main characters are very well acted, except in a few awkward places where the dialogue doesn't quite work (like some that is trying to force a relationship between them too early on). Some of the characters much less so. Although, aside from one that is very badly acted (the accountant/supposed comedy relief), it very much could be because the dialogue is frequent either too contrived or too out of character.

That weak dialogue and acting stop it from being a really amazing show, but still doesn't stop it from being a decent one that's well worth a watch.

I admit I went into this with rather low expectations given the general lack of buzz around this show and the way that Keifer's last couple of shows (Designated Survivor, Touch) started off strong and then went completely off the rails after a few episodes. With a tight 8 episode run, though, Rabbit Hole, in its first (maybe only?) season, managed to keep up the intrigue and be thoroughly entertaining throughout. Were there some implausibilities along the way? Of course. But nothing that led to a major eye roll or that would cause me not to recommend this show. If you're looking for a fun, fast paced thriller, then you should definitely check this show out.