Between

I'm only three episodes into the first season. Aside from nickelodeon's Jeanette McCurdy (who really hasn't gotten much time to shine), the acting is horrendous and the dialogue is weak. This isn't a show to binge quickly but if you're looking for something to keep you distracted every now and again, I would suggest you watch an episode or two. There's not really any depth to these characters and the scenes of guns being drawn get tiresome after awhile. I'm not emotionally drawn to what happens to the characters, but at the very least I'm curious as to the cause of the illness.

The first episode of Netflix' new "Between" web series (2015) reminds me a hell of a lot of "Jericho" (2006). It takes a frightening science fiction premise and then generally fails to execute anything terribly scary or thrilling. "Jericho" told the story of a small town surviving a mysterious nuclear holocaust — it looked to be a serialized "The Day After" (1983), but ultimately became a chipper, too-safe family drama that almost seemed to channel "The Waltons" (1971).

The premiere of "Between" introduces us to the small town of Pretty Lake, where a mysterious illness is killing anyone over the age of 22 … which is kind of convenient for the young-adult target audience that this show is going for. The show sounded like an update of "The Andromeda Strain" film adaptation in 1971. But after we see the town quarantined, it seems to borrow a page or two from the television treatment of Stephen King's "Under The Dome" (2013). (I disliked that book, and have heard some pretty mixed things about the TV show.)

"Between" has a few things going for it, like well-scripted characters and capable young actors. But it has problems with pacing and tension. There's a nice flourish here and there, including the shot you see below. But for a TV show about a potentially world-ending plague, it fails to scare. I'd give this first episode a 6 out of 10.

What's the deal with naming the town "Pretty Lake," anyway? Is it intentionally generic for thematic reasons, or just lazy screen writing? Are neighboring towns "Big Mountain" and "Long River?"

I looked at the reviews and people are pretty harsh. The show isn't the best but it's far from the worst I watched season 1 and 2(yeah for the people that said it wouldn't make it there looks like it did)and they were pretty good of course there was things you would be like "wtf" to and asked "why didn't you do this instead of that" but it kept me interested. For the people saying why didn't they tell why the virus is happening I mean that is the whole point of the show why would they just up and tell you it doesn't make sense. I never saw the shows that were mentioned to be like it like Jericho and Under the dome but reading the things of saying how similar they were didn't surprise me because nowadays they love making remakes. I wouldn't say that the acting was terrible but it wasn't good. For instance Adam really killed me with how bland he was I was like Where's this dudes emotion and most of these kids are from degrassi which is also funny . But you should really stay tune for what happens at the end of season 2 it's really crazy but at the same time still confusing.

I give this show a solid 7. Yes, some of the dialogue/acting seems a bit wooden at first but, as the season progresses, the actors and their characters grow. The apparent "holes" in the story are there to create suspense. As the characters grow and learn more about themselves, the virus, and their places in the "new" Pretty Lake, so do we the viewers. For such a young cast, I think they did an outstanding job! I only wish Krystal Hope Nausbaum had been given a bigger role. She is totally awesome as Amanda! Oh, and I watched every episode of the first season before coming to any conclusions, rather than after 1 episode like most of my fellow reviewers.

Yes, it is unbelievable, parts of it could be better, but nonetheless, it retains interest throughout. Watchable drama that does not pretend to be anything other than entertainment. Also, so fitting for the times. An entertaining way of passing the time in isolation caused by the COV-19 virus.