The After

There are countless worthless projects from unknown creators, which are green-lit for TV and are presented to the public with the expectation that they will thrive, only to be a let-down.

Here, Amazon had Chris Carter at the Helm of what would have been 99 episodes of Dante's Divine Comedy, which if anyone needs reminding, is widely recognized as THE pre-eminent piece in Italian literature and one of the greatest literary works ever, WORLDWIDE. The fact that ultimately, the series was not completed - due in major part to Amazon, it would seem - is an utter shame.

The pilot, although flawed in some ways (the gangster Latinos were a bit much) was EXCELLENT for the most part, and if the last few minutes were any indication of what this show would have been, Amazon made a big mistake by shutting it down. HUGE.

It was a real shame that this Show didn't go to a Series. It was an excellent Pilot Episode that kept me watching throughout. The mystery and tension were well handled and the realisation that the World was going to change considerably for the survivors after Today was right in your face. All the Actors did well in their roles and the effects and story were solid. Its sad that Chris Carter doesn't command the same power he once did and Amazon were not willing to take a risk as this could well have put Chris Carter back where he belongs and given Amazon a hit show. Now a few Years later, maybe its time Amazon had another look at this missed Gem, and considered a reboot.

I found the pilot to be fast-paced and riveting. Instead of over analyzing it, like the previous commenter, I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. By the end of the episode, I was completely captivated. The characters are well drawn and diverse enough to offer just the right amount of conflict. In short order I felt close to and invested in each of them. I was drawn into and wanted to know the rest of the story. The concept is intriguing and mysterious. I would like to follow the storyline to its conclusion. I was excited to see that Chris Carter was involved and I wasn't disappointed. This definitely has his quintessence and gives evidence that he's in rare form. At the very least, if the show doesn't make it in video format, I hope the story is continued in print as a series of books. I would gladly pay the going rate to find out how this ends.

The first pilot episode took a while to gather any steam, and for the first half hour I thought I was watching a Student Drama Production, with every single character cliché over exaggerated as if the show was just trying "too hard" to prove the contrast between the characters.

It's a bit like the show is constantly screaming 'these people would never be friends in real life, but look, they're banding together regardless!'. It feels frustrating and a bit unnatural. Almost like the script is patronising the viewer, as if we wouldn't be able to decipher subtle details and personalities.

However, it's the pilot, so we'll see how the character development becomes a little more refined and mature.

As for the production quality, it's pretty good and comparable to any regular TV sci-fi series. There's some recognisable faces, enough for familiarity (even if all the known actors are playing the same typecast roles that you've always seen them in).

There was just enough action, mystery and sci-fi to keep me intrigued, though I do hope the level of sci-fi will get upped in future episodes. Right now it feels a little bit too subtle, reminiscent of some of the old X-files episodes that ended up feeling a bit too 'regular'.

The surprise right at the end of the pilot was pretty awesome. It shows promise for where the series could go!

So, great potential in the concept and clearly a well budgeted show. However, stereotypical cliché characters leaves you 'tutting' and finding the dialogue quite patronising.

First thing I noticed (and something I've seen other reviewers mention) is the writing and dialog seem a little too formulaic and contrived. But if you stick it out through the first episode I guarantee it's worth it. I was afraid that this show was going to be a little too similar to Revolution or Lost, but it's definitely going to be able to hold its own. What sparked my interest in checking this show out was that it was created by Chris Carter who also did The X-Files--one of my all time favorite shows. If you're a fan of The X-Files, too, then you MUST watch The After. It may not seem to hold up just quite yet too it's sister show, but if Amazon airs an entire first season The After may wind up surprising us. Amazon would be foolish to not pick this show up for a full season.