The Mosquito Coast

This could have been pretty good if the writers respected the viewers just a tad. Over and over again they were either too lazy or to dumb to write a compelling story line. Time and again I have been forced to put my brain on hold and ignore the improbability of the plot. A good writer could have filled in those plot holes with little effort. I will probably watch the second season if I have nothing better to do but I won't be eagerly anticipating it.

I wasn't sure what to expect from The Mosquito Coast but heard enough good things to give it a chance. I'm glad I did because I was hooked almost immediately. It's packed with enough twists and turns that you'll want to binge it as quickly as possible. I actually binged the entire first season over a weekend and was upset when it ended because I wanted to see more. I think most reviews have already pointed this out but the only negative thing on the show for me is the daughter. Don't like the character and the actress is just as bad. It's based off a movie that came out in the 80's that starred Harrison Ford, Helen Morten and River Phoenix. I never saw the movie but heard it was pretty good but not as good as this show. Give this show a chance and I promise you won't be able to stop watching it!

This show has many strengths and is well-produced. But 7 episodes in and the audience is still given no reason WHY we should care about, invest in, empathise with, and root for Allie and Margot and many, many reasons why we shouldn't. They are not likeable characters and that's hard to accept when we're given no reasons why they are the way they are. It undermines the entire show and as a viewer you just watch children endangered, lied to, and controlled again and again with no good reason provided for why it is happening. In a way it somewhat works as an allegory for abusive parenting and being stuck in the grip of a destructive narcissist but I'm not sure it is enough.

I will continue watching and I assume at some point we will learn why Allie and Margot are on the run from authorities. I just hope the cost to viewers of holding back that information actually pays off.

After watching the entire season, there are still no answers or explanations. Do we know anything about any character in this show? It is a lot to ask an audience to keep watching a show without any definitive conclusions whatsoever.

I have struggled through season 1, watching all 7 episodes. I don;t think I'll be bothering with season 2, which has just been confirmed by Apple TV. It's the weakest scripted show on Apple TV yet.

The biggest annoyance is the refusal to actual tell us why they're on the run. Hell, the parents won't even tell their own kids. It's just a drip feed of tidbits every episode. And I find that incredibly annoying.

Every episode just seems to be finding a different way to get out of a corner they find themselves in. Without knowing why they're on the run, other than that the father upset the NSA somehow, it's impossible to feel any sympathy for them.

Honestly, spend 7 hours of your life doing something more worthwhile.