Demons

The series has a fairly unique look but ultimately follows the same cliché progression as other dark-fantasy vigilante type shows that have aired before. The main difference being that the acting is mostly sub-standard and the characters are hardly compelling - aside from the villainous freaks.

Despite all this, it has potential as its loosely determined universe of "freaks" has the potential to yield some interesting plot scenarios as the Dr. Who universe did. As another plus, the series' cheesiness can be comical if you can let yourself go for a moment.

Hopefully as the series progresses it will enter into more gray territory with the nature of the "freaks" being explored and what appears to be a dark past behind some of the protagonists.

I honestly don't know what stuns me more, the cliché-riddled ineptness of this show or the fact that it took three people to create it (or four if you count Joss Whedon.... and you should. If I was him I'd be seriously be considering legal action....). I mean, how many people does it take to watch, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," then attempt to recreate it for a British audience? The creators will no doubt argue about the, "uniqueness," of their show and how it provides something, "different," for todays television audience. I would say it shows ITV's desperation to grab any part of the, "Doctor Who," type audience from the BBC that they'll commission dreadful knock-offs like this rather than something genuinely original and exciting.

So, instead of a young, wholesome, stereo-typical (at first glance) American girl living in the U.S. who turns out to be the last Slayer and must battle vampires, demons, werewolves and various other, "evil entities," with the help of some friends and a British mentor with an encyclopedic knowledge of all things demonic, using cool martial arts skills and assorted strange and ancient weapons/spells, etc we get a young, wholesome, stereo-typical British BOY living in the U.K. who turns out to be the last Van Helsing and must battle vampires, demons, werewolves and various other, "evil entities," with the help of some friends and an American mentor with an encyclopedic knowledge of all things demonic, using cool martial arts skills and assorted strange and ancient weapons and spells. Totally different.

Whereas, "Buffy," had Joss Whedon's wry, clever, original, funny ideas behind it this has Philip Glennister doing an American accent and a blind girl whose medium-type abilities seem to give her a real leg up when it comes to negotiating stairs at high speed.

Watching it, it seems as though any kind of original idea had the same effect on the writers as a crucifix does on Dracula. Rather than come up with a single original thought they seem to have sat there, watched every action movie and TV show from 1997 and gone, "Ohhhhh! That's cool! Let's do that!" unfortunately meaning they've rather missed the point that it is now twelve years later all this stuff has been done to death already (and far better too). So we're treated to endless, martial arts fights where the action goes from regular speed to sudden slo-mo as our hero/villain/demon does a back flip mid-battle and are so poorly edited with crash zooms and camera jerks you can't actually tell what is going on.

Obviously, as with any show like this, acting talent is not the main reason these people have been cast. It's the, "Prettiness Factor," that's got them in and I have no problem with that. This is designed to be eye-candy, fun, entertaining television, not a Pinter adaptation. But the level of writing and the ideas behind the show are so poor it's hard to tell if the actors are bad or if it's just the scripts and direction.

Ironically enough, it is the person who is probably the most respected actor in the cast, Philip Glennister, who fares the worst. His Rupert Galvin has to win the award for most clichéd depiction of an American by an English person on a British show ever. It's not really his fault, he makes a fair crack at the accent and what have you, but it's the dialogue he's given that lets him down and makes it just interminable. He comes across like a twelve year olds idea of what a tough guy American must talk like based only on watching bad American movies and who has never actually met an American in their life. Practically every line out of his mouth is some leaden cliché, like references to, "The whole enchilada," and the godawful, "Showtime!" (which terrifyingly seems to be what the writers are trying to make his catchphrase despite the fact that even Arnie stopped thinking saying that just before a fight was cool twenty years ago) that flops around on the ground like a fish gasping for breath before expiring. I actually consider the use of the phrase, "Showtime!" as an indication of how awful a movie or TV show is. If a writer thinks it's a cool, original thing for a character to say then it's generally a pretty fair indication that whatever I'm watching is crap and, "Demons," is no exception to the rule. It ranks right up there with, "Why don't you put down your gun and face me like a man?" And, judging by this show, the North of England must be empty as they all seem to be living in London.

All in all, I can see why this show seems to be losing viewers by the millions already. Although it will probably get a second season due to the amount of money they've put into it, regardless of ratings, as happens with U.K. shows more and more these days. Maybe ITV could put the money to better use and come up with an original idea for a change? Maybe a show about a group of elite soldiers, framed for a crime they didn't commit, who escape from prison and enter the criminal underworld and use their skills as mercenaries to help innocent victims? Oh.... Hang on.....

Being an avid watcher of both Doctor Who and the Buffy The Vampire Slayer series I don't really see what everyone is complaining about. If you think it kills a TV programme for you then don't watch it! I thought that the programme was lovely! Considering that this is ITV, not a billion pound production, it was something to look forward to on a Saturday night. Albeit Philip Glenister needs to work on the monotone American accent. I'll admit that the special effects were a bit rubbish but you can't really base your whole opinion on the technical stuff. If the series doesn't appeal to you than so be it but you have to appreciate it for its charm! The characters are lovely and the plot surprising.

WONDERFUL TV series. Just sad that it ended!

I can just imagine a bunch of producers and writers sitting around a big table throwing around really bad ideas such as:

Producer #1: We need a show that targets the 13 to 19 market, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer did in the US.

Producer #2: I've got a great idea; how about a British Buffy the Vampire Slayer!

Writer #1: Brilliant!

Producer #1: We don't want to look like we're copying the Americans though.

Writer #2: We could change it up with a male lead.

Producer #2: That's good but not enough.

Writer #3: How about instead of a vampire slayer he's a demon slayer?

Producer #1: hmmm....I like where this is heading...

Producer #2: By using a comic book hero we could cut costs on the back story and comic book heroes are big time money makers. Look at Spiderman 1-3, X-Men 1-3, Iron Man, Batman, and The Hulk.

Producer #1: I like where you're going with this. We could even come up a video game to market the show.

Writer #1: So who's the comic book hero?

Producer #1: That's your department; my dear boy.

Writer #1: Right; hmmmmm....

Writer #2: What about Van Helsing?

Producer #1: Who the hell is that?

Writer #2: Remember that terrible vampire/werewolf film with Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale?

Producer#1: Oh yea...that Steven Somer's bomb

Writer #2: Hugh Jackman's character was Van Helsing, a famous monster hunter who goes to Transylvania to kill Dracula.

Writer #1: And Van Helsing's got all kinds of cool old weapons and gadgets like a medieval James Bond!

Producer #2: This sounds perfect guys!

Producer #1: I like it! Add a couple sexy teens to the script, leather, some cool demons and we got ourselves a UK hit!! I want you guys to write me up a pilot and I'll sell it to the big boys.

And Viola! just like that you have another crappy TV show called Demons!!

Reading reviews you can see a sharp division of opinion. So should you watch ITV's Demons and why is an American commenting on this show? As a fan of British Cult television I have to say I was a bit skeptical. I mean Joseph Hill Whedon's popularity and influence on British science-fiction and fantasy is all over Demons. Never having been a big fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel or the more recent Supernatural (and yes I know Supernatural isn't by Whedon but it sure as hell is inspired by Whedon)I have never understood the need to imitate that formula. Demons like Supernatural isn't a bad show just it makes me feel like its gotta long way to go. The ideas are sure as hell there: were-hyenas in hoodies, ancient demons, rat men who like to experiment on people(shades of Douglas Adams), and next week we get VAMPIRES (not a surprise with the Bram Stoker angle).But what isn't there is time. What I mean to say is that ITV has once again refused to whole heartedly get behind this show (no doubt afraid of risking a flop)and it shows in the way the show is constructed. Six episodes is simply not enough episodes to string a nuanced story on. Which is too bad for Demons because what I see I do indeed like. Demons is not a bad show but neither were Buffy, Angel, or Supernatural.Demons is promising but it has a ways to go to being great. And by the way Philip Glenister's American accent rocks!