TV Review: The River, 'Pilot'
ABC has definitely captured my attention and made me a believer of the pilot’s opening mantra, “There’s magic out there.”
rating: 4.5
I had read months ago on io9.com that the pilot for ABCs The River was the best they had seen in years and now I know why. The two part pilot is a success because of its well-developed characterization, precise use of imagery, and a balance between immediate plot progression and careful restraint regarding long-term story arc elements and hooks, but most of all it is a success because it doesnt waste the audiences time while simultaneously avoiding bombarding its viewers with too much too soon. Although these episodes dont necessarily utilize entirely original narrative devices, they achieve their goals because those devices work and are used competently. Take for example the style of the first person point of view. Say what you will about The Blair Witch Project or Cloverfield, but you dont have to be a fan of this style to recognize its legitimacy and The River is thus far a perfect example. I welcome this format because when done right it not only draws in the audience and creates a sense of space that is vulnerable, but it also establishes a realism which enhances the supernatural elements that much more by comparison. The River did this several times such as when the large blue dragonflies swarmed the crew as they approached the Boiuna, an uncharted area of the Amazon River shrouded in ominous mystery, as well as when one of the dolls heads turned as if watching the crew. That sequence as well as the one in which AJ Poulain, the primary camera operator, dares one of the dolls to blink for the camera are both effective despite their long history in the annals of film and television. Yes, anyone who wasnt watching television for the first time should have easily expected the dolls to move somehow but because of that well established expectation, viewers had new and more specific possibilities to be confirmed or eschewed. Would the doll AJ was looking at blink, cry blood, speak, vomit, attack, or would it be the doll behind him? Ultimately these scenes were effective because dolls, dirty and misshapen or not, are inherently disturbing and I tip my hat to The River for recognizing it and taking full advantage. Other aspects of the first person point of view which have been used before and which I found effective and satisfying were those related to time the explicit display of it, the manipulation of it, and the ability to seamlessly transition in and out of the sequential chain of events unfolding. Most people will recognize this last device from ABCs last supernaturally charged mystery series, Lost, and just as in that show, this pilot would flashback to pertinent scenes from the past to heighten the tension of the scene presently unfolding. This was best utilized in part 2 when we saw a scene from 1989 in which the now missing Dr. Emmett Cole tells his son the story of the shaman whom discussed with the doctor the nature of time and whose mother crafted a pendant supposedly destined for a child strong enough to cut the gradually decelerating pendulum of time. This anecdote served to foreshadow Lincoln later finding the pendant, establish a greater role for the protagonist to be measured against, and further emphasize the themes of mysticism, destiny, and the strength of the bonds people form. Some final words on the use of the show within a show within a show this technique forces the audience to think about perceived reality versus actual reality as well as how perspective influences interpretation. This is significant because it will advance the theme of why audiences connected to Undiscovered Country as well as why we connect to The River. There are many other similarities between this series and Lost, like the frequent appearance of symbols, the presence of a clandestine organization with ulterior motives, and otherworldly creatures, but unlike Lost, The River appears to be much more tightly focused, providing definite if not clear answers to questions posed the primary answer being that yes, Dr. Cole does still exist, on some plane, and he went missing as a result of his experiences dealing with spiritual rituals which resulted in his abilities to walk on water, literally handle fire, manipulate insects, trap a demon, and communicate with his family in the present. The similarity I think will prove to be most prominent, however, is the focused development of its characters due in no small part to the enormous amount of talent accumulated by the cast. The two which are at the forefront of the pilot are Lincoln and Tess Cole, Emmetts son and wife, respectively. They, like every other member of the cast, are clear and specific archetypes, but do not succumb to feeling simple or two dimensional. Lincoln and Tess are the most interesting not merely because they are the immediate family of the man that is at the center of the story or even because of each of their strained relationships with him, but because by the end of part 2 they have each traded positions as to whether or not to continue the search. Granted Tess supposed transition from the guilty wife attempting to reach her husband to apologize to him for her part in their estrangement to the humbled mother wishing to simply return her family and friends to relative safety may have actually been a ploy to manipulate Lincoln into continuing the search and was less developed than Lincolns transition from the embittered, skeptical man of science who resents his father to the dedicated son whos now at least open to the possibility of the validity of his fathers quest, both cemented the series continued momentum. The other most intriguing character is Jahel, the ships mechanic, Emilio Vanezuelas teenaged daughter, because of how her wisdom is contrasted by her age. She is clearly the spiritually savvy outsider, just as her father is the protective paternal figure, Kurt Bernildsen is the militant man on a mission, AJ is the self-preserving opportunist, Lena Landry is the foil and romantic inevitability of Lincoln, and Clark Quietly is the pragmatic provocateur looking for his claim to fame. Kurt and Clark in particular, however, get to showcase how they each transcend their respective roles. Both instances occurred in part 2 when Clark had the camera turned on him and he admitted his sincere respect for his perceived rival and when Kurt was the first to instruct Lincoln to return his former teddy bear, Marbley (a combination of Jacob and Marley in keeping with the theme of ghosts) both moves one would not expect from these characters. The fact that The River is aware of why archetypes combined with contrary characteristics work suggests the audience can comfortably become invested without fear of boredom. Concerning the plot itself, although each of the two parts of the pilot could serve as individual episodes each with their own stand-alone plots, ultimately they worked best as two halves of a whole because part 1 efficiently established the premise and the characters and by the conclusion of part 2 the audience has a firm understanding of what to expect from future episodes without knowing how they will specifically unfold. Both the released ghost creature imbued with the spirit of Dr. Coles camera operator and Lenas father, Russ Landry, and the lonely abandoned girl spirit which abducted Tess, were captivating enough on their own but also served to further expand the over-arching plot of the series and both contained fabulous visuals, especially the monkey wearing the girl mask which may or may not haunt my dreams tonight. The River pilot proves to be the most promising pilot I may have ever seen and I cannot wait to see how far the series will delve into the mystical and human matters it so eloquently and effectively touched on in increasingly enthralling and creepy ways. ABC has definitely captured my attention and made me a believer of the pilots opening mantra, Theres magic out there.