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The Following’s Awesome Seasone Finale: Summary, Best Moments & More

Posted on April 30, 2013 Written by ripitup

thefollowing_finale_kevin bacon — Kevin Bacon as Ryan Hardy in The Following’s season finale, episode 15.Image via tvline.com

There haven’t been many popular shows in television that were as hated as The Following (and also Revolution). Sure, a lot of people loath a lot of things, but few are as vocal as these shows’ haters. Not to mention the active haters of The Following don’t mind tuning in week after week to pick the show apart. It’s funny, because when I can’t stand a show, I just stay away from it.

That’s not to say I don’t think The Following has more than its share of faults, implausiblities, and “oh no, he/she/they didn’t!!!!” moments.

But it also has a great cast, an engaging plot, good acting, badass moments and just the right amount of gore.

And as opposed to shows who have lost their intrigue and I either stopped watching or kind of watch in 10 minutes (at most) in fast forward mode, I was glued to the screen with The Following for the most part, and that’s all that matters to me – I’m in it for the entertainment after all.

Alright. Let’s roll:

A quick reminder to where we are after 14 episodes:

– Paul (Adan Canto) was injured badly after the FBI raided their hideout. Jacob (Nico Tortorella) had to kill him to prevent him from further suffering. This was Jacob’s first murder.

– Jacob later joined Emma (Valorie Curry) and others at the town mansion where Roderick and other followers had created a high-tech fortress and Joe was working on his novel.

– Joe (James Purefoy) was reunited with his son Joey, and after the FBI failed to find him and a lot of people were killed to protect Claire (Natalie Zea), Claire willingly left Ryan’s (Kevin Bacon) side and got caught by the followers to see her son.

– Claire kept rejecting Joe, and Roderick (Warren Cole) kept rebelling.

– When Mike (Shane Weston) finally made Roderick, Roderick tried to escape with Joey- but was killed by the followers and a conflicting Jacob left Joey to Ryan.

– Joe tried getting Claire to love him, it backfired and Claire tried to kill him. This made Joe decide to kill Claire, so that he’d finally see Ryan unravel to the point of no return.

– Followers kidnapped Debra (Annie Parisse) and put her in a coffin and buried her alive.

Episode 15- Season Finale – Full of Spoilers!!!

– Emma sends the clue to what happened to Debra in a creepy way, and the FBI tries to hold her online and locate her.

– Joe has taken Claire to a Lighthouse as he waits for Ryan to find them.

– Ryan and Mike find Debra, after going badass on a follower, but they are too late. Then Ryan finds Joe’s manuscript hidden in the coffin, and realizes that it was his plan all along.

– He leaves Mike behind for his own safety and sets out to find Claire. He’s delivered unconcious and finds himself by a fireplace, hands tied across Joe and a tied-up Claire. He mananages to distract Joe eventually, and saves Claire. Joe escapes to inside the lighthouse, a fire starts during the fight. Ryan escapes, Joe can’t.

– We’re lead to believe that Joe is (probably) dead, though we are not believing it till season 2, where he will probably be back.

– Emma is alive and well, and apparently upset over Joe’s apparent death.

– Ryan takes Claire to his house for the night, where they get both stabbed by Ryan’s psychotic neighbor Molly.

Favorite Badass Moments & Favorite Lines

– To be able to find Debra, Ryan and Mike “question” the follower who was quite surprised at their willingness to torture. They are FBI, right? But even other agents don’t mind crossing the line when one of their own is about to die.

The follower: You’re not going to kill me! I’m not talking.

Ryan: We’re not going to kill you. But we’ll get really, really close.

– They can’t save Parker, and the follower makes infuriating comments. Ryan walks towards him, all common sense having replace by furry. He walks towards him and shoots him in one shot shutting him up for good.

Joe claims Ryan can’t get under his skin, but Ryan keeps going with all the triggetr words: “bored with Poe”, “flop”, “second rate”, “no” talent”,”wannabe”

Ryan: My hands are tied, Joe. Doesn’t quite make for a fair fight.

Joe: I’ve been stabbed with both a knife and a fork so I don’t think that there’s gonna be any more fighting.

Oh, No, He Didn’t!!!

Ryan is my favorite character, and I cut him a lot of slack due to the traumas he has gone through and how cool Kevin Bacon is but his lack of broad thinking just annoys me to no end. How can he know so much about the cult’s wide network and know how the followers integrated themselves into their lives so seamlessley, and yet still not suspect his neighbor a bit? How predictable is it to go to his own house? Come on, even if Joe is dead, and especially if Joe is dead, how can he not expect an angry follower or two to stake him out??? The last scene serves him right for being so naive. Dude, you should have known better!

Despite the FBI’s constant failures and Ryan’s occasional stupidity, I loved the show. I will be back the next season to see if it is still entertaining.

How about you? Are you still following?

Also on The Following

The Following 1×08 Welcome Home Review: Mike Weston Proves He’s More Than Computers

The Following: Why I’m Still a Follower & Summary for 1×07 Episode Let Me Go

The Following: When Both The Protagonist and Antagonist Are Writers

Mad Love: The Following Episode 4 Review – The Mad Get Madder

The Following 1×03 The Poet’s Fire Review: What’s with the FBI?

The Following 1×02 Chapter Two Review: Still cool, and yes, Hardy Needs to Toughen Up. But how?

The Following starring Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy: Epic Start

The Following 1×08 Welcome Home Review: Mike Weston Proves He’s More Than Computers

Posted on March 13, 2013 Written by ripitup

Annie Parisse as Parker and Kevin Bacon as Ryan Hardy. Image via seat42f.com

1×08 was a really fun episode. Yes, the FBI makes some really ridiculous calls (again!), but I’ve come to accept it as a part of this show’s universe. I’m just having too much fun to care at this point. However I’m still hoping someone in charge will develop more brain cells and realize people’s lives are more important than a serial killer and his followers’ rights.

Here we go:

1×07 Let Me Go- Quick Reminder

Last episode ended with Caroll (James Purefoy) being taken safely taken to a mansion where all his followers, except Paul and Jacob-who we still haven’t heard of, are waiting for him. He also got to meet his son, who did recognize him. Claire (Natalie Zea) is placed in protective custody and presumably no one (that Ryan knows) knows where she is. He doesn’t know, either.

1×08 Welcome Home Summary

Joe is playing the unwillingly estranged, misunderstood good father to a very timid, silent Joey. Emma (Valorie Curry) looks for ways to hook up with her hero, and we finally get to meet Roderick who turns out to be the sheriff of the small town the mansion is located in.

FBI has a new man in charge, Nick Donovan (Mike Colter, Malcolm of Ringer) who makes more horrible calls to supposedly remedy “the mistakes Ryan and others did”. Considering Ryan (Kevin Bacon) is the only one that got breakthrough with the help of Mike and sometimes Parker, Nick’s attitude has only caused a lot of viewers, me included, that he is a follower. Either he is a follower, or he is stickler for good manners and authority and got to be where he is through luck and/or connections. Or Kevin Williamson really hates his fictional FBI.

*On a side note, I recommend watching Perception to see a much more competent bureau. Even if they make mistakes, apart from Daniel and Kate, they usually compensate with backing them up when they are proven right.*

So Nick stops Ryan from getting information first hand, and then sends Mike (Shawn Ashmore) home for hacking his email. Shockingly, another “let’s leave our agents along when so many homicidal followers are around” move from the bureau results in Mike being kidnapped to a shipyard to be tortured for information. The kidnapper team involves Charlie, Roderick and the blonde stabber from last week’s episode.

When Ryan can’t reach Mike on his cell, he informs Parker (Annie Parisse) and goes to the motel. Parker arrives, and together they make Nick allow them to go check out the shipyard. Of course, no back-up.

While Ryan and Parker were busy trying to find out about the place despite Nick, Weston was being tortured in a fight club sort of way, so that he would spit out the whereabouts of Claire. But he doesn’t say anything.

Ryan arrives just in time to kill a couple of followers, and save an almost dying Mike. Charlie, Roderick and the blonde escape; and Ryan goes to the hospital with Mike. Parker informs Ryan that Mike is the only one who knows where Claire is.

In the meantime, Charlie and Roderick inform Joe that they have failed and Charlie willingly gets killed by Joe. And Emma finally gets what he wants, and has sex with Joe.

The funny:

– Joe Carroll thinks that he is a good that.

– He actually said “I love my wife.” Sure he does. He hasn’t killed her yet. Got to laugh (and cringe) at the guy’s concept of love.

The Cool: Favorite Quotes & Scenes

– The fight club scenes with Mike. He proves he is more than brains, and he can hold his own in a fair fight. We also learn that he did know where Claire was the whole time, while doing a good job making it seem like he didn’t. Oh, and he didn’t cave despite the pain and probable death.

– Finally Ryan proved that he was more than a witty yet grumpy badass and went to the hospital with Mike even though he was unconscious and would remain so for ours. This was even before he knew Mike knew about Claire and didn’t budge. Fair to say Weston has finally gained Ryan as a friend. Of course this will all look really lame if Weston later turns out to be a follower.

– After Nick gives the speech about Ryan no longer being an FBI agent, Parker stands up for him-which is really cool. After Ryan goes to Weston’s desk:

Ryan: Nobody likes me.

Mike: Well, you’re inconsistent and extreme. People don’t know how to respond to that.

Ryan: I was joking.

– Nick interviews David, the follower Ryan shot from this episode but he won’t talk to anyone by Ryan. So Nick brings in Ryan.

Ryan: How is the leg? Sorry, I don’t know your name.

Follower: You can call me David. He doesn’t say anything and just stares at Ryan)

Ryan: This is a staring contest? Because you asked to see me. Here I am.

Follower: How did you like the plot twist? Joe Carroll escaping twice.

Ryan: Yeah. That was good. Now you are boring me.

Also on The Following

The Following: Why I’m Still a Follower & Summary for 1×07 Episode Let Me Go

The Following: When Both The Protagonist and Antagonist Are Writers

Mad Love: The Following Episode 4 Review – The Mad Get Madder

The Following 1×03 The Poet’s Fire Review: What’s with the FBI?

The Following 1×02 Chapter Two Review: Still cool, and yes, Hardy Needs to Toughen Up. But how?

The Following starring Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy: Epic Start

Mad Love: The Following Episode 4 Review – The Mad Get Madder

Posted on February 16, 2013 Written by ripitup

The Following Epsiode 4 images — The Following screenshots from episode 4, Mad Love. Image via andyl.org.

I know I’ve posted only about The Following for the last couple of weeks, but it is the first time I’ve kept my promise (to myself) for writing regularly of a TV show that I really like. But worry not, a non-Following related post is on its way.

Until then, let’s take a look at another exciting episode:

(*Yes, there’ll be spoilers!)

MAD LOVE: EVENTS

To catch up with the episodes or refresh your memory, you can start with ……………

The kidnappers/Joe’s followers Emma (Valorie Curry), Paul (Adan Canto) and Jacob (Nico Tortorella) still have Joe’s son Joey, to the increasing panic of his mother Claire (Natalie Zea). After all they sent her an email showing him how to kill animals.

Ryan (Kevin Bacon) gets distracted, however, when Maggie, the lunatic wife of the Poe-masked killer Ryan killed, kidnaps his sister Jenny (Susan Misner) and tells him that she’ll let him go if he shows up unarmed and alone. Ryan’s biggest fan, and possibly only friend, Weston (Shawn Ashmore) convinces him to go along with, proving to be the sane and sensible person of the episode.

In the meantime, Jacob is left with the task of killing the girl Paul brought in, and Paul finally lets in Emma on Jacob’s secret: It’s not that they were actually having an affair when they were “pretending to be gay” – something Emma is already aware of. But that Jacob hasn’t killed anyone. This makes Emma more determined that it should be Jacob who kills the girl. But he isn’t ready so he lets her go. Unfortunately, she can’t run far without being wounded and recaptured by Paul and Emma-who seem to have formed a creepy new alliance over their killing experience and love for Paul.

Over in Brooklyn, as Weston tries to find a way in, Maggie has Ryan tied up, lying on makeshift table across her tied-up sister Jenny. Her plan is to make Jenny watch while her brother dies. There’s nothing that Ryan can do as she places magnetic fields on his chest, making his heart batteries stop.

Thankfully Weston comes in on time, saving Ryan and Jenny. Unfortunately, he ends up killing Maggie too, but now at least he has her phone and emails.

We get a few more flashbacks to Ryan and Claire relationship where Ryan decides to leave her for her own good. From what we can see, they are still in love with each other. But Ryan, being the good guy that he is, he doesn’t spend time with her other than to ask her how she’s doing and update her about the case.

MAD LOVE: Thoughts

Ryan is being a boy scout for no good reason

It might be just me, but I can’t wait for Ryan to follow his heart and reignite his affair with Claire.

What’s the point of staying away from Claire when Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) is back in their lives with a vengeance and doesn’t seem likely to be leaving any time soon? Besides, Ryan is a bit too optimistic in thinking that a woman can leave her past behind just because the FBI agent related to the case broke up with her. Hello? A serial killer ex active again from prison, with followers all over the country, with her son kidnapped by 3 of them…Where fake backgrounds are professional enough to fool the FBI.

Will Ryan smarten up?

Glad he’s armed again and all that, but what’s with trusting a lunatic to save his sister? Yes, it is the mistake every cop has ever done in pretty much any situation where the villain tells them “show up alone unarmed or he/she dies.” Right, because villains have always kept their word about not killing an innocent person. Please…

And this is not any villain, it is the psycho, revenge-seeking, Joe-following wife of the guy Ryan killed an episode ago.

OK, so even if we excuse Ryan’s panicked behavior, what the hell was he thinking not having his sister placed in protective custody? He has only one person to protect, so it’s not like FBI would deny him such a request. And since neither Carroll would play without Ryan, or they could crack the case without Ryan, all Ryan would have to do is to threaten to walk away.

But then again, I guess we should be lucky Ryan only really screwed up this time. Up until now, FBI was driving us crazy with their mistakes.

The mad get madder- The Threesome

Well, considering Emma was OK with Paul and Jacob having played house for 3 years and she was already dating Jacob, it wouldn’t have been that hard for her to do some stuff with Paul. He is the hot one, after all.

And hey, since Paul and Jacob seem to be more bi than gay, being in a three-way relationship could be a better option than Paul or Emma killing the other one in her/his sleep.

Let’s add one more thing to the things poor Joey will need to solve in therapy.

There’s a smart boy: Joey finds the phone

Claire’s son is smarter than he’s letting the kidnappers believe. He makes a mental note of where the cell phone is, which he’ll be using in the next episode where we are probably getting a confrontation between the FBI and the kidnappers.

Mad Love wasn’t that gory or disturbing. But it added some decent developments to the story. We got rid of another Joe follower, found out an interesting secret about Jacob, we had a scene where Emma and Paul made out other than fight or insult each other…We also got a creepy little information about Joe: he doesn’t mind if his following hasn’t killed anyone yet…They can join, and do the deed when they are ready…

What is your favorite episode so far?

The Following 1×03 The Poet’s Fire Review: What’s with the FBI?

Posted on February 6, 2013 Written by ripitup

The Following episode three- the poet's fire — James Purefoy and Kevin Bacon. Image via screenrant.com.

The Following’s third episode aired, and it’s still as addictive as ever. But the problem is, the writers keep presenting us some really ridiculous scenarios along with all the cool and exciting. Let’s go over the storyline, and then point out the good and the bad.

The Poet’s Fire- The Following 1×03- Some main stuff

– Claire’s (Natalie Zea) son is still with the two neighbors and his nanny, seemingly happy and playing around.

– FBI has smartened up a little, and has given Hardy (Kevin Bacon) a gun- who now canvasses the crime scene with other agents, complete with his bullet-proof vest, decreasing the possibility of being hit at the back of the head by one of Joe’s (James Purefoy) followers (aka episode 2).

– A follower’s MO is fire, as depicted in the end of this episode and we are shown more about his relationship with the others.

If you don’t want spoilers, stop here, please bookmark this page and come back after you’ve watched the show!

If you have seen the episode, let’s roll:

The Poet’s Fire- The Cool:

– The setting-on-fire scene. It’s creepy, the victim is chosen for a reason that is revealed by Carroll a bit later and we’re given a good reason on why a guy dressed as Poe and reciting his lines isn’t perceived as strange.

– We get another potential victim, the fire guy’s wife. Sure, we can suspect her, but there’s also the possibility of she’s a victim just like Carroll’s wife. She’s appropriately traumatized.

– The first meeting of Joe and Ryan-and how reassuring and normal Joe seems.

– The expected unraveling of one of the neighbors, and confirming our guess about how the gay pretense wasn’t exactly pretense

– The very ending – the e-mail to Claire.

The Poet’s Fire-The (really) bad:

-After knowing how well Emma and neighbors forged their backgrounds, Ryan and the cult expert (though more she, than Ryan) buying into the Poe-masked killer’s wife’s background, leaving her alone in the office with the computer), and then sending her to her home-with one agent as protection!!!! And the demise of the agent…

Now you’d think that with all the screw-ups since episode 1 (not giving Ryan a gun, not taking him seriously and not listening to him-leading to Sarah’s death…), the leading agent would be smart enough not to buy into the wife’s story, and not send her with one agent. Even if she was telling the truth, one man wouldn’t be enough. They don’t know the number of killers the husband might be working for, and what if that one agent went to the bathroom for crying out loud?? Who’d protect the woman then?

While the bad is really bad, thankfully the cool outweighs it. Maybe later we’ll be given a moer reasonable explanation to the lead agent’s behavior, such as her being a follower of Joe!!

Still, my addiction level remains the same, and I’m loving how the show keeps it all about Joe and Ryan episode after episode without straying from what makes the show, with only adding to it.

Let’s hope the good guys make smarter calls in the fourth episode…

Favorite Line: “I slipped.”

While talking to Jordy, the nutjob guard-turned-psycho, Ryan repeatedly asks him where Claire’s son is. When he doesn’t answer, Ryan elbows him really hard, and when Parker (the leading agent) says “Ryan”, Ryan casually says: “I slipped.”

Looking forward to episode 4!

Suggested Reading

The Following starring Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy: Epic Start

The Following 1×02 Chapter Two Review: Still cool, and yes, Hardy Needs to Toughen Up. But how?