Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

:thumbsup: I had a blast watching this, especially the 2nd hour.

This was pretty much Paranormal Activity set in the jungle.

I know this type of show isn't going to appeal to everyone, especially in this forum, but it was fun with a very creepy atmosphere. Liked the whole jungle atmosphere and the dolls.

I'm fine with the documentary style, even though it's been done to death. I'm wondering if those hand held cameras are supposed to be 16:9 HD.

The Emmet Cole mystery to me is pretty interesting. I liked those videos they dug up with all the weird shit that was happening to Cole. I think 8 episodes is enough to tell a complete story.

I'm totally in for the next 6 weeks even though Tuesdays are pretty jam packed for me.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

Completely underwhelmed. And I was really looking forward to this (sucker for the trip down the Amazon genre).

Agree with many others left with the 'meh' feeling. Didn't care about the characters. Very little plot for a two-episode pilot. Scenes that were supposed to be creepy coming across as just silly. Dumb characters. Recycled plot. Coincidences (bathroom break off the jungle path just "happens" to stumble upon a cemetery). Predictable events.

And...the absolute worst...the 'doc' style-filming.

Totally agree with the points made about the amateurish, sloppy filming supposedly done by "professional" camera people (ironically, using a 'steady-cam'). I'm not prone to motion sickness, but this one bordered upon unwatchable to me. Besides, the gimmickry kept taking me OUT of the story rather than pulling me IN.

Also...and I love fantasy stories & can suspend disbelief with just about anyone...the illogical nature of the filming continually bothered me. Here are a few things that really blew credibility for me:

(1) How many dang security cameras are on that boat? Seemed like every room had 3-4 cameras set at different angles.

(2) How do the cameras operate? Are they on batteries or generator? Do they hold tapes (like the ones reviewed to see the time sequence of the infection on Emmett)? Do they continually re-loop & tape over the previous footage? Is it like a TIVO? Did the cameras continue operating after the Magus was abandoned?

(3) When they're in the jungle, who's filming the cameraman (when the doll's eyes behind him open)?

(4) Are there security cameras set up all over the jungle? Sure looked like security camera footage up in the trees filming the camp at night (when the doll's heads are turning).

(5) Who's filming the ankle-level footage of their feet when they're traipsing through the jungle?

(6) Why in the world would anybody film the private conversations between Link & Lena (on the boat & around the campfire)? Since they weren't discussing strategy or anything other personal recollections, that footage seemed entirely voyeuristic. Why wouldn't they just tell the guy to take a hike?

(7) Who's filming the panoramic aerial shots? Those steady, wide-angle shots don't look like anything that would be filmed by the heli-cam.


Those are just a few things that went through my head while trying to watch the show. Besides being an old gimmick by now (with Cloverfield, Paranormal, Blair, etc.), it seems to lack any internal logic. For the conceit to work, it needs to follow some rules. Most of those movies seemed to be consistent (the viewer could ONLY see what was inside one camera or a fixed set of cameras that didn't move). This one just defies logic at any turn.

I could see the gimmick working better in a combo approach (such as District 9). When I realized the whole thing was going to try for the doc gimmick, I could foresee a lot of problems which cropped up.

I guess my point is...if you can't do the gimmick right, don't do it at all. I'll stick to Lost/Terranova-style filming. At least I won't need Dramamine to get through a viewing.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

Turned it off after the first hour. Atrocious acting from a pretty large group of uncharismatic actors, cheap effects and a meh story just add up to crap for me.

That scene of the mother yelling at the flying thing to let her know if her husband was alive :rolleyes:

Bruce Greenwood deserves so much better than this!

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

Yeah I enjoyed it. I'm not one that needs everything to be perfect to have fun with something. If so I'd hate everything. I'm guessing whats going on is some kind of witchcraft or voodoo.

Or maybe they're in purgatory? ;)

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

There's a difference between cheesy good fun and total crap. :D

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

Your right and that difference is personal preference I guess. I haven't seen the 2nd hr yet. I had things to take care of but I will revisit it tonight.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

Are they planning on making this a long running series or has it always been intended to be tied up in 8 episodes?

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

The second hour was way better than the first. I also liked what I saw in the previews, so I'll be sticking with it. I almost gave up after the first hour, but I'm glad I pressed on.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

That's what I'm wondering too. From what I understand, this will be a completely contained 8 episode series. Say it ends up being really popular and they want to continue, I wonder how they'll handle it. I know it's only 2 episodes in, but it seems like it would be difficult to extend this story beyond the original 8 episodes...unless the final episode is a cliffhanger or something, but that would be unbelievably lame.

If this ends up being good, I hope we see more series like this. Short, compact, self contained seasons that start and finish--no cliffhangers, no bad guys coming back in the next season or anything like that. If they want to do this again, keep the writers and production staff but go out and get new actors and just come up with an entirely different 8 episode story. Call it "The Mountain" or "The Cave" or "The Basement" or whatever.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

I'm going to post without reading any comments.

I just watched the first hour and though it was really bad. So, I'm coming here to find out if the second part was better.

I didn't find the first part engaging. I mean, I wasn't expecting to be scared every minute, but I wasn't scared at all. I found the first hour really dull. The acting wasn't great either, but I guess that can be an acquired taste.

So, let me read your comments now.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

I'm not nearly as sold as you are but I suppose they bought me off enough to check out next week's episode.

I do like the idea of 8 episode (or whatever) mini-series so if this is the start of a trend I'll jump on the bandwagon and hope they continue doing that.

Plus I've always liked Bruce Greenwood from his Nowhere Man days (that would have been great as a mini-series) so I'm enjoying his work in it.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

OK, I'm done.

I don't know what to do. I don't watch anything on Tuesdays. But from the comments of the people that think the same as me, it seems this really isn't my kind of show. So I probably shouldn't waste my time.

I'll keep the recording in my DVR, and see if I'm in the mood to watch the second hour this week.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

Oh and the ratings weren't that great.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

Apparently they already have "plans" beyond the 8 episodes:

I'm smelling a cliffhanger or some damned thing like that. Might be time to drop it...

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

I really enjoyed it. Not sure if it was the right mood for the right show but I got really into it. I don't mind the doc style story telling and there were a few anxious moments I thought they did wel.

I'm in.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

One scene I thought was cool was when the cameraman was grabbed and we could see him flying around the outside of the boat from his camera's POV.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

Dang it! I really wanted to watch this and completely spaced on recording it. I'll just have to get it on demand when it shows up there.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

- Love the concept of this show
- hate the documentary style
- Horrible acting and pretty much all unlikeable characters
- The girl reminded me of Katherine Heigl, whom I hate, therefore I hate the girl.

I don't really see this show getting anymore exciting. I'm going to give it another shot next week just because there's nothing else on tuesdays. I'm hoping it gets better, but I doubt it.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

Just curious, for the people who said they thought it was terrible. Did any of you see or like the Paranormal Activity movies? As I said in my original comment, this is pretty much Paranormal Activity in the jungle.

I thought I recognized the blonde from somewhere. Eloise Mumford was on the short lived series Lonestar on FOX last season.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

I didn't even make it that long...I was looking forward to this as well and turned it off at about the 30-minute mark (right around when they found their rafts had been slashed). VERY disappointing.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

Sorry, don't mean to veer off topic but have you considered this:
https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/im...eCz4mFuZEDQquA

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

:lol: I was going to say the same thing. I know it's a matter of personal preference and time, but there is plenty on Tuesday nights on both the networks and cable besides The River.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

Southland is also on Tuesdays, I think.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

While not related to the show, I just watched the first hour and I found it odd(but very refreshing) that other than for about 30 seconds after each commercial break the ABC station bug was absent and there were no "Watch This!!!!!!" popup stuff on the screen at all, at least in my area anyway.

Re: The River -- 2 Hour Premiere -- "Pilot/Marbeley" -- 2/07/12
 

This was on par with American Horror Story. I didn't care for that show, but I made it through the entire season. I'm just a sucker for the genre.

Most of your questions were answered in the episodes.

The cameras were set up for the television show, not for security. They had been filming on that boat for over 20 years, so the number of cameras make sense. Think of it as Big Brother on a boat.

They showed them turning on the cameras once the power was restored on the boat.

They talked about this and even showed the cameraman setting up the cameras.

I remember one scene like this. The producer told the cameraman to grab the camera and they showed him running towards it.

Because the show became more about the people than their adventures. They are filming what they think the public wants to see. The people filming don't know when they are going to get something worth saving, so they're filming the entire time. The opening scene in the bar introduced us to how intrusive the cameras would be. And the son did tell them to get the cameras off him a couple of times.