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The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

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The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Old 02-04-13, 07:11 PM
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The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

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Synopsis:

A new follower is found in Rick (guest star Michael Drayer), who is on a determined path to follow through on Carroll's orders. Hardy and the FBI attempt to predict Rick's course of revenge, which leads to a surprising outcome. Meanwhile, Paul's jealousy over Emma and Jacob's relationship leads to a breaking point, and the origin of Hardy and Carroll's relationship is revealed in the all-new "The Poet's Fire" episode of THE FOLLOWING airing Monday, Feb. 4 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (FOL-103) (TV-14 L, S, V)



Read more: Listings - FOLLOWING, THE on FOX | TheFutonCritic.com http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listin...#ixzz2JyzlT7L7

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Old 02-04-13, 10:12 PM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Jesus, Billy Brown can't survive on a show can he?

I guess he can always fall back on his Sons of Anarchy job.
Old 02-04-13, 10:14 PM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Wow - the cops and the FBI just get dumber and more incompetent each week.
Old 02-04-13, 10:34 PM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Yeah, the reveal of the wife wasn't terribly surprising. Still a decent episode however.
Old 02-04-13, 11:31 PM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

I found less to nitpick about this week. Either the actions of the FBI seem more logical or I allowed myself to not worry about it.

I still don't trust the woman agent and I really don't trust the young agent as he's always around for the critical jumps and always off camera. Plus he's in a unique (evidently) position to sabotage the investigation from the inside. Like with the phone trace today, his reason just didn't ring true.

But, I guess, we have our primary 6 from the attic. I'm sure we'll eventually see another person or group that's closer to Joe since he liked to keep everything separate.

I really hope it's not that predictable.
Old 02-05-13, 12:15 AM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

So basically if you are a witness you will either be killed or nearly killed... how about taking them to a damn unknown location that a certain someone couldn't have planned out 6 months in advance. Seems like disinformation would be the route to go to check for internal moles at this point, but they'll probably wait for 3 or 4 more failures before someone wonders about this.

I also wonder about the young agent (Army brat who moved around. Young. Seems to have some weird fascination with Hardy and would seem like a good target for Joe) Having the female agent involved seems like too weak a copout even for this show.
Old 02-05-13, 12:32 AM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

The wife reveal was painfully obvious from the second they introduced her.
Old 02-05-13, 01:30 AM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

I am incredibly impressed by how cutting edge this show is. Who would have thought you could disguise a comedy show as a suspense? That has to be what they are going for, right?
Old 02-05-13, 01:32 AM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Jordy: "Believe it or not, I'm walking on air..."

Never would have expected someone to sing the theme to the Greatest American Hero to shut up an FBI agent.

Did he really swallow the bandages on him to try to suffocate himself? Wow, talk about pretty desperate way to kill himself.

I enjoyed the episode although not as intense as last week.

The flashbacks were interesting. Especially seeing Jacob and Paul shun the idea of acting like homosexuals to befriend Sarah Fuller and then develop a sexual attraction to each other.

Didn't see the point though of Paul kidnapping the Asian girl (who was an idiot to go with him) It was obvious he was insanely jealous of Jacob banging Emma and sort of toying with him. Guess the Asian chick didn't watch the news. Wasn't Emma, Jacob and Paul's photos plastered all over the news? at her saying to him she wanted to make it clear they weren't going to have sex. Right, you take off for some random hookup with a stranger and not expect him to want sex...sure lady.

And that was pretty messed up at the end for Emma and Jacob to teach Joey to kill animals and enjoy it.
Old 02-05-13, 01:37 AM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Originally Posted by Deftones
Jesus, Billy Brown can't survive on a show can he?
At least he isn't dead on Sons of Anarchy.

Even though Hardy and Weston were relatively close by, they should have called Riley. I knew he was fucked as soon as he looked at the text.
Old 02-05-13, 01:59 AM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Originally Posted by pinata242
I found less to nitpick about this week. Either the actions of the FBI seem more logical or I allowed myself to not worry about it.

I still don't trust the woman agent and I really don't trust the young agent as he's always around for the critical jumps and always off camera. Plus he's in a unique (evidently) position to sabotage the investigation from the inside. Like with the phone trace today, his reason just didn't ring true.

But, I guess, we have our primary 6 from the attic. I'm sure we'll eventually see another person or group that's closer to Joe since he liked to keep everything separate.

I really hope it's not that predictable.
This group of six will only be revealed as one of Joe's separate "terrorist" cells. He likely has small groups of serial killers all over the country, waiting to carry out his plan.

The twists could be seen coming a mile away in this episode. The only fresh thing in the entire episode was the video at the end of the killers trying to indoctrinate the boy. That was actual drama, as the mother helplessly watched it.

So how long is it before they break out post-hypnotic suggestion from Joe, as a reason for someone doing something?
Old 02-05-13, 09:40 AM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Yeah, a bit of a letdown. Can that many cops be that stupid? And then continue to be that stupid? You the guy's thing is recruiting people you'd never suspect to do his bidding, so why not, perhaps, err on the side of caution and not leave the wife with one lone guy who turns his back on her and checks her phone and that worst possible moment? This was the first episode that felt like a real letdown, and I hope it bounces back next week.
Old 02-05-13, 10:26 AM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Aaaand this show is now off my season pass.
Old 02-05-13, 10:53 AM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

I think it's getting better as it goes as I am enjoying it way more than the pilot. I get the gripes though in regards to only having one person watching the wife at her own house instead of a safe house but I have learned that TV will never really live up to that tight of police work most often on a season long case. Maybe on case of the week shows but the writers just seem to use law enforcement incompetence as a way to continue the story. I guess they have just broken me : )
Old 02-05-13, 12:15 PM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

I'll be honest. I'm not racing to watch this show. I didn't watch last night but from the posts here I suspect that the same B.S is continuing with law enforcement being a non factor in this convoluted serial killer drama.

I think I'm going to pull the plug on this show. Would have been much better if they just let the guy escape and he mentored killers across the country who gave him a place to stay / safe harbor.
Old 02-05-13, 12:59 PM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Originally Posted by uteotw
Yeah, a bit of a letdown. Can that many cops be that stupid? And then continue to be that stupid? You the guy's thing is recruiting people you'd never suspect to do his bidding, so why not, perhaps, err on the side of caution and not leave the wife with one lone guy who turns his back on her and checks her phone and that worst possible moment? This was the first episode that felt like a real letdown, and I hope it bounces back next week.
Yeah, that pisses me off, the constant stupidity of the FBI/cops. They refuse to take reasonable precautions after how badly they got suckered by Carroll’s groupies the first time.


Originally Posted by Flatlander
I think it's getting better as it goes as I am enjoying it way more than the pilot. I get the gripes though in regards to only having one person watching the wife at her own house instead of a safe house but I have learned that TV will never really live up to that tight of police work most often on a season long case. Maybe on case of the week shows but the writers just seem to use law enforcement incompetence as a way to continue the story. I guess they have just broken me : )
The show is entertaining, but this is the third episode with exactly the same outcome as the first episode. Yet another cop/victim gets killed right under the police’s nose, Ugh! I hope it doesn’t continue.
Old 02-05-13, 04:45 PM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Not surprising with increased competition last night (there were new episodes on the other networks) Ratings dropped a little. 9M viewers and 2.9 last night. Still good though and grew out of Bones.
Old 02-06-13, 09:38 AM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Really great episode. And yeah, as I thought, everyone, including me, is suspecting the young agent. It will be a big surprise if he's not part of the group, LOL!

I agree a little bit about the complains, but you can make the opposite case in this episode too. Is the guy that dumb to return to his house and look for his wife, knowing that there are going to be FBI agents there?

The show is a big puzzle, and we will "suffer" more of these kind of situations, until Kevin Bacon solves it. Right now they are playing with him.
Old 02-06-13, 10:45 AM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Originally Posted by Raul3
Really great episode. And yeah, as I thought, everyone, including me, is suspecting the young agent.
Did we ever learn who sent the text message? I would guess the husband but it maybe Jimmy Olsen or Iceman - I can't tell which is which.
Old 02-06-13, 11:21 AM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Originally Posted by Kdogg
Iceman
THANK YOU! That was driving me nuts (but not enough for IMDB, apparently)!
Old 02-06-13, 02:19 PM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

I agree that there are some maddening situations (cop watching someone in the house? you're toast, man!), but i am still enjoying it.

There's something about the cinematography/production values that has caught me, and the acting is pretty decent.
Old 02-06-13, 03:50 PM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

I'll keep watching it, but this episode was way too predictable. You can't keep pulling the surprise insider bit after the first couple of episodes. It's not a surprise anymore. Here's hoping they can keep the plot going. I don't see how the show can last more than a season though. This really should have been conceived more as a mini-series. Whatever happened to mini-series? No one makes them anymore.
Old 02-06-13, 04:17 PM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

Originally Posted by hahn
I'll keep watching it, but this episode was way too predictable. You can't keep pulling the surprise insider bit after the first couple of episodes. It's not a surprise anymore. Here's hoping they can keep the plot going. I don't see how the show can last more than a season though. This really should have been conceived more as a mini-series. Whatever happened to mini-series? No one makes them anymore.
Advertising a new property as a mini-series automatically hurts the initial ratings. Audiences are less and less willing each year to blindly watch new, short-run series. That is why networks will play games and hide the fact something might very well end after a limited run. Look at what FX did with American Horror Story. It wouldn't surprise me if this show is one and done, unless the ratings are insane.
Old 02-06-13, 06:32 PM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

I acknowledge that this show isn't great, and that I regularly bitch on here in threads about shows of higher quality, but The Following is working for me for the moment. I love James Purefoy, like Kevin Bacon, and the cinematogrophy is excellent. I fear that at some moment my brain is going to switch on and I'll immediately dump the show, but for now I'm enjoying it.
Old 02-10-13, 04:58 PM
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Re: The Following -- "The Poet's Fire" -- 2/04/13

I have no reason to base this other than the writers wanting to create utilize the "absolute least likely suspect" cliche on and thus not putting in spoilers: Natalie Zea (the ex-wife) as also an accomplice.

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