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I had to type out this BETWEEN on Netflix review right away. I just watched the first episode and let me say… I am excited about this show! And you should be too. 🙂

First, a little background. It’s a Netflix Original Series, made in Canada and debuting on Canada’s City channel and on Netflix simultaneously. That’s why you’ll notice that this particular Netflix show is released weekly, rather than all at once like most Netflix originals.

Now, this isn’t your typical post-apocalyptic show because only ONE town is experiencing the post-apocalyptic life. So if you’ve ever watched Under the Dome, you’ll know what I’m talking about.  (And just so you know, I really like Under the Dome. Here’s a link to where you can watch it on Amazon Instant if you want to check it out.)

Behind the Scenes

I didn’t recognize most of the actors on Between, which is rare for a sci-fi show made in Canada. Usually Canadian sci-fi shows parade a long list of actors that I’ve seen in recurring roles on TONS of shows. (Think “Gaeta” from Battlestar Galactica, who must be contractually obligated to appear in a guest role on EVERY sci-fi show, and now Kirk Acevedo, who’s the new Gaeta I think (starring in Fringe, Agents of SHIELD, 12 Monkeys, just to name a few off the top of my head…))

But we’ve got mostly a fresh cast of characters for Between. I recognized Jesse Carere, who’s my new favorite up-and-coming actor of late. He’s a main character on Between, and also a main character on Finding Carter. (Yes, I watch that MTV show. Don’t judge!) I also recognized Jennette McCurdy, who’s been on a million shows it seems.

The show itself will only be six episodes (boooo). I’m sad about that, because I’m already excited about the pilot and really want more.

And Now: The Main Storyline

The premise is similar in many ways to that old show, Jeremiah, except taking place in just one city rather than the whole world. And we get to see it happen, rather than joining the series 15 years later. (By the way, you can watch Jeremiah on Amazon Instant here. I’ll have to write a review on it soon… The opening song is … interesting. 😉 )

So what is the premise? If you don’t want to be spoiled at all, stop reading here. But really, you’ll probably hear about the premise on tons of media sites long before you see it.

Essentially, everyone over the age of 21 starts dying of a mysterious virus. This show will track the survivors’ attempts at, well, surviving, along with how the rest of the world tries to contain them.

I LOVED the first episode. It started out like a typical teenage show (which, I must admit, I enjoy — see my “Finding Carter” reference above…) But then it takes a twist and runs with it into a genre that is much more fun. I already have a favorite character that I’m rooting for. This is gonna be fun. 🙂

Now a disclaimer: Don’t expect The 100 level of survival or Falling Skies survival/battles. It’s not a dark and gritty show. Think of something with an “Under the Dome” type of feel, but slightly darker, and you’ll have a better feel of what to expect.

And Now: Details About the Pilot

This is the part where there WILL be spoilers, so if you don’t want to be spoiled about the premiere episode, STOP READING HERE.

Since this is about the pilot, let me give you a primer of the characters, since there’s a surprisingly large amount for a small town of teenagers and young adults.

Wiley Day is the pregnant girl with the ultra-conservative sister. I like Wiley. She has a sarcastic “life has screwed me up and I’m trying to deal” attitude.

Adam is her good friend (played by Carere) and my favorite character so far. He’s the genius kid, playing the role of “super hacker who can break into anything,” including top-secret government sites. He’s a survivor for sure and he’s intriguing. I like how he’s not your typical “wimpy geek” character though. He seems like he can hold his own in a battle. And his dad is mysterious. Apparently his dad is either crazy or a secret military agent. You take the bet!

Chuck Lott is probably the father of Wiley’s baby. (They talked about a rich family paying her off not to say anything, but then they get custody of the child.) Chuck was in the background in this episode mostly, but he seems like a jerk like his dad. Who, by the way, is still alive. I’m going to be VERY suspicious if he keeps on living.

By the way, the most interesting thing about Chuck is his super cool younger sister and his other sister, Krystal, who is mentally challenged. I actually LOVE this part of the storyline. They don’t normally have a mentally challenged character in a post-apocalyptic show, so I’m really interested to see where they take this.

Mark is the mysterious guy in the jail. When they first showed the jail scenes, I got annoyed fast. I thought the premise was intriguing enough without bringing in a bunch of prisoners escaping jail and harassing the community. But the main “harasser” is no longer with us, and we have Mark. I think he will have an interesting story and maybe be tied to the virus in someway. (By the way, Mark reminds me of the “mysterious character” on Under the Dome, if you watched it.)

Ronnie and Pat are the brothers on Between. Pat is training to be a plumber (he will probably be in high demand now!) Ronnie is his get-in-trouble-drug-dealing brother. Not too intrigued with Ronnie; he seems a bit cookie cutter so far. But Pat has promise if his character doesn’t stay a pawn.

Gordo is the farmer who can deliver calves and babies. I guess he’s the “doctor character.” I don’t know much about him yet, except he has a little sister.

Ms. Symonds is the 21 year old genius teacher who already has a master’s degree and a career. I think she’ll end up being one of the town leaders, and maybe Adam will have a thing for her. (Even though he’s too young!)

The Virus: Of course, this is the main character on the show. I think there’s going to be a HUGE twist. Adam’s uncle said something mysterious about how it didn’t act like a virus because no one got any symptoms before just dropping dead. So I’m guessing it’s been engineered somehow, perhaps by the government as a possible weapon. The big question is going to be … Will Ms. Symonds die when she turns 22? Another question: Are the survivors now immune or are they carriers?

The Verdict

WATCH THIS SHOW! 🙂 OK, I’m a sucker for MTV and CW shows about teenagers (I love Vampire Diaries), and this show kind of taps into that. But I’m really curious to see how the characters grow. The “big bad” will be the virus and people within the town, rather than a zombie or mutant to fight. I kinda like that for a change.

Other reviewers aren’t so kind. Some say violence hit the town too fast (there wasn’t much) or the dialogue was bad. But really, I wasn’t bothered by that. I thought the dialogue was good enough, like Adam’s mom questioning whether he was a conspiracy theorist when he was wanting to leave town. Wouldn’t any parent ask that question while their teen is frantically packing to leave town? OK, maybe not after a certain number of deaths, but at what point do you go with it? Heck, when I was in my early 20s and taking off from a hurricane warning, my parents had a similar conversation with me and wouldn’t go with me. I took my cousin and took off. I could relate to that scene (even though my parents ended up being just fine because the hurricane missed our town, thank God! I just didn’t want to risk it.)

Which brings me to another question… Are you an “early evacuee” type person or a last-minute, hunker-down one

What did you think of the pilot? Let me know in the comments below! 

Stephanie

Stephanie Dwilson started Post Apocalyptic Media with her husband Derek. She's a licensed attorney and has a master's in science and technology journalism. You can reach her at [email protected].

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