Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
There’s been some buzz surrounding M. Night Shyamalan‘s latest endeavor Wayward Pines, a new “ten-episode event” about a sleepy town with plenty of secrets. Matt Dillon stars as special agent Ethan Burke, who sets out for Wayward Pines, Idaho, in search of two fellow officers (one being his former mistress) who have recently disappeared — or so he thinks. With a history of mental illness, Agent Burke is unsure if he’s relapsing or if he’s part of a larger conspiracy that involves some sinister characters who control the spooky suburb. The small town suspense tale is Shyamalan’s first leap into television, and so far we think it could be the soap opera of the summer.
You can watch the first episode before the premiere to see how you like it.
Thanks to Fox and Hulu, you can preview the first episode of the season before its premiere May 14. This way, you’ll have a chance to digest what you just saw and determine whether you care enough to give the detective series a go. Wayward Pines will premiere Thursdays at 9 PM on FOX. Don’t have time to sit down for the full episode just yet? Watch the trailer above.
A star-studded cast channels their inner camp.
Starring alongside Matt Dillon is Empire‘s Terrence Howard as Sheriff Pope, a simple man who would rather not be interrupted while enjoying his rum raisin ice cream cone, even if there is danger afoot. A running thread of eerie, lackadaisical calm runs through all of the inhabitants of Wayward Pines, including Melissa Leo‘s Nurse Pam, who repeatedly tries and fails to keep Agent Burke sedated on bed rest. The only “normal” person Burke has met thus far in his travels is Beverly (Juliette Lewis), a mysterious barkeep whose presence is very much out of place. Also starring Carla Gugino and Shannyn Sossamon, the ensemble is cohesive enough to make us want to suspend our disbelief for a bit and watch Shyamalan’s mystery unfold.
Think 'Twin Peaks' meets 'The Village' meets 'American Horror Story.'
Blake Crouch, who wrote the mystery novels, Pines, on which the series is based, is an unapologetic fan of David Lynch and Twin Peaks, which he’s admitted was a direct inspiration for his books. Like Agent Dale Cooper of Lynch’s cult drama, Agent Burke is a one-man crime-fighting machine, meandered by small town politics and seemingly incompetent townsfolk who hide their secrets behind their white picket fences. Though Shyamalan hasn’t written the series, conspiratorial remnants of his own The Village seep through along with the so-called delusional protagonists we saw in American Horror Story: Asylum. Don’t worry, though: Wayward Pines Hospital isn’t as creepy as Briarcliff Manor. Yet…
You'll need something on Thursdays while you're waiting for Sundays.
Between Game of Thrones, Mad Men, and soon True Detective, you’re basically living for Sunday nights. If you’re looking for something to balance out the rest of your week, however, Wayward Pines feels like a show that can easily fill in an hour but certainly reel you in with its campy, brooding mystery.
Remember: it's only ten episodes.
Best part about mini- and anthology series? If you hate them, you can give up at any moment without the same FOMO of falling behind on a regular series. Plus, if you can put your ill feelings about Shyamalan’s recent past (ahem — The Happening, After Earth), Wayward Pines could turn out to be the pleasant surprise of the summer season.
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