Very few television shows make me jump out of my seat. The first episode got me twice. If nothing else this show will start an Edgar Allen Poe revival.

I thought that this series would be just like any other serial killer drama, and that's how it seems at times, but it has so much to offer. Kevin Bacon on television, he is a treat to watch, whatever he does, he does it great. The pilot has its gripping moments, has some shocking scenarios as well, I appreciate the writers for that but they need to do it even better in the future. The direction wasn't that amazing though, it needs some more polishing. The only thing I'm worried about is how this series is going to survive because the premise is different, it would need the best possible writing to keep the viewers interested in the series and make it marvelous. I liked the pilot, loved how it ended with Marilyn Manson's cover of Sweet Dreams, this show can become successful, if not cancelled and given the right amount of everything.… Expand

Despite the interesting premise and the talented actors on board, 'The Following' is a major letdown. It's not the fact that the pilot episode is filled with predictable twists- the fact that the dialogue is so poor that it takes away from the soild performances of Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy- the fact that the violence is too over the top and gratuitous- It's the fact that the creators promised us something different, but instead, gave us more of the same.… Expand

The show just seemed boring in the first few minutes. I was not and still am not interested in it at all. It may be because I am more interested in action shows and lots of drama, but The Following does not appeal to me.

It's hard to believe that a show that had so much promise fell so short. Even with Kevin Bacon attached, how could it have gone so wrong? It's predictable, routine and stale material.Bad writing, over-acting round off the mix.

The season premiere of The Following was one of the best, if not the best, openings to a show I've ever seen. TV shows have long been capable of film quality drama and production, but for suspense and horror, the pilot was as good as any slasher film I've seen. Within 45 minutes, we were introduced to Hardy and the FBI team as well as Carroll's wife and son, who are soon secured following Carroll's escape. Also secured was Carroll's last victim and the only one to survive, Sarah Fuller. She seemed set for a role in the show yet it turned out that through his cult, Carroll's reach is vast and her death summed the first episode up, dark, scary, brutal and unpredictable.

Created by Kevin Williamson, the writer of Scream 1 & 2, I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Faculty, perhaps it was not surprising that The Following ventured further into a darker, macabre nature than most procedural police shows. The idea for the show was certainly original from the cult perspective but the notion that Carroll was an Edgar Allan Poe fanatic and based his murders on his works seems too hot on the heels of the 2012 film The Raven to be original. Also, it has to be said that Bacon's character ticks a fair number of boxes on the 'former agents returning to the job' cliché list.

Unfortunately, the show's pilot episode was it's strongest and all later episodes were hampered by the contrived nature of Carroll's plot, the stupidity and ineptitude of the FBI agents involved, weekly introduction of the latest member of Carroll's cult to 'play their part' before inevitably being gunned down senselessly by the FBI and irritatingly repetitive metaphors to the structure of a book's plot by Carroll.

As leading men for a TV show go, Kevin Bacon was a pretty big catch for FOX and on occasions you do feel that he is the heart and soul of the show and maybe the only reason you are still watching. That's not to take anything away from the likes of James Purefoy, though not quite as menacing as Hannibal Lecter as serial killers go, Shawn Ashmore, Natalie Zea and Annie Parisse, all of whom contribute willingly.

The season ended on the up, if slightly predictably, and I dare say I will be tuning in to see how the events of the season finale are carried forward.… Expand

The show had so much promise and Kevin Bacon is terrific but it didn't take long to jump the shark. I bowed out at Episode Six. The Following got "24" stupid (circa season 5 thru 8) real fast. I can understand why people were excited about this show at first, but I can't see how anyone could be hanging on after Episode Six; the most preposterous and idiotic 60 minutes I've ever sat thru. Giving it a one at this point is overly generous.… Expand

Dark, crazy, and surprisingly predictable. Following (excuse the terrible pun) Williamson's history with "The Vampire Diaries" and "Dawson's Creek", it's surprising that "The Following" is such a dark, insane show.

great series ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is one of the worst shows ever on television and will probably appeal to most Americans. It is like watching a two hour movie expanded to fit 12 hours. I have watched four episodes and I am done. The writing is pedestrian at best. The violence is sadistic and mostly unnecessary. Much of the time is spent prolonging the violence to fill in empty time. Not one character is multi-layered. There are more holes in the story than a wheel of Swiss cheese. Just one example,of so many, that shows how bad this show is: Bacon and his partner go to rescue his sister. He tells his partner that he will leave the side door open for him. Bacon goes in, gets knocked unconscious, is picked up and put on a table and tied up by a the girl villain, tortured with batteries and threatened with a knife before his partner comes in to rescue Bacon and his sister. WHAAAAAAT!!! Maybe his partner went to dinner, saw a movie and then came to the rescue. Really? Do the producers think we are that stupid or maybe they are just hoping.… Expand

The Following delivers.........interesting plot, great performance by Kevin Bacon and Jeremy Purefoy, awesome suspense and good twists at the end, make the pilot one of the best episodes I watched this year so far.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What makes the following so great is the character development. Every character has a story. It's unlike any show I have ever seen. The suspense is never ending. I will admit the story is getting a little out of control, the following is a bit larger than we thought it was, but you can't help but be intrigued. I have no clue how they are going to pull off a second season but fox has already ordered it. Excited! As long as they keep the suspense up, I'm a fan!… Expand

The Following is definitely darker in tone than the average network TV show, which is a fact that Fox tried to capitalize on when advertising it ("You won't believe it's not on cable!"). While it's not as ambitious as some of the shows you'll see on FX or AMC, it is a solid crime drama. The Following benefits from a strong cast portraying an interesting set of characters. Obviously, Kevin Bacon gives a stellar performance, but I'm equally impressed by Natalie Zea and James Purefoy, as well as some of the actors portraying secondary characters. So far, the story line has been fun and entertaining, but I'm not sure it goes deep enough to really be engaging for several years. I suppose if The Following does go for more than a season or two, the writers will cross that bridge when they come to it. Overall, I'm enjoying The Following, and feel that it's worth checking out.… Expand

"The Following" by Kevin Williamson has a premise that is a recycled one no doubt. For example, Kevin's signature death is by being stabbed by a knife which has been consistently overused through his other movies such as Scream. However, what breathes new air into the show is the characters and the cast. Even, the relative newcomers like Adan Canto and Nico Tortorella play extremely convincing roles as tortured souls being manipulated by Joe Carroll. Overall, the show is enjoyable and the plot continues to build each week while still maintaining to delve deeper into each characters past.… Expand

The problem with this show isn't that it's not entertaining, it is. It's just that it so lacks any real imagination. It falls back on the cheating premise that out of nowhere anyone can suddenly be a villain if the plot so requires it. Also there are far too many flashbacks which are actually quite redundant most of the time.This is still a watchable show, but an easy target for cynics like myself. Also what is going on with tv shows these days that requires they all have to be over 20 episodes long! Please!!!!!!!!… Expand

This show is very good. Interesting, suspenseful, and well written. Kevin Bacon does a great job as lead. Leaves you waiting for the next episode each week.

"Serial Killer Babysitters". "Occasional Serial Killers, Babysitting". If neither of those is clear enough, how about "Negligent Borderline-Incompetent, Misses-Every-Shot, Wimp Seeks Small Boy". True, the pilot was action packed and depraved with quite a high level of violence for people like me (who enjoy shows like that). Also true, the show immediately degenerated into a program consisting of a failed FBI agent missing or misinterpreting nearly every clue while the writers dangle in front of our faces the correct answer so the FBI agent appears even more foolish when he doesn't get it, which is nearly always, and a little boy who is missing. Every episode is about a missing little boy. It is a show about a serial killer (who didn't actually kill very many of the people he is in prison for killing, which basically makes him a pansy who rode on the coat tails of a younger, blond, serial killer who did the heavy lifting, as it were, so he could become the famous ex-college-professor serial killer, 'cause that is so very likely to happen to a professor of gothic and romantic literature, for whatever whacked out reason he has in his literature professor mind) and it is also about his serial killer following (losers and weirdos) who, oddly, also don't kill very many people. Mostly, they babysit and talk about the little boy they are babysitting, hence my correction of the title to what it should have been, "Occasional Serial Killers, Babysitting". The lead FBI agent is as offensive to me (Criminologist, among other things, because, yes, I'm that smart) as any portrayal I can recall. None of the agents I have ever known were this incompetent. Yes, I've known some local cops who could not shoot very well but this "agent", played as wimpilly and milk-toast, by Kevin Bacon, as he would have been had he been played by a cardboard cut-out, of Kevin Bacon, (who is actually a brilliant actor when the script isn't so terrible). This agent misses nearly every shot, save those approximately two feet in front of him. He doesn't explain to the lady in this scenario (also a college professor) that she might not want to believe the criminal mastermind when she is told to go with his little buddy to see her son, nor does he explain to her that pretty much any agent would have done a better job finding her stupid little ruiner of everything (her kid), even, well, let's see, perhaps the ATF agent I knew who had the job of sitting at a desk doing almost nothing because he'd gotten so gosh darn old and just wouldn't retire. The FBI has an entire unit in this series hunting down a crew of horrible killers who have abducted a little boy and occasionally, again occasionally, kill a guy, maybe, if they have time and feel like it and aren't hungry or tired or busy babysitting said little boy. Meanwhile, in the real world, I could name five who killed over twenty people, two who killed over fifty, one who killed over one-hundred people before being caught or going dormant, and my degree is pushing fifteen years old. So, we are, as the audience, supposed to believe that this killer, probably one of the weakest and least prolific in the history of the world, is the worst of the worst, meriting the involvement of an entire unit of really poor detectives and a cripple, or whatever you call someone whose pacemaker makes him cry all the time. This is among the least interesting, least thought provoking serial killer storylines I've ever seen and is clearly written by a team with little to no background in such things. One thing is clear, these writers really love their children which is probably how they ended up having nothing else to say through this magnificent medium we call television. Don't watch it unless you want to be annoyed or are eating and not really paying attention. (I watch it as my Monday night fall-asleep show... and Tuesday... and Wednesday... and part of Thursday.) I give it a Two for exceptional production values.… Expand

I absolutely love this show and have high hopes for the rest of the season. Kevin Bacon's acting is superb and he really makes the character believable. Although I have to agree with a previous reviewer that the basis on which the cult was started is unbelievable, I suppose it is not improbable as we have Scientologists amongst us who believe we are all aliens. However the only down side for me about this show is that it should be a mini series and not serialised because where can it go from here? They can only do so much with it as there is only about 5 followers and much more would be a stretch.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Excellent and STOOPID.

The production value, direction, acting are all fine, etc. Kevin Bacon is excellent, and the supporting actors are mostly adequate (for Hollywood stuff).

However, this program suffers "The Hollywood Writers' Guild" plague, namely, lazy writers who leave bus-sized holes in the plot, dialogue, and screen behaviour.

I have watched 3 episodes now, and each of them presented at least 4-5 bits of stupidity, not at all like real human behaviour or actions. For example, from ONE episode only (jeez):

(Spoilers follow)

1. No one stops Poe-mask guy after he burns someone up in the street. He is otherwise non threatening, and America is chock full of true heroes, as well as inept do-gooders.

2. The slow-guy cult member is left in the hospital bed eating his stuffing to choke himself. No one is watching him, the alarms don't sound on the medical monitors, etc.

3. In the back yard, Bacon shoots the fire bug cult guy while his wife watches, but he doesn’t chase her. How far can she get really?

4. The cult girl cuts her boyfriend's boyfriend's arm, but the boyfriend doesn’t notice or ask? He's clearly cut with blood on the bandage when he leaves. Duhhhhh

5. The detective left with firebug's wife sees her phone ring, with a message "NOW". He helpfully reads this out to her without thinking. Duhhhhhhh

6. When it's clear there are weird goings-on, that detective tells the guys in the car, but they both come to the front door? Duhhhhhhhh

Holy carp, what a mess. The Writers' Guild insult us decade after decade.… Expand

I tried to like this show but finally gave up. It is simply an insult to my intelligence. How bad to the writers want to make the FBI look? (Not that they may not deserve it in reality...) At the end of the day why would I want to spend 98% of its showtime laughing at its faults in logic and sense. A good premise gone bad for lack of intelligent and realistic writing.

This show is amazing. Great plot with good acting. Kevin Bacon is amazing as Ryan Hardy. So is James Purefoy as Joe Caroll, a charismatic and charming serial killer. This show is violent, gorey, but so good. Each episode has a high intensity, It's the most intense show I watch.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great acting by the two main actors Bacon and Purefoy. However, the plot is very weak with parts being unbelievable. I just didn't buy into Bacon running off to the B&B by himself, I certainly didn't buy some of "The Followers" being able to sneak into houses like they did. The "normal" FBI characters were two dimensional at best. Back to BBC for good, solid crime dramas.… Expand

SPOILER: this show is absolutely terrible! The cliched English serial killer villain is laughable. Somehow this college professor reads a few Edgar Allen Poe stories and metamorphoses into some sort of super-powerful ninja assassin. As another reviewer noted all the non serial killer characters are idiots. All the serial killer characters are idiots too, mind you. The plot has more holes than the Albert hall. Seriously, don't waste any fraction of your valuable life on this dross.… Expand

corny dialogues, awkward scenes but its a horror slasher ride and its kevin bacon... so am in. the series feels pretentious in its twisted-mindness and i guess kevin bacon's character can use a darker psychological nuance if that makes sense

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love Kevin Bacon. Sorry, but this is a crapfest of a show. The first episode was moderately interesting. But by about the halfway mark of the second episode the plot falls apart. You can nitpick it to death with the holes. But there are 3 glaring issues with this show.

1. How stupid is law enforcement on this show. And do they plan to have every episode be that Kevin Bacon figures everything out just a little late. And 2 episodes in and both times KB finds a way to be alone without backup. It's just so dumb that it bothers me.

2. Really this Cult leader has sucked in Police, FBI agents, business men by writing a lackluster book and having an accent? I don't buy it. And I certainly don't believe that he has had this in the works for 2 years. And that these followers just waited and schemed. For what to kill people for this author. Why? What is the motivation? And are they all planning a big escape at the end?

3. Speaking of ends, where is this one going? Am I to believe that either they never can stop this guy and his followers on every corner? Or am I to believe that there are cults and followers all over that need KB to track them down? Either way I'm just not interested.

To anybody who has watched the crapfest called The Mentalist, Imagine Red John, being tracked in the setting of 7 and you get where this show is going. Nowhere.

This is just an awful show. And I just cannot believe that with all the personality KB has in his usual roles that he chose the dead on arrival show to make his debut on tv.… Expand

After seven episodes of The Following it has occurred to me that it could be really made into a suspense thriller if they put the cast in a locked room and made them read the script.

So, basicaly, everyone is working for Carroll, right? Hell, even the FBI works for him! The rest of the people who are actually trying to katch him are a bunch of incompetent morons! But questions above all the stupidity of this show that no one bothered to ask are: Why is Carroll killing people? Why are his followers killing people? What is their main motive in killing, the one that makes them organise on a hidden farm with computers and surveillance cameras? Some crazy religion? What?… Expand

I was waiting for this to come out for a while. And finally is here, but turns out is not as good as it promises to be. Kevin Bacon is great but the plot is just not convincing and it also comes out at times as pretentious and trying to hard. Better waste my time on something else than watch after episode 2.

I enjoyed the first episode or two, then the implausibility of the plot and its characters became too much to handle. It's funny that such a notorious serial killer was allowed an unlimited number of visitors, never had a conversation taped, and had absolute ability to connect with the outside world not to mention the fact that he somehow has roped in hundreds of "followers" from inside a maximum security facility. The 2nd huge beef I have is in the form of a question: What's the end-game of this series? Will we see a resolution of the Joe Carroll situation by the end of this season, or are the writers planning to continue to string us along with a new twist every week for the entire run of this series? My wife still enjoys watching, but I can barely watch the inanities pile up each week.… Expand

This show is EVIL and stunningly preposterous in its plotting. The characters are morons. I hate this show. If one psychopath commits a crime imitating this contemptible series Fox should be sued into oblivion. Does that network have NO standards and practices department?

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When I 1st heard of this show, I was quite excited, I thought FOX might
come up with a new, innovated crime drama that pushes the edges of what
we have seen so far. Suffice to say this was far far far from that.

Right from the 1st episode you know this show is stupid. This
situations presented are so far fetched that they at times just make
you laugh rather than anything else. A serial killer who manages to
charm 100+ followers into organising themselves and carrying out
coordinated attacks......all while being locked up in jail. If that's
hard to swallow the police response to this will leave you gagging.

You would think that a nation wide band of crazy serial killers would
warrant some sort of elite task force or something of that sort, but
instead we have a small group of barely 5 people who seem to be
managing everything.....badly. They are assisted by Kevin Bacon's
character, your standard bad-ass do-gooder who is the center of
attention and has a bunch of 1-liners. Together they manage to
accomplish next to nothing.

As the story progresses the plot gets sketcher and sketcher, characters
start dying like flies. You would think that would add a sense of
realism to the show, but honestly it is just annoying. You find that a
character you liked and who's story you wanted to keep watching just
ends up getting murdered rather casually. By the end of the show most
of the characters are dead and you feel like you've just seen a crappy
slasher flick.

All that being said, the show is still entertaining, in the absolute
basic sense of that word, like how watching watching clowns shoot
plastic arrows at each other is entertaining.

To sum up, don't expect much from this show, however if you want to
kill some time, it'll do that for you.

(Season 1 review)… Expand

It's a well-acted and entertaining series if you don't take it too seriously. While the plot becomes increasingly unrealistic and absurd at times, Kevin Bacon does do a great job leading the cast and his character's relationship with the villain has been fascinating through the season so far. Predictable at times but always draws you back each week to find out what will happen next.

Wow, this is a pathetic attempt to make another serialized show about a serial killer who wants to play cat and mouse with an FBI anti-hero who once beat him, and is so pretentious that even Poe would call him a hack. Actually, Poe would consider this guy a phony. While the actor who plays the serial killer isn't bad, he's nothing special when it comes to manipulation. Especially to the point of having a cult. He's not high IQ hippy with tons of drugs and a bunch of lost, angry people searching for something DIFFERENT. He's not charming or even a mystery of having actual different personas like Bundy or Kemper. And he's not as cunning as the Zodiac or Jack the Ripper. He gets caught and his wife bangs the guy who catches him. The masks are beyond silly. The fact that some of these brainwashed clowns have any sort of college education is even more laughable. Poe would be considered boring still. They should have gone for H.P. Lovecraft, and an actor who radiates charm and a pretend down-to-earth ego so people would be more easily played. Manipulation is an art, not a science. Poor Kevin Bacon, he deserves better than this derivative, vacant show written by a guy who once wrote Scream and Dawson's Creek. Chris Carter, Whedon, Minear, and many others could have done a better job with this supposedly dark material. This is tame compared to Millennium, The Inside, and other shows that Fox has tried. Seriously, Dexter is ACCURATE compared to this Hot Topic drivel.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First no off, I really wanted to like the show. First episode was pretty good and it just gets dumber and dumber each episode. A woman just spear gunned a lady in a restaurant and then walked away. walked. no one stopped her. last week they rescued the agent and could have GPSed the car. They didn't. The FBI might not be that good but they are not this bad.… Expand

I adore Kevin Bacon and I REALLY wanted to love the show; however, the reality is that I don't love it or even really like it. As a matter of fact, I find myself getting super frustrated when I watch it. I had to ignore my critical thinking skills to get though the 1st 2nd episodes. What it lacks in intelligent dialogue it certainly makes up for with graphic murders. I do agree that it will revive the works of Poe. I studied 6 of his works in college-I guess anything can be turned into a religion/cult, but I'm not convinced. M is appointed but sill slightly intrigued. With all the other smart and riveting shows right now, the writers of this one need to step it up a bit. I hope they do.… Expand

Sure, understanding the reason for "The Following" is very hard to do in the first couple of episodes. I agree with other people who say the connections between characters are implausible, but then again the series sets a tone that strongly implies that the gaps will be bridged by flashbacks or other means. This however, is arguably the best new show on basic TV right now.

My new favorite show that i can't seem to get anybody to watch, mostly because they are afraid of serial killers and live in creepy apartments in the city. I love this show, after every episode i leave feeling like it has gotten better than the week before. One criticism, the serial killers seem to get a little too lucky at times, but hey its TV

Frustrating and painful to watch. This show exploits heavily the horror-thriller genre, mostly using its absurd and predictable plots, covering the gaps in logic with new characters. You see all the worst-case scenarios transposed to the screen, with a lot of unnecessary cruelty and blood shed. With such a great cast it's truly hard to understand why this show keep being so unreasonable. Basically, it lacks in intelligence and soul.… Expand

Really enjoying it, especially kevin bacon. Interesting plot, good characters and I like the whole premise of the cult in general. Looking forward to seeing more.

like a certain vaughan 1138 ,i find "the following" more than interesting!!! Not perfect of course but what is i can't believe what i am reading about this show ,seen by tv buffs or teenagers, as "unrealistic" .the same people that give good score to "the arrow" or any other "kid writen ,poorly played ,violent show" It 's almost like nobody seems to remembers,for example ,that the Sopranos were real /unreal, poetic logical but with a rythme and strong scenes vivid, full of life on a human level .
And, by the way, stop saying that you know anything about what an F B I agent should or shouldn't' do, taking examples with jack bauer or saying you know what killers should do ,
stop doubting a killer could be inspiring people ,I for example may be the first frenchman to have seen Manhunter in 1986 in the U-S :ALMOST THIRTY YEARS OF SERIAL KILLER LATER ,YOU DOUBT people are fascinated (tell this to the women who want to marry a killer in prison (and thePOE's masks are scary because people kill, with them on) ;

The Following is a writer's invention mixed with great actors;, close to the clock timeline,and the plot is strongly but reasonably shown ;
This show may in fact, reflect our occidental future, when people through the Net will be bored so much with bad TV shows that they shall start a whole new kind of "game"(,"the most dangerous one" dedicated to the serial killer buff in his living room) killing people"....... with followers.......!… Expand

I am surprised by all the low scores. The acting is great, the story is suspenseful and unpredictable. The plot twists are sometimes implausible, but there must be room for implausibility in a thriller series. This show is more suspenseful and graphic than anything else on network television.

Great Show, completely under rated. I don't understand a lot of the negative reviews...Are we watching the same show?? Fast paced, action packed and full of twists. I think the cast is great, Kevin Bacon was a great choice as a lead and James Purefoy nails the intellectual psychopath down to a tee. I think people are much to quick to write of shows before they've even had a chance to bloom. As i said, i don't understand all the negative reviews. Maybe it's just the "twilight" generation, so used to mediocrity when they see something with some actual merit they automatically write it off.… Expand

This show started with a pretty good premise, a serial killer-cult leader, but the idea quickly wore thin after about three episodes. After the fifth episode or so I lost interest because they ran out of surprises and the show was no longer entertaining. The characters, good guys and bad, were one-dimensional and not likeable. My wife wanted to keep watching so I continued to watch it with her.

I had some hope that the finale might be good, but the dialogue and situations were completely ridiculous, and the violence was totally gratuitous. I will not watch next season, and my wife finally got turned off too.… Expand

Like many, I watched the 1st episode or 2 and thought it was decent. But I have never seen a show fall off more than this. The writing is extremely amateurish. Did it ever occur to the people who made this show that the "good guys" are completely unlikable because they are absolute idiots who week in and week out make mistakes in the investigation that Roscoe P Coltrane wouldn't make. This is the FBI you are making a mockery of. I would be ok with them being outsmarted with extremely intricate plots, but this buffoonery? And then you have the ongoing story line, which is just simply not thought out at all. There are character that the "bad" guys try to kill early on who are a part of their future plans, which have already been mapped out. It's like they inserted a few murder attempts just to try to make the show have action without regard for the storyline.

I actually like some of the actors and actresses in this show and hate what this shows cancellation is going to do to their careers. But its too late now, this show is horrendous.… Expand

Bacon works as hard as he can to save this show, but ultimately the writers are to blame. It moves from one clunky, contrived twist to the next, constantly insulting the viewers’ intelligence. Do they seriously expect us to believe that the FBI, especially post-911, would operate with such ineptitude?

And it seems that every episode was written with the aim of engineering a scene where e one or two of the show’s good guys end up on their own in the dark, being stalked by some random knife-wielding maniac. You can probably glean a small amount of entertainment, as I have, from approaching the show as a comedy.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Everyone on the 'good' side of the law is incompetent. Cliche plot devices such as escaping from incarceration during unneeded transport and always being two steps behind the antagonist are constantly thrown at us. The dialogue is never particularly interesting or able to convey to the audience the charm and leader qualities that fuel the unparalleled cult lead by a professor turned serial killer.

Episodes are generally fast paced, yet unsatisfying because they play out in the same way. X cult members with military training burst from hiding to kill X law enforcement and maybe the occasional civilian. Bacon then wards off the stragglers and returns to gather more disposable officers. It's like the battle of Gettysburg or some as officers and cultists die endlessly, yet no resolution is reached.

As the first season draws to a close we find our hero and savior Bacon journeying to the castle to rescue the princess.

I want to like this show, but it's decidedly unconvincing thus far. Poe wasn't that interesting of a guy, frankly, and I haven't felt an emotional attachment to any of the characters. One of the antagonists (who we're supposed to connect with?) was killed by his psycho girlfriend. Why is this surprising? I kind of wanted him to die before he was even revealed to be more than a gay neighbor.

I wouldn't have so much of an inherent problem with a literature professor leading a cult that can out-perform modern task forces if the show wasn't so one dimensional.

Bacon makes everything better but consistent with his character he can only do so much.… Expand

So far so good as far as the pilot of The Following goes. Kevin Bacon makes a convincing stand as the troubled and retired FBI agent Ryan Hardy, who has been called out of retirement due to the prison escape of serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy). The show has opened up on a safe note, they could have did several things differently but ultimately this was an enjoyable episode. Where the story goes is left to the writers, in terms of if they follow all other detective dramas or if they try and change it up.
I't wont get a 10 from me simply because it was perhaps too safe, they are relying too much on blow-up exaggerations to emphasis pivotal scenes, and there was nothing that would convince you to be drooling at the mouth for more.
The performances of Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy and Natalie Zea should be praised in particular, while the talented Maggie Grace also gave a convincing performance.
There is potential here, but just one that needs to be acted upon, sooner rather than later.… Expand

So far it's really good. It almost feels like a movie. There is enough tension to keep you thinking and the acting is above par for most tv shows. I am really impressed and look forward to more.

This show started off with great promise. I really liked how they set it up and Kevin Bacon is a great lead. Then after a few episodes it started going downhill with the frustrating scenarios and development.

Every episode after the 2nd it was like, "Now i'm a part of the cult! No! i'm a part of the cult." Kind of got ridiculous. Every time some development would happen the writers would cop-out saying "Well too bad! I'm a part of the cult too!"

Then after that, Joe's character just didn't develop at all. How is this guy a leader of so many people when he's so self serving and continually making idiotic decisions. To me, i think the writer's just didn't follow through with the story development as well as they could have with the premise.

Just the situations the cops put themselves in is ridiculous. How in the heck do you go off by yourself when there is a massive manhunt for a single person? No backup? Just go off by yourself? really?? i mean that stuff is just dumb and very unrealistic.

The 2nd to last episode was much better until the end where yet again a detective wanders off by herself. I basically just want the last episode to air since i've stuck with it this long, i might as well finish it out.… Expand

I really liked Kevin Bacon in this, but everyone else seems out of place. The dialogue is very bland, and it's unconvincing how people worship James Purefoy and follow him by killing college girls. All because he is so inspired by Edgar Allan Poe. I just don't buy a college professor turning into this methodical serial killer. The show would have been much better if Purefoy was an Agent turned into a terrorist like what Homeland does. Oh well, spend your time watching something else… Expand

Kevin Bacon is great in pretty much everything he does, but I think he's going to out do himself if this series continues. I think it's a great start to what could be a very memorable, if not bloody series. The episode seemed to come in waves, often divulging into the past for context. The moments that grab you are evenly paced throughout the episode, and each moment gets more intense as the episode goes on, something that FOX shows as of late have severely lacked. For the last few years, the FOX lineup seems to be a shows destined to last maybe a season or two at best. That Christian Slater show was somehow brought back even after the terrible ratings, but FOX blew it on things like Terra Nova and the Chicago Code(which had potential). The Following does not fit into these molds, because FOX didn't over do it like all the other shows. Nothing is forced, the acting is very natural especially from Ze Bacon (my nickname for him), and the story likes to jump out and stab you a few times just to make sure you haven't lost interest. It's gory too, which I found a bit surprising at first considering how FOX is somewhat family friendly. I took this directly from the wikipedia page and I think it's kinda humorous:

"To slip gory scenes past the Standards and Practices department at Fox Broadcasting, Williamson explained, "There are tricks... Okay, in the same episode there's an actor cutting someone in the jugular, and you're harping on the sex scene? So I sent a little email to [Fox Entertainment chairman] Kevin Reilly, and within 15 minutes the broadcast-and-standards people were like, It's okay."[4]

To conclude I would like to say I've given all of the latest FOX dramas a shot, from Fringe and Lie to Me, to the Chicago Code and Terra Nova. Fringe was the only one that I thought was decent, just because the story was original(and i tend to love shows that have former members of The Wire on them). Lie to Me had god awful acting and directing, Terra Nova was a colossal waste of a potentially good idea, and The Chicago Code couldn't flashdance it's way into the viewers hearts, which was very disappointing. I think the Following will have a good following and will bring back viewers that FOX is so desperately needing right now, provided enough people stay with it, and so far I've seen nothing but good reviews.… Expand

The first two episodes of The Following have all the effectiveness and require the same suspension of disbelief as a slasher film, but with elements of a good TV procedural. No TV show has made me jump and say 'Holy (expletive)" If they can keep the intensity, it should be an interesting ride.

Gratuitous Violence! Unbelievable that followers could be manipulated to murder (omigod) college girls.
Maybe because I am older than the hills and remember Charlie Manson, Jones Town and the Dravidians in Wacko Waco I have less trouble accepting the psychology of the characters. From my perspective the twists and the motives, known and unknown, of the supporting cast are giving me plenty of fun and games for my entertainment dollar. There is a lot worse television...it is fiction folks, not "reality".… Expand

I think The Following is an incredible show. It's exciting, suspenseful, gory and always keeps you guessing. Kevin Bacon is fantastic. James Purefoy was cast perfectly as the very charismatic (and quite psychotic) serial killer. I think it's a great take on the "cult" phenomenon. I anxiously await every weeks episode just to see where the writers will take us next.

I don't think that Kevin Bacon can carry this show... It seems hurried and banal. I can't swallow half of the situations that come up on very episode. I think this one is destined to be cancelled. Shock and awe are not working in this second rate attempt to a televised Silence of the Lambs.

I'll admit I'm a bit let down so far. The pilot was very good, intense. The 2nd episode, while good, was a bit of a let down. The 3rd episode was just mediocre.
Parts of the show are good. However, some are just not believable. Kevin Bacon is awesome. The rest of the cast is kind of boring. I wonder how long this show--or plot--can drag on for. How much can they do? Are the cult members limitless? I'm curious.
I also dont really see the fascination these cultists have to Carroll.
So, overall, the show is decent. I'll continue to watch it. If each week it gets worse, I probably wont bother… Expand

Shellview said it very well. This show is really, really bad. Everyone who is not a serial killer is an idiot. Police and FBI are portrayed as fools, other citizens are routinely killed because they are stupid. Maybe the writers could get together with the "Mentalist" writers who think the "Red John" storyline interests anyone and they could get this all out of their system this year, so we could have something new next year. I agree with shellview, it is like watching a painful 2 hour movie over 12 hours or so. I am done with it, too.… Expand

When I saw Kevin Bacon was one of the stars, I had to check it... a real disappointment on the whole, Hollywood writers cranking out the same cliche fearporn... I watched hoping for some unexpected thing, some grabber.. but the predictability of writers cranking out reams of script under the direction of the same bunch of people in LA... what a shame they [the 3 letter corp that aired it and really all TV] are still a part of the propaganda front of the wealthy... who all but finished gaining control of the internet... Thank Good people for the ART that makes it out.....… Expand

What an amazing trailer! Am I right? Unforgivably, the story might have gassed out already. Unfeasible behaviors, dragged out pacing that span multiple commercial breaks, forgettable characters, and confusing love triangles. There is but one way to salvage this show. Kevin Bacon needs to pull a BattleStar out of his--I give it a four.

I have watched many shows because I appreciate the actors. Kevin Bacon has been a favorite actor for many years. Thus, I watched 3 episodes of The Following. I finally took it off of my series to record because it is constantly depressing. There are no "light" times. There are no characters for whom I care. I watch all sorts of shows with pedophiles and serial killers, but this show has taken me beyond what I can watch comfortably. That is saying a LOT!… Expand

ok, this is just a very difficult premise and storyline to swallow. First off, criminals on death row are not allowed visitors, much less visits that are not recorded or video taped or watched off. Why does Claire just hop into a car, knowing you can't trust anything carrol does. While at the house where joey is being held, kevin bacon knows there are three followers on the premise, yet doesn't seem to pay any attention to his surroundings. Why does the lawyer not talk to the FBI and just go into hiding rather than helping a serial killer just because he got someone to cut her fingers off? And lastly, is everyone involved in carrols plans? Eveery episode has a surprise follower. whether its the babysitter, gay neighbors, wife of one of the cultists, local cop.... just so bad. I wanted to like it so badly too… Expand

It is angering to watch Kevin Bacon doing a great job in show that seems too ridiculous. The cops, FBI, prison guards, and US marshals are all stooges. As much as I want to like this show, I come away feeling frustrated at the stupidity of the good guys and the the unrealistic resources and organization of the antagonist.

This show is absolutely awesome. Fast paced, unpredictable, and kind of creepy. For like 2 episodes straight nothing important happened and that was a problem. That's the only reason I didn't give this first season a 10. But that problem greatly improved in a short amount of time. After that, every episode kept your full attention and you were never bored again. Now all this season is, is heart pounding edge of your seat entertainment.… Expand

The first episode like "do no harm" was promising, sick, twisted but cool. however, it's starting to become dumb and frustrating to watch mainly b/c kevin bacon's character is so woosy, always one step behind the killer, almost like a 1/2 pint no 1/4 pint Jack Bauer. I keep thinking that if Jack Bauer was involved, he would've kick this killer's arse in less than a day. like in few minutes by waterboarding him to confess etc. Kevin is just this clueless trying to do good but always little too late. I guess everyone can't be like Jack, but still kevin's slow response to most things makes it a turn off to watch.… Expand

I was really excited for this series when it started, but soon realized that every episode is going to be the same, much like HOUSE. Kevin Bacon gets a lead, chases it down, then realizes he's been tricked by Joe Carroll. I still really enjoy it and am curious to how season 1 will end, but I sure hope that they have an ending planned out for the series. I don't want to get Lindelof'ed

Kevin Bacon should be ashamed that he has attached his name to this product. I remember the days when I used to look forward to anything containing Kevin Bacon. I gave this show way too much of the benefit of the doubt and somehow managed to watch the first six episodes when I had spare time and literally nothing better to do. I had heard good things. I seriously have to question the taste of the people who told me such good things. It is boring, over-the-top unrealistic, predictable and legitimately gets annoying at some points. Episode 7 is out now but I will gladly say I won't be wasting any more time. I wish I could get that time of my life back and maybe gain an extra hour of sleep for each episode.… Expand

How stupid naive do the writers think people are Nobody would do the things shown in this series. Common sense is totally missing by all law enforcement personnel. I find myself embarrassed for the characters actions at myself for watching this long.

I cannot believe how stupid the FBI is in the show. Episode 7 the guy is in a car, they know where the car is, they have a helicopter, there are local police, do they send any of these, no they don't. Just slowly drive after the car, and what do you know they are just too late. Makes the show so frustrating to watch. I am done with this TV show, it is unpleasant and unenjoyable to watch, just the same thing every episode, and nothing changes.… Expand

I loved the premise of this show and anticipated its arrival. How quickly it failed. It can only continue if every character does the absurd. No one in law enforcement or government would ever consistently do so much wrong. No establish police or forensic procedures are followed. It just has become idiotic. Love Bacon! Amazing actor and the premise is still good, but please stop insulting our intelligence and make the police and FBI into bumbling idiots. OH, the lawyer no one noticed or asked how she suddenly lost fingers!! Come on. I give the show two more episodes and I am done if they don't get smarter.… Expand

Im not worried about plot, entertainment and acting per se. However, The Following turns gratuitous violence into a cliche. After last nites episode where Carroll kills his acolyte who offers himself as a sacrifice I believe this show has no aspirations to make evil look bad. I am now seriously wondering what entertainment media is thinking. This show is on during prime time and probably being watched by our kids! Have we lost our minds along with our sensibilities?… Expand

Overall, I've enjoyed watching the show. It has a good concept, character interaction, plot development, and story line. However, this week's episode (3/11) went way over the line of violence and bloodshed for me. Yes, I understand that this is the nature of The Followers themselves...As a former psyche student, I am trying to understand the depravity of the human mind and how someone could allow themselves to go against the "norms" and decency of society. Their fellow man means nothing to them, except in furtherance of the "cause", which is far from a righteous one!… Expand

I love Kevin Bacon in this but the writers have given so many flaws to this hero that he has absolutely no chance of success. For instance, Bacon's character has heart trouble, alcohol problems, apparently has no close friends or family, is unemployed after losing his job at the FBI, is FILLED with all kinds of unrealistic guilt and in love with a woman that he cant have. Not all members of law enforcement are geniuses but I have never seen a show portray the Law, collectively, as so grossly inept. Meanwhile, all the luck and the intelligence is given to the creepy bad guys. This show could have been a smart, addictive tale but, unfortunately, the writers have relied more on shock value than on quality story lines. Even good acting cant save that kind of show!… Collapse

Nothing shatters believability, or ruins your ability to suspend logic and enjoy a show, worse than bad casting, and this show breaks new ground in that area. How in the world am I ever supposed to watch this 19-year old play the part of the guy in charge, of all things, and not have seeing him and hearing his yet-to-change voice rip me out of my suspended belief and cause me to realize I'm watching a crappy TV show? This kid gives orders to people three times his age. How could he have possibly become so experienced, and why on earth did they cast someone so young to play a senior detective? I have to fast forward through his scenes, because it's the equivalent of casting a woman to play a man, a child to play an elderly person. it's ludicrous, and I can't, for the life of me, imagine how anybody could view that move as being beneficial to the success of the show.… Expand

This show constantly has me rolling my eyes. The cops are complete idiots. Every time they get close to catching someone, they either skip procedure or basic common sense and the criminals slip away. It is as predictable as knowing that the survivors on Gilligans Island were going to fail in their latest escape attempt. Whenever there is a crisis you know that someone will be a secret agent, or sheer incompetence will destroy the situation. The show does not keep you guessing or have hidden ideas that surface over time. It is a show that persists on the idea that everyone is this madmans follower and the police are so dense and so unprofessional that they will muck up the situation allowing the criminals to continue their fiendish plan. This show is a horrible show.… Expand

I notice most of the positive reviews were after only a few episodes. I love Kevin Bacon and love seeing him but its clear others agree it is just getting exhausting. It's not believable. Even for a tv show. They did not develop the Joe Carroll character enough for the audience to see why anyone would want to follow him let alone so many people. Cops, soldiers, lawyers all these people are committing crimes for this dude? In the earlier eps when it was just a few loony tunes I was able to believe it but not anymore. And the cops never have enough back up? When one of the worst serial killers in history has escaped they can't get a few more feet on the ground or a helicopter? Frustrating.… Expand

At first I wasn't sure about Kevin Bacon's acting. I figured we would learn more about his character as time progressed but it turns out James Purefoy is the absolute show stealer in this situation. He is charismatic and charming and yet, the whole concept of the following seems extremely far fetched. I can only wonder how long they intend to go with the show but I will watch until the end because of the twists and turns and the sheer wondering if the woman FBI agent is dirty.… Expand

Not even Kevin Bacon can carry this utterly predictable and diabolical script. The acting is at best, shocking. Exceptionally poor on all counts. The main lead is as plastic as the storyline with equally plastic supporting actors. So far an incredibly painful show to watch and yet with so much promise.

This show started off with promise, but has quickly turned frustrating. It is so easy to predict what is coming and who is the one that is going to turn on them. It is frustrating that Joe always has the upper hand and the FBI never seems to get even the simplest things right. They make them look really dumb on what seems a continual basis...they can't possibly get everything wrong all the time? I think this will be short lived in our home.… Expand

I really wanted to like this show, but I can not. So many simple editing mistakes. I do visit our local jail and my friend is allowed 11 people on the list; and it's hard to get on that list. A person must prove that they knew the person being jailed before sentence started. My friend is not on death row where I can only think rules are even more strick. I do like the acting, but the script sucks/are humans really so hopeless At least in criminal minds it raps up in a episode or 2...… Expand

On "30 Rock," Tracy Morgan's character starred in a fictional movie entitled "Hard to Watch." Well, I think that "The Following" has, if nothing else, become something that is truly difficult to watch. At the same time, if you've already set your DVR to record it, and you can skip the commercials, it also becomes something more along the lines of "hard to watch, yet, I almost want to see if they'll actually figure out how to write the script better one of these days"...

Overall...yeah, it's just gratuitous violence, and the plot leaves more than just a little to be desired, but I think I'll still DVR a few more episodes...… Expand

If it was shoot without the presumption of being a good movie it would be fine and maybe it would have some self irony in it however "the following" true mistake its his hard job to look like a serious drama....ok, the pilot was decent and intriguing, the editing is fast paced as it should be and the actors are good so whats the big problem here??? Well, the script:

a) A mass murderer (Carroll) receives visits from tens of people in prison and no one is there to record them and check them. Even other serial killers!!!
b) An obsessive, and some times ridiculous, abuse of flash backs maybe to imitate lost and manage to get a new season in if the show went well
c) The use of a great actor in a stupid role (bacon) in which a cardiopatic alcoholic agent is sent alone to literally run through wood, bushes, entire cities without any sort of back up.
d) An fbi force which seems made of mentally retarder people who send a cardiopatic alone to do the work of a team, who loose from radar an helicopter, who send alone officers at home of serial killers which manage (wow) to kill them, a mother so stupid to follow a serial killer and manages to elude retirement aged fbi officers outrunning them in high heals over a 100 mt run ....and the list goes on and on and on.
c) Forcing situations in the script so that you can do 15 episodes instead of maybe ten or twelve and making the actors look like they are actually acting (and not natural) because the only purpose of that scene is to justify the next one but, in the end, it does not have any sense.

So if you have a little pride in your wits and have little sense of humor do not watch it, its so stupid that it will make you angry (a woman is getting killed while on the phone with the fbi, they know exactly where she is but instead of calling the police force of the area they send a rookie and the cardiopatic to catch her. Fine but they are at least 30 miles away from there....of course she gets killed....). If you have sense of humor or are able to switch your brain off then its somewhat decent .

Thumbs down on a missed good opportunity with a great cast.… Expand

Really tailing off now after a good start. Dream sequences are scraping the barrel, and a week before Easter, it's actually getting implausible to the point of meh, whatever...

I really, really want to like this show, but since the premiere episode, the story lines have become too outrageous. Are the FBI, local police, and US Marshals really that stupid? For example, in the most recent episode, two US Marshals who decide not to wear body armor walk nonchalantly into gunfire, while another stands behind a door only to get gun down when the followers shoot-up through the door. Most people with a half a brain would not be standing behind the door. Carrolls lawyer-- A smart person would contact the FBI authorities for protection from Carroll's followers, instead she agrees to Carroll's demands when her life is threatened? How in the world did the prison warden convince those responsible for Carroll's transfer (prison guards, camera operators) to turn a blind eye to his escape? Another example: Joe escapes in a helicopter leaving a large city. Are we to believe that the FBI, FAA, or other government entity lacks the resources to track a helicopter in the sky? The FBI, with all the resources, send only Ryan Hardy to supervise the transfer of Clare to another location. What they couldn't spare one or two FBI agents, or at least contact the local authorities to help with the relocation. There are just too many implausible scenarios to convince any intelligent viewer to just blindly accept what is happening on screen.… Expand

I'm at a 7 rating after 7 episodes. Fairly gory at times but edge of the seat waiting for the next shoe to drop or knife in this case is definitely provided..

I notice some doubt this could happen and particulars in the series would make one to believe it impossible to put a network together in order to make the murders and plots all work. And who paid for those big houses and expensive vehicles? These are some of the holes I found in the storyline.

Entertainment value was high as it kept me locked in anxious to move to the next episode and I was rarely disappointed. As far as cults go this one is on steroids but as another review mentioned, a person on death row doesn't get access to the prison library and Internet no matter who he bribed. Those folks are on lock down throughout appeals and waiting for D-Day. They may have access to legal materials only, eat meals alone, are out of their single person cell one-hour per day, etc. Visits are no contact and very limited.

We like movies to be as real as possible with these types of dramas and "The Following" falls short of that but it is very suspenseful, keeps the viewer engaged and is thought provoking.

What I liked in particular is the individual "flashbacks" enabling the viewer to see what is in a characters past and how it relates to their current behavior. This background was helpful and without it would make the plot much less believable.… Expand

I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!! Every episode I'm left with my mouth to the floor. I'm obsessed with this show!!!! It's right up there with the walking dead, true blood & board walk empire. Please don't ever get rid of this show!!!

Omg, this show is soooo edgy! I mean, a show about a serial killer? We've never seen that before! Oh wait, I guess we have. So let's put in a twist this serial killer is bad! Oh, they've done that already? Well, what if I tell you there are bad people, pretending to be good people, hidden throughout the cast so you never know who's truly good or bad? Well that element has been used since ancient Greece, but what do these all have in common? They bring in the ratings. So throw them all in the pot, slap a big name on the lead character, throw in some hard bodies for people to drool over and a little sex, and you have The Following. I really wanted this to be good. I'm actually not much of a TV snob; I'll watch pretty much anything that involves badges and mind games when it comes to action shows. I don't even need realism, so let's set aside the whole issue of the implausibility of the premise. We'll pretend that could happen. (Isn’t that what TV’s about?) But this is basically a patchwork show, borrowing elements from everything that has gotten successful ratings without involving song and dance. The plot is basically waiting for the next follower to be revealed with the unraveling of the love story on the sidelines. Every character is cookie cutter and could easily be swapped between all the movies and shows that have used them before. From the brilliant but troubled lead who is involved in [saving the world stopping the bad guy diagnosing patients] against his will because he's the only one on the planet who can solve this problem despite his questionable character due to past tragic events, to the entirely predictable horror genre surprise moments and cop show plot twists, nothing in the show feels new. (Like literally predictable. I called every twist in the premiere at least a couple scenes out. Foreshadowing and telling details are awesome when you use a little subtlety! I want the type of plot twist that has all sorts of clues that I miss and then jump off the couch and shout about when I watch the reruns during the summer, not the type I see coming like a city bus down the street.) The actors are good, the effects are great, and the directing is fine (hence 2 stars instead of 1). But the show comes off to me like a kid in junior high dropping new swear words they learned the day before and trying to smoke cigarettes. It's just trying too hard, and I'd bet money "edginess" has been a primary topic for the producers. Like I said, I'm easy. I get hooked on nearly every cop or law show that comes out, many of them with some of the same issues. But it seems the only effort they've actually put into the show is trying so hard for shock value that I just can't stomach it. Oh, all the disturbing violence scenes are fine; I just can't take the utter blandness of the plot and characters the things which should be the true foundation of any decent show. The bright side to all this? The premiere to Hannibal was the Shawshank Redemption of TV shows by comparison. I’ll stick to that instead.… Expand

Great plot. Great characters. Haven't eagerly awaited a TV show this much every week since 24 was on.
I am amazed every week how unpredictably the story will turn. GREAT casting. I can see most of these actors/actresses getting their own shows in the future. All you negative ninnies go watch New Girl or Castle. I'll look forward to Seasons 2, 3, 4 and 5 of this more intense drama.

I gave the show an honest chance but it's just too ridiculous. As others have mentioned the FBI agents in the show are ridiculously foolish, and as someone involved in law enforcement I can see all the procedural mistakes that really shouldn't be made. Basically for Carroll and his cult to succeed it requires everyone working for the FBI to be dumb. Plus I'm not seeing exactly what it is about Carroll that has caused so many people to join his cult of killers. Sure, James Purefoy is a charismatic actor and one I normally like, but there is nothing about his character that is so compelling that it seems realistic for all these people to suddenly go "Hey, I think I'll kill people now for him." It just feels like the writers of the show are so impressed with their villain that they've written everything to automatically work for him, instead of really thinking through their premise to make it plausible. In other words, the whole thing is filled with plot holes that are too noticeable for me to be able to enjoy the show, and a villain who wins simply because he's the villain and that's what the writers want.… Expand

Please!!! What is it with the FBI and the Keystone Cops who are constantly stumbling through stakeouts, getting killed by amateur criminals, and surrounding buildings like idiots? Its silly how inept they make the FBI out to be. I really wanted to like this show, but the writing is beyond horrible.
Fire all the writers and start over or cancel this mess.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Awful show. Kevin Bacon is a great actor and this series does not do him justice! The writing and dialogue is unrealistic and flawed! If the show is to continue, hire a new writer and hire a good law enforcement consultant.… Expand

One more thing...the cult guy who pretended to be gay then smothered his pretend gay partner to death with a pillow in a mercy killing thing all of a sudden became a hardcore killer...not only is he now a ruthless killer but he can outsmart the effing FBI in the dark woods AND get back to the mansion!!! Lastly, thank the Heavens above that the FBI in this show is fake!

Not sure why there are negative reviews of this show each episode plays like a movie with a cliffhanger leaving u ready to see the next episode I've recommended this series to all of my friends and all of us are addicted Kudos to the team that is bringing us this series...

Of course there is some suspending of reality while watching anything on tv. However, this show takes the cake! As could be seen by way happened in Boston, this fool and his cohorts would have experienced so many more setbacks and most likely be dead or arrested after the first episode. That said, the premise is interesting, just very lazy writing. Huge lack of creativity beyond that base premise.… Expand

This was an interesting show for the first few episodes but now it has gotten predictable and formulaic. The villain Joe Carroll is pretentious and I don't buy him as a criminal mastermind. Kevin Bacon is great like always, but he can only do so much. I like a show with some balance and this show lacks it. I don't find it believable that the good guys can ever win since they are portrayed as such goofball screw ups. It also seems far fetched that there are so many followers. The show has spent too long stacking the deck in the villains favor that a happy ending is now not practical.… Expand

I don't understand why people are giving The Following such bad reviews. I haven't seen such an exciting, tense, original, risky show since the times of Lost and Prison Break. OK, so one of the complaints is that it isn't 'realistic' which at some points it isn't particularly when it's anything to do with Claire who seems to do the complete opposite of what the audience expects. However, these negative reviewers seem to think that they know exactly how people would act in real life in the situations that occur in the show when in fact, like me, the closest they have ever got to similar situations is watching them on TV. The casting is brilliant and from the very beginning I have been riveted once you get past the OTT goriness (particularly the stuff in the first two episodes). A truly brilliant show that will keep you on the edge of your seat and screaming at the telly… Expand

As a clinical forensic shrink it baffles me that the complex motivations driving cult behaviour and psychopathy are not better developed. The penal/justice system and its representatives are completely misconstrued. The level of gore is disturbing! The script is terrible and plot ridiculous.

This show gets worse by the week. I find myself fast forwarding through many of the never ending filler scenes. May have been OK if there had only been 6 or 8 episodes but 60% of the show is filler. I only have kept watching to see Joe finally get what he should have gotten long ago. And have you ever seen dumber police work? Ever episode contains at least one instance in which either dumb or sloppy work leads to disaster. Pleeeeeeease don't keep this story line going into another season. I'm sure I'm not the only one who won't tune in any more. Kevin Bacon is the only thing thing that makes the show even half watchable.… Expand

The first couple of episodes started out really well, the characters are interesting, the background story seemed to be though out and the plot seemed plausible.
However after episode five it just all starts to get so unbelievable, especially after it was labeled as a thriller suspense series.
If you want to keep people interested I would suggest, to spend some of the budget on bringing in some expert's who will advice you how FBI agents or any law enforcement officer might react in certain situations and write the scene accordingly.
The whole show is lacking thought out dialogs and professional input and gets just to unbelievable the more the show continues.
You want to see how a Profiler reacts when being pressured? Watch the original TV series "Profiler" 1996-2000 on NBC. That was a great series.
Or watch the BBC series "Luther" to see how a man reacts when walking on the edge, both highly recommended and you can find them on the internet.… Expand