Harpers Island merged

Mr E · 25-03-2009 12:04am #1

Really like the look of this show.... Its going to be a murder mystery show, with the whole story being told over one single season. Description from TV.com:

"A horror-inspired murder mystery drama, this CBS series is about a group of friends and family who meet to celebrate a wedding on an island just outside Seattle, an island that is famous for a streak of unsolved murders seven years ago. Suspense ensues when they end up dead one by one, bringing a whole new meaning to the term 'Till death do us part'; has the killer returned or is someone else to blame?"

What'll keep this show different is that the characters will be killed off one by one. You never know who is going to die or when it will happen.

Starts Thursday April 9th on CBS, and runs until early July.... Looks like it will be 12 or 13 episodes.

Here is a 2m30s preview of the series, and what you can expect....

J-blk · 25-03-2009 8:44am

It's an interesting premise - and for shows like this, it's a very good idea to plan it from the beginning as one season only, completely mapped out, rather than milking it for all it's worth should it become successful.

I don't think I'd start watching until pretty much all the episodes have aired, as if it is canceled a handful of episodes in, it'll be really bad for a "mystery" show...

Mr E · 25-03-2009 10:14am

The original promo aired about 10 months ago, so I think the whole show is filmed. They're putting it in a prime time slot on Thursday night (without the ER juggernaut to compete against) -- I think it will do well.

Basq · 25-03-2009 10:17am

Yep, I'm looking forward to this.

Only remembered earlier this week that it was airing soon due to it popping up one of my TV RSS feeds.

JP Liz · 25-03-2009 3:45pm

Irish actress Elaine Cassidy is in the cast

I'm looking forward to this

Is it just a 1 Season show?

Mr E · 25-03-2009 4:05pm

Looks to be, Liz. They are billing the show as unique in that it is a completely self contained single season series. Stick with it, and you will find out who the murderer is in the last episode of this season.

Basq · 25-03-2009 4:09pm

Mr E wrote: »

Looks to be, Liz. They are billing the show as unique in that it is a completely self contained single season series. Stick with it, and you will find out who the murderer is in the last episode of this season.

Didn't they say the same thing about 'Prison Break'?

If it gets the viewers, they'll string along another series out of it... and call it something like 'Harper's Island II: The Island Bites Back'! :pac:

Mr E · 25-03-2009 4:12pm

Touché, basquille. Well played.

No doubt at the end of episode 13 (after everything is wrapped up), a new body will be discovered, just to create an opening for another series.

Basq · 10-04-2009 10:06am

Bump..

Started last night!

Unearthly · 10-04-2009 6:09pm

That was pretty awful really.

Just a walking horror cliche mess mixed in with soap character backgrounds.

DingDong · 10-04-2009 8:33pm

I started to watch it, fell asleep after about 10 minutes(I really did) thought it looked like a terrible show.

Richard Dower · 10-04-2009 8:52pm

Any more thoughts/observations?....i was gonna download it, is it pants people?

dez_warlock · 10-04-2009 9:35pm

Just watched it, absolutely terrible!!

Basq · 10-04-2009 10:26pm

Not great alright... it had a few major problems:

i) The acting is, for the most part, pretty woeful. But I don't think it's a case of poor casting or acting, the cast is just far too large to make an impression. Maybe as the cast wittles down over weeks, talented actors may come to light.. though the majority of the cast seem like duds to be honest!
ii) It's chock full of clichés - creepy girl seeing dead / imaginary people - CHECK, lead actress with daddy issues - CHECK, unresolved sexual chemistry between the two leads - CHECK. Creepy brother with skull tattoos who obvious suspect from the start - CHECK!
iii) the death's aren't inventive enough. If this was on a HBO, AMC or Showtime and there was more of a chance to let the blood flow, maybe the creative juices of the writers would flow with it.
iv) the writing is very "soap opera"-esque

Just 4 of the major ones I can recall an hour or so after watching it. A second watch would probably bring more to light.. but i couldn't subject myself to watching that pilot again.

Will keep an eye on it for another few episodes but like I said, the major problem with it I think is the large cast.

Also Starring LeVar Burton · 11-04-2009 1:57am

The show has potential, even though the first episode was pretty bad, but most likely a body will be found next week and the series will become more thrilling. Hopefully.

is_that_so · 11-04-2009 10:07am

Thought this was fairly dire and only half-watched it. Aside from the comments above it struck me that I was watching a mix of Fantasy Island, 1980s soaps and any teen slasher movie of the last 10 years. I can only see one person in it worth noting but it is hard to judge if Elaine Cassidy, the only actor in this IMO, is performing with what passes for a script. The only positive out of it is that it did successfully, though how usefully, introduce every two-bit character.

It is overloaded with deadwood and even if they kill 3 people an episode it is quite unlikely to swim because what's left would make Dallas look like Shakespearean tragedy. Prison Break, at least, had an idea that could go somewhere and had the potential to appeal, even though it passed me by. Suffice it to say I probably won't give up another hour of my time on Harpers Island.

moshea · 12-04-2009 11:37pm

I liked it.

Admittantly I have pretty low standards when it comes to defining watchable television. But I'm pretty sure that the prospect of seeing em all off'd in gruesome ways for the next 12 weeks, will keep me tuning in.

mknotaro · 13-04-2009 11:25am

Long time lurker. First time poster.

Heard that this show is coming to RTE next month. Probably be on at next to midnight.

I was looking forward to it but hearing some of the other posters reaction, now I'm not so sure.

I'll give it a chance though.

Also Starring LeVar Burton · 17-04-2009 1:52pm

Second episode was considerably better, although still quite slow. The promo at the end of the episode would indicate that they're gonna pick up the pace and now I actually want to know who the killer is and who'll get killed next. There's 1 or 2 people who look like they're gonna be safe for awhile, but apart from them anyone could be next. The premise is good and obviously the show will take a week or two to get into the action. There has to be a bit of character development or else we'd have no way of working out who the killer is.
Did anyone else watch the second episode? There was a lot of negative feedback last week, but I'm kinda hoping not everyone gave up on it, because this is the type of show that should generate a bit of discussion.

Basq · 19-04-2009 10:58am

The second episode wasn't much better really!

But to be honest, as I was watching it I sorta realised that I'd forgive it's tackiness and poor performances if the deaths keep coming quick and fast.

You sort of get an understanding as to why most of the characters are so unlikeable, it's because most of them will probably be killed off by mid-way through the season.

The only two actors who I have seen before iin the show are the guy from 'Popular' / 'Ugly Betty' and the chef from 'Eureka'.

PS -

could they be making JD's role as a "red herring" any more obvious?!

Mr E · 19-04-2009 11:08am

Katie Cassidy and Jim Beaver are both known to Supernatural fans (Jim is a regular, and Katie was Ruby in Season 3).

Haven't watched episode 2 yet - I wonder if this would be better to watch in batches?

Basq · 19-04-2009 11:10am

Mr E wrote: »

Katie Cassidy and Jim Beaver are both known to Supernatural fans (Jim is a regular, and Katie was Ruby in Season 3).

Ahhhhh...

Only started 'Supernatural' again after I quit after Season 1 and heard it became so goddamn good. On season 2, episode 5 as of last night.

Mr E wrote: »

Haven't watched episode 2 yet - I wonder if this would be better to watch in batches?

Quite possibly actually.. not a bad idea!

Richard Dower · 19-04-2009 11:42pm

I sat down and watched the first two eps. last night....hmm, 5 dead already?...to be fair, the end montage at the end of ep. 2 looked really good. As if they are really setting things up for a total kill fest.
But from what i saw...it's not that great, the murders are not scary or surprising....in fact i wanted that chick with the dog to die!!

Thankfully she was taken out :-) i only recognise Jake 2.0 dude, the rest all seem like daytime soap actors, the music in ep. 1 was dire!!...i thought i was watching an ep. of The OC!
None of them are likeable as characters and i don't want ANY to be left alive by ep. 13 :-)
KILL 'EM ALL! is what i say...and you know what?...they probably all will get canned, and at the end we'll never find out who did the killings...wait and see!

Richard Dower · 19-04-2009 11:44pm

basquille wrote: »

Ahhhhh...

Only started 'Supernatural' again after I quit after Season 1 and heard it became so goddamn good. On season 2, episode 5 as of last night.

Quite possibly actually.. not a bad idea!

Yes!...i agree with this, don't watch each week. Say watch 3 episodes in a sitting.

Richard Dower · 30-04-2009 12:18pm

This show is almost dead!....moved to death slot:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/a154197/cbs-moves-harpers-island.html

Richard Dower · 04-05-2009 2:40am

http://blog.zap2it.com/korbitv/2009/04/exclusive-is-cbs-moving-harpers-island-to-saturday-death-slot.html

Ep. 4 was weak btw...for those who don't know, this show is still being broadcast on a Thursday, albeit by Canadian tv such as GlobalHD.

Anyone on death watch? :-)

http://www.zap2it.com/news/custom/photogallery/tv/zap-harpers-island-pg,0,6690962.photogallery

I was PISSED that stupid bride-to-be didn't get canned in that damn pool!...she's such a bloody cry-baby!

Richard Dower · 10-05-2009 1:41pm

Episode 5....dire, boring except for a very very end scene. I have been watching but the show has totally NOT lived up to any hype it may have had. It's badly written and acted, it's very much like a daytime soap opera with hints of trying to be Saw....as in traps,pits and other such nonsense.

All the characters are unlikable, they are dull and uninteresting....i tune in just to see who'll get the chop next, and Thursday is a slow night for shows. I'll watch the full run but it's really bad!

No episode next week as it's on a break....you never know it might not even see out it's 13 episodes even with it being moved to Saturday.

Mr E · 10-05-2009 1:49pm

It hasn't hooked me like I hoped it would (look at my OP).
With rumours of its imminent demise, I've stopped watching (no point).
Shame.

Also Starring LeVar Burton · 10-05-2009 3:26pm

It'd be nice to see the entire 13 episode run, but I'm not gonna lose any sleep if it gets cancelled.

JP Liz · 30-05-2009 9:30pm

RTE are advertising this now - start date next Monday 8th of June

Also Starring LeVar Burton · 30-05-2009 10:56pm

JP Liz wrote: »

RTE are advertising this now - start date next Monday 8th of June

RTÉ should focus on giving the shows they currently have good time slots, rather than buying crap...

I like the show - it's decent enough bubblegum tv when you know that there is only gonna be 13 episodes, but at the same time it's not gonna get good ratings here and isn't successful in the states, so where's the logic in airing it here?

Harpers Island *merged*

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Harpers Island merged