I'm so glad I invented this third-episode verdict thing. More often than I care to count, it's proved its worth.
Take Vanished. Episode one? Silly. Episode two? Dull but not quite as silly.
Episode three? Ho, ho, ho. So magnificently stupid, it's now passed through the other side of stupid and entered brilliant. Actually the first half was dire, but then the second half was just great. You know it's silly. You know you've just passed Pluto on the way out of reality to somewhere far stranger, but you want to know more!
I won't spoil it for UK viewers, since the episodes are going to air in October on Five US, but suffice it to say, if you're familiar with Mozart's 'The Magic Flute', you'll know precisely who the bad guys are (I reckon). Fan-bloody-tastic. I was wondering when someone was going to use them.
Plus, our friendly visitor from Inner Toob has confirmed recently what I'd been hearing, too: we should hang around until episode 10 at least, because that's when we're all in for a big surprise. If what I think happens actually happens, Josh Berman and the rest of the production crew will deserve a great big tip of the hat for their ballsiness. Plus I was beginning to wonder why they'd chosen Gale Harold as the lead...
UPDATE: Vanished has recently had the seal of approval from Fox, which has commissioned another three episodes. Well, scripts for episodes anyway.
Updates and related entries
September 18, 2006: My stupid theory was right!
September 9, 2006 | Reply
I am very interested in this speculation. I think I've figured out what you're saying. I guess we'll find out at some point if either of us is right
Could you tell me, though, why you were wondering about the casting of Gale Harold?
September 9, 2006 | Reply
He just doesn't strike me as charismatic enough to be the leading man. He's a fair enough actor, just not very charismatic.
September 9, 2006 | Reply
Thank you for your quick response. If this was the only thing I'd seen him in, I might agree. Have you seen any of his other work?
September 9, 2006 | Reply
He's been in a couple of episodes of The Unit, I see from his CV, but until I did a quick search and found he was the "radio station owner", I had no recollection of his being in it at all!
Again, looking at his CV, he's probably a very good stage actor, but he hasn't quite adapted his style to television sufficiently to make a big enough impression.
September 9, 2006 | Reply
You might not have recognized him. He looked very different in the Unit. He had a beard and long hair. He hired the "new wife," I think her name is Kim, to sell advertising and there was some drama in his second episode. (I don't want to give too many details and spoil it for anyone.)
I'm glad to have found your blog. You seem to be objective and I appreciate that.