I've often said that one of the benefits of DVDs is that we
now have the opportunity to view and entire season of a series we found
interesting all at once. Perhaps you missed an episode or two, maybe you missed
the beginning and came in after others discussed it, but with DVD
on hand you can now watch anything start to finish. Binge watching has become a
phrase that many have begun to use.
If you missed the series HELIX on the SyFy network then you
missed an interesting and exciting new show. The story takes place in the
arctic at a secret research facility. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has
been called and alerted to a possible infectious outbreak at the station.
Specifically requested is Dr. Allan Farragut (Billy Campbell). He's been asked
to come because the main person infected is his brother, Peter. Along with
Allan is his assistant Dr. Sarah Jordan and several other specialized team
members.
Once they arrive at the facility Allan learns that not only
was his brother working there, his ex-wife Julia is there as well. This adds
some dramatic tension to the show as it slowly reveals that Julia had an affair
with Peter which led to the break up between her and Allan. But with Peter's
life on the line that's set aside as they try to discover just what the actual
problem is.
This won't be near as easy to do as they think at first.
Whereas Peter was supposedly near death as the story opens he suddenly has
superior strength and has escaped a secured outbreak type cell through the air
ducts over top. Just exactly what it was that was going on in this facility is
at the heart of the show as it begins. Eventually it twists a bit into who is
involved and eventually it falls into the category of can this be stopped and
the world saved.
One thing we witness as the story progresses is an attempt
to somewhat cash in on the current zombie craze in movies and TV. Those
infected with the virus in that's been released suddenly begin to look like the
living dead. Fast zombies, not slow ones. But the real fear factor involved in
the series is less about those infected and whether or not the entire planet
might succumb to this disease. Containment is the answer but will those behind
it all want to keep it localized or are they forming plans to weaponize
it? Those answers aren't coming quickly
and not fully addressed with this season. It's more about trying to discover
just what it is and how it came to be.
Many have compared this series to THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN and
it's easy to see why. We have a possible outbreak of a deadly virus that
mutates or kills those it touches. Scientists are attempting to control that
outbreak at all costs but at the same time someone among them may have an
ulterior motive when it comes to the virus. It makes for a combination of
science fiction and thriller that works well combined this way.
There are times the show moves along a bit slowly but when
binge watching that's easily placated by being able to advance to the next
episode in a short amount of time rather than having to wait a week. The acting
is well played by all involved with perhaps the exception of one person who I
will kindly not reveal. If you watch you'll know who I'm talking about. In the
end what we are presented with here is a solid science fiction story that holds
keeps you guessing from moment to moment. It's science fiction that doesn't
take you beyond the stars to find and enemy but right here in your own back
yard. Well if your back yard was the arctic. In the end you'll find yourself
entertained and wondering what will happen next. That's a good sign for any
series.
Click here to order.
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