Technically, however, 12 Monkeys is a showstopper. Its varied locales, from frozen, post-apocalyptic tundras to the gritty entrails of an abandoned warehouse, give the show a grim personality that gels with Gilliam’s original film. The directing (by Jeffrey Reiner) is engaging, the score is effective, and it definitely doesn’t suffer from Ascension‘s glut of dialogue and acting issues.
It probably depends on your personal preference, but this is also a bit of a bummer. Traces of the traces of jokes show their face for milliseconds before disappearing (“How’d you two meet?” Cassandra’s ex asks, Cole responding with, “She bought me a hamburger”), and there’s some late-episode weirdness with what I can only describe as a “paradox bomb,” but it never delves into Syfy’s previous goofy stance on the genre. Which is understandable, given the network’s attempt to move back to their “hey-day” or whatever they’re calling it, but just because Battlestar Galactica was a great show, doesn’t mean it wasn’t ever fun. And “fun” isn’t exactly what I’d call the 12 Monkeys pilot.
“I know it’s hard to wrap your mind around,” Cole tells Cassandra during the hour, not really sure how to console her on all of the laws of physics he’s breaking in her mind. And it goes doubly for this premiere. It’s a good show, but it’s one that I’d recommend more on the promise of what could be coming more than what it’s already delivered. It pairs decidedly well with Syfy’s other virus/outbreak series, Helix, which airs after it on Fridays, but – and I understand this is critiquing a show one episode into its run – it hasn’t yet justified its own existence.
The last scene of the pilot hints at more references to the original film – with hopefully far more interesting character work for Schull, who’s essentially relegated to a human questionnaire in the premiere – and the show sets the stage for what could possibly be a trippy 13-episode ride. Just remember the key word there: possibly.
