Manifest

[Ome]

I started this one at the weekend and really enjoyed the pilot episode.

The series centres on the passengers and crew of a commercial airliner who suddenly reappear after being presumed dead for five years.

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It's got the mystery in Lost from the get-go and fills me with all kinds of excitement trying to work out what has happened.

It's also an interesting look at the lives of those who carried on after their family and friends were presumed dead and also for those who were on the plane and have no idea 5 years have passed.

 

[Gabriel Maxwell]

I enjoyed the pilot, too. It hadn't been on my to-watch list, but I decided to check it out since Josh Dallas is in it. I sure missed him last year during that unwatchable final season of "Once Upon a Time."

I'm compelled to see what happens next. But I think this type of show lends itself better to binge-watching. So, I'll wait till at least 10 episodes have aired and then watch them all one after another over the holidays.

 

[Ome]

But I think this type of show lends itself better to binge-watching.

I find myself doing this more and more with each show. The only ones I watched weekly are The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones. I would have waited with this one too, however, my daughter is eager to watch it weekly. I watched NuDynasty in bites of something like 3 episodes at a time, which I enjoyed doing. It kept me from the Dynasty forum but was great to pop into each time I caught up.



My worry is that it has all the ingredients of a cancellation somewhere down the line, which I'm basing on other shows like this in which I was gripped from the start. The Colony, The Event, Flashfoward, Alcatraz and Revolution all spring to mind. I gave up on Falling Stars & Once Upon a Time somewhere around their third seasons.

 

[Gabriel Maxwell]

My worry is that it has all the ingredients of a cancellation somewhere down the line, which I'm basing on other shows like this in which I was gripped from the start.

"Down the line" may not be for a while. After 2 airings, it's NBC's #2 show, the only show doing better for them right now is their blockbuster "This is Us."

https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/nbc-2018-19-season-ratings/

 

[Emelee]

Interesting. I hope it's better planned than a similar series a few years ago called The Returned, where a number of people who are presumed dead come back, not having aged.

 

[Ome]

The Returned

I love shows like this and yet this one completely passed me by.

Looking at the ratings from the pilot episode, I feel very happy that Manifest has taken off much better.

 

[Gabriel Maxwell]

I love shows like this and yet this one completely passed me by. Looking at the ratings from the pilot episode, I feel very happy that Manifest has taken off much better.

What about RESURRECTION? It was a huge hit in its first short season for ABC in 2014, but then the show pulled a Twin Peaks, by which I mean that it came back for a second season and quickly fizzled out, shutting down after a total of 21 episodes.

These shows are very tricky. It's not easy to maintain the suspense factor. One of my favorite shows of this kind - in addition to LOST, of course - was INVASION. It was a one season show in 2005/2006 season, which also aired on ABC, immediately after LOST.

 

[Ome]

What about RESURRECTION?

This is another one that missed me by, I saw something on it as I was searching for THE RETURNED which Emelee mentions.

INVASION

Gosh! I watched this and forgot all about it.

These shows are very tricky. It's not easy to maintain the suspense factor.

Yes, and I find that if the viewers don't catch onto the mystery and the characters don't speak out at them they will quickly turn away.


It's frustrating to see so many cops/medical shows do really well, yet those that tell a story with a definitive ending usually have viewers lose interest in and I think the viewer get frustrated with not knowing the answers straight away. It also gives a platform for many to say "they're all dead" or "they're making it up as they go along"

I get why medical, legal and cop shows do well, it's the same with any show that has self-contained episodes, but give me a great drama (that has a shelf life) like SONS OF ANARCHY, LOST, BREAKING BAD and PEAKY BLINDERS and I'm in it all the way.

 

[Seaviewer]

I watched it. For some reason I kept thinking that the two main characters were father and daughter rather than brother and sister which kept confusing me. And it took a while for the key mystery of their powers to kick in. But it was interesting enough to come back for episode 2.

My worry is that it has all the ingredients of a cancellation somewhere down the line, which I'm basing on other shows like this in which I was gripped from the start. The Colony, The Event, Flashfoward, Alcatraz and Revolution all spring to mind. I gave up on Falling Stars & Once Upon a Time somewhere around their third seasons.

Yes, it reminded me of Flash Forward from the get-go.

 

[Emelee]

I watched the first 2 episodes, and this feels like a limited series. How long can they keep it interesting without changing it to a regular drama series? Unless they make it another Heroes...?

Anyway, I will keep watching for now. I am very curious about who killed the woman who talked with media. Who wanted to shut her up and why? Nice conspiracy story.

If they run with the conspiracy mystery, the series could go on for some time.

 

[Rove]

This series began this week here in Australia. I've yet to catch up with the pilot episode but fear it could be limited. Too many viewers have short attention spans and cannot stand viewing a series with no answers. The hope here of course is NBC would like to see the series make it to 100 episodes to sell it off into syndication. Just one problem. A series like this sets itself for fail long term because if by chance it manages to make it to that magic syndication number once the big reveal is exposed generally most will not revisit it.

My younger brother was the only one in our extended family to watch Lost to its very end but has never viewed it since because of its ending.

 

[Ome]

feels like a limited series

It all rides on what the reveal will be. If it's alien abduction, it could go on for some time, I hope we get that far because too many shows get cancelled early on.

My younger brother was the only one in our extended family to watch Lost to its very end but has never viewed it since because of its ending.

Whereas I have watched it three more times because of its ending.

For me, it was the perfect ending, though I realise this wasn't for everyone and I also found many viewers switch off in disgust because they hated the mystery over the outcome, or because it went completely over their heads. I also loved that it didn't answer all the questions because on a second and third watch I was coming up with different scenarios or different explanations in my mind.


That said, my wife watched it all, loved it all until that ending and says she won't watch it again because of that ending.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Before The Returned and Sense8 there was The 4400.

It already looks terribly dated LOL

 

[Ome]

It already looks terribly dated LOL

Then hopefully they will get it right this time.



Not that I know what happened with THE RETURNED or 4400

 

[Emelee]

Shows like these tend to start terrificly and exciting, but fizzle out. This kind of story may fit best as a mini-series or film. But we'll see.

 

[Ome]

Shows like these tend to start terrificly and exciting, but fizzle out.

Which is what we were saying earlier on.

My worry is that it could drag the story on to a point where viewers simply stop watching, or it gets cancelled before we get anywhere near what the story is about.


I'm happy with a long-running story, but it has to stay in line with how it started and not drift off in directions just to prolong the big reveal. I'm happy with going through a full season and not getting many answers, but I do want to see some answered question before it closes the door on that season.

 

[Willie Oleson]

and also for those who were on the plane and have no idea 5 years have passed.

Aha, but did the mysterious "whatever" happened to the crew and passengers….or the people on the ground?

 

[Emelee]

Aha, but did the mysterious "whatever" happened to the crew and passengers….or the people on the ground?

At first I thought "wow, that would be awesome!!!!", but then I realized that story would have about a million pot holes. Darn it!!!!

 

[Willie Oleson]

It would be an interesting twist for the finale episode.
"There's nothing wrong with them...there's something wrong with us!"

Oh.my.god.

 

[Seaviewer]

Aha, but did the mysterious "whatever" happened to the crew and passengers….or the people on the ground?

At first I thought "wow, that would be awesome!!!!", but then I realized that story would have about a million pot holes. Darn it!!!!

Presumably it would have to involve five years' worth of false implanted memories for the entire population of planet Earth.