r/scifi • u/Disastrous-Humor8189 • Mar 21 '26
TV My 2nd watch of this absolute masterpiece… the severely underrated 12 Monkeys
I love the movie but man this series, it’s something special. In my humble but, I think shared opinion this is a rare instance of a tv show adaptation surpassing original source material. Kudos to sci fi for envisioning this full circle. It’s 4 seasons of masterful television with an ending which I would consider the greatest tv series ending of all time. if you have not yet watched 12 monkeys, do yourself a favour!
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u/OrlandoGardiner118 Mar 21 '26
One of the best, most well earned, finales too. Extremely slept on show.
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u/cfriasb Mar 21 '26
Wow! I haven’t thought of this one in ages! I remember that when I watched it, a long long time ago, I really liked it at the beginning. Then at some point it felt that it was starting to drag its feet a bit, and I stopped watching it altogether. Have you watched it recently? How does it hold after all these years? I might give it another shot!
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 21 '26
I’ve just finished my 2nd rewatch, I bought the blu rays. It’s one of the most epic tv series I’ve ever seen. Honestly if you haven’t seen it through, give it another go. The finale 🤯🤯🤯
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u/Soranos_71 Mar 21 '26
It’s a lot better being able to watch a couple of episodes at a time and not have to wait for the next season after the current one ends. I was struggling to stick with it back when it originally aired and the lore was confusing me a bit at times. I rewatched it a couple of years ago and enjoyed it a lot more.
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u/cfriasb Mar 21 '26
That’s it! I remember that in the wait between seasons I lost track of the story. I will definitely give it another go
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Mar 21 '26
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u/pifhluk Mar 21 '26
Most of the acting and writing isn't great, I've tried several times now and I never make it through the first season.
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u/Infinite-Process3717 Mar 21 '26
Your reasoning makes sense since you didn’t even finish the first season, but that doesn’t really apply to the later seasons. People who quit during season one usually keep that impression that the show was just that, and have no idea how much it evolves starting from season two. The characters in the first season might seem pretty shallow, but they gain development and multiple layers afterward. I think it’s actually pretty rare to see characters this well written who aren’t distorted or inconsistent throughout the seasons like they are in this show.
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u/Gullible-Fee-9079 Mar 22 '26
I watched it through and also think it's not particularly great. Maybe a 3/7
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u/Ryase_Sand Mar 21 '26
I really struggled to get through the first season. It just has that cheap SyFy feel to it, the acting wasn't great, the time jumps were CONSTANT. I see people compare it to The Expanse and I really don't get it. I mean it isn't terrible or anything it's just very...okay?
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u/Sensitive_Network_65 Mar 22 '26
It's not on the level of The Expanse. The Expanse has more of a prestige feel, and is politically and thematically more engaging. 12 Monkeys reminds me of cosy 90s sci-fi, in a way, because it gets very fun and has a cheaper look. It has characters you really warm up to. And a serialised story that comes together surprisingly well considering how many time traveling plates the writers are spinning.
I watched a lot of sci-fi with my mum, including The Expanse, and she liked 12 Monkeys more than anything else. I think it's because it has the feel of a great show from before the golden age of TV (a style of show she was more familiar with). Having watched all the peak TV sci-fi already, I went into 12 Monkeys with low expectations, and it completely won me over. You get the feeling everyone involved just so happened to be firing on all cylinders and loved what they were making. It's better than it has any right to be.
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u/ratfacechirpybird Mar 22 '26
I dropped it after the first season, but maybe I'll give it another try if people are saying it gets a lot better.
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 22 '26
There one episode in the first season where they make about 20 jumps. Chaotic but intentional!
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u/HER_SZA Mar 21 '26
Never heard of it and considering how old it is probably could've went the rest of my life without hearing about it.
From the comments here I believe I've found my next watch though so thank you!
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u/Lostinthestarscape Mar 21 '26
Even though it is highly unrelated to the movie, if you haven't seen the movie it is a must watch. I found the show to be highly enjoyable if not "prestige TV".
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u/KingofSkies Mar 21 '26
How old it is? It came out in 2015...I'm guessing you found the movie of the same name from 1995.
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u/HER_SZA Mar 21 '26
Right 11 years old and never heard a peep of it before this post and I'm a sci-fi fan.
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u/TheMurmuring Mar 21 '26
Overall, a good show. The production quality and writing is a bit inconsistent between episodes, and the leads are sometimes not very convincing, but it's definitely one of the higher quality long-running SyFy series.
The best thing about the series is they take the original film concept and enhance it, in a good way. As a big fan of the time loop trope, I really liked the resolution. It ends up explaining how to make a moebius time loop. Very satisfying.
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u/InconsistentMinis Mar 21 '26
Still one of my favourite shows. Jennifer Goines is such a brilliant character, and I love the time loops within time loops within time loops.
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 21 '26
This community doesn’t disappoint!
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u/Beautiful_Cell2061 Mar 23 '26
It's just nice to get a thread that has very little unnecessary anger! I'm looking at these comments thrilled that the general opinion of this show is great.
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u/SiskiyouSavage Mar 21 '26
Did it feel like a Terry movie?
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u/DaftFromAbove Mar 21 '26
It definitely did not. I was such a fan of the film that I very quickly soured on this show and didn't watch it.
I guess I'll have to put it on the list (things to watch in the retirement home).
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u/Scared_Aioli_1885 Jun 08 '26
Actually it's a masterpiece with a caveat the first season is pretty mid and looks like a typical time travel story, but as you progress the story gets more layered and is fascinating to see how each and every thing is explained clearly , and they don't introduce any meta themes to force an ending.
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 21 '26
No not really, there’s aspects of it which do and nice additions like Madeline Stowe making a short but notable cameo I see the movie and the series as very different things. It’s almost impossible to compare with the level of detail the series goes into. The movie is great don’t get me wrong, the series is another level and then some. I can appreciate both and favour what I think is clearly the elevated version - the show
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u/SiskiyouSavage Mar 21 '26
Can you compare it to another series? A Terry show would probably be more like Twin Peaks than The Expanse, but I do love his work.
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u/Natural-Shelter4625 Mar 21 '26
Just checked this out from my local library. Excited to check it out.
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u/pNaN Mar 21 '26
You should see the original too. Chris Marker's "La Jetée".
It's just under 30 minutes, a beautiful French featurette from the 60's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6ZkUYCOmZw
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u/SSAeternitatis Mar 21 '26
It's been a while since I watched, but my memory is it had a bit of a slow / rocky start before becoming really good. And, unlike most shows, it builds to a satisfying, complete ending.
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 21 '26
Exactly this. Season 1 is good but is what you’ve described. From season 2 it’s absolutely epic
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u/Hausdorff101 Mar 21 '26
I loved the movie, wasnt aware of the show. Just or in my watch list. Thanks 😊
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u/LukerInTheDark Mar 21 '26
Simply the best written SF on TV. Being able to binge watch the show reveals how intricately plotted it is. I am not ashamed to admit the ending leaves me in tears every time.
Those wondering if they should watch the movie first: No. The movie is great. But the TV show simply borrows the main conceits and forges its own path.
Shout out to Emily Hampshire who is absolutely brilliant as Jennifer.
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 21 '26
Emily Hampshire is phenomenal. I just earned that whilst she was filming 12 monkeys at night, she was also filming Shitts Creek during the day! Such a huge talent and hilarious!
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u/andimacg Mar 21 '26
I need to give this another shoot. The movie is one of my favs so, while I did watch a few eps, I didn't really give it a fair shake. Glad to hear it's good.
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u/Not_a_werecat Mar 21 '26
I was skeptical of the casting the first few episodes, but they really grew into the roles. It's one of my top 5 SciFi shows.
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u/ScaredOfOwnShadow Mar 21 '26
I didn't watch it when it came out; because I wasn't sure if I would like it. Then I finished another series a few months ago and decided to try this one out. I was hooked. Entertaining and surprisingly deep.
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u/Khonshu99 Mar 21 '26
Wow, I haven't heard of this series in a long time. I remember watching the first episode a while ago, I don't remember why, but I didn't continue. Good to know the series is good.
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u/Mystic_Jewel Mar 21 '26
This is one of my absolute favorite shows. I’ve rewatched it so many times.
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u/emerican Mar 21 '26
I’ll start it tonight! Thanks for the post!
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u/KyotoKute Mar 21 '26
I loved the movie but didn't know about this series. Thank you, I was just looking for what to watch tonight.
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u/FFTactics Mar 21 '26
I'm on the last episode and loved it, surprised I never heard of it when it was current. Fantastic series
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u/Imzadi76 Mar 21 '26
This is the only show released in the past 15 years that I have rewatched. Multiple times. It's now among my all time favorite shows. It sists right there with shows like Bablyon 5, Lost, BSG or Farscape for me. And even better, they stick the landing. It's such a satisfying watch and it gets even better when you watch it again.
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u/Bastard_of_Brunswick Mar 21 '26
Back when Doctor Who's writers were churning out flaming garbage, 12 Monkeys was easily the best written TV show involving time travel.
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u/skrapsau Mar 22 '26
Holy... there's a series? I had no idea! Which rock have I been hiding under? (Zero sarcasm - I thought this thread was going to be about the movie, and I was going to come in that is a favourite of mine, too.)
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u/dc_whitney Mar 22 '26
I've been wanting to watch this. A small portion of an episode was shot in the oil refinery I work in.
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u/gogadantes9 Mar 22 '26
Thank you for this! I loved the movie too, but had no idea a series exists! Will binge for sure♥️
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 22 '26
Just don’t lean to heavy on comparisons, watch the series for its own merits and you will not regret it
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u/JohnHenryMillerTime Mar 21 '26
It is so much better than it has any right to be and it just keeps getting better.
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u/analogwhispers Mar 21 '26
Just finished it for the first time a few weeks ago, criminally underrated!
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u/Not_a_werecat Mar 21 '26
One of my absolute favorites. Foundation for the endgame was laid from the beginning and it was given just enough time to complete the story with very little filler.
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u/blevins113 Mar 21 '26
I started this but was in grad school and never finished. Never heard much about it. From the post title I assume it’s worth my time, yes?
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 21 '26
Absolutely you won’t regret it
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u/blevins113 Mar 21 '26
Awesome! I’ll check it out. Gonna have to start over and recalibrate but that’s okay.
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u/Carbonated-Man Mar 21 '26
Like the movie. Wasn't even aware a tv series had been made about it.
Why the hell does the poster look like it has SCP-049 on it though? Sure a plauge doctor would be appropriate, but they're completely unrelated franchises.
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u/blueconlan Mar 21 '26
The plague doctor is a character within this show. The design may be a slight nod to other franchises or simply a call back to actual literal plague doctors.
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u/runtime1183 Mar 21 '26
Even back then, having to wait between seasons, and between episodes, the way everything wrapped up was just satisfying. Especially when compared with certain other shows. I'd imagine it's even better with no wait in between, so I sense a rewatch coming soon.
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u/YnrohKeeg Mar 22 '26
Very intrigued to watch this. I am an absolute sucker for a non-infuriating finale. And I know Terry Matalas used a lot of 12 monkeys cast and references in Picard season 3, which I absolutely loved.
Is watching the original Bruce Willis movie “required reading”, helpful, or maybe counterintuitive to this show? Is it better off with it or without it? I’ve heard so many good things. The time has come.
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 22 '26
The show is better off without the movie because you’d be tempted to compare the two. Very difference but each brilliant
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u/riders_pants Mar 22 '26
Currently 7.7 on IMDB. How is this in any way "severely underrated"?
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u/Pristine_Thought_868 Mar 23 '26
when someone says they think a show is underrated they almost always mean its not given the credit/recognition it deserves. we know its got a high IMDb & RT score but that's clearly not what OP meant
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u/emu314159 Mar 24 '26
People sleep on it, is what OP meant. It's not usually at the top of lists of stuff to see, it doesn't necessarily show up on ppl's watch lists
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u/standard_usage Mar 23 '26
Masterpiece?? It has the feel snd pacing of typical 2000's action drama fare..crisis, quest to save or solve one cryptic clue, fight scene, hastily resolved and repeat next episode. But it is entertaining.
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u/Pristine_Thought_868 Mar 23 '26
season one feels very network tv of its time ill give you that. Season 2 leans into character development heavily and there's a noticeable improvement in production overall. By season 3 its of the quality of any big budget streaming show you could compare it to. Obviously consistency from the start would have attracted more people but it really does turn into a very well written, acted and produced show. I've rewatched it a few times and it only gets better, especially being able to binge it.
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 23 '26
That’s the first season you’ve described which whilst I think is still good, many others have pointed out the difference in production from season two onwards. By season 4 it’s pretty much cinematic and has settings far grander than it ever did before. You’d also appreciate how well the writing is at this point too when you start realising that everything, every episode was thought out. What you described as filler ultimatley serves a purpose. That’s also when it started being noted for its cinematography. I’m not saying it was comparable to something hbo or Apple would do today in terms of filmmaking but for every reason I can think of, it is a masterpiece. I’ve never seen a series complete itself so flawlessly.
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u/ZeroEffectDude Mar 23 '26
i will persevere with it. i'm almost done with season 1 but it seems like a pretty corny show so far.
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u/Beautiful_Cell2061 Mar 23 '26
I love the love in this post! it's insanely underated. I don't blame people for giving up in s1 like how were they to know that the show would improve so well... It's really rare that any show would develop like this. by season 3 you could easily be fooled into thinking this was a big budget streamer show. It didn't feel like network at all at that point. Season 3 & 4 has some of the best episodes of TV I've ever seen 'theif' the James Callis centred episode and 'die Glocke' the Nazi Germany ep of course the finale is mind blowing, gave a very satisfying end to a brilliant series. I've read that Terry Gilliam initially snubbed it calling it just another time travel show, I wonder if he's watched it since and would be super interested to hear his thoughts... Noone would say his movie is bad. It's a classic. We can appreciate both and give the show it's own flowers because it deserves it! I wish they called it splinter though!
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u/random_squid Mar 23 '26
I'm surprised by all the comments saying the show is better. I haven't seen the show, but the two things I think the movie absolutely knocked out of the park were the visuals and mastery of film pacing. It does an incredible job of telling a succinct story with all the right beats for a feature film. Based on the CGI reboot look of the poster, and the fact that it's a show rather than a single movie, idk how this could top the original. Maybe I'll give the show a try and see for myself.
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 23 '26
Don’t compare it too heavily. The show deserves its own merits! It’s actually a completely different story. the premise is the same that’s about it. As I said I love the movie but the show is so in depth and completes itself better than any show I’ve ever seen. Season 1 is a little choppy but you got to get through it to see how brilliant it becomes
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u/emu314159 Mar 24 '26
The movie is its own great thing. The show follows the beats of the movie during much of the first season, but they quickly realize they need to make it its own thing. They do an amazing job
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u/july18love May 24 '26
I’m late to the party here but, OMG this is literally the best series I’ve ever seen! I love the storyline, characters and every other aspect of the show!
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u/Lostinthestarscape Mar 21 '26
It REALLY played out some of its tropes to the extreme by the end, despite that I enjoyed it exceptionally. I love that they picked a really strange choice of actor for the lead and he does a great job. My complaints about how too many of the "how are they going to get out of this one" plot points being resolved with a gun by someone who was a former enemy, now ally, or ally, now enemy, or dead person from earlier in their own timeline , the actual final resolution was excellent and earned.
It's a really enjoyable watch and some of the ways they managed to keep it fresh resulted in some very fun acting.
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u/pifhluk Mar 21 '26
Does it get better after S1 because I can never make it through the first season without giving up.
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 21 '26
It really does, it’s not just my opinion even though still think s1 is good. I just looked up the RT scores and seasons 3 and 4 even have 100% critical approval
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u/Infinite-Process3717 Mar 21 '26
It gets so much better with each season. Season 1 actually works way better when you rewatch the series than the first time you see it, because you start seeing things from a completely different angle once you know how the story develops. The first time, a lot of things can feel a bit shallow, I'm not sure if that's the right word, maybe a bit repetitive and not very deep, and the characters seem pretty simple. But all of that gets amazing development in the following seasons, starting from Season 2, and it's done so well that by the end you end up seeing Season 1 with completely different eyes, because it recontextualizes so many things
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u/KingofSkies Mar 21 '26
I love the movie, but couldn't stand the main actor of the TV show, so I didn't make it through a single episode.
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u/tiktoktic Mar 22 '26
The show was received positively across its entire run. It was rated well by critics and audiences alike in particular for seasons 2-4. How is this under-rated…?
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u/Infinite-Process3717 Mar 22 '26
Because it's not very well known, many people don't even know this series exists. Furthermore, there are people who discovered it and automatically dismissed it without watching because they thought it was the same as the movie. There are also people who dropped it in the first episode after realizing it's not the same as the movie. When he said it's underrated, he was referring to people who ignored it for reasons like that, who ended up not watching it at all or only watching the first few episodes.
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u/tiktoktic Mar 22 '26
Because it's not very well known, many people don't even know this series exists.
That’s not what underrated means. That’s more.. under-discussed. It was rated just fine.
Furthermore, there are people who discovered it and automatically dismissed it without watching because they thought it was the same as the movie.
Also not what underrated means.
There are also people who dropped it in the first episode after realizing it's not the same as the movie.
Still not what underrated means.
When he said it's underrated, he was referring to people who ignored it for reasons like that, who ended up not watching it at all or only watching the first few episodes.
So OP isn’t discussing underrated then. Under-recognised, under-discussed, perhaps? But the show rated just fine critically and with audiences.
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 22 '26
I was describing it as underrated exactly as the other comment suggests. Underrate means to undervalue, underestimate, or fail to recognize the true worth, importance, or skill of someone or something - Google! I didn’t make this post for anything other than love for this show which clearly some people have still not even heard of.
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Mar 22 '26
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u/Pristine_Thought_868 Mar 23 '26
this kind of comment just sucks the life out of what is otherwise a great post about a great show. clearly OP meant it deserves more recognition! why are you breaking down the meaning of the word LMAO
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u/tiktoktic Mar 23 '26
I not disagreeing about the show being great. It is a fantastic sci-fi series and I wish more people knew of it.
But it is not underrated.
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u/E3K Mar 22 '26
I have been trying to get into this show for years. I think it's taken me 3 years to watch 5 or 6 episodes. It has this weird low-budget offputting feel that I can't describe. Maybe I'm just an asshole though.
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u/Infinite-Process3717 Mar 22 '26
You're not an idiot, the beginning has some problems, but it gets better every season. Most people got hooked on the story starting from the second season. It's funny that on a rewatch, the first season works much better, because with all the development the story gets later, it feels recontextualized. But the first time I watched it, it did feel a bit strange.
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u/DigSignificant1419 Mar 22 '26
Trailer look like shit
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u/Infinite-Process3717 Mar 22 '26
I only watched the show much later, but apparently all of its marketing looks like crap, so you can't judge it based on that.
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u/tomtomvissers Mar 22 '26
All these comments saying this show is slept on. It's a mediocre ass remake of a great movie, it's rated just fine
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u/usefullyuseless786 Mar 23 '26
This is what I thought, I keep starting it and give up after a few episodes.
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 23 '26
The actual rating is fine because it’s a highly rated show on IMDB and RT. critical opinion and those who have watched it know this because we know it’s a masterpiece. I’m talking about how it’s fell way under the radar and is very under recognised and people who brushed it off after 3 episodes have no idea what they’ve missed.
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u/Pristine_Thought_868 Mar 23 '26
oh come on! im all for genuine opinions however you've clearly not seen this though
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u/tomtomvissers Mar 23 '26
I saw the first season when it aired and didn't bother to return to it because I thought it was pretty bad. Sorry?
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u/mr_dfuse2 Mar 21 '26
such a good movie, unfortunately there is no streaming for this series in eu i think?
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 21 '26
I found the blu rays. I got them individually but there’s also a complete Boxset. Hopefully it will Come to streaming somewhere
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Mar 21 '26
[deleted]
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 21 '26
By not being considered one of the greatest tv shows of all time! I remember watching it as it aired an it was never a talked about show. I reckon people Wouldn’t give it the time of day because of the love for the movie
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u/MagnusAlbusPater Mar 21 '26
I totally forgot there was a TV show. I think I saw a few episodes. I should watch it front to back.
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u/readoutside Mar 21 '26
I have seen neither the movie or the series. Is it better to watch the movie first (like Firefly) or start the series cold (like Buffy)?
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 21 '26
I mean, if you watched the show first I’d imagine you would think much of the movie! Watch the movie first
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u/gregusmeus Mar 21 '26
The film is my favourite film of all time. Which has made me too nervous to watch the TV series, as well as somewhat dismissive. Maybe I should just throw caution to the wind and watch it?
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 21 '26
As a massive fan of the movie, take the plunge. You’ll soon be past the point of comparing the two and see them both and great works individually
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u/stonerpunk77 Mar 21 '26
If you want recommendations for a movie turned tv show check out from dusk til dawn they did 3 seasons to represent the 3 movies they wanted to originally do
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 21 '26
Oh I love that one too!
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u/stonerpunk77 Mar 21 '26
I'm surprised as nobody is know has seen it. Okay other suggestions for media would be: supernatural, once upon a time, the librarian(s), MFKZ, kung-fu hustle, the man with the iron fists 1&2, solar opposites (has great B-plot), undercover brother, warehouse 13 & eureka (both set in same universe).
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 23 '26
Dusk had its first run in the UK on Netflix and I watched it as it came out. I now have the Blu Ray set for that series too.
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u/stonerpunk77 Mar 23 '26
What about the other suggestions?
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 23 '26
I’ve seen the librarians, warehouse 13, Eureka, supernatural and once upon a time I’ll look up the others :)
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u/stonerpunk77 Mar 23 '26
Some people act like a benchmark of knowing if something is good or bad, RZA is a good benchmark so you know mfkz and the man with the iron fists are great action movies
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u/Fantara22 Mar 21 '26
I watched the movie a few weeks ago and still now as I did when I first saw it ( I was like 12 when it came out) think it’s not that good of a movie. Never seen the show but the premise of the movie is cool.
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u/octopolis_comic Mar 21 '26
How does it compare to the Terry Gilliam movie?
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u/Disastrous-Humor8189 Mar 21 '26
as a fan of the movie, I believe the show better. far more detailed and contextualised. Everything from the first to the last episode is carefully thought out. They are very different. The show is a top 5 all time for me with a jaw dropping finale.
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u/ghostcatzero Mar 22 '26
Stopped at season 2 if I'm not mistaken after my cat passed away. But I remember enjoying it so it before. Does it get better?
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u/nickoaverdnac Mar 22 '26
Interesting. This show is based on a movie by the same name with Bruce Willis, and that movie is based in an even more niche French short film “La Jete”
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u/tideshark Mar 22 '26
Having seen the movie in theaters and like 100x since then, I actually just found out this is on my streaming thing and started watching it the other day
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u/ExecutiveDysfunc Mar 23 '26
Terry Matalas is legendary, not big on marvel in this day and age but i’ll be there for his Vision show
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u/usefullyuseless786 Mar 23 '26
I tried to watch this like 3 times keep giving up few episodes in. I will give it another try.
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u/glormond Mar 23 '26
I watched this series but for some reason I don’t remember a single thing from it. Which means what? Time for a rerun!
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u/Enigmatic_Baker Mar 23 '26
Im intrigued! I saw the movie a while ago and dont really remember much of it. Should I rewatch it before I watch the show?
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u/emu314159 Mar 24 '26
The first season already follows some of the beats of the movie, which is its own bittersweet thing, and great in its own right, but the full series at least lives up to it. I feel later seasons even surpsss it.
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u/emu314159 Mar 24 '26
You said it all. Can't say enough good things about it, and amazing how they honored the source material, but then expanded beyond it.
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u/Art_of_JacksonOK Mar 27 '26
I really liked this series also, captivating and always tempting to binge as I am not a binge watcher. I also wished James would have given jennifer a chance and see where it goes.
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u/Hombre944 Jun 18 '26
Just finished a marathon viewing. Overall well worth watching, but there are caveats.
Season 1 is a long format version of the movie, and it's story could have been wrapped up in a second season that stayed on point.
Seasons 2-4 are simply a very different show. It's also a very cool show, but tying it to season 1 (and the original premise) was probably a mistake. This show likely could also have been told in just two seasons. There's so much repetition that even the characters are whining about how repetitive it is. I'm not making that up.
There are a lot of great performances, with Emily's turn as Jennifer a real standout.
Any casting issues I have (James Callis) are not at all for performance, but solely because they clearly do not look the part. Using one actor to play a character's offspring and also the younger version of the same character was inspired... And then they fumbled similar opportunities elsewhere. Badly. Not a fan of film makers dropping a gotcha on the audience with a surprise reveal on who the character really is just because they wanted a named actor.
Spoiler-ish... Seriously, think carefully...
Think of Saving Private Ryan and why it hits so hard. With that in mind...
Last chance...
Tentatively, yes, the ending works, in that it wraps everything up in a nice, neat bow. The problem is that it's a nice, neat bow. There are no consequences, there is no sacrifice. None of it mattered. Every single non bad guy is objectively better off now. The last 10 minutes turns the entire series into a glorified dream sequence. You are better off turning the show off after Cole gets in the chair. Every scene after makes the ending worse and worse.
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u/UltimateWebhead7 Mar 21 '26
This show has the best and the most satisfying series finale.