This is another under the radar gem, this show is one of my favorite movie to TV adaptations. As well as favorite horror/fantasy TV shows, if you can believe that on all three counts.
This show really was something different, some may 'be confused may'be a little put off by the simple fact that Jason Vorhees isn't featured in the show. But that's because you're not looking at the show correctly, because this show was made in a time when sequels to movie franchises had no rules at the time; let alone even movie to TV adaptations equally had none also. This show is based on the concept of Friday the 13th which makes perfect sense when you think about it because Friday the 13th doesn't solely mean Jason Vorhees just as Halloween doesn't mean Michael Myers, both are just a part of the lore of that holiday. The concept of that day is that it's an accursed day that brings bad luck and misfortune to everyone.
This series obviously predates the TV show "Warehouse 13" another under the radar gem. Just like that show it's the same adventure premise of finding and reclaiming lost objects that are dangerously powerful. Only with this show their supernatural as their accursed objects, anyone that wields it not just bring misfortune to others but meets their own misfortune in the end.
Really like the theme song which is one of my favorite themes. The tune perfectly fits as it has a very spooky tone. But I really love the presentation of that intro which is one of the spookiest I've ever seen, up there with "Are You Afraid of the Dark", "The Twilight Zone" (80's version), etc. Just the moving cinematography making you feel like your going into that antiquity store and the camera is just moving seeing each object that looks ordinary but is accursed. As a kid I could help but be gripped in suspense afraid one of those objects was going to do something.
The suspense is really good, who'd of though accursed objects that look like any ordinary thing could actually be scary. I like how the accursed objects are handled, each of them are perversions of what they represent. Even like how seductive they seem as these objects seem like the bring good fortune but it's really the opposite to not just the ones that are unfortunately in the object's path but the owner in the end. This sort of is the ticking time bomb element where we know the danger of the objects and are hoping the protagonists will find and defuse it on time.
The kills in the show are good, there are some blood effects it's not like super gory more like just mere trickles and splats in places, but there effective enough and were actually pretty daring at the time as most network and cable shows never really went the extra mile.
Characters are good, my favorite is Ryan played by John D Lemay which is ironic considering he was the main protagonist in the final "Friday the 13th" movie "Jason Goes to Hell" another under the radar gem in my book. That I find cool because looking at the film you can say that was also the conclusion to the TV series as it was Ryan versus Jason. But anyway, the character Ryan I really like because he's energetic, has a lot of charisma and humor which is why he has some of the best lines. I really like how he reacts to things as it feels like how any other person would react, in one situation or two you can tell from his look he's thinking "are you fraking crazy" or "do I really have to do it". But he's the aggressive one of the accursed antiquity hunters, he's not much of a thinker but more of a doer, he's not afraid though a little reluctant but in his line of work who wouldn't be to jump straight into action. I also like that he's got sharp instincts where most of that time he has a feeling about people and that feeling is most of the time correct.
Another is Jack Marshak played by the late Chris Wiggins. His character is the mentor figure much like who Zordon is to the "Power Rangers" or Artie in "Warehouse 13". But I like other than mentoring he a person that isn't afraid to participate and get mixed into the action. There is a lot of depth to this guy which I like and I feel at the time was something different in mentor figure characters, most of the time they were just narrative devices but never really characters on their own.
But to me what really sells the show is in its stories, character rounding and character development, by its nature the show in a way is a bit of an horror anthology as each episode of the show is always something different, the objects the character are trying to retrieve presents a different kind of threat every time which means the object hunters have their work cut out for them. We see how throughout the episode how the whole hunt for the objects of evil how it affects the protagonists and does take a toll on them psychologically where at times one or few of them suffer PTS (post-traumatic stress) to the point where their not sure if they can or should continue as it could mean they might die on the next hunt. But also, their not sure if they can walk away from this as those objects are still out there endangering lives, and there's no one else out there that can do what they can do. This I fell makes the protagonists even more human, yeah, I think if I ever been what they've been though I would be a little messed up about it too. And to be honest, who the heck would even want to do this hazardous business.
Also the protagonists in this show they don't always win, or their victory is incomplete, or even when they achieve victory sometimes it wasn't without collateral damage or a price paid. This made the stakes all the more high and the accursed relic hunter's quest all the more dangerous, which all the more made you want them to win because they may not get another chance. However, what makes the protagonists even more endearing is that despite all the crap they go through, their humanity always shines though and gets stronger every time.
I like how each of the welders of the objects who are the characters of the week are well rounded characters on their own. Some are sympathic as they are souls that are troubled and need salvation which unfortunately make them vulnerable and the perfect prey for the forces of evil. From what the characters do and their states of minds in doing it, it makes the story all the more suspenseful and the ending all the more unpredictable because you never really know how it's all going to play out.
Each of these characters you have mixed feelings for depending on what category they fall under; some are innocent but are letting themselves become corrupted by the evil influence of the object or the evil deeds they committed. Or they were never innocent at all it just took a certain push to bring it out. Some just plain evil and the object just turns the evil meter up to eleven. But there are those that are completely sympathic and are being used by the forces of evil which makes them innocent or worthy of redemption.
This makes it even more interesting and you could say makes this sort of a Christian show as it does have the themes about the dire consequences of giving into the temptations of evil. But also, how despite being corrupted or controlled, there is still a chance to be saved if, if you let the forces of good save you but also save yourself. And, how doing good deeds really can make you spiritually stronger.
You can't go unlucky with this series.
Rating: 4 stars
This show really was something different, some may 'be confused may'be a little put off by the simple fact that Jason Vorhees isn't featured in the show. But that's because you're not looking at the show correctly, because this show was made in a time when sequels to movie franchises had no rules at the time; let alone even movie to TV adaptations equally had none also. This show is based on the concept of Friday the 13th which makes perfect sense when you think about it because Friday the 13th doesn't solely mean Jason Vorhees just as Halloween doesn't mean Michael Myers, both are just a part of the lore of that holiday. The concept of that day is that it's an accursed day that brings bad luck and misfortune to everyone.
This series obviously predates the TV show "Warehouse 13" another under the radar gem. Just like that show it's the same adventure premise of finding and reclaiming lost objects that are dangerously powerful. Only with this show their supernatural as their accursed objects, anyone that wields it not just bring misfortune to others but meets their own misfortune in the end.
Really like the theme song which is one of my favorite themes. The tune perfectly fits as it has a very spooky tone. But I really love the presentation of that intro which is one of the spookiest I've ever seen, up there with "Are You Afraid of the Dark", "The Twilight Zone" (80's version), etc. Just the moving cinematography making you feel like your going into that antiquity store and the camera is just moving seeing each object that looks ordinary but is accursed. As a kid I could help but be gripped in suspense afraid one of those objects was going to do something.
The suspense is really good, who'd of though accursed objects that look like any ordinary thing could actually be scary. I like how the accursed objects are handled, each of them are perversions of what they represent. Even like how seductive they seem as these objects seem like the bring good fortune but it's really the opposite to not just the ones that are unfortunately in the object's path but the owner in the end. This sort of is the ticking time bomb element where we know the danger of the objects and are hoping the protagonists will find and defuse it on time.
The kills in the show are good, there are some blood effects it's not like super gory more like just mere trickles and splats in places, but there effective enough and were actually pretty daring at the time as most network and cable shows never really went the extra mile.
Characters are good, my favorite is Ryan played by John D Lemay which is ironic considering he was the main protagonist in the final "Friday the 13th" movie "Jason Goes to Hell" another under the radar gem in my book. That I find cool because looking at the film you can say that was also the conclusion to the TV series as it was Ryan versus Jason. But anyway, the character Ryan I really like because he's energetic, has a lot of charisma and humor which is why he has some of the best lines. I really like how he reacts to things as it feels like how any other person would react, in one situation or two you can tell from his look he's thinking "are you fraking crazy" or "do I really have to do it". But he's the aggressive one of the accursed antiquity hunters, he's not much of a thinker but more of a doer, he's not afraid though a little reluctant but in his line of work who wouldn't be to jump straight into action. I also like that he's got sharp instincts where most of that time he has a feeling about people and that feeling is most of the time correct.
Another is Jack Marshak played by the late Chris Wiggins. His character is the mentor figure much like who Zordon is to the "Power Rangers" or Artie in "Warehouse 13". But I like other than mentoring he a person that isn't afraid to participate and get mixed into the action. There is a lot of depth to this guy which I like and I feel at the time was something different in mentor figure characters, most of the time they were just narrative devices but never really characters on their own.
But to me what really sells the show is in its stories, character rounding and character development, by its nature the show in a way is a bit of an horror anthology as each episode of the show is always something different, the objects the character are trying to retrieve presents a different kind of threat every time which means the object hunters have their work cut out for them. We see how throughout the episode how the whole hunt for the objects of evil how it affects the protagonists and does take a toll on them psychologically where at times one or few of them suffer PTS (post-traumatic stress) to the point where their not sure if they can or should continue as it could mean they might die on the next hunt. But also, their not sure if they can walk away from this as those objects are still out there endangering lives, and there's no one else out there that can do what they can do. This I fell makes the protagonists even more human, yeah, I think if I ever been what they've been though I would be a little messed up about it too. And to be honest, who the heck would even want to do this hazardous business.
Also the protagonists in this show they don't always win, or their victory is incomplete, or even when they achieve victory sometimes it wasn't without collateral damage or a price paid. This made the stakes all the more high and the accursed relic hunter's quest all the more dangerous, which all the more made you want them to win because they may not get another chance. However, what makes the protagonists even more endearing is that despite all the crap they go through, their humanity always shines though and gets stronger every time.
I like how each of the welders of the objects who are the characters of the week are well rounded characters on their own. Some are sympathic as they are souls that are troubled and need salvation which unfortunately make them vulnerable and the perfect prey for the forces of evil. From what the characters do and their states of minds in doing it, it makes the story all the more suspenseful and the ending all the more unpredictable because you never really know how it's all going to play out.
Each of these characters you have mixed feelings for depending on what category they fall under; some are innocent but are letting themselves become corrupted by the evil influence of the object or the evil deeds they committed. Or they were never innocent at all it just took a certain push to bring it out. Some just plain evil and the object just turns the evil meter up to eleven. But there are those that are completely sympathic and are being used by the forces of evil which makes them innocent or worthy of redemption.
This makes it even more interesting and you could say makes this sort of a Christian show as it does have the themes about the dire consequences of giving into the temptations of evil. But also, how despite being corrupted or controlled, there is still a chance to be saved if, if you let the forces of good save you but also save yourself. And, how doing good deeds really can make you spiritually stronger.
You can't go unlucky with this series.
Rating: 4 stars