...is that viewers want to be spoon fed. If you've read the books, you'll either love it - to see it come to life - or hate it - because it will never be exactly what the book is. If you haven't read the books, you'll either love it - because it's visually stunning and a new world to meet - or hate it - because not enough things are going BOOM. Oh. And because there's a new world to meet.
From some of the reviews, both within episodes and for the series overall, it's obvious that they're not willing to wait a few episodes in to understand why there's no elevator, why wanting to leave the silo is a punishable offense, or why things from the "before time" are contraband. They don't understand that the mystery is not "Who killed George?", but "Why do the condemned always clean, even if they swear not to, and why do some people even volunteer? And why do we know NOTHING about our past?"
So, obviously, the screenwriters had to sprinkle in hints that are not nearly as subtle as some people claim they are. Geez, pay attention.
The first episode is a hopeful start to an awesome story. I give it top marks. I love the cast choices, although Bernard is a bit too flashy for the world they supposedly live in, nothing like his origin character.
This adaptation has a lot to live up to. The books, which I've read multiple times, read much like a movie already, so I was hopeful they could stick close to the original. I'm glad they began with Holston's story because that was where things really begin. This is where you begin to crave an understanding and want more. Allison's story was well done, and bringing in George as a plot device to add intrigue to her discoveries, which she makes on her own in the book, is better for world building at this point.
Keeping George, however, is threatening to be a convoluted way to stretch this series with upcoming filler. (In a couple of episodes, my fear came true. Sigh.)
As I've written elsewhere, some of the changes are actually a disservice to the viewer trying to get a true sense of what's going on. If the writers had kept everyone in more or less generic - and homogeneous - overalls, colored differently to signify the jobs and areas people work in, a whole different atmosphere would exist.
Having everyone in an endless variety of wardrobe, living in relatively spacious apartments with easy access up and down a grand concrete staircase totally negates the harsh reality of life in an underground time capsule buried an unknown age ago, where little more connects people than a narrow, dilapidating twist of metal staircase. The book gets the mood right. The screen version just seems to make people nitpick.
I really hope they can successfully pull it all together without a lot of unnecessary palace intrigue and contrived drama that just drags out what is actually a fast paced story of relatable humans with drama enough.
And please, please, please, do not rob a wonderful character like Juliette Nichols of her humanity by turning her into a perfect, arrogant, heroic Mary Sue. I fear, though, that Hollywood just can't help itself. We'll soon find out.
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