Date: 2021-11-02 07:33 am (UTC)
aunt_zelda: (Default)
From: [personal profile] aunt_zelda
I nominated Siberia.

How to explain Siberia. I've seen it described as "Lost meets Survivor." Initially (through most of the first episode in fact) you might think it's just a reality show about a bunch of random people surviving in the wilderness for a cash prize. However, by the end of the first episode, when one of the cast members dies, you realize that this is a scripted show using the reality show format. More deaths, strange occurrences, and eerie events pile up, the cameras rolling the whole time, the "cast" doing one-on-one interviews, some picking up faster than the others that strange things are going on. As the cast searches for answers, schemes and "plays the game," and uncover clues and mysteries, contact with basecamp falls apart, eventually the camera crew revealing that they haven't been in touch with the producers in some time and are frightened themselves.

Despite some early episode awkwardness, eventually the show finds its footing and becomes a decently scary horror show with strong performances (most from first-time stars, the cast was picked to be full of newcomers who wouldn't be recognizable to audiences), twists and turns, great use of the landscape, and surprisingly poignant moments. I cried over a blue rock. The characters all seem like normal people trapped in a bizarre situation, and act accordingly, some staying strong, some breaking down, some lashing out, etc. The premise is so intriguing, I'm amazed more things haven't tried this format. Found Footage gets a bad rep in horror movies these days but it works for a tv show trying to look like a reality show. This was my favorite thing I discovered the summer of 2014.

Now this show ends on one nasty cliffhanger. The status of the show has been in limbo for years now, due to poor ratings it wasn't renewed, it wasn't widely watched at the time of airing, but it hasn't officially been cancelled either, and the cast was tweeting that a second season might be possible. If you can't stand unanswered questions, this isn't a show to get into as its fate is unknown.
However, compared to something like, say, The River, I'm decently satisfied with Siberia's conclusion. We get just enough answers to the major questions, such as "is this real or fake" or "what happened that night that they blacked out" or "what was that thing in the woods?" or "where did that spear come from?" So you're not just left with no idea what happened at all, you have SOME answers ... but you want MORE.
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