Kevin Bacon’s “The Following” debuted to 10.4 million viewers on Monday night, placing it second in its 9 p.m. time slot and third among this season’s highest-rated premieres for new shows.
Series premiere episodes of CBS’ “Elementary” (13.4 million) and NBC’s “Revolution” (11.6 million) debuted to higher numbers in September.
“The Following” finished behind CBS’ comedy doubleheader, “2 Broke Girls” and “Mike & Molly” in its time slot, but attracted the second-largest primetime audience overall for the night—also behind the same two programs.
In the all-important 18-49 demographic, “The Following” earned a 3.1 rating, placing it behind CBS’ “How I Met Your Mother” (3.7) and “2 Broke Girls” (3.7).
Personal Take
A dark story line and gruesome images of a serial killer’s crime scene might prove too intense for some viewers, but for those who are okay with these elements, “The Killing” is worth your time.
Bacon carries the clout needed for a solid drama to survive on network TV, but it’s the show’s writing that has piqued this viewer’s interest.
Considering the premiere episode sees the serial killer surrendering to law enforcement at the scene of his latest homicide, one might think that since the bad guy’s now in custody (again), there’s no show.
Think again.
The show’s writers have laid a foundation that has shown enough flashbacks—think “Lost”—and unanswered questions to keep viewers coming back for more.
Like many shows do to pull in the male audience early on, “The Following” skirts the edges of decency with close-to-nude shots and grotesque images of murder victims.
Bacon delivers a solid performance in which he plays an emotionally troubled and physically damaged former FBI agent who is pulled out of retirement when a serial killer he helped put away escapes.
Bacon probably couldn’t have pulled this role off 25 years ago, but now that he’s a 50-something Hollywood veteran, his character is believable.
The villain that pulls the story along is Joe Carroll—played by James Purefoy—a former college literature professor with a twisted fascination with Edgar Allan Poe and homicide.
From behind bars, Carroll has built a cult-like following of troubled individuals who are willing to carry out his homicidal biddings at a moment’s notice.
With Carroll in custody at the end of the episode, it is apparent that his twisted following is set into motion towards a larger, more sinister master plan.
If you haven’t watched “The Following” yet, set your DVR for the premiere’s encore airing on Friday.
“The Following” airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. on Fox 13 in Provo. The debut’s encore presentation airs Friday, Jan. 25, at 9 p.m.
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