TV Thoughts: The Passage – S1E1 – Pilot

Welcome to TV Thoughts! We are kicking off this new feature with our thoughts on the newly adapted book to TV show, The Passage. I actually read The Passage by Justin Cronin back when it was released in 2010. I did not however finish the series…you know what they say about big books, well, I am the opposite book nerd. But seriously, I started a YA focused blog, so reading adult books was not at the forefront of my priorities.

The Passage – S1E1 – Pilot – 1/14/19

Synopsis:

The United States is threatened by an imminent flu epidemic that prompts a federal agent to retrieve a test subject for a hidden medical facility known as Project NOAH to perform an experiment with a dangerous virus that could cure all diseases. (@FOX)

The Passage airs on FOX on Mondays at 9pm EST. Or buy Amazon

TV Thoughts

The pilot did exactly what I expected from it. It gave me an understanding of why the experimentation is happening, the urgency, as well as a quick introduction to the characters and why I should be routing for them.

We are introduced to the main characters, the vampires (we don’t call them vampires, right?), and of course we have a crisis of morality. Project NOAH is expirmenting on Death Row inmates in order to create a cure to all diseases, however the virus they are infecting them with basically turns the humans into mindless vampires.

However, they notice the younger the subjects are, the more likely the experimentation works. Former military special ops, bring in the subjects, but this time Brad (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), can’t handle the task of kidnapping a child whose mother just died. Amy Bellafonte (Saniyya Sidney) is a strong character and has lived a rough life so far.

Knowing the book plot, I am expecting a lot more drama to come from this TV adaptation, but already the TV show is doing what shows do best, show us the dangers, the impending doom, all in one episode (which took the book like 300 pages). I love the succienctness of the first episode and look forward to what’s to come.

The Passage has a stand out cast, Mark-Paul Gosselaar is perfect as former special ops agent, Brad. Saniyya Sidney steals her scenes as Amy. I love seeing Henry Ian Cusick on screen again (even if I did scream in my head ‘Not Penny’s Boat’ sorry LOST fans!). Jamie McShane takes the place as “Patient Zero” as Dr. Tim Fanning, which is not a character in the books, but I like what they are doing with him so far. And if you read the books, we get a brief introduction to Shauna Babcock, the youngest and most successful test subject, played by Brianne Howey.

All in all I need to watch more, and I hope this adaptation really brings back the drama filled horror genre to primetime TV.

The Passage (Passage #1)

by Justin Cronin
Published by: Ballantine Books
on December 31, 2018
Genres: Adult, Horror, Paranormal, Sci-Fi
Bookshop
Goodreads

"It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born."

An epic and gripping tale of catastrophe and survival, The Passage is the story of Amy--abandoned by her mother at the age of six, pursued and then imprisoned by the shadowy figures behind a government experiment of apocalyptic proportions. But Special Agent Brad Wolgast, the lawman sent to track her down, is disarmed by the curiously quiet girl and risks everything to save her. As the experiment goes nightmarishly wrong, Wolgast secures her escape--but he can't stop society's collapse. And as Amy walks alone, across miles and decades, into a future dark with violence and despair, she is filled with the mysterious and terrifying knowledge that only she has the power to save the ruined world.

Look for the entire Passage trilogy: THE PASSAGE - THE TWELVE - THE CITY OF MIRRORS