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The fall premiere of ABC’s FlashForward was the kind of premiere that can be called a “television event.” People everywhere tweeted in anticipation. They set their DVRs and gathered with their friends around to watch. And they were treated to an explosive debut—a stunning visual effects spectacle that promised a season full of drama, mystery, and suspense.
After its first 10 episodes, though, the show itself blacked out for a while. But now, just weeks before it returns to the air, the first half of the season is getting a DVD release—so fans of the show can refresh their memories and new viewers can see what all the fuss was about. What they’ll find is a fascinating (though flawed) series—as well as a glimpse of the [show’s] future.
In FlashForward’s premiere, on October 6th, 2009, the entire planet came to a halt. People everywhere blacked out before having a vision of their future—on April 29th, 2010, to be exact.
In his flash forward, FBI Agent Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes) was being chased through his office, where a huge bulletin board offered clues to the blackout’s cause. So while others are still recovering from the shock and confusion of the event, Mark and his partner, Demetri Noh (John Cho), begin recreating the bulletin board, in an attempt to find answers.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world tries to come to grips with what happened—and what they saw. Some find hope in their flash forwards—like Dr. Bryce Varley (Zachary Knighton), who feels truly alive for the first time in months. But while some people hope that their flash will come true, others fear it. Agent Benford’s wife, Dr. Olivia Benford (Sonya Walger), saw herself with another man—a complete stranger who shows up at the hospital with his son on the day of the blackout. Agent Noh saw nothing—which, he fears, means that he won’t make it to April 29th. And even Agent Benford fears his future—because it showed him drinking again.
Whether the flashes were real or just a big coincidence, though, something strange did happen on October 6. And Agent Benford is determined to find out why it happened—and who’s responsible.
Based on the novel by Robert J. Sawyer (who, by the way, set the flash forwards 21 years into the future, as opposed to six months), FlashForward is as absorbing as it is action-packed. After that gripping first episode, the action is still pretty steady, but it’s often secondary to the show’s drama and suspense. Each week, Mark and Demetri track down another clue—some of which lead them in the right direction, while others seem to be little more than intriguing dead ends (or are they…?).
While the mystery of the blackout is suspenseful, though, the characters and their stories make the series compelling. Each one has to face a flash forward that may or may not come true. Demetri struggles to solve—and prevent—his own death. Olivia has to perform her duties as a doctor while trying to keep a safe distance between herself and her young patient’s father. People begin to make decisions based on what they saw—on what they believe will happen in the future. It’s a fascinating scenario—and the psychological repercussions alone make it worth checking out.
At the same time, though, the show does have its flaws. Some of the episodes tend to drag—and Fiennes has a tendency to push his character laughably over-the-top. But once you watch the first episode, you’ll be hooked. And there’s just no turning back until you find out what happened on October 6—and what will happen to each of the characters.
Since the show has been on hiatus for a few months, this two-disc mid-season set will help you recall the first 10 episodes. The set also includes a few extras, like a short featurette that shows the making of the breathtaking first episode—from makeup and effects to that massive explosion, which was filmed in the middle of downtown Los Angeles. There’s also a five-minute clip from the next episode—and a short glimpse of the show’s future.
While the extras are interesting, though, they’re not necessarily essential viewing. And since the complete season will be released on both DVD and Blu-ray in the fall, you can always get caught up online and wait to buy the set.
