Naomi West

I first listened to the podcast, and was thrilled that Bravo was doing a miniseries. I loved the casting - and to those who found any of the characters unlikable, don’t assume that’s exactly how they behaved in real life. Parts of this show were fictionalized, and any show based on a true story will exaggerate or even fabricate things for entertainment value. My only complaint was the jumping back and forth in time. It was overdone and, based on feedback I’ve received, confusing to people not familiar with the original story. Then, as if it wasn’t already enough, they did it one more time with Debra when she decided to leave John for the final time. The nonlinear timeline felt awkward and amateurish; the plot was engaging enough to have been presented chronologically. Other than that, I enjoyed the show. I also highly recommend that you listen to the podcast as well, which is even more riveting.

There aren’t too many paranormal mystery shows I don’t like, but this is one. The idea of a secret gaping time-space portal on a ranch has such potential. But it’s wasted on lack of evident direction, lack of redeeming characters (so far), and a neighbor of comic book villainy. A couple times each episode, music is meant to artistically contrast with the scene, but the frequency makes it overdone and carnivalesque. It feels like an amateur attempt to pull off what shows like Blacklist and X-files - shows who know this effect should only be an occasional accent - have successfully pulled off. The biggest drawback for me is the unending gloom. Life is not a horror flick. It has both beauty and darkness. But because the show has presented only the darkness, it’s hard to take it seriously. The characters range from tortured to despicable, and there is no one I can relate to. I’ve watched 4-5 episodes, but I don’t plan to finish.