Between Season 1 – Release Date: 2015

Episode Guide

School’s Out
Who’s The Boss
Crossing Lines
Love Hurts
End Of The Rope
War

When a mysterious airborne virus kills off everyone over the age of 22, its up to the kids of Pretty Lake to come together and figure out what’s going on. After shows like The 100 and Under The Dome, Between pales in comparison. Bland, archetypal characters and a story that defies belief plague the entirety of Between, even if the setting and idea holds enough intrigue to just about see you over the end of Season 1 to see what caused the virus.

The story follows a number of different characters but the questionable decision to cast actors who clearly look over 22 is an odd one. At first glance, some of these characters do look like they’re going to have interesting arcs at the show continues but its disappointing that they fall into cliche territory early on and never really leave that territory for the entirety of the season. Its a shame because there’s definitely potential for a tense, gripping drama but its never realized. There are pockets of suspense and shock, but they occur so few and far between that it hardly makes the wait worth it.

This leads to the part about defying belief that I mentioned earlier. With science fiction you have to suspend your belief over some of the crazier elements but there’s far too much here to ignore. As the town of Pretty Lake goes into quarantine, a large barbed wire fence appears overnight, complete with a minefield and a number of armed guards. On top of that, the kids are told they have to stay in quarantine due to the virus being airborne which leads to the next question – if the virus is airborne, isn’t this the perfect opportunity to drop a dome on the town? If it is airborne would it not have spread to other towns? The questions continue as the show leads to its climax that agonisingly leaves it open for another season.

The problems mount up for Between with its acting too. On top of the questionable story full of plot holes and inconsistencies, the acting ranges from average to very poo. There’s a moment early on where a supermarket is on fire and one of the characters retorts “The supermarket is on fire” in the most emotionless tone I’ve heard in a TV show. Coupled with the inadequate writing, there’s no denying too that the characters themselves just aren’t that likeable. With the exception of Samantha (Abigail Winter) who spends the duration of her time running after the kids to try and bring some semblance of balance to the chaos, the rest of the characters don’t really shine or stand out.

Having said all that, Between feels like a pale rip off of The 100 and Under The Dome. It lacks any suspense but its mystery around the virus and why its only affecting those over 22 might be enough to see you through until the ending but its a tough watch. The characters are cliched, falling into bland archetypes and a logic-defying story surrounding the town of Pretty Lake forms major cracks in the validity of what’s going on. Perhaps Season 2 will improve but based on this showing, its not one I’m ready to rush out and see anytime soon.