This is the second show that I watch and give a similar review to; I gave an eerily similar review to Dracula mini-series on netflix. I guess some people just aren't finishers - GREAT starters... poor finishers.

Episode three it goes downhill. They essentially replace an intriguing centerpiece character with a really nerve-grating character with ZERO gravitas that takes up so much time and space in the show that you will undoubtedly find yourself reaching for a phone or something to keep your attention. In one scene this new lame character spends almost 40 seconds staring at a mall parking lot camera which leads you to believe that it is important to the story somehow. So you bookmark that in your mind and think they will come back to it. Nope! They don't.

And they do that "extra long shot for added depth" thing many times subsequent to that, I guess to make you think? But think about what? It seems as though its done for "look and feel" only; it seems to me to be meaningless and I find that type of thing to be a betrayal of viewer trust. (maybe I just don't get what they were trying to say, too. I admit that.)

You should trust that when a director does those too-long shots, it's for a reason. But here the longpan shots are meaningless and everything just starts to take way too long, and the less you trust, the less attention you pay. Before long, you're listing your groceries in your head and thinking about a work email and what to reply to your boss. Just like that, you are bored. They spend so much time on this brand new character who is so completely different from the others that the tone of the whole show suffers and feels like it takes a swerving hard right.

The first two episodes I wanted to know about many things. I had many questions. I was veritably intrigued. Soon, the answers become too akin to something like "the boogyman did it". Which is fine. Not my shtick, but fine. My gripes aren't with the supernatural-seeming elements.

There is a romantic relationship that starts to burgeon and it's so boring and displaced within the scope and premise of the show that it made me literally pause and question the whole thing. Maybe it's a question of taste but holy cow man, feels just like filler. YO GUYS!! I want to know what is happening with the murders and characters of episode one and two! ... why would I want to see an off-tone, brand new character develop feelings for another off-tone, brand new character? You had my attention! Hook line and sinker! But alas it was squandered.

I will say this.... In the first two episodes, the atmosphere is fantastic. It's just about as gripping and brilliant as you can get. The camera work is top shelf. Jason Bateman is a brilliant genius and we haven't even seen the best of him yet. Finally, I love Ben Mendelsohn. So so much. Always have. Bloodlines! OMG! He was incredible! NOW THAT was a great show!! Focused premise and mood! Tight script! Expertly written, directed, produced, casted, acted... it's like black and white.

Ben Mendelsohn is an underrated, brilliant actor and I will probably watch the rest of the series just for him... as long as the new character and the love interest angle are squashed... and they find a way to return to the intrigue of the story in a more focused manner. But I doubt they will pull it off. I don't think the show will get any better. I feel certain that this early on, at episode 4, I have already figured out what is going on and my guess is that that the next 6 episodes will be one long detour / stall from the prematurely revealed denouement with writers scrambling to keep me interested / guessing with cheap tricks and red herrings.

If it doesn't get worse I will edit this review and apologize. Promise! But don't hold your breath. If something better comes along, I will likely just drop it, as I'm sure many others will too.