Season: One
Title/Episode #: Pilot Episode/ "Croatoan"
Writer: Gregg Hale/ Ricardo Festiva
Studio: Haxan Films (FOX)
Guest Stars (if any):
Rating 1-10: 9
Reviewed by: Rebecka Goad
Official Website: http://www.freakylinks.com
Synopsis: The pilot introduces and covers the backstory for the characters, expounding upon the central character Derek Barnes and his assumption of his brother's website, after finding him floating in the tub some three years before. Odd events begin to transpire when Derek gets a quick-time video showing his twin brother Adam at an ATM. What's so strange about that, you ask? Oh, only that the timestamp on the security camera footage showed it to be only two days old. This launches Derek on a quest to review some of Adam's old contacts, his notes, and the last days of his life. It seems good old Adam had been researching the lost colony of Roanoke, and the mythology surrounding four yr old Virginia Dare, granddaughter of John White, the man that led the settlers there.
Review: This was one astoundingly good show, keeping the faith of FOX programming alive and well. Hale and Festiva, the writing geniuses behind Freakylinks, have managed to spawn not only a sure-fire cult hit, but also one kick-ass
website that not just blandly, blindly hypes the show, but also lends an interactive substance to the characters. From here, as well as on the show, you can follow Derek and his friends as they delve into the supernatural, the hideously freaky, and the just plain perverse.
But how do they do it? That's the main question I had after watching the hour-long pilot, and sliding obediently over to the website. How the HELL do they manage to keep the writing so fresh not only for the show, but for the weekly updates to the site as well? Go on, I dare you, page through the Past Rants, the Freakopedia, and the Diary. Can't just stop at the "skim" level, can you? Just as on the show, you find yourself dragged in bodily, kicking a screaming, and enjoying every damned minute of it. If I had to find one thing, though, to say against the show, it would be that unfortunately.. it had commercials.
