12 Monkeys: SyFy's Newest Gem

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                           SyFy Channel has quite a few gems: Battlestar Galactica, Stargate, Haven, Defiance, and recently Dominion and I feel that they can add 12 Monkeys to their crown. Based off the film of the same name released in 1995 (starring an all star cast: Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, and Christopher Plummer), SyFy's 12 Monkeys is about a plague that ravages the earth driving the human race to extinction in the aftermath, but a criminal James Cole volunteers to go back in time to stop the plague from ever happening.

You may feel some slight discomfort

              The production is spot on. I'm not a huge time traveler fan to be honest; mostly because they focus and emphasize on the problem with paradoxes and the butterfly effect, but in 12 Monkeys it feels minor. I feel like I can watch without obsessing over those annoying factors because the characters are so much more interesting. Especially in 2043 where violent gangs are running amok, raping and pillaging where ever they go. And you really see the difference in each time period where in 2043 it's very dark, almost drained of color while in 2015 it's vibrant and bright. Needless to say the future looks bleak and the past is a sort of golden age that our characters are trying to get back or preserve. And I've noticed that a lot of the scientists in the future like smoking in the board room. It's like a grim, depressing version of Mad Men, but that adds to the air of hopelessness. The world is ending so why not cancer? Besides if they succeed they'll all be erased and none of this will ever have happened. Also it adds some hint of realism. Some people smoke despite the dangers. This human flaw makes it all the more relatable in some way. 

Should Aaron be intimidated?

              As far as casting I feel we have some real gems. I recognize most of them as alumni from The CW's Nikita, a spy thriller show that lasted 4 seasons. I never really saw the original film but Aaron Stanford plays his character, the sullen, almost hopeless Cole so well that I feel like I don't have to in order to keep up. Noah Bean, who plays Aaron Marker, should always be in a suit. Just saying he does politician or man in charge very well but he also feels original in small ways so you're not bored with his character. Aaron seems like a minor player in this dangerous game but I feel he's also vital, whether as a help or a hindrance I'm not sure yet but I can't wait to find out!

Just a nice stroll in the danger zone

        Amanda Schull I haven't seen much of before but I'm quite impressed with how she portrays her character Dr. Cassandra Railly. She's not at all naive more idealistic and shows a great amount of compassion; she's pretty brave when faced with a gun in the face but reluctant to pull the trigger. Though she has a few chipped edges Cassandra recovers quickly. Amanda and Aaron balance each other's characters so well as far as their dynamic goes. Cole is hard but has a hidden soft side while Cassandra is the opposite, which allows for hints of character growth for both but also some tid-bits of humor to relax despite the doom that surrounds them.

Yeah I'm gonna have nightmares for sure, thanks

           12 Monkeys is a rare gem. I'm more into magic and fantasy but I also love the gritty, dark stuff and 12 Monkeys definitely fits that bill. It's a science fiction thriller that twists your mind into knots with its mysteries and hits home that moral message hidden in every science fiction story. Filled with suspense, horror and some heart to make you think that it would be a sin to miss out on this new series.

Scary... but really cool