If you were captivated by the first seasons of Lost, long for the denizens of Twin Peaks or remember the capriciousness of Northern Exposure, then you should be glued to the TV on Thursday evenings watching the Fox sleeper hit Wayward Pines.
Wayward Pines stars Matt Dillon as Secret Service Agent Ethan Burke, sent to a sleepy town in Idaho to find two missing agents. After a horrific car accident, Ethan wakes in a hospital bed, and tangles with a daffy nurse who promises to get “Nancy Drew” to track down his cell phone, wallet, and a working telephone. Finding no satisfaction from Nurse Pam, Ethan leaves the hospital with a determination to find his belongings, contact his wife, and get to a decent town. Trying to comprehend what is going on, Ethan begins to learn that citizens of Wayward Pines don’t question the eccentricities of their way of life, they just accept it.
Ethan can’t just accept it. He is at odds with ice cream loving Sheriff Pope (played by Terrence Howard) who declares that Ethan can’t leave HIS town without his permission. Sheriff Pope is only one obstacle for Ethan’s freedom. He can’t trust the neighbors, who plaster on fake smiles, fake lives, and shallow conversations that pass for normalcy. What is preventing Ethan from leaving?
Wayward Pines is based on the trilogy by Blake Crouch. I’m always a sucker for a movie or TV show based on a book and was overjoyed to discover that I could read all three books with my Kindle Unlimited subscription. I spent the last weekend of vacation devouring all three books, engrossed in a story that models life in America today.
In both the books and the show, those who speak of taboo topics are invited to a fête, A fête is not the celebration one would imagine. The residents invited to a fête don’t celebrate but are subjected to a fatal beatdown. For me, this is reminiscent of those who may not share the same views as the Social Media police. For those not in the know, the Social Media Police are a vocal (sometimes minority) group who have time to harangue those who don’t share a similar view.
Wayward Pines is kooky fun. I’m glad I stumbled upon this quirky show for summer pleasure viewing.
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