31 Days of Horror Day 19: Slasher (TV Series) 2016 - REVIEW

In an era where binge watching is the "in" thing, a lot of TV networks and popular streaming services are pumping out the new shows. I remember as a kid having to wait a full week or even a season before you found out what happened in that cliffhanger that has your knickers all in a twist. Who shot J.R.? I dunno, you have to wait a season plus four episodes to find out. Arguably the most prolific and well known cliffhanger to come out of prime time TV during that time. Nowadays, you just wait for it to show up on Netflix or Hulu and watch the hell out of it. So, does the anticipation make it better or worse?

Sarah (Katie McGrath) and her husband Dylan (Brandon Jay McLaren) move back to the town and home where her parents were murdered years earlier. Before long, the past comes back to haunt the entire town as a string of murders begin. With the help of her friend Robin (Christopher Jacot), Sarah tries to unravel the puzzle that is The Executioner to find out who could be committing these brutal crimes.

So, I came across several reviews for Slasher where people criticizing the acting. Overall, the cast was pretty solid. The one major problem I had was with Irish born McGrath. She seems to have a hard time hiding her accent. Especially in scenes where she is required to get emotional or excited. That doesn't necessarily make her a bad actress but it makes it bad fit in the role of an American. McLaren is a phenomenal actor and I've enjoyed watching him blossom over the years. The same goes for Jacot. He brings a sarcastic, comedic flare to each role that I've seen him in.

To create a successful TV series, you have to have suspense in order to keep viewers wanting to continue on to the next episode. Slasher has a good back story and foundation to build on but creator Aaron Martin didn't quite capitalize on that. Quite honestly, the characters are unlikeable and do some questionable things which will likely turn views off. The big reveal also won't come as much of a surprise. There are also a couple of different storylines going on at once that inevitably cause a bit of confusion. However, on a positive note, there are some good effects throughout, the film is shot well and the locations are pretty great. In the end, what most likely would've made a pretty solid feature, fizzles out as a series.